EP0543743B2 - Ski with nonrectangular section - Google Patents

Abstract

Ski comprising a filling core, for example made from polyurethane foam, a shell forming the upper face and at least a part of the lateral faces of the ski, a lower face equipped with longitudinal metal edges and with a central sliding running sole. <??>According to the invention, this ski comprises two longitudinal reinforcement elements (8) extending at least in the central part of the ski, arranged on either side of the core (2), each reinforcement element including a lower face extending to a large extent over the width of an edge (6) so as to provide it with an effective support, and extending over at least a part of the height of the ski, the reinforcement elements not being covered over laterally by the shell and thus forming the sides of the ski, at least in the central part of the latter. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a ski in shape, of non-rectangular section.

It is more and more frequent to carry out fit skis, i.e. cross-section skis rectangular with a shell forming the face upper and the side faces of the ski, these faces side being possibly inclined on at minus part of their height. In that case, this inclination can be constant, or variable along the length of the ski, and provided by surfaces flat or curved.

It is also advantageous to carry out skis with a filling core in synthetic foam, for example polyurethane, which has excellent properties of stability over time, and is a weight not high.

The advantage of a traditional ski, is in particular that it has rigid edges, for example in ABS, or phenolic laminate, ensuring excellent transmission of the forces exerted by the snow surface on the ski edges, towards the face upper of it equipped with the fixing for a skier's shoe.

Documents FR 2 611 519 and WO 91/08029 describe a hull ski whose side walls are inclined, having a section core rectangular, and in which the transmission of forces between the edges and the upper face is produced by reinforcing elements located at contact of inclined walls, and formed for example by sheets of fabric impregnated with resin. The space between the central core and the side faces is occupied by a filling material.

The documents FR 2 611 518, FR 2 615 404 and EP 0 394 835 relate to shaped skis, comprising a shell forming the inclined side faces ski, a rectangular section core, reinforcing elements in contact with the inclined walls, with space between inclined walls and the core, which is filled with viscoelastic elements with power vibration damping.

The disadvantage of these different solutions results because there are no broad elements ensuring direct transmission of forces from the edges up to the equipped upper face fixing since the core does not support on the edges, and that the reinforcing elements of the hull are pressed against the blanks inclined therefrom and take a point support on each square.

This therefore results in skis which have average behavior characteristics, and who cannot meet the requirement criteria required, especially in competition where precision guide guidance required for skis as perfect a transmission as possible of efforts from the edges towards the upper face of the ski.

A technical description is also known concerning skiing BLIZZARD V-Prestige, available to the public from 28/2/91, which discloses all the characteristics of the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the invention is to provide a ski in shape, of non-rectangular section, comprising a filler core, e.g. foam synthetic material, and in particular polyurethane, of which the upper face and at least a part side faces is constituted by a shell, in order to have the quality of finish of the skis with a hull, while offering the qualities traditional ski techniques by ensuring less at the level of the skate, a direct transmission efforts from the edges to the upper face ski equipped with binding.

To this end, the ski it concerns includes the characteristics of the characterizing part of claim 1.

Such a ski can be produced under different shapes.

According to a first embodiment, the reinforcing elements are only present in the central part or skate area of the ski, do not are not covered laterally by the shell and thus form the edges of the ski, while the hull only forms the side walls of the ski in the end areas of it.

According to a second embodiment, the reinforcing elements extend over a length greater than the length of the central part or skate area of the ski, are not laterally covered by the hull and form thus the ski edges over their entire length.

According to a third embodiment, the reinforcing elements extend over a length greater than the length of the central part or skate area of the ski, are not laterally covered by the hull and form the ski chants in the central area of it, and are laterally covered by the shell in the ski areas located in front and behind the skate area.

One side of each reinforcement element is used in the skate area to support a square and its opposite side serves to support an edge of the hull.

For this purpose, the shell can have laterally two edges substantially parallel to the plane of the sole, bearing against two faces of same orientation as the songs. At on the contrary, the songs themselves may include each an upper shaped surface serving in support of an inclined lateral part of the shell. It is also possible that the upper side of each song is used to embed one of the edges of the shell.

In accordance with a characteristic of the invention, the height of the lateral parts of the hull is substantially constant over the entire length ski.

In addition, each reinforcing element can have a face, intended to support against the nucleus, which is perpendicular to the plane of the sole, or on the contrary inclined with respect to this perpendicular. Likewise, the outside of each song can be perpendicular to the plane of the sole or inclined with respect to this perpendicular.

Each reinforcement element can have a base of constant width over the whole length of the ski, the core then having a variable width over the length of the ski, or each reinforcing element can have a base of variable width, while the core has a constant width over the length of the ski.

Each reinforcing element can be monolithic, and made of a synthetic material or in wood, or even be made from several parts butted in the longitudinal direction, these different parts being produced in different materials.

It is important that the central part of each reinforcing element located in the area ski skate is rigid, the end parts can be made of more flexible materials, such as viscoelastic materials having good damping characteristics.

For example, the rigid part of each reinforcement element can be made in one multimaterial complex, such as Zicral-ABS, Zicral being a mark of an aluminum alloy, and ABS being acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.

According to the behavioral characteristics sought for a ski, the two reinforcing elements of the same ski can be identical or possess characteristics different from stiffness and damping, or also possess different geometric characteristics, such as as width and / or height.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the reinforcing elements extend over the entire the active length of the ski, that is to say substantially between the front and rear contact areas of the ski on snow.

The filling core of this ski can be made independently and then assembled with the elements reinforcement and hull, or the reinforcing elements can first of all be assembled to the shell, after which the core is injected in situ.

Figure 1 est une vue de côté d'un premier ski ;

Figures 2, 3 et 4 sont trois vues en coupe transversale et à échelle agrandie de ce ski selon les lignes II-II, III-III et IV-IV de figure 1 ;

Figures 5 à 7 sont trois vues en coupe transversale correspondant à la vue en coupe selon la ligne II-II de figure 1, de trois variantes d'exécution de ce ski ;

Figure 8 est une vue de dessus sans coque montrant une possibilité de réalisation des éléments de renforcement ;

Figure 9 est une vue de côté d'un autre ski selon l'invention ;

Figure 10 est une vue de dessus, sans coque, montrant un mode de réalisation et de positionnement des éléments de renforcement du ski ;

Figure 11 est une vue en coupe transversale et à échelle agrandie de ce ski, selon la ligne XI-XI de figure 9.

In any case, the invention will be clearly understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawings showing, by way of nonlimiting examples, several embodiments of this ski:

Figure 1 is a side view of a first ski;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are three views in cross section and on an enlarged scale of this ski along lines II-II, III-III and IV-IV of Figure 1;

Figures 5 to 7 are three cross-sectional views corresponding to the sectional view along line II-II of Figure 1, of three alternative embodiments of this ski;

Figure 8 is a top view without shell showing a possibility of realization of the reinforcing elements;

Figure 9 is a side view of another ski according to the invention;

Figure 10 is a top view, without shell, showing an embodiment and positioning of the reinforcing elements of the ski;

FIG. 11 is a view in cross section and on an enlarged scale of this ski, along the line XI-XI of FIG. 9.

The ski shown in Figures 1 to 4 includes a filling core 2 made of synthetic material, for example in polyurethane foam, a shell 3 forming the upper face 4 of the ski and a part 5 of the side faces thereof, the edges lower longitudinal 6, and a sliding sole 7.

According to the essential characteristic of the invention, this ski includes two reinforcing elements longitudinal 8, extending over a length greater than the central part of the ski or area of pad, arranged on either side of the core. Each reinforcement element 8 extends over a much of the width of a square 6, and serves as support to shell 3, and is not covered laterally by this shell, thus forming the edges visible from the ski.

In the embodiment shown in the figures 1 to 4, the shell 3 has laterally two flanges 9 substantially parallel to the plane of the sole, bearing against two faces of same orientation as the songs 8.

The height of the side parts 5 of the hull is substantially constant over the length of the ski, while the height of each song 8 is maximum in the skate and decrease area respectively forward and backward, to become null in the ends, as shown in the figure 3.

• Dans la forme d'exécution représentée à la figure 5, chaque chant 18 possède, dans la partie centrale du ski, une hauteur correspondant sensiblement à celle du ski, et présente une surface supérieure en forme, servant à l'appui d'une partie latérale inclinée 15 de la coque, possédant une forme complémentaire. Dans ce cas, le noyau 12 possède une forme rectangulaire, la face de chaque élément de renforcement située au contact du noyau étant perpendiculaire au plan de la semelle.

In the end zones of the ski, a band of viscoelastic material 10 is provided between the hull and the edges.

• In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, each edge 18 has, in the central part of the ski, a height substantially corresponding to that of the ski, and has a shaped upper surface, serving to support a part inclined side 15 of the shell, having a complementary shape. In this case, the core 12 has a rectangular shape, the face of each reinforcing element located in contact with the core being perpendicular to the plane of the sole.

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of this ski, in which the upper face of each song 28, which is parallel to the plane of the sole, used to embed one end of a edge 29 of hull 24.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, each reinforcing element 38 has lateral faces, respectively exterior and interior, the latter being in contact with the core 32, inclined with respect to the perpendicular in the plane of the sole. As in the form shown in Figure 2, the shell laterally has two edges 35 substantially parallel to the plane of the sole, taking support against two faces of the same orientation as feature songs 38.

Figure 8 shows a top view very schematic of a ski without shell, according to the invention, in which each reinforcing element 48 has a base of constant width, on any the length of the ski. In addition, each element of reinforcement consists of a multi-material complex juxtaposed, such as a central layer in Zicral 48a and two lateral ABS layers 48b.

Figures 9 to 11 show another embodiment of this ski, in which the reinforcing elements 58 forming edge are visible only in the skate area (figure 9), and are covered by the shell in the parts front and back of the ski (Figure 11).

Each reinforcing element 58 can be made in three parts, namely a central part 58a, a front part 58b and a rear part 58c butted longitudinally. It is important that the central part 58a is made of a material resistant, parts 58b and 58c can be produced for example in materials having a good cushioning quality, such as material viscoelastic. It can also be noted that if, in the embodiment shown in the figure 7, the core 42 has a width which varies along the ski in which case the reinforcing elements are of constant width, the core 52 of the ski shown in Figures 9 and 10, may have a constant width, in which case the width of the elements reinforcement is variable throughout the ski.

As is apparent from the above, the invention brings a great improvement to the technique existing by providing a ski that combines the advantages aesthetics of hull skis, and the advantages techniques of traditional skis, providing a body ski with edges in the area skate.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the only embodiments of this ski described above as examples, she embraces otherwise all variants included in the object of the appended claims. In particular, that the reinforcing elements could not only extend in the central part skiing, or that some of the features described with reference to an embodiment, could be combined with features described with reference to another embodiment without going beyond the framework of the invention.

Claims (23)

1. Shaped ski with a non-rectangular cross section, comprising a filling core, for example of polyurethane foam, a shell (3) comprising a top face forming the top face of the ski and two lateral faces forming at least part of the lateral faces of the ski, the lateral faces of the shell being located on both sides of the filling core, a bottom face equipped with longitudinal metal edges and a central sliding bottom, the two lower edges of the shell not bearing directly on the metal edges, in at least part of the length of the ski, this ski comprising, at least in the central part of the ski or runner area, two longitudinal reinforcement members (8, 38, 48, 58), disposed on each side of the core (2, 32, 42, 52), and disposed between the lower edges (9) of the shell (3) and the metal edges (6), these reinforcement members being made of a rigid material at least in the central part of the ski or runner area, each reinforcement element having a bottom face extending largely over the width of an edge (6) so as to afford it effective support, and extending over at least part of the height of the ski, the reinforcement elements not being covered laterally by the shell and thus forming the sides of the ski, at least in the central part of the latter, characterised in that each reinforcement element has a height varying over the length of the ski, the height being maximum in the central part of the ski and decreasing respectively towards the front and towards the rear.
2. Ski according to Claim 1, characterised in that the reinforcement members (8) are present only in the central part or runner area of the ski, are not covered laterally by the shell (3) and thus form the sides of the ski, whilst the shell alone forms the lateral walls of the ski in the end regions of the latter.
3. Ski according to Claim 1, characterised in that the reinforcement members (8) extend over a length greater than the length of the central part or runner area of the ski, are not covered laterally by the shell (3) and thus form the sides of the ski over their entire length.
4. Ski according to Claim 1, characterised in that the reinforcement members (8) extend over a length greater than the length of the central part or runner area of the ski, are not covered laterally by the shell (3) in the central area of the ski and form the sides of the latter, and are covered laterally by the shell (3) in the areas of the ski situated in front of and behind the runner area.
5. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 ,to 4, characterised in that, in the central part of the ski, one of the faces of each reinforcement member (8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58) serves as the support for an edge (6), and its opposite face serves as the support for a side of the shell.
6. Ski according to Claim 3, characterised in that the height of the lateral parts (5) of the shell (3) is substantially constant over the entire length of the ski.
7. Ski according to either one of Claims 1 and 6, characterised in that the shell (3) has at its sides two flanges (9) substantially parallel to the plane of the bottom (7), bearing against two faces, of the same orientation, on the sides (8).
8. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that each reinforcement member (18) has a height corresponding substantially to that of the ski, and has a shaped surface serving to support an inclined lateral part (15) of the shell.
9. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the top face of each side (28) is used for embedding one of the edges (29) of the shell.
10. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterised in that each reinforcement member (8, 18, 28) has a face, designed to bear against the core, which is perpendicular to the plane of the bottom (7).
11. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 1 to 9, characterised in that each reinforcement member (38) has a face, designed to bear against the core, which is inclined with respect to the perpendicular to the plane of the bottom (7).
12. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, characterised in that each reinforcement member has a base, that is to say a face turned towards the bottom, the width of which is constant over the entire length of the ski, the core (42) for its part having a width which is variable over the entire length of the ski.
13. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, characterised in that each reinforcement member (58) has a base, that is to say a face turned towards the bottom, the width of which is variable according to its longitudinal position on the ski, whilst the core (52) for its part has a width which is constant over the length of the ski.
14. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 and 3 to 13, characterised in that each reinforcement member (58) is produced in several parts (58a, 58b, 58c) joined end to end in the longitudinal direction, produced from materials having different characteristics.
15. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 13, characterised in that each reinforcement member (48) is produced in several juxtaposed parts (48a, 48b), produced from materials having different characteristics.
16. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 and 3 to 15, characterised in that each reinforcement member (58) comprises a rigid central part (58a) situated in the ,runner area, forming a side, and two end parts produced from a viscoelastic material.
17. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 16, characterised in that the rigid part (58a) of each reinforcement member is produced from a multi-material complex, such as Zicral-ABS, Zicral being the brand name for an aluminium alloy, and ABS being acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene.
18. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 17, characterised in that the two opposite reinforcement members on the same ski have different stiffness and damping characteristics.
19. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 18, characterised in that the two opposite reinforcement members on the same ski have different geometric characteristics, such as different widths and/or heights for the two members.
20. Ski according to either one of Claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the reinforcement members extend over the entire active length of the ski, that is to say substantially between the front and rear contact areas of the ski on the snow.
21. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 20,characterised in that a joint made from viscoelastic material is interposed, at least locally, between the shell and the top part of the reinforcement members.
22. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 21, characterised in that the core is produced independently, and then connected to the reinforcement members and to the sell.
23. Ski according to any one of Claims 1 to 21, characterised in that the reinforcement members are first of all connected to the shell, after which the core is injected in situ.

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