Patent Grant
11524220
The present invention relates to the field of sport accessories and more specifically to a ski binding comprising a front abutment assembly configured to allow dual practice of touring and downhill skiing with a single binding.
There have been attempts in the prior art to propose ski bindings adapted to the combined practice of ski touring and downhill skiing. These bindings are supposed to offer “the best of both worlds” for users, be it in terms of functionalities, security, and ease of use. Such bindings must however be integrated in a compact and light format with features specific to each of both above-mentioned skiing practices. Firstly, they must allow for rotation of the front end of a ski boot about a rotation axis transversally oriented to the longitudinal axis of a ski board holding the binding during ascending walks phases, i.e. while in ski touring mode, and secondly they must provide a firm holding of the front end of a ski boot more or less flat or parallel with the top surface of the ski board and in line with the longitudinal axis of the ski board for downhill skiing mode, with a degree of liberty in rotation or lateral translation for the front end of a ski boot in relation to the binding to allow security retention and safety release of a ski boot to avoid injuries during a fall by a user.
Such bindings necessarily require two distinct boot-retaining mechanisms integrated in a same front assembly of the binding, namely one touring boot-retaining mechanism and one downhill boot-retaining mechanism.
The touring boot-retaining mechanism usually comprises pivoting pins symmetrically arranged on opposite spring loaded jaws associated with an actuating and locking mechanism. The pins define a hinge axis for a front end of a ski boot transverse to the longitudinal axis of a ski board. The actuating and locking mechanism allows for the touring boot retaining mechanism to adopt either an engaged position, wherein the jaws are constrained towards the longitudinal axis of a ski such that the pins can fit into corresponding bearing holes in a ski boot end inserted between the jaws, or a disengaged position, wherein the jaws are open and pivoted away from the longitudinal axis of the ski board such that a user can insert or remove a ski boot front end from the touring boot-retaining mechanism.
During the ascending phases, touring boot-retaining mechanism is locked by any appropriate means in order to maintain cooperation between the pins and the boot. Without this locking, the pins may be spaced apart, causing the release of the boot from the front member of the ski binding system and potential sliding away of a ski board.
The downhill boot-retaining mechanism must ensure very good boot retention on the ski, preferably with a ski binding release in the event of a fall in order not to injure the skier. Such bindings thus comprise a lateral release mechanism associated with the pivoting of wings adapted to clamp the front end of the boot.
EP 2 626 116 illustrates a front binding member combining both boot-retaining mechanisms as described above. This solution includes a first front boot-retaining device provided for the descent and comprising two pivotable wings associated with a lateral release mechanism. The wings support interface surfaces adapted to come into contact with the front end of a ski boot nose and sole in order to vertically and laterally maintain the front end of the ski boot. This front binding also includes two pins, each being fixed on a respective extension of a wing, above the interface surfaces, each pin being integral with a wing.
Further examples of similar front binding members are also depicted in EP2944361 or EP2929918. Those bindings however show a very complex structure, and the various interrelated rotating parts, in particular the front abutment wall for downhill skiing with respect to the downhill wings and touring jaws, are difficult or sometimes impossible to manipulate by users in use, in particular with compacted and icy snow accumulating between components of the ski binding system in use.
The present invention aims at providing an alternative front ski binding assembly offering both touring and downhill skiing capabilities through the use of independent arm systems within a front ski binding assembly and a corresponding adequately designed ski boot with retaining interface surfaces.
The aims of the present invention are met thanks to a front binding member for a ski board as disclosed herein.
More precisely, the invention provides a front ski binding assembly for a ski board, the assembly comprising:
The front ski binding assembly of the invention is configured for maximum ease of use and security of both ski touring and downhill skiing. The second arms are advantageously arranged over and in sliding contact with the first arms for the downhill ski mode, therefore at a most appropriate location to offer proper pivoting of a front ski boot without requiring any displacement of the first arms or the downhill ski boot abutment wall for the user between the downhill skiing mode and the touring ski mode. The shift between the two configurations is permitted only by the rotation of the second arms above the first arms. The locking arrangement then acts only on the second arms to ensure the proper engagement of the touring pins thereof with corresponding mating members of a ski boot.
A much more compact, robust, and safer front ski binding assembly that is easy to assemble, maintain, and use is thereby provided, offering uncompromised downhill skiing ski retention and ski release safety particularly for strong users skiing at high speeds, with so called “fat skis” or“freeriding skis” and/or “free touring skis”.
The inventive binding assembly brings the simplest combination of necessary components with the least amount of interconnectivity of all parts to advantageously provide a user the greatest retention and release safety and redundancy in case of field icing, soiling or mechanical failure of either ski touring or downhill skiing systems.
In an embodiment, each of the two first arms is independently movable in rotation about its first arbor.
In an embodiment, each of the two second arms is independently movable in rotation about its second arbor.
This advantageously provides a total independence of the first and second arms in both downhill and touring positions, for maximum security of a user.
Preferably, the first and second arbors are a same single arbor for both the first two arms and second two arms. Alternatively, the first and second arbors are separate arbors.
In embodiments, the locking arrangement comprises a buckle pivotally arranged at one of the second arms end or on the platform to engage with the other of the second arms in both a slope ascending or in a slope descending utilisation. This offers a reliable, light weight and simple locking solution at a very affordable manufacturing price and that is easily maintainable and replaceable for the user.
Preferably, the second arms may be configured at a locking end with complementary locking means for the buckle of the locking arrangement. The complementary locking means may comprise locking notches for locking of the second arms in their disengaged position and/or serrated teeth to engage with the buckle in the engaged position of the second arms.
In a preferred embodiment, the locking arrangement comprises a locking spring pivotally arranged on said front boot-retaining mechanism to one of said second arms in a slope ascending or in a slope descending utilisation.
Preferably, the front boot-retaining mechanism and the second arms comprise locking notches for the locking spring in at least one of a slope ascending or in a slope descending utilisation.
In preferred embodiments, the locking arrangement comprises magnets to hold at least one of the second arms in at least one of a slope ascending or in a slope descending utilisation.
In embodiments of the invention, the lateral security release device comprises a compression spring exerting said biasing force against the first arms. The first arms have delimiting surfaces upon the insides of each said first arms to set a minimum U shaped geometry for a ski boot B to be retained by said delimiting surfaces of the first arms abut against an appropriate surface of the abutment wall of the fastening platform. Advantageously, the biasing force is adjustable.
In a preferred configuration, the lateral security release device comprises a set of interchangeable cams being adjustable about an end of said compression spring, said cams each defining a tubular chamber arranged for receiving said compression spring end and having a different depth to provide a varying biasing force on said compression spring. Such construction is very compact, with few pieces and easily dismountable and replaceable parts, which grants users a greatly configurable and serviceable front binding.
Preferably, the interchangeable cams each comprises a biasing force value and indicator marked on a surface and arranged to match with a graduated scale provided at a visualization window in a cover of the lateral security release device.
In a further embodiment of the front ski binding assembly, the locking arrangement comprises a spiral cam mounted to a pivot axis connected to a handle, a compression spring being coaxially mounted about the pivot axis and the spiral cam being arranged to contact a locking end of one of the second arms upon rotation of the handle towards a locking position, wherein a positive biasing of one or both of said second arms is provided by the spiral cam on at least one of the second arms.
This locking arrangement structure offers greater compactness to the front ski binding assembly altogether with improved security and ease of use for the user.
Advantageously, guiding pins are provided at a distance from each other along a length of the pivot axis to exert an increasing compressive and rotational force onto the compression spring upon rotation of the handle and linked pivot axis by a user to lock the second arms in the ski touring engaged position.
In an embodiment, the second arbor for pivoting of the second arms on top of the first arms are arranged between said touring pins and respective opposing locking ends of said second arms, said respective locking ends each comprising a biasing and locking means to lock the respective second arm in either the engaged or disengaged position. The biasing and locking means may be comprised of notches or hooks and/or serrated teeth in particular, which allow easy cooperation in locking and biasing engagement with a simple buckle formed of steel wire serving as complementary locking/biasing member.
In embodiments, the front abutment wall is immobile and fixed on the platform in all positions of the first and second arms. This ensures a permanent reference position for the user's boots, ensuring optimal comfort and security once the binding assembly is set for a determined user.
In embodiments, the first arms and lateral security release device remain operational in both the engaged and disengaged positions of the second arms. This advantageously ensures permanence of lateral security release for the user.
In an embodiment, the locking arrangement comprises a spiral cam mounted to a pivot axis connected to a handle end, a compression spring being coaxially mounted about the pivot axis and the spiral cam being arranged to contact a locking end of one of the second arms upon rotation of the handle end towards a locking position, wherein a positive biasing of one or both second arms is provided by the spiral cam on at least one of the second arms.
In such embodiment, guiding pins are provided at a distance from each other along a length of the pivot axis to exert an increasing compressive force onto the compression spring upon rotation of the handle end and linked pivot axis by a user to lock the second arms in the engaged position.
In embodiments, the second arms comprise a latch mechanism configured to connect each second arm to a respective first arm thereunder in the disengaged positions of said second arms. The latch mechanism serves to prevent impairing the lateral safety release of a user's boot in slope descending configuration. Such latching mechanism ensures optimal security in the maintenance of the positions of the second arms in relation to the first arms.
Preferably, the latch mechanism comprises a latch button solidly mounted to a cam follower and movably arranged on the second arm between a latching an locking positions, said cam follower extending toward a mating cam surface arranged in the top surface of a respective first arm, said cam surface ending in a locking notch, whereby the cam follower falls into the notch in the disengaged positions of the second arms and prevents movement thereof towards the engaged position without latching action of a user on the button.
In an embodiment, the latch button is spring loaded along a pin extending along a direction perpendicular to the second arbor of each second arms. This provides a very easy and robust construction for the latch button.
In an embodiment, the cam follower comprises a stud or pin extending perpendicularly towards the first arm thereunder.
In an embodiment, the latch mechanism is arranged to grant the second arms a degree of freedom in rotation with respect to the first arms. This controlled clearance provide mechanical play between the arms to avoid that lateral security release occur too easily during use.
Meanwhile, the first and second arms are preferably guided in rotation with respect to each other within parallel planes perpendicular to their arbors Such guidance in rotation may advantageously be achieved by means of retaining slots at an end of first arms and mating tab ridges arranged underneath the touring pins of the second arms, further preventing said second arms from being pulled excessively away from upper surfaces 58a, 58b of the first arms.
In an embodiment, biasing means are arranged between the first and second arms to return the second arms to their disengaged positions to prevent entanglement of the second arms with each other during a safety release of the first arms.
Details of the invention will be better understood in view of preferred embodiments of the invention represented in the appended drawings, wherein:
Various embodiments of a front ski binding assembly 1 according to the present invention are represented in the
Common features to all embodiments of the front ski binding assembly 1 represented will be first discussed herein in relation to all figures and specific configurations and characteristics for each embodiments will then be presented in relation to the corresponding specific figures. The inventive front ski binding assembly 1 comprises a fastening platform 2 to fasten the front ski binding assembly 1 to an upper surface of a ski board S. The fastening platform 2 comprises fastening means such as screw holes 21 receiving fastening screws 211 to fit and hold the binding firmly, yet reversibly, to a ski board S. Said platform extends generally along a longitudinal direction or axis L and a transverse direction T perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. In use, the fastening platform 2 is fastened to an upper surface of the ski board S such that the longitudinal axis L of the fastening platform 2 is parallel or superimposed to the longitudinal axis L of the ski board.
The front ski binding assembly 1 further comprises a front boot-retaining mechanism 3 mounted onto said platform 2 for retaining a user's boot B in either a slope ascending (ski touring) or in a slope descending (downhill skiing) utilisation.
The front boot-retaining mechanism 3 firstly comprises a front boot fixed or non-movable abutment wall 31 extending from said platform 2 orthogonally to said longitudinal axis L of the platform, i.e. parallel to the transverse direction T and substantially perpendicularly to the a top surface of the platform 2 opposite the ski board S in use.
The front boot-retaining mechanism 3 further comprises two first arms 32a, 32b pivotably mounted on a first arbor 33a, 33b with respect to the fastening platform 2 and front boot abutment wall 31. At a free end the first arms preferably comprise a roller R advantageously provided to help ski boot release and prevent injuries upon activation of a lateral security release device 36 described after. Said first arbor 33a, 33b for the first arms 32a, 32b is located at ends of the front boot abutment wall 31 in transversal direction T, such that they altogether define a U-shaped assembly. The first arms 32a, 32b form in all represented embodiments lateral retaining arms of the front ski binding assembly 1 in downhill skiing configuration of the binding assembly 1. With retention features to restrain ski boot toe surfaces B3 in any substantial vertical movement upwardly from the top surface of a ski board.
A lateral security release device 36 is also arranged in cooperation with first ends 34a, 34b of the first arms 32a, 32b to apply a biasing force on said first ends 34a, 34b of the first arms 32a, 32b urging the opposite ends 35a, 35b thereof towards the longitudinal axis L of the fastening platform 2
Said first arms 32a, 32b have delimiting surfaces 19a, 19b (upon the insides of each of said first arms 32a, 32b) which set a minimum U shaped geometry for the front end of a ski boot B to be received (e.g., such that the front end abuts simultaneously with the abutment wall and first arm rollers as shown in
The lateral security release device 36 may be designed as represented in the drawings, in particular in
As represented in
Preferably, and as is apparent from
Demounting the arbors 33b, 39b enables the user to interchange the cam 362b in order to increase or decrease the nominal safety release force with cams 362b of different DIN or force values. Interchangeable cams 362b may be provided to a user, which have varying helicoidal spring 361 and spring nut 363 hole depths in order to displace the starting compression or pretensioning of the helicoidal spring 361 within the assembly once the CV tool is removed and are preferably marked with unique force values for each cam 362b and have an indicator line to match with a graduated scale on cover 7.
Alternative solutions can be imagined whereby an indicator line or indicator tab geometry can be integrated directly into the spring nut 363 which directly aligns and is readable with the graduated scale on cover 7 by way of an appropriate clearance slot along the side of the interchangeable cams 362 permitting the user to read a value on the scale indicated by the spring nut 363. In normal operation of the lateral security release device 36, with the CV tool removed, the spring nut is held under constant outward force by the helicoidal spring 361 to engage both first ends 34a, 34b simultaneously of both first arms 32a and 32b.
As visible in
The front ski binding assembly 1 comprises two second arms 37a, 37b pivotally mounted about second arbors 39a, 39b. The second arms 37a, 37b include touring pins 40a, 40b at respective ends thereof to engage corresponding mating members B1, B2 on the front end B3 sides of a user's boot B in ascending slope utilisation. The second arms 37a, 37b thus form in all represented embodiments lateral retaining arms of the front ski binding assembly 1 in touring skiing configuration of the binding assembly 1. The second arms 37a, 37b are movable between a first or engaged position where the touring pins 40a, 40b are engaged in such said mating members B1, B2 on a user's boot B and a second or disengaged position where the touring pins 40a, 40b are disengaged from said mating members B1, B2. Advantageously according to the proposed inventive front ski binding assembly 1, the second arms 37a, 37b are pivotally arranged on top of said the first arms 32a, 32b and lockable in said engaged and disengaged positions by a locking arrangement 5. This locking arrangement 5 is advantageously according to the proposed inventive front ski binding assembly 1 arranged within the area of the fastening platform 2 and is easily actionable manually or with the aid of a ski pole to respectively lock or unlock the second arms 37a, 37b in their engaged or disengaged positions, as described hereinafter in reference to the various embodiments of the inventive front ski binding assembly 1. A very compact arrangement of the front boot-retaining mechanism 3 is hereby provided by the proposed inventive front ski binding assembly 1, yet with total independence in rotation of the respective first arms 32a, 32b and second arms 37a, 37b.
Preferably, each of the two first arms 32a, 32b is independently movable in rotation about its first arbor 33a, 33b. Likewise, each of the two second arms 37a, 37b is independently movable in rotation about its second arbor 39a, 39b.
It will further be noted that in all embodiments of the front ski binding assembly 1 and its boot retaining mechanism 3 the first arbor 33a, 33b and second arbor 39a, 39b for the first arms 32a, 32b and second arms 37a, 37b may indifferently form a common single arbor for both the first two arms 32a, 32b and second two arms 37a, 37b or of separate arbors, either coaxial or not.
In a first embodiment of the front ski binding assembly 1 represented in
The locking end 38a shows a substantial wedge, concave, shape facing away from the longitudinal axis L, thereby forming a hook about which a free loop shaped end of the buckle 51 can be attached to bring the locking ends 38a, 38b closer together, in order to position the second arms 37a, 37b in their disengaged positions (
In this disengaged position, the second arms 37a, 37b should not impair the security release functionality of first arms 32a, 32b in a downhill skiing mode. To that end the front ski binding assembly 1 comprises small vertical pins 52a, 52b fixed on top of the respective first ends 34a, 34b of the first arms 32a, 32b with a given amount of mechanical clearance to a corresponding recess in each of the second arms 37a, 37b as shown in
Locking end 38a of second arm 37a further comprises a notch, which, as shown in
Once, the alignment is correct, the buckle 51 can be released from the notch in locking end 38a, whereby the touring pins 40a, 40b are urged into the mating members B1, B2 in said ski boot B to thereby assume the engaged position of the second arms 37a, 38b, thanks to the biasing springs 371a, 371b. The biasing spring 371a, 371b applies a constant biasing force to the two second arms 37a, 37b to bring the touring pins 40a, 40b towards the longitudinal axis L, i.e. towards each other in the engaged positions of the second arms 37a, 37b for each of the pins to enter respective corresponding mating members B1, B2 on the front end sides of a user's boot B as shown in
As represented in
When the second arms 37a, 37b are in the engaged positions and a skier is walking with his ski boot B locked in the binding assembly 1 by the locking arrangement 5, a percentage of the skier's weight is passed from the ski boot B to the touring pins 40a, 40b. This force in the direction of the skiing board S is then transmitted to the upper surfaces 58a, 58b of the first arms 32a, 32b from the lower surfaces 54a, 54b of the second arms 37a, 37b.
In typical use when the skier is in a touring skiing utilisation he makes forward progress by alternately lifting or releasing his weight from one ski boot B at a time to step forward with his other ski boot, in doing so the front ski binding assembly 1 attached to ski board S and engaged to the skiers boots B experiences a reversing force from the skier's ski boot B which tends to pull the touring pins 40a, 40b away from the top surface of the skiing board S. Upper ends of the first arms 32a, 32b include retaining slots 55a, 55b having upper surfaces 57a, 57b (
Retaining slots 55a, 55b and ridges 56a, 56b further cooperate in such a way that the second arms 37a, 37b pass radially through unimpeded in a perpendicular plan to the axis of arbors 39a, 39b. However, when a load that is applied parallel to the arbors 39a, 39b any mechanical clearances either between lower surfaces 54a, 54b and 58a, 58b and cover surfaces 59a, 59b and ridges 56a, 56b will quickly constrain the upper and lower heights of the touring pins 40a, 40b from the top surface of the skiing board. Sufficient mechanical clearance is available between ridges 56a, 56b and surfaces 57a, 57b to allow the second arms 40a, 40b to return unimpeded to their disengaged position for downhill skiing utilisation.
As represented in
As an alternative means to restraining the common arbors 33a, 39a, 33b, 39b from being displaced or disassembled during use without the use of removable screws V1, V2 one can imagine an obround shaped hole of an appropriate width to correspond to the diameter of said arbor with at least one end coaxially aligned with a corresponding round or obround shaped hole in a second restraining position as per imagined in the cover 7 of all embodiments shown in
The second arms 37a, 37b comprise at their locking ends 38a, 38b lateral notches 45a, 45b arranged for receiving the buckle 51 in the disengaged position, as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Further to the embodiment of
a further represent a third alternative embodiment to that of
In this disengaged position the second arms 37a, 37b as shown in
The first arms 32a, 32b and second arms 37a, 37b are pivotable about a common arbor 33a, 39a, 33b, 39b these said arbors are considered vertical or near vertical to the upper surface of a ski board S such that they create a closing movement transversely across the longitudinal axe of the ski board S. In the
In this further embodiment represented in
The locking wire spring 50 can be pivoted forward and located into front notch 41a as shown in
On the side of the cover 7 next to the locking arrangement 5 said cover comprises a conical guiding surface 71. This conical surface 71 permits and guides for the purposes of releasing spring 50 from notch 41a of second arm 37a any object the user wishes to use, for example: a tip of a ski pole or a person's fingers or any other object to activate the automatic closing and locking of the touring arm system thus driving and wedging the locking spring 50 between protection casing cover 7 and second arm 37a by its own spring forces. This creates an equilibrium of forces when ski boot B is arranged on the touring pin 40b as shown in
The locking wire spring 50 is guided between its multiple active positions and restrained laterally by a second locking notch 63 arranged at the side of the fastening platform 2 next to said locking wire spring 50. In said second locking notch 63 the locking wire spring 50 is restrained fully when the front ski binding assembly 1 is mounted upon a ski board S and said locking wire spring is sufficiently powerful enough to force the arm 37a and its touring pin 40a in engagement with the ski boot B. Meanwhile the other second arm 37b is also sufficiently maintained in engagement with the boot by means of a magnet 60 holding the locking end 38b of the second arm 37b against a robust lateral or side abutment wall of the cover 7 of the protection casing.
Thus the
If the overpowering external forces acting upon the ski S or the skiers boot B to front ski binding assembly 1 continues the outward rotation of either first arm 32a or 32b will continue until the locking ends 38a, 38b of the second arms 37a and, 37b make contact with the skiers boot B upon the boot surface B4. Surface B4 is the approximately vertical wall rising above the B3 nose of any ski boot B.
In general the contact of locking ends 38a, of the second arm 37a, and ski boot surface B4 could be either a pushing or sliding nature or a combination of both with the second arm 37a, as shown in principle in
This contact with second arm 37a will disengage the touring pin 40a from its disengaged position held by magnet 61 and the second arm 37a will rotate freely of an angle and approximately together with the first arm 32a as it is continued to be pushed by the boot B surface B4 until the Boot B is completely freed from the front ski binding assembly 1.
The contact and pushing forces needed to disengage the second arms from their respective home positions will not impede the lateral security release device 36 to any significant degree. Even as can be imaginable in all conditions of temperature, snow and dirt build-up of the front ski binding assembly 1. This will be tested by the ski binding manufacturer/s.
Thereby ensuring a safe release function of all ski boots to ski binding combinations in all conditions as stipulated and certified compatible by the ski binding manufacturer/s of this ski binding design. The ski binding manufacturer may define the range of compatible ski boots by ISO norms or otherwise as preferred by the manufacturer and communicate appropriately to users.
In the embodiments represented in
The last embodiment of the front ski binding assembly 1 is represented in
The locking arrangement 5 located at the end of the second arm 37a. It becomes active when the second arm 37a is rotated fully in a anticlockwise direction, when viewed from above the second arm 37a as per
The locking arrangement 5, visible in details in
Cam arbor 43 has a spiral cam 44 at one end of its cylindrical body so that when the second arm 37a is rotated fully to make contact with spiral cam 44 of cam arbor 43 and cam surface 42a of second arm 37a and a rotational movement of cam arbor 43 about its cylindrical body axis is actuated via handle end 85 to provide an increasing or decreasing biasing effect of cam surface 42a.
The working of the locking arrangement 5 is further represented in
In typical use the locking arrangement 5 is set to a start position shown as P2a, this is achieved by the user manually rotating the handle end 85 (in this embodiment, a clockwise motion is applied) until locating pin 86 which during downhill skiing mode position P2c is held in tangential contact with cover surface F1 per
A positive force keeping locating pin 86 in contact with cover surface F1 of cover 7 is created by compression spring 82. Compression spring 82 has one end located inside roll pin 87 which passes transversally across the rotational axis of the cylindrical body of cam arbor 41.
The opposing end of compression spring 82 is both guided and retained coaxially and rotationally to the rotational axis of the cylindrical body of cam arbor 43 by spring plug 83. Spring plug 83 has a recessed and semi-circle slot about the same axis that compression spring 82 is aligned with and features an abutment face D2 is created at one end of the semi-circle slot as shown in
Compression spring 82 helical wire end (opposite to end located inside roll pin 87) sits within the described semi-circle slot of spring plug 83 and is forced into contact with abutment D2 by a combination of vertical compression and pre-set (simultaneous) twisting or rotational compression of spring plug 83 as shown in
Spring plug 83 is retained in the fastening platform 2 of the front ski binding assembly 1 by spring plug shaft 84 as shown in
The combination of both the compression and torsional forces store in the spring 82 provides the locking arrangement 5 sufficient mechanical energy to function as described here within in the preferred manor.
User manually rotates the lever of handle end 85 to start position P2a by rotating clockwise until the cam arbor 43 with locating pin 86 moves off cover surface F1 and into indent D1,
Once locating pin 86 has been pushed into indent D1 from the compression force provided by spring 82 the user can release his manual force from handle end 85. The locking arrangement 5 is now set to P2a and ready for auto locking of locking arrangement 5, presented in
The user can then rotate both second arms 37a and 37b into the engaged position for touring.
The second arm 37b is held rigidly against a stop surface 6 of the cover 7 by magnet 60 attracting surface 42b of second arm 37b. It is then possible for the user to align his corresponding mating positions B1 and B2 of ski boot B towards the touring pins 40a and 40b. Preferably he should mate one touring pin with a corresponding mating position, either B2 with 40b or B1 with 40a. Once these are mated he should visually align the opposing corresponding mating positions with the remaining touring pin.
Finally, the user is ready to activate the auto locking of the locking arrangement 5. This is done simply by pressing on handle surface F2 of the locking arrangement 5. This will force the locating pin 86 downwards and out of indent D1 and back in tangential contact with cover surface F1. The stored torsional force within compression spring 82 will continue to rotate cam arbor 43 towards the position of P2b causing an outwards biasing action upon cam surface 42a which in turn biases the touring pin 40a via arbor 39a into and onto the corresponding mating surfaces of B1 in the front end B3 of a user's ski boot B.
The user's ski boot B is now locked and ready for ski touring practise when the spring 82 can no longer rotate the cam arbor 43 any further as all possible biasing motion from the second arms 37a and 37b has been removed from the system. Any width or linear relationship difference from one ski boot B to another of the corresponding mating features B1 and B2 is automatically adjusted for by the locking arrangement 5.
To remove the user's ski boot B from the locking arrangement 5 the user may simply reapply a manual force to the handle end 85 in the direction of P2a or clockwise here within this embodiment. Before the handle end 85 reaches the position P2a the user's ski boot B may already be released sufficiently for the corresponding mating positions B1 and B2 to be freed from touring pins 40a and 40b.
Returning the front ski binding assembly 1 to downhill skiing mode simply requires rotation of the second arms 37a, 37b touring ends, pin 40a, 40b to their corresponding homing magnets 61 at respective positions P1a and P1b. During this action the handle end 85 will be pushed from position P2b to P2c. The handle end 85 under the stored torsional energy of spring 82 will maintain contact with the touring pins 40a and 40b whilst the touring pins 40a and 40b are in contact with their respective magnets 61.
The user can now practise downhill skiing by placing his ski boot B into the downhill skiing arms 32a and 32b unimpeded by the touring second arms 37a, 37b.
b illustrate how a boot B can safely exit the front ski binding assembly 1 through lateral release of at least one of the independent first arms 32a, 32b in downhill skiing mode.
As understood in all previous embodiments, for the user to be released from the front ski binding assembly 1 firstly a lateral force from a ski boot B greater than the pre-set safety release force of the lateral security device 36 must be realised. A first arm 32a, 32b then rotates about its arbor 33a, 33b thus releasing the ski boot B and reducing injury risks to the user. During the rotation of said first arms 32a, 32b said arms will reach a certain point or release angle N from its original home angle J whereby the locking ends 38a, 38b of second arms 37a, 37b may require to be free or helped in rotation together with the first arms during said lateral release of the first arms 32a, 32b to prevent any restraint of the first arms 32a, 32b to the complete safe release of said ski boot B from the front ski binding assembly 1.
In some safety release events where a full safety release from the front ski binding assembly 1 is not achieved, for example when the external loads that initiated the safety release fall below the lateral security release device 36 pre-set safety force before the users ski boot B was fully released from said front ski binding assembly 1. In such events the first arms 32a, 32b are then capable to both re-centre the ski boot B within the front ski binding assembly 1 and advantageously reset the second arms 37a, 37b to their home angle J so that the skier can continue skiing without either or both of the second arms 37a, 37b being out of their disengaged positions P1a, P1b for downhill skiing.
A further advantage of this latch system 88a, 88b is the resetting of said second arms 37a, 37b, which crucially ensures there is no possibility of any entanglement between the second arms 37a and second arms 37b, which could occur when any said second arm 37a,37b is left out of its home angle J and perpendicular to the other said second arm 37a,37b and there is a sudden reversal of external release forces requiring a lateral release of the opposing first and second arms 32a, 37a, 32b, 37b thereby potentially causing an entanglement that could then prevent a clean full safety release of the front ski binding assembly 1.
Transitioning the second arms 37a, 37b from their disengaged positions P1a, P1b with said latch system 88a, 88b requires the user to manually and momentarily hold open the latch system 88a, 88b whilst unlatching is effectuated. After a small rotation of the second arms 37a, 37b sufficiently beyond their latching features the latching system can then be released. The second arms 37a, 37b are now free to be fully rotated to their engaged positions previously detailed unimpeded by any further manual actions to the latching system 88a, 88b. Returning the second arms 37a, 37b to their disengaged positions P1a, P1b is as simple as in the embodiments of
In this embodiment the latch button 881a, 881b is both guided and spring loaded along a pin 882a, 882b aligned with home angle J mounted preferably in the locking ends 38a, 38b of second arms 37a, 37b as best shown in
Advantageously within the upper surfaces of first arms 32a, 32b there is sufficient place to enlarge one side of previously said home angle J aligned notch so that there can be a degree of mechanical play or mechanical freedom H of the first arms 32a, 32b in relation to the longitudinal axis L before to engage the second arms 37a, 37b via said latch system 88a, 88b. This advantage is detailed above in the description. The range of mechanical freedom H between first and second arms 32a, 32b, 37a, 37b, of an already displaced first arm 32b is best shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 851/18 | Jul 2018 | CH | national |
| 1054/18 | Sep 2018 | CH | national |
| 196/19 | Feb 2019 | CH | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CH2019/050013 | 7/8/2019 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020/010477 | 1/16/2020 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3873113 | Suhner | Mar 1975 | A |
| 3893685 | Svoboda | Jul 1975 | A |
| 4029336 | Haimerl | Jun 1977 | A |
| 4348036 | Settembre | Sep 1982 | A |
| 4429896 | Spademan | Feb 1984 | A |
| 5527057 | Stritzl | Jun 1996 | A |
| 8894087 | Barthel | Nov 2014 | B2 |
| 9120002 | Barthel | Sep 2015 | B2 |
| 9220969 | Soldan et al. | Dec 2015 | B2 |
| 9526972 | Steinke et al. | Dec 2016 | B2 |
| 9795862 | Soldan et al. | Oct 2017 | B2 |
| 20100253021 | Kostantin | Oct 2010 | A1 |
| 20130207356 | Barthel | Aug 2013 | A1 |
| 20130214513 | Barthel | Aug 2013 | A1 |
| 20130334795 | Alzner | Dec 2013 | A1 |
| 20180185737 | Zoor | Jul 2018 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2495086 | Jun 2022 | CN |
| 0 199 098 | Oct 1986 | EP |
| 1174165 | Jan 2002 | EP |
| 1378275 | Jan 2004 | EP |
| 2609972 | Jul 2013 | EP |
| 2 626 116 | Aug 2013 | EP |
| 2 662 121 | Nov 2013 | EP |
| 2687275 | Jan 2014 | EP |
| 2 774 661 | Sep 2014 | EP |
| 2774661 | Sep 2014 | EP |
| 2923742 | Sep 2015 | EP |
| 2 929 918 | Oct 2015 | EP |
| 2 944 361 | Nov 2015 | EP |
| 2 987 538 | Feb 2016 | EP |
| 2 567 409 | Jan 1986 | FR |
| 2986975 | Aug 2013 | FR |
| WO-8300633 | Mar 1983 | WO |
| WO-8300633 | Mar 1983 | WO |
| WO-2017095232 | Jun 2017 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report from Corresponding International Application No. PCT/CH2019/050013 dated Oct. 10, 2019. |
| Written Opinion from Corresponding International Application No. PCT/CH2019/050013 dated Oct. 10, 2019. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210268364 A1 | Sep 2021 | US |
