FIELD
The present disclosure relates to ski boots and ski binding systems.
BACKGROUND
Ski boots can be coupled to a ski via a ski binding system. One binding system, known as an alpine touring binding system, ‘low tech’ binding system, or simply ‘tech’ binding system, allows the heel of the skier’s ski boot to be anchored to a ski for sliding downhill in a “downhill mode” and allows the heel to be released for walking and climbing in a “touring mode.”
Individual skiers frequently require different adjustments or adaptations to ensure a proper cant between the ski boot and the bottom surface of the ski to maintain proper anatomical alignment.
SUMMARY
In one embodiment, a ski boot for anchoring to a ski via a ski binding system includes a rigid foot enclosure including a bottom wall having a first mating surface. The ski boot also includes a sole block configured to selectively couple to the rigid foot enclosure. The sole block includes a second mating surface configured to mate with the first mating surface, the second mating surface defining a mating surface plane. The sole block also includes a traction surface configured to engage a ground surface, the traction surface defining a traction surface plane. The sole block is further configured to support an insert fitting, the insert fitting defining at least one of a) a pair of opposed sockets or b) a pair of arcuate cut-away portions. A non-zero cant angle is defined between the mating surface plane and the traction surface plane.
In another embodiment, a ski boot for anchoring to a ski via a ski binding system includes a rigid foot enclosure including a toe portion and a bottom wall having a first mating surface adjacent the toe portion. The ski boot also includes a sole block configured to selectively couple to the rigid foot enclosure. The sole block includes a second mating surface configured to mate with the first mating surface, the second mating surface defining a mating surface plane. The sole block also includes a traction surface configured to engage a ground surface, the traction surface defining a traction surface plane. The sole block is configured to support an insert fitting such that the insert fitting defines a pair of opposed sockets, the opposed sockets defining a pivot axis of the ski boot relative to the ski binding system, the pivot axis extending parallel to the traction surface. A non-zero cant angle is defined between the pivot axis and the mating surface plane.
In another embodiment, a sole block for a ski boot, the ski boot having a first mating surface configured to engage the sole block, the sole block including a second mating surface configured to mate with the first mating surface, the second mating surface defining a mating surface plane. The sole block also includes a traction surface configured to engage a ground surface, the traction surface defining a traction surface plane. The sole block is configured to support an insert fitting such that the insert fitting defines one of a) a pair of opposed sockets, the opposed sockets defining a pivot axis of the ski boot, the pivot axis extending parallel to the traction surface, and a non-zero cant angle is defined between the pivot axis and the mating surface plane, or b) a pair of arcuate cut-away portions located on opposite lateral sides of the insert fitting, the arcuate cut-away portions defining a pin axis of the ski boot, the pin axis extending parallel to the traction surface, and a non-zero cant angle is defined between the pin axis and the mating surface plane.
Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 and 2 are side and plan views, respectively, of a prior art ski, a prior art ski boot, and a prior art binding system.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are side and plan views of the ski, ski boot, and binding system of FIGS. 1 and 2 arranged in a touring mode.
FIG. 5 is a partial end view of a heel portion of the ski boot of FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 6 is a partial side view of a toe portion of the ski boot of FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 7 is a side view of a ski boot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a partially exploded side view of the ski boot of FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective and bottom views, respectively, of a foot enclosure of the ski boot of FIG. 7.
FIGS. 11 and 12 are perspective views of a heel sole block of the ski boot of FIG. 7.
FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views of a toe sole block of the ski boot of FIG. 7.
FIGS. 15A and 15B schematically show partially exploded partial cross-sectional views of the ski boot of FIG. 7 positioned over a ski.
FIGS. 16A-16F are a series of rear elevation views showing several variants of the toe sole block of FIGS. 13 and 14 having different cant angles.
FIGS. 17A and 17B are front elevation views of two variants of the heel sole block of FIGS. 11 and 12 having different cant angles.
FIG. 18A is a cross-sectional view of the toe sole block of FIGS. 13 and 14, taken through lines 18A-18A of FIG. 13.
FIG. 18B is a rear elevation view of the heel sole block of FIGS. 11 and 12.
Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of supporting other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
FIGS. 1-6 show a prior art “low tech” or “tech” ski binding system 10 (sometimes referred to as a DYNAFIT® binding system), including a toe unit 12 and a heel unit 14 mounted on an upper surface 40 of a ski 16. The toe unit 12 includes jaws 18 supporting opposed pins (not shown) that pivotally engage with sockets 20 defined by a toe insert fitting 22 (FIG. 6) embedded in a toe portion 24 of a ski boot 26. The heel unit 14 includes a pair of pins 28 that engage a heel insert fitting 30 (FIG. 5) affixed to a heel portion 32 of the ski boot 26. The heel unit 14 includes a base plate 34 affixed to the upper surface 40 of the ski 16 by multiple fasteners 36. The heel unit 14 also includes an upper portion 38 that supports the forward-directed pair of pins 28.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show the prior art tech binding system 10 arranged in a downhill mode with both the toe portion 24 and the heel portion 32 of the boot 26 engaged by the binding system 10. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the prior art tech binding system 10 arranged in a touring mode, in which the toe portion 24 of the ski boot 26 remains pivotally engaged with the toe unit 12 but the heel portion 32 is released from the heel unit 14 and free to pivot away from the upper surface 40 of the ski 16. To switch from the downhill mode shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the touring mode shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pins 28 are released from the heel insert fitting 30 of the heel portion 32.
In the illustrated prior art embodiment, the upper portion 38 of the heel unit 14 is rotatable about an axis generally perpendicular to the upper surface 40 of the ski 16. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the heel unit 14 rotated so that the pins 28 face away from the heel portion 32, which prevents the pins 28 from re-engaging the heel insert fitting 30 in the touring mode. In some embodiments of the prior art tech binding system 10, the upper portion 38 may be further rotated (not shown) such that the pins 28 face rearward of the ski 16 and an upper surface of the upper portion 38 resides underneath the heel portion 32. This allows the heel portion 32 to come to rest on the upper surface of upper portion 38, reducing stress on the user’s legs while climbing steep hills. In further prior art embodiments, the upper portion 38 may further comprise a heel lift extension (not shown) or foldable heel lifts (not shown) to permit the user to further elevate the heel portion while climbing steep hills.
FIG. 5 shows part of the heel portion 32 of the prior art boot 26. The heel insert fitting 30 is embodied as a metallic heel insert 30 affixed to the heel portion 32 by a fastener 42. The heel insert 30 defines arcuate cut-away portions 44 on opposite lateral sides thereof to accommodate the pins 28 of the heel unit 14. The arcuate cut-away portions 44 are located adjacent cavities 46 in the heel portion 32 which receive the ends of the pins 28. FIG. 4 shows part of the toe portion 24 of the prior art boot 26. The toe insert fitting 22 is embodied as a metallic toe insert 22 embedded in the toe portion 24 and defining a pair of sockets 20 (one on each side) shaped to receive the opposed pins of the jaw 18 of the toe unit 12.
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a ski boot 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The ski boot 50 includes a pliable inner boot or liner 52 supported within a rigid outer shell 54. In the illustrated embodiment, the shell 54 includes a cuff element 58 pivotably coupled to a separate rigid foot enclosure 56. The foot enclosure 56 includes a bottom wall 60, a bifurcated top wall 62 that extends upward from the bottom wall 60, and an ankle wall 64 upstanding from the top wall 62. The top wall 62 defines a toe enclosure 66 and a heel enclosure 68. In the illustrated embodiment, the cuff element 58 is connected to the ankle wall 64 by rivets 70 that permit a small degree of rotation of the cuff element 58 relative to the foot enclosure 56. The ski boot 50 also includes a buckle arrangement 72 that selectively draws the segments of the bifurcated top wall 62 together to clamp the boot 50 about a user’s foot.
The bottom wall 60 is adapted to selectively couple to a removable and replaceable heel sole block 74 and a removable and replaceable toe sole block 76. The heel and toe sole blocks 74, 76 are formed as separate components in the illustrated embodiment but may be formed integrally as a single sole block in other embodiments (not shown). With reference to FIGS. 11-14, a heel portion 78 of the heel sole block 74 defines a heel insert receptacle 80 that receives the metallic heel insert 30 (FIG. 5), which may be affixed to the heel portion 78 by a fastener such as a threaded screw (not shown). As discussed above, the heel insert 30 defines arcuate cut-away portions 44 on opposite sides thereof to accommodate the pins 28 of the heel unit 14 of the tech binding system 10. The arcuate cut-away portions 44 of the heel insert 30 are located adjacent cavities 84 in the heel portion 78 which receive the ends of the pins 28. The toe sole block 76 includes the metallic toe insert 22 (FIG. 6) embedded therein and defining the pair of sockets 20 (one on each side). As discussed herein, the sockets 20 are shaped to receive the opposed pins of the jaw 18 of the toe unit 12 of the tech binding system 10. Thus, when the heel and toe sole blocks 74, 76 are attached to the bottom wall 60, the ski boot 50 is operable with the prior art tech binding system 10 to engage the ski 16 in both the downhill and touring modes.
With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the heel and toe sole blocks 74, 76 define respective heel and toe traction surfaces 86, 88 that face toward and contact a ground surface (or a top surface of a ski or a ski binding). The bottom wall 60 of the foot enclosure 56 includes a heel mating surface 90 adjacent the heel enclosure 68 and a toe mating surface 92 adjacent the toe enclosure 66. As described herein, the sole blocks 74, 76 provide an adjusted canting of the traction surfaces 86, 88 with respect to the heel and toe mating surfaces 90, 92 of the foot enclosure 56.
With reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the heel sole block 74 includes, in addition to the heel traction surface 86, an upper mating surface 94 adapted to mount flush against the corresponding heel mating surface 90 (FIGS. 8 and 9) of the bottom wall 60. With reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, the toe sole block 76 is similarly adapted with an upper mating surface 96 for mounting against the corresponding toe mating surface 92 (FIG. 8) of the bottom wall 60. Each of the sole blocks 74, 76 also includes a plurality of mounting apertures 98, and the bottom wall 60 includes a plurality of threaded bores (not shown) corresponding to the mounting apertures 98. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting apertures 98 receive threaded fasteners 100 (FIG. 8), which tighten into the threaded bores in the bottom wall 60 to affix the sole blocks 74, 76 to the foot enclosure 56.
With reference to FIGS. 11-14, each of the sole blocks 74, 76 includes a rigid body 102 formed of a rigid material (e.g., plastic) and one or more pliable anti-slip members 104 (e.g., rubber pads) affixed to a lower portion of the rigid body 102 and defining a portion of the corresponding traction surface 86 or 88. The anti-slip members 104 improve walkability of the ski boot 50 as well as performance of the boot in the touring mode of the tech binding system 10.
With reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B, when the sole blocks 74, 76 are fastened to the foot enclosure 56 of the ski boot 50, and both of these elements are anchored to the ski 16 via the tech binding system 10, each of the traction surfaces 86, 88 defines a traction surface plane 108 that is generally parallel to a bottom surface plane 110 defined by a bottom surface 112 of the ski 16. When a skier stands in a balanced neutral position wearing the ski boot 50 as thus arranged, his weight should be transferred straight down from the soles of his feet to yield an even weight distribution across the width of the ski 16. Many skiers, however, possess anatomical irregularities that cause their weight to be unevenly concentrated on the medial or lateral side of the ski 16 (i.e., a lateral side or a medial side relative to the skier’s leg). This can result in one edge of the ski 16 being pressed more deeply into the snow than the opposite edge of the ski 16 during use, hindering the skier’s performance and heightening the risk of injury to the knee as the skier is forced to over-angulate their knees to engage the ski’s edge.
As described herein, the sole blocks 74, 76 provide an adjusted canting of the traction surfaces 86, 88 with respect to the heel and toe mating surfaces 90, 92 of the foot enclosure 56. This results in an adjusted non-zero cant angle 106 (FIGS. 15A and 15B) by which the ski boot 50 interfaces with the ski 16, suited to the anatomical traits of the skier. More specifically, the sole blocks 74, 76 effect a rotation of the ski 16 relative to the mating surfaces 90, 92 of the foot enclosure 56 (typically about 1° to about 5°) about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ski 16. Thus, the sole blocks 74, 76 improve a distribution of the skier’s weight across the lateral width of the ski 16. The cant angle 106 is measured between the traction surface plane 108 (defined by the traction surfaces 86, 88) and a sole block mating surface plane 114 (defined by the upper mating surfaces 94, 96), or between the traction surface plane 108 and a boot mating surface plane 116 defined by the heel and toe mating surfaces 90, 92. When facing in a forward direction of the ski boot 50, a positive cant angle 106 is measured in a counterclockwise direction from the traction surface plane 108 and results in the ski boot 50 tilting toward an outside edge 118 of the ski 16. A negative cant angle 106 is measured in a clockwise direction from the traction surface plane 108 and results in the ski boot 50 tilting toward an inside edge 120 of the ski 16.
FIGS. 16A-17B illustrate a series of toe sole blocks 76 or heel sole blocks 74 with the mating surfaces 96, 94, respectively, oriented to a specified cant angle 106 relative to the traction surfaces 88, 86. Positive and negative cant angles are described for a right foot ski boot 50 in connection with FIGS. 16A-17B, and would be reversed for a left foot ski boot. FIGS. 16A, 16B, and 16C illustrate toe sole blocks 76 with positive cant angles 106 of 1, 2, and 3 degrees, respectively. That is, the traction surface plane 108 and the sole block mating surface plane 114 form cant angles 106 of 1, 2, and 3 degrees, respectively, which tend to tilt the ski boot 50 toward the outside edge 118 (FIG. 15B) of the ski 16. FIGS. 16D, 16E, and 16F illustrate toe sole blocks 76 with negative cant angles 106 of -1, -2, and -3 degrees, respectively, which tend to tilt the ski boot 50 toward the inside edge 120 of the ski 16. Similarly, FIG. 17A illustrates a heel sole block 74 with a positive cant angle 106 that can be, e.g., 1, 2, or 3 degrees, which tends to tilt the ski boot 50 toward the outside edge 118 (FIG. 15A) of the ski 16. FIG. 17B illustrates a heel sole block 74 with a negative cant angle 106 that can be, e.g., -1, -2, or -3 degrees, which tends to tilt the ski boot 50 toward the inside edge 120 of the ski 16. In other embodiments, the heel and toe sole blocks 74, 76 can provide greater cant angles 106 (e.g., 4 degrees, 5 degrees, 6 degrees, etc., or -4 degrees, -5 degrees, -6 degrees, etc.) and can differ in cant angle 106 by smaller increments (e.g., by 0.5 degree increments, by 0.25 degree increments, etc.). In further embodiments, the heel sole block 74 and/or the toe sole block 76 can be provided with a neutral cant angle 106 (i.e., 0 degrees).
A precise cant angle 106 required for each foot of a particular skier may be determined by means of conventional equipment generally available. Different cant angles 106 may be required for each of a pair of ski boots 50 (i.e., left boot vs right boot). A proper set of precanted heel and toe sole blocks 74, 76 may be selected based on the particular skier’s anatomic anomalies and the effected weight distribution under-ski. In other embodiments, the proper cant angle 106 may be applied to the mating surfaces 94, 96 by post-manufacture methods.
In some embodiments (not shown), the sole blocks 74, 76 can initially be provided in a neutral configuration (i.e., having a cant angle 106 of 0 degrees), and the cant angle 106 can be subsequently adjusted by providing a ramped insert or shim atop the uncanted mating surfaces 94, 96. Similarly, in some embodiments, neutral cant sole blocks 74, 76 can also be re-shaped to achieve an adjusted cant angle 106 by removing material from the mating surfaces 94, 96. In the illustrated embodiment, the sole blocks 74, 76 are initially fabricated with the predetermined adjusted cant angles 106 (e.g., by injection molding) and do not require further shaping prior to being attached to the foot enclosure 56.
FIG. 18A is a cross-sectional view of the toe sole block 76 taken through a plane intersecting both of the sockets 20. Together, the two laterally opposed sockets 20 define a pivot axis 122 about which the ski boot 50 rotates when the ski boot 50 is engaged in the tech binding system 10 in the touring mode. As shown in FIG. 18A, the pivot axis 122 extends generally parallel with the traction surface plane 108, which itself is parallel to the bottom surface plane 110 of the ski 16 (FIG. 15B). A pivot axis cant angle 124 is defined between the pivot axis 122 and the sole block mating surface plane 114. As such, the toe sole block 76 effects canting of the ski boot 50 relative to the pivot axis 122, thereby relieving stress on the skier’s joints and ligaments during touring. The pivot axis cant angle 124 is equivalent to the cant angle 106 previously described herein. As such, both the traction surface 88 and the pivot axis 122 are independently capable of effecting canting of the ski boot 50. This is useful should the skier want to engage the ski boot 50 in another type of ski binding system (e.g., traditional alpine bindings) as will be further discussed herein.
FIG. 18B is a rear view of the heel sole block 74 having the heel insert 30 attached thereto. The arcuate cut-away portions 44 are defined on opposite lateral sides of the heel insert 30 and together define a pin axis 126 that intersects each of the pins 28 (FIG. 4) when the ski boot 50 is engaged in the tech binding system 10 in the downhill mode. A heel pin cant angle 128 is defined between the pin axis 126 and the sole block mating surface plane 114. As such, the heel sole block 74 effects canting of the ski boot 50 relative to the pin axis 126, thereby relieving stress on the skier’s joints and ligaments during touring. The heel pin cant angle 128 is equivalent to the cant angle 106 previously described herein. As such, both the traction surface 86 and the pin axis 126 are independently capable of effecting canting of the ski boot 50. This is useful should the skier want to engage the ski boot 50 in another type of ski binding system (e.g., traditional alpine bindings) as will be further discussed herein.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11-14, the sole blocks 74, 76 are configured as traditional ‘DIN’ or ‘Alpine’ soles compliant with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 5355 standard. As such, the heel sole block 74 includes a heel flange 130 engageable with a heel unit of a traditional ‘Alpine’ binding system (not shown), and the toe sole block 76 includes a toe flange 132 engageable with a toe unit of the ‘Alpine’ binding system. Heel and toe engagement surfaces 134, 136 (FIGS. 18A and 18B) of the heel and toe flanges 130, 132 extend parallel to the traction surface plane 108. The heel and toe engagement surfaces 134, 136 also extend at the cant angle 106 relative to the sole block mating surface plane 114. As such, when the ski boot 50 is anchored in the ‘Alpine’ binding system, the heel and toe sole blocks 74, 76 still effect canting of the ski boot 50.
In further embodiments (not shown), the sole blocks 74, 76 can alternatively be provided according to the ISO 9523 standard (Walk To Ride® (WTR) and GripWalk®), the ISO 23223 standard (GripWalk®), or other non-ISO ‘Alpine’ or ‘Touring’ sole standards, and can be compatible with GripWalk®, MNC, WTR, Sol.ID, or other binding systems while employing the canting concepts disclosed herein.
The foregoing detailed description of the certain exemplary embodiments has been provided for the purpose of explaining the general principles and practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. This description is not necessarily intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the exemplary embodiments disclosed. Any of the embodiments and/or elements disclosed herein may be combined with one another to form various additional embodiments not specifically disclosed. Accordingly, additional embodiments are possible and are intended to be encompassed within this specification and the scope of the appended claims. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way.
As used in this application, the terms "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "upwardly," "downwardly," "bottom," "top," and other orientational descriptors are intended to facilitate the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the structure of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure to any particular position or orientation. Terms of degree, such as “substantially” or “approximately” are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of the given value, for example, general tolerances or resolutions associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments and components.
Patent Application
20230069114
