Frame and binding for a snowshoe, and related systems and methods

Abstract

A snowshoe includes a lightweight frame that provides traction and maintains the snowshoe's shape when traveling over at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice, and a binding to fasten the snowshoe to a boot with a gloved hand. The frame includes a peripheral component having a length, a height orthogonal to the length, and a width orthogonal to the height and at least two times shorter than the height at all locations along the height. The binding includes a strap, and a retention element coupleable with the strap. The retention element includes a body defining a main passage in which the strap is disposed when coupled with the retention element, an access passage through which the strap passes to enter the main passage, and a locking element to secure the strap to the retention element.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A frame for a snowshoe having a shape, the frame comprising: 
 a peripheral component having a length, a height orthogonal to the length, and a width orthogonal to and intersecting the height and at least two times shorter than the height at all locations along the height, wherein the peripheral component provides traction when the frame contacts at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice, and wherein the peripheral component maintains the snowshoe's shape when a person uses the snowshoe to travel across at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice; and    a cross-member component that extends from a first portion of the peripheral component toward a second portion of the peripheral component to support the peripheral component.    
     
     
         2 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the width is substantially the same at all locations along the height.  
     
     
         3 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the width is substantially the same at all locations along the height of each cross-section of the peripheral component that is perpendicular to the length.  
     
     
         4 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the peripheral component defines a perimeter of the snowshoe.  
     
     
         5 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the width is 0.090 inches.  
     
     
         6 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the width is 0.090 inches and the height is at least 0.59 inches.  
     
     
         7 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the peripheral component includes a traction element to improve the frame's traction.  
     
     
         8 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the peripheral component includes a traction element having a protrusion to focus pressure on at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice, to improve the frame's traction.  
     
     
         9 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the cross-member component includes a cross-member traction element to improve the frame's traction.  
     
     
         10 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the cross-member component includes a cross-member traction element having a protrusion to focus pressure on at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice, to improve the frame's traction.  
     
     
         11 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the cross-member component is operable to receive a crampon to improve the frame's traction.  
     
     
         12 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the cross-member component extends from the first portion of the frame through an interior region defined by the peripheral component to an opposing second portion of the frame.  
     
     
         13 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the cross-member component includes a first end attached to the first portion of the peripheral component, and a second end attached to the second portion of the peripheral component.  
     
     
         14 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the cross-member component includes a heel stabilizer to hold the heel of a boot to prevent the boot from sliding relative to the cross-member component.  
     
     
         15 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the cross-member component includes a heel stabilizer having a protrusion operable to deform a portion of a boot's sole to prevent the boot from sliding relative to the cross-member component.  
     
     
         16 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein the frame includes two cross-member components to support the peripheral component: 
 a first cross-member component that extends from the first portion of the frame through an interior region defined by the peripheral component to the second portion of the frame, that includes a cross-member traction element to improve the frame's traction, and that is operable to receive a crampon to improve the frame's traction, and  
 a second cross-member component that also extends from the first portion of the frame through the interior region to the second portion of the frame, and that includes a cross-member traction element to improve the frame's traction, and a heel-stabilizer to hold the heel of a boot to prevent the boot from sliding relative to the second cross-member component.  
 
     
     
         17 . A snowshoe comprising: 
 a frame including: 
 a peripheral component having a length, a height orthogonal to the length, and a width orthogonal to and intersecting the height and at least two times shorter than the height at all locations along the height, wherein the peripheral component provides traction when the frame contacts at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice, and wherein the peripheral component maintains the snowshoe's shape when a person uses the snowshoe to travel across at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice, and  
 a cross-member component that extends from a first portion of the peripheral component toward a second portion of the peripheral component to support the peripheral component;  
   a deck coupled with the frame and operable to buoy the snowshoe on a surface of snow; and    a binding operable to fasten a boot to the snowshoe.    
     
     
         18 . The snowshoe of  claim 17  wherein the snowshoe is operable to traverse across an icy slope of a hill.  
     
     
         19 . The snowshoe of  claim 17  wherein the deck includes a flexible material.  
     
     
         20 . The snowshoe of  claim 19  wherein the flexible material includes nylon cloth coated with urethane.  
     
     
         21 . The snowshoe of  claim 17  further comprising a deck clip operable to couple the deck with the frame.  
     
     
         22 . The snowshoe of  claim 21  wherein the deck clip extends from the peripheral element into an interior region defined by the peripheral element, and includes an end located in the interior region operable to fasten the deck.  
     
     
         23 . The snowshoe of  claim 17  further comprising a crampon to improve the snowshoe's traction.  
     
     
         24 . The snowshoe of  claim 17  further comprising a crampon to improve the snowshoe's traction, wherein the crampon is mounted to the cross-member component and pivotable relative to the cross-member component, and includes a crampon stop operable to stop the rotation of the crampon.  
     
     
         25 . The snowshoe of  claim 17  wherein the frame includes two cross-member components to support the peripheral element: 
 a first cross member that extends from the first portion of the frame through an interior region defined by the peripheral element to the second portion of the frame, and includes a cross-member traction element to improve the snowshoe's traction, and that has a crampon mounted to it to improve the snowshoe's traction, and  
 a second cross member that also extends from the first portion of the frame through the interior region to the second portion of the frame, and that includes a cross-member traction component operable to improve the second cross member's traction, and a heel stabilizer component operable to hold the heel of a boot from sliding relative to the second cross-member component.  
 
     
     
         26 . The snowshoe of  claim 17  further comprising a televator operable to suspend a heel of the foot above the frame.  
     
     
         27 . The snowshoe of  claim 17  further comprising a televator mounted to the peripheral element and pivotable relative to the peripheral element to an extended position to suspend a heel of the foot above the frame.  
     
     
         28 . The snowshoe of  claim 17  wherein the binding includes a strap and a retention element to fasten and release the boot to and from the snowshoe, wherein the retention element is operable to fasten and release the strap without removing a glove from a hand.  
     
     
         29 . The snowshoe of  claim 28  wherein the retention element is separable from the strap to allow one to fasten the boot to the snowshoe by stepping between the strap and the retention element.  
     
     
         30 . A method for moving across a surface: 
 mounting a snowshoe to a foot;    placing the snowshoe on a surface;    supporting one's weight with a peripheral component and a cross-member component of a frame of the snowshoe, wherein the peripheral component has a length, a height orthogonal to the length, and a width orthogonal to and intersecting the height and at least two times shorter than the height at all locations along the height; and    traversing the surface.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the surface includes snow.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the surface includes ice.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the surface includes hard-packed snow.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  wherein mounting the snowshoe to the foot includes fastening a strap of a binding with a retention element of the binding.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein fastening the strap with the retention element includes inserting the strap through an access passage of the retention element to dispose the strap in a main passage of the retention element.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30  wherein supporting one's weight includes improving the traction of the snowshoe with a traction element of the peripheral component.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein improving the traction of the snowshoe includes: 
 exerting pressure on the surface with the traction element, and  
 focusing the exerted pressure with a protrusion of the traction element.  
 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30  wherein supporting one's weight includes improving the traction of the snowshoe with a cross-member traction element of the cross-member component.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein improving the traction of the snowshoe includes: 
 exerting pressure on the surface with the cross-member traction element, and  
 focusing the exerted pressure with a protrusion of the cross-member traction element.  
 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30  wherein supporting one's weight includes improving the traction of the snowshoe with a crampon mounted to the frame.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 30  wherein supporting one weight includes maintaining the snowshoe's shape when traversing at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 30  wherein traversing the surface includes at least one of the following: traversing across a slope of a hill, ascending a slope of a hill and descending a slope of a hill.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41  wherein traversing the surface includes: 
 pivoting the snowshoe relative to the foot,  
 lifting the snowshoe above the surface, and  
 stopping the snowshoe from pivoting beyond a limit with a crampon stop of the crampon.  
 
     
     
         44 . A frame for a snowshoe having a shape, the frame comprising: 
 a peripheral component having a length, a height orthogonal to the length, and a width orthogonal to and intersecting the height and at least two times shorter than the height at all locations along the height, wherein the peripheral component provides traction when the frame contacts at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice, and wherein the peripheral component maintains the snowshoe's shape when a person uses the snowshoe to travel across at least one of the following surfaces: snow, hard-packed snow and ice.    
     
     
         45 . The frame of claim  59  wherein the width is substantially the same at all locations along the height.  
     
     
         46 . The frame of claim  59  wherein the width is substantially the same at all locations along the height of each cross-section of the peripheral component that is perpendicular to the length.  
     
     
         47 . The frame of claim  59  wherein the peripheral component includes a stiffener to stiffen the peripheral component.  
     
     
         48 . The frame of claim  59  wherein the stiffener is formed as a part of the peripheral component.  
     
     
         49 . The frame of claim  59  wherein the peripheral component is mountable to a deck that includes solid material to support the peripheral component.