FR2593711A1 - Position-marking device for a ski and ski or ski binding equipped with such a device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of ski equipment and its subject is more particularly a device enabling a ski to be found when it has become detached from the boot and embedded in powder snow. According to the invention, the said device fastened on the upper face of a ski or of a plate 2 is principally characterised in that it consists of a casing 4 supporting a sensor 5 which is sensitive to the presence of a boot 3, the said sensor acting on a microcontact intended to activate a battery generator of audible and/or luminous signals in the absence of the boot, the said generator being controlled by a switch 6. Application to all devices, skis or plates, requiring position marking in order to be found.

Description

 The present invention is in the field of equipment for skiing and it relates more particularly to a means making it possible to find a ski which has become detached from the boot and pressed into the powdery snow.

 I1 can happen that during an off-piste ski descent, the skier falls and "takes off" one or both of his skis; it happens in this case there, if the snow is sufficiently fresh and powdery, that the ski disappears under ten centimeters of snow for example; it is then quite difficult to find it, especially since the weather is darker or there is fog.

 The idea of the invention is to provide a sound and / or light location of the lost ski by means such that, when the ski is no longer attached to the boot, the sound and / or light emission is triggered. The sound emission may be a fairly high-pitched sound such as the sound of an electronic watch alarm and the light emission that of one or more light-emitting diodes of the type of those fitted to certain pocket calculators.

 The signaling device can be either integrated into the ski, or integrated into the binding, or even separate and adaptable to one or other of these elements.

 It should be noted that the purpose of the invention is not to propose electronic circuits fulfilling the functions of the above-mentioned signaling means, these electronic circuits being known in themselves in the art of electronics, in particular of integrated electronics, but simply to propose the application of such circuits for a particular purpose which is that of identifying barefoot skis.

The present invention will be better understood and details will be apparent from the description which will be given in relation to the figures in the appended plate in which
- Fig.1 shows in elevation a ski boot attached to a ski,
- Fig.2 shows in more detail in perspective the ski binding part of the previous figure incorporating a device of the invention, in integrated form,
FIG. 3 is a diagram of sounds that can be emitted by the device of the invention, and
- Fig.4 illustrates a device of the invention, in separate form.

 In FIG. 1, a ski 1 comprises a so-called fixing plate 2 intended to fix a ski boot 3 to the ski.

 In fig.2, the plate 2 of the previous figure more particularly comprises a part 2 'on which the sole of the shoe normally rests and a part 2 "on which the heel of the shoe normally rests; one and the other of these parts support fixing means.

 The part 2 ′ of the fixing plate 2 also supports a probe 5 sensitive to the presence of the boot 3 in the fixed position, said probe 5 acting on a microswitch intended to activate a generator with a stack of sound signals, the active state of the generator corresponding to the absence of a shoe attached to the ski, the generator and its battery being housed in a case 4 incorporated in the ski or the plate; neither the generator nor its battery housed in the box are shown in the figure; 7 shows holes for the passage of sound through the wall of the housing, however optional holes. A switch 6 maneuverable by the skier is mounted in series on the generator supply circuit; this switch 6 is used to inhibit the generator when the skier voluntarily takes off his skis and to put the generator in the potentially active state when the skier has put on his ski.

 The sound generator is preferably of the electronic "buzzer" type and preferably also, the sound signals are generated in signal trains 8 separated by intervals 9 of silence (fig.3). Light-emitting diodes 10 can be put into the active state at the same time as the sound signal, the sound signals being thus accompanied by a light signal.

 The plate shown in fig. 1 and 2 is only one particular plate among all the fixing plates to which the invention may apply and the scope of the invention should therefore not be limited to this type of plate . One could just as easily conceive that the case 4 is placed on the heel part or else in any other part where the feeler can detect the "barefoot" state of the ski.

 In fig.4, a device intended to be fixed on the upper face of a ski, or of a fixing plate for ski, consists of a box 4 'supporting a probe 5' and containing a battery generator of sound signals, said probe acting on a micro-contact intended to put in the active state a generator with a battery of sound and / or light signals, a switch 6 ′ being mounted in series on the generator supply circuit. One or more light-emitting diodes such as 10 'can be added to the signal generator.

 This device incorporates means of attachment to the upper face of a ski or of a plate, of the clip type with length adjustable in two parts 11 and 12.

 Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described or represented, it should be understood that the scope of the latter is not limited to these forms but that it extends to all devices, skis or plates, fulfilling the tracking functions set out above.

Claims (1)

1.- Ski comprising on its upper face at least one  plate supporting means for fixing the shoe  re, or fixing plate, intended to equip a ski,  characterized:  in that said plate (2)  also supports a probe (5) sensitive to the presence of  the shoe (3) in the fixed position, said probe (5)  acting on a microswitch intended to put in the state  activates a generator with battery of acoustic signals, the state  generator active corresponding to the absence of chaus  sure attached to the ski, the generator and its throwing battery housed  in a box (4) incorporated in the ski or the  plate 2.- Ski, or fixing plate, according to claim 1,  characterized ::  in that a switch (6)  maneuverable by the skier is mounted on the circuit  supplying the generator 3.- Ski, or fixing plate, according to claim 1,  characterized  in that the sound generator  is of the electronic “buzzer” type 4.- Ski, or fixing plate, according to claim 3,  characterized  in that the sound signals  are generated in trains (8) of signals separated by  5. (Ski) silence intervals (9), or fixing plate, according to claim 4,  characterized::  in that the sound signals  are accompanied by a light signal 6.- Device intended to be fixed on the upper face  a ski or a ski mounting plate, characteristic  in that it consists of a  case (4 ') supporting a probe (5') and containing a  sound signal generator, said probe  acting on a micro-contact intended to bring to the state  activates a generator with an audible signal stack, and / or  luminous, a switch (6 ') then being mounted on  this generator supply circuit 7.- Device according to claim 6, characterized  in that it incorporates means  of attachment to the upper face of a ski or of a  plate 8.- Device according to claim 7, characterized  in that said means of  fasteners are of the clamp type (11,12).