Snow sled

Abstract

A snow sled for use by a seated rider is disclosed and includes a body section, a seat section having an underside for engaging the snow and a top side for receiving the seated rider, the seat section attached to the body section, a foot section having an underside for engaging the snow and positioned forward of the seat section when the snow sled is deployed in the riding configuration and positioned adjacent the seat section when the snow sled is retracted into the stowable configuration, and a handlebar arrangement connecting the body section to the foot section.

1 . A snow sled for use by a seated rider, comprising: 
 a body section;    a seat section, having an underside for engaging the snow and a top side for receiving the seated rider, the seat section attached to the body section;    a foot section having an underside for engaging the snow and positioned forward of the seat section when the snow sled is deployed in the riding configuration; and    a handlebar arrangement connecting the body section to the foot section    
   
   
       2 . The snow sled of  claim 1 , wherein the handlebar arrangement is mounted to the body section and moveable relative thereto for positioning the foot section so that it is nested underneath the seat section thereby providing a retracted stowable configuration of the snow sled.  
   
   
       3 . The snow sled of  claim 2 , wherein the foot section is mounted to the handlebar arrangement and moveable relative thereto.  
   
   
       4 . The snow sled of  claim 1 , wherein the handlebar arrangement is pivotably mounted to the body section for positioning the foot section adjacent the seat section; and 
 wherein the foot section is pivotably mounted to the handlebar arrangement for positioning the foot section so that it is nested underneath the seat section, thereby providing a retracted stowable configuration of the snow sled.    
   
   
       5 . The snow sled of  claim 1 , wherein the foot section includes more than one foot engagement position.  
   
   
       6 . The snow sled of  claim 5 , wherein the more than one foot engagement positions include gripping surfaces.  
   
   
       7 . The snow sled of  claim 6 , wherein the gripping surfaces are raised ribs.  
   
   
       8 . The snow sled of  claim 5 , wherein the foot section further includes a brake system.  
   
   
       9 . The snow sled of  claim 8 , wherein the brake system includes a pivotally attached braking member, the braking member including: 
 a top surface, and    a bottom surface.    
   
   
       10 . The snow sled of  claim 9 , wherein the brake system further includes a spring configured to pivot the braking member generally upward so the bottom surface does not engage the snow when the spring is in an extended condition.  
   
   
       11 . The snow sled of  10 , wherein the top surface includes raised ribs.  
   
   
       12 . The snow sled of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom surface has a generally saw-tooth shaped profile configured to engage the snow when the rider engages the top surface causing the spring to compress.  
   
   
       13 . The snow sled of  claim 1 , wherein the handlebar arrangement includes: 
 elongated sections, the elongated sections terminating in hand grips at first ends;    a pivot region, the pivot region integrally connecting the elongated sections at second ends and pivotally attached to the body section; and    a joint member, the joint member located generally between the elongated sections and integral thereto and configured to attach to the body section.    
   
   
       14 . The snow sled of  claim 1 , wherein the handlebar arrangement and body section connection allows for rotation of the handlebar arrangement relative to the body section about more than axis.  
   
   
       15 . The snow sled of  claim 14 , wherein the handlebar arrangement includes a joint member; and 
 wherein the more than one axis includes:    an axis perpendicular to the snow sled direction and passing through the center of the joint member; and    an axis parallel to the plane generally corresponding to the handlebar arrangement and passing through the center of the joint member.    
   
   
       16 . The snow sled of  claim 13 , wherein the joint member is generally spherical; and 
 wherein the body section includes an interior mating surface configured to mate with the joint member.    
   
   
       17 . The snow sled of  claim 16 , wherein the joint member includes a channel, and 
 wherein the interior mating surface includes a protrusion configured to mate with the channel.    
   
   
       18 . The snow sled of  claim 17 , wherein the channel includes: 
 a first channel section with a first width and a first depth, and    a second channel section with a second width less than the first width and a second depth greater than the first depth, depth being measured from the outer boundary of the generally spherical joint member,    wherein the first and second channel sections share a bisecting plane; and 
 wherein the protrusion includes:  
 a first cylindrical section configured to slide and rotate within the first channel section; and  
 a second cylindrical section configured to slide and rotate within the second channel section.  
   
   
   
       19 . The snow sled of  claim 17 , wherein the channel is located approximately from the plane formed by the elongated sections and continues for approximately one hundred degrees clockwise, when viewed from the right-hand side of the snow sled, about the joint member.  
   
   
       20 . The snow sled of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the seat section is configured to grip the underside of a user.  
   
   
       21 . The snow sled of  claim 20 , wherein the top surface includes raised ribs.