EP0183055B1

EP0183055B1 - Ski boot and ski binding combination

Info

Publication number: EP0183055B1
Application number: EP85113504A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Filippo De Mattheis
Original assignee: Nordica SpA
Current assignee: Nordica SpA
Priority date: 1984-10-31
Filing date: 1985-10-24
Publication date: 1989-08-09
Also published as: DE3572124D1; IT8452413V0; ATE45293T1; JPS61154501A; EP0183055A1

Abstract

The invention is concerned with a ski boot structure particularly intended for downhill skiing, which comprises a boot shell (2), a boot sole (3), and an inclinable boot quarter (4) oscillably associated with the shell (2) for oscillation relatively thereto; the sole (3) has members (5) for binding the ski boot (1) to the body of a ski (13), which include at least three small plungers (6,7,8) arranged to move coaxially within a guide (9) internally of the sole (3) against and by the action of a spring (10) for snap engagement with binding blocks (11,12) associated with the ski body (13).

Description

The present invention relates to a ski boot structure particularly for downhill skiing.
Known are ski boots which incorporate, internally of their soles or externally thereof, devices adapted for engagement with one or two binding members provided on the ski body.
Such prior devices usually comprise movable elements which engage with a snap action in recesses formed in the binding members owing to a pressure force exerted on said elements by elastic means, and specifically by spring means.
More in detail, the binding member's recesses wherein such movable elements engage, are provided on two opposed faces or areas of the binding member, and consequently, the movable members are located on opposed sides with respectto each otheron the binding member itself.
From DE-A-2329880 is known a ski binding and footwear combination particularly for cross- country skiing and convertible to downhill skiing, having a binding structure of the above type.
With this known binding structure, the binding member engages at a substantially central region of the boot and creates inherent problems due to the fact that all of the stresses resulting from the movements imparted to the ski by the skier while skiing are transferred through a single member, which makes it very difficult to calibrate the springs according to the skier's weight and skiing style or action, and according to the force required to release the ski from the boot in an optimum fashion in the event of the skier falling.
To compensate for these problems, bindings have been developed which have two binding members rigidly attached to the ski body, see for example FR-A-2 051 109 wherein the recesses to be engaged by the movable elements are arranged to confront one another in spaced apart relationship such that the forces brought about to control the skis directionally are divided between both binding members and the moment of force which resists the force tending to release the ski from the boot can be made greater, thereby the springs of the movable elements do not require to be calibrated for maximum values, which reflects favourably on the reliable release of the ski from the boot in the event of a fall.
However, the latter binding types, while improving considerably the possibility of meeting at one time both of the primary prerequisites of a ski binding for downhill skiing, namely a reliable release combined with a good ability to transfer the commands imparted to the skis by the skier, have the drawback that they cannot differentiate the forces imparted by the skier while skiing between the binding member which is closest to the boot toe end and the binding member closest to the boot heel region.
The aim underlying this invention is to obviate such prior drawbacks by providing a ski boot structure particularly for downhill skiing which can split the forces involved in securing the boot on a ski body in a different fashion.
Within the above aim it is an important object of the invention to provide a ski boot structure whose members for hooking to a ski body provide an increased binding force close to the heel and a lesser one close to the boot toe.
Another object of the invention is to provide a ski boot structure which affords reliable releasing from a ski body in the event of the skier falling.
A not least object of the invention is to provide a ski boot structure having a sole which can be made shorter than the longitudinal extension of the boot shell in order to afford an improved ease of walking for the wearer.
The above aim, and these and other objects are achieved by a ski boot and ski binding combination as claimed in claim 1.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred though not exclusive embodiment of the boot structure according to this invention, to be read in conjunction with the accompanying illustrative and not limitative drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a partly sectional side elevation view of the boot structure showing the binding members of this invention inside the sole;
Figure 2 is a partly sectional plan view of the sole of the boot structure according to the invention showing the inventive binding members;
Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the cover element for the sole of the boot structure according to the invention; and
Figure 4 is a plan view of the binding blocks associated with a ski body, according to the invention.

With reference to the drawing figures, a boot structure according to the invention, as generally designated with the reference numeral 1, comprises a shell 2 whereto a sole 3 is rigidly attached and an inclinable leg part associated oscillably with the shell 2.
Advantageously, the sole 3 has internally mounted binding members, generally indicated at 5, which comprise at leastthree small plungers 6, 7 and 8 arranged to move coaxially with respect to each other within a guide 9 against and by the action of elastic means, specifically springs 10, accommodated in housings 5a, 5b, 5c.
The heads of the plungers are adapted for snap engagement with first and second binding blocks 11 and 12 respectively which are conveniently associated with the body of a ski 13.
The first plunger 7 and second plunger 8 are arranged such that their end heads confront each other and have a rounded shape to snap engage in seats 14 provided in the binding element 12.
Likewise, the third plunger 6 has a rounded terminating head adapted to engage in a seat 15 provided in the binding element 11.
It should be also pointed out that said small plungers 6, and 8 each have a tubular adjustment element 16, comprising an externally threaded stem 16a, threadably engaging a correspondingly threaded seat 16b, provided in the housings 5a-c, and having an enlarged extremity or thumb-wheel 16c, the rotation whereof causes the threaded portion to move the end of the spring 10 towards or away from the plunger 5, 6, 7 and is thus effective to calibrate the force exerted by the springs 10 according to the skier's requirements.
The binding members 5 also have associated therewith a lever system for moving the plungers 6, 7 and 8 manually, and which specifically comprises a first rod 17 passing through a tubular adjustment element 16 and being rigidly associated with the first plunger 7 and a second rod 18, rigidly associated with the second plunger 8, passing through an adjustment element 16. and having the opposed end thereof pivotally associated with a release lever 19 connected pivotally to the sole 2 approximately to the skier's heel.
Obviously, calibration of the force exerted by the springs 10 in the housings 5b, 5c could also be achieved by providing a thread engagement relationship between the rods 17, 18 and the interior of the stem 16a of the adjustment element 16, and permitting the latter to slide in the seat 16b provided in the housings.
The first rod 17 has its free end journalled to one end of a small plate or link 20, in turn journalled to the sole 3, the opposed end of said plate being journalled to a first end of a bar 21 the other end whereof is pivotally connected to said release lever 19, so as to produce, on turning the release lever 19, simultaneous displacements of the plungers 7 and 8 in opposite directions and hence disengage the heads of the plungers from the binding element 12 and allow, therefore, the boot and accordingly the binding members associated therewith, to be separated from the ski body.
In order to prevent the binding members from suffering damage due to dirt or foreign matter as the skier walks over snow-covered or clear ground, the sole 2 is advantageously provided with a cover element 22 having a circular opening 23 at the heads of the plungers 7 and 8 and a semicircular opening 24 at the plunger 6, adapted to define areas wherein the binding elements 11 and 12 are insertable.
Merely by way of example, it is further pointed out that the seats 14 of the binding element 12 are located diametrically opposed to each other and coaxial with the seat 15 in the binding element 11.
In order then that any snow deposits may not hinder hooking on the binding blocks 11 and 12, the latter have on their surfaces small channels 25 effective to eject such deposits during their insertion through the respective circular and semicircular openings, since the latter have substantially the same size as the binding block 11 and 12.
Conveniently, the binding block 12 is slideably movable along a guide 30, such that it can be moved towards and away from the binding block 11 according to the boot's size and therefore, the sizes of the hooking members provided in the sole.
It has been ascertained in practice that the ski boot structure according to the invention is particularly advantageous in that it provides the skier with hooking members which have three small plungers, two of which, namely the plunger 7 and plunger 8, are in practice located close to the heel region of the skier's foot, in which region the greatest stresses are transferred between the boot and ski body, while providing on the binding block 11, i.e. close to the toe of the boot where stresses are much lower, a lower binding force effective to facilitate a possible release of the boot from the ski body in the event of the skier falling.

Claims

1. A ski boot and ski binding combination, particularly suitable for downhill skiing, said ski boot comprising a substantially elongate shell (2), a boot sole (3) and a leg part oscillably associated with said shell (2), said boot sole comprising binding means for releasable engagement with at least one first binding block (12) securable on a ski body (13), said binding means comprising a plurality of clamping plungers (6, 7, 8) slidingly accommodated in longitudinal guide means (9) formed in the bottom of said boot sole (3), spring means (10) being provided in said guide means (9) for urging each plunger of said plurality in a clamping position, at least one first and one second plunger of said plurality being located in said guide means (9) longitudinally spaced apart at a clamping distance from each other and with their heads reciprocally facing such as to form a pair (7, 8) of oppositely cooperating clamping members arranged for releasable snap engage- mentwith said at least one first binding block (12), at least one third plunger (6) of said plurality being located in said guide means (9) longitudinally spaced from said first and second plungers (7, 8), characterized in that all of the plungers of said plurality (6, 7, 8) are aligned substantially coaxially of each other, there being provided at least one second binding block (11) rigidly and directly secured on said ski body (13) in a location longitudinally spaced apart from said first binding block (12) the head of said at least one third plunger (6) being arranged for releasable snap engagement with said at least one second binding block (11), said first and said second plungers forming said pair of oppositely arranged plungers (7, 8) being located in said guide means (9) proximate the heel portion of said ski boot while said third plunger (6) is located in said guide means (9) proximate the toe portion of said ski boot, whereby the securing forces holding said ski boot to said ski body (13) are splitted between the heel portion and the toe portion of said ski boot with a higher force concentration towards said heel portion of said ski boot and whereby engagement and disengagement of said ski boot with respect to said ski body (13) can be operated by any transverse force to the longitudinal direction of said ski boot.

2. A combination according to Claim 1, characterized in that said ski boot comprises release means (17-20) for manually disengaging said at -least one first and said second plungers (7, 8) from said at least one first binding block (12).

3. A combination according to Claim 2, characterized in that said release means comprises a release lever (19) pivotally mounted on said sole and accessible from the outside thereof, said release lever being hingedly connected with linkage means operatively connected with said first and said second plungers (7, 8) for movement of said plungers away from each other.

4. A combination according to Claim 3, characterized in that said linkage means comprises a first rod (17) and a second rod (18) each having one end rigidly associated with said respective first plunger (7) and second plunger (8), the other end of said first rod (17) being hingedly connected to a first end of a transverse connecting bar (20) pivotally mounted on said sole, the second end of said transverse bar (20) being hingedly connected to one end of a longitudinal connecting bar (21), the other end of said longitudinal connecting bar being journalled to said release lever (19), the other end of said second rod (18) being directly journalled to said release lever (19).

5. A combination according to Claim 1, characterized in that there are provided adjusting means (16) for calibrating the clamping force exerted by said spring means (10) on said respective plungers (6, 7, 8).

6. A combination according to Claim 5, characterized in that said boot sole (3) comprises a cover plate (22) extending substantially over the whole bottom surface of said boot sole, said cover plate having a first circular opening (23) adjacent the heads of said first and second plungers (7, 8) and a second opening adjacent the head of said third plunger (6).

7. A combination according to Claim 1, characterized in that said at least one first binding block (12) has a pair of seat formations (14) provided on the lateral wall thereof in substantially diametrically opposed locations for receiving said head of at least one first and one second plungers (7, 8).

8. A combination according to Claim 1, characterized in that said at least one second binding block (11) has one single seat formation (14) for the head of said at least one third plunger (6).

9. A combination according to Claim 1, characterized in that said at least first and second binding blocks (11, 12) are further provided with channel formations on the outer surface thereof for facilitating removal of snow.

10. A combination according to any preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one first binding block (12) is securable on a guide member (30) in selected positions longitudinally thereof for adjustment of the distance between said first and said second binding block, said guide member being rigibly associated with said ski body.