EP0536207B1 - Device for supporting a ski boot on a ski - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a base plate (1) fastened to the ski and having mounted therein a supporting insert (2) which can move sideways and swing out in a plane parallel to the ski and beyond a given path of sideways movement. The device comprises a hairpin-shaped spring (3) the ends of whose arms (31) are each provided with a guiding element (9) which fits into a shaped recess (8) formed on the underside of the insert (2). The interaction between this recess and the guiding elements limits the insert's lateral clearance, controls its swinging motion and returns it automatically to the central position. The device can be used as a binding for skis.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for supporting a ski boot on a ski.

A modern ski safety binding, composed of a front stop and a heel, is equipped with a device for supporting the boot, and more precisely the sole of the boot, on the ski. This device comprises a sliding plate which is associated or integrated with the front stop and is intended to serve as a support for a smooth area, of location and of standardized dimensions, which is provided under the front part of the sole.

This plate is lined with a material with a low coefficient of friction, for example PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).

A device of this kind, which is described for example in document FR-A-2 150 314, generally gives satisfaction under the usual conditions of use.

On the other hand, when the underside of the sole is worn and / or dirty, the parasitic friction which develops between the sole and the support plate can reach a high level by dangerously modifying the parameters for triggering the binding.

We have already tried to solve this problem by proposing a device in which the support plate is movable so that, in the event of high friction between the plate and the sole, this plate can be driven jointly with the sole, along a trajectory. identical or at least very similar; thanks to this arrangement, the displacement therefore occurs no longer between the boot and the pad, but between the pad and the ski, and this displacement can be carried out in a controlled manner, away from harmful influences due to wear and / or at soiling of the shoe or binding.

Document DE-A-2 333 166 relates to a device of this type. This device comprises a base plate which is fixed on the ski, on which is articulated a plate which can pivot laterally in a plane parallel to the ski, this on one side or the other. The insert has a disc-shaped backing pad which can rotate about its own axis relative to the insert. The plate is returned to its normal position centered on the ski by means of a hairpin-shaped spring, that is to say made up of a curved spring wire in the shape of a "U" or " V ".

This known device has the advantage of using a return spring that is both robust, reliable and compact.

However, it has the drawback of being relatively complex and of necessarily having a large thickness, this due to the presence of three superimposed parts which are articulated to one another in pairs. In addition, if the discoic shape of the support lining offers the advantage that this lining is always centered on the plate (without there being any need to use return means for this), this form has the drawback not to correspond to the standardized support area, of rectangular shape, which is provided under the sole. In addition, the disc is movable in rotation at any time. This has a drawback when the shoe is engaged in the binding.

At this instant, in fact, the shoe needs a stable support to properly position itself in the fastening elements. A mobile support makes this movement more delicate and more imprecise.

An object of the invention is to propose a device which implements a support plate whose shape corresponds to the standardized support zone provided under the shoe.

In principle, such a support plate allows better support of the plate by the sole of the shoe beyond the initial travel of transverse movement, even if the shoe moves back, as is often the case, during tripping: the relative movement between the sole and the movable plate is therefore reduced, so that little parasitic friction occurs.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a device equipped with a movable support plate, which provides the shoe with stable support when it is engaged in the fastening elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide the device with means which allow - beyond the
initial stroke of purely transverse movement - a relatively large tilting of the plate in a plane parallel to the ski, these means further carrying out the control of said tilting movement while ensuring with certainty the subsequent automatic refocusing of the mobile plate.

The device which is the subject of the invention is defined according to the terms of claim 1. It is a device of the kind which has just been mentioned, which comprises a return spring having the shape of a hairpin whose two branches extend symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski; according to the invention, each of these branches is provided, at its free end, with a guide piece which engages in a profiled counterbore formed in the underside of the plate, so that the cooperation of this counterbore with the guide parts makes it possible to limit the amplitude of clearance of the plate and to control the tilting movement thereof , in one direction as in the other, then bring the plate back to its central position.

Preferably, the guide parts are small plastic blocks which are overmolded on the ends of the branches of the spring, these parts advantageously resting on their underside in a closed curved groove which is formed in the base plate.

In this case, when the support plate is centered on the base plate, the block-shaped guide parts are in support (apart from play) by their external edges both against the lateral edges of the counterbore and against the ends of the groove.

The support plate, when viewed from above, has a generally rectangular shape (which corresponds substantially to the shape of the standardized sliding zone provided under the sole of the shoe). The long sides of the rectangle extend transversely to the ski. In a preferred embodiment, each of these long sides has a thin part in the shape of a tenon which cooperates with a tongue integral with the base plate, so as to ensure the retention of the plate on the base plate. Advantageously, the tongue situated on the spring side forms an integral part of a cover which is attached and fixed, for example by snap-fastening, to the base plate, this cover covering the return spring.

Still according to this preferred embodiment, when the support plate is centered on the base plate, the edges of the thin parts forming a tenon are in contact with support zones provided on the base plate, at each angle of the plate, which prevents the tilting of this plate in the event of transverse displacement of small amplitude: to authorize the tilting of the plate after a certain course of transverse displacement, the spring in the form of a hairpin is advantageously housed in a recess whose shape is complementary to that of the spring ("V" shape), this recess being hollowed out in the base plate and constituting a clearance space into which a corner part of the insert can penetrate during its tilting.

Preferably, on the side opposite the spring, the edge of the thin part forming a tenon has a central part which acts as a support zone for the tilting of the plate relative to the base plate, this central part being bordered by two notches which also constitute clearance spaces.

It is possible to provide that the spring is housed in the base plate under a slight prestress (branch slightly tightened compared to the normal state of the spring) so that the lateral displacement of the plate is only possible if the transverse force exerted by the sole on the plate exceeds a certain threshold: there is therefore a "hard point" which avoids that there is play in the movable plate in periods of non-use of the binding.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear from the description and the attached drawings which show a preferred embodiment.

• la figure 1 est une vue éclatée en perspective, avec arrachements partiels, de l'ensemble des éléments constitutifs d'un dispositif selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue partielle, coupée par un plan longitudinal vertical d'une partie du dispositif - en l'occurence de la partie comprenant la plaquette mobile - ;
• les figures 3, 4 et 5 sont des vues de dessus schématiques coupées par le plan III-III de la figure 2, à plus petite échelle que celle de cette figure, du dispositif, ces figures montrant trois positions successives de la plaquette au cours de son mouvement de dégagement latéral ;
• la figure 7 est une vue de dessus schématique, à plus grande échelle, destinée à montrer la forme de la pièce de guidage dont est munie une branche du ressort.

In these drawings:

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view, partially broken away, of all the elements of a device according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a partial view, cut by a vertical longitudinal plane of a part of the device - in this case of the part comprising the movable plate -;
• Figures 3, 4 and 5 are schematic top views cut by the plane III-III of Figure 2, on a smaller scale than that of this figure, of the device, these figures showing three successive positions of the wafer during its lateral release movement;
• Figure 7 is a schematic top view, on a larger scale, for showing the shape of the guide piece which is provided with a branch of the spring.

The device shown in the figures comprises a base plate 1 of plastic with high mechanical strength obtained in one piece by molding. The plate 1 comprises a relatively thick part 10 intended to be directed towards the rear of the ski (not shown) and a thinner part 11 intended to be turned towards the front. The width of the plate 1 corresponds substantially to the width of the ski. In the thin part 11 are provided holes 110 for the passage of screws for fixing the front stop on the ski; the plate 1 is therefore fixed to the ski at the same time as the front stop (not shown).

• un bord biseauté 141, destiné à éviter l'accrochage du bord avant de la semelle au moment du chaussage de la fixation ;
• une languette transversale 14 qui délimite une rainure à fond vertical 140 ;
• un film 5 en matériau à faible coefficient de frottement, par exemple en PTFE, qui est collé sur la face supérieure de la partie 10 ;
• une rainure 13 de faible largeur et de faible profondeur, ayant approximativement la forme d'un arc de cercle dont le centre de courbure est dirigé vers l'avant ;
• une partie 15 ayant la forme d'un plateau qui vient en surépaisseur sur la face supérieure de la plaque de base 1.

From back to front, plate 1 has:

• a beveled edge 141, intended to prevent the front edge of the sole from catching on when the binding is put on;
• a transverse tongue 14 which defines a vertical bottom groove 140;
• a film 5 made of a material with a low coefficient of friction, for example PTFE, which is bonded to the upper face of the part 10;
• a groove 13 of small width and shallow depth, having approximately the shape of an arc of a circle whose center of curvature is directed towards the front;
• a part 15 in the form of a plate which comes in excess thickness on the upper face of the base plate 1.

Part 15 has the general shape of a "V" whose opening is directed towards the rear and which is arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis XX 'of the plate 1, an axis which corresponds after mounting to the longitudinal axis of the ski.

The side branches of the "V" portion 15 have been designated by the reference 16 and by the reference 17 the interior edges of the portions 16. These edges define an interior space (recess) referenced 170. The ends of the portions 16 are shaped as parts 18 facing outwards, whose rear edges, of small width, are referenced 19.

At the top of the "V" clearance 170 is arranged a cylindrical stud 100, centered on the axis XX ', and the height of which corresponds to that of the part 15.

The curved groove 13 is a closed groove, the edges 130 of which stop a little before the lateral edges of the plate 1.

The front part 12 of the thin part 11 has an advantageously rounded shape, which corresponds to the front contour of the plate of the front stop.

The mobile support plate has been designated by reference 2.

This plate has a body 20 of high-strength plastic obtained by molding. In top view, the body 20 has a rectangular shape adapted to be engaged laterally, in the manner of a drawer, on the base plate 1 between the groove 140 and the edge areas 19. After engagement, it therefore rests on the film. 5, in good conditions to slide laterally.

Conventionally, the underside of the body 20 is a flat face while the top of this body is an arcuate face 26 in which is embedded and bonded a lining 6 made of a material with a low coefficient of friction, for example PTFE. It's this lining which is intended to serve as a support for the standardized sliding zone provided under the sole of the shoe.

On its two long sides (sides arranged transversely to the axis XX ') the body 20 has thin parts, or tongues, 22, 27 playing the role of tenons. The tongue 27 which is directed towards the front of the ski has a straight edge 28; on the contrary, the tongue 22 facing the rear of the ski has a cut contour comprising a straight central part 24, of short length, as well as two lateral parts 23 also straight and of short length; the part 24 is connected to each of the lateral parts 23 by concave curved portions, which define notches 25.

The rear tenon 22 is overhung by the rear edge of the upper wall of the body 20 so that the parts 21, 22 define a complementary groove of the tongue 14 of the base plate.

The return spring of the plate 2 has been designated by the reference 3. This spring has the general shape of a hairpin; it is formed in a spring steel wire wound on itself to form a few helical turns 33 and having two divergent branches 31 which give it the general appearance of a "V". The ends 32 of the branches 31 are slightly bent towards the outside, and carry guide pieces 9. The latter are small pavers of plastic material which are attached by overmolding on the ends of the parts 32, these ends having preferably been previously crushed to improve the quality of the retention of the parts 9 on the spring and in particular to avoid their rotation relative to the wire.

The part 33 is shaped to fit onto the cylindrical stud 100.

Preferably, when the spring 3 is in its natural state, its two branches 31 form an angle (acute) which is slightly larger than the angle of convergence of the walls 17 of the clearance space 170. In FIG. 1, this natural state of the spring has been illustrated, by representing one of its branches, referenced 31 ′, in broken lines mixed, the associated guide part being designated 9 '.

The spring 3 is shaped in such a way that it can be placed in the space 170, the parts 9 then coming to be placed in the curved groove 13, bearing against the edges 130 of this groove.

The device also comprises a part 4 forming a cover which comprises a main body 40 whose rear edge 43 has the shape of a transverse tongue.

On its underside, the part 4 carries a pair of hooks 42 in the shape of an inverted "L". These hooks are located on the two lateral edges of the part 4, near the tongue 43; they have their free branch directed inward and are adapted to engage in complementary recesses formed on the sides of the parts 18 of the base plate 1. Similarly, the front edge of the part 4 has a part forming a hook, of section in the shape of an inverted "L", the branch of which is directed towards the rear. This part 41 is intended to come into engagement with the thinned edge 150 of the front wall of the part 15.

A recess or counterbore 8 is provided under the body 20 of the movable plate 2. As can be seen more particularly in FIGS. 3 to 5, this counterbore opens out towards the front of the ski; it has an outline, most of which 82 has the general shape of an arc of a circle, similar to the shape of the groove 13, the center of curvature of which is directed towards the front of the ski and is centered on the axis of longitudinal symmetry XX '. The portion 82 is connected on each side to a straight portion 81 which diverges slightly towards forward and outward with respect to XX '; the portion 81 is connected to another portion 80 which, for its part, converges towards the axis XX 'to open onto the front side of the plate (see FIG. 6).

The sum of the depths of the groove 13 on the one hand and the counterbore 8 on the other hand is very slightly greater than the thickness e of the guide blocks 9.

The assembly of the various constituent elements of the device is done as follows.

The spring 3 is firstly put in place on the plate 1, after slight tightening of the branches 31, so that the winding 33 comes to cover the stud 100, and the branches 31 come to be placed near the walls 17 of the clearance space 170. The guide parts 9 come to bear against the edges 130 of the groove 13.

The wafer 2 is then placed on the plate 1 in such a way that the tenon 22 is inserted into the groove 140 and that the counterbore 8 is placed on the parts 9. The latter are therefore trapped between the bottom of the groove 13 and the bottom of the counterbore 8.

The counterbore 8 is profiled and dimensioned, and the plates 9 are shaped, so that in the rest position each of the parts 9 is in abutment both against the edge of the groove 130 by a first facet 91 and against the portion of counterbore 81 by a second facet 90, as shown in FIG. 6.

In practice, due to manufacturing tolerances, contact in these two areas at the same time is difficult to obtain. This is why, preferably, the counterbore 8 is very slightly oversized, so that there is a very slight clearance between the facets 90 and the corresponding portions 80 when the parts 9 are in abutment against the edges 130 of the groove 13. This clearance marks the central position of the plate.

A reverse arrangement is naturally also possible, the slight clearance being in this case provided between the facets 91 and the edges 130, while the facets 90 are applied against the counterbore portions 80.

The cover 4 is then put in place by sliding it over the part 15 in a longitudinal movement directed from the front to the rear of the ski so that the hooks 41 on the one hand and 42 on the other hand come 'snap on parts 150, respectively 18.

As already said above, this mounted assembly is fixed to the ski at the same time as the front stop.

During skiing, the ski boot will rest on the lining 6 of the plate 2.

The slightly convex shape of this lining permanently ensures its correct contact with the underside of the sole, even in the event of irregular wear thereof, in the event of the boot tilting forward during skiing, or during a multidirectional fall, in particular in pre-twist fall.

When the skier's leg is subjected to a relatively large torsional force, this force is transmitted by the boot to the front stop which is moved laterally, in one direction or the other, against the elastic return system which the team, and whose hardness has been preset according to certain characteristics specific to the skier.

It happens that the friction between the sole and the lining 6 is relatively high; this is particularly the case when the shoe is dirty or worn, when the weight of the skier applies to the front of the sole (combined fall before twisting) or even when the sole is excessively pinched between the jaws of the front stop and the support device due to incorrect adjustment of the height of the front stop. Under these circumstances, the lateral movement of the shoe tends to cause a corresponding movement of the movable plate 2.

During this movement, which is illustrated in FIG. 4 and shown by the arrow F , the edge 80 of the counterbore 8 which is at the rear relative to the direction of movement F pushes the corresponding guide piece 9a towards the inside the ski by bending the spring branch 31a carrying this part. The other branch 31b remains in contact via the part 9b against the corresponding end of the groove 13. At the start of this transverse movement, the plate is guided at its four angles owing to the fact that the rear edge regions 23 of the plate bear against the groove 140 of the base plate and that the edge 28 of the front tongue 27 is facing with respect to the vertical support zones 19 of the lateral parts 18 of the base plate. The plate 2 therefore follows a purely transverse trajectory. Beyond a stroke referenced i in FIG. 4, the zones 19 no longer provide guiding in translation of the wafer.

In Figure 4, the wafer 2 is shown in a position laterally offset by a stroke j relative to the longitudinal axis XX '.

If, at this time, the torsional stress on the skier's leg ceases, the front stop will center the boot on the ski; jointly, under the effect of the friction of the shoe and the restoring force of the spring branch 31a, the plate 2 is returned to its centered position (position of Figure 3).

In the contrary case where the torsional force persists, the release of the shoe continues, causing the triggering of the front stop.

In this regard, it should be recalled that during the triggering of the front stop, the shoe is subjected to a lateral pivoting movement whose center of curvature is at the heel. In addition, it recedes slightly when pivoting.

According to the invention, the movable plate can also tilt and move back, in order to accompany the shoe as faithfully as possible and avoid relative slippage between the sole and the lining 6.

This tilting is shown in Figure 5 by the arrow G ; in this figure we see that the longitudinal axis YY 'of the plate forms an acute angle, the apex of which is turned backwards, with the longitudinal axis XX ' of the base plate (and of the ski).

Tipping is possible due to the fact that the corner part of the pad which has arrived in the central region of the ski is located opposite the clearance space 170, inside which it can engage freely, and partially. However, this tilting is controlled by the fact that the guide piece 9a is constantly trapped inside the counterbore 8, in contact against the edge of this counterbore. It will be noted in FIG. 6 that the rear edge of each plate 9 has a rounded zone 92 capable of both sliding against this edge and of serving as a tilting zone for the plate.

Similarly, on the rear side, the edge zone 24 of the tongue 22 serves as a fulcrum for the tilting of the plate against the groove bottom 140, while the clearances 25 located on either side of this zone 24 effectively authorize this tilting.

Once the boot has left the ski, the spring branch 31a automatically brings the movable plate back to its central position on the ski.

As already said above, thanks to the fact that the hairpin spring is slightly precompressed, the movable plate is kept centered on the ski without significant play even in periods of non-use, especially when the skier carries the skis before putting them on. put on or after heaving.

Claims (8)

1. Device for supporting a boot on a ski, of the type comprising a base plate (1) adapted to be mounted on the ski and a support element (2) carried by the base plate (1) and transversely movable on the latter, the base plate having a bottom surface (5) on which the support element rests, and means for guiding the relative movement of the support element in a horizontal plane along an overall transverse direction and for maintaining the support element against the surface (5) of the base plate, the support element being returned to a centered position in an elastic manner by a spring (3) mounted in a floating manner and having the general shape of a hairpin having divergent arms, the base plate and the support element each having for each end of the spring an abutment against which the spring takes simple support, in such a way that when the support element is laterally displaced, one of the ends of the spring remains in support against the abutment of the base plate, at the other end is driven by the abutment of the support element, the spring opposing a return force to this displacement, characterized by the fact that the support element has an overall rectangular shape whose large sides extend transversely, that it slides laterally on the base plate in the manner of a drawer, and that the guiding means of the support element and the base plate comprise, at the level of one of the transverse edges of the support element, for the one a vertical surface (140), and for the other two lateral parts (23) of a slight length separated by a scalloped zone (25) that cooperate with the vertical surface in such a manner, that when the support element is in a centered position, the two lateral parts (23) carry against the vertical surface (140) and that the support element is guided in the base plate at its four angles, that from this centered position, it can only follow a transverse trajectory, that after a transverse displacement of a defined amplitude, one of the lateral parts exits the range/reach of the vertical surface (140) and that the support element is then free to rock so that its longitudinal axis (YY') forms a sharp angle with the longitudinal axis (XX') of the base plate.
2. Support device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the vertical surface (140) is the vertical bottom of a groove demarcated by a tongue (14) of the support element, and that the lateral parts (23) are the parts of a tongue (22) of the support element (2) that is engaged in the groove.
3. Support device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the tongue (22) of the support element has a central part (24) of a slight length, two lateral parts (23) of a slight length and, between the central part and the lateral parts, cuttings forming two scallops (25).
4. Support device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the guiding means comprise on the other of the transverse edges a transverse rectilinear edge (28) cooperating with two edgewise zones (19) of a slight width separated by a recess (170) in such a manner that in a centered position, the two edgewise zones (19) carry against the rectilinear edge (28) and that the support element is guided in the base plate at its four angles that from this centered position, it can only follow a transverse trajectory, that after a transverse displacement of a defined amplitude (i), one of the edgewise zones (19) exits the range/reach of the rectilinear edge (28) and that the support element is then free to rock in such a manner that its longitudinal axis (YY') forms a sharp angle with the longitudinal axis (XX') of the base plate.
5. Device according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the edgewise zones (19) laterally demarcate a recess (170) of the base plate, and that the rectilinear edge (28) is the transverse edge of a tongue (27) of the support element (2).
6. Device according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the recess (170) of the support element has an open "V" form on the side of the edgewise zones (19), that the return spring of the support element is a pin spring (3) whose arms are open at rest, that the spring is housed in the "V" recess (17) of the base plate, that the arms of the spring carry pavings (9) at their end that are housed in part in the curved groove (13) of the base plate (1) laterally closed by the edges (130) and in part in an indentation (8) of the support element, situated above the groove (13) and laterally limited by portions (80, 81).
7. Device according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that in a resting position, the lateral edges (130) of the curved groove (13) are vertical to the portions (81, 82) of the indentation (8), so that a paving (9) is supported by its external edge at the same time against a lateral edge (130) of the groove (13), and a portion (80) of the indentation (8).
8. Device according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that at rest, the spring (3) is housed in the recess (170) under slight pre-stress.

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