The present application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2016 000 608.0, filed on Jan. 23, 2016, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a system for a touring ski-binding comprising a front unit and a heel unit comprising a heel member, wherein the heel member comprises a reception bowl for receiving the heel part of a ski boot and a biasing device for biasing the heel unit against a ski boot, and wherein the heel member is disposed pivotable around a pivot axis, wherein the pivot axis runs horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski, and a stopper plate for releasing a ski stopper, wherein the stopper plate is switchable between an adjacent position and a protruding position.
In the first place ski-bindings for touring skis are characterized by being switchable between a climbing mode and a downhill mode compared to ordinary ski-bindings. In the climbing mode only the front part of the ski boot is fixed to the ski so that the heel part of the ski boot can be lifted from the ski and set down on the ski. The front part of the ski boot can rotate about a horizontal axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ski. In the downhill mode both the front part as well as the heel part of the ski boot are fixed to the ski.
Conventional touring ski-binding systems can be divided into bridge binding systems and pin binding systems. In terms of pin systems the bindings can be subdivided into a front unit and a heel unit. In the climbing mode the ski boot is pivot-mounted only by the front unit around a horizontal pivot axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ski.
In general, touring binding systems have a ski stopper by means of which the ski can be stopped when the ski loosens itself from the ski while the binding is in the downhill mode. In the climbing mode the stopper function has to be suppressed so that the ski boot can be lifted without the stopper being released. From the background art different solutions for blocking the ski stopper while the binding is in the climbing mode are known. DE 20 2013 009 713 U1, for example, shows a braking device for a touring ski with an integrated adjustable climbing wedge. WO2009/105866 A1 shows a heel unit for an alpine touring ski-binding. DE 10 2013 204 065 A1 relates to a heel unit with a ski brake for a touring ski binding.
The pin systems known from the prior art have the disadvantage that the heel units have to be operated manually in order to block the stopper. Furthermore, the known solutions for the provision of the blocking function of the ski stopper require complex constructive solutions as, for example, an operating lever mechanism or the replacement of the entire heel unit in the longitudinal direction of the ski. This results in a cumbersome handling of the known touring binding systems when switching between the downhill mode and the climbing mode.
Starting from the known prior art it is an aspect of the present invention to provide an improved heel unit. This aspect is solved by means of a system with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments can be taken from the dependent claims.
Accordingly, a system for a touring ski-binding comprising a front unit and a heel unit is given, comprising a heel member, wherein the heel member comprises a reception bowl for receiving the heel part of a ski boot, a biasing device for biasing the heel unit against the ski boot, wherein the heel member is pivotally disposed around a pivot axis, wherein the pivot axis runs horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski, and a stopper plate for releasing a ski stopper, wherein the stopper plate is switchable between an adjacent position and a protruding position, wherein the stopper plate is configured to leave the adjacent position when the touring ski binding is released, wherein the heel unit is switchable between a starting position for providing a walking function and for receiving a ski boot, and a snap-in position for retaining the ski boot. The heel unit comprises a blocking means by means of which the stopper plate can be blocked in the adjacent position, wherein the blocking means with respect to the pivot axis is switchable between a blocking position and a non-blocking position depending on the position of the heel member. Furthermore, with respect to the downhill mode the front unit in the climbing mode of the touring ski-binding is displaced to the front in the longitudinal direction of the ski, so that a ski boot present in the touring ski-binding cannot contact the heel member of the heel unit.
Thereby, no active adjustment of the blocking means by the user is necessary. In fact, the position of the blocking means only depends on the position of the heel member. If, for example, the heel member is in the starting position, the blocking means is in the blocking position in which it is ready to block the stopper plate. If the stopper plate is brought from the protruding position into the adjacent position, for example by means of the sole of a ski boot, the stopper plate can snap-in on the blocking means so that it is held in the adjacent position by the latter.
If the heel unit is in the snap-in position the blocking means is retained in the non-blocking position so that the stopper plate can move to the protruding position if there is no counter acting force.
Accordingly, an automatic switching between the blocking position and the non-blocking position of the blocking means is provided which complies with the mode of the touring ski-binding. In the climbing mode the heel member is in the starting position. To the contrary, in the downhill mode the heel member is in the snap-in position.
Furthermore, it is possible that although the stopper plate is contacted when lowering the heel part of a ski boot, the heel member is not contacted. Accordingly, the stopper plate can be brought into the adjacent position in which it is blocked by the blocking means. Thereby, the heel unit maintains its starting position. Because the heel part of the ski boot does not reach or contact the reception bowl of the heel member, a lowering of the heel part of the ski boot does not lead to a switch to the downhill mode of the touring ski-binding.
The ski stopper functions according to the principle of a common ski stopper. The stopper plate is pivotally mounted around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ski on two connecting arms running parallel towards each other. The connecting arms themselves can be mounted on a ski surface or on the surface of a base plate and be pivotally around a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski. Two opposing stopper arms running parallel towards each other extend from the connecting arms, wherein the stopper arms also carry out the pivot movement of the connecting arms around the horizontal axis transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski. Thereby, the stopper arms are oriented in a manner, so that when the connecting arms protrude from a ski surface, wherein the stopper plate is in the protruding position, the stopper arms point away from the bottom side of the ski, so that they can protrude into a riding surface of the ski, i.e., if the stopper plate is in the protruding position, the stopper arms protrude over a ski bottom side in order to slow-down the ski.
If a force acts on the stopper plate, whereby the stopper plate is moved towards a ski surface or the surface of a base plate, the stopper arms pivot around the horizontal axis transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski and take-up a position in which they run almost parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ski. That means that in the adjacent position of the stopper plate, in which the stopper plate lies flat on a ski surface or a surface of a base plate, the stopper arms run almost parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ski, so that they do not provide a stopping function.
Starting position of the heel unit means the position in which the heel unit and in particular the heel member are ready to receive the heel part of a ski boot. Furthermore, the starting position of the heel unit can also be provided, even if in the climbing mode the ski boot shall not contact the heel member. In this case the heel part of the ski boot can be lowered onto the stopper plate but not onto the heel member.
Snap-in position means the position of the heel unit in which the heel part of a ski boot is snapped-in in the heel unit and is biased by means of the heel member against a ski surface or the surface of a base plate.
Blocking position means the position in which the blocking means can retain the stopper plate in the adjacent position. If the blocking means is already in the blocking position and the stopper plate is still in the protruding position, the stopper plate can couple with the blocking means by transferring into the adjacent position, whereby the blocking means block the stopper plate in the adjacent position.
Non-blocking position means the position in which the stopper plate is released from the blocking means or in the case in which the stopper plate is in the adjacent position is not blocked in that position by the blocking means.
In a further embodiment the blocking means is disposed in a relative displaceable manner with respect to the heel member. Accordingly, it is possible to displace the blocking means between the blocking position and the non-blocking position depending on the position of the heel member.
In a further embodiment the heel member comprises a first pressure area which can be brought into contact with the blocking means, wherein a movement of the first pressure area towards the blocking means pushes the blocking means from the non-blocking position to the blocking position.
Thus, by applying a force to the heel member it is possible to push the blocking means into the blocking position. Thereby, the first pressure area is defined by the contact area between the heel member and the blocking means, which arises when the heel member pivots around the pivot axis, which is horizontal, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski, and pushes the blocking means into the direction of the blocking position.
In a further embodiment the first pressure area is in contact with the blocking means when the heel unit is in the starting position. Accordingly, the blocking means can be brought into the blocking position by moving the heel unit to the starting position.
In a further embodiment the heel member comprises a second pressure area which can be brought into contact with the blocking means, wherein a movement of the second pressure area towards the blocking means can push the blocking means from the blocking position to the non-blocking position.
Thus, by means of a pivot movement of the heel member around the pivot axis, which runs horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski, it is possible to release the stopper plate. The second pressure area only contacts the blocking means if a rotation around the pivot axis, which runs horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski, takes place in the opposite direction with respect to the contact of the first pressure surface.
The second pressure surface of the heel member 10 may be in contact with the blocking means when the heel unit is in the snap-in position. In this position the heel part of a ski boot is retained in the heel unit. The stopper plate is retained in the adjacent position by the presence of the ski boot. If, for example, in the case of a fall, the heel unit releases the ski boot, the stopper plate can take-up the protruding position as the blocking means is in the non-blocking position.
In a further embodiment the second pressure area is the bottom side of a flange, wherein a top side of a flange serves for receiving the heel part of a ski boot. Conventional heel members usually have a flange at the lower edge of the reception bowl, by means of which the heel unit starts to take-in the snap-in position when a ski boot steps into the binding. The bottom side of the flange is suitable to contact the blocking means and to move it into the non-blocking position when the heel member undergoes a rotation around the pivot axis, which is disposed horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski.
In a further embodiment the blocking means is disposed on a base plate, wherein the base plate can be disposed on a surface of the ski. Generally, conventional heel units have a base plate. Accordingly, it is sufficient to dispose the blocking means on a conventional base plate or to integrate it into a conventional base plate. The base plate forms the interface of the heel unit to the surface of the ski.
In a further embodiment the base plate and the blocking means are displaceably coupled relative to each other by means of a groove guiding. The groove defines the displacement path of the blocking means with respect to the base plate. The groove can be disposed in the blocking means or in the base plate. If the groove is disposed in the blocking means, the base plate has a complementary guiding, for example a rail, which engages with the groove. If the groove is disposed in the base plate, the blocking means has the guiding. The length of the groove guiding allows the displacement of the blocking means between the blocking position and the non-blocking position. Furthermore, the groove guiding enables an exact positioning or displacing of the blocking means on the base plate.
A groove of the groove guiding which for example runs on the surface of the blocking means, can have slanting walls, so that when seen from the surface of the blocking means an undercut is provided. By means of a guiding on the surface of the base plate, which is complementary to the groove, the base plate can be securely retained in the groove.
The groove can be configured in a way, that it runs through the entire blocking means, i.e. so that the ends of the groove are open. Thus, it is possible that by means of the guiding residues, such as snow, located in the groove can be pushed-out of the groove.
In a further embodiment the blocking means comprises at least one retaining member for retaining the stopper plate in the blocking position. For example, the retaining member can be pin-like. The stopper plate may comprise a clamp device by means of which the stopper plate can be clamped to the retaining member. Thereby it is possible to block the stopper plate even if the blocking means is already in the blocking position.
In a further embodiment the heel unit comprises snap-in means in order to retain the blocking means in the blocking position and/or the non-blocking position. Thereby, it is prevented that the blocking means automatically loosens from the blocking position or the non-blocking position during the use of the heel unit. For example, the snap-in means can be provided by means of a biased bracket on the guiding of the blocking means, which interacts with a shaping in a groove of a base plate in which the blocking means is guided. At the height of the shaping the groove has a greater width, whereby the biased bracket of the blocking means can expand. In order to transfer the guiding of the blocking means from the broader area of the groove, i.e. the area of the shaping, to is the narrower area of the groove a manual intervention of the user is required.
Further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are described by means of the following description and figures in more detail.
Hereafter different embodiments are described according to the figures. The same elements, similar elements or elements with the same effect are identified with the same reference signs. In order to avoid redundancies there is partially no repeated description of these elements in the following description.
Furthermore, the heel unit 1 comprises a stopper plate 40, which is mounted on the base plate 30 by means of two connecting arms 42 running parallel with respect to each other. The connecting arms 42 are disposed in a pivotable manner around a pivot axis S2, which runs horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski L. Two stopper arms 44 running parallel with respect to each other extend from the pivot axis S2, wherein the stopper arms 44 are integrally formed with the connecting arms 42, respectively. The connecting arms 42 and the stopper arms 44 are disposed in one plane, which can rotate around the pivot axis S2.
The stopper plate 40 is mounted at the ends of the connecting arms 42 in a pivotable manner and can be rotated around a pivot axis S3, which runs horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski L.
In
The heel unit 1 further comprises a blocking means 20, which is disposed between the heel member 10 and the base plate 30. The blocking means 20 has retaining members 22, which interact with a clamping device 46 of the stopper plate 40.
Accordingly, an automatic switching of the blocking means 20 is provided, which depends on the position of the heel member 10. Thus, no manual intervention of the user is required to switch the blocking means 20.
The stopper plate 40 is held in the adjacent position by the sole of a ski boot clamped in the touring ski-binding. If, for example, in the invent of a fall, the binding releases the ski boot and the stopper plate 40 can take-up the protruding position as it is not blocked by the blocking means 20. Thereby, the stopper arms 44 are moved into the direction of the riding surface, so that the lost ski can be slowed down.
As can be taken from
In the position of the heel unit 1 shown in
The single components of the touring ski-binding system are made of plastic and/or metal. In case of the rubber parts also injection molding parts can be used. In general, light materials are used, in particular, fiber reinforced plastics and/or aluminum.
As far as applicable, single features shown in the embodiments can be combined and/or replaced with each other without departing the field of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2016 000 608 | Jan 2016 | DE | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20170209770 A1 | Jul 2017 | US |