This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Italian Patent Application No. MI2014A000901 filed on May 19, 2014, the entire content of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present subject matter relates to a toe-piece for ski-touring bindings.
It is known, in the technical sector of ski-touring, that there exists the need to provide safety bindings including a front element or toe-piece, designed to retain the toe of the ski-boot while allowing rotation of the boot about an axis, which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of extension of the ski from tip to tail end and is substantially horizontal, and a rear element, or heel-piece, designed to cooperate with the heel of the boot so as to allow three different modes of use, i.e.: release of the heel (normal walking); resting of the heel with greater/lesser inclination of the boot (uphill walking) and locking of the heel (downhill skiing).
In this connection, it is also known that the existing bindings of the type described above have, however, two main drawbacks. First, the toe-piece does not have independent means for releasing the boot in the transverse direction, as required in the event of a fall or a twisting movement during downhill skiing. Rather, in conventional systems, the safety is achieved by corresponding means for operating the rear heel-piece, which is consequently much more complex and heavy and results in an assembly with poor rigidity, particularly with respect to the rear fastening of the boot to the ski, with a consequent worsening in the downhill performance.
Second, closing of the toe-piece in traditional designs is performed by means of a front-end lever, which cooperates with springs arranged transversely in the toe-piece, resulting in a complicated mechanical assembly and a high overall weight of the toe-piece.
It is also known that in the case of athletes taking part in ski-touring racing competitions or in the case of ski-touring amateurs, there is an increasing desire to reduce the weight of the ski-touring bindings to reduce the load and improve the uphill performance. This has resulted in minimalist binding solutions, which are unable to ensure any safety release system, resulting in the skier being exposed to the risk of injury.
In addition, these known toe-pieces have complex mechanical sets of springs and connection elements that tend to jam and not work properly at low temperatures, owing to the formation of ice.
One technical problem posed, therefore, is that of providing a ski-touring binding toe-piece designed to perform locking of the toe of the boot with the rigidity normally required for these applications and with the possibility of rotation of the toe about a horizontal axis, which toe-piece is formed by a small number of parts so as to obtain a smaller overall weight and a reduction in the number of malfunctions resulting from the particular conditions of use during ski-touring. In addition it is desirable that the toe-piece should allow improved adjustment of opening of the toe-piece—independently of the action of the heel-piece—so as to allow the toe of the boot to come out safely when subject to torsional/transverse forces. In connection with this problem it is also required that this toe-piece should have small dimensions, be easy and inexpensive to produce and assemble and be able to be easily applied to skis using normal standardized connection means.
These results may be achieved according to embodiments of the present subject matter by a toe-piece for ski-touring bindings that includes a base plate coupled to two jaws situated opposite each other and symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis, each with a transverse arm and a vertical arm provided with a respective conical pin, which arms are designed to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the base plate between a closed position for retaining the toe of a boot and an open position for inserting/releasing the toe, as well as a single-piece elastic element able to be operated rotationally and cooperating with the transverse arms so as to determine different opening/closing positions of the toe-piece.
The elastic element may be operated from a raised rest position for retaining the jaws in the closed position for holding the toe of the boot, into a lowered position for rotationally operating the jaws into the open position for inserting/releasing the toe of the boot, or vice versa pulled from a lowered rest position with the jaws in the open position for inserting/releasing the toe of the boot into a raised position for rotationally operating the jaws into the closed position for holding and retaining the toe of the boot.
In one embodiment the elastic element may be designed in the form of a “U” with longitudinal arms having free ends bent outwards and inserted inside the jaws of the toe-piece.
In an aspect, a toe-piece for ski-touring bindings may extend in a longitudinal lengthwise direction of the toe-piece, transverse widthwise direction and vertical direction and include a base plate coupled to two jaws. The base plate may be provided with holes for fixing by screws to the surface of a ski extending in the longitudinal direction from a front tip to a rear tail-end. The two jaws may be situated opposite each other and symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis. Each of the two jaws may have a transverse arm and a vertical arm provided with a respective transverse conical pin, and in some embodiments each arm may be configured to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the base plate and to the longitudinal direction between a closed and/or open position for retaining and/or inserting and releasing the toe of a ski-boot and an open and/or closed position for releasing and inserting and/or retaining the toe. The two jaws may include a single-piece elastic element with two ends cooperating with the transverse arms and operable from a rest position, corresponding to the closed and/or open position of the two jaws, to a rotated and elastically deformed position for rotationally operating the two jaws into the open and/or closed position for inserting and releasing and/or retaining the toe of the ski-boot inside the toe-piece.
One or more of the following features can be included in any feasible combination. For example, the elastic element in the rest position can be rotatable upwards and/or raised in response to a pressure applied thereon. The elastic element in the rest position can be rotatable downwards and/or lowered in response to a pulling force applied thereon.
The base plate can include a first pair of protruding uprights and a second pair of vertical uprights. The first pair of protruding uprights can be situated opposite each other in the longitudinal direction and can be arranged along a first longitudinal edge of the base plate. The second pair of vertical uprights can be situated opposite each other in the longitudinal direction and can be arranged, symmetrically with respect to the first pair, on a second longitudinal edge of the base plate opposite to the first edge. Each upright can have a longitudinal through-hole designed to receive a longitudinal pin for constraining the corresponding jaw to the respective uprights. The pin can form a longitudinal axis for rotation of the respective jaw between the normal closed position and the open position.
The elastic element can be formed by a U-shaped body with a base and arms. The base of the “U” can extend in the transverse direction and can be positioned in front of and outside of the base plate in the longitudinal direction. The arms of the “U” can extend in the longitudinal direction from the base and can have a respective rear free end bent outwards in the transverse direction and towards a respective seat of the transverse arm of the respective jaw, inside which seat they can be stably housed. The free ends of the elastic element can be connected to the respective longitudinal arm by means of a curved section forming a relative angle in a plane parallel to the base plate and an acute angle with a plane parallel to the base plate.
The base can have a relief arranged along its front transverse edge and extending in the transverse direction by an amount slightly smaller than the interaxial distance between the two longitudinal arms of the U-shaped elastic element and such as to allow insertion between the arms in the vertical direction. The relief can have a through-hole in the transverse direction in a relief top part and suitable for inserting a transverse pin. The pin can have a length such that its opposite ends project transversely from the relief overlapping the longitudinal arms of the “U”, in order to interfere with them in the vertical direction and prevent them from coming out. The flat parts of the base, adjacent to the sides of the relief, can form a reaction fulcrum for rotation of the longitudinal arms of the elastic element. An operating lever can be arranged in front of the base plate and can be formed by a body extending in the longitudinal direction and having a central transverse eyelet inside which the transverse base of the “U” of the body of the elastic element is inserted. The base can form a transverse axis of rotation of the lever.
Means for adjusting the elastic resistive force of the elastic element of the toe-piece can be included, thereby adjusting the safety release value of the toe-piece. The adjusting means can include a slider with opposite transverse ends, which can be suitably concave for engagement with the arms 31b) of the “U” on which the slider may slide in the longitudinal direction. Adjusting means can further include a locking plate, the opposite ends of which can press against the arms of the “U” and can be locked to the slider by means of a fixing grub-screw.
The details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Further details may be obtained from the following description of non-limiting examples of embodiments of the present subject matter, provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
As shown in
The base 10 can also have a relief 15 arranged along its front transverse edge 10c and extending in the transverse direction Y-Y by an amount slightly smaller than the interaxial distance L between two longitudinal arms 31b of a U-shaped elastic element 30 described below, so as to allow the arms 31b to pass in the vertical direction Z-Z. In its top part the relief 15 can have a through-hole 15a in the transverse direction Y-Y suitable for inserting a transverse pin 16 with a length such that its opposite ends 16a project transversely from the relief 15 by an amount such as to overlap the longitudinal arms 31b of the “U”, so as to interfere with them and prevent them from coming out during the various stages of operation of the toe-piece.
The base 10 can have, connected thereto, first and second jaws 20 situated opposite each other and symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis X-X approximately passing through the center of the toe-piece. Each jaw 20 can be formed by a vertical arm 21, a transverse arm 21b, an elastic element 30 with base 31a, arms 31b, and free end 32. The vertical arm 21 can be substantially perpendicular to the base 10 and can be provided with a respective conical pin 22 extending in the transverse direction Y-Y towards the inside of the toe-piece parallel to the base and designed to engage with a respective seat in the toe 2a of a ski-boot 2 (only schematically indicated by means of broken lines in
Each jaw 20 also can have a transverse through-hole 24 formed in the longitudinal direction X-X. The through-hole 24 can be designed to receive one of the pins 13, which therefore forms the element for constraining the jaw to the respective uprights 12 and a longitudinal axis of rotation of the respective jaw between a normal closed rest position for holding the toe of the boot (
The elastic element 30 preferably formed by a single body in the form of a “U” with base 31a extending in the transverse direction Y-Y and positioned in front of and outside of the base plate 10 in the longitudinal direction X-X. Arms 31b of the “U” extend in the longitudinal direction from the base 31a. Arms 31b can have a respective rear free end 32 bent outwards in the transverse direction Y-Y and towards the respective seat 23 of the transverse arm 21b of the respective jaw 20. The free end 32 can be connected to the respective longitudinal arm 31b by means of a curved section forming a relative angle α in the plane X-Y and an acute angle β with a plane (X-Y) parallel to the base plate 10. A variation in the angle β will determine a relative elastic deformation of each end 32 and the respective longitudinal arm 31b, the effects of which as regards operation of the toe-piece will emerge more clearly below.
Each end 32 of the spring can be housed inside the respective seat 23 of the jaw 20. In some implementations, the ends 32 are housed inside the respective seat with slight play, so as to allow a minimum freedom of relative movement between the end and seat, without however the possibility of the former coming out of the latter.
In an example embodiment, a small ball 32b can be arranged between the free end 32 of the arm 31b and the blind bottom of the respective seat 23 and is designed to facilitate rotation of the spring inside the seat during operation thereof.
In the example of embodiment shown in
In some example implementations, the transverse base 31a of the “U” can be inserted inside a respective central transverse eyelet 41a of an operating lever 40 arranged in front of the toe-piece and the boot. The operating lever 40 can be formed by a body 41 extending in the longitudinal direction X-X. In this way, the base 31a of the “U” forms a transverse axis of rotation of the lever 40.
The body 41 of the lever includes at least one part 41b behind the eyelet 41a in the longitudinal direction X-X, with a transverse dimension Y-Y suitable for being contained between the arms 31b of the “U” and having a free rear front surface 41c, which is substantially flat for resting on the top surface S of the ski. The bottom free end 41b of the lever 40 also can have two teeth 41e projecting outwards in opposite senses of the transverse direction Y-Y and designed to prevent rotation of the lever 40 by abutting against the lower respective arm 31b of the “U”.
The front free end 41d of the lever 40 can be configured so that a user may easily operate, in particular, easily pushed downwards in the vertical direction Z-Z.
As will become clear below, the operating lever 40 facilitates operation of the elastic element 30 and therefore opening of the jaws 20 into the position for inserting the toe of the boot as well as locking of the elastic element and therefore the jaws in the closed position for holding the toe of the boot.
With the configuration described above, a normal rest position (
Releasing the front end of the lever 40 and therefore the base of the “U” causes the elastic return of the bent ends 32 towards the rest position. The counter-rotation and the elastic return of the elastic element 30 into the raised rest position (
Lever 40 can be kept in the inclined position inside the arms 31b (
If it is wished to walk uphill, a situation where the boot is constrained to the ski only at the toe, the operating lever 40 can be rotationally operated to bring the rear free surface 41c into contact against the top surface S of the ski. In this condition, the operating lever 40 locks the elastic means 30 in the raised position, preventing opening of the jaws 20. This option is advantageous also in extreme downhill skiing conditions, where it is required to avoid at all costs possible accidental safety release of the toe-piece.
By varying the resistance of the elastic element 30, it is possible to modify the safety release value of the toe-piece, it being therefore possible to choose a resistive force of the elastic element suitable for the weight and the skiing style of the athlete or end user. This may be achieved by varying the thickness/diameter of the arms 31b of the elastic element or the material from which they are made. For this purpose and as shown in
In detail,
The slider may be displaced in a substantially continuous manner, allowing a corresponding modulation of the resistance to release of the toe-piece. The slider may be locked by means of a locking plate 52 once the desired position has been reached, which may be marked by notches or an indication of the corresponding reaction kilograms. The locking plate 52 can be locked to the slider by means of a fixing grub-screw 53 and the opposite ends of which push against the arms 31b of the “U”.
During use, the slider may be locked in position along the arms 31b by tightening the grub-screw 53 against the slider, while in order to vary the position of the slider it is sufficient to slacken the grub-screw, slide the slider to the desired position and then tighten again the grub-screw 53.
In some example implementations, the toe-piece may be provided with an element 60 for inserting so-called ski-touring rampants (shown only in
As shown in
Operation of the toe-piece in this case occurs by means of a pulling force exerted on the base 31 of the elastic element 130. The pulling force causes the downwards rotation of the ends 132 connected to the jaws, resulting in elastic deformation of the former with respect to the corresponding arm 31b such as to bring the elastic element into a second stable position with the jaws rotated into the closed position for engagement with the toe of the boot.
In some implementations, the presence and the rotation of the operating lever 40 may determine the various conditions of use of the toe-piece, as already described for the first embodiment thereof.
It is therefore clear how, with the U-shaped elastic element according to the subject matter, it is possible to obtain a substantial simplification as regards both the number and weight of the components forming the toe-piece and therefore of the toe-piece as a whole, as well as simplification of its operation which is less prone to faulty operation resulting from the particular conditions of use which are typically associated with ski-touring.
In addition, owing to the particular simplified configuration, it is also possible to improve adjustment of the resistance to release of the toe-piece in the case of transverse and/or torsional forces imparted by the boot, thereby ensuring greater safety during use.
Although described in connection with a number of embodiments and a number of preferred examples of embodiment of the subject matter, it is understood that the scope of protection of the present disclosure will be determined solely by any claims issued thereon.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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M12014A0901 | May 2014 | IT | national |
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