A DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows in isometric view the snowblade, spring and binding plate components of the invention.
FIG. 2 shows in exploded view the anterior binding complex with anterior screws and anterior clips of the invention.
FIG. 3 shows in exploded view the posterior binding complex with posterior screws and posterior clips of the invention.
FIG. 4 shows in isometric view the fully assembled invention.
FIG. 5 shows in isometric view the fully assembled invention affixed to a skiboot.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows the snowblade component 1 of the invention with an elongated body and upwardly curved ends. There is also therein depicted an elongated skiboot support plate component 2 affixed to snowblade component 1 at or about the commencement of each portion curvaceousness both anteriorly and posteriorly of snowblade component 1 and with a clearance therebetween. Equivalent spring components 3 are moreover seen affixed at a midpoint of support plate 2 to the topside of the elongated body portion of snowblade component 1 and the bottomside of skiboot support plate 2. Spring components 3 provide cushioning to a user of the invention thereby facilitating the user's capability for initiating momentum by way of an initial skating-like action performed with the user's legs while on relatively flat ground. Moreover, this feature of the invention enables a user of the invention to more readily make alpine downslope turns with greater precision and control, bearing in mind that such user's balancing upright during the course of such downwardly directed motion is accomplished with resort to arm movement only and typically not with hand held poles, such as would be the case involving utilization of other downward skiing devices not featuring spring components 3 as being a part thereof. There are two extreme anterior end through holes 4 located within the body of support plate 2. Located, ideally one inch behind holes 4 are two anterior end through holes 5, each being equidistant from holes 4. There are two extreme posterior end through holes 6 located within the body of support plate 2. Located, ideally one and one-half inches in front of holes 6 are two posterior end through holes 7, each being equidistant from holes 6. That there are two sets of anterior holes; extreme anterior holes, 4 and anterior holes 5 and two sets of posterior holes; extreme posterior holes 6 and posterior holes 7 is due to the fact that whereas such holes serve the purpose of facilitating the anchoring of binding complexes to support plate 2; such variated hole positioning accordingly facilitates such anchoring so as to accommodate the binding down of skiboots of varying size. All of the foregoing aspects of the invention are illustrated with resort to FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the anterior clips 8 of the invention and FIG. 3 shows the posterior clips 10 of the invention. Anterior clips 8 are affixable to the bottomside of support plate 2 via resort to anterior binding screws 9 insertable through either extreme anterior holes 4 or anterior holes 5 and holes likewise in the uppermost portions of clips 8. Posterior clips 10 of the invention are affixable to the bottomside of support plate 2 via resort to posterior binding screws 11 insertable through either posterior holes 6 or posterior holes 7 and likewise holes in the uppermost portions of clips 10. Clips 8 are seen as being so holdable in FIGS. 2 and 3 and clips 10 are seen as being so holdable in FIGS. 3 and 4. An anterior binding complex being an integral part of the invention and shown in exploded view in FIG. 2 consists of an anterior binding threaded square u-bolt unit 12 amenable to being pivotably held by the curved shelving portions of affixed anterior clips 8 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The anterior complex also consists of an anterior binding plate unit 13 sufficiently sized so as to efficiently hold in place the toe portion B of a skiboot A and being affixable to u-bolt unit 12 via holes located in the end portions of plate unit 13 as are also shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. A pair of internally threaded wing nut means 14 serve to affix plate unit 13 to u-bolt 12 and correlatively fast to the toe portion B of a skiboot A as can be appreciated with resort to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. U-bolts 12 not wide enough at the bases thereof can nevertheless be affixed to binding plate units 13 as noted above simply by bending the lateral portions or legs thereof outwardly prior to such affixation as noted above. There is also to be seen, especially with resort to FIG. 2, holes 15, one each in a wing portion of wing nut means 14. Holes 15 serve to receive flexible clip lock 16 as seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. Flexible clip lock 16, once a skiboot A is bound to support plate 2, functions to prevent counterclockwise rotation of wing nut means 14 and concomitant loosening thereof, a safety feature built into the invention. A posterior binding complex also being an integral part of the invention and shown in exploded view in FIG. 3 consists of a posterior binding threaded square u-bolt unit 17 amenable to being pivotably held by the curved shelving portions of affixed posterior clips 10 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The posterior complex also consists of a posterior binding plate unit 18 sufficiently sized so as to efficiently hold in place the heel portion C of a skiboot A and being affixable to u-bolt unit 17 via holes located in the end portions of plate unit 18 as also shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. A pair of posterior binding plate internally threaded nut means 19 serve to affix plate unit 18 to u-bolt 17 and correlatively fast to the heel portion C of skiboot A as can be appreciated with resort to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. U-bolts 17 not wide enough at the bases thereof can nevertheless be affixed to binding plate units 18 as noted above simply by bending the lateral portions or legs thereof outwardly prior to such affixation as noted above. There is also to be seen, especially with resort to FIG. 3, notch 20 cut into the mid-portion of the body of plate unit 18. The upper segment of the mid-portion of plate unit 18 is biased forwardly at an angle relative to the lie of the horizontally inclined long axis 22 of plate unit 18 and between each of two vertically inclined slots 23 cut into plate unit 18 with each slot 23 extending downwardly from the locus of the lie of the top edge of plate unit 18 down to where thereupon the mid-portion thereof is biased forwardly. Notch 20 has a radius of curvature 21 equivalent to the radius of curvature of the heel portion C of a prototypical skiboot A. This equivalence of radii of curvature 21 feature of the invention greatly ensures a minimization and, indeed virtual obviation of skiboot slippage during use of the invention; yet another safety feature thereof.
FIG. 4 depicts the invention in a fully assembled state. Anterior clips 8 held via anterior binding screws 9 through the holes in the uppermost portions thereof and through anterior holes 4 in turn hold anterior binding threaded square u-bolt 12 in turn holding anterior binding plate unit 13 above which can be seen wing nut means 15 holding clip lock 16. Also therein seen are posterior clips 10 held via posterior binding screws 11 through the holes the uppermost portions thereof and through posterior holes 7 in turn holding posterior binding threaded square u-bolt 17 in turn holding posterior binding plate unit 18 above which there can be seen posterior binding plate nut means 19. FIG. 5 depicts the fully assembled invention holding a skiboot A after a tightening down of wing nut means 14, inserting and locking down clip lock 16 and then a tightening down of posterior binding plate nut means 19.
A scaled down version of the invention will operate to serve the needs of young children as well. The difference as between such a scaled down version and the invention as described above involves the inwardly bending of the lateral portions or legs of u-bolts 12 and 17 to accommodate affixation thereto of small sized anterior binding plate units, 13 and posterior binding plate units 18 respectively.
In conclusion, respectfully submitted, the instant invention, with the spring component 3 feature thereof and with the above described safety features thereof combined with the nature of and relative ease of assembly and disassembly of the anterior and posterior binding complexes all as shown above, is not only new, useful and unique, but indeed veritably revolutionary in the art of snowblading devices.
Patent Application
20080048415
