Snow skis

Abstract

A ski includes a base plate ( 2 ) and a raised, central platform ( 3 ). A front supplemental element ( 6 a ) is removably attached to a front end of the platform and has a pair of longitudinal arms ( 60, 61 ) extending forward along a top surface of the base plate. Similarly, a rear supplemental element ( 6 b ) is removably attached to the rear of the platform and has a pair of longitudinal arms ( 62, 63 ) which extend slidably along the top surface of the base plate. The supplemental elements are removably attached using a tongue ( 8 a , 8 b ) and slot ( 9 a , 9 b ) arrangement and a latch ( 10, 11, 100 ). A visual indicator ( 11, 12; 15, 16 ) indicates when the supplemental element is properly connected. The supplemental elements include a basic structure ( 600 ) with supplemental reinforcing elements ( 601 ) removably attached to the undersides of the longitudinal arms. By changing the reinforcing elements ( 601 ) and changing among supplemental elements with arms of different length and characteristics, the behavior of a ski can be quickly modified to match a user's taste, the terrain, and skiing conditions.

1 . A skiing device comprising: 
 a base plate;    a platform affixed to the base plate in a zone for receiving the ski boot and adapted to support bindings for the ski boot;    at least one supplemental element extending from the platform, the supplemental element including a pair of longitudinally extending arms which are connected by a transverse part, the longitudinal arms providing a dynamic bias to the base plate;    a removable connecting assembly which removably connects the supplemental element to the platform, the connecting assembly including an interconnection portion connected with the transverse part of the supplemental element.    
   
   
       2 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one supplemental element includes a front supplemental element which is removably attached to the front of the platform and a rear supplemental element which is removably attached to the rear of the platform, such that the supplemental elements extend the platform.  
   
   
       3 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal arms of each supplemental element are disposed symmetrically about a plane of central symmetry extending between front and rear ends of the base plate.  
   
   
       4 . The skiing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal arms of the front supplemental element are interconnected by a cross piece.  
   
   
       5 . The skiing device according to  claim 4 , wherein the longitudinal arms of the rear supplemental element are connected by a cross piece.  
   
   
       6 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting assembly can connect the at least one supplemental element with either the front or the rear of the platform.  
   
   
       7 . The skiing device according to  claim 6 , wherein the connecting assembly includes a slot in one of the supplemental element and the platform and a tongue in the other, which tongue is slidably received in the slot and a latching assembly for releasably retaining the tongue received in the slot.  
   
   
       8 . The skiing device according to  claim 7 , wherein the connecting assembly further include a visual indicator which provides a visual indication when the supplemental element is properly connected to the platform.  
   
   
       9 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the transverse part which connects the longitudinal arms of the supplemental element extends across a back end of the longitudinal arms, the transverse part being part of the connecting assembly.  
   
   
       10 . The skiing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the connecting assembly includes a pair of tongues extending from the transverse part in a direction opposite to the longitudinal arms and a resiliently biased latch member with a projection, the tongues and latch member being configured to be received in corresponding slots defined in the platform.  
   
   
       11 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the supplemental element is removably attached to a front end of the platform and extends forward therefrom.  
   
   
       12 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the supplemental element is removably attached to a rear end of the platform and extends rearward therefrom  
   
   
       13 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal arms of the supplemental element are of the same length.  
   
   
       14 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal arms of the supplemental element are of different lengths.  
   
   
       15 . The skiing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal arms of the front supplemental element are the same length as the longitudinal arms of the rear supplemental element.  
   
   
       16 . The skiing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the front supplemental element is longer than the rear supplemental element.  
   
   
       17 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein free ends of the longitudinal arms of the supplemental element are supported on the base plate for sliding translation therealong.  
   
   
       18 . The skiing device according to  claim 17 , wherein the free ends of the longitudinal arms have a longitudinal groove configured to receive a longitudinal projection along an upper surface of the base plate.  
   
   
       19 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal arms of the supplemental element have a tapering cross section.  
   
   
       20 . The skiing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal arms of the supplemental element are configured to receive a supplemental reinforcement element for modifying functional characteristics of each longitudinal arm, particularly inflexion characteristics.  
   
   
       21 . The skiing device according to  claim 20 , wherein the supplemental reinforcing elements are removably retained to an underside of the arms, the supplemental reinforcement elements being replaceable to modify the characteristics of the longitudinal arms.  
   
   
       22 . A supplemental element for interconnection with the skiing device according to  claim 1.