EP1596948B1 - Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard - Google Patents

Abstract

A binding which is used to keep a boot connected to a snowboard, comprising a seat which is fixed to a board, a strap which is attached to the seat in order to receive a front part of the boot, a rear bearing shell for receiving a rear part of the boot and a mechanism for tightening the rear bearing shell in relation to the seat. The rear bearing shell is divided into two side panels which can pivot laterally in relation to the seat by virtue of mechanical pivots or by deformation of said side panels, and a center panel which can pivot from the front to the back in relation to the seat in order to enable the center panel to tilt towards the rear and from the back to the front in a closed position, wherein the two side panels are superposed in relation to the center panel and tightened by the tightening mechanism which acts in such a way that it prevents the center panel from tilting towards the rear in relation to the base.

Description

The present invention relates to a binding intended to hold a boot solidarily to a snowboard and in which the user enters his boot from the rear thanks to a device for retracting the rear support shell to allow the booting and heaving operations.

The invention relates to such a binding comprising more particularly a base to be fixed on the board, a strap attached to the base to receive a front portion of the shoe a rear support shell for receiving a rear portion of the shoe and means for clamping the rear support shell relative to the base.

Such an attachment is known from, for example, US 5,556,123, EP-A-0705,625 or US-A-5,692,765, wherein the preamble of claim 1 is based.

The object of the invention is different embodiments of a fastener comprising a three-piece rear support shell and related devices in order to provide it with all the functions necessary for its use. These devices relate to the adjustment of the inclination and the folding of the rear support shell to adjust the attachment to the preferences of the user and to facilitate transport or storage, the adjustment of the tightening of the strap achieved through a link flexible and enslaving the tightening of the strap to the movement of the rear support shell to tighten when closing the rear support shell and release it when opening to facilitate donning and heaving.

To this end, the invention relates to a binding for holding a shoe integrally with a snowboard, comprising a base to be fixed on the board, a strap attached to the base for receiving a front portion of the shoe, a rear support shell for receiving a rear portion of the boot and means for clamping the rear support shell relative to the base, characterized in that the rear support shell has two lateral panels pivoting relative to the base by mechanical pivots or by deformation of the side panels themselves and a central pan pivoting back and forth relative to the base to open in an open position where the two side panels have rotated to allow tilting back of the central pan and to close in a closed position where the two side panels are superimposed on the central panel and clamped by the clamping means acting to oppose the tilting back of the central panel relative to the base.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the side panels and the central panel are carried by an interface guided in rotation from front to back relative to the base. Advantageously, at least one traction means of the strap is attached to at least one of the lateral pan by a ball-type connection to respectively cause loosening or tightening of the strap during the pivoting of the two side panels respectively in the position of opening or in the closed position.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une fixation selon un premier mode d'exécution de l'invention, la coque d'appui arrière étant dans une position de fermeture.
• La figure 2 illustre la fixation dessinée par la figure 1, la coque d'appui arrière étant dans une position d'ouverture.
• La figure 3 est une vue arrière de la fixation illustrée par la figure 1, montrant plus particulièrement un premier type de moyen de serrage.
• La figure 4 est une vue arrière de la fixation illustrée par la figure 1 montrant plus particulièrement un deuxième type de moyen de serrage.
• La figure 5 est une vue éclatée d'une fixation selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention où une interface portant les pans latéraux et central est guidée en rotation par rapport à l'embase.
• La figure 6 montre la fixation illustrée par la figure 5, dans une première position de réglage de l'interface la moins fléchie, le pan central étant en position de fermeture.
• La figure 7 montre la fixation illustrée par la figure 5, dans une deuxième position de réglage de l'interface, le pan central étant également en position de fermeture.
• La figure 8 montre la fixation illustrée par la figure 7, dans une position de transport où le pan central est en appui sur l'embase, la sangle de la fixation ayant été retirée.
• La figure 9 est une vue de côté de la fixation illustrée par les figures 1 et 2, montrant plus particulièrement un asservissement de la sangle aux pans latéraux.
• La figure 10 montre la sangle de la fixation illustrée par les figures 1 et 2, pourvue de moyens pour le réglage de la tension de serrage.

Other advantages of the invention will become apparent in the light of the description of the embodiments illustrated by the drawings.

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fastener according to a first embodiment of the invention, the rear support shell being in a closed position.
• Figure 2 illustrates the attachment drawn in Figure 1, the rear support shell being in an open position.
• Figure 3 is a rear view of the attachment illustrated in Figure 1, showing more particularly a first type of clamping means.
• Figure 4 is a rear view of the attachment illustrated in Figure 1 showing more particularly a second type of clamping means.
• Figure 5 is an exploded view of a fastener according to a particular embodiment of the invention wherein an interface carrying the lateral and central sections is guided in rotation relative to the base.
• FIG. 6 shows the attachment illustrated in FIG. 5, in a first adjustment position of the least flexed interface, the central panel being in the closed position.
• Figure 7 shows the attachment shown in Figure 5, in a second adjustment position of the interface, the central pan is also in the closed position.
• Figure 8 shows the attachment illustrated in Figure 7, in a transport position where the central panel is supported on the base, the strap of the fastener having been removed.
• Figure 9 is a side view of the attachment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, more particularly showing a servo of the strap side panels.
• Figure 10 shows the strap of the binding illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, provided with means for adjusting the clamping tension.

A binding for holding a shoe integrally with a snowboard comprises, Figures 1 to 4, a base 1 to be fixed on the snowboard, an adjustable strap 2 to receive a front portion of the boot and a rear support shell to receive a rear portion of the shoe.

According to the invention, the rear support shell comprises two sections 67 and 68 articulated on each side of the base 1 along the axes 69 and 70 and a pan 65 hinged along an axis 66, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the base, placed on the base.

To open the binding, the panels 67 and 68 are open laterally, which allows the pan 65 to tilt backwards. When closing, after the boot has been inserted into the strap, the pan 65 is pivoted towards the rear. before coming into contact with the back of the shoe. Then, the two panels 67 and 68, by their lateral closing movement, are superimposed on the pan 65 by surrounding it and then brought together and held by a clamping means which acts between them, preventing the rotation towards the rear of the pan 65 .

There are many possibilities of partitioning a rear support shell into three sections, by embedding or interlocking them. For example, the three panels 65, 67 and 68 can fit together in the use position, to stiffen the rear support shell. The panels 67 and 68 can also be locally superimposed on the pan 65 and be in direct contact with the shoe in other places. In this embodiment, the two panels 67 and 68 can also be movable in a lateral opening movement by deformation of the materials constituting them.

During the clamping phase, between the moment when the panels 67 and 68 are superimposed on the pan 65 and the moment when they are brought together and held in their position of use, a combined movement occurs between a pivoting inwards panes 67 and 68 caused by the user and simultaneous pivoting to the front of the pan 65 caused by the panels 67 and 68 which rely on it by exerting a couple of rotation forward. In this embodiment, the angular adjustment from front to rear of the rear support shell is obtained by adjusting the closed position more or less close to the panels 67 and 68. Thus, when they are brought closer to the maximum of the adjustment, the pan 65 is pivoted forwards to the maximum and when they are at most away from the adjustment pan 65 is pivoted to the maximum rearward due to the effect of the combined movements of the three faces. The adjustment is caused by the variation of the distance between the fixings of the clamping means on the panels 67 and 68 or by a modification of the length of elements constituting the clamping means.

The clamping means 71 can act directly between the panels 67 and 68. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the clamping means is engaged on each of the two lateral panels and acts between them to tighten them and hold them in the closed position. or can be linked also to the pan 65 as shown in Figure 3 to allow simultaneous movements of closure of the three panels. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 3, a flexible link 72 fixed to each of the panels 67 and 68 is guided on the panel 65 by loops 75 and 76, which may be pulleys. The horizontal movement of the link 72 below passers 75 and 76 is transformed into a vertical movement beyond. Thus the strands 78 of the link 72 can be pulled upwards directly by the user or by means of a clamping means 79, to cause the simultaneous closure of the three sections without further manual intervention. The clamping means must allow the strand 78 to unwind in the loops to a sufficient length to allow sufficient spacing of the panels 67 and 68 and sufficient opening of the rear support shell.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the device for adjusting the inclination and folding of the rear support shell is composed, FIGS. 5 to 8, of an interface 7 guided in rotation with respect to the base 1 along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the binding and which carries the joints of the two panels 67 and 68 of the rear support shell. The pan 65 can be hinged directly on the base or on the interface 7 carrying the panels 67 and 68 with lateral opening and which will ensure, in this embodiment, the angular adjustment from front to back of the support shell back.

Thus the subassembly consisting of the rear support shell and the interface is rotatable back and forth relative to the base, in which embodiment, the adjustment of the angular position of use of the pan 65 can be obtained through the interface which carries the two panels 68 and 69 which will be oriented back and forth according to the desire of the user. In particular the axis of rotation of the pan 65 may be coincident with the axis of rotation of the interface.

The interface is composed of two sectors 9 and 10 arranged vertically on each side and guided in rotation in the base by the axes 15 and 16 which carry the two sides of the rear support shell by the journals 11 and 12. two sectors 9 and 10 can be connected by a zone 13 located under the heel of the boot in the use position and thus constitute a stirrup shape, so that the two sides of the rear support shell are always in positions corresponding.

The interface may be monoblock or may consist of an assembly of elements. For example, the journals 11 and 12 may be parts attached to the sectors 9 and 10 or to the zone 13 to allow the use of a different material at the joint such as a metal section or a stamped sheet to improve resistance to a plastic part. The pins 11 and 12 may also be a composite of several materials, for example a metal-plastic composite. The rotation of the interface towards the rear can be stopped by an adjustable stop 14 to allow the user to choose the inclination of the rear support shell which suits him. The adjustment is produced by moving back and forth the abutment 14 in a step corresponding to a toothing 17 of the base. The abutment 14 is held in the chosen position by means of a suitable clamping means, for example screws 18 and nuts 19.

The interface 7 can be guided and supported in the use position by grooves 20, 21 and by the cylindrical zone 22 'to improve the rigidity of its connection with the base and relay the axes 15 and 16. The zone 22 on which the interface comes to rely on is more specifically intended to participate in absorbing vertical forces. However, in another embodiment, this zone can disappear and in this case, the zone 13 of the interface extended downward can come into direct contact with the board through judiciously chosen shapes.

The interface 7 is immobilized in the position of use by a retractable retention means. This means may be a lever 22 embedded in the zone 13 of the interface, fixed to the axis 23 hinged in the interface and biased by a spring 24. The lever comprises a toothing which cooperates with a corresponding shape of the stop for maintain the interface in the use position. The teeth can be disengaged from its recess in the stop by the intervention of the user on the axis 23 to rotate the locking lever and release the connection between the interface and the stop. The locking lever can also be articulated in the stop and hook on the interface.

Figure 6 shows the inclination device in the least flexed position and Figure 7 shows the displacement of the stop 14 to the rear and the corresponding inclination of the rear support shell. The forward rotation of the interface is free to allow the rear support shell to pivot to come into contact with the base when the strap is detached from the binding, according to Figure 8. The strap can to be reassembled on the fastener thus folded so as to constitute a compact assembly whose elements are protected for transport or storage.

The zone 13 of the interface is located under the heel of the boot which can rest directly on it. Thus the heel is slightly raised when the rear support shell is set rotated forward: this feature of the device facilitates the corresponding bending of the boot and provides the user a more comfortable position and better balance. However, the zone 13 of the interface may be covered by a zone of the base or an area connected to the abutment 14 and not be in direct contact with the heel of the boot. In another embodiment, the zone 13 can be removed, the sectors 9 and 10 are then independent but can be stopped in rotation backwards by the abutment 14 which is common to them, through a docking.

In another embodiment, as for example for the front part of a ski boot collar, the side panels 67 and 68 of the rear support shell may be free of mechanical type joints and open thanks to deformation of the material or materials constituting them, this deformation can be localized or more general. In this case, the side panels 67 and 68 of the rear support shell are fixed rigidly on the interface 7 or can constitute with the interface a single piece which will comprise more or less flexible zones thanks to differences in thickness judiciously chosen or thanks to nests materials appropriately chosen flexibility. In this case, the opening movement becomes difficult to describe precisely, but it will retain its characteristic of lateral opening movement.

In the following and for the sake of clarity, the description will focus on the embodiments comprising a mechanical type of articulation, but the lateral opening by deformation is an embodiment compatible with all the embodiments described in this document.

The user of the rear entry fastener according to the invention may encounter difficulties when donning to introduce his shoe deep enough in the strap, in this case it is more difficult to close the rear support shell. The servo tightening device of the strap described below is intended to release the strap when opening and tighten when closing the rear support shell.

As illustrated in Figure 9, four tie rods 26 and 31 ensure the tightening of the strap on the front part of the shoe being movable relative to the base 1 so that when opening the two panels 67 and 68 of the rear support shell, the strap 2 is moved forwards and upwards.

A rear tie 26, adjustable at one of its ends with respect to the strap 2 by means 38 adapted, attached to the strap so as to be pivotable about the point 30. The rear tie 26 is fixed at its other end to a lateral panel 67 or 68 of the rear support shell by a ball-type connection centered at a point 27. This point is placed on the lateral pan to describe a portion of a circle around the hinge axis 28 of the lateral pan. , so to be moved forward when opening the rear support shell. The movement thus produced tends to push the strap forward.

A front tie rod 31 is articulated at one of its ends relative to the base at a point 32 and fixed to the strap at its other end by an adjustable fastening means 38 which can pivot about the point 33 to allow the strap move forward and up when the rear support shell is open. Thus at the opening, the point 27 passes to point 29, the rear tie 26 pushes the strap forward and the point 33 passes to point 34 by moving on a portion of circle 35 centered at point 32, while in at the same time point 30 moved to point 36.

In order to obtain maximum loosening of the strap at the front tie rod 31, the position of an axis passing through the points 34 and 32, during the maximum opening of the rear support shell, must be close to the vertical. A stop stopping the forward rotation of the front tie rod 31 on the base can be arranged to determine this position. In this case, after the forward tie has reached the stop, the rear tie 26 absorbs the opening stroke of the rear support shell by rotation about the point 30 which moves up to the point 36 by raising the back of the strap which then pivots around point 34, fixed relative to the base during this phase.

In another embodiment, the rotation of the tie rods relative to the strap may be the result of an elastic deformation of parts of the strap or tie rods. The rotational stroke of the rear tie 26 relative to the strap can be limited in both directions by a suitable means, to ensure the extreme positions of the strap. In particular, it can be fixed rigidly to the strap: in this case the front tie rod must have a sufficient race of rotation from front to back to absorb the entire stroke imposed by the rear tie rod which can no longer pivot by compared to the strap around point 30.

The rear tie 26 has been described as acting directly on the strap but it can act via a device attached to the base or the interface which converts the rotational movement around the axis 28 of the end 27 of the rear tie 26 in a directed motion to cause the tightening or loosening of the strap. For example, the rear tie 26 may be replaced by a flexible link that can be guided by a passer attached to the interface or the base. Similarly, an element fixed at one of its ends on the lateral pan by a ball-type connection can act on the front part of the strap directly or via a device chosen for the purpose of increasing the stroke of tightening or loosening on the front part of the strap. For example, a flexible link can be attached at one end to the side panel, be guided by a loop fastened to the base and act at its other end on the front of the strap by pulling it down when tightening.

The ball-type connection mentioned in this paragraph may be performed either by a mechanical device or by deformation of a flexible material. The servo device of the tightening of the strap to the movement of the rear support shell is described in this paragraph for one side of a fastener but can be applied to both sides symmetrically.

The tightening device of the tightening of the strap described in the preceding paragraph can cooperate with a control system so that the user can adjust the tightening tension.

For this purpose, we use a flexible link type lace to ensure the adjustment. An envelope 39, Figure 10, more or less flexible, is provided to be directly in contact with the front part of the shoe. This envelope is webbing by two flexible wings 40 and 41 fixed by a suitable means 45 to the tie rods on one side and brought together by a link 42 in the center. Thus, when the user pulls on the link the two wings slide on the envelope closer to the center, the envelope is pressed onto the boot so as to ensure the desired tightening tension.

Each of the wings can be separated into two pieces each attached to a tie to obtain greater independence of clamping between the front and the back of the strap. The wings and the tie rods can also constitute one and the same piece.

To ensure the cohesion of the assembly, the envelope includes passers-by which maintain contact with the wings and the symmetry of their positions, while allowing free sliding between the envelope and the wings. For this purpose the envelope comprises for example lace guides 43 in the center and a double wall made of a flexible material and in which the wings are introduced. In order to maintain the tension in the link 42 and participate in pressing the wings on the envelope, an elastic link 44 exerts traction between the envelope and the wings. The attachment of the wings to the tie rods is adjustable to increase the range of sizes of shoes used in the binding.

Claims (9)

1. Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard, comprising a baseplate to be fixed to the board, a tongue attached to the baseplate for receiving a front part of the boot, a rear bearing shell for receiving a rear part of the boot and a means for tightening the rear bearing shell in relation to the baseplate, wherein the rear bearing shell comprises two side panels which pivot in relation to the baseplate by virtue of mechanical pivots or by deformation of the side panels themselves, and a centre panel which pivots from the front to the back in relation to the baseplate in order to open into an open position where the two side panels have pivoted in order to enable the centre panel to tilt towards the rear and in order to close again into a closed position where the two side panels are superposed in relation to the centre panel and tightened by the tightening means which acts to oppose the tilting of the centre panel towards the rear in relation to the baseplate.
2. Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard according to Claim 1, wherein the tightening means is engaged on each of the two side panels and acts between them to tighten them and hold them in the closed position.
3. Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard according to Claim 1, wherein the tightening means comprises a flexible link fixed to the two side panels and is guided through at least one loop fixed to the centre panel to cause the joint closure of the centre panel and the side panels by traction on a strand of the link situated after the loop.
4. Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard according to Claim 1, wherein the side panels are articulated or fixed on an interface guided rotationally from the front to the back in relation to the baseplate.
5. Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard according to Claim 4, wherein the interface comprises at least two sectors and connected by a crossmember.
6. Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard according to Claim 5, wherein the interface comes into contact with a stop at a point of its rotation towards the rear and in that a releasable retaining means acts between the stop and the interface to block the rotation of the interface towards the front.
7. Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard according to Claim 1, wherein at least one means for traction of the tongue is articulated to at least one of the side panels to cause respectively a loosening or tightening of the tongue during the pivoting of the two side panels respectively into the open position or into the closed position.
8. Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard according to Claim 7, wherein the means for traction of the tongue is articulated to the side panel for a connection of the swivel type.
9. Binding for keeping a boot attached to a snowboard according to Claim 1, wherein the tongue has a covering on which means for traction of the tongue slide when they are brought closer together by a flexible link for adjusting a tightening tension of the tongue, an elastic link exerting traction between the covering and the traction means.

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