e-Skins - motorized climbing skins patent!

[tball]

Check out this invention that will make backcountry uphill travel easy and accessible for everyone!

United States Patent 9,737,785 awarded August 22, 2017:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=motorized&s2="climbing+skins"&OS=motorized+AND&RS=

With full images:
http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=09737785&IDKey=1A9C5F276152 &HomeUrl=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2%26Sect2=HITOFF%26p=1%26u=%252Fnetahtml%252FPTO%252Fsearch-bool.html%26r=1%26f=G%26l=50%26co1=AND%26d=PTXT%26s1=motorized%26s2=%2522climbing%2Bskins%2522%26OS=motorized%2BAND%26RS=

A few images I pulled out:

Some questions stem from the motorized mountain bike thread:

• Should e-Skins be allowed in the backcountry where motorized vehicles are prohibited?
• Should e-Skins be allowed at ski areas that allow uphill access?
• Should e-Skins be allowed on inbounds hike-to and hike-out terrain?
• Should e-Skins and e-Bikes be treated the same or different regarding access to non-motorized trails?

Also, the patent has a provision where there is no switch/throttle; instead the motors are triggered by the forward walking motion of the skier. Does that matter?

Is it inevitable that these or subsequently improved e-Skins designs will be used everywhere as technology always wins in the end?

 

[neonorchid]

 

[Bill Talbot]

Someone is beating a dead horse here...

 

[Kneale Brownson]

I'd rather ride a snowmobile.

 

[tball]

Someone is beating a dead horse here...

This is a different topic. Yes, it's related to motorized mountain bikes. Do you not believe it deserves discussion on a ski forum?

 

[tball]

I'd rather ride a snowmobile.

Yes, but snowmobiles are banned from many areas. And, someone has to ride the snowmobile down. You can throw these in your pack so everyone can ski down.

 

[mdf]

Looking at figure 10, I'm wondering if the naked operator is optional or mandatory.

 

[DanoT]

If this thread had been started on April 1st then it would be more obvious that it is an April Fool's Day joke.

 

[Mothertucker]

Looking at figure 10, I'm wondering if the naked operator is optional or mandatory.

Or if the left hand pole position is appropriate.

 

[SBrown]

Looking at figure 10, I'm wondering if the naked operator is optional or mandatory.

But at least he's wearing a cap.

 

[Paul Lutes]

Looks risky (and heavy as heck) ...... you go first.

 

[tball]

The couple patent artists I know are very deliberate about their drawings. There are some funny choices in that illustration. Maybe the artist is a backcountry skier?

@DanoT this is no April fool's joke. They spent a crapton of money on that patent. It's quite comprehensive with claims for a number of different embodiments. It seems likely they have at least one working prototype, if not multiple.

 

[Ken_R]

 

[fatbob]

Nah I'm out - just waiting for the personal drone chopper - less avy risk on the way up and you don't need to get close to those stinky hippies in the skin track.

 

[Seldomski]

This seems better:

 

[oldschoolskier]

Motorized grass skis!!!!

Wonder how much they were drinking to come up with that idea.

Cheers,

G

 

[neonorchid]

Or if the left hand pole position is appropriate.

Strangley familiar ...

 

[Paul Lutes]

This seems better:

Not a jet.

Jes sayin' ......

 

[Seldomski]

Not a jet.

 

[Paul Lutes]

Much more jetty.

Back and knees do not approve, however.