CH675362A5 - Ski with removable elements to adjust torsional rigidity - elements being elastic semi-elastic or rigid and held in longitudinal grooves upper surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The ski has two, or more longitudinal grooves (2) in its upper surface (9) and torsion box (8). Elastic, semi-elastic or rigid elements (6) are fixed into the grooves. The grooves are in front of and behind the bindings. There can be a pair of grooves on either side of the ski's longidutinal axis and at an equal distance from this. The elements can be T-shaped with their upper branches resting on the ski's upper surface. They can be held in the grooves by a layer of a double sided adhesive in the base of the groove. USE - The torsional rigidity of the ski can be adjusted.

Description

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Description

The present invention relates to a ski with adjustable torsional rigidity, and more particularly to a ski comprising one or more longitudinal grooves which are formed in the elements which constitute the upper structure of the ski, and comprising elastic, semi-elastic or rigid which are intended to be mounted inside the grooves.

It has been known for many years that the torsional rigidity of skis plays a preponderant role on the performance of skis and more particularly on the grip properties of skis on hard or icy snow, an evolution which has prompted most manufacturers of skis to develop ski structures with high torsional rigidity and, for example, torsion box structures. However, known high performance skis with high torsional rigidity have many drawbacks. In fact, the design of skis is subject to the search for an ideal compromise which consists in reconciling performance and the ease and comfort of skiability. This ideal compromise is very difficult to obtain since it is different for each different type of snow. The improvement in performance by increasing the torsional rigidity made the search for the ideal compromise very difficult and it is known that high performance skis in hard snow can become very difficult and unstable in soft snow, which presents the disadvantage of requiring the multiplication of models, each model being intended for a particular category of snow type. With the current design of known skis, the development of the skis is long, because it is necessary to try the skis in all types of snow and very expensive because the modifications generally require the modification of the production equipment, the molds for example. For the manufacturer, the multiplication of models implies the multiplication of production equipment, which translates into significant investments. For the user, the choice of a pair of skis is difficult to make since, when purchasing, he must opt for a particular type of use.

The object of the present invention therefore consists in overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of known skis. One or more longitudinal grooves can be made in the elements constituting the upper structure of the ski, which has the effect of modifying the torsional characteristics of the ski. These grooves can be made, lengthwise of the ski, at any location, whether in the front or rear part of the ski or front and rear of the ski. By cutting the upper structures of the ski, the grooves have the effect of locally reducing the torsional rigidity, which results in different skiability. During the development of the skis, the skiability characteristics can be modified by making grooves in different locations, by practicing grooves of different lengths, or by practicing grooves of different depths. Elastic, semi-elastic or rigid elements are intended to be mounted in the groove or grooves, and depending on the material used the effect of the groove on the torsional rigidity will be greater or less.

Each of the parameters mentioned above makes it possible to modify the skiability characteristics of the skis, and the combination of the different parameters between them makes it possible to obtain a considerable number of different possibilities, this while using the same ski structure and the same equipment. of production. The development times are greatly reduced and the investment in production equipment considerably reduced, a very large number of different models being able to be produced with the same basic equipment. The realization of the grooves is extremely simple and can be carried out with very inexpensive equipment, which still has the advantage of allowing specialists in the sector, sports shops for example, to easily carry out this operation and therefore to quickly satisfy a user who would like a modification, and in such a case the first intervention consisting simply in replacing the elastic or semi-elastic elements mounted in the grooves.

The ski with adjustable torsional stiffness according to the invention which aims to achieve the above-mentioned aims is characterized by the fact that it has one or more longitudinal grooves which are formed in the elements which constitute its upper structure, and by the fact that elastic, semi-elastic or rigid elements are intended to be mounted inside the groove or grooves.

The accompanying drawings illustrate schematically and by way of example the principles of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively longitudinal sectional and plan views of a ski provided with grooves.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a ski provided with a groove and an elastic, semi-elastic or rigid element mounted inside the groove.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a ski provided with a groove and an embodiment of elastic, semi-elastic or rigid element.

Figures 5 and 6 are partial views in longitudinal section of a ski provided with a groove and one or more elastic, semi-elastic or rigid elements.

Figures 7 and 8 are plan views of a ski provided with grooves at various locations.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, a ski 1 has grooves 2 and 3 which are formed in the elements constituting the upper structure of the ski. The grooves are arranged longi-tudinally respectively at the front of a fixing stop 4 for the groove 2 and at the rear of the fixing latch 5 for the groove 3.

Figure 3 shows in cross section an example of a ski structure, with the core 7, a torsion box 8, the upper ski surface 9, the sides of the ski 10 and 1CX, the edges 11 and 1V and the sole of the ski 12. A groove 2 is made in the

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elements constituting the upper ski structure which in the case illustrated by way of example are, the surface of the ski 9, the upper part of the torsion box 8 and the upper part of the core 7. An elastic, semi-elastic or rigid 6 is mounted in groove 2.

The purpose of making the groove 2 is to locally reduce the torsional rigidity of the ski structure. The purpose of the added element 6 is to control the reduction in rigidity. If the element 6 is made of elastic material, for example, the groove 2 brings about a significant local reduction in the torsional rigidity. And if, for example, the element 6 is made of rigid material, the groove 2 leads to a slight reduction in the torsional rigidity.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the elastic, semi-elastic or rigid element 13 which collaborates with the groove 2 practiced in skiing 1. The element 13 has a T shape, the upper branches 14 and 14 'are intended to come to bear on the upper surface of the ski. The element 13 can be maintained inside the groove 2 simply by compression, or as shown in FIG. 4, by a double-sided adhesive 15 placed in the bottom of the groove 2.

FIG. 5 shows an elastic, semi-elastic or rigid element mounted in a groove 2 made in ski 1.

FIG. 6 shows a groove 2 made in the upper structure of the ski 1. Several elements mounted in the groove 2, for example an elastic element 16, a semi-elastic element 18 and a rigid element 17. The location of the elements 16, 17 and 18 is shown in this case by way of example, all the possibilities of location being possible and providing as many possibilities of adjusting the torsional rigidity.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment with several grooves 20, 21 and 22 made in the ski 1. In the case where a single groove is made in a longitudinal location, it will generally be arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ski, in this case the groove 22. In the case where two grooves are arranged at the same longitudinal location, they will generally be arranged transversely sysmetrically on either side of the longitudinal axis of the ski. However, these examples of locations with respect to the axis of the ski are not limiting, any location that can be used according to the general principle of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows a possible embodiment with several grooves 23, 24, 25 and 26 which are of different lengths and which are made at various locations in the ski 1.

Claims (6)

Claims 1. Ski with adjustable torsional stiffness, characterized in that it comprises one or more longitudinal grooves which are formed in the elements which constitute its upper structure, and in the fact that elastic, semi-elastic or rigid elements are intended for be mounted inside the groove (s). 2. Ski with adjustable torsional stiffness according to claim 1, characterized in that one or more longitudinal grooves are formed at the front or at the rear of the ski at locations which are located at the front of a stop. binding mounted on the ski or at the back of a binding heel. 3. Ski with adjustable torsional stiffness according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the longitudinal grooves are arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ski. 4. Ski with adjustable torsional stiffness according to claim 1, characterized in that two longitudinal grooves are arranged in the same longitudinal location, and in that transversely they are arranged on either side of the longitudinal axis of the ski equidistant from this axis. 5. Ski with adjustable torsional stiffness according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic, semi-elastic or rigid elements have a T-shaped profile whose upper branches are intended to come into abutment on the upper surface of the ski . 6. Ski with adjustable torsional stiffness according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that the elastic, semi-elastic or rigid elements are held in position inside the grooves by a double-sided adhesive placed in the bottom of the groove. 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 3