Snowshoes

Abstract

A snowshoe includes numerous adjustment mechanisms for accommodating varied snow conditions and terrain.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A snowshoe comprising 
 a frame having a pair of side rail portions    a deck portion having a bottom face, the deck portion being rigid enough to support one or more rigid spike members for gripping a snow or ice surface, and the deck portion being mounted on the side rail portions by a mechanism that permits the deck to flex laterally.    
     
     
         2 . The snowshoe of paragraph  1 , wherein a heel riser engages a rear spike structure.  
     
     
         3 . The snowshoe of paragraph  1 , wherein a foot bed has straps with ratcheting buckles.  
     
     
         4 . The snowshoe of paragraph  1 , wherein ratcheting buckles have an actuator to tighten the strap, and a push-button release mechanism.  
     
     
         5 . The snowshoe of paragraph  1 , wherein the foot holder pivots about an axis perpendicular to the direction of travel.  
     
     
         6 . The snowshoe of paragraph  1 , wherein each of front and back cleat structures has multiple spikes formed from a single sheet of metal.  
     
     
         7 . The snowshoe of paragraph  1 , wherein the rear cleat structure has a cradle for receiving a front portion of the heel riser when the heel riser is in the operable position.  
     
     
         8 . A snowshoe comprising 
 a rigid frame member,    a foot bed portion connected to the frame member,    a strapping device configured to secure a person's foot on the foot bed portion    a flotation expanse connected to the frame member, wherein the frame member has two lateral support portions, the flotation expanse being fastened to the lateral support portions by a mechanism that permits the expanse to slide in a direction substantially perpendicular to at least one of the lateral supports so that the expanse can flex enough to significantly inhibit snow from building up on a bottom side of the expanse.    
     
     
         9 . The snowshoe of paragraph  8 , wherein the mechanism fastening the flotation expanse to the frame member includes at least one pin member, at least one of the lateral support portions and the flotation expanse having corresponding holes for receiving the pin member, the hold in the expanse being oversized relative to the pin member to permit sliding of the expanse relative to at least one of the lateral support portions.  
     
     
         10 . The snowshoe of paragraph  8 , wherein the pin member is a bolt, screw, or rivet.  
     
     
         11 . The snowshoe of paragraph  8 , wherein the flotation expanse is made of plastic.  
     
     
         12 . The snowshoe of paragraph  8 , wherein the hole in the flotation expanse is circular.  
     
     
         13 . The snowshoe of paragraph  8 , wherein the hole in the flotation expanse is oblong.  
     
     
         14 . The snowshoe of paragraph  8 , wherein the pin member has a head portion.  
     
     
         15 . The snowshoe of paragraph  8 , wherein the frame member is comprised of metal tubing.  
     
     
         16 . The snowshoe of paragraph  8 , wherein the snowshoe has interchangeable tail portions of different sizes for providing varying amounts of flotation in different snow conditions.  
     
     
         17 . The snowshoe of paragraph  8 , wherein the foot bed portion is pivotally mounted on a rod, the snowshoe having a long axis parallel to a direction of travel of a person wearing the shoe, the rod being mounted on the frame member perpendicular to the long axis of the snowshoe.