EP0548468B1 - Intermediate piece for the sliding rail of a binding element, particularly for ski bindings - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an intermediate piece for the sliding rail of a binding element, particularly, but not exclusively, for a downhill ski binding. The sliding rail comprises a stationary base 6 integral with a ski, defining a sliding path 7 along which a movable element 3 is slidably mounted. At least one of the ends of the base is open so as to permit the engagement of the movable element on the sliding path, or its disengagement therefrom. An intermediate piece 18 is inserted between the sliding rail 6 and the upper surface of the ski and it is continued on the open-end side of the base 6, beyond the said end, where it has a resiliently retractable lip 21, located in line with the sliding path 7 so as to constitute a resiliently removable stop preventing release of the movable element 3 from the base 6 on this side. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an interface piece for the slide of a fastening element, in particular but not exclusively of alpine fastening.

The invention also relates to a fixing element, in particular but not exclusively to alpine fixing, which is equipped with such an interface part.

In the case of alpine skiing, it is known that a boot is retained in abutment on a ski by a front binding element and a rear binding element. To adapt the ski to boots of different length, one of the elements, generally the rear element, has a body movable along a slide, locking means also making it possible to immobilize it in a determined longitudinal position. .

In the case of rental bindings, long runners are usually used, so as to allow the ski to be adapted to a wide range of users having shoes of different length.

In this particular case of rental fasteners, adjustments to the longitudinal position of the fastening element are also very frequent. The ski rental company makes an adjustment each time a different user uses the skis. The adjustments must therefore be able to be carried out easily and quickly. It is also advantageous to limit the movement of rearward movement of the body of the fastening element by a stop, so as not to risk accidentally releasing the body from the slide, during an adjustment, as a result of '' a sudden movement, or a sudden movement of the body.

In addition, it is advantageous that the fastening element can be dismantled, that is to say that the body can be released from its slide which remains secured to the ski to allow cleaning, or possibly replacement of the body.

The rear fixing elements, which are currently known, therefore generally have a slide equipped with a fixed stop towards the rear and moreover having an open front end, by which the body can be released.

The construction of the fastening element must therefore take account of this constraint, and in particular nothing must hinder the release of the body towards the front of the slide, which creates problems, in particular for the brake.

There are also devices which have a fixed stop towards the front and towards the rear of the slide, one of these stops being for example constituted by a metal tongue which is bent. Using pliers, it is possible to untwist this tab, so that the body can be extracted. However, after several maneuvers, this tab eventually breaks, thus eliminating the stop which limits the movement of the body.

One of the aims of the present invention is to propose a construction according to which a stop comes to limit the movement of the body of the fixing element at each end of the slide, and according to which it is also possible to release the body from the slide , repeatedly, in order to be able to clean or exchange it in particular. Thus, the movement of the body along its slide can be limited at each end thereof. In other words, the construction of the fastener is released from the constraints by which, for example, the body should be able to be released from the slide forward. However, it is possible, according to the invention, to release the body at will from its slide at will, and to engage it again without risking damaging one or the other of the stops.

One of the aims of the present invention is to provide a construction which is particularly simple to produce and to use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will emerge during the description which follows.

The interface piece for the slide of a binding element, in particular but not exclusively of alpine binding, comprises a fixed base secured to a ski defining a sliding path along which a movable element such as the body of a fixing element is mounted to slide, at least one of the ends of the base being open, so as to allow the engagement of the movable element on the sliding path, or its disengagement. The interface piece covers at least part of the surface of the base outside the sliding path of the base.

It is characterized by the fact that it extends on the side of the open end of the base, beyond said end, where it has an elastically retractable rim located in alignment with the sliding path so as to constitute a elastically removable stop preventing on this side the disengagement of the movable element out of the slide.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the description below, as well as to the accompanying drawings which form an integral part thereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fastening element equipped with an interface piece according to a non-limiting implementation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, and it illustrates the operation of the locking piece according to the invention.

Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the interface piece.

FIG. 5 illustrates another alternative embodiment.

To illustrate the invention, there is shown in FIG. 1 a partial view of a ski 1 on which a rear fixing element 2 is assembled. This rear fixing element comprises a body 3, which itself carries a retainer 4 of the rear end of the shoe.

The body 3 is slidably mounted along a slide 5. The slide comprises a fixed base 6, which, in the example illustrated, is a sheet metal part shaped like a "C" lying, the opening of which is oriented to the top. This base 6 defines a sliding path 7 which is swept by the body 3 of the binding during its longitudinal movements.

In the example illustrated, the base 6 is open at its rear end, that is to say that no element of the base opposes the release of the body 3 from the slide at this end. .

The front end of the base 3 is also open in the illustrated embodiment, but in fact this does not matter because a stopper described later limits the movement of the body at this level.

Means also make it possible to immobilize the body 3 along the base 6 in predetermined positions. These means are of a known type, and they are not visible in detail in FIG. 1. They consist for example of a movable lock with the body 3, moreover equipped with teeth which engage in oblong orifices 10 a rack that the base 3 has in its central part. In the example illustrated, a loop 12, located at the rear part of the body, makes it possible to maneuver the lock between a low position where its teeth are engaged in orifices 10 of the base 6, and a high position where the teeth are released from the base 6, that is to say where the body can be moved along the base 6.

Such a device is described in French patent application No. 91 01481 (EP-A-0 498 153) filed in the name of the applicant. These locking means, however, are not limiting, any other suitable means may be suitable. However, preferably, it is a locking means of the lock type, that is to say by means of a member having two distinct locking and unlocking positions relative to the base 3.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the base 6 is coated with a first covering part 11, which envelops it over substantially its entire length, at its lower surface and its lateral edges. The covering part 11 leaves free the rear end of the base 6, as well as the sliding path 7. Advantageously, the covering part 11 has means for holding in position, on the fixing element, the assembly screw 8 until screwed into the ski.

Towards the front, the base 6 and the covering part 11 extend to constitute the base plate 14 of a brake 15. In the example illustrated, the base 14 of the brake 15 is secured to the ski at the same as the base. The elements of this base plate 14 constitute a forward stop for the body during its longitudinal movements. They indeed prevent the body 3 from leaving the base 6.

In FIG. 1, an interface part 18 is also interposed between the first covering part 11 and the upper surface of the ski 1. Under the covering part, the interface part has a main part, the thickness is substantially constant, and whose outline, seen from above, is substantially the same as that of the covering part 11. In particular, the central part of the interface part 18 raises the base 6 relative to the ski on the side of its open end.

The interface piece 18 also has a rear part 20 which is shaped in the manner of an elastic tongue, elastically retractable towards the upper surface of the ski. In the illustrated embodiment, the interface part 18, that is to say its main part and its rear part 20 are in one piece, and it is made of an elastically deformable plastic.

The rear part 20 extends beyond the rear end of the slide 6, and it has at this level a flange 21 which is located in alignment with the slide path 7 of the base 6. In this way , the rim 21 constitutes a stop limiting the movement of the body 3 towards the rear. FIG. 2 shows the body 3 in its extreme rear position, which has been reached after tilting upwards the loop 12, so as to release the lock, then movement towards the rear of the body.

The rim 21 is offset sufficiently rearward relative to the end of the slide so as not to impede the elastic recoil movement of the body when skiing, in the case where the body is in its extreme rear position on the slide.

In addition, in the embodiment which is illustrated in FIG. 2, where the body is in abutment against the rim 21 of the interface piece 18, the teeth of the lock, which allow the immobilization of the body, are completely released from the base 6, that is to say that the body is no longer engaged on the base 6 by its lock. These teeth were shown diagrammatically in 27.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the rear part 20 of the interface part 18 is bevelled, that is to say that its lower surface rises backwards and upwards. Since this rear part 20 is elastically deformable, it is possible to lower this rear part towards the ski by voluntary action, so as to retract the rim 21, to remove it from the alignment of the sliding path 7.

The fact that the rear part is raised relative to the upper surface of the ski advantageously makes it possible not to hinder the flexing of the ski at this level.

FIG. 3 represents the interface part 18 in this position. A force shown diagrammatically by the arrow "P" was exerted on the rear end of the part 20, and this force deformed the rear part 20 towards the upper surface of the ski. The flange 21 is thus lowered, which therefore allows free movement of the body towards the rear, displacement which in particular allows the body to be released from the slide. At this stage, no action on the latch or on the loop 12 is necessary, since, as has been said previously, in the position of abutment against the flange 21, the teeth 23 of the latch are released from the slide.

Conversely, to engage the body 3 on the slide, it suffices to present the lower part of the body at the rear opening of the base 6, then to press down on the body so as to put its lower part in alignment with the sliding path 7 of the base 6, which in parallel presses on the rear part 20 of the interface part 18 and retracts the flange 21 downwards.

Given the elastically deformable nature of the interface part 18, at least of its rear part, as soon as the downward pressure on the rear part 20 disappears, this part returns to its high position, which brings the rim back 21 in alignment with the sliding path 7 of the base 6. The flange 21 therefore again constitutes a stop which limits the movement of the body along the slide towards the rear.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the rear part 20 of the interface part has, beyond the rim 21, a rearward extension 23, on which a user can press with a finger with your hand, or with a tool. Optionally, the extension 23 may have a recessed recess to receive the blade of a tool such as a screwdriver.

Figure 4 shows, in section, such an imprint 24 inside which the blade 26 of a tool can be engaged.

FIG. 5 represents another variant according to which the tool 26 is engaged under the body 3 of the fastening element, and tilted downward by bearing on a recess 28 that the extension 23 present in its central part. The tilting movement has the effect of retracting the flange 21 downwards, which allows the body to be released from the base.

It should be noted that the lower part of the body defines a relatively flat surface, so that it suffices that a part of the body is engaged above the rim 21 to maintain the retracted rim, and allow the complete release of the body, or conversely his commitment.

Other variants are naturally possible according to which the tool can be engaged laterally, or then take support under the base 6 of the slide.

According to a preferred embodiment, in the case of a rear fastening element, the interface plate 18 extends towards the front end, beyond the base, that is to say beyond of the base plate 14 of the brake, by a sort of tongue 30. This tongue is dimensioned in such a way that, when the shoe is engaged in the binding, the brake pedal comes to bear on it. This allows better control of the brake retraction. In addition, the ski is protected at this level from damage which could result from the friction of the brake pedal.

Naturally, the present description is not limited to the modes of execution which have just been described, and numerous variants are possible. In particular, the covering part 11 is not essential, and the base 6 could be directly in contact with the interface part 18. According to another variant, the covering part 11 and the interface part 18 could constitute a single, single piece. Also, the interface piece could be fitted with temporary securing means to the rest of the fixing element, for example by clipping to hold the interface piece under the slide until the fixing element is assembled. on the ski. Finally, it goes without saying that the invention also applies to a front fixing element, and in general, to any fixing element of which a part can be moved along a slide secured to a board. sliding, in particular downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, surfing, monoskiing.

Claims (9)

1. Interface piece for the slide-rail of a binding element, in particular but not exclusively an alpine binding, the slide-rail comprising a stationary base (6) fastened to a ski and defining a slide-track (7) along which a movable element, such as the body (3) of a binding element, is slidably mounted, at least one of the ends of said base being open so as to allow engagement of the movable element on the slide-track, or its disengagement, the interface piece (18) covering at least a portion of the surface of the base outside of said slide-track of the base,
      characterized by the fact that the interface piece (18) has, on the side of the open end of the base, beyond the said end, an elastically-retractable shoulder (21) positioned in the alignment of the slide-track (7), so as to constitute an elastically-movable stop preventing, on this side, the disengagement of the movable element the slide-rail.
2. Interface piece according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it has a main part of defined thickness located beneath said base (6) so as to raise at least the open end of the base (6) in relation to the upper surface of the ski, and that it is extended beyond the open end of the base by a rear part (20) which carries the retractable shoulder (21).
3. Interface piece according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that, on the side of the open end of the base, it is shaped like a tongue (20) which is elastically deformable in the direction of the ski, on the upper surface of which there is a shoulder (21) which forms the movable stop.
4. Interface piece according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the tongue (20) and the main part form a monoblock.
5. Interface piece according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that it is made of an elastically deformable material.
6. Interface piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that, beyond the shoulder (21), it has an extension (23) which a skier can press in order to lower the shoulder in the direction of the upper surface of the ski.
7. Interface piece according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it incorporates, in proximity to said shoulder (21), a recess (24) allowing insertion of the blade of a tool.
8. Interface piece according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it extends beneath the entire length of the slide-rail (5), and that it is extended by means of a tongue (30) beyond the end opposite the open end of the slide-rail (5).
9. Binding designed to hold a boot supported on a ski, comprising a body which moves along a slide-rail (5), characterized by the fact that it comprises an interface piece (18) according to any one of the preceding claims, which is intercalated between the slide-rail (5) and the upper surface of the ski.

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