초록 ▼

A snowboard without foot bindings enables a rider to perform skateboard tricks while sliding on snow. A pair of runner boards is connected in a spaced longitudinal relationship by a strut. A pole is attached to the strut by a universal joint enabling a rider to perform maneuvers while holding onto a

A snowboard without foot bindings enables a rider to perform skateboard tricks while sliding on snow. A pair of runner boards is connected in a spaced longitudinal relationship by a strut. A pole is attached to the strut by a universal joint enabling a rider to perform maneuvers while holding onto a handle at the end of the pole. The universal joint enables the runner boards to rotate 360° about a longitudinal axis extending along the board and rotate 360° about a vertical axis and other angles therebetween providing the same freedom of movement to the runner boards that a skateboard provides for its rider. The pole is pivotally mounted to the connector enabling the pole to pivot through an arc of at least 180°.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A snowboard comprising: a runner board having upper and bottom surfaces extending along a longitudinal axis and terminating in front and back ends;a pole extending upwardly from the upper surface of the runner board generally along a vertical axis; and a universal joint connecting the pole to the

1. A snowboard comprising: a runner board having upper and bottom surfaces extending along a longitudinal axis and terminating in front and back ends;a pole extending upwardly from the upper surface of the runner board generally along a vertical axis; and a universal joint connecting the pole to the runner board enabling the runner board to rotate substantially 360° about the vertical axis and substantially 360° about the longitudinal axis; and wherein the runner board includes a pair of board members connected by an intervening strut; and in which the universal joint includes a connector operationally mounted on the strut. 2. The snowboard defined in claim 1 wherein the strut has a generally cylindrical section which extends along the longitudinal axis of the runner board and in which the connector is rotatably mounted on the cylindrical section which enables 360° movement of the runner board around the connector. 3. The snowboard defined in claim 2 wherein the connector includes upper and lower U-shaped clamps, at least one of which is formed with an arcuate rib which seats in a complementary arcuate groove formed in the cylindrical section of the strut. 4. The snowboard defined in claim 2 wherein the universal joint includes a clevis rotatably mounted on the upper U-shaped clamp of the connector; and in which a bottom end of the pole is pivotally mounted in the clevis. 5. The snowboard defined in claim 4 wherein the clevis includes a post which is rotatably mounted within a hole formed in a circular boss projecting from the upper U-shaped clamp; and in which the clevis is rotatably attached to the upper U-shaped clamp by a fastener. 6. The snowboard defined in claim 1 wherein the pole includes a vertically extending mast and a T-shaped handle adjustably mounted on an upper end of the mast. 7. The snowboard defined in claim 6 wherein the mast has a bowed portion to provide clearance for a rider's torso; and in which the T-shaped handle has a cross bar which extends along and generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the runner board when the mast extends vertically upwardly therefrom. 8. The snowboard defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of friction strips are attached to the top surfaces of the runner board members and extend longitudinally therealong. 9. The snowboard defined in claim 1 wherein the pair of runner board members are substantially similar to each other, each including a stiffener attached to the board and intervening strut and extending longitudinally along at least a portion of a top surface of the runner board. 10. A snowboard comprising: a pair of runner boards adapted to support the feet of a rider, said boards being free of any foot bindings;a strut rigidly connecting the pair of runner boards in a spaced longitudinal orientation;a connector rotatably connected to the strut enabling the runner boards to rotate with respect to the connector about a longitudinal axis extending through the strut and runner boards;a pole having an upper handle extending from the connector; anda universal joint connecting the pole to the connector enabling the runner boards to rotate and pivot about the pole. 11. The snowboard as defined in claim 10 wherein the strut has a cylindrical section; and in which the connector is rotatably mounted about the cylindrical section of the strut enabling the runner boards to rotate 360° about the longitudinal axis. 12. The snowboard as defined in claim 10 wherein the connector is formed with an arcuate rib which seats within a groove formed in the cylindrical section of the strut to limit axial movement between the strut and connector while permitting rotational movement therebetween. 13. The snowboard as defined in claim 10 wherein the pole includes a mast connected at a bottom end to the universal joint and at the top end to a handle; and in which the mast has a bowed portion to provide clearance for a rider's torso. 14. The snowboard as defined in claim 13 wherein a plug is mounted in an opening at the bottom end of the mast and includes a lug which is pivotally mounted between a pair of spaced flanges of a clevis which is rotatably mounted on the connector. 15. The snowboard as defined in claim 13 wherein the handle is T-shaped and includes a cross member and a post generally perpendicularly thereto; and in which the post is adjustably mounted within an open upper end of the pole to adjust the height of the handle from the runner boards. 16. The snowboard as defined in claim 10 wherein each of the runner boards has top and bottom surfaces; in which each of the top surfaces has a generally planar section for supporting a foot of a rider; and in which each of the bottom surfaces has a generally planar surface to facilitate sliding of the runner boards on snow. 17. The snowboard as defined in claim 10 wherein each of the runner boards includes a stiffener attached to the board and an adjacent end of the strut and extends along at least a portion of a top surface of the runner board. 18. The snowboard as defined in claim 10 wherein the strut is formed with a through bore and terminates in curved end surfaces; and in which each of the runner boards is attached to a respective curved end surface of the strut by fasteners. 19. The snowboard as defined in claim 10 wherein each of the runner boards have generally top surfaces terminating in upwardly curved front and back ends; wherein the back end of one of the runner boards is attached to the strut and the front end of the other runner board is attached to the strut. 20. The snowboard as defined in claim 19 wherein a plurality of friction strips are attached to the top surface of the runner boards.