Ski boot accessory

Abstract

A ski boot accessory includes a multi-piece body adaptable to mate with the sole of a range of sizes of ski boots via an adjustment mechanism, wherein the bottom surface of the multi-piece body provides a walking surface including a first sloping surface located at a heel portion of the walking surface and a second sloping surface located at a toe portion of the walking surface.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A ski boot accessory comprising:
 a multi-piece body including a front piece and a rear piece connected by a flexible adjustment strap having an elongated body and a catch;   wherein the adjustment strap protrudes from one of the front piece and the rear piece and the other of the front piece and the rear piece includes a plurality of receiving holes;   wherein the adjustment strap removably mates with one of the plurality of receiving holes; and   wherein a bottom surface of the multi-piece body provides a walking surface including a first convexly curved portion located at a heel portion of the walking surface and a second convexly curved portion located at a toe portion of the walking surface.   
     
     
         2 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 1  wherein the walking surface includes an approximately flat surface located between the first convexly curved portion and the second convexly curved portion. 
     
     
         3 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 2  wherein the first sloping surface and the second sloping surface form an angle with the approximately flat surface of between approximately five degrees and fifteen degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 2  wherein the first sloping surface and the second sloping surface are generally curved. 
     
     
         5 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 1  wherein the multi-piece body includes a first binding catch mechanism associated with the front piece and a second binding catch mechanism associated with the rear piece. 
     
     
         6 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 5  wherein the second binding catch mechanism associated with the rear piece includes a grasping portion. 
     
     
         7 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 1  wherein the walking surface includes a plurality of traction elements, and the multi-piece body includes a plurality of diode lights. 
     
     
         8 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 1  wherein the multi-piece body is formed from thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         9 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 1  wherein the multi-piece body is foldable into a folded position such that the heel portion and the toe portion of the walking surface are brought closer together. 
     
     
         10 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 9  wherein the multi-piece body includes a first binding catch mechanism associated with the front piece and a second binding catch mechanism associated with the rear piece, and wherein the multi-piece body is securable in the folded position by folding one of the first binding catch mechanism and the second binding catch mechanism into the other of the first binding catch mechanism and the second binding catch mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 1  wherein the other of the front piece and the rear piece which includes the plurality of receiving holes further includes a bottom surface and a receiving slot in the bottom surface, the receiving slot being sized and configured to receive a majority of the elongated body of the adjustment strap. 
     
     
         12 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 11  wherein the receiving slot is sized and configured to receive substantially all of the elongated body of the adjustment strap. 
     
     
         13 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second convexly curved portions are continuously curved. 
     
     
         14 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 1  wherein an entirety of the bottom surface is curved. 
     
     
         15 . A ski boot accessory comprising:
 a front piece including a first binding catch mechanism and a first bottom surface having a substantially flat first center portion;   a rear piece including a second binding catch mechanism and a second bottom surface having a substantially flat second center portion; and   a flexible adjustment strap for connecting the front piece to the rear piece in any one of a plurality of positions such that the front piece and the rear piece form a body that is securable to the sole of a ski boot by the first binding catch mechanism and the second binding catch mechanism;   wherein the first and second bottom surfaces of the front piece and rear piece form a walking surface including a first sloping surface and a second sloping surface;   wherein the front piece and the rear piece are movable relative to each other into a folded position wherein the substantially flat first center portion and the substantially flat second center portion are substantially parallel to each other and non-coplanar; and   wherein the flexible adjustment strap is configured to bend to thereby maintain connection between the front piece and the rear piece in both the folded position and an unfolded position.   
     
     
         16 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 15  wherein the walking surface further includes an approximately flat surface located between the first sloping surface and the second sloping surface wherein the first sloping surface and the second sloping surface form an angle with the approximately flat surface of between approximately five degrees and fifteen degrees. 
     
     
         17 . A ski boot accessory comprising:
 a front piece including a first walking surface and a first binding catch mechanism;   a rear piece including a second walking surface, a second binding catch mechanism and a grasping portion;   a plurality of receiving holes and an elongated receiving slot on one of the front piece and the rear piece, the elongated receiving slot being oriented in a longitudinal direction; and   an adjustment strap oriented in the longitudinal direction on the other of the front piece and the rear piece, the adjustment strap including an elongated body and a catch, the elongated body being configured to be substantially entirely received in the elongated receiving slot, and the catch being configured to releasably engage one of the plurality of receiving holes to thereby connect the front piece to the rear piece.   
     
     
         18 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 17  wherein the front piece and rear piece are foldable into a folded position, and are secured in the folded position via engagement between the first binding catch mechanism and the second binding catch mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 18  wherein the flexible adjustment strap is configured to flex to thereby maintain connection between the front piece and the rear piece in both the folded position and an unfolded position. 
     
     
         20 . The ski boot accessory of  claim 17  wherein the first walking surface and the second walking surface include a plurality of traction elements, the elongated body being substantially entirely received in the elongated receiving slot, and the catch releasably engaging one of the plurality of receiving holes to thereby connect the front piece to the rear piece.