EP0159203B1 - Heel hold-down for ski binding of the kind fitted on a swivel plate - Google Patents

Abstract

A heel-retaining device for a ski binding in which a ski brake is integrated with the device and in which the heel-holding member is carried by a rotary plate located beneath the heel of the ski boot. The rotary plate has a large opening within which are mounted the pedal for operating the pivotal arms of the ski brake together with the adjacent end portions of the braking arms. The pivot-pins of the braking arms are located below the level of the rotary plate. An upward displacement of the brake-operating pedal at the time of lifting of the ski-boot heel is not liable to interfere with the free rotational movement of the rotary plate and the components carried by the plate.

Description

The present invention relates to heels for ski bindings, of the type in which the heel retainer is carried by a rotary plate located below the location of the heel. In heels of this type, which are more commonly called “pivoting heels”, the heel holding member is generally mounted on a hoop surrounding the rear of the shoe and whose lateral branches are articulated on ears carried by either side of the turntable. These heels have the advantage of allowing the shoe to pivot about a vertical axis located substantially above the tibia, when there is a significant torsional force and the front safety stop, associated with such a heel , is triggered to allow the release of the shoe.

To also provide security in the event of the skier falling forward, the heel retainer is designed to automatically release it in the event that too great an extension force is exerted on the leg. Of course when combined forces of extension and torsion occur, the two retainers of the binding, that is to say the front stop and the heel retainer - are both biased towards their shoe release position, while the rotary plate of the heel is caused to pivot under the effect of the torsional force exerted on the foot.

Because of the advantages inherent in such a solution, it has already been proposed to associate a heel cup of the type in question with the brake device which is usually provided on a ski to stop it as soon as the shoe has left completely released. In some of the embodiments already proposed, the ski brake is simply associated with the corresponding heel, while in others, it is completely integrated into the latter.

Thus, FIGS. 6 to 9 of patent FR-2278363 represent the association of a pivoting heel piece and a ski brake device mounted behind the rotary plate of this heel piece to be controlled by the boot stand thereof. this. In this embodiment there is therefore no integration of the ski brake into the pivot of the heel, which leads to an increase in the size of the assembly. Furthermore, the control of the brake, by the crutch for fitting the heel, has multiple drawbacks such as: risk of triggering the brake during skiing, uncertainty of the control of the brake due to the elasticity of the heel. In addition, some of the constituent parts of the brake device may interfere with the rotation of the rotating plate of the heel in certain circumstances.

Patent FR-2453606 describes two different embodiments of a pivoting heel piece associated with a brake. In one of these (FIGS. 18 to 21) the brake is fixed and disposed behind the pivot, its pedal coming to be placed (in the waiting position) above the turntable of the pivot. Under conditions, during a heaving in pure torsion, one of the lateral ears of the turntable very quickly abuts against the brake pedal. This therefore suddenly blocks the rotation of the pivot all the drawbacks that may result therefrom.

In the other embodiment (Figures 1 to 17) described in this document, the brake is mounted on the turntable of the pivot. But after a heaving in torsion having turned the pivot plate, the operation of the brake is completely uncertain. Furthermore, in the case of a complex fall that initially caused the heel to rise, raising the brake pedal prevents the pivot from rotating freely. In addition, the assembly provided is fragile because the brake is carried by the pivot plate and rotates therewith. However, if one of the brake arms is deformed, this may hinder, or prevent, the rotation of the pivot.

Document DE-A-2906726 also describes a pivoting heel in which a fixed brake is nested in the turntable. However, rotation of the pivot is only possible over a very limited angular travel, when the brake is in the standby position. This therefore prevents the pivot from playing its normal role.

It is the same in the embodiments described in documents FR-A-2500314 and FR-A-2 511258.

This is why the aim of the present invention is to produce a fixing heel of the type in question, that is to say a pivoting heel in which a ski brake is integrated, but the design of which is such that the elements components of the ski brake do not, in any case, limit or disturb the rotation of the turntable.

For this purpose, this heel piece is characterized in that its rotary plate has a wide opening inside which are arranged the control pedal of the pivoting arms of the ski brake, as well as the adjoining ends of these arms, while the pivot axes of these arms are arranged below the level of the turntable.

Thus, even if the ski brake control pedal is caused to lift with the adjoining ends of the braking arms, this is not likely to hinder or disturb the rotation of the turntable and the members carried by it.

Preferably, the opening in the turntable has a circular outline and its axis coincides with the axis of rotation of this turntable, the brake control pedal and the adjoining ends of the pivoting braking arms being contained in the space delimited by the outline of the opening of the turntable.

In an advantageous embodiment, the upper face of the fixed base, serving as a support for the turntable, is inclined towards the front and the same is true of this plate, the thickness of the base increasing towards the rear with at the front a minimum thickness and, at the rear, a sufficient thickness so that the pivot axes of the brake arms are located below the turntable. In such an embodiment, the axis of rotation of the rotary plate of the heel piece is therefore tilted forward. This is an advantage given the slight natural inclination of the tibia of the skier's leg during skiing.

• La figure 1 est une vue en plan de dessus d'une talonnière de fixation selon l'invention;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe verticale selon la ligne brisée II-II de la figure 1;
• Q la figure 3 est une vue similaire à Îa figurer, mais qui rerésente cette même talonnière après rotation du plateau rotatif de celle-ci et commencement du pivotement des bras du frein à ski vers leur position de freinage;
• la figure 4 est une vue correspondante en élévation de côté;
• la figure 5 est une vue partielle en coupe selon la ligne V-V de la figure 3.

However, other particularities and advantages of the fixing heel piece according to the invention will appear during the following description of an exemplary embodiment of the latter. This description is given with reference to the attached drawing for information only, and in which:

• Figure 1 is a top plan view of a binding heel according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view along the broken line II-II of Figure 1;
• Q Figure 3 is a view similar to Îa figure, but which re-represents the same heel after rotation of the turntable thereof and beginning of the pivoting of the ski brake arms towards their braking position;
• Figure 4 is a corresponding side elevation view;
• FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view along the line VV in FIG. 3.

The heel piece shown has a fixed base above which is disposed a disk 1 intended to constitute a rotary plate below the location of the heel of the corresponding shoe. This disc carries lateral ears 2, forming wedges, on which the front ends of the lateral branches of an arch 3 are articulated surrounding the location of the rear of the shoe. The rear transverse branch of this arch carries, in a known manner, a pivoting member (not shown) intended to ensure the retention in place of the heel. This member can be of the type described in patent FR-1363895. Besides, there is no need to describe in detail this part of the heel piece, since this does not constitute the subject of the invention.

The fixed base, on which the disc 1 is rotatably mounted, comprises a plate 5 serving as a base and a body 4 disposed at the rear, above the latter. In this regard, it should be noted that the upper face of this base is inclined towards the front by an angle a (see FIG. 2), its thickness increasing towards the rear. Consequently, the rotary disc 1 is itself disposed at the same inclination, so that its axis of rotation X-Y is itself inclined forward.

This rotary disc 1 has a wide opening 6 inside which is placed the pedal 7 for controlling the brake device integrated in the present heel piece, as will be described in more detail below. Preferably, this opening has a circular contour and its center coincides with the axis of rotation X-Y of the rotating disc 1.

Keeping it in place on the fixed base 4-5 is ensured by a retaining flange 10 formed by the rim of a washer 8 in pressed sheet metal, also disposed inside the opening 6 of this disc. . At the rear it carries a plate 17 intended to support the heel. The different parts constituting the base are secured against each other by any appropriate means and the assembly is fixed to the ski S by screws 9.

The rotating disc 1 carries at the rear a piece 19 intended to serve as a support for the heel. The assembly thus formed is guided in rotation by a washer 22, forming part of the base, and whose outside diameter corresponds to the diameter of the opening 6 of the disc 1. The washer 22 is itself guided to slide along the axis of the ski with respect to the fixed retaining washer 8. Thus the disc 1 can not only rotate on itself, but also slide in the longitudinal direction.

• - possibilité de compensation d'un mauvais ajustage de l'ensemble en longueur,
• - possibilité de dilatation ou rétraction de la chaussure,
• - suppression d'un risque de coïncement de la chaussure lors d'une flexion du ski.

However, a pusher 21, subjected to the action of a thrust spring 20, tends to maintain the assembly in its normal position. The possibility of reversing the rotary disc 1 of the pivot has several functions, please:

• - possibility of compensating for a bad adjustment of the whole in length,
• - possibility of expansion or retraction of the shoe,
• - Elimination of the risk of the shoe getting caught when the ski flexes.

It can be seen that all of the fixed parts are shaped and arranged so as to leave, at the front of the opening of the rotary disc 1, a free space for the brake control part integrated in the present pivot.

This brake device can be of the type described in patent FR-2483792. This device therefore comprises two pivoting arms 11 made of metal wire, the axes of articulation of which consist of a bent part 12 of these arms. These two parts extend approximately transversely to the median longitudinal axis of the ski and are engaged inside notches 13 formed in the body of the base and which thus constitute articulation bearings for the two arms. pivot 11.

It should be noted that these bearings are located opposite the rear half of the opening 6 provided in the rotary disc 1, but below the level of the disc 1 (see FIG. 2). These bearings are located a short distance behind the pivot axis X-Y.

In their waiting position, represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pivoting arms 11 are arranged approximately horizontally above the ski. Their front ends include angled extensions 14 on which the control pedal 7 is articulated. As described in patent FR-2483792, these extensions 14 form a V in a plane transverse to the ski and the arrangement is such that the folding of the pedal 7, after raising the opposite ends 15 of the braking arms, causes these ends to retract above the ski, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In this position, the braking ends 15 therefore extend rearwards above the ski, while the ends 16, adjoining the control pedal 7, extend in front of the bearings 13 of articulation. The control pedal 7 is then placed inside the half before this opening. Preferably, a fixed support plate 17 is arranged inside the rear part of the opening 6 to serve as a support for the corresponding part of the heel.

The outer contour of this plate corresponds to an arc of a circle and the control pedal 7 itself has at its periphery rounded parts so that the rotary disc can freely rotate around these two parts.

A return spring 18 constantly tends to cause the lifting of the control pedal 7 and the adjoining ends of the brake arms 11. However, as long as the heel of the shoe is placed on the rotating disc 1, this pedal is held in place the lowered position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which the upper face of this pedal is at the same level as the top of the support plate 17. Under these conditions the braking ends 15 of the pivoting arms are themselves kept raised above the ski in their retracted position, therefore set back from the side edges of the ski.

However, as soon as the heel of the shoe is caused to lift, the spring 18 causes the control pedal 7 to be raised. This therefore controls the pivoting of the braking arms 11 according to the arrow F around their axes of articulation 12 , this movement being accompanied by a spacing of the braking ends 15, on either side of the edges of the ski.

However when there is a teyl movement, this does not in any way hinder the free rotation of the rotary disc 1 and the various bodies carried by it. This is due to the fact that the control pedal 7, as well as the adjoining ends 16 of the braking arms, are arranged inside the space delimited by the opening 6 of this disc and that moreover the axes 12 d The articulation of the braking arms is located below the level of the rotating disc 1.

Under these conditions, the presence of the brake device, integrated in the heel piece according to the invention, does not in any way risk disturbing the normal functioning thereof, as can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, which represent the pivot during rotation, while the drum is itself being deployed. However, it can be noted that no part of the brake interferes with the rotation of the pivot and that in particular the lateral ears 2 of the latter do not run the risk of abutting against the brake pedal 7 or against the adjoining ends of the braking arms.

To avoid excessive lifting of the heel of the boot relative to the ski, the thickness of the base is minimum at the front and its thickness at the rear is just sufficient for the axes 12 of pivoting of the braking arms to be located below the level of the rotating disc 1. Under these conditions the angle of inclination of the rotating disc is of the order of 8 °. Such an inclination is advantageous since the axis X-Y of rotation of the disc 1 thus has a slight forward inclination, similar to the natural inclination of the tibia of the skier's leg, when skiing.

However, the upper face of the base of the present heel piece may very well not be inclined forward, but be parallel to the upper face of the ski, its thickness being just sufficient for the axes 12 of pivoting of the braking arms to be located. below the level of the rotating disc 1.

Furthermore, the ski brake, integrated into the heel piece according to the invention, may be of a different type from that described above, provided that it includes a control pedal capable of being disposed inside the wide opening 6 of the rotating disc 1 and that the pivot axes of its braking arms are located below the level of this disc. Thus it is possible to provide a brake of the type described in documents FR-A-2452300 and FR-A-2513527.

Claims (6)

1. Heel-retaining device for a ski binding, of the type in which the heel-holding member of the ski boot is carried by a rotary plate located beneath the heel of the ski boot, and which comprises a ski brake integrated with the complete assembly, characterized in that the rotary plate (1) has a large opening (6) within which are disposed the operating pedal (7) for controlling the pivotal arms (11) of the ski brake as well as the adjacent end portions (16) of these arms whilst the pivot-pins (12) of these arms are located below the level of the rotary plate (1).

2. Heel-retaining device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the opening (6) formed in the rotary plate (1) has a circular contour and its axis coincides with the axis of rotation (X-Y) of this plate, the operating pedal (7) of the ski brake and the adjacent end portions (16) of the pivotal braking arms being contained within a space delimited by the contour of the opening (6) of the rotary plate (1).

3. Heel-retaining device in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the pivot-pins (12) of the braking arms (11) are also contained within the space delimited by the contour of the opening (6) of the rotary plate (1

4. Heel-retaining device in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the top face of the fixed base (4) which serves as a support for the rotary plate (1) is forwardly inclined and the same applies to this rotary plate, the thickness of the support base (4) being progressively greater towards the rear with a minimum thickness at the front end and a sufficient thickness at the rear and to ensure that the pivot-pins (12) of the braking arms (11) are located below the rotary plate (1).

5. Heel-retaining device in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating pedal (7) which controls the braking arms (11) is pivotally mounted on elbowed extensions (14) of the adjacent end portions (16) of these arms and the pivot-pins of these latter consist of intermediate elbowed portions (12) of these arms, the bearings (13) in which these pivot-pins are mounted being located behind the position of the operating pedal (7) and the braking ends (15) of the braking arms (11) being such as to extend to the rear when they are raised.

6. Heel-retaining device in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that, in the position of withdrawal of the braking arms (11), the pedal (7) which operates these latter occupies substantially the front half of the opening (6) formed in the rotary plate (1) whilst the pivot-pins (12) of the braking arms (11) are located opposite to the rear half of this same opening beneath a fixed plate (17) disposed within the opening (6) of the rotary plate (1) and intended to serve as a support for the heel of the ski boot.

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