Patent Application
20110121543
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The equipment used in alpine skiing is currently based on race technology. When the snowboard became a proven tool on the mountain, it began to transform the currently straight ski, and side cut was the first major change introduced. Next, came the twin tip ski (a short flexible ski with upward curves on either side). This was aimed at people who didn't want to switch to snowboarding, but still wanted to venture in to the terrain parks, which are ski trails filled with jumps and various man made obstacles. Skiers began to ski and land jumps backwards. This type of skiing was subject to “trick” skiing, but took on the name new school skiing, as to differ from aerial, mogul, or ballet skiing. New school skiing took off with its own freestyle maneuvers, including jumps while grabbing the skis, and stunts on and off any obstacle present on a ski hill.
Ski equipment designed for alpine and racing applications over the past twenty years is now obsolete for this type of alpine skiing. The twin tip ski continually evolves behind the snowboard; stiff skis were replaced with flexible skis, and then replaced with skis with pressure sensitive areas. These modifications targeted areas of the skis to be springy, mainly in the nose and tail.
Since the creation of this sport, hundreds of products have evolved including freestyle releasing bindings and a smorgasbords of products that succeeded and failed, including really short skis (ski blades) with non releasable bindings. The suspension boot aimed at the idea of giving this motion, but lacks success with a pneumatic shock. It may provide a more comfortable feel, but with a severe lack in performance. Patents and products have been building year after year, but with limited success.
The freeskiing world has grown significantly, yet skiers are still using boots designed for racing. Pivoting rear releasing bindings took some of the danger out of jumping on race specific ski equipment, but injuries are skyrocketing as injury prone race boots are now capable of breaking legs in half and tearing tendons from bones when used for freestyle purposes (Source One). The twin tip ski is short and extremely flexible, but only to the point that the alpine ski boot allows, intended only for putting weight in one spot and retaining the same balance. With freestyle, balance needs to be forward and backward simultaneously, this may be physically impossible, but the equipment must allow it.
Currently, free skiers suffer from chronic shin bang (Source Two). This is when the current boot does not lean forward any further, thereby causing intolerable pain to the shin area. The solution for this has been unbuckling the ski boots, or skiing them loosely, which is extremely dangerous, but many free skiers are skiing in this manner. A loosely buckled boot is the only means to performing some of today's most popular maneuvers. The invented binding will allow for a controlled forward bending motion, while properly restraining the skier.
Every skier is different, and expects something different out of current ski technology. Free skiers are in need of new technology. As expert alpine skiers moved on to free-heeled (telemark) bindings in search of more fluidity and difficulty, the suspended forward leaning bindings will allow expert, as well as novel freestyle skiers to approach new limits.
The suspended forward leaning binding will allow a safe amount of travel within the binding. The invented binding will utilize the common snowboard binding adjustable straps that will tighten at the toes, ankles, and shins. Each strap will be independently strapping the boot to the binding at its respective area. The forward lean will tighten as compressed via the reverse cantilever suspension mechanism. The knees will be able to bend with the ankles in an anatomically correct manner, all while suspended and restrained from too much motion.
An aggressive stance for a freestyle skier can vary greatly. Therefore this binding will adjust to conform to the skier. The invented binding restricts any movement backwards beyond the vertical point, while suspending a forward movement to an adjustable point and not allowing any further motion. The possibilities for inquisitive free skiers are endless. Pre-loading weight from the tail or the nose of the twin tip ski, will allow jumping to new heights without the presence of a jump.
This radical motion calls for a new technique in how a ski is made to turn. The binding allows freestyle ski movement which has not previously existed. This invention will allow ski boots to be proficient for free skiing needs for the first time. Existing for decades now, trick skiing was pushed as far as it could go, and today it is the same as it was twenty years ago. The circle of old equipment becoming new again is over, and with this invention, freestyle skiing may progress.
The forward leaning suspension binding works by cantilevering the top portion of the binding, to the lower portion of the binding, at two pivot able points, located on either side of the lower ankle. These two contact points allow free movement for the top and bottom portions of the binding. Diagram 1, labels these two pivot able points as X, the drawing also labels the top portion of the binding as A, and the bottom portion of the binding as B. Bearings could be utilized to assure proper movement for the two pieces, but two non-tightening bushing type bolts will allow movement between parts A and B.
The cantilever is created by the “kingpin” that is fixed only to the top portion of the binding, at the pivoting receiver, labeled Z in Diagram 1. The kingpin goes through the hole of the deck of the lower binding, labeled C. The kingpin is completed by a high tension spring, that is mounted on the underside of the deck, labeled D, The spring is then fastened in place by a washer and the bottom bolt.
The kingpin, seen clearly assembled in Diagram 2, allows for the suspension of the bindings movement. The spring, labeled Q, is mounted below the receiving deck of the lower portion of the binding, labeled D. The overall forward lean may be adjusted at the bottom of the kingpin, via tightening or loosening the bottom bolt, labeled BB. Above the deck, the rearward lean is prevented by the kingpins stopping bolt, labeled G. The top portion may now pivot on the bottom half, with springing action.
Diagram 3, depicts an assembled binding from a side view. The three straps are shown mounted in there respective areas. The binding is depicted in a relaxed position.
Diagram 3-1, depicts the binding in its full forward leaning position. As the the binding is flexed forward the spring tightens allowing suspension of the forward lean.
Diagram 4 is an exploded, three dimensional view of the three major components. The top section of the binding, labeled A. The bottom section labeled B, and the king pin, labeled K. All four pivot able points of the top and bottom binding are viewable and labeled X. The top of the kingpin is fastened to the pivot able receiver marked Z. Also, the spring labeled Q is mounted under the deck, and the stopping nut labeled G is above the deck.
The two major components, (A and B) top and bottom, will be comprised of aluminum, for its light weight and strength. Welded gussets give strength to the two pieces in areas that will be under heavy stress. These area are mainly the deck, the top receiving point, and the foot bed of the lower binding. The kingpin is a stainless steel threaded rod. The threaded rod allows for adjustments to any aspect of the binding, whether it's the top anchor or the bottom spring tension. The spring can be tightened to restrict movement, or removed to have no movement.
Diagram 5, is a rear view of a completely assembled binding. The upper and lower parts of the binding are depicted in the relaxed position, and represented by the letters A and B, respectively. Labeled D, the riser plates are tapered pieces of high density plastic. These pieces elevate the binding from the ski, and also provide a smooth transition from the bottom of the binding to the top of the ski.
3-1. The ski binding is depicted at its maxed out forward lean. The spring labeled B, is compressed, and can not travel any further.
