Patent Application
20070152426
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ski brake for braking a ski that is detached from a sports shoe, as described in the preamble of claim 1.
2. Prior Art
A similar type of ski brake is known from DE 25 54 110 A. The brake lever arrangement of this ski brake comprises brake levers arranged essentially symmetrically to the longitudinal middle axis of the ski, which are mounted in a pivotable manner on a ski-fast bearing device. By means of the force of a flexible tongue supported on the ski or on the bearing device the brake levers are forced into their active position, i.e. into a brake position projecting under the running surface. Said flexible tongue can be formed by a bow-like shaping of the strap for the brake arms.
It is also known to provide this type of a ski brake that has a virtually integral flexible element with a foot plate, which is pushed down by the sole of a sports shoe in order to move the ski brake into the inactive, spring-preloaded position of readiness. Said foot plate in the upper end section of the ski brake is mounted pivotably so that it can orient itself when pushed by the sole of a sports shoe relative to the pivotal movements of the actuating arms, or better adjust to the varying inclinations of the shoe sole when a person climbs into the ski binding. The disadvantage here is that the foot plate mounted pivotably in the upper end section of the actuating arms is responsible for undefined tilted or pivoted angular positions of the foot plate relative to the actuating arms when the footplate is not loaded by a sports shoe, particularly when the ski brake is active and the ski binding is already ready for use.
The underlying objective of the present invention is to provide a ski brake in which the foot plate to be loaded by a sports shoe has a defined initial position or position of rest and at the same time is designed to be as inexpensive as possible and to be functionally stable for a long period.
The objective of the invention is achieved by a ski brake according to the features in claim 1.
The advantage here is that the elastically flexible adjusting device produces a defined initial position or a predetermined pivot position for the foot plate relative to the brake lever arrangement, so that it is possible to climb into the ski binding as simply and easily as possible, since the position of the ski brake when the foot plate is loaded by a sports shoe can be predefined precisely and it can thus be moved as easily as possible into the inactive position or into a position of readiness. It is also advantageous that any rattling or impact of the foot plate against the actuating arms is prevented by the pivot bearing that is preloaded or forced into a specific pivotal position. In this way any uncontrolled displacement of the foot plate relative to the brake lever arrangement is impossible, for example during transportation of the ski equipment provided with the ski brake.
An embodiment according to claim 2 is advantageous as thereby a flexible connection is created between the foot plate and the actuating arms or the spring arms, which ensures in a structurally simple and durable manner that the foot plate in the active position of the ski brake or in the position of readiness is aligned to be as horizontal as possible and thus facilitates entry into a ski binding equipped with this kind of ski brake.
In the development according to claim 3 it is an advantage that the elastic bending stiffness of the L-shaped spring element is used in order to create the adjusting device. The use of the bending elasticity of the spring element is preferable to the use of expanding elasticity, as the bending elasticity of the L-shaped spring element remains largely unchanged and almost constant even after numerous cycles of use.
In the design according to claim 4 it is an advantage that a simple assembly or an easy integration of the spring element into the mechanical structure of the ski brake is made possible. In particular, by simply coupling the first end section of the spring element to the mechanical components of the ski brake a rapid and thereby inexpensive assembly of the ski brake can be achieved.
By the means according to claim 5 the spring element which is elastically soft compared to the foot plate can be coupled securely and stably to the foot plate.
The design according to claim 6 enables the formation of an inexpensive and durable functionally reliable spring element. Furthermore, the mass of the spring element can be kept much lower than metallic spring elements, so that in an advantageous manner the sports equipment can have a low overall weight.
In the embodiment according to claim 7 it is an advantage that any stretch-loading of the spring element can be avoided as far as possible and the spring action similar to a flexural member is rather produced by the elastically restoring bending stresses of the spring element.
In the adjusting device according to claim 8 it is an advantage that by structural means with respect to the positioning of the pivot bearing arrangement a simple operating adjusting device can be achieved without expensive structural means.
By using the structural measures according to claim 9 or 10 an adjusting device is created in a simple manner which ensures that the foot plate adopts a precisely predefined basic position ready for use, even when unloaded by a ski shoe, i.e. in the active brake position.
A particularly effective adjusting device can be achieved by the design according to claim 11. It is particularly advantageous in this case that by using structurally simple means a reliable adjusting device can be created which ensures that the foot plate adopts the desired predefined initial position or basic position, even in an unloaded state or in a state of readiness.
In the design according to claim 12 it is an advantage that the magnetic effect of a permanent magnet can be used particularly efficiently. If a permanent magnet is arranged on the underside of the foot plate it is an advantage that the permanent magnet can be protected from damage or pressure loading and that furthermore a high magnetic force can be created to force the foot plate into a predefined initial position or position of rest relative to the actuating arms or relative to the spring arms.
By the measures according to claim 13, even when using permanent magnets with relatively low magnetic force, a high level of adjusting force is achieved for the adjusting device. It is also an advantage that the foot plate is shifted by the repelling permanent magnets from an extended position relative to the actuating arms in a pulsing manner or energetically into the angled position relative to the brake arms or spring arms, when the foot plate is no longer loaded by the sole of a sports shoe, as occurs e.g. after a fall or after opening the ski binding. In this way the foot plate can be shifted reliably into the pivot position angled relative to the brake arms or spring arms.
By the means according to claim 14 the magnetic repelling effect of the permanent magnet pair can be converted effectively into a suitable adjusting force for the adjusting device.
The design according to claim 15 is also particularly advantageous as thereby only one permanent magnet is required to shift the adjusting device. Moreover, in a simple manner the already existing mechanical components or the already necessary metal components of the ski brake are also used to create an effective and structurally simple adjusting device in connection with the permanent magnet.
By the means according to claim 16 the adjusting device or force effect required for the adjusting device is shifted by structurally simple but efficient means.
Lastly, the design according to claim 17 is advantageous, as it is thereby possible for the permanent magnet not to be secured onto the foot plate loadable by the sole of the ski shoe.
The invention is explained in more detail in the following by way of the embodiments shown in the drawings. Shown are:
Firstly, it should be noted that in all of the variously described embodiments, the same parts are given the same reference numbers and same component names, whereby the disclosures contained throughout the description can be applied to the same parts with the same reference numbers or same component names. Also the details on position used in the description such as e.g. top, bottom, side etc. refer to the figure currently being described and shown at the time and if there is a change in position these should be changed to relate to the new position. Furthermore, individual features or combinations of features of the embodiments shown and described represent in themselves independent, inventive solutions according to the invention.
FIGS. 1 to 3 show an advantageous embodiment of a ski brake 1. Said ski brake 1 is used—as already known—for braking or stopping a ski 2 detached from a sports shoe, for example due to a skier falling and the safety ski binding opening because of this.
The ski brake 1 comprises a bearing device 3 for a brake lever arrangement 4 which bearing device 3 can be secured to the upper side 5 of a ski 2. The bearing device 3 can be secured or fastened either by means of at least one screw or by a form-closed, relatively adjustable connection with the ski 2, as can be seen in
The brake lever arrangement 4 comprises brake levers 8, 9 arranged essentially symmetrical to a longitudinal middle axis 7 of the ski 2. This means that the brake lever arrangement 4 consists of two essentially symmetrical brake levers 8, 9, in particular a pair of brake levers. Each brake lever 8, 9 comprises respectively an actuating arm 10, 11 located above the bearing device 3. The brake levers 8, 9 comprising respectively an actuating arm 10, 11 and an adjoining brake arm 12, 13 are made from metal wire or rod or preferably from a one piece metal wire as shown best in
The brake levers 8, 9 are—as already known—mounted pivotably relative to the bearing device 3, whereby the brake arms 12, 13 in the active position of the ski brake 1, shown by way of example, starting from the bearing device 3 project downwards and the actuating arms 10, 11 project upwards starting from the bearing device 3.
The bearing device 3 hereby forms a pivot bearing 14 for the brake lever arrangement 4 and defines at least one pivot axis 15, 16 aligned to be essentially horizontal via which the brake arms 12, 13 coming from a position of readiness located above a running surface 17 of the ski 2 are pivotable by the force of a spring device 18 into a brake position projecting under the running surface 17 and vice versa.
The spring device 18 for an adjustment of the brake lever arrangement 4 into the active position shown in
The actuating arms 10, 11 extend from the bearing device 3 in a direction facing away from the brake arms 12, 13. The actuating arms 10, 11 are connected at their upper end via a pivot bearing arrangement 21 with a foot plate 22 that can be loaded or is loadable by the sole of a sports shoe. Said pivot bearing arrangement 21 between the actuating arms 10, 11 and the foot plate 22 forms an essentially horizontally aligned pivot axis 23 running perpendicular to the longitudinal middle axis 7. The pivot bearing arrangement 21 or the pivot axis 23 is preferably formed by bends 24, 25 of the actuating arms 10, 11 running perpendicular the longitudinal middle axis 7, which then pass into spring arms 19 running essentially at right angles thereto which define the spring device 18. The pivotably movable foot plate 22 or the so-called pedal is used essentially to distribute the activating forces to be a transferred from the sole of the sports shoe to the brake device or the actuating arms 10, 11, in particular at specific points or in linear loading sections.
It is essential here, that an elastically flexible adjusting device 26 is formed which forces the foot plate 22 in the position unloaded by a sports shoe or from the outside continually into a pivot position 27 angled relative to the actuating arms 10, 11 as far as possible or as strongly as possible. This maximum angled pivot position 27 can be defined here as an angle of 100° to 160°, preferably about 130°, between the foot plate 22 and the actuating arms 10, 11. Preferably, the maximum angled pivot position 27 or the smallest angle between the foot plate 22 and the actuating arms 10, 11 is delimited by at least one stop surface within the pivot path between the foot plate 22 and the actuating arms 10, 11. In the pivot position 27 elastically preloaded by the adjusting device 26 shown in
The adjusting device 26 for the foot plate 22 in any case always exerts an adjusting force 28 according to the arrow shown, which adjusting force 28 pushes the foot plate 22 continually into a position that is aligned as horizontally as possible or which adjusting force 28 pushes the foot plate 23 in a direction in which the foot plate 22 runs as parallel as possible to the upper side 5 of the ski 2. By means of this continually acting adjusting force 28 of the adjusting device 26, the foot plate 22 is placed in a ready-to-use position and by loading the foot plate 22 via the sole of a sports shoe a reliable and simple deactivation of the ski brake 1 is made possible. With this deactivation of the ski brake 1—as already known—the brake arms 12, 13 are pivoted against the spring force of the spring device 19 into a position above the running surface 17.
In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3 the adjusting device 26 is formed by an elastically flexible and automatically restoring spring element 29. With said spring element 29 the inherent, bending elastic properties of the spring element 29 are used. This means that the spring element 29 can be bent elastically or deformed and that the spring element 29 after unloading returns back to the original initial position or position of rest, in which the foot plate 22 adopts a pivot position 27 that is as angled as possible relative to the actuating arms 10, 11. The spring element 29 is in this case preferably connected at its first end section 30 with at least one of the two spring arms 19 or alternatively is connected directly to the actuating arms 10, 11. In the second end section 31 the elastically flexible and restoring spring element 29 is connected with the foot plate 22. The spring element 29 is hereby designed to be essentially L-shaped and is an essentially L-shaped flexural member. Mainly the transitional section between the legs 32, 33 of the L-shaped spring element 29 is designed as an elastically restoring deformation zone. In particular, the spring element 29 is deformed from the essentially L-shaped initial position into a comparatively elongated form when corresponding loads are applied. After the removal of the external pivot or tilting loads on the foot plate 22 the spring element 29 returns into the L-shaped position of rest or initial position illustrated in
It is preferable, if at the first end section 30 of the spring element 29 a coupling extension 34 is formed for a form-closed connection with the spring arms 19. Preferably, two essentially parallel spring arms 19 are formed, which at the end section lying closest to the upper side 5 or the bearing device 3 are supported on a supporting surface 35 of the bearing device 3 in a sliding manner. Preferably, the two essentially parallel spring arms 19 pass into one another in a curve at the lower end section closest to the support surface 35. At its opposite upper end section the spring device 18 is designed to be open. This means that the spring device 18 with the spring arms 19 is designed as a bow that is open at the upper end section closest to the foot plate 22 or as a loop that is open at the top, as can best be seen from
It has proved to be preferable if said form-closed connection via the coupling extension 34 at the same time forms a length compensation guide 36 between the coupling extension 34 or between the first end section 30 of the spring element 29 and the spring arms 19 in their longitudinal direction. The advantage of this length compensation guide 36 between the first, in particular between the lower end section 30 and the spring arms 19, is that the spring element 29 is loaded mainly by bending or deformation, and there is only a comparatively small longitudinal extension of the spring element 29. In this way the period of use or durability of the spring element 29 is extended since only relatively small extension forces act on the spring element 29, if the foot plate 22 when putting the ski shoe into the ski binding is subjected to pivotable movements relative to the actuating arms 10, 11 or relative to the spring arms 19. Mainly if the spring element 29 is made by an injection moulded part from an elastomeric plastic the design of this length compensating guide 36 is useful to produce the spring effect of the L-shaped spring element 29 mainly by bending deformations and subsequent elastic restoring movements. However, the upper or the second end section 31 of the spring element 29 that is L-shaped in the basic position is secured onto or in the foot plate 22. In particular, the second end section 31 of the spring element 29 is secured between an upper plate part 37 and a lower plate part 38 of the foot plate 22. Preferably, the foot plate 22 is formed from two overlying plate parts 37, 38, between which the second end section 31 of the spring element 29 is clamped or secured. The upper and the lower plate part 37, 38 are thereby preferably coupled via a plastic welding connection to form a one piece foot plate 22.
The upper end section 31 of the spring element 29 can in this case protrude in the edge sections of the foot plate 22, as can best be seen in
In this case the part section 39 of the foot plate 22, that is at the front in relation to the usual forwards movement direction with a ski 2 and in relation to the pivot bearing arrangement 21, has a greater mass than the rear part section 40 of the foot plate 22 lying behind the pivot bearing arrangement 21. This can be achieved for example in that the part section 39 of the foot plate 22 at the front in relation to the pivot bearing arrangement 21 is designed to be comparatively longer than the rear partial section 40 of the foot plate 22 lying behind the pivot bearing arrangement 21. If necessary the front part section 39 of the foot plate 22 can be provided with an additional weight which produces an adjusting force 28 which forces the footplate 22 continually into the maximum angled pivot position 27 relative to the actuating arms 10, 11.
In
Here the adjusting device 26 is formed by at least one permanent magnet 41, 42. The at least one permanent magnet 41, 42 is used so that the foot plate 22 in the position of readiness unloaded from the outside, as shown in
It is advantageous here to secure at least one permanent magnet 41 onto the foot plate 22, in particular on its underside 43. The permanent magnet 41 arranged at least close to the underside 43 can thereby be integrated fully into the foot plate 22 but also can be inserted or adhered therein in a form-closed manner. Preferably, the permanent magnet 41 closes flush with the underside 43 of the foot plate 22. This has the advantage, that the permanent magnet 41 is well protected from damage, since the pressure loading through the sole of the sports shoe cannot act directly on the permanent magnet 41, if the permanent magnet 41 is secured to the underside 43. Furthermore, the positioning on the underside 43 has the advantage that there is an efficient magnetic interaction or force between the spring arm 19, preferably made of metal, and/or the actuating arm 10, 11.
According to the embodiment in
Alternatively, the at least one permanent magnet 41, 42, in particular a permanent magnet pair, can interact in a magnetically repelling manner, and thus shift the adjusting device 26 for the foot plate 22. In particular, a first permanent magnet 41 is secured to the foot plate 22 and a second permanent magnet 42, which interacts in a magnetically repelling manner with the permanent magnet 41, is positioned on the actuating arms 10, 11, on the spring arms 19 or in another position, in order to create a magnetic repelling effect relative to the permanent magnet 41 on the foot plate 22. In particular, with this permanent magnet pair, consisting of two permanent magnets 41, 42, the same magnetic poles face one another, in order to obtain the magnetic repelling action between the permanent magnets 41, 42 of the permanent magnet pair. The second permanent magnet 42 is thus preferably mounted or secured onto the actuating arms 10, 11 or onto the spring arms 19, as can best be seen from
According to an alternative embodiment it is also possible for the permanent magnet 42 to be secured onto the actuating arms 10, 11 or onto the spring arms 19 and said permanent magnet 42 acts magnetically with a foot plate 22 made of ferromagnetic materials or consisting of ferromagnetic materials. Said permanent magnet 42 hereby pulls the foot plate 22 magnetically downwards creating an adjusting force 28 according to the arrow indicated.
The exemplary embodiments show possible variants of the ski brake 1, whereby it should be noted at this point that the invention is not restricted to the specifically illustrated embodiments but rather various combinations of the individual embodiments are possible and due to the teaching on technical procedure in the present invention these would be within the ability of a person skilled in the art. Thus all conceivable embodiment variants, which are possible by combining individual details of the embodiment variants shown and described, are also covered by the scope of protection.
Lastly, for form's sake it should be noted that for a better understanding of the structure of the ski brake device 1, the latter or its components have not been represented true to scale and/or have been enlarged and/or reduced in size.
Mostly, the individual embodiments shown in detail in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| A 1640/2005 | Oct 2005 | AT | national |
