Snowmobile ski assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059362-B1
Application number	US-201715498206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 26, 2017
Priority date	Apr 26, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A snowmobile ski assembly has a ski having a bottom. At least one wheel is rotatably connected to the ski and a lower portion of the at least one wheel extends below the bottom of the ski. A ski runner operatively connected to the ski is movable between a first position and a second position. A bottom of the ski runner is above the lower portion of the at least one wheel when the ski runner is in the first position and the bottom of the ski runner is below the lower portion of the at least one wheel when the ski runner is in the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A snowmobile ski assembly comprising:
a ski having a bottom;
at least one wheel rotatably connected to the ski, the at least one wheel comprising a lower portion extending below the bottom of the ski;
a ski runner being operatively connected to the ski, the ski runner being movable relative to the ski between a first position and a second position;
a bottom of the ski runner being above the lower portion of the at least one wheel when the ski runner is in the first position; and
the bottom of the ski runner being below the lower portion of the at least one wheel when the ski runner is in the second position.

2. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a ski runner adjustment assembly connected to the ski runner, the ski runner adjustment assembly selectively moving the ski runner between the first and second positions.

3. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 2 , wherein:
the ski pivots about a laterally extending ski pivot axis;
the ski runner adjustment assembly is connected about the ski pivot axis; and
the ski pivots about the ski pivot axis relative to the ski runner adjustment assembly.

4. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the ski runner is closer to the bottom of the ski in the first position than in the second position.

5. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the ski defines a slot; and
the ski runner is disposed in the slot.

6. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 5 , wherein:
the at least one wheel comprises a front wheel rotatably connected to the ski forward of the slot and a rear wheel rotatably connected to the ski rearward of the slot;
the front wheel is rotatably connected to the ski via a front wheel frame,
the front wheel frame comprises a front slot adapted for receiving a front portion of the ski runner;
the rear wheel is rotatably connected to the ski via a rear wheel frame; and
the rear wheel frame comprises a rear slot adapted for receiving a rear portion of the ski runner.

7. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wheel is laterally aligned with a longitudinal centerline of the ski.

8. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the ski has a central keel; and
the lower portion of the at least one wheel extends below the central keel of the ski.

9. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the ski has an external keel, the external keel being laterally offset from a longitudinal centerline of the ski; and
the lower portion of the at least one wheel extends below the external keel of the ski.

10. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the ski pivots about a laterally extending ski pivot axis; and
the at least one wheel comprises a front wheel rotatably connected to the ski forward of the ski pivot axis, and a rear wheel rotatably connected to the ski rearward of the ski pivot axis.

11. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 10 , wherein the rear wheel is rotatably connected to the ski rearward of the ski runner.

12. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 10 , wherein lower portions of the front and rear wheels extend below a central keel of the ski.

13. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the ski has an external keel, the external keel being laterally offset from a longitudinal centerline of the ski; and
lower portions of the front and rear wheels extend below the external keel of the ski.

14. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the front wheel is rotatably connected to the ski via a front wheel frame; and
the rear wheel is rotatably connected to the ski via a rear wheel frame.

15. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 14 , wherein the front wheel frame and the rear wheel frame define a portion of a central keel of the ski.

16. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 14 , wherein:
the front wheel frame is received in the ski in a front slot; and
the rear wheel frame is received in the ski in a rear slot.

17. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 14 , wherein:
the front wheel frame comprises a front ski adapter and a front wheel adapter;
the front ski adapter connects the front wheel adapter to the ski;
the front wheel is rotatably connected to the front wheel adapter;
the rear wheel frame comprises a rear ski adapter and a rear wheel adapter;
the rear ski adapter connects the rear wheel adapter to the ski; and
the rear wheel is rotatably connected to the rear wheel adapter.

18. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 17 , wherein:
the front wheel adapter is received inside the front ski adapter; and
the rear wheel adapter is received inside the rear ski adapter.

19. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ski comprises a handle connected to an upturned front portion of the ski.

20. The snowmobile ski assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one wheel is rotatably connected to the ski about an axle;
the axle has a fixed position relative to the ski; and
the lower portion of the at least one wheel extends below the bottom of the ski in the first position of the ski runner and in the second position of the ski runner.

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Robillard Pierre-Luc

Classifications

• B62B17/02 Primary

  Runners (attachable to or replacing vehicle wheels B62B19/00) · CPC title

• B62M2027/025

  Snow mobiles characterised by the skis · CPC title

• B62M27/02 Primary

  power driven · CPC title

• B62B13/18

  Vehicles having alternatively-usable runners and wheels {or other transport means} · CPC title