EP1013316A1 - Alpine ski - Google Patents

Abstract

The alpine ski has a thinner section (13) at the rear of the ski binding zone (2) than at the front (12). The front section (20,33) of the binding plate (10) is fixed to the ski at the level of the raised front section (12) of the ski. The rear portion (21) of the plate is situated above the rear portion of the binding zone and is free to move longitudinally with respect to the ski.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to the field of snow sliding sports, more precisely that of alpine skiing. It aims to improve the structure of such skis intended to receive a platform for raising and unlocking the ski.

Previous techniques

As we know, to practice alpine skiing the sliding material is mainly consisting of a sliding board proper on which is A mounting area for the binding is defined in a standardized manner. This area of mounting the mounting receives a safety mounting consisting of a stopper and of a heel able to cooperate respectively with the toe and the heel of a ski boot. This mounting area of the binding is centered relative to the mounting point in the middle of the shoe.

Many skis have a very deep dimension line, and therefore have a relatively small width in the middle zone corresponding to the zone of mounting the binding.

Because of this small width, the problem arises of reducing the risks of contact of the boot with snow when the ski is strongly inclined during turn phases. To solve this problem, it has been proposed to equip the skis with a raising platform on which the two parts are mounted, stopper and heel piece, binding.

Furthermore, we know that the boards have a mechanical structure determined which gives them certain mechanical properties of bending stiffness and in torsion.

However, when the binding is mounted directly on the board, the assembly consisting of the stop and the heel piece of the binding enclosing the rigid sole of the shoe, clamp the board by modifying its intrinsic characteristics of stiffness.

It is known to place the fasteners on a raising platform itself attached to the ski. This stacking is a source of roll type displacements or pitching with respect to the top of the ski which could affect the efficient transmission of efforts.

It follows that the behavior in bending and in torsion of the whole differs clearly from the theoretical behavior corresponding to the intrinsic qualities of the board only.

A problem which the invention proposes to solve is that of the unlocking of the ski, in other words the problem of interference of the rigidity of the whole binding / shoe with the intrinsic rigidity of the board.

Such unclamping must allow firm attachment of the shoe by the fixation, and therefore keep whatever the state of bending and torsion of the board, a constant distance between the toe and the heel of the safety binding.

Furthermore, it has been observed that it is essential that the stopper allows the efficient transmission of forces from the skier's foot to the gliding board, and more precisely towards the edges so that the ski is efficient and reactive. In other words, it is important that the stopper is firmly and directly secured to the board.

Given the different characteristics of board thickness, and the increasing efforts exerted in the case of a sport and aggressive downhill skiing, so the binding stopper should be firmly and deeply anchored in the gliding board.

The invention therefore aims to solve all of these problems.

Statement of the invention

• une planche de glisse présentant une face supérieure comportant une zone de montage de la fixation, centrée par rapport au point de montage du milieu de la chaussure ;
• une plaque rigide, localisée sur la planche au niveau de la zone de montage de la fixation, apte à recevoir une fixation de sécurité composée d'une butée et d'une talonnière montées respectivement sur la partie avant et sur la partie arrière de la plaque.

The invention therefore relates to an alpine ski comprising:

• a gliding board having an upper face comprising an area for mounting the binding, centered relative to the mounting point in the middle of the boot;
• a rigid plate, located on the board at the level of the mounting area of the binding, capable of receiving a safety binding consisting of a stop and a heel piece mounted respectively on the front part and on the rear part of the plate .

• l'épaisseur de la planche de glisse dans la portion avant de la zone de montage de fixation est supérieure à l'épaisseur de la planche de glisse dans la portion arrière de la zone de montage de fixation ;
• la partie avant de la plaque est solidarisée à la face supérieure de la planche de glisse au niveau de la portion avant surélevée de la zone de montage de la fixation ;
• la partie arrière de la plaque est située au dessus de la portion arrière de la zone de montage de la fixation et est libre de mouvement relatif par rapport au ski dans la portion arrière de la zone de montage de fixation dans le sens longitudinal du ski.

This ski is characterized in that:

• the thickness of the gliding board in the front portion of the fixing mounting area is greater than the thickness of the sliding board in the rear portion of the fixing mounting area;
• the front part of the plate is secured to the upper face of the gliding board at the level of the raised front portion of the mounting area of the binding;
• the rear part of the plate is located above the rear portion of the binding mounting area and is free to move relative to the ski in the rear portion of the binding mounting area in the longitudinal direction of the ski.

In other words, this ski has a different thickness in the area of mounting the fixing stop relative to the thickness of the mounting area of the heel of the binding. The upper surface of the board in this area therefore has a stepped surface.

It is this stepped area which constitutes the thickness of the enhancement and the point of support of the platform on the board. In this way, the front part of the plate supporting the binding stop can be firmly anchored in the ski area the thicker, while its rear part constituting the platform of the platform supporting the heel of the binding is not rigidly linked to the ski.

The screws connecting the heel to the plate are never anchored in the ski, while the screws connecting the stop to the plate can, crossing the plate, anchor in the ski to form the rigid connection.

The combination of the stopper and the thin plate constitutes a relatively non-deformable assembly capable of directly transferring the forces of feet of the skier towards the ski edges, guaranteeing maximum precision in driving the ski.

In a first embodiment, the rear part of the plate is floating in relation to the rear of the mounting area of the binding. In others terms, in this variant, the rear of the plate is cantilevered relative to the above the ski.

During a bending of the board, in particular during a turn, the zones located at the toe and the heel are approaching. It is therefore important to allow the ski freedom to deform. The invention, by fixing the heel piece on a plate detached in this area on the upper surface of the ski, ensures total unclamping thereof.

In a second embodiment, the rear part of the plate is mounted with sliding capacity in relation to the board.

The ski may also include a wedge interposed between the rear part of the plate and the portion of the ski corresponding to the rear level of the mounting area fixing. This wedge is capable of sliding relative to the ski in the rear part of the mounting area of the binding. In this way, the plate is not cantilevered and allows good transmission of the forces exerted from the shoe to the ski.

According to an alternative embodiment, this wedge has elongated lights in the longitudinal direction of the ski. These lights are intended to receive pawns of guide mounted on the ski in the rear portion of the mounting area of the fixing to allow the displacement of said wedge, in a direction longitudinal, maintaining good lateral centering. The connecting screws of the heel cross the plate and grip in the wedge without reaching the ski.

In this way, when the ski bends, for example during a triggering of cornering or when going through a hollow, the wedge and therefore the heel of the binding back from a reference point on the board, while the distance heel stop remains constant.

In this case, a substantially constant spacing between the platform is maintained and the upper side of the board.

In an alternative embodiment, the wedge may have recesses intended to lighten it. Advantageously, the ends of the mounting screws of the heel piece fits inside these recesses, thus avoiding their contact with the hold.

In another embodiment, the plate has a rear end curved downwards and comprising a segment parallel to the upper face of the board, this segment being able to slide relative to the rear portion of the zone mounting mounting.

In this case, the aforementioned segment may include lights cooperating with studs mounted in the board as already explained.

In another embodiment, the shim interposed between the plate and the upper face of the ski may be made of a deformable material, for example elastomeric, to allow the rear part of the plate to be moved by compared to skiing by shear deformation of the material constituting the wedge.

In this embodiment, the lower surface of the rear part of the plate as well as the upper surface of the ski in the rear part of the mounting fixings are fixed, for example by gluing to a material elastomeric, that is to say capable of deforming in shear. So when the plate, and more precisely its rear part moves relative to the face upper part of the ski, the block or pad made of elastomeric material deforms and thus dampens part of the flexion deformation movements of the ski.

In an improved form of the invention, the ski also comprises return means capable of opposing the sliding of the rear part of the plate. In other words, when the ski bends in flexion, and the wedge or the plate slides backwards with respect to the ski, the return means cause the very rapid return of the board to its natural position, when the cause of the deformation has disappeared.

This assisted return movement helps to energize the board and improves driving the ski, especially when practicing slalom.

In practice, these return means can be constituted in particular by springs interposed between a stop located on the upper surface of the ski and a stop located on the plate.

These return means can be constituted by studs or buffers elastic or even hyper elastic working in compression.

In the case where the board has an upper geometry surface specific, the underside of the plate can follow a complementary shape allowing the good transmission of efforts and supports.

Brief description of the figures

The manner of carrying out the invention as well as the advantages which flow therefrom will emerge clearly from the description of the embodiments which follow in support of attached figures in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a ski made according to a first form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed top view of the ski illustrated in FIG. 1, in the skate area, and in which the platform plate has been removed.

Figure 3 is a section along III-III of Figure 2.

FIG. 4 is a view of the single plate removed in FIG. 2.

Figure 5 is a side view of a ski made according to a second form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view of the mounting area of the binding of a ski produced according to a third embodiment.

Figure 7 is also a detailed sectional view of the mounting area fixing a ski produced according to a fourth embodiment.

Figure 8 is a side view of the skate area of a ski according to another variant.

Figure 9 is a top view of Figure 8.

Way of realizing the invention

As seen in FIG. 1, the ski (1) according to the invention is remarkable in the mounting area of the binding. This area (2) of mounting of the binding is defined in a standardized way, and corresponds to the area in which the stop (3) and the heel piece (4) of the binding are mounted on the board (5).

As already said, the mounting area of the binding has a length between 30 and 50% of the carrying length of the ski, which is defined between the front (8) and rear (9) contact lines as shown in Figure 1.

In front of the front contact line (8) is the spatula (6), while in rear of the rear contact line (9) is the heel (7) of the ski.

Thus, according to the invention, the ski (1) comprises a rigid plate (10) on which are mounted, for example by screwing, the stop (3) and the heel piece (4) fixing. This plate (10) can, for example, be a metal plate of four millimeters thick.

According to the invention, the board (5) has a difference in thickness between the front and the rear at the level of the area (2) for mounting the binding. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the front portion (12) of the area (2) for mounting the binding has a thickness (e ₁ ) which is clearly greater than the thickness (e ₂ ) of the board (5 ) at the rear portion (13) of the mounting mounting area (2).

The thickness (e ₂ ) of the board (5) at the rear level (13) of the area (2) for mounting the binding corresponds, by continuity, to the thickness of a board (5) standard in the part rear (15) of the pad, that is to say about 15 mm while the thickness (e ₁ ) is about 25 mm.

According to the invention, the front part (20) of the plate (10) is mounted rigidly on the front portion (12) of the mounting area (2) of the fastener which extra thickness form.

This assembly can be done either directly by the specific screwing of the i plate, either by screwing the fixing stopper through the plate which then extends into the internal structure of the board.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the rear part (21) of the plate (10) is capable of sliding relative to the board (5) to ensure the unclamping the ski, in other words, not giving the overall stiffness of the ski a fraction inherent in the stiffness of the sole of the shoe.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the rear part (21) of the plate (10) rests on a slide (25) which is itself in contact by its face lower (26) to the upper face of the board. This slide (25) can be profiled at the front to match the shape of the slope (27) of the change area board thickness (5).

According to the invention, the rear part (21) of the plate (10) is integral with the slide (25), by any known fixing means, in particular in the case of Figures 2 to 4 by the holes (38) for mounting the heel.

On the other hand, the slide (25) is slidably mounted relative to the board (5) to authorize the unlocking of the ski.

As seen in Figure 2, this slide (25), of general shape rectangular, has oblong lights (30) inside which penetrate pins (31) integral with the upper face of the board. Well heard, the geometry and the number of lights and pawns are not limited to the illustrated form, but can be adapted according to the materials used and the general dimensions of the hold.

In accordance with FIG. 3, these pins (31) are supported in order to maintain the plating of the slide (25) on the ski despite the bending of the latter.

The plate (10) can optionally, according to Figure 4, have a plurality screw holes (39, 38) for mounting the toe (3) and the heel piece (4). This plate (10) also has at the front level (20) screw holes (36) allowing it to be firmly anchored in the thick part (12) of the zone (2) mounting the fastener. Advantageously, the screw holes (36) of the heel piece are threaded while the screw holes (38, 39) of the stopper do not are not necessarily.

As already said, this joining of the plate of the board can also be made by the holes (39) for screwing the stop (3) of the fixing according to Figures 2 to 4.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the lights have a return means, by example a spring (40) which, working in compression opposes the displacement of the slide (25) relative to the ski.

These springs (40) or more generally the return members have an effect boosting on the ski, for example at the end of a turn. Indeed, in the case where pressure is exerted on the ski so as to make it bend by bending, the slide (25) being rigidly connected (38) to the plate (10), this assembly as well as the binding / shoe assembly does not undergo any length modification. So there is relative displacement of the rear mounting area (13) of the binding, and more specifically of the pins (31) linked to the ski with respect to the lights (30) of the slide. It follows that the springs (40) are compressed. When the impulse of the skier at the end of the turn disappears, the return members (40) accelerate the backward movement of the ski (13) relative to the plate (10), or in other words, bring the board (5) into a more flat configuration.

Of course, the return members can be made so extremely varied, and are not limited to the embodiment of Figure 2 corresponding to springs.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the plate (10) has two shims (70, 71) under its lower face, in its rear zone, one of which (70) is integral with the board, while the other (71) is integral with the face bottom of the plate (10).

The rear wedge (70) has on its upper face screws or pins (74, 75) with shoulder intended to penetrate into the openings (72, 73) arranged on the plate (10). These pins (74, 75) are intended to prevent any displacement transverse of the plate (10), and to guide the plate (10) longitudinally during the bending the board. The shoulders of the pawns (74, 75) prevent the displacement of the plate (10) upwards.

The shim (71) is in turn secured to the plate (10) by a screwing or any other appropriate means.

The space between the shims (70) and (71) accommodates a spring (76) working in compression, and the ends of which come into contact with the shims (70) and (71).

In the form shown, the plate (10) has an opening (77) allowing to visualize the state of compression of the spring.

So, when the board bends, during a trigger pulse cornering, the rear part of the platform (10) tends to retreat with respect to the upper side of the board.

The high ends of the pins (74, 75) slide inside the lights (72, 73) by guiding the longitudinal movement of the plate (10).

It follows that the front wedge (71) moves back in the same way relative to the upper face of the board, and in particular relative to the wedge (70) which is united.

Subsequently the spring (76) is compressed during the bending of the board.

When the impulse exerted by the skier decreases or ceases, skiing tends to resume its initial configuration. It is helped in this by the spring (76), which, by decompressing, causes spacing of the shims (70, 71) and thus accelerates the return skiing in its initial geometry.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, but covers other variants in which the rear part of the platform is not slidably mounted relative to the upper face of the board, but is simply mounted cantilever or floating relative to this upper face of the board.

Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the plate (32) can be fixed in its front part (33) to the front zone (12) for mounting the ski bindings (5) while the rear part (34) of the plate is cantilevered above the area rear (13) for mounting the fasteners.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the plate (50) can rest directly on the upper face (51) of the ski, at its rear end (52). To do this, the rear end (52) of the plate is inclined downward, and has a segment (53) which rests on the upper face (51) of the ski in the rear mounting area fixings.

In other words, the space (55) located between the plate (50) and the upper face (51) of the ski in the thinnest part (13) of the zone (2) for mounting the fixing, can be hollowed out. Preferably, such a space is filled with a easily compressible material to avoid snow accumulation.

In this case, the segment (53) forming the rear end of the plate (50) has a light (54) equivalent to that provided in the slide (25) of the embodiment of FIG. 2. This light (54) receives a stud (56) firmly anchored in the structure of the board (5) to ensure the longitudinal guidance of the displacement of the plate (50) while allowing a certain consecutive movement when bending the ski.

In another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the rear part (61) of the plate (60) rests on an elastomeric stud (62) able to deform when the ski bends.

The elastomeric stud (62) is fixed under the plate (60), and on the face upper (63) of the ski, to allow good lateral guidance of the plate (60) during of its movements in relation to the board.

In the case where this pad is made of a viscoelastic material, it allows to provide some damping of vibrations. In the event that this pad is made in an elastic or even hyper elastic material, it then ensures a some boost to skiing.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the mounting area (2) of the attachment is extended forward by a boss (28) of additional thickness, substantially equivalent to the thickness of the plate forming the platform in order to achieve an aesthetic integration thereof.

In this way, the platform (10) is integrated into the upper face of the ski and is not prominent, which avoids the risk of injury.

It appears from the above that the ski according to the invention has multiple advantages, and in particular ensures a good unlocking of the ski, while allowing a firm and very rigid connection of the fixing stop by compared to the board ensuring high precision in skiing. In addition, it is possible to obtain either a damping of the ski, or, on the contrary, an excess of nervousness very useful for use in competition.

Claims (11)

Alpine skiing (1) including: a gliding board (5) having an upper face comprising a zone (2) for mounting the binding, centered relative to the mounting point of the middle of the shoe; a rigid plate (10, 32, 50, 60), located on the board (5) at the level of the mounting mounting area (2), capable of receiving a safety attachment composed of a stop (3) and a heel piece (4) mounted respectively on the front part (20, 33) and on the rear part (21, 34, 52, 61) of the plate (10, 32, 50, 60), characterized in that: the thickness (e ₁ ) of the gliding board in the front portion (12) of the fixing mounting zone (2) is greater than the thickness (e ₂ ) of the gliding board in the rear portion (13 ) the mounting mounting area (2); the front part (20, 33) of the plate (10, 32, 50, 60) is secured to the upper face of the gliding board at the level of the raised front portion (12) of the mounting area (2) of fixation ; the rear part (21, 34, 52, 61) of the plate (10, 32, 50, 60) is located above the rear portion (13) of the area (2) for mounting the binding and is free from relative movement with respect to the rear portion (13) of the ski binding mounting area (2), in the longitudinal direction of the ski. Alpine ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear part (34) of the plate (32) is floating, that is to say cantilevered, relative to the rear portion (13) of the area (2) for mounting the binding to the ski. Ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear part (21, 52, 61) of the plate (10, 50, 60) is mounted with sliding capacity on the rear part (13) of the zone (2) of mounting the binding on the ski. Ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear part (61) of the plate (60) is connected to the gliding board (5) by means of a stud (62) made of elastomeric material capable of being deformed by shearing and / or compression. Ski according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises a slide (25) interposed between the rear part (21) of the plate (10), and the rear portion (13) of the mounting zone (2) of the binding, said slide (25) being able to slide longitudinally relative to the ski in the rear part (13) of the mounting area of the binding. Ski according to claim 5, characterized in that the slide (25) has lights (30) elongated in the longitudinal direction of the ski, and intended to receive studs (31) mounted on the rear portion (13) of the area ( 2) mounting the binding, to guide the longitudinal movement of said wedge (25) relative to the ski. Ski according to claim 3, characterized in that the plate (50) has a rear end (52) curved downwards and comprises a segment (53) parallel to the upper face (51) of the ski, said segment (53) being able to slide relative to the ski in the rear portion (13) of the area (2) for mounting the binding. Ski according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises return means (40, 77) capable of opposing the sliding of the rear part (21) of the plate (10) relative to the ski in the rear portion (13) of the mounting mounting area (2). Ski according to claim 8, characterized in that the return means consist of a spring (40, 77) interposed between a stop (31, 70) secured to the upper face of the ski, and a stop (30, 71) secured of the plate. Ski according to claim 4, characterized in that the stud (62) is made of a viscoelastic material. Ski according to claim 4, characterized in that the stud (62) is made of an elastic or hyper-elastic material.

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