Molded snowshoe with pliable heel contact area

Abstract

A molded plastic snowshoe of the type with a boot binding permitting pivoting in the pitch direction has a boot heel contact area formed of a flexible material. This provides for a soft strike as the boot comes in contact with the snowshoe deck in each step, eliminating the noise that usually accompanies the heel strike on a hard deck, and also increases comfort in use of the snowshoe, with the hard strike feel eliminated. Another advantage is that with a cleat mounted at the bottom of the soft section of decking the snowshoe adapts better to irregularities of terrain since the heel cleat is essentially suspended relative to the stiffer molded portions of the snowshoe. The flexibly suspended heel cleat can be pushed down to engage with snow or ice despite the irregular surface of the terrain and the rigidness of the snowshoe deck surrounding the cleat area.

1 . A snowshoe, comprising:
 a molded snowshoe body, defining a flotation surface and having an open area in a forward portion of the body,   a boot binding connected to the snowshoe body so as to allow pitch pivoting of the snowshoe body relative to the boot binding so that a forward end of the boot binding can swing down into the open area during part of the user's gait,   the molded snowshoe body having an open heel area in a heel strike region located below a heel of a user's boot when the boot in secured in the binding, and   a soft heel strike insert secured to the molded snowshoe body and suspended across the open heel area and serving as a flotation surface along with the molded snowshoe body, the heel strike insert being of a flexible material, softer and more flexible than the snowshoe body, so as to deform vertically when weight of a user is engaged against the heel strike insert through the user's boot heel,   whereby the soft heel strike insert reduces noise and increases comfort when a user's heel strikes the snowshoe during the user's gait.   
   
   
       2 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , wherein the soft heel strike insert is formed of an elastomeric material. 
   
   
       3 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , wherein the soft heel strike insert is secured to surrounding portions of the molded snowshoe body by riveting. 
   
   
       4 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , further including a heel cleat for engaging terrain, secured to the underside of the soft heel strike insert. 
   
   
       5 . The snowshoe of  claim 4 , wherein the heel cleat is positioned to be directly under the user's boot. 
   
   
       6 . The snowshoe of  claim 5 , wherein the heel cleat is formed of hard plastic material, harder than the soft heel strike insert. 
   
   
       7 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , wherein the soft heel strike insert comprises an elongated flexible body narrower than the open heel area of the molded snowshoe body and with a plurality of extending connection legs reaching the molded snowshoe body and connected by fasteners to the molded snowshoe body. 
   
   
       8 . The snowshoe of  claim 7 , wherein the soft heel strike insert is non-planar, with an upwardly relieved area for contact by the boot heel. 
   
   
       9 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , wherein the soft heel strike insert comprises injection molded polyurethane. 
   
   
       10 . The snowshoe of  claim 9 , wherein the soft heel strike insert has a durometer range of about 70 A to 85 A. 
   
   
       11 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , wherein the soft heel strike insert comprises a plastic coated fabric retained tightly across the open heel area.