CH672433A5 - - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a safety binding for a boot on a ski. More specifically, the invention relates to a binding intended to retain one end of the boot on the upper surface of a ski.

Bindings of this kind are known and generally have a jaw capable of retaining one end of the shoe, in particular the rear end. The jaw is articulated around a horizontal axis and transverse to the longitudinal direction defined by the ski with respect to a body connected to the ski.

In addition, elastic means exert an action on the jaw, which, when skiing, tends to return the jaw towards the ski or, on the contrary, to tilt it upwards, depending on the intensity of the stress exerted by the shoe sole on the jaw.

Usually, the elastic means comprise a spring housed in the body, the initial compression of which is adjustable. The spring pushes against a ramp of the jaw a pressure member which, depending on the case, may be a sliding piston or an articulated rocker.

The ramp of the jaw usually has an elastic travel zone in contact with which the pressure member resists the jaw elastically towards the ski, and a trigger zone in contact with which the pressure member pushes the jaw upwards. The boundary between the two zones defines the threshold for triggering the fixation.

Such fasteners are known in particular from French patents FR 2,338,060 and FR 2,494,591.

The disadvantage of these devices is that the user must provide a significant effort to manually remove the binding, because, in fact, he must provide energy equivalent to the trigger energy that the shoe transmits to the jaw for triggering during of skiing.

Also, these bindings require a spring for triggering and one or more other springs to ensure an elastic recoil of the binding, in particular in order to follow the bending movements of the ski.

Also, the initial compression of the recoil springs is generally not adjustable, and in particular does not adjust according to the compression of the spring of the elastic means.

However, there are fixings where the recoil springs can be adjusted in compression, but by means of adjustment independent of the elastic means.

One of the aims of the invention is to provide a binding for which the triggering energy to be supplied for manual heaving is less than that for triggering when skiing.

Another object of the invention is to propose a binding which has common means of energy reserve and common means of adjustment to ensure both the elastic return and the elastic recoil of the binding and their adjustment.

Advantageously, this object is achieved by the invention by using, in a particular embodiment, the spring of the elastic means to moreover ensure elastic recoil.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will emerge during the description which follows.

The safety binding according to the invention is characterized in that:

The body is carried by two lateral arms which are themselves articulated with respect to the ski at their lower end about a transverse axis,

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- A lever is articulated at its lower end with respect to the ski around a transverse axis and is interposed in its upper part between the ramp of the jaw and the pressure member of the elastic means, so that the thrust exerted by the pressure member on the ramp of the jaw is transmitted to said ramp via the lever, and varies according to the position of the arms and of the body relative to the ski.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the description below, given as an indication, as well as to the accompanying drawings which form an integral part thereof.

Figure 1 shows a side view and in partial section of a binding, in a non-limiting mode of implementation of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fixing of FIG. 1.

Figure 3 illustrates the operation of the fixing of Figure 1 during a vertical stress exerted on the body.

Figure 4 illustrates the operation of the fastener of Figure 1 during a vertical stress exerted on the jaw.

FIG. 5 illustrates the operation of the fixing of FIG. 1 during a horizontal reversing stress.

FIG. 6 shows the fixing of FIG. 1 in the bare position.

Figures 7 to 12 illustrate various alternative embodiments of the invention.

The binding shown in the figures is of the type capable of retaining the heel of a shoe.

However, the invention also applies to a binding intended to retain the front of a shoe.

FIG. 1 shows a safety binding 1 which is integrally connected to the upper surface of a ski 2.

The binding 1 shown comprises a jaw 3 capable of retaining the sole of the shoe at the level of a sole clamp 31 which is intended to retain the heel of the sole. In known manner, the jaw 3 preferably comprises, in its lower part, a tongue 32 on which the sole of the shoe rests when putting on.

The binding 1 also comprises a body 5 connected to the ski with respect to which the jaw 3 is articulated around a horizontal axis 6 and transverse to the longitudinal direction defined by the ski.

Elastic means also connect the body 5 and the jaw 3. These means are shown in FIG. 1 in the form of a spring, in particular a compression spring 7 housed in the body, the initial compression of which is adjustable by a plug. 8 screwed onto the rear part of the body 5.

This is not limiting and the spring 7 can be replaced by any suitable elastic means of energy reserve, for example a cylinder filled with pressurized gas or fluid.

The elastic means also comprise a pressure member shown in FIG. 1 in the form of a piston 9 mounted to slide relative to the body 5 in the longitudinal direction of the body, which the spring 7 pushes back in the direction of the jaw, and a ramp 10 of the jaw oriented towards the pressure member 9, which will be described in more detail later.

FIG. 1 shows the binding 1 in the closed or carriageway position, and from this position, under the effect of a vertical upward bias of the jaw sole, the elastic means define for the binding 1 a zone of elastic stroke where the jaw 3 is resiliently biased towards the ski, then an opening zone where they allow the jaw to tilt upwards 3. The border between the elastic stroke zone and the opening zone corresponds to the threshold trigger, which can be adjusted by the initial compression of the spring 7 by means of the plug 8. This is known to those skilled in the art.

According to the invention, the body 5 of the binding is carried by two lateral arms 11 and 12, which are joined together to said body, and which connect it to the ski 2.

The lateral arms 11 and 12 are arranged substantially symmetrically to the longitudinal and vertical plane of symmetry of the ski 2, and they are articulated with respect to the ski 2 in their lower part around a transverse axis 13.

In the embodiment shown, the transverse axis 13 is mounted on a base 14 secured to the ski 2 directly or by means of length adjustment means, and it is movable longitu-dinalement in a transverse lumen 15 of the base 14 extending longitudinally.

Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the body 5 and the lateral arms 11 and 12 are movable in rotation around the axis 13, and as illustrated in FIG. 5, they are also movable longitudinally by slide- axis 13 in the light 15.

Preferably, the two arms 11 and 12 are bent and have from the axis 13 a first portion 16,17 oriented substantially parallel to the upper surface of the ski 2, followed by a second portion which rises towards the body 5; only the second portion 18 of the arm 11 is visible in the figures.

FIGS. 1 to 6, 8 and 9 show the first portions 16 and 17 of the arms 11 and 12 parallel to each other and oriented towards the rear of the ski, starting from the axis 13.

In addition, advantageously in this case, the base 14 provides an upper surface 19 on which rests the shoe sole in the road position, and the base 14 can also serve as a base plate for a braking device not shown.

Preferably, the spacing between the two arms 11 and 12, at their respective first portion, is less than the width of the base 14 and that of the shoe sole, and the base has two portions of grooves 20 and 21 extending from the lumen 15 and opening towards the rear, in which the first portions 16 and 17 of the arms 11 and 12 are housed over at least part of their length.

The groove portions 20, 21 provide lateral guidance to the arms 11 and 12 and allow their first portion to be retracted under the sole of the shoe.

The arms 11 and 12 have any suitable shape of cross section, and for example an elongated, rectangular, ovoid, L-shaped, elongated section with reinforcing rib, the large dimension of which is oriented in a vertical plane.

The binding 1 also comprises a lever 22 which is articulated in its lower part relative to the ski 2 around a transverse and horizontal axis 23. In particular, the axis 23 is carried by a bearing 24 integral with the ski, which extends towards rear the base 14.

In its upper part, the lever 22 is interposed between the pressure member, the piston 9 in FIG. 1, and the ramp 10 of the jaw 3.

Thus, the head of the lever 22 transmits on the ramp 10 of the jaw 3 the thrust generated by the piston 9 and the spring 7.

The axis 23 of the lever 22 and the bearing 24 are preferably located approximately plumb with the head of the lever 22.

Furthermore, with reference to FIG. 1, the axis 23 of articulation of the lever 22 is located behind the axis 13 of articulation of the arms 11 and 12.

The head of the lever 22 has on the side of the piston 9 a ramp 25 on which the pressure nose 26 of the piston 9 rests.

In addition, on the side of the jaw 3, the head of the lever 22 has a pressure nose 27 which is supported on the ramp 10 of the jaw.

The ramp 10 has an elastic race ramp 28 in contact with which the pressure nose 27 recalls the jaw 3 towards the ski and an opening ramp 29 in contact with which the pressure nose 27 tends to open the jaw towards the high. These two ramps 28 and 29 are separated by a crest 30 which corresponds to the threshold for triggering the binding.

In a known manner, the elastic travel ramp 28 is compressive and the opening ramp 28 substantially decompressive.

The ramp 25 of the lever 22 is compressive, that is to say that,

when the pressure nose 26 of the piston 9 travels upwards, the piston 9 is pushed back and the spring is compressed. Conversely, the piston 9 returns forward when the pressure nose 26 describes the ramp 25 downwards.

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Advantageously, a projecting rim 34 is located at the upper end of the ramp 25 of the lever 22, and limits the upward movement of the pressure nose 26 and therefore the tilting movement of the body around the axis 13.

Preferably, the contact area between the pressure nose 26 of the piston 9 and the ramp 25 is higher than the contact area between the pressure nose 27 of lever 22 and the ramp 10 of the jaw. This will be described in more detail later.

The binding 1 also comprises a manual heaving means. Any known suitable manual heaving means is suitable, for example of the type described in patent FR 2,338,060, and, for reasons of clarity, only one lever 33 has been shown diagrammatically in the various figures. Preferably, the release lever is of the type which is actuated by a thrust exerted by the user, one component of which is oriented in the direction of the ski.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the operation of the fastening under the effect of stresses, respectively vertical upwards exerted on the body 5, vertical upwards exerted on the jaw 3, horizontal rearwards on the body 5.

These different stress components have been voluntarily isolated to better show the operation of the binding, but, obviously, components combine during skiing and therefore in the same way the relative movements of the body 5, the jaw 3 and base 14, in response to these stress components, combine with one another.

FIG. 3 shows the binding 1, the body 5 of which is stressed by a vertical force oriented upwards and shown diagrammatically by the arrow Fl.

Under the effect of such a stress, the body 5 and the arms 11 and 12 pivot upwards around the transverse axis 13. The jaw 3, meanwhile, follows the pivoting but has no relative movement relative to the body 5.

The lever 22 acts on the elastic means in the following manner. On the one hand, its pressure nose 27 traverses the part 28 of the ramp 10 of the jaw and, on the other hand, its ramp 25 is traversed by the pressure nose 26 of the piston 9.

As described above, the ramps 28 and 26 are compressive for the piston 9 and the spring 7, and the compressions of the spring 7 which they generate respectively add up.

The rim 34, which the ramp 25 of the lever 22 has in its upper part, retains the pressure nose 26 and through this body the body 5, preferably, before the nose 27 of the rocker 22 crosses the triggering threshold 30.

In this way, a release of the binding, from its carriageway position, cannot be achieved only by urging the body upwards.

When the stress according to F1 ceases, the body 5 and the arms 11 and 12 are returned elastically downwards by the spring 7 which decompresses and by their own weight.

The pressure noses 27 and 26 run through the ramps 28 and 25 in the opposite direction and the fixing returns by itself substantially to the position of FIG. 1. Thus, in the present case, the compression of the spring is produced both by the ramp 10 of the jaw 3, more precisely its part 28 and by the ramp 25 of the lever 22.

FIG. 4 shows the binding 1, the jaw of which is stressed by an upward vertical force F2, which is, for example, exerted on the sole clamp 31.

In this figure, it is assumed that the body 5 remains in the low position.

Under the effect of the stress F2, the jaw 3 pivots relative to the body 5 around the transverse axis 6 carried by the body.

During this pivoting, the pressure nose 27 of the lever 22 travels along the elastic travel ramp 28 of the jaw 3, then, if the stress F2 is of sufficient intensity, the pressure nose 27 crosses the triggering threshold 30 and travels the opening ramp 29.

The ramp 28 being compressive, it pushes the head of the lever 22 towards the spring, which in turn pushes the piston 9, which piston compresses the spring 7.

It should be emphasized that the pressure nose 26 of the piston 9 remains substantially stationary on the ramp 25 of the lever 22. A reduced displacement 5 is however due to the tilting of the lever 22 when its nose 27 traverses the ramp 28, but this displacement is negligible in front the one described in relation to figure 3.

Thus, in this case, it can be considered that the compression of the spring is produced only by the ramp 10 of the jaw 3. When the stress F2 ceases, if the pressure nose 27 is in contact with the elastic travel ramp, the jaw 3 is resiliently biased towards the ski and the spring 7 decompresses. If, moreover, the pressure nose 27 is in contact with the opening ramp 29, the jaw 3 then tends to open upwards.

îs FIG. 5 illustrates the attachment 1 under the effect of a stress F3 directed horizontally towards the rear and exerted on the body 5.

Under the action of this stress F3, the body 5, the arms 11, 12 and the jaw 3 move back and the axis 13 of articulation of the arms 11 and 12 travels through the lumen 15 of the base 14.

This recoil of the body 5 causes the lever 22 to tilt backwards around the transverse axis 23.

The ramp 28 of the jaw 3 and the pressure nose 27 of the lever on the one hand, the ramp 25 of the lever 22 and the pressure nose 26 of the piston 9 on the other hand, are arranged in such a way that, at the bottom 25 towards the rear of the lever 22, the distance between the pressure noses 26 and 27 increases appreciably.

In addition, advantageously, the pressure nose 26 is above the pressure nose 27, more precisely their zone of contact with the respective ramps 25 and 28.

3o Thus, the rearward tilting of the lever 22 causes significant compression of the spring 7 which, due to the relative vertical position of the pressure noses 26 and 27, tends to bring the body 5 forward as soon as the stress F3 stops.

There is thus obtained an elastic recoil effect which is generated, on the one hand, by the spring 7 of the elastic means and, on the other hand, the intensity of which is directly a function of the initial compression of the spring 7 and in particular of the adjustment its cap 8.

FIG. 6 shows the attachment 1 in the bare position. This position is reached after manual heaving by means of the lever 33 or after a release of the binding and ejection of the boot during skiing.

In this position, the pressure nose 27 of the lever 22 is in contact with the opening ramp 29. On the other hand, the body 5 is in the low position and the pressure nose 26 of the piston is 45 at the bottom of the ramp 25.

If, from this position, the body 5 is urged upward, the pressure nose 26, by traversing the ramp 25, causes compression of the spring 7, which gives rise to an elastic return towards the bottom of the body 5 .

From this figure, it can be understood that the energy to be supplied for manual triggering is less than that necessary for triggering in practice skiing.

A release of the binding during skiing combines a vertical stress on the jaw according to F2 and a vertical stress on the body according to Fl.

Thus, upon triggering, it is the two ramps 28 of the jaw and 25 of the lever which come into play, thus causing the cumulative compression of the spring.

The intensity of the trigger threshold in skiing practice is di-60 directly a function of the compression of the spring caused by the two ramps.

On the other hand, in manual triggering, the intervention of the user on the lever 33 tends to press the body 5 and the arms 11 and 12 against the ski.

65 As a result, only the ramp 28 of the jaw 3 enters the stake, which means that the intensity of the triggering threshold is less than in the previous case, since the compression generated by the ramp 25 is substantially zero. So the energy to provide for manual heaving

is less than the energy required for triggering in ski practice.

Likewise, the movement of the boot, when putting on, tends to press the body 5 and the arms 11 and 12 against the ski.

Therefore, only the ramp 29 of the jaw between stake and the ramp 25 does not act on the compression of the spring.

The energy to be supplied for the boot is therefore lower than in the prior art.

In other words, the intensity of the trigger threshold for manual heaving is substantially equal to the intensity of the threshold to be crossed for footwear. Indeed, the pressure nose 27 must cross the same threshold 30, with, moreover, the pressure nose 26 at the bottom of its ramp 25,

On the other hand, during skiing, the intensity of the trigger threshold increases because, under the effect of the stresses, the pressure nose 26 travels along the ramp 25, the spring 7 is therefore more compressed when the trigger threshold is passed. 30 only if the ramp 28 of the jaw alone caused the compression of the spring.

The relative inclinations of the triggering ramp 28 and of the ramp 25 make it possible to distribute the stress exerted by the shoe on the jaw at the level of the two ramps 28 and 25.

To this is added the relationship between the distance from the ramp 28 to the axis 6 and the distance from the ramp 25 to the axis 13.

In particular, these different parameters can be chosen in such a way that, during vertical stress, the pressure nose 26 comes into contact with the rim 34 when the pressure nose 27 comes up to the trigger threshold 30. This is to the scope of those skilled in the art.

Similarly, the various parameters which make it possible to measure the intensity of the elastic recoil with respect to the compression of the spring 7 are within the reach of those skilled in the art.

It can also be noted that the binding is connected to the ski by a base 14 located in front of the jaw 3 and of the body 5, due to the orientation of the arms 11 and 12. This construction advantageously makes it possible to bring one of the 'other areas of assembly of the front and rear bindings of the ski and thus reduce the length of the ski on which the flexion of the ski is disturbed by the bindings.

FIG. 7 represents an alternative embodiment of the attachment 1 in which the first portions 16 and 17 of the arms 11 and 12 are oriented towards the front starting from the axis 13, and the axis 13 of articulation of the arms 11 and 12 as well as its support bearing 36 are located behind the axis 23 of articulation of the lever 22.

The light 15 in which the axis 13 slides to ensure the elastic threshold is located in a rear bearing 36.

Furthermore, the jaw 3, the body 5 and the rocker 22 are unchanged compared to the previous case.

In the variant of FIG. 8, the piston 9 is replaced by a baculeur 37 articulated around a transverse axis 38 relative to the body 5. In this variant, the transverse axis 38 is located in the lower part of the rocker 37 .

This rocker 37 has in its upper part a pressure nose 26 similar to that of the piston 9 oriented towards the head of the lower

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culver 22 and jaw. On the other side, the rocker has any suitable means and in particular a housing on which the end of the spring 7 bears, or a lug on which it rests.

FIG. 9 represents, as a variant of FIG. 1, a binding in which the ramp 25 and the pressure nose 26 are interchanged. Thus, the rocker 22 has, at its head and on the side of the spring 7, a pressure nose 39 which is in contact with a ramp 40 located on the piston 9. In the lower part of the ramp 40 is a rim 41 which, like the rim 34, is intended to limit the pivoting of the body 5 on the axis 13.

Figure 10 illustrates a combination of the previous two variants. The ramp 40 is carried not by a piston 9, but by the rocker 37 articulated on the axis 38.

FIG. 11 represents an alternative embodiment according to which the base 14 moves with the articulation axis 13, the arms 11 and 12 and the body 5 during a recoil stress. In this case, the light 15 is replaced by a cylindrical bore of revolution 45 for the axis 13, and the base 14 is mounted sliding in a longitudinal direction, on a slide 46 secured to the ski, directly or by means length adjustment. The bearing 24, which carries the axis 23 of the lever 22, is integrally connected to the ski, which makes it possible to ensure the elastic return of the binding after a retreat.

The binding described in the various figures may also comprise known devices such as a manual heaving means, shown diagrammatically by the lever 33, a braking means actuated by the shoe sole or a member of the binding.

Also, the attachment preferably comprises a known means for longitudinal adjustment, for example a slide in which the base 14 slides longitudinally with locking notches or any other suitable means.

Naturally, the present description is given for information only and other variants of the invention could be implemented without departing from the scope thereof.

In particular, the return means of the fixing for the elastic recoil could comprise, in addition to the offset of the pressure noses at the level of the rocker 22, independent and traditional means, such as a return spring acting for example on the axis 13 of articulation of the arms 11 and 12 or other appropriate means. In this case, the actions of these independent means and of the spring 7, are cumulative.

Naturally, such independent return means for elastic recoil could also be used alone and, in this case, the spring 7 exerts an action only on the elastic return of the jaw 3 and of the body 5 in the direction of the ski.

By way of illustration, FIG. 12 represents a variant of the embodiment of FIG. 11, according to which the bearing 23 is integral with the base 14 in its longitudinal sliding movement. In this case, the elastic return, after a decline, is ensured by traditional means not shown.

Finally, the binding of the invention could be used in the same way to retain the front of a shoe.

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6 sheets of drawings

Claims (13)

672433 CLAIMS 1. Safety binding of a boot on a ski (2) intended to retain one end of the boot, comprising - a jaw (3) capable of retaining said end of the boot against the ski (2), said jaw (3) being articulated about a transverse axis (6) relative to a body (5) connected to the ski (2 ), Elastic means for returning the jaw (3), a pressure member cooperating with a ramp of the jaw (3) on which it exerts a thrust, characterized by the fact that The body (5) is carried by two lateral arms (11, 12) which are themselves articulated relative to the ski (2) around a transverse axis (13) at their lower end, - A lever (22) is articulated at its lower end relative to the ski (2) around a transverse axis (23) and is interposed in its upper part between the ramp (10) of the jaw (3) and the pressure member (9, 37) of the elastic means, so that the thrust exerted by the pressure member on the ramp of the jaw is transmitted to said ramp by means of the lever and varies according to the position of the arms and of the body compared to skiing. 2. A binding according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse articulation axis (13) of the arms (11,12) relative to the ski (2) is located in front of the transverse articulation axis (23) of the lever (22) to the ski (2). 3. A binding according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse articulation axis (13) of the arms (11,12) relative to the ski (2) is located behind the transverse articulation axis (23) of the lever (22) to the ski (2). 4. Fastening according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection between the lever (22) and the pressure member (9, 37) comprises a pressure nose (26, 39) bearing on a ramp (25, 40) and that said ramp (25, 40) is compressive for the elastic means when the arms (11, 12) and the body (5) are raised. 5. A binding according to claim 4, characterized in that the pressure nose (26) is carried by the pressure member (9, 37) and the ramp (25, 40) is located on the lever (22). 6. Attachment according to claim 4, characterized in that the pressure nose (39) is carried by the lever (22) and that the ramp (40) is located on the pressure member (9, 37). 7. Attachment according to claim 4, characterized in that said ramp (25, 40) has a flange (34, 41) to limit the stroke of the pressure nose (26, 39) and, thereby, the lifting movement arms (11, 12) and body (5). 8. Attachment according to claim 4, characterized in that the contact area between the lever (22) and the pressure member (9, 37) is higher than the contact area between the pressure nose (27) lever (22) and the ramp (10) of the jaw. 9. A binding according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse articulation axis (13) of the arms (11, 12) is carried, at the level of a transverse orifice (15, 45), by a base ( 14) connected to skiing. 10. A binding according to claim 9, characterized in that the spacing of the arms is less than the width of the base (14), that said base has two portions of grooves (20, 21) opening out towards the rear in which are at least partially house the first portions (17, Ì8) of the arms (11,12) in the lower position of the body (5). 11. A binding according to claim 9, characterized in that the base (14) is integrally connected to the ski and that said transverse orifice for the articulation axis (13) is a transverse lumen (15) extending longitudinally, along which the axis (13) of the arms (11,12) slides. 12. A binding according to claim 9, characterized in that the base (14) is slidably mounted in a longitudinal direction along a slide (46) integrally connected to the ski (2), that said orifice is a bore (45 ) cylindrical of revolution, and that the bearing (24) for the hinge pin (23) of the lever (22) is integrally connected to the ski (2). 13. A binding according to claim 9, characterized in that the base (14) is slidably mounted in a longitudinal direction along a slide (46) connected integrally to the ski (2), that said orifice is a bore (45 ) cylindrical of revolution, and that the bearing (24) for the articulation axis (23) of the lever (22) is integral with the base (14) in its sliding movement.