Patent Application
20110175303
The field of endeavor to which this invention pertains is recreational snow sleds. The purpose of this invention is to provide a sled that is lightweight, compact, and foldable. This invention should solve the problem of sled injuries, caused by heavy sleds hitting children on the sled hill. This invention also solves the issue of transporting heavy sleds to a hill and storing bulky sleds. This sled can by quickly folded and easily carried to a hill. It can be stored in a small space while not being used.
The foldable flexible sled is a lightweight sled that folds up into itself for quick and easy transport. Made of soft and flexible material it is also less dangerous in the case of a collision or other sledding accidents. The object of the invention is to provide a sled that is easy to transport and store. The sled also provides a fast, fun ride down a hill. Additionally, the sled is safer in case of a collision because of the soft nature of the materials used.
The circular sled is approximately 32″ in diameter in its full form as pictured in
Around the perimeter is a circular, flexible metal or plastic rim. The rim is encased in a hem of the fabric. The two circles of fabric are sewn together & a hem of approximately ½ inch is sewn to encase the rim. The smooth vinyl side is placed on the snow, and the nylon is where the user sits. The user holds onto the sides of the sled as he/she slides down the hill.
The Foldable/Flexible sled provides a slick, fun ride down a hill. We have tested the sled in a variety of snow conditions and it works as well or better than other sleds currently on the market.
The sled folds up easily into a 12″ circle (1″ high) for easy transport and storage. The fold process begins with the user placing one hand on each side of the sled. One hand turns the sled in a clockwise direction, the other hand twists the sled in a counterclockwise direction. The sled begins to twist as show in
The sled in its folded position is easy to carry and store. This solves storage space problems. Many homes have inadequate storage space for winter toys. The sled is also easier to stow in a vehicle on the way to a sledding hill, or can be more easily brought to sledding parties. The sled is also easier for a child to carry up a hill (without adult help). There is no other sled available that compacts into a 12″ circle.
The Foldable/Flexible sled also addresses some of the safety issues involved in sledding. Every year many children are injured by heavy sleds that hit them on a hill. Sleds collide & sometimes sleds escape their owners and go down a hill without a rider. These runaway sleds account for many injuries as they hit children at the bottom of the hill. Injuries from these accidents can be as common as bruises and as serious as concussions. The Foldable/Flexible sled is very light and minimizes chances of injury from impact with a sled.
