Water ski apparatus and method

• US 5,299,963 A
• Filed: 10/29/1992
• Issued: 04/05/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paul D. Isensee
• Original Assignee: Paul D. Isensee
• Inventors: Isensee, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swinehart, Edwin L.
• Application Number:
  US07/968,425
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 114/130, 114/138, 114/140, 114/141, 114/39.2, 114/266, 114/267, 114/364, 114/357, 441/68, 441/74, 441/79
• US Class Current: 441/79
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 32/30 Water skis fastened to the user's feet; Accessories specially adapted therefor

Abstract

An improved water ski apparatus and method are disclosed. A slalom water ski having an adjustable rudder fin is configured such that the rudder fin can be selectively and precisely moved in vertical, horizontal and diagonal directions in a manner such that each movement parameter can be separated from the others and is precisely moveable to within thousandths of an inch accuracy, in calibrated manner. Means are provided to enable complete removal of the rudder fin from the ski, and subsequent replacement while exactly preserving the last adjusted mounting position of the fin relative to the ski. An improved fastening technique for mounting the rudder fin to the ski body without loosening or stripping of the fastening members is also disclosed, as well as a method for fabricating a ski body that integrally incorporates the improved fastening members in the body of the ski.

Claims

1. An improved water ski, comprising:

a. an elongated water ski body having top and bottom surfaces and longitudinally extending from a front end to a back end;

b. a rudder fin member operatively mounted to said ski body adjacent said back end thereof and projecting outwardly from said bottom surface of said ski body, and generally symmetrically disposed about a plane of symmetry; and

c. means for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in calibrated manner, wherein said adjusting means enables independent calibrated adjustable movement of said rudder fin member in each of at least two degree of freedom directions within said plane.

2. The water ski of claim 1, wherein said rudder fin member is generally planar and defines an outer peripheral edge surface, and wherein said rudder fin adjusting means includes at least one adjustable bearing surface means for operatively engaging said rudder fin member along said outer peripheral edge surface in a manner which defines the operative calibrated position of said rudder fin member.

3. An improved water ski, comprising:

a. an elongated water ski body having top and bottom surfaces and longitudinally extending from a front end to a back end;

b. a rudder fin member operatively mounted to said ski body adjacent said back end thereof and projecting outwardly from said bottom surface of said ski body, and generally symmetrically disposed about a plane of symmetry; and

c. means for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in calibrated manner, wherein said adjusting means enables calibrated adjustable movement of said rudder fin member with multiple degrees of movement freedom within said plane; and

said rudder fin adjusting means further including means for providing uniform calibrated movement of the entire said rudder fin member in a direction generally perpendicular to the general plane of said bottom surface of said ski body.

4. An improved water ski, comprising:

a. an elongated water ski body having top and bottom surfaces and longitudinally extending from a front end to a back end;

b. a rudder fin member operatively mounted to said ski body adjacent said back end thereof and projecting outwardly from said bottom surface of said ski body, and generally symmetrically disposed about a plane of symmetry; and

c. means for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in calibrated manner, wherein said adjusting means enables calibrated adjustable movement of said rudder fin member with multiple degrees of movement freedom within said plane;

said rudder fin adjusting means further including means for providing uniform calibrated movement of the entire said rudder fin member in a direction generally parallel to the general plane of said bottom surface of said ski body.

5. An improved water ski, comprising:

a. an elongated water ski body having top and bottom surfaces and longitudinally extending from a front end to a back end;

b. a rudder fin member operatively mounted to said ski body adjacent said back end thereof and projecting outwardly from said bottom surface of said ski body, and generally symmetrically disposed about a plane of symmetry, said rudder fin defining oppositely disposed forward and trailing edges; and

c. means for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in calibrated manner, wherein said adjusting means enables calibrated adjustable movement of said rudder fin member with multiple degrees of movement freedom within said plane; and

wherein said adjusting means includes means for selectively moving said rudder fin member so as to independently selectively move said forward and said trailing edges of said rudder fin member relative to said bottom surface of said ski body.

6. An improved water ski, comprising:

a. an elongated water ski body having top and bottom surfaces and longitudinally extending from a front end to a back end;

b. a rudder fin member operatively mounted to said ski body adjacent said back end thereof and projecting outwardly from said bottom surface of said ski body, and generally symmetrically disposed about a plane of symmetry; and

c. means for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in calibrated manner, wherein said adjusting means enables calibrated adjustable movement of said rudder fin member with multiple degrees of movement freedom within said plane;

said rudder fin adjusting means further including threaded means for engaging and adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member in a manner such that rotation of said threaded means imparts movement to said rudder fin member by an amount proportional to the rotation of said threaded means.

7. The water ski of claim 6, wherein said threaded means includes at least one screw member.

8. An improved water ski, comprising;

a. an elongated water ski body having top and bottom surfaces and longitudinally extending from a front end to a back end;

b. a rudder fin member operatively mounted to said ski body adjacent said back end thereof and projecting outwardly from said bottom surface of said ski body, wherein said rudder fin member is generally planar and defines a peripheral edge surface; and

c. means for adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in calibrated manner, wherein said rudder fin adjusting means includes a plurality of adjustable bearing surface means for operatively engaging said rudder fin member along said peripheral edge surface in a manner that defines the operative calibrated position of said rudder fin member.

9. The water ski of claim 8, wherein said adjustable bearing surface means control movement of said rudder fin member in at least two directions within the general plane of said rudder fin member.

10. An improved water ski, comprising:

a. an elongated water ski body having top and bottom surfaces and longitudinally extending from a front end to a back end;

b. a general planar rudder fin member operatively mounted to said ski body adjacent said back end thereof and projecting outwardly from said bottom surface of said ski body and generally symmetrically disposed about a plane of symmetry, said rudder fin member defining a peripheral edge surface; and

c. means for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in calibrated manner, wherein said adjusting means enables calibrated adjustable movement of said rudder fin member with multiple degrees of movement freedom within said plane;

wherein said adjusting means includes at least one adjustable bearing surface means for operatively engaging said rudder fin member along said peripheral edge surface in a manner which defines the operative calibrated position of said rudder fin member, said adjustable bearing surface means further including at least one rotational threaded member which defines the operative calibrated position of said rudder fin member by an amount proportional to the rotational attitude of said threaded member.

11. A water ski, comprising:

a. an elongated water ski body having top and bottom surfaces and longitudinally extending along an axis from a front end to a back end, said ski body defining an axially aligned slot therethrough adjacent said back end;

b. a generally planar rudder fin member entrained within said slot and sized for movement within said slot;

c. means for securing said rudder fin member to said ski body at a desired operative position within said slot such that at least a portion of said rudder fin member projects outwardly from said bottom surface of said ski body; and

d. adjustment means operatively connected with said rudder fin member for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in calibrated manner;

wherein said alignment means enables precise independent calibrated movement of said rudder fin member in predetermined increments in each of at least two degree of freedom directions within the general plane of said rudder fin member.

12. The water ski of claim 11, wherein said adjustment means is operatively connected to said means for securing said rudder fin member to said ski body.

13. A water ski comprising:

a. an elongated water ski body having top and bottom surfaces and longitudinally extending along an axis from a front end to a back end, said ski body defining an axially aligned slot therethrough adjacent said back end;

b. a generally planar rudder fin member entrained within said slot and sized for movement within said slot;

c. means for securing said rudder fin member to said ski body at a desired operative position within said slot such that at least a portion of said rudder fin member projects outwardly from said bottom surface of said ski body; and

d. adjustment means operatively connected with said rudder fin member for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in calibrated manner;

said adjustment means including at least one threaded member having an axis that lies in the general plane of said rudder fin member, said threaded member being rotatable about said axis;

wherein said alignment means enables precise calibrated movement of said rudder fin member in predetermined increments and with multiple degrees of freedom within the general plane of said rudder fin member.

14. The water ski of claim 13, wherein said adjustment means includes a plurality of said threaded members movable about their respective axes that respectively lie in the general plane of said rudder fin member.

15. An adjustable rudder fin assembly for a water ski having a ski body defining top and bottom ski surfaces and extending between front and back ends, comprising:

a. a rudder fin member;

b. means connected with said rudder fin member for operatively securing said rudder fin member to said water ski body; and

c. adjustment means operatively connected with said rudder fin member and with said securing means for independently selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body in each of at least two different degree of freedom directions, in calibrated manner;

so as to enable said entire rudder fin member to be adjustably moved with predetermined accuracy.

16. The adjustable rudder fin assembly of claim 15, wherein said rudder fin member is generally planar and wherein said adjustment means includes means for moving said rudder fin member in the general plane of said rudder fin member.

17. The adjustable rudder fin assembly of claim 15, wherein said rudder fin member is generally planar and defines an outer peripheral edge surface, and wherein said adjustment means includes at least one adjustable bearing surface means for operatively engaging said rudder fin member along said outer peripheral edge surface in a manner which defines the operative calibrated position of said rudder fin member.

18. An adjustable rudder fin assembly for a water ski having a ski body defining top and bottom ski surfaces and extending between front and back ends, comprising:

a. a rudder fin member;

b. means connected with said rudder fin member for operatively securing said rudder fin member to said water ski body; and

c. adjustment means operatively connected with said rudder fin member and with said securing means for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body, in calibrated manner, so as to enable said entire rudder fin member to be adjustably moved with predetermined accuracy with at least two degrees of movement freedom;

wherein said adjustment means includes threaded means for engaging and adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member in a manner such that rotation of said threaded means imparts movement to said rudder fin member by an amount proportional to the rotation of said threaded means.

19. The adjustable rudder fin assembly of claim 18, wherein said threaded means is operatively connected to said means for securing said rudder fin member to said water ski body.

20. An adjustable rudder fin assembly for a water ski having a ski body defining top and bottom ski surfaces and extending between front and back ends, comprising:

a. a rudder fin member;

b. means connected with said rudder fin member for operatively securing said rudder fin member to said water ski body, said securing mans including clamping means for engaging and clamping said rudder fin member in fixed position relative to said securing means when said ruder fin member is positioned at the desired calibrated position; and

c. adjustment means operatively connected with said rudder fin member and with said securing means for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body, in calibrated manner, so as to enable said entire rudder fin member to be adjustably moved with predetermined accuracy with at least two degrees of movement freedom.

21. An improved water ski, comprising:

a. a water ski body defining a bottom and longitudinally extending between a front end and a back end;

b. a rudder fin member having forward and rear edges;

c. means for operatively mounting said rudder fin member to said ski body at a position adjacent said back end of said body wherein said forward edge of said rudder fin member faces said front end of the water ski body; and

d. adjustment means operatively connected with said rudder fin member for selectively adjusting the operative position of said rudder fin member relative to said ski body, in calibrated manner, such that the forward and rearward edges of said rudder fin member can be independently adjustably positioned relatively to said ski body bottom.

22. The water ski of claim 21, wherein said rudder fin mounting means includes at least one fastener member permanently secured within said water ski body.

23. The water ski of claim 22, wherein said fastener member comprises a sleeve member suitable for cooperatively retainably holding a threaded fastener, and wherein said sleeve member comprises at least in part a material different from that material of said ski body in which said fastener member is secured and which retards stripping of threads formed therein for holding said threaded fastener.

24. The water ski of claim 23, wherein said rudder fin mounting means includes a plurality of said sleeve members and a plurality of threaded fasteners cooperatively threaded into said sleeve members for operatively securing said rudder fin member to said ski body.

25. The water ski of claim 21, wherein said adjustment means further comprises means for providing uniform calibrated adjustment movement of the entire rudder fin member in a direction generally parallel to the general plane of said bottom of said ski body.