The present invention relates to a system for attaching a ski binding to a ski, which facilitates simple replacement of individual components such that the same ski binding system can be adapted to the individual skier's needs.
Ski bindings have throughout time been attached to skis in a number of different ways. Earlier, the most common way was to screw the bindings in place on the skis. If the bindings were damaged, or it was desirable to move the bindings, they had to be unscrewed and new ones screwed in place. This can affect the properties of the ski, and for a number of skis where weight and flexibility are of crucial importance, the area designated for attaching bindings in this way has been limited or eliminated.
Recently it has become more common to use mounting plates that are attached to the ski once, either by screwing the plate onto the ski, by gluing or a combination thereof.
The binding can then be attached to the ski and in some cases adjusted according to the user's physical characteristics, such as, for example, weight and personal requirements.
Solutions have been proposed that allow the bindings to be adjusted in the longitudinal direction even after mounting. This will be an advantage where it is desirable to be able to make optimal use of the ski's glide and grip properties during a ski trip.
In this respect, there are both manual solutions for adjusting the ski binding, such as, e.g., moving a lever to alternate between two positions, turning a wheel, or an electric actuator capable of being controlled from the ski pole, which pushes the binding along the mounting plate.
Different user groups will require different solutions, and the most advanced users, e.g., in competitive sports are willing to pay more to have the lightest and most functional equipment. For less advanced users who perhaps do not use the skiing equipment so frequently, it will often be of no importance whether the equipment weighs a little more or has a little less functionality, as long as the user is able to have the same positive skiing experience.
However, it would be an advantage for the users to be able to upgrade their skiing equipment or replace components without having to purchase complete new pairs of skis if the user, e.g., wishes to become a more active skier.
If the user, e.g., has skis with fixed bindings and would like manual adjustment of the bindings in the longitudinal direction, it would be an advantage to be able to use the same binding, and only change the adjustment mechanism.
Another user perhaps already has manual adjustment, but would now like to go one step further to electric adjustment. Again, it would be an advantage to be able to replace only the absolutely necessary parts.
In yet another example, it is possible to conceive of a user who already has an adjustment mechanism he is satisfied with, but wishes to change to another or more advanced type of binding. Here, it would be an advantage to be able to change only the bindings.
In this way, users can from the moment they purchase skis with bindings plan for a possible later upgrade. They can, e.g., choose to invest in good skis, but put off buying electric adjustment of the bindings until they have seen how the skis function.
This shows that users will have different needs, and also needs that vary over time. There is therefore a need for a ski binding system that meets these needs in that it has the necessary flexibility.
At the same time it is important that the parts that are reused by both the advanced and less advanced users both have the necessary strength and low weight that are required by the advanced users, and also are sufficiently inexpensive for the less advanced users. This applies to, e.g., the mounting plate or plates.
The invention is in an embodiment 1 a ski binding attachment as defined in independent claim 1.
An advantage associated with the use of the attachment mechanism according to the invention is that several different binding types can use the same attachment plate or mounting plate as a platform to obtain a different type of functionality by changing the elements in the attachment mechanism located on the platform.
This also makes it possible to alternate between different ways of attaching or adjusting the ski binding in the longitudinal direction, depending on the needs of the individual user.
The different elements on the attachment plate can be changed without using tools.
The attachment mechanism takes up forces from the kick in the longitudinal direction.
The attachment mechanism is compact and has little vertical height. Thus, overall low height over the ski is obtained for the whole system.
In an embodiment, the first locking elements are projecting elements that extend out from the fastening element and the second locking elements are opposing constrictions or apertures in the attachment plate.
Thus, the attachment plate can be low in height, thereby making it easy to mount other elements, such as, e.g., a ski binding that can be slid onto the attachment plate if this is integral with the mounting plate for the binding.
In an embodiment, the ski binding attachment comprises a vertical lock designed to lock the first and the second locking elements to each other in the vertical direction.
The largest forces acting on the fastening element are the forces in the longitudinal direction. As mentioned, the longitudinal direction is already locked by reciprocal configuration of the fastening element and the attachment plate. In the vertical direction there are smaller forces, and by separating the locking in the vertical direction from the longitudinal direction, the actual lock in the vertical direction is made smaller than if one lock were to be used for all directions.
In a vertical direction, the vertical lock comprises at least one pin. In this way, an attachment is obtained that is strong, that is easy to operate without tools and that is low in height.
In the following part of the description, different examples and embodiments of the invention are shown to give the skilled artisan a more detailed understanding of the invention. The specific details that are associated with the different embodiments and with reference to the attached drawings should not be understood as limiting the invention. The scope of protection of the invention is defined by the accompanying patent claims.
The embodiments are numbered here to give a good understanding of what is involved in each of them. In addition, a number of dependent embodiments are described, called associated embodiments, which are defined in relation to the numbered inventions. Unless otherwise specified, an embodiment that is dependent on a numbered embodiment will be capable of being combined directly with the referred embodiment or any one of its associated embodiments.
An embodiment 1 of the ski binding attachment (3) according to the invention will now be explained with reference to
Furthermore, with reference to
In an associated embodiment, the first locking elements (301a, 302a) are projecting elements that extend out from respectively the fastening element (30) and the second locking elements (311a, 312a) are opposing constrictions or apertures in the attachment plate (60).
In an embodiment 2 which can be combined with embodiment 1, the ski binding attachment (3) comprises a vertical lock (40) designed to lock the first and the second locking elements (301a, 302a, 311a, 312a) to one another in the vertical direction.
In an embodiment 3, which can be combined with embodiment 1 or 2, the vertical lock (40) comprises at least one pin (41a) designed to be mounted in the longitudinal direction of the mounting plate (6). This is illustrated in
In a first associated embodiment, which can be combined with embodiment 3 above, the attachment plate (60) has a longitudinal upward facing first edge (6a) on one side, where the first edge (6a) has varying width such that a second area (a) of the first edge (6a) forms the second locking element (311a), the edge (6a) comprising at least one first area (d) adjacent to the second area (a), where the first area (d) is wider than the second area (a), and where the first area (d) has a longitudinal channel (309a) designed to receive the vertical lock (40).
In a second associated embodiment, which can be combined with the first associated embodiment above, both the second area (a) and the first locking element (301a) have adjacent longitudinal grooves (322a, 302a) in their side walls designed to form, together, an extension of the longitudinal channel (309a) when the fastening element (30) is arranged on the mounting plate (6).
In an embodiment 4, which can be combined with any one of the embodiments above, the fastening element (30) comprises two or more first locking elements (301a, 301b) arranged one after another in the longitudinal direction.
In a first associated embodiment, the edge (6a) comprises at least one third area (b) adjacent to the second area (a), where the third area (b) is wider than the second area (a), and where the longitudinal channel (309a) continues into the third area (b).
In a second associated embodiment, which can be combined with the embodiment above, it comprises at least one fourth area (c) arranged directly after the third area (b) in the longitudinal direction, where the two first locking elements (301a, 302a) are designed to fit into respectively the second and the fourth area (a, c), such that the longitudinal channel (309a) extends from the first area (d) into the fourth area (c) and where the channel alternates between being a longitudinal hole in the first edge of the mounting plate (6a) and a channel that is formed by longitudinal grooves (322a, 302a, 323a, 303a) in the side walls of the two first locking elements (301a, 302a) when the fastening element (30) is arranged on the mounting plate (6).
In a third associated embodiment, which can be combined with the second associated embodiment above, the edge (6a) comprises at least one fifth area (e) arranged directly after the fourth area (c) in the longitudinal direction, where the fifth area (e) is wider than the fourth area (c), and where the longitudinal channel (309a) continues into the fifth area (c).
In an embodiment 5, which can be combined with embodiment 3 or 4, the longitudinal channel (309a) and the pin (41a) have in a cross-section one or more straight surfaces.
In an associated embodiment, it has a rectangular cross-section. One or more of the surfaces in the cross-section can be horizontal.
In an embodiment 6, which can be combined with any one of embodiments 3 to 5, the ski binding attachment (3) comprises a lock (44a, 45a) designed to lock the pin (41a) in the longitudinal direction when the vertical lock (40) locks the fastening element (30) in the vertical direction.
In an associated embodiment, which can be combined with the embodiment above, the pin (41a) comprises notches (44a) or juts that are designed to engage with opposing juts (45a) or notches in the fastening element (30) or the mounting plate (6).
An example of notches (44A) in the pin (41a) is shown in
In an embodiment 7, which can be combined with any one of the embodiments above, the attachment plate (60) is symmetrical about a third longitudinal axis (A3), such that it comprises a second upward directed edge (6b) on the opposite side to the first edge (6a).
In an embodiment 8, which can be combined with any one of the embodiments above, the fastening element is symmetrical about a fourth longitudinal axis (A4), such that it comprises one or more first fastening elements (301a, 301b) on each side.
In an embodiment 9, which can be combined with any one of the embodiments above, the vertical lock (40) is symmetrical about a fifth longitudinal axis (A5), such that it comprises a longitudinal pin on each side (41a, 41b), as shown in
In all three embodiments 7, 8 and 9 which relate to symmetry, what is meant is that all elements mentioned in the referred embodiments will be symmetrical about axes of symmetry, as illustrated in
In a first associated embodiment above, the vertical lock (40) comprises a mounting bracket (43) which holds the two pins (41a, 41b), and where the vertical lock (40) is designed to be locked and opened relative to the mounting plate (6) and the fastening element (30) on application of a longitudinal force on the mounting bracket (43) in respectively first and second opposite longitudinal directions.
In a second associated embodiment, which can be combined with the first associated embodiment above, the vertical lock (40) has a spring force in a lateral direction such that the juts (45a, 45b) are pressed into the notches (44a, 44b) by the spring force when the vertical lock (40) is in the locking position, and out of the notches (44a, 44b) when the vertical lock (40) is not in the locking position.
In an embodiment 10, which can be combined with any one of the embodiments above, the ski binding attachment (3) comprises a rod or a rail (5) disposed, at least partly, between the fastening element (30) and the attachment plate (60), where the fastening element (30) is designed to lock the rod (5) in the longitudinal direction.
In an embodiment 10, which can be combined with any one of the embodiments above, the ski binding attachment (3) comprises a rotatable element (32), rotatably fastened to the fastening element (30), and a first and second rotating pin (321, 322) arranged to rotate with the rotatable element (32), where the rotatable element (32) is designed to be rotated at least one revolution and push the rod (5) in the same longitudinal direction throughout the revolution.
This is illustrated in
The ski binding mechanism (1) further comprises a rotatable element (32), rotatably fastened to the attachment plate (60).
A first and a second rotating pin (321, 322), which are also included in the ski binding mechanism (1), are arranged to rotate with the rotatable element (32). Both the rotatable element (32) and the first and the second rotating pin (321, 322) are designed to be rotated at least one revolution and move the rod (5) in the same longitudinal direction throughout the revolution.
In a first associated embodiment, which can be combined with the invention above, the rotatable element (32) is designed to be rotated at least one and a half revolutions and move the rod (5) in the same longitudinal direction throughout the revolutions.
The first and the second rotating pins (321, 322) are not visible at this angle, but will be described below.
The longitudinal movement of the rod or rail (5) is indicated by the arrow M. By the same longitudinal direction is therefore meant forwards in the mounting plate or backwards in the mounting plate.
The ski binding shown here is an NNN toe binding suitable for cross-country skiing, but the invention can be used to move any type of binding providing the rod and the binding are complementary, i.e., are made to be fastened together. Thus, other binding types used in other skiing disciplines can also benefit from the advantages of the invention in cases where it is desirable to have a binding that can be moved in the longitudinal direction, e.g. telemark, randonnée etc.
In a second associated embodiment, which can be combined with the first associated embodiment above, the rod (5) comprises:
In a third associated embodiment that is explained with reference to
As described earlier, the first and the second rotating pin (321, 322) are arranged to rotate with the rotatable element (32), which is indicated as a broken circle in this instance, such that the pins (321 and 322) are visible. However, the rotatable element (32) can have other types of shapes without this being of consequence for the invention. The pins are indicated as a solid circle and an open circle merely to show their relative position in the sequence that is to be described.
In the first position (P1), the rod (5), and thus a ski binding (2, 4) on the rod (5), are in the rearmost position relative to the mounting rod and the ski. These are not shown in the figure, but for illustration of the further positions in the sequence, it is important to understand that the rotatable element (32) is fixed relative to the longitudinal direction of the mounting plate (6) and the ski.
The first pin (321) here is in front of the first sliding element (51a), whilst the second pin (322) is between the first and the second sliding element (51a, 51b).
In the next position (P11), the rotatable element (32) has been rotated anticlockwise about 45 degrees, and the rod (5) has been pushed a short distance forward because the second pin (322) has moved forward and to the right as a result of the rotary movement, as illustrated by the black and white arrow. Due to the forward movement of the second pin (322) whilst it abuts against the rear of the first sliding element (51a), it thus forces the rod forward.
In the subsequent position (P12), this becomes even clearer. Here, the rotatable element (32) has been rotated anticlockwise about 90 degrees, and the rod (5) has been pushed a little further forward because the second pin (322) has moved even further forward as a result of the rotary movement.
In the next position (P13), the rotatable element (32) has been rotated anticlockwise about 135 degrees, and the rod (5) has been pushed a little further forward. Now, however, the second rotating (322) has moved forward and to the left since the last position (P12).
In position 2 (P2), the rotatable element (32) has been rotated anticlockwise about 180 degrees, and the rod (5) has been pushed a little further forward. The second pin (322) has moved forward and to the left since the previous position (P13), and has continued to push the first sliding element (51a) and the rod (5) forward.
In position 2 (P2), the second pin (322) is still located between the first and the second sliding element (51a, 51b), whilst the first pin (321), which to begin with was in front of the second pin (322), is now behind the second pin (322), more precisely between the second and the third sliding element (51b, 51c).
Another way of explaining how the rod (5) is pushed forwards is to look at it as though the pins (321, 322) climb backwards on the sliding elements (51a, 51b, . . . ) when the rotatable element (32) is rotated anticlockwise. As the rotatable element (32) is fixed in the ski, the rod (5) must be pushed forward. The rod is during the half revolution pushed forward a length L1, as shown in the figure.
In position 2 (P2), as previously mentioned, the rotatable element is rotated about 180 degrees, or half a revolution. However, it is possible to continue the rotary movement if it is desirable to push the rod (5) and the binding (2) even further forward.
Although it is not illustrated in
In position 3, it will still be possible to rotate the rotatable element (32) anticlockwise. After another half revolution, the rod (5) is in a position 4, not shown in
In an embodiment 11, which can be combined with any one of the embodiments above or any one of their associated embodiments, the ski binding attachment (3) comprises an electric motor fixedly arranged relative to the fastening element (30), where the electric motor is designed to drive the rod (5) in a longitudinal direction, forwards and backwards.
In an associated embodiment, which can be combined with the embodiment above, the ski binding attachment (3) comprises a drive mechanism between the electric motor and the rod (5) which comprises one or more of the group comprising: a gearwheel, a wire, a chain, a toothed rack, a worm screw, a worm drive, a piston.
In an embodiment 12, which can be combined with any one of embodiments 9 to 11 above, the rod (5) is a part of a ski binding.
In an embodiment 13, which can be combined with any one of embodiments 9 to 11 above, the rod (5) has an attachment for a ski binding.
In an embodiment 14, the attachment plate (60) is an integral part of a mounting plate (6) designed to be attached to a ski and further designed to hold the ski binding fastened in the vertical and lateral direction. A solution of this kind is illustrated in
In an embodiment 15, the attachment plate (60) is designed to be separate from a mounting plate (6) designed to be attached to a ski and to hold the ski binding fastened in the vertical and lateral direction. This solution is illustrated in
Regardless of whether the attachment plate (60) is made integral with the mounting plate (6) or not, the attachment mechanism (3) can be made in the same way.
In an embodiment 16, which can be combined with embodiment 14 or 15 above, the attachment plate (60) or the mounting plate (6) have the same height along their entire length.
In an embodiment 16, which can be combined with embodiment 14 or 15 above, the attachment plate (60) or the mounting plate (6) have the same height along their entire length.
In an embodiment 17, which can be combined with embodiment 14, the height of the mounting plate (6) is greater at the forward part of the mounting plate (6) than at its middlemost part.
In an associated embodiment, the height of the mounting plate (6) gradually increases towards the forward part of the mounting plate (6) under the fastening element (30). The forward part of the mounting plate (6) is otherwise referred to as the attachment plate (60), but in this case the attachment plate (60) is an integral part of the mounting plate.
The rail (5) will thus slide easily along the length of the groove, as the increase in thickness compensates for the curvature of the ski. By using an adjustment mechanism for the ski binding located on the front of the mounting plate (6), i.e., the part referred to as the attachment plate (60), this effect will be even clearer.
At the same time, the extra thickness in the tip will mean that the rail, which otherwise should be as thin as possible, obtains extra strength, such that a fastening element (30) can be anchored in the area that has greatest strength. In addition to the actual improvement in the fastening of the moving mechanism, the forces from the moving mechanism will be distributed evenly over a larger area of the mounting plate, such that it is securely fastened to the ski even when the fastening mechanism is subjected to large loads.
In the illustrated embodiments, which are examples of how the invention can be carried out, different features and details are shown in combination. Although a number of features are described as belonging to a particular embodiment, this does not necessarily mean that these features must be implemented together in all embodiments of the invention. Similarly, features described in different embodiments should not be regarded as excluding combinations with each other. A person of skill in the art will understand that embodiments comprising some of the features that are not specifically described together, but which are also not described as that they are excluded from being combined with each other are a part of the invention. An explicit description of all embodiments will not contribute to the understanding of the invective concept, and thus some of the combinations have been omitted to render the application simpler and shorter.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20170891 | May 2017 | NO | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/NO2017/050302 | 11/22/2017 | WO | 00 |