Snow scooter with a foot-activated brake

• US 20060108750A1
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Dennis Nelson, Gene Arnold Ii Vanpelt, Kennth Moscaret, Robert L. Gille, Terry D. Patcheak
• Original Assignee: David Dennis Nelson, Gene Arnold Ii Vanpelt, Kennth Moscaret, Robert L. Gille, Terry D. Patcheak
• Inventors: Moore, Roger, VanPelt, Gene Arnold II, Gille, Robert L., Nelson, David Dennis, Moscaret, Kennth
• Granted Patent: US 7,163,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/06 enabling conversion into another device
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 13/04 arranged in a single line
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 17/08 Braking devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 19/02 attachable to wheels

Abstract

A ski attachment kit for a kick scooter having a scooter steering assembly that includes a front fork configured for attaching a front wheel, a scooter body that includes a stand-on area and a rear fork rearward of the stand-on area configured for attaching a rear wheel, and a coupling that couples the steering assembly and the scooter body. The kit includes a front ski assembly having a scooter steering assembly mount that receives and releasably retains the steering assembly while providing a clearance for an attached front wheel. The kit also includes a rear ski assembly having a scooter body mount that receives and releasably retains the scooter body while providing a clearance for an attached rear wheel.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A foot-operated brake for a kick scooter converted for sliding on snow by attaching at least one ski having an elongated glide plate, and a tip portion and a tail portion separated by a central portion having a scooter mount, the brake comprising:

a brake guide coupled to the ski; and

a brake coupled to the brake guide and including a user engagement surface that receives a force applied by a foot of a user and a brake plate that engages snow when activated by the force.

19. The brake of claim 18, wherein the brake guide comprises a pivot, and the brake is pivotally coupled to the pivot, such that the force applied to the engagement surface pivots the brake about the pivot.

20. The brake of claim 18, wherein the brake guide is coupled to the ski proximate to the tail portion of the ski.

21. The brake of claim 18, wherein the brake guide is coupled to a tail portion of the scooter mount.

22. The brake of claim 18, wherein the brake further includes a configuration for trailing engagement with snow.

23. The brake of claim 18, wherein the brake further includes a snow displacement surface configured such that, when the ski moves across a snow surface in a tip-first manner and the braking plate engages snow, the snow displacement surface displaces engaged snow into air space above the snow surface.

24. The brake of claim 18, further including an elastic member disposed between the glide plate and the brake, the elastic member biasing the brake plate in an elevated position and away from the snow when the glide plate is proximate to the snow, until depressed with a force that overcomes the elastic member allowing the brake plate to pivot downwardly and protrude into the snow.

25. The brake of claim 24, wherein the elastic member comprises a spring.

26. The brake of claim 18, wherein the brake plate comprises a braking surface that substantially resistively engages snow.

27. The brake of claim 26, wherein, when the ski slides across a snow surface in a tip-first manner, the brake plate initially engages snow behind the tail.

28-39. -39. (canceled)

40. An improved snow scooter having a longitudinal axis, a tip portion and a tail portion joined together by a stand-on area, a handle, and at least one gliding surface having a flat portion defining a plane, the improvement comprising:

a pivot coupled to the scooter;

a trailing brake coupled to the pivot and including a user engagement surface that receives a force applied by a foot of a user, and a brake plate that engages snow when activated by the force;

an elastic member disposed between the gliding surface and the brake, the elastic member biasing the brake plate in an elevated position and away from the snow when the gliding surface is proximate to the snow until depressed with a force that overcomes the elastic member allowing the brake plate to pivot downwardly and protrude into the snow in an orientation generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.

a snow displacement surface configured such that, when the scooter moves across a snow surface in a tip-first direction generally aligned with the longitudinal axis and the brake plate engages snow, the snow displacement surface displaces engaged snow into air space above the snow surface.

41. The improved snow of claim 40, wherein the pivot is coupled to the tail portion of the scooter.

42. A foot-operated brake for a snow scooter, the brake comprising:

a brake guide coupled to the snow scooter; and

a brake coupled to the brake guide and including a user engagement surface that receives a force applied by a foot of a user and a brake plate that engages snow when activated by the force in a configuration for trailing engagement with snow; and

a snow displacement surface configured such that, when the snow scooter moves across a snow surface in a forward manner and the braking plate engages snow, the snow displacement surface displaces engaged snow into air space above the snow surface.

43. The brake of claim 42, further including an elastic member disposed between the snow scooter and the brake, the elastic member biasing the brake plate in an elevated position and away from the snow when the snow scooter is proximate to the snow until depressed with a force that overcomes the elastic member allowing the braking plate to pivot downwardly and protrude into the snow.