Wheels on skis for transportation

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for manually transporting by rolling or sliding, pushing or pulling, skis or the like as a pair, on any kind of surfaces, with a pair of independent collapsible wheels, each wheel attached to a different ski from the pair, the wheels can be folded and deployed, enabling safe skiing when the wheels are folded and carrying the ski upon the ground with the assistance of the wheels, when they are deployed and the skis attached together as a pair. The device is permanently mounted on the ski. The wheels are made from light material, such as rubber or plastics. The ski can also have a holder or fastener at the opposite end for fixing a pulling or pushing aid.

1 . Device for manually transporting, board like locomotion means, in particular of skis pairwise together or like, characterized in that it is composed of a pair of wheels which are an integral part of each ski tales. 
     
     
         2 . Device for transporting on any kind of surfaces provided pairwise together, board-like locomotion means, in particular of skis, when gathered by the ski-stops, or the like, with at least one collapsible wheel device on the upper surface of each ski tale, which in an area of the tips of the means of travel, centered in the width of the tale, characterized in that the device is permanently mounted on the ski to form an integral part of the means of transport, and that the device in the tail end region of the means of transport such that the side of the tales facing the bottom when the wheels are deployed. 
     
     
         3 . According to  claim 1 , the device is carried respectively and independently by each separate ski at the tail end portion (either on the tips or on the end of the ski tale) and on said upper surface of each said ski. 
     
     
         4 . According to  claim 1 , the device is characterized in that the whole device is permanently integrated on each upper surface of the ski tale; the receptacles or rails are strongly and definitively fixed on the means of transportation and that the wheels are permanently attached to it by the axle; when the user is skiing, the wheels are in a folded mode; when the user is transporting the ski, the wheels are in a deployed position. 
     
     
         5 . According to  claims 1  and  2 , characterized that the ski equipped with the device, which it is composed of three main pieces that are kept attached directly on the ski, characterized as non-removable device. Wherein the three pieces: the wheel connected to the axle, that is itself connected to either the receptacle or rail strongly fixed to the ski (with glue or other means alike). 
     
     
         6 . According to previous claim, the device comprises:
 (a) either a rail or a receptacle (depending on the alternative embodiment chosen) disposed on upper surface of each ski; wherein the receptacle or the rail, that has a predetermined shape and dimensions, includes a slot that receives an axle for rotably holding each wheel; and   (b) each axle has a flanged end portion that can be engage in the slot on the said rail or receptacle and mounted in the center of the wheel; and   (c) a wheel is mounted on the said axle, itself arranged on the rail or receptacle forming part of the ski; wherein a pair of wheels are non-removable and each wheel is independent of the other wheel.   (d) a knob means at the center of the wheel allowing to change position of the wheel from the folded mode to the deployed position and vice-versa.   
     
     
         7 . According to the previous claims, the device is characterized in that it comprises the wheel, axle and the receptacle or rail, that are kept permanently attached on the means of transportation by means of super glue or alike (without causing any damage to the ski tale itself). 
     
     
         8 . Device according to the previous claim, characterized in that the receptacle or the rail is disposed on the upper surface of the ski. 
     
     
         9 . According to the precedent claim, the device is characterized in that the rail allows the axle and the wheel to move from position A (closed mode) to position B (open mode) in order for the wheel to exceeds over the substantial part of the ski tale's width. 
     
     
         10 . According to an alternative claim, the device is characterized in that a static receptacle, allow the wheel to inflate in order to achieve its open (deployed) mode; and the wheel deflate in order to get to its closed mode; whereas no movement on the upper surface of the ski is necessary to exceed over the substantial part of the ski tale's width in the open mode, since the wheel inflates enough to exceed in an appropriate measure over the side of the ski tale allowing for transportation. 
     
     
         11 . According to an alternative claim, the device is characterized in that a static receptacle, allow the wheel to unfold in order to achieve its open (deployed) mode; and the wheel is folded in order to get to its closed mode; whereas no movement on the upper surface of the ski is necessary to exceed over the substantial part of the ski tale's width in the open mode, since the unfolded part of the wheel exceed in an appropriate measure over the side of the ski tale allowing for transportation. 
     
     
         12 . In order to be of no disturbance while skiing, the wheels have to reduce in size, to fold or to move from its open (deployed) position (B) to its closed (folded) position (A). The position (A) can be archived either by deflating the wheel (receptacle mode), by folding the wheel (receptacle mode), by reducing extendable wheels (receptacle mode), by moving the wheel on the slot of the rail (rail mode). 
     
     
         13 . According to the previous claims, the device is characterized in that the device has a weight that influences as little as possible the initial ski weight and cleans vibration modes of the ski. According to preceding claims, the device is characterized in that it is made of material light enough to assure that the weight distribution of the ski is not modified (and that when the device is in folded mode the ski's balance is ensured), for example the device is made in plastic having a high abrasion resistance and a low coefficient of friction. 
     
     
         14 . An alternative, if a slight imbalance still occurs (even with light materials), is to add an equivalent weight on the opposite end of the ski in order to rebalance the ski—by means of decorative piece or useful add (as GPS for example). 
     
     
         15 . Device according to one of the preceding claims is characterized in that the receptacle or the rail and the axle are formed from a light, but solid, material like light and strong alloy with aluminum or carbon for example, in order to assure in the folded mode no interference in the balance weight of the ski. 
     
     
         16 . Device according to one of the preceding claims is characterized in that the wheel is formed from a light material like rubber or plastic, in order to ensure stability and balance of the ski itself. 
     
     
         17 . Device according to one of the preceding claims is characterized in that the wheel allows to roll on rough surfaces, by profiled tire or like. 
     
     
         18 . According to previous claims, the device is characterized in that the collapsible wheel can be folded (closed mode) or deployed (opening mode). The skis equipped with a pair of collapsible wheel device of  claim 1 , wherein said collapsible wheel further includes a lock release knob, mounted at the center of the wheel and the axle, for enabling the release of said collapsible wheel from its close position to its open position (the wheel exceeding over substantially on the side of the ski) and vice-versa (from close mode to open mode). 
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to previous claims is characterized in that the wheel ( 4 ) deploys on the side of the ski and exceeds over the substantial part of its width in order to allow the ski's transportation and therefore guarantees that the ski tales do not get damaged, since the deployed wheel exceed from ski tale width (on the thinner side of the ski) and only the wheel gets contact with the ground. 
     
     
         20 . According to the previous claim, the device is characterized in that a pair of space apart wheels on one end of the ski tale provides that skier can grab the opposite end portion of the ski tale in order to transport the skis; and allow transport by pulling or pushing the ski pairwise together on any kind of surfaces. 
     
     
         21 . According to the preceding claims, the device is characterized in that a pair of spaced apart wheels that are independently connected to each ski's tale so that the wheels define a spaced wheelbase when the skis are placed in a parallel relationship to each other allowing a better transportation. The wheelbase can be broadened by means of a spring in the axle. 
     
     
         22 . Device according to one of previous claims is characterized in that the ski tales have to be gathered by the ski-stops, that can also be secured by a simple elastic or band. 
     
     
         23 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a holder, a pulling or guiding means can be arranged on the ski itself in order to ease the transportation, for example on the ski-stops.