Ski boot mounting structure for facilitating monoskiing on snow

Claim 2

A monoski comprising an elongated ski with a longitudinally extending running surface and longitudinally extending control edges along opposite edges of the running surface and a mounting structure mounted generally centrally on the ski providing a raised platform above the ski and having ski boot binding means mounted on the platform for supporting both feet of a monoskier on the raised platform at an elevated position above the running surface of the ski for monoskiing, the mounting structure comprising forward and rear platform elements non-releasably mounted on the ski and which are interconnected by a flexible member disposed at a distance above the ski such that the flexible member remains elevated above the ski during deflection of the ski, whereby the flexible member strengthens the mounting structure and permits both upward and downward deflection of the ski along the longitudinal axis of the ski while absorbing said deflection.

Claim 3

The monoski according to claim 1 wherein the ski boot binding means provides for attachment of the monoski to a pair of ski boots in side-by-side association of the raised platform and generally centered over the longitudinal axis of the ski.

Claim 4

The monoski according to claim 1 wherein the distance of the raised platform above the ski is such that the angle defined by the intersection of the plane of the running surface of the ski and a plane which includes one of the control edges of the running surface and the outboard edges of the platform elements is, approximately 60°.

Claim 5

The monoski according to claim 1 wherein the mounting structure is affixed to the ski by fastener means situated on a line extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ski.

Claim 6

The monoski according to claim 1 wherein the flexible member is a leaf spring.

Claim 7

The monoski according to claim 1 wherein the flexible member is a flat spring element whose width is relatively greater that its thickness and which is downwardly concave in a relaxed state.

Claim 8

A monoski having a ski formed with a longitudinally extending running surface, a pair of ski bindings affixed to the ski in side-by-side association, each of the ski bindings having a toe portion and a heel portion, wherein the improvement comprises a platform for mounting the toe portions and a separate platform for mounting the heel portions for supporting both feet of a monoskier, the platforms being non-releasably mounted one behind the other in longitudinally spaced relation on the ski, the platforms being interconnected by a flexible member disposed at a distance above the ski such that the flexible member remains elevated above the ski during deflection of the ski, whereby the flexible member strenghthens the platforms and permits both upward and downward deflection of the ski along the longitudinal axis of the ski while absorbing said deflection.

Claim 9

A monoski having a ski formed with a longitudinally extending running surface, a pair of ski bindings affixed to the ski in side-by-side association, each of the ski bindings having a toe portion and a heel portion, wherein the improvement comprises a platform for mounting the toe portions and a separate platform for mounting the heel portions for supporting both feet of a monoskier, the platforms being non-releasably mounted one behind the other in longitudinally spaced relation on the ski, the platforms being interconnected by a flexible member disposed at a distance above the ski such that the flexible member remains elevated above the ski during deflection of the ski, whereby the flexible member strenghthens the platforms and permits both upward and downward deflection of the ski along the longitudinal axis of the ski while absorbing said deflection.

Claim 10

The monoski according to claim 7 wherein the platforms are each formed with a ski boot supporting surface spaced above the ski.

Claim 11

The monoski according to claim 8 wherein the distance of the platform above the ski is such that the angle defined by the intersection of the plane of the running surface of the ski and a plane which includes one of the control edges of the running surface and the outboard edges of the platforms is approximately 60°.

Claim 12

The monoski according to claim 7 wherein the platforms are affixed to the ski by fastener means situated on a line extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ski.

Claim 13

The monoski according to claim 7 wherein the flexible member is a leaf spring.

Claim 14

The monoski according to claim 7 wherein the flexible member is a flat spring element whose width is relatively greater that its thickness and which is downwardly concave in a relaxed state.

Claim 15

In a monoski comprising an elongated ski with a longitudinally extending running surface, forward and rear platform elements on the ski having forward and rear platforms collectively providing a raised platform above the ski, and ski boot binding means mounted on the platform elements for selectively supporting both feet of a skier on the raised platform, the improvement wherein the forward and rear platform elements comprise forward and rear platform supports on the ski for forward and rear bifurcated platforms, respectively, the platform supports being non-releasably mounted on the ski and being interconnected by a flexible member, the flexible member being disposed at a distance above and spaced from the ski such that the flexible member remains elevated above the ski during deflection of the ski, the bifurcated platforms for supporting a skier with the ski boot binding means mounted on the bifurcated platforms, whereby the flexible member strengthens the bifurcated platforms and permits both upward and downward deflection of the ski along the longitudinal axis of the ski while absorbing said deflection.

Claim 16

In a monoski comprising an elongated ski with a longitudinally extending running surface, forward and rear platform elements on the ski having forward and rear platforms collectively providing a raised platform above the ski, and ski boot binding means mounted on the platform elements for selectively supporting both feet of a skier on the raised platform, the improvement wherein the forward and rear platform elements comprise forward and rear platform supports on the ski for forward and rear bifurcated platforms, respectively, the platform supports being non-releasably mounted on the ski and being interconnected by a flexible member, the flexible member being disposed at a distance above and spaced from the ski such that the flexible member remains elevated above the ski during deflection of the ski, the bifurcated platforms for supporting a skier with the ski boot binding means mounted on the bifurcated platforms, whereby the flexible member strengthens the bifurcated platforms and permits both upward and downward deflection of the ski along the longitudinal axis of the ski while absorbing said deflection.

Claim 17

The monoski according to claim 13 wherein the ski boot binding means provides for attachment of the monoski to a pair of ski boots in side-by-side association on the raised platform and generally centered over the longitudinal axis of the ski.

Claim 18

The monoski according to claim 13 wherein the flexible member is a flat spring element whose width is relatively greater than its thickness and which is downwardly concave in a relaxed state.

Claim 19

A monoski comprising an elongated ski with a longitudinally extending running surface and a mounting structure with forward and rear longitudinally spaced platform elements mounted on the ski respectively having forward and rear platform supports each including a bifurcated platform collectively providing a raised platform above the ski for attachment of ski boot binding means for selectively supporting both feet of a skier at an elevated position on the raised platform and with the platform elements non-releasably mounted on the ski and which are interconnected by a flexible member disposed at a distance above the ski such that the flexible member remains elevated above the ski during deflection of the ski, whereby the flexible member strengthens the raised platform and permits both upward and downward deflection of the ski along the longitudinal axis of the ski while absorbing said deflection.

Claim 20

A monoski comprising an elongated ski with a longitudinally extending running surface and a mounting structure with forward and rear longitudinally spaced platform elements mounted on the ski respectively having forward and rear platform supports each including a bifurcated platform collectively providing a raised platform above the ski for attachment of ski boot binding means for selectively supporting both feet of a skier at an elevated position on the raised platform and with the platform elements non-releasably mounted on the ski and which are interconnected by a flexible member disposed at a distance above the ski such that the flexible member remains elevated above the ski during deflection of the ski, whereby the flexible member strengthens the raised platform and permits both upward and downward deflection of the ski along the longitudinal axis of the ski while absorbing said deflection.

Claim 21

The monoski according to claim 16 wherein the ski boot binding meansprovides for attachment of the monoski to a pair of ski boots in side-by-side association on the raised platform and generally centered over the longitudinal axis of the ski.

Claim 22

The monoski according to claim 16 wherein the flexible member is a flat spring element whose width is relatively greater than its thickness and which is downwardly concave in a relaxed state.