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The "Wright" Invention Contest Submission |
The SnowSki Superway
by
Doolittle School in Cheshire, Connecticut
Educator: Tracy Ajello
Overview
Problem/Need
People on ski chairs drop their poles, wind, rain, and snow can hit the people inside, and little kids have trouble getting on and off the ski chair.How the Team Got the Idea for this Innovation/Invention
At Mt. Southington some skiers were dropping their poles. Also, a little kid was either too short to get on the chair or was not sure what to do. The staff there had to stop the chair for him to get on. It was raining one day at Mt. Southington and the riders were soaked, but with a shield the riders would be protected.How it Works
The ski chair lowers and comes out when the safety bar is pulled up. This is because the safety bar is attached to the armrests. The armrests are connected to the chair by a pivot. The pivot makes it possible for the chair to lower and come out. A hook is on the side of the chair for skiers to place their poles. A glass shield attached to the safety bar is pulled up or down when the bar is. The Shield is sloped so rain, sleet, or snow will slide off.
Survey Summary
Most people at Mt. Southington and Mohawk Mountain said that they would most like to see an improvement in the seat, to make it more comfortable. "You could do this by adding more padding" said one skier. They also said the most annoying part of a ski ride was the people who kept slowing down the ride, specifically kids. At Mohawk Mountain most people said more comfortable seating and backs would make the long ride better.Research
Surveys Conducted
- Asked people at Mt. Southington two questions:
- What would you most like to see improved on a ski chair?
- What is the most annoying part about a ski ride?
- Asked people at Mohawk Mountain the same two questions plus one more:
- Because this mountain is bigger than Mt. Southington, how can a ski chair ride be more comfortable for the longer time?
- Asked a staff member at RW Hines what wood would be the best type for a ski chair model and what paint type to use.
Research Conducted
By going to www.rwhines.com, a hardware store, the materials needed to complete the invention were found. The website www.uspto.gov was used to help find out what patents were currently made about the ski chairs so that the invention idea was not duplicated. Asking the staff at RW Hines helped because they helped decide what type of paint to get. By looking in various books labeled diagrams of a ski chair were found to help make sure the invention would work properly.Bibliography
