EP0766583A1

EP0766583A1 - Ski binding and shoe

Info

Publication number: EP0766583A1
Application number: EP95920113A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Keijo Kansonen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-05-30
Filing date: 1995-05-30
Publication date: 1997-04-09
Also published as: FI942528A; WO1995032773A1; FI942528A0; FI100173B

Abstract

The object of the invention is a shoe and a method to attach it to a ski and to a skate. In the outsole of the shoe there is a longitudinal groove (1), in which four iron pins (2) have been set transversely across the longitudinal axis of the sole. One of the pins is located close to the front end of the sole, one close to the heel end, and the other two between them. A guard piece is attached to these pins to protect them from damage during walking. The guard piece can be fitted with spikes to prevent slipping. Also, a skate blade or roller wheels can be attached to the pins instead of the guard piece.

Description

SKI BINDING AND SHOE

The object of the invention is a shoe, a method of attaching it, and a ski binding.

Heretofore, different kinds of ski bindings have been known, among others, one that comprises a strap and its attaching equipment with which the shoe sole can be pressed against the ski. Also, a binding has been brought forth with two toe-irons and a turning, roughly V-shaped strong wire bail attached to these with an iron peg on either side, so that the shoe sole can be pressed against small iron spikes fitted in the horizontal part of the toe-iron. The Finnish patent 12780 has a similar construction with a binding in which the sides of the wire bail between the pegs and the curved end reaching in front of the toe- irons are bent slightly downwards against the ski, so that they press flexibly against the upper edge of the sole on both sides of the shoe when tightened with a clamp at the front end.

Prior art also knows shoes, which are fastened to the ski binding from the tip of the toe. One of these is the so called 75 mm or SNS-binding. The 75 mm touring boot has been fitted with a projecting ledge on level with the sole of the boot, by way of which ledge the shoe can be fastened to the binding. The touring boot with the front binding has been further developed. The FI patent application 852180 shows a touring boot with a longitudinal groove in the middle of its outsole, the said groove corresponding to a guiding rail on the upper surface of the ski. The front end of the boot is fitted with a cross-pin, by way of which the boot is latched to the binding. Also, in the published patent application 90496, a side guiding device is shown, where the heel end of the boot can be freely moved at least vertically, and where the side guiding device consists of a longitudinal guiding rail with several height levels to co-operate with the boot. The attaching pin is located across the longitudinal groove of the sole as far towards the front as possible and almost on level with the ground so that it is unprotected against damage when the boot is used for walking.

After the boot has been unfastened from the binding, walking will damage the boot because the cross-pin (iron) is fitted in the front/lower end of the groove. Both the front of the boot and the pin will be susceptible to considerable wear and tear. The boot is extremely unprotected against exertion especially when used for walking on the streets etc.

The purpose of the invention is to find a new way to fasten the shoe to the binding advantageously so that the vertical inclination angle of the shoe can be varied while skiing to suit different skiing styles. The invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterization parts of the claims for this patent.

The invention provides several attaching points to fasten the shoe to the binding. The new arrangement of the cross-pins gives more strength and durability. The shoe and the pins can be protected by a guard piece, which is attached to the pins to prevent wear and tear. Also, wheels for roller skating or blades for ice-skating can be attached to the same shoe. A ski binding purported by this invention makes it possible to change the attaching point very fast. The new placing of the pins in the longitudinal bottom groove of the shoe sole makes it possible to fit a guard piece (with spikes to prevent slipping, if necessary) the shape and size of the groove in the groove to prevent wear and tear of the pins and protect them against damage during walking. The fast locking in place of a skate blade or roller wheels is also made possible. Supporting the ankle during skating is made advantageously possible by a removable stiffening device.

The apparatus of the invention is described in more detail below, with reference to the appended drawings, where FIG 1 shows the ski binding in parts and assembled on the ski, the method of fastening the shoe to the binding, and different positions of the shoe.

FIG 2 shows the shoe, the cross-pins and the guard piece to be attached to them, and the slotted backstay piece for the ankle stiffening device.

FIGs 3 A, B, and C illustrate, respectively, the free style nordic skiing position, the classic style nordic skiing position, and the ski-jumping position, in which a safety cord/strap is attached to the back pin of the shoe.

FIG 4 shows a skate blade attached to the shoe, and an ankle stiffening device attached to both the shoe and the skate blade.

FIG 1 shows the ski binding in parts and assembled on the ski. The shoe 16 is fastened to the ski binding. The shoe grips the binding 5, 6 and 7 by way of one or more of the pins 2 positioned transversely across the longitudinal groove 1 in the outsole of the shoe. By turning the clamp 6 towards the movable part 7 in front of the shoe tip the movable part is pressed tightly between the shoe and the clamp and the shoe is locked to at least one gripping bit 5. When the shoe is locked to the binding the clamp 6 directs the force of the pressure against the movable part 7, which is flexible and in its turn directs the force against the shoe 16.

As is shown in FIG 3, where A, B, and C describe the free style nordic skiing, traditional style nordic skiing, and ski jumping positions respectively (with a safety cord/strap attached to the back pin of the shoe in the ski jumping position) , there are two alternative positions for securing the movable part 7 against the clamp 6 and the shoe 16, with the first position pressing the clamp against the upper part of the movable part 7, and the second position pressing the clamp against the lower part of the movable part 7. With this, the shoe bends in two different angles of vertical inclination in relation to the ski.

The gripping bit 5 and the clamp 6 are fixedly positioned, and the movable part 7 moves between them to enable the shoe to be attached to the ski binding.

The clamp 6, the gripping bit 5 and the movable part 7 can be fastened either to the ski itself or to a rail 9 (in FIG 1) which has on its underside a longitudinal groove 10 for attaching the ensemble to the ski. The rail 9 is a long, hollow, curved and flexible object, which is attached to the ski by sliding a gripping part 11 in the longitudinal groove 10, said gripping part being T-shaped in cross-section. The base of the rail 9 is essentially as wide as the ski, and the rail may be fitted with cross-grooves transverse to its longitudinal axis for the pins in the shoe, in which case the top of the rail is essentially as wide as the longitudinal groove in the outsole of the shoe. Different kinds of previously known clamping methods can be used to prevent unwanted disconnection of the skate blade and the rollers.

Four pins 2 have been positioned in the groove 1 between the toe and the heel of the outsole within fixed distances from each other. These pins can be used to fasten a removable guard piece 3 the size and shape of the groove by special gripping grooves 4 fitted into the guard piece 3, as shown in FIG 2.

The shoe 16 can also be locked to a skate blade (FIG 4), in which case the shoe is attached by the pins 2 to the gripping grooves 13 in a special gripping rail 12, which in its turn is locked to the blade. The same applies for roller skates.

Claims

1. A shoe (16) with a longitudinal groove in its outsole, said groove being fitted with at least two cross-pins within a distance from each other to fasten a ski or a skate or a protecting guard piece for the pins themselves, characterized in that the groove (1) in the outsole of the shoe has been fitted with several pins (2) across it, at least one of which is positioned close to the toe of the shoe sole and one close to the heel of the same.

2. A shoe as defined in claim 1, characterized in that four pins (2) have been fitted within fixed distances from each other in a groove (1) between the toe end and the heel end of the outsole.

3. A shoe as defined in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a removable protecting guard piece the size and shape of the groove (1) can be fitted in the groove (1) by pushing the pins (2) into the gripping grooves (4) of the guard piece (3).

4. A method to fasten a shoe to the ski binding, whereby the shoe (16) is locked to the binding (5, 6, and 7) by way of one or more cross-pins (2) fitted in the groove (1), characterized in that a clamping device (6) is turned in the longitudinal direction of the ski against a movable part (7) placed in front of the shoe tip, resulting in the tightening of the movable part (7) between the shoe (16) and the clamp (6) and locking the clamp (6) against the movable part (7) and the shoe pin (2) against at least one gripping bit (5).

5. A method as defined in claim 4, characterized in that the pressing of the movable part (7) against the clamp (6) can be realized in at least two different positions, with one position pressing the clamp against the upper part of the movable part (7) , and the other pressing the clamp against the lower part of the movable part (7) so that the shoe bends in two different angles of vertical inclination in relation to the ski.

6. A method as defined in claim 4 and/or claim 5, character- ized in that a gripping bit (5) and a clamp (6) are fixedly positioned, so that a movable part (7) moves to and fro between them to fasten the shoe to the ski binding (5, 6, and 7).

7. A method as defined in claim 4, 5 and/or 6, characterized in that a clamping device (6), a gripping bit (5), and a movable part (7) have been mounted on a rail (9) fitted on top of the ski, with a longitudinal groove (10) on the underside of the rail to connect it to the ski.

8. A method as defined in claim 4, 5, 6 and/or 7, character¬ ized in that the ski is fitted with a rail (9), said rail being a hollow, curved and flexible object longer than the binding and fastened to the ski by sliding a longitudinal groove (10) on its underside to a gripping part (11) which is fixedly attached to the ski, said gripping part being T-shaped in cross-section.

9. A method to lock a shoe (16) to a skate blade, character- ized in that the shoe (16) is fastened by its pins (2) to a skate blade and/or roller wheels when the shoe is pushed to the gripping grooves (12) of a gripping rail (12) .

10. A ski binding with at least one gripping bit (5) to grip the shoe pin (2), and a movable part (7), characterized in that the ski binding has a clamping device (6) to direct the pressing force through the movable part towards a gripping bit (5).