EP1157721A1 - Heel-binding assembly for boots on skis - Google Patents

Abstract

The boot rear retaining element comprises a slide (7), a body (3) with a movable retaining jaw (4) and a return spring connected to a body retaining lock by a rod. The rear end of the rod comprises a fold inserted between the rear end of the spring and the rear wall of a cavity. A boot release lever (6) allows the jaw to be opened. An interface wedge (8) is inserted between the slide and the ski upper surface. The front end has a plinth (14) which is slid along the slide by two lateral runners. A ski brake (17) is mounted on the plinth.

Description

The invention relates to a rear retainer a shoe on an alpine ski.

In known manner, such an element comprises a slide designed to be joined together on the surface upper part of the ski, a body movable along the slide, a body retaining lock along the slide, a spring commonly called recoil spring housed between the latch and the body, and a jaw carried by the body, movable against the elastic return force of an elastic return device between two stable positions of restraint and release of the shoe.

Usually the ski brake with which most are fitted of existing restraint systems is associated with the rear retainer.

Once the retainer is assembled on the ski, the rear retainer has a primary function which is to retain the rear end of the shoe and the release in the event of excessive stress. Another function of the element is the adaptation of the restraint system to the shoe length. For this, the position of the body of the element can be adjusted along the slide using the retaining lock. And in a known way, from this position, the body can still back away from the force of reminder that the recoil spring opposes it to ensure toe pinch and allow the restraint to follow the bending of the ski.

One problem with these retainers is their way of construction, in particular the method of mounting the various elements which should be as simple and functional as possible.

Thus, one of the aims of the invention is to propose a construction of a rear retaining element, the mounting of which of the different elements is simplified.

Another object of the invention is to propose a construction whose mode of adjustment of the body along the slide is easy to make.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from during the description which follows.

The retaining element according to the invention is designed to be joined together to a ski or an intermediate plate. It includes an elongated slide in one direction longitudinal, a body guided in sliding along the slide, a movable retaining jaw carried by the body, a body retaining lock along the slide, the body having a cavity on the underside where a spring is housed recoil connecting the body and the lock, the cavity being delimited longitudinally by a front wall and a wall rear, the assembly being mounted so that the body is resiliently biased forward in a position predefined by the position of the retaining latch.

It is characterized by the fact that the spring is connected to the lock by a connecting rod whose rear end includes a fold inserted between the rear end of the spring and the rear wall of the cavity, the end of which front has a connecting hook intended to be connected to the lock and a rear-facing hooking spout which is engaged on a ledge located at the front of the body when the fold rear of the rod rests against the rear wall of the cavity, and that in this position of the rod, the spring is in the compressed state.

According to a secondary characteristic, the decline in rod has a raised or recessed relief towards the rear which cooperates with a complementary relief in hollow or in relief located at the rear wall of the cavity.

In this way, the subset formed by the body and its recoil system is particularly simple to mount, and a Once mounted, it can be handled without notorious risk that the connecting rod and the recoil spring come out of their housing.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the description below and attached drawings attached to it attached.

Figure 1 shows a side view of an element of rear restraint according to a particular mode of implementation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the element of the Figure 1 with the slide separated from the rest of the element.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the element of figure 1.

Figure 4 shows an exploded view of the element locking.

Figure 5 shows in perspective the rod liaison.

FIG. 6 illustrates the method of assembling the element of detention.

Figure 1 shows a side view of an element of retainer 1 mounted on a ski portion 2.

The retainer is adapted to retain so releasable the rear end of a ski boot. In this Indeed, it has a jaw 4 carried by a body 3. Of known manner, the jaw 4 is movable about an axis 5 between two stable positions, a low position for retaining the shoe and a high release position. A spring 9 housed in the body resiliently pushes a piston against a ramp 4a located on the rear of the jaw. It's this ramp which controls the movement of the jaw between its two stable positions. Naturally other modes of construction could also be suitable.

A release lever 6 allows voluntary opening from the jaw to its upper position.

The body 3 is slidably mounted along a slide 7 which is intended to be joined together to the ski according to the longitudinal direction it defines.

According to the illustrated embodiment, an interface wedge 8 is interposed between the slide and the upper surface ski.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the slide 7 has a flattened shape in cross section with a bottom of slide 7a and two returns 7b and 7c opposite. AT its base, the body has side shoes 12 which are engaged in sliding in the returns of the slide.

On the front, the retaining element has a base 14 which is a separate from body 2, but which, like the body, is sliding mounted along the slide 7 by pads side 15a and 15b. The upper surface 16 of the base is provided as a bearing surface for the shoe sole.

A ski brake 17 is mounted on the base 14. According to the embodiment shown, a bearing 18 for rotating the braking arm 20 is assembled to the base 14. The arms of braking 20 are extended beyond the landing by branches which carry an actuating pedal 19 at their end.

The brake is assembled to the base 14 by any means appropriate. For example the base has in its central part a location 21 provided to receive the brake bearing. A once in place, the bearing is retained at the front by a return 21a from slot 21 and at the rear by one or more screw. As can be seen in Figure 2, the bearing 18 of the brake largely encloses the base 14 on the top and the sides. Other construction methods could also suit.

The position of the body along the slide is defined by a retaining latch 22 housed in a well 23 of the base 14.

The lock is for example a metal part placed shape by folding. On its lower surface, it has teeth 24 which are intended to be engaged in notches of a series of notches 26 made on the bottom 8 of the slide.

The lock is movable vertically in its well 23. It is recalled downwards in the teeth engagement position by a spring 27. The lock is operated between a position engagement and a disengagement position by a lever 28 which is housed in the upper part of the base 14.

For example, as shown, lever 28 is housed in a recess located at the top of the base, it is connected to lock 22 by a pin 30 oriented longitudinally.

Preferably, the base recess opens laterally, and the lever 28 protrudes in this zone relative to the lateral edge of the base so as to be accessible on one of the sides of the base.

So the lock can be operated very simply by a very natural movement of the hand. Initially time, we place the flat of the hand on the body of the element. The tip of the thumb is then naturally towards the end of the lever 28. It is then enough to engage the thumb under the end of the lever and push on it upward to lift the lock and clear the teeth. The hand that rests on the body can then train the body moving along the slide to its new position. Once this position is reached, the lock is released so that its teeth engage in notches of the slide. Conventionally, if the teeth are not in notch look, you just have to give the body a slight moving forward or backward so that the teeth fall into the nearest notches.

Advantageously, in the presence of the shoe, the lock is covered by the sole, so that it does not risk to be operated inadvertently during the practice sliding.

From the position which is defined by the lock, the body 3 can still retreat against the restoring force that it opposes a recoil spring which recalls the body in abutment against the base 14.

In known manner, this elastic recoil movement ensures the shoe pinching between the front retaining elements and back, and allows the ski to flex more freely.

Referring to Figure 3, a recoil spring 32 is housed in a cavity 33 located in the lower part of the body. A rod also connects the base 14 and the spring 32. The rod 34 which is more particularly visible in Figure 5 is a metal part which has a shape lying down. It ends on the front with a hook link 36 which is engaged in a groove 38 of shape and corresponding dimensions which is located in the part rear of the base 14, and on the rear by a fold 35 against which the rear end of the spring is supported. Towards front, the spring bears against the front wall of the cavity 33.

In addition to the connecting hook 36, the front end of the rod has a hooking spout 39 oriented towards the rear. According to the illustrated embodiment, the hooking spout is a small protruding tooth, which is cut out from the bottom of the rod, and which is folded so as to be oriented in oblique towards the rear of the rod.

The hooking spout is designed to cooperate with a flange 40 located in the lower part of the body and oriented towards the front, the end of the beak engaging above the end of the ledge as can be seen in the figure 5.

The distance between the spout 39 and the rear fold 35 is substantially equal to the distance between the front end of the rim 40 and the rear wall 42 of the cavity 33. Thus, when the body is handled alone outside the slide, the rear fold 35 of the rod is pinched between the end of the spring 32 and the rear wall 42 of the cavity 33, and the hooking spout 39 is retained by the flange 40. From this way there is no significant risk that the spring and the rod will disassemble from the rest of the body. The body with its recoil spring and the rod can be manipulated as a autonomous sub-assembly without special precautions. It goes from so that the spring presents in the absence of constraint a length slightly greater than the length of the cavity, for be slightly compressed once in place in the cavity.

Preferably, as can be seen in the figures, the rear fold 35 of the rod further has a stud 45 which engages in a housing 44 in the rear wall 42. Thus, the rod is retained in the body at the level of its two ends. We could naturally reverse the relative position of the nipple and the housing.

In addition, the base 14 is extended on the rear by a second rim 43 which covers the rim 40. This second rim hides the end of the connecting rod. In addition, during of skiing it is responsible for removing the snow which could accumulate in this area due to movements of repeated recoil from the body.

The mounting of the spring and the rod in the body does not poses no particular difficulty, it is done by playing on the elasticity of the spring.

Once in place in the body, as can be seen in FIG. 6, the connecting hook 36 of the rod is protruding towards the front of the body. The base 14 is then presented so as to engage the hook 36 in its groove 38. By operating in this way, the skids of the body and the base are in the extension of each other. The set can then be engaged in the slide. Preferably, the groove 38 is provided so that the engagement of the hook 36 causes a slight additional compression of the recoil spring 32. From this way we make up for the play between the body and the base when the body is brought into abutment against the base.

Another way to do this is to hire first the body in the slide, then to hang the base 14, and finally slide the assembly to the position desired. To facilitate this operation, preferably, the lateral pads 15a, 15b of the base extend only over the front of the base, and the base has no shoe on the back, especially in the lock area. So, the body being on the front of the slide as shown in Figure 6, we bring the base on the slide so as to hang the rod on the basement. This also causes the bolt to rise, the teeth abut against the bottom of the slide. Then, the assembly is moved back into the slide until the latch teeth fall into the first notches of the slide.

The brake is assembled to the base before or after mounting of the base in the slide according to its mode assembly, depending on whether the assembly screws are provided for be screwed on top or bottom.

Once in place in the slide, the retaining element can be assembled to the ski by any suitable means, in particular screws.

Thus, the assembly of the retaining element is simplified insofar as the body with its recoil spring is assembled as a standalone sub-assembly, and where the base with the lock which is also a standalone subset is then hooked to the body.

In addition, the lock is placed in front of the body, and not on the back. As a result, the body presents a more compact construction and its rear part is largely clear above the ski.

Naturally, the present description is given only indicative, and we could adopt other layouts work of the invention without departing from the scope of this one.

In particular, it would be possible to build otherwise the rod hanging hook and the ledge. The important is that the rod is hung at least in front of the body under the effect of the thrust of the recoil spring, when the body is handled alone outside the slide.

We could also build the connection between the base and the body. The important thing is that the connection is made by engagement or interlocking according to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slide, so that the elements cannot get disassemble once engaged in the slide.

Claims (7)

Retaining element of the rear of a shoe comprising a slide (7) elongated in a longitudinal direction, a body (3) guided in sliding along the slide, a movable retaining jaw (4) carried by the body, a latch (22) for retaining the body along the slide, the body having on the underside a cavity (33) in which is housed a recoil spring (32) connecting the body and the latch, the cavity being delimited longitudinally by a front wall and a rear wall (42), the assembly being mounted so that the body is resiliently biased forward in a position predefined by the position of the retaining latch, characterized in that the spring (32) is connected to the latch (22) by a connecting rod (34), the rear end of which comprises a fold (35) interposed between the rear end of the spring and the rear wall (42) of the cavity, the front end of which has a connecting hook (36) intended to be rel linked to the bolt and a rear-facing hooking spout (39) which is engaged on a flange (40) located at the front of the body when the rear fold of the rod is in abutment against the rear wall of the cavity , and that in this position of the rod, the spring is in the compressed state. Retaining element according to claim 1, characterized in that the fold (35) of the rod carries a stud (45) which engages in a housing (44) located at the rear wall of the cavity. Retaining element according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting hook (36) is engaged in a groove (38) located on the rear of the base. Retaining element according to claim 1, characterized in that the latch (22) is housed in a well (23) of the base (14). Retaining element according to claim 4, characterized in that the lock is connected to a lever (28) housed in the upper part of the base. Element according to claim 5, characterized in that the end of the lever (28) is accessible on one of the sides of the base. Element according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear part of the body (3) is largely released above the slide.

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