CH663545A5 - CROSS COUNTRY SKI AND FOOTWEAR FOR USE WITH THIS SKI. - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cross-country ski and a shoe intended to be used with this ski.

Various devices are already known for ensuring lateral guidance of a cross-country ski boot relative to the ski. Some of these devices use a longitudinal guide rib attached to the ski and which cooperates with a groove of the same shape provided in the sole of the boot, to ensure lateral guidance of the latter during the unwinding of the boot, c 'That is to say when the latter is applied flat on the ski, this guide or centering rib (longitudinal) extending along the plantar support zone. Such a guide device is described in French patent 2443 853 of the holder. This guide device comprising a central longitudinal rib attached to the ski has the drawback of requiring a manual operation for fixing the guide rib to the ski and moreover the skier's foot is found to be too high relative to the snow.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a cross-country ski and a shoe intended to be used with this ski.

The characteristics of the invention which are the subject of claims 1 and 28 will appear on reading the following description of various embodiments, and for the intelligence of which reference will be made to the drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lateral guide device of a shoe, the shoe being shown in the position it occupies when the heel of the skier's foot is raised.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the part of the cross-country ski where the longitudinal lateral guide rib is provided.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a sole of a cross-country ski boot applied to the part of the ski where the longitudinal lateral guide rib is provided.

Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3 and showing a variant.

Figures 4 to 11 are perspective views of various alternative embodiments of the longitudinal lateral guide rib.

Figure 12 is an elevational view of three cross-country skis on which the longitudinal lateral guide rib extends over different lengths.

Figure 13 is an elevational view of a cross-country ski boot of the type with anterior extension, this boot being shown held laterally on a cross-country ski by means of the device according to the invention.

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a partial elevational view of the front part of a cross-country ski boot held attached to the ski by a flexion blade.

Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI of Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a ski provided with a guide rib.

Figures 18 to 24 are perspective views showing alternative embodiments of a ski according to the invention.

Figure 25 is a perspective view showing the device according to the invention with partial section of the ski.

Figure 26 is a bottom view of the ski and the boot.

Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figures 3 and 3A and showing a variant.

Figure 28 is a bottom view of a shoe according to the device of the invention.

Figures 29, 30 and 31 are views respectively from below of a boot, in plan and in perspective of the ski in the case of a variant of the device.

Figure 32 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of a guide rib.

Figures 33 and 34 are perspective views showing a ski according to the invention and a variant.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a cross-country ski boot 1 which is fixed, at its front end, to a cross-country ski 2, by means of a suitable binding, not shown, of any known type, the heel of the cross-country ski boot being free at least vertically to allow the winding of the foot forward as indicated by the arrow F (Figure 1), the winding resulting in a lifting of the heel or, on the contrary, the unfolding of the foot resulting in the flat application of the boot 1 on the ski 2.

The device according to the invention which is intended to provide lateral guidance of the cross-country ski boot 1, during its unwinding race, that is to say its coming flat on the ski, comprises a longitudinal guide rib 3 forming a single piece with the ski 2 and projecting from the upper face 2a of this ski. Therefore, the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 is found to be at a certain distance above the upper face 2a of the ski.

The rib 3 can come from molding with the rest of the ski or else it can be released by machining, by removal of material, from the upper face of the ski.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the guide rib 3 has a constant cross section in the form of an isosceles trapezoid. In other words, the width x1 of the anterior end of the planar upper face 5 is equal to the width x2 of the posterior end of this upper face 5. This upper face 5 thus has a rectangular shape in plan. Furthermore, the rib 3 is delimited, on each side, by an inclined lateral retaining face 6, which is connected to a horizontal bearing face 7 extending up to the edge 2b of the ski, in the plane of the face upper 2a of the ski or substantially in this plane, the two faces 6, 7 thus forming an obtuse dihedral. The width yl of each horizontal bearing face 7, its height hl below the plane of the upper face 5 of the rib 3 and the angle al of the inclined retaining face 6 of the rib relative to the vertical are, at the anterior end of the guide rib 3, the same as the corresponding values y2, h2 and a2, at the posterior end of this rib.

With the guide rib 3 cooperates a longitudinal groove 8 provided in the sole 9 of the cross-country ski boot, as can best be seen in FIG. 3. This longitudinal groove 8 has, in cross section, substantially the same shape as that of the guide rib 3, that is to say that it has an isosceles trapezoid shape. As can be seen in FIG. 3, when the cross-country ski boot 1 is unwound flat on the ski, at the end of the unwinding period, the longitudinal groove 8 provided in the underside of the sole 9 covers the rib central guide 3. The inclined lateral faces 8a of the trapezoidal groove 8 slide progressively, during the course of the foot, on the inclined faces 6 of the guide rib 3, thus ensuring the centering of the shoe. The longitudinal and central groove thus delimits, in the sole 9, two lateral ribs 10 which are received respectively on either side of the guide rib 3. Preferably, the boot 1 bears on the ski, at the end of the course of the foot, only by the two lateral ribs 10 which come to bear, by their horizontal lower faces, on the corresponding horizontal faces 7. In other words, the depth of the groove 8 is greater than the height of the guide rib 3 and, therefore, the bottom 8b of the groove 8 is spaced a slight dis5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

663545

4

tance of the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3. This corresponds to the case where the height hl or h2 of the guide rib 3, that is to say the distance between the upper face 5 and the bearing faces horizontal 7, is less than the depth of the groove 8. It will also be noted that the outer lateral edges 100 of the ribs 10 lie in the plane of the edges 2b of the ski. With such an arrangement, the lower part of the sole of the boot does not exceed the width of the ski.

FIG. 3A represents a variant according to which it is the bottom 8b of the groove 8 of the sole which is in contact with the upper surface 5 of the guide rib 3. There is then a clearance between the lower faces of the ribs lateral 10 of the sole and the horizontal faces 7.

In the variant illustrated in FIG. 4, the guide rib 3 has a declining profile towards the rear, in other words its trapezoidal cross section gradually decreases towards the rear. Therefore, the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 has the shape of an isosceles trapezium converging towards the rear, that is to say that its width xl at its anterior end is greater than its width x2 at its posterior end. The width xl of the horizontal bearing face 7, at the anterior end thereof, is less than the corresponding width y2 at its posterior end. The height h1 of the rib 3 at the anterior end is equal to the height h2 at the posterior end and the angles a1 and a2 of inclination of the face 6 have the same values.

In the variant illustrated in FIG. 5, the guide rib 3 also has a declining profile towards the rear (xl> x2; yl <y2; al = a2) but the bearing face 7 is no longer horizontal. On the contrary, it is tilted up and down from front to back; in other words, the height hl between the anterior end of the upper face 5 and that of the bearing face 7 is less than the height h2 between the rear end of the upper face 5 and the rear end of the face d 'support 7. The support face 7 thus ends, at its rear end, a little below the plane of the upper face 2a of the ski, forming, at this point, a vertical shoulder 4.

In the variant illustrated in FIG. 6, the guide rib 3 always has a declining profile towards the rear (xl> x2), the lateral face always has the same inclination (al = a2), the face of support 7 is inclined up and down from front to back (hl <h2) but it has a constant width (yl = y2).

In the variant illustrated in FIG. 7, the guide rib 3 has the same characteristics as that of FIG. 6 (xl> x2; yl = y2; hl <h2) but the slope of the inclined side face 6 varies increasing from front to back, in other words al is less than a2. The angle al defining the slope of the inclined face 6 delimiting the guide rib 5 can vary from a zero value: in this case, the face 6 is perpendicular to the bearing face 7.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 is connected to the bearing face 7, which is preferably inclined up and down and from front to back, by a curved surface 11, having the same radius of curvature or a variable radius of curvature over its entire length, and a vertical face 12 perpendicular to the bearing face 7. Since the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 has the in the form of a trapezoid converging towards the rear, the curved surface 11 is generated by arcs of the same radius of curvature but the length of which increases from front to rear.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, the horizontal upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 is connected to the vertical face 12 perpendicular to the bearing face 7 by a flat face 14, of triangular shape with directed tip forward, then a cylindrical surface 15. The cylindrical surface 15 is delimited by two longitudinal and horizontal generators 15a and 15b, the upper generatrix 15a being common to the face 14 and constituting one of the sides of the triangle which it forms , while the other lower longitudinal generator 15b is common to the vertical face 12.

In the variant shown in FIG. 10, the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 comprises, from front to rear, several sections of different widths, namely, at the front, a rectangular section wide front 5a,

then an intermediate section 5b of trapezoidal shape in plan, then a posterior rectangular section 5c of small width. Each of these sections 5a, 6b, 5c of the upper face 5 is connected to the bearing face 7, by inclined faces 6a, 6b, 6c having corresponding slopes.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a guide rib 3 with a progressive profile, that is to say the cross section of which goes from front to back. In this case, the width xl of the horizontal upper face 5, at the front end thereof, is less than the width x2 of this face at its rear end. This arrangement is strictly the reverse of that illustrated in FIG. 4. In the same way, all the embodiments of FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 could be reversed, the rear replacing the front and vice versa.

FIG. 12 shows that the guide rib 3 can extend only over a short length A of the ski 1, over a longer length B or even over the entire length C of the ski. This length must be sufficient to allow the use of shoes of different sizes 1A and 1B.

Figures 13 and 14 illustrate the maintenance and guidance of a cross-country ski boot 16 with anterior extension 17, as described in patent FR-A-2304368. In this case, the extension 17 of the boot can also be retained laterally by the guide rib 3 formed on the ski.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate the application of the invention to the maintenance and guiding of a cross-country ski boot associated with a binding as described in French patent 79,02513. In this case, the boot 18 is extended, at its front end, by a bending blade 19 which is immobilized by a bending 21. Here again, the bending blade 19 can be retained laterally by the guide rib 3.

Under these conditions, a single screw 200 is necessary for the connection with the ski, the lateral retainer being produced by the guide rib 3. This screw 200 is screwed into the guide rib 3 and in the axis thereof.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a ski representing an alternative embodiment of the rib 3 according to which each lateral face 6 of the rib is formed by a longitudinal cylindrical surface.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a longitudinal rib 3 with a cylindrical surface.

According to the previously described embodiments, the horizontal 7 and lateral 6 faces are planar faces, but it can be otherwise, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. In FIG. 19, each bearing face 7 is a convex curved surface. In FIG. 20, it is the lateral face 6 which is curved and convex towards the outside of the ski. This surface could of course be concave, as shown in FIG. 21.

Figures 22 to 24 show alternative ribs which of course do not depart from the scope of the invention.

According to these variants, the ribs are more or less discontinuous, but the fact remains that these effectively provide lateral retention of the shoe.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 22, the ski has a rib 3 which comprises, in each of its lateral faces 6, lateral recesses 60 spaced apart from each other longitudinally. The lateral retaining face 6 then consists of successive elementary faces 600 separated from each other by the recesses 60.

FIG. 23 represents a variant similar to that described with reference to FIG. 22. In this embodiment, each lateral retaining face 6 of the rib 3 has, in plan view, the shape of a broken line constituted by a succession of teeth and triangular hollows 60 separated from each other by successive edges 62.

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

5

663,545

According to the embodiment of Figure 24, the rib 3 is interrupted by successive recesses or recesses 61 extending transversely and opening into the upper face 5 of the rib.

FIGS. 25 and 26 represent the device according to the invention and more particularly a boot 1 retained by a ski comprising a guide rib 3 for example like that according to FIG. 4.

Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figures 3 and 3A. According to this embodiment, the guide rib 3 is delimited, on each side, by a chamfer 6 extending from the upper face 5 of the rib 3 to a edge 2b of the ski so that there is no horizontal faces 7 as in the previous embodiments, the corresponding shoe 1 being similar to those already described.

FIG. 28 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of a shoe according to the invention and in which the lateral ribs 10 of the sole include successive housings 101 opening towards the inside of the central groove 8.

FIGS. 29 to 31 show a variant in which the longitudinal guide rib 3 is extended on one side, on a 20

part of its length, by a lateral projection 300. This projection 300 advantageously extends towards the inside of the ski up to the level of the internal edge 2b. On the other hand, the inner rib 10 of the corresponding shoe 1 is interrupted at the location of the arch of the foot to create a housing 110 intended to receive the projection 300 of the rib 3 when the foot is flat on the ski.

Figure 29 is a bottom view of the sole while Figure 30 is a top view of the ski.

Figure 31 is a perspective view showing the ski at the place where the foot is called to be supported.

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of an alternative form of guide rib 3 in which the latter has a cross section which has the shape of an isosceles triangle with point directed upwards, the upper face 5 of the rib being then reduced to an edge.

FIG. 33 represents a ski according to the invention while FIG. 34 illustrates a variant.

Of course, it would not depart from the scope of the invention if the position of the ribs were reversed, that is to say if the front became the rear and vice versa.

R

8 sheets of drawings

Claims (35)

663,545 2 1. Cross-country ski comprising, for the lateral guidance of a boot fixed to the ski at its front end and whose heel is free to move at least vertically, a guide rib intended to cooperate with a groove, substantially similarly cross section that the rib, formed in the sole of the shoe and gradually covering this rib as the foot unfolds flat on the ski, characterized in that the guide rib (3) projects relative to the upper surface (2a) of the ski (2) and forms a single piece with the ski (2). 2. Cross-country ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) is constant. 3. Cross-country ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) is variable in the longitudinal direction. 4. Cross-country ski according to claim 3, characterized in that the horizontal dimensions of the guide rib (3) gradually decrease towards the rear. 5. Cross-country ski according to claim 3, characterized in that the horizontal dimensions of the guide rib (3) gradually increase towards the rear. 6. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the vertical dimensions of the guide rib (3) gradually decrease towards the rear. 7. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the vertical dimensions of the guide rib (3) gradually increase towards the rear. 8. Cross-country ski according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) has the shape of an isosceles trapezoid. 9. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) has a curved shape. 10. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) has the shape of a triangle. 11. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the rib (3) is delimited, on each side, by an inclined lateral face (6). 12. Cross-country ski according to claim 11, characterized in that the inclined lateral face (6) is extended by a bearing face (7) extending up to the edge (2b) of the ski. 13. Cross-country ski according to claim 12, characterized in that the bearing face (7) is flat. 14. Cross-country ski according to claim 12, characterized in that the bearing face (7) is curved. 15. Cross-country ski according to claim 13, characterized in that the bearing face (7) is horizontal. 16. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the bearing face (7) is inclined forward or backward. 17. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 11,15 and 16, characterized in that the inclined lateral face (6) of the guide rib (3) has the same slope (a) along this rib . 18. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 11,15 and 16, characterized in that the inclined lateral face (6) of the guide rib (3) has a variable slope (a) along this rib . 19. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 11, 15 and 16, characterized in that the lateral face of the guide rib (3) is constituted by a curved surface (11) having the same radius of curvature or a variable radius of curvature over its entire length. 20. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 11, 15 and 16, characterized in that the upper face (5) of the guide rib (3) is connected to a vertical face (12) perpendicular to the face lateral support (7) by a flat face (14), of triangular shape, then a cylindrical surface (15) delimited by two generators (15a, 15b) horizontal and longitudinal, the upper generatrix (15a) being common to the face plane (14) and constituting one of the sides of the triangle which it forms, while the other lower longitudinal generatrix (15b) is common to the vertical face (12). 21. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 11,15 and 16, characterized in that the upper face (5) of the guide rib (3) comprises, from front to rear, several sections of different widths. 22. Cross-country ski according to claim 15, characterized in that the upper face (5) of the guide rib (3) comprises an anterior rectangular section (5a) of large width, then an intermediate section (5b) of shape trapezoidal in plan, then a posterior rectangular section (5c) of small width, each of these sections (5a, 5b, 5c) of the upper face (5) being connected to the bearing face (7) by inclined faces ( 6a, 6b, 6c) having corresponding slopes. 23. Cross-country ski according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral retaining face (6) of the guide rib (3) is constituted by successive faces (600) or by successive edges ( 62). 24. Cross-country ski according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper face (5) of the guide rib (3) is interrupted by at least one recess (61). 25. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the guide rib (3) comes from molding with the rest of the ski. 26. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the guide rib (3) is formed by digging two clearances (4) in the material constituting the ski. 27. Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 25 or 26, characterized in that the guide rib (3) comprises a lateral projection (300) extending laterally towards the inside of the ski. 28. Cross-country ski boot intended to be used with a ski according to one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that its sole (9) has a central longitudinal groove (8) delimiting two lateral ribs (10) intended to be housed respectively in two lateral clearances (4) bordering the central guide rib (3) formed on the ski. 29. Cross-country ski boot according to claim 28, characterized in that the depth of the groove (8) is greater than the height of the guide rib (3) so that when the boot is applied flat on the ski, the bottom (8b) of the groove (8) is spaced a short distance from the upper face (5) of the guide rib (3). 30. Cross-country ski boot according to claim 28, characterized in that the depth of the groove (8) is less than the height of the guide rib (3) so that the boot rests on the upper face (5) of the rib (3) by the bottom (8b) of the groove (8). 31. Cross-country ski boot according to any one of claims 28 to 30, characterized in that the lateral edges (100) of the ribs (10) of the sole of the boot do not exceed the edges (2b) of the ski (2). 32. Cross-country ski boot according to any one of claims 28 to 31, characterized in that the guide rib (10) of the sole is interrupted at the location of the arch to form a housing (110) intended to receive a projection (300) arranged on the ski. 33. Cross-country ski boot according to any one of claims 28 to 32, characterized in that the boot (16) has a front extension (17) cooperating with the guide rib (3). 34. Cross-country ski boot according to any one of claims 28 to 32, characterized in that the boot (18) comprises a flexion blade (19) extending it forward, and desti5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 3 663,545 born to be engaged in a fixing (21) and cooperating with the guide rib (3). 35. Cross-country ski boot according to any one of claims 33 or 34, characterized in that the anterior extension (17) or the flexion blade (19) is prepared to be retained on the ski (2) by a single screw (200) screwed into the guide rib (3) and in the axis of the latter.