Patent Application
20120104707
This application is based upon French Patent Application No. 10/04275, filed Oct. 29, 2010, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a safety binding for skiing, more particularly a safety binding that is adjustable to receive an article of footwear, such as a ski boot, having support projections of various dimensions, such as thicknesses.
2. Background Information
A safety binding for skiing should allow the release of the skier's boot to prevent injury to the foot in the case of an accidental transverse movement of the boot, which may occur during a fall, for example, or, in general, to protect the foot from injury when the forces exerted on the boot exceed predetermined values.
Safety bindings for the practice of ski touring must meet these release requirements. A ski touring binding must also enable the boot to rotate about a transverse axis relative to the ski, located at the front of the boot during the ascent phases, so that the heel of the skier can move away from the ski in order to exert optimum thrust. Such a binding must also make it possible to dampen substantial torsional forces between the boot and the ski during the descent phases.
The ski touring binding sold by Fritschi Corporation under the name Diamir Freeride includes a plate that is pivotally mounted relative to a front baseplate. The front baseplate is adapted to be fixed rigidly to the ski. The binding also includes a rear baseplate adapted to be fixed rigidly to the ski. The plate is selectively released from, or fixed to, the rear baseplate. A toe piece is pivotally mounted about a vertical axis on the front end of the plate. The toe piece has a body that is laterally elongated to form two wings for supporting the foot transversely. A heel piece is fixed to the rear end of the plate.
The body of the toe piece is relatively compact and is in a relatively raised position; it allows for a fairly substantial pivoting of the plate in the ascent position.
A spring is housed within the front end of the plate. The spring returns the toe piece body toward a position for retaining the foot of the skier. The spring defines the transverse force of the skier's foot beyond which the boot of the skier is released by the toe piece. The boot then pushes back one of the wings and pivots the toe piece body forward until it is released.
The vertical support of the boot by the toe piece is obtained by blocking a front projection between two supports. To this end, the front projection is held between an edge of the body forming an upper stop and a support surface arranged in the plate and forming a lower stop. Ski touring boots and downhill ski boots have front projections of different thicknesses. To enable this binding to be used with both ski touring boots and downhill ski boots, the toe piece body is mounted to slide vertically relative to the plate. The rotation of an adjusting screw makes it possible to lower or raise the toe piece body with respect to the plate.
This binding does not guarantee optimum guiding of the ski in the descent position. Indeed, the support of the plate forming the lower stop is at a distance of 40 millimeters (mm) from the surface of the ski in order to facilitate forward pivoting of the plate. The ski boot is then held in a relatively raised position, which is unfavorable for controlling the ski, i.e., unfavorable to the guiding and steering of the ski. No known solution has made it possible to lower the support of the plate without affecting the space requirement of the toe piece and the ability of the toe piece to tilt in the ascent position.
Furthermore, ski touring bindings and downhill ski bindings have functional and operational constraints leading to quite different designs. It is thus difficult to design components common to these different bindings, which limits the possibility of economies of scale during manufacture.
The invention overcomes one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. The invention thus relates to a safety binding for skiing, including a toe piece, which comprises:
According to an alternative embodiment, the binding includes a lower support cooperating with the upper stop of the body to ensure vertical support of a boot, the body being mounted to slide relative to the lower support, so that the adjustment of the vertical position of the body changes the spacing between the upper stop and the lower support.
According to another alternative embodiment; the adjustment travel of the vertical position of the body makes it possible to select a spacing that is as small as substantially 19 mm or as great as substantially 30 mm between the upper stop and the lower support.
According to another alternative embodiment, the binding is adapted to the practice ski touring and, for this purpose, further includes a plate whose front portion is pivotally mounted relative to a front baseplate, designed to be fixed to the ski, between an ascent position and a descent position, the body being mounted to slide vertically on the plate.
According to another alternative embodiment, the distance between the upper surface of the lower support and a ski to which the binding is fixed is less than 30 mm, and less than 28 mm in a particular embodiment, and advantageously less than 26 mm in yet another embodiment.
According to yet another alternative embodiment, the adjusting device includes a screw whose head is accessible in the upper portion of the body and a threaded element, such as a nut, fixed to the plate, the screw being rotatably mounted relative to the body and screwed into the threaded element.
According to an alternative embodiment, the binding further includes a rear baseplate structured to be fixed to the ski, as well as a mechanism for alternatively fixing and releasing the rear baseplate and the rear portion of the plate.
According to another alternative embodiment, the binding includes a heel piece mounted on the rear baseplate and adapted to be fixed to the rear baseplate in a descent position.
According to another alternative embodiment, the pivoting travel of the plate relative to the front baseplate is greater than or equal to 80°, greater than or equal to 85° in a particular embodiment, and advantageously greater than or equal to 90° in yet another embodiment.
According to yet another alternative embodiment, the body has a projecting portion in its lower portion and the front mounting base includes a housing having a shape complementary to that of the projecting portion in order to guide the body for sliding in a vertical direction.
According to an alternative embodiment, the binding is adapted for the practice of downhill skiing and, for this purpose, the front mounting base is structured and arranged to be fixed to the ski.
According to another alternative embodiment, the front mounting base guides the body for sliding in a vertical direction.
According to yet another alternative embodiment, the body has a projecting portion in its lower portion and the front mounting base includes a housing having a shape complementary to that of the projecting portion in order to guide the body for sliding in a vertical direction.
The invention also relates to a ski equipped with a binding as defined hereinabove.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the description that follows, with reference to the annexed drawings illustrating, by way of non-limiting embodiments, how the invention can be embodied, and in which:
The frame of reference depicted in
The safety binding 1 shown in
The plate 3 includes a front mounting base 300 forming its front end and pivotally mounted relative to the baseplate 400, about a transverse axis. A toe piece 7 is mounted on the front mounting base 300. The plate 3 also includes a rear mounting base 360 forming its rear end. A heel piece 8 is fixed in a known manner to the rear mounting base 360 and is structured and arranged to immobilize the heel of the skier. The rear mounting base 360 has a rail 201 and a notch (not shown) making it possible to slide and immobilize the heel piece 8 relative to the plate 3. Such an adjustment is known to one of ordinary skill in the art and, therefore, is not be further described. The toe piece 7 and heel piece 8 are axially offset (the axial direction of the plate 3 is illustrated in
In the position shown in
As shown in
The front mounting base 300 has a lower support 301 for the sole 601 of a ski boot 6 of the skier. The lower support 301 may be unitary with or attached to the front mounting base 300 in any appropriate manner, such as by means of screws. Within the scope of the invention is the lower support 301 being movably mounted on the front mounting base 300 in order to accompany the sole 601 when the boot 6 is being released. The toe piece 7 includes a body 700. The body 700 has an edge 761, or surface, adapted to be positioned straight above a projection 602 of the front portion of the sole 601 of the boot 6, when the boot is retained by the binding 1. During use of the safety binding 1, the front mounting base 300 and the body 700 are connected rigidly, so that the vertical movements of the boot 6 relative to the binding 1 are constrained, i.e., prevented. The body 700 also defines the axial position of a boot 6.
The vertical spacing between the edge 761 and the lower support 301. substantially corresponds to the distance between the upper portion of the projection 602 and the bottom of the sole 601, except for a clearance. This distance is standardized for both an alpine ski boot and a ski touring boot. This spacing is 19±1 mm for a downhill ski boot, and 28±3 mm for a ski touring boot. According to the invention, this spacing is adjustable so that the safety binding can be used either with a downhill ski boot or with a ski touring boot. The adjustable spacing also enables boots with projections to be used according to new standards that may take effect.
In practice, the adjustment is generally carried out when the binding is adjusted into the downhill skiing configuration. Thus, the frame of reference of the plate is substantially the same as that of the ski.
A screw 501 is rotationally mounted relative to the body 700. To this end, the screw 501 extends through a vertical bore 765 arranged in the body 700. A circlip 504 is engaged in a groove of the screw 501. The circlip 504 cooperates with the body 700 to couple the screw 501 to the body 700 in a vertical orientation. The head of the screw 501 is in contact with a surface 766 in the upper portion of the body 700.
A nut 503 is housed permanently in a slot of the front mounting base 300. The screw 501 is threadedly coupled to the nut 503. The nut 503 is thus immobilized relative to the front mounting base 300. The vertical position of the body 700 relative to the front mounting base 300 is set by screwing or unscrewing the screw 501, i.e., by turning it in one direction or the other within the nut 503.
The body 700 is guided in vertical sliding relative to the front mounting base 300 by various surfaces contacting one another. As shown in
Oblong bores 711 are arranged in the wall 755, in the area of the lateral surfaces 752. The oblong bores 711 extend vertically and are traversed by the shaft 502. The oblong bores 711 enable the body 700 to pivot relative to the axis 502, while being capable of sliding vertically relative to the front mounting base 300 and to the shaft 502.
In the example of
The adjustment of the spacing between the edge 761 and the lower support 301 is advantageously carried out by moving the toe piece 7, the lower support 301 always remaining in the same vertical position relative to the ski in the descent position. Such an adjustment makes it possible to maintain the spacing between the ski and the skier's foot at a constant and reduced value, which makes it easier to operate the ski in the descent position.
As illustrated, the head of the screw 501. is advantageously accessible vertically in the area of the upper portion of the body 700. Such an access makes it possible to adjust the spacing easily, without interference from other components of the binding 1. The adjustment can be carried out with a screwdriver or other tool to be engaged with the head of the screw. Alternatively, a tool-less adjustment can be made if the head of the screw were to extend appropriately and have a suitable shape to be manipulatable, i.e., turned by hand.
The levers 701 and 702 are arranged on respective ones of the two sides of the front projection 602 of the sole 601 in the boot-retaining position. The levers 701 and 702 respectively comprise cam portions 715 and 716 projecting relative to their pivot axes 703 and 704. The levers 701 and 702 respectively comprise portions 717 and 718 for the lateral support of the projection 602. The cam portions 715 and 716 and the lateral support portions 717 and 718 are arranged on opposite sides of the axes 703 and 704, respectively.
The pistons 707 and 708 have guiding surfaces. These guiding surfaces are kept against the cam portions 715 and 716, respectively, by the return force exerted by the spring 726.
When the boot 6 exerts a transverse force exceeding a release threshold on a lateral support portion, the corresponding lever pivots about its axis. During this pivoting, the cam portion of the lever biases the contact surface of the corresponding piston. The piston is then slidably driven to bias one end of the spring 726. The spring 726 is then compressed sufficiently to enable an additional pivoting of the lever, thus enabling the projection 602 to be released from the boot 6.
The binding 1 shown is provided with a device for adjusting a preload of the spring 726. Adjusting the preload of the spring 726 makes it possible to define the binding release force, or threshold, of the toe piece 7. The preload adjustment is carried out via a screw 720. Preload adjustment is known to one of ordinary skill in the art and is not further described herein.
The arrangement of the spring 726 inside the body 700 and in the transverse position has a number of advantages. Such an arrangement makes it possible to bring the lower support 301 closer to the ski as much as possible, as it avoids arranging the spring beneath the support. Thus, the steering of the ski in the descent position is optimized. The distance between the ski and the support 301 can thus be less than 30 mm, or less than 28 mm, or, advantageously, even less than 26 mm. Such an arrangement also makes it possible to obtain a toe piece 7 with a particularly reduced axial space requirement. The forward movement can thus be optimized, thereby improving the ease of use in the ascent position. In particular, the plate 3 can be provided to have rotation path of at least 80°, or greater than or equal to 85°, or even greater than or equal to 90°, which is particularly advantageous in the ascent position of the binding 1.
The body 700 is guided in vertical sliding relative to the front mounting base 300 by various surfaces contacting one another. The front mounting base 300 comprises a wall 325 demarcating a volume 324 adapted to receive the lower portion of the body 700. The wall 325 comprises a flat front surface 321 and flat lateral surfaces 322 demarcating the volume 324. The front mounting base 300 also includes a block 323. The block 323 has a bore 313 adapted to be received therethrough the screw 501. The wall 755 of the body 700 is housed in the volume 324. The front surface 751 comes in contact with the surface 321. The lateral surfaces 752 come into contact with the lateral surfaces 322. The cavity 754 of the body 700 receives the block 323. The wall 325 comprises bores 311 and 312 extending through its lateral surfaces 322. These bores 311 and 312 are traversed by a shaft, not shown, also extending through the oblong bores 711 of the body 700.
Thus, once the body 700 is assembled to the front mounting base 300, the only degree of freedom for the body 700 is vertical sliding. A nut, not shown, is housed permanently in a slot of the front mounting base 300, straight in line with the bore 313. The adjusting screw is coupled to the nut. The vertical position of the body 700 relative to the front mounting base 300 is defined by screwing or unscrewing the adjusting screw.
Such a binding 1 has advantages similar to those of the ski touring binding shown in
Thus, the safety binding 1 for downhill skiing can advantageously share a number of components with the ski touring binding shown in
The front mounting base 300 is always connected to the ski. In the first embodiment of
In the context of the invention, the vertical sliding of the body relative to the front mounting base 300 is a movement that makes it possible to change the spacing between the upper stop 761 and the lower support 301. This spacing, once adjusted, does not vary during use.
The lower support 301 is advantageously affixed to the front mounting base 300 which enables a direct adjustment of the spacing because the position of the upper stop 761, supported by the body 700, is adjustable relative to the front mounting base 300.
Advantageously, the screw 501 is also used to affix a friction element to the body 700 of the toe piece. Indeed, to ensure a smooth lateral release of the boot in the case of an impact, in order to meet the standard requirements, the front end of the boot needs to be capable of sliding transversely with respect to the body 700. To this end, the sliding must be facilitated in the area of the friction zone, between the boot and the body 700. To this end, one solution is to incorporate a friction element into this area of the body 700. Such a friction element is made of a suitable material, that is to say, a material having a low coefficient of friction with a common constituent material of a boot. PQM (polyoxymethylene), for example, is a suitable material. The body 700 must be stronger and is generally comprised of glass fiber-reinforced polyamide having a less favorable coefficient of friction.
For reasons of safety and standards, the friction element must not separate easily from the body. This involves additional structure for anchoring the friction element on the body. The proposed solution, in this case, is compact and optimized dimensionally as it does not require a specific anchoring arrangement for the friction element, the affixing of this element being provided by the screw 501, which is also used for the height adjustment of the body 700 of the toe piece.
Specifically, the friction element may include a plate perforated with a hole slightly larger than the diameter of the screw 501, the plate being adapted to be housed in a transverse slot of the body 700 relative to the vertical bore 765. Once assembled to the body, the hole of the perforated plate is aligned with the bore 765. Thus, when the screw 501 is mounted in the body, it prevents the retraction of the perforated plate and therefore affixes the friction element to the body 700.
The invention also relates to skis equipped with bindings as described hereinabove.
In addition to the foregoing, the invention disclosed herein by way of exemplary embodiments suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element or structure which is not specifically disclosed herein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/04275 | Oct 2010 | FR | national |
