1. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly comprising:
a base unit adapted to be coupled to a vehicle; and
at least one ski slope section coupled to the base unit;
wherein the ski slope section is movable with respect to the base unit between: a first deployed position in which the ski slope section defines at least part of a ski slope of the assembly; and, a second storage position in which the ski slope section is stored for transport of the ski slope assembly, and
wherein the ski slope assembly further comprises one or more of a platform, ramp sections and safety barriers,
wherein the ski slope assembly comprises an actuation mechanism which is a hydraulic mechanism, adapted to actuate foldingfoldable movement of ski slope, platform, or ramp sections andor safety barriers and wherein the ski slope assembly comprises a lighting system andor an audio system which is powered by a generator and wherein a camera is located at the bottom of the ski slope and the ski slope assembly also comprises inflatable side bars.
2. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ski slope section, being coupled to the base unit and being movable with respect to the base unit, allows the ski slope assembly to be readily moved fromto a position where it is storable for transport tofrom a position where it is functionable as at least part of a ski slope.
3. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, wherein, the ski slope assembly comprises any one of or combination of the following:
multiple ski slope sections which together form the ski slope; and
first and second ski slope sections each coupled to the base unit.
4. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, further comprising first and second ski slope sections, wherein the first and second ski slope sections are coupled to each other and are movable, with respect to each other, between first and second positions which correspond to the deployed and storage positions of the ski slope assembly, and wherein the first and second ski slope sections, andor the base unit, are in an unfolded use configuration in the deployed position, and in a folded transport configuration in the storage position.
5. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 4, comprising at least first and second ski slope sections, wherein the first ski slope section is pivotable or rotatable with respect to the base unit, or the second ski slope section, via a hinge arrangement andor other coupling arrangement.
6. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, further comprising one or more ski slope sections, wherein the ski slope sections comprise a slope surface adapted to form part of the ski slope for skiing, snow boarding, sledging andor similar \u201cwinter sport\u201d, alpine andor Nordic sporting activities.
7. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises one or more slope surfaces adapted to form part of the ski slope, and the one or more slope surfaces form the ski slope, and wherein the one or more slope surfaces are arrangedjuxtaposed in use to provide a smooth andor \u201cseamless\u201d surface transition between adjacent slope surfaces.
8. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, further comprising first and second ski slope sections, wherein first and second ski slope sections, andor the base unit, together define a ski slope in the first, deployed andor unfolded position of the ski slope assembly, and wherein the ski slope andor slope surfaces are adaptable to define areas having different angles of incline.
9. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ski slope andor slope surfaces comprise jumps, rails andor other surface undulations, and wherein the rails are inflatable.
10. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ski slope assembly comprises at least one platform section which is coupled to the ski slope section andor base unit, wherein the platform section is adaptable to be pivotally coupled to the base unit andor the ski slope section, and wherein the platform section is deployed adjacent to the ski slope section, near a top end of the ski slope, in use, and wherein the platform section comprises a platform surface, the platform surface adapted to be oriented substantially horizontally when the ski slope is in the first position, and wherein the platform section provides an area that skiers may stand on to get themselves ready before descending the ski slope.
11. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ski slope assembly comprises a ramp section coupled to the ski slope section andor base unit, wherein the ramp section is inclined when the ski slope assembly is in the first, deployed position, and comprises a ramp surface, which assists skiers or snowboarders to perform jumps andor tricks, and wherein the ramp section is adapted to be coupled to the base unit andor the ski slope section, and wherein the ramp section forms part of the ski slope when the ski slope assembly is in the deployed position andor the unfolded use configuration.
12. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ski slope assembly comprises security means adapted to protect a skier andor snowboarder from injury and the security means comprises a safety barrier andor safety netting.
13. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, further comprising one or more platform andor ramp sections, wherein the base unit is attached andor mounted to a vehicle and the base unit is adapted to support the ski slope section andor to support the platform andor ramp sections.
14. A collapsible artificial ski slope assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base unit is integral to the vehicle andor the base unit is releasably attached to the vehicle, and wherein the ski slope assembly is adapted to provide storage for equipment such as skis, boards, sledges, boots andor other items.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A kaolin pigment having the following characteristics:
Brightness (GE): at least about 89.0;
Shape Factor: at least about 30;
Brookfield viscosity, measured at 20 rpm and at less than or equal to about 65% solids: about 100 to about 700 centipoise; and
Hercules viscosity, measured at 18 dynes and at less than or equal to about 65% solids: about 200 rpm to about 1000 rpm.
2. A pigment of claim 1, wherein said kaolin is derived from Rio Capim kaolin.
3. A pigment of claim 1, wherein said shape factor is at least about 35.
4. A pigment of claim 3, wherein said shape factor is at least about 40.
5. A pigment of claim 4, wherein said shape factor is at least about 45.
6. A pigment of claim 5, wherein said shape factor is at least about 50.
7. A pigment of claim 1, wherein said brightness is at least about 90.0.
8. A pigment of claim 7, wherein said brightness is at least about 92.0.
9. A pigment of claim 3, wherein said brightness is at least about 90.0.
10. A pigment of claim 4, wherein said brightness is at least about 92.0.
11. A pigment of claim 1, said pigment having a steepness (d.30d.70\xd7100) of at least about 30.
12. A pigment of claim 1, wherein said Hercules viscosity is less than about 500 rpm.
13. A pigment of claim 12, wherein said Hercules viscosity is less than about 350 rpm.
14. A pigment of claim 1, having a particle size distribution, as measured as e.s.d. by sedigraph, satisfying the ratio:
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3.
15. An ink composition comprising an ink base and a kaolin pigment of claim 1.
16. A paper coating composition comprising a coating base and a kaolin pigment of claim 1.
17. A paper coating composition of claim 16, wherein said coating base comprises at least one cellulose fiber, ancillary pigment, polymer, or sizing agent.
18. A paper coating composition of claim 16, wherein the kaolin pigment is derived from Rio Capim kaolin.
19. A paper coating composition of claim 16, wherein the shape factor of the kaolin pigment is at least about 35.
20. A paper coating composition of claim 19, wherein the shape factor of the kaolin pigment at least about 40.
21. A paper coating composition of claim 20, wherein the shape factor of the kaolin pigment is at least about 45.
22. A paper coating composition of claim 21, wherein the shape factor of the kaolin pigment is at least about 50.
23. A paper coating composition of claim 16, wherein the brightness of the kaolin pigment is at least about 90.0.
24. A paper coating composition of claim 16, wherein the brightness of the kaolin pigment is at least about 92.0.
25. A paper coating composition of claim 19, wherein the brightness of the kaolin pigment is at least about 90.0.
26. A paper coating composition of claim 20, wherein the brightness of the kaolin pigment is at least about 92.0.
27. A coated or filled paper comprising a cellulose based substrate and a kaolin pigment of claim 1.
28. A coated or filled paper of claim 27, wherein the kaolin pigment comprises Rio Capim kaolin.
29. A coated or filled paper of claim 27, wherein the shape factor of the kaolin pigment is at least about 35.
30. A coated or filled paper of claim 29, wherein the shape factor of the kaolin pigment is at least about 40.
31. A coated or filled paper of claim 30, wherein the shape factor of the kaolin pigment is at least about 45.
32. A coated or filled paper of claim 31, wherein the shape factor of the kaolin pigment is at least about 50.
33. A coated or filled paper of claim 27, wherein the brightness of the kaolin pigment is at least about 90.0.
34. A coated or filled paper of claim 33, wherein the brightness of the kaolin pigment is at least about 92.0.
35. A coated or filled paper of claim 29, wherein the brightness of the kaolin pigment is at least about 90.0.
36. A coated or filled paper of claim 30, wherein the brightness of the kaolin pigment is at least about 92.0.
37. A filled paper of claim 27, wherein the kaolin pigment comprises from about 1% to about 35% of said paper.
38. A coated paper of claim 27, wherein the kaolin pigment comprises from about 2% to about 10% of the paper coating.
39. A coated or filled paper of claim 27, wherein said paper is light weight coated paper.
40. A coated or filled paper of claim 27, wherein said paper is ultra light weight coated paper.
41. A coated or filled paper comprising a cellulose based substrate and a kaolin pigment, wherein said paper has a brightness of at least about 69 and, when printed, exhibits at least about 15 mm to the twentieth missing dot.
42. A coated or filled paper of claim 41, wherein said paper, when printed, exhibits at least about 20 mm to the twentieth missing dot.
43. A coated or filled paper of claim 42, wherein said paper, when printed, exhibits at least about 30 mm to the twentieth missing dot.
44. A method for making a kaolin pigment comprising:
(a) Blunging and degritting crude kaolin;
(b) Classifying the blunged crude kaolin into coarse and fine fractions;
(c) Forming an aqueous suspension of said coarse fraction;
(d) Delaminating said aqueous suspension; and
(e) Beneficiating said aqueous suspension,
wherein said method results in a kaolin pigment having the following characteristics:
Brightness (GE): at least about 89.0;
Shape Factor: at least about 30;
Brookfield viscosity, measured at 20 rpm and at less than or equal to about 65% solids: about 100 to about 700 centipoise; and
Hercules viscosity, measured at 18 dynes and at less than or equal to about 65% solids: about 200 rpm to about 1000 rpm.
45. A method of claim 44, wherein said crude kaolin comprises Rio Capim kaolin.
46. A method of claim 44, wherein said beneficiating comprises reductive bleaching.
47. A method for coating paper comprising providing a cellulose based substrate, and a coating said substrate with a paper coating composition of claim 16.
48. A rotogravure printing process in which an image is printed onto a cellulose based substrate, said process comprising applying an ink composition of claim 15 to said cellulose based substrate.
49. A rotogravure printing process in which an image is printed onto a cellulose based substrate, said process comprising applying an ink to a coated or filled paper of claim 17.