EP4655080A1

EP4655080A1 - Improvements in or relating to skiing accessories

Info

Publication number: EP4655080A1
Application number: EP24702309.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ben Barnes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2023-01-26
Filing date: 2024-01-25
Publication date: 2025-12-03
Also published as: JP2026505043A; WO2024156817A1; GB2626571A; GB202301153D0

Abstract

The invention concerns skiing on a single ski (5) with both feet in line on the ski (5) and provides an inclined wedge (1) on the ski positional to support the hind foot of the skier without needing it to be flat on the surface of the ski (5).

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SKIING ACCESSORIES

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to skiing accessories and in particular accessories that can be provided on a ski to facilitate skiing on a single ski such as in skwalling where both feet of the skier are substantially in line on the same ski. The invention is equally applicable to all types of skiing and is particularly useful in either snow skiing, which can be on natural snow or on artificial material, and water skiing. Recently the skiing on one ski has been emerging as an alternative form of skiing known as skwalling to provide a different skiing sensation in downhill skiing. It has become an alternative form of the sport. It is also employed in water skiing.

This invention relates primarily to the field of snow skiing and, in particular, to improvements related to ski bindings in particular concerned with improving the experience of skiers who have both feet attached to one ski with one foot behind the other and both feet substantially in line and parallel with the longitudinal axis of the ski.

It is understood that there are several methods of skiing in a way that allows the skier to attach both feet to a single ski. These can be broadly split into three categories. In one method, both feet are attached to the ski in a positon which places them substantially side by side to each other and pointing substantially in the direction which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski. In another, both feet are attached to a wider ski, or board, in such a way that both feet are pointing in a direction that is substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the ski. This invention is concerned with the third method in which both feet are attached to a single ski with both feet pointing in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski and one foot is placed in front of the other. We refer to this type of One Foot in Front of the Other in Line as the acronym OFIFOTOIL.

US4867470A, US4008908, US3404900, EP1118359A1, DE2723864 and FR2577427A1 all relate to OFIFOTOIL and the present invention seeks to improve upon the skier’s experience as they ski in the OFIFOTOIL style.

In this document the front foot and leg of the skier will be referred to as the leading and/or guiding foot and leg whereas the other foot and leg will be referred to as the hind foot and leg. One difficulty during skiing with both feet in line on the same ski is to locate the hind foot and leg in a position behind the leading foot and leg which is both comfortable for the skier and does not impede the motion of the skiing to cause upsets and/or reduce the speed of travel of the skier and where it can also be used as a guide while skiing as in turning corners. It is also important that the hind foot can readily engage and disengage with the ski at a position directly in line with and behind the leading foot.

Ski boots have high, rigid sides designed to promote a forward bend of the skier’s leg at both the ankle and the knee. When skiing in the OFIFOTOIL style, it is desirable for the front foot to have a forward flex however this could cause discomfort to the rear foot and legs of the skier were the rear foot to be flat on the ski. It is therefore advantageous to have the rear foot inclined by providing a wedge for the rear foot such as is described in US Patent US3888499A because this allows the skier to be in a more comfortable and controlled position. The incline of the wedge would have an impact on the style of skiing. A steep incline of the wedge would have the effect of pushing a greater proportion of the skier’s weight onto their front foot which would be an advantage in normal piste skiing because the carving ability of the skis edges would be more fully engaged. Conversely, a smaller incline of the wedge would have the effect of pushing the skiers weight a little further behind the centre of the ski which would be an advantage when skiing in powder snow conditions or slushy snow. The ability to adjust the incline of the wedge would therefore be advantageous such as is found in US53675938A. Alternatively, the angle of incline could be adjusted.

Hybrid ski systems are known for example WO 2022/084590 provides a hybrid ski system that can be used for both gliding (such as in downhill skiing) and for walking on skis. The system comprises a rear shoe binding and a front shoe binding structured in a way that enables the skier to change the position of the foot on the ski to be appropriate for the method of skiing that is selected. The system also allows the position of the ski relative to the foot to be altered. This system is not however concerned with skiing on a single ski and is not concerned with positioning of the hind foot and leg during skiing on a single ski. Special bindings are also available for attaching the ski boots to the ski during skwalling

One additional preferred requirement of skiing on one ski is that the hind foot and leg can assert pressure on the rear section of the ski whilst skiing in order to influence the direction and speed of the skiing. This is particularly useful when turning corners and the like. However if the hind leg needs to be fully extended in order to assert the required pressure to influence the skiing it can be damaging to the leg and it can also be difficult for the skier to control the pressure as required to control the angle of any ski-tilt that may be required for turning a corner.

The present invention addresses these issues. The present invention therefore provides the provision of a detachable wedge shaped component which can be provided on the upper side of a ski towards the rear end of the ski with the upward slope provided by the component directed towards the rear end of the ski whereby the hind foot of the skier can be placed against the upward slope of the wedge while skiing on one ski.

The wedge shaped component is easily detachable from the ski so allowing the ski to be used for skiing as a pair of skis to enable the ski to be used for dual ski activities. In this way a single set of skis can be used for both single ski and dual skiing having the associated economic benefits. In this embodiment means such as an attachment plate may be provided on the surface of the ski to enable the wedge and its binding to be temporarily attached to the upper surface of the ski preferably at varying positions along the rear section of the ski so that the position of the wedge shaped component on the ski can be adjusted to suit the user such as for users of different heights and/or leg lengths. It is also preferred that the wedge is provided with a holder for the toe of a boot at the front end of the wedge and a heel holder for the heel of a boot at the back end of the wedge.

In a further embodiment the wedge shaped component can be provided with a binding that will attach the footwear of the skier such as a ski boot onto the individual shape of the wedge. Although not essential this can provide further balance and security to the skier during skiing. The attachment is preferably light and it is preferred that a ski boot can be readily released from the wedge to enable the hind foot and leg to be removed from and replaced on the wedge surface preferably without the need to reset the binding. It is also preferred that the binding can also be readily removed from the ski preferably without the need for special tools to allow the ski to be used as a pair of skis. Means may also be provided which allow adjustment of the force required for placement and removal of the boot from the binding.

The binding of the present invention can be made from a thermoplastic which can be injection moulded and a wedge shaped with the toe holder at the front end being lower than the heel end of the wedge. The wedge binding is preferably lightweight. The main body of the wedge shaped binding can be formed of a hexagonal honeycomb structure. The wedge should be robust enough to take the weight of the skier and to cope with the forces to which it will be subjected during skiing. The heel unit can slide up and down the wedge and be fixed into multiple positions in order to accommodate ski boots of different sizes. The sliding heel unit will preferably incorporate a spring biased roller catch that will exert a downward, holding pressure on the heel lug of the boot. The roller catch when present is preferably located at the end of a strong arm. The arm will be anchored at the rearmost and lowest part of the sliding heel unit. This will have the effect of converting some of the lateral force of the springs into a downward force on top of the heel lug. The binding of the present invention can be designed to hold a standard ski boot. The spring biased force could be variable to accommodate skiers of different weights and strength levels. This could be done by providing a screw behind the roller catch sprints that could increase or decrease the compression force on the sprints.

In a preferred embodiment the wedge is provided at its lower end with an attachment which can hold the toe lug of the footwear of the hind foot of the skier such as a ski boot. Additionally the wedge may be provided with a heel unit to attach the back of the hind foot of the footwear such as a ski boot to the wedge. In a preferred embodiment the heel unit can slide along the wedge to be locked in positions to accommodate boots of varying sizes. The main function of the wedge is to enable the heel of the skier to be raised higher than the toe and the incline of the wedge can be selected according to the requirements of the user. Accordingly in a preferred embodiment the wedge is capable of lightly binding a ski boot to the upper surface of the wedge. However, it is preferred that for safety reasons the ski boot can be readily placed into and removed from the wedge. The wedge may also be provided with a groove and/or a friction strip to aid retention of the ski boot on the wedge.

The angle of incline of the wedge may be chosen according to the needs of the skier, the nature of the terrain that is to be skied and the experience of the skier. For example if one is skiing in softer and deeper snow the skier may wish to have their weight further backwards than when skiing on harder snow. Accordingly it is preferred that the wedge can be removed from the ski and replaced with a wedge with a different incline according to requirements. Alternatively the incline of the wedge itself can be varied. However for use in snow skiing we prefer that the wedge is angled so that the boot on the hind foot remains clear of the snow when the ski is used on typical ski slopes where the ski can be tilted by as much as 45° from the horizontal.

As previously mentioned in a preferred embodiment the wedge is provided with a toe gap at its lower front end whereby the toe of a ski boot can be retained within the gap. Additionally the wedge may be provided with a heel unit at its upper back end for retention of the heel of a ski boot; the heel unit can slide up and down the wedge in order to accommodate different boot sizes. Both the toe gap and the heel unit are designed to lightly retain a ski boot in order to permit easy removal of the boot from the surface of the wedge and means such as a spring may be provided at one or both ends of the wedge preferably a spring biased retention catch at the heel end. This enables the toe gap and particularly the heel unit to be adjustable to provide the desired force for retention, removal and replacement of the ski boot.

The wedge is preferably light weight although it should be strong enough to withstand the pressures that will be exerted on it during the skiing. We have found that rigid plastic materials particularly fibre reinforced plastic materials are particularly useful for manufacture of the wedge especially as they enable the wedge to be produced by injection moulding.

The wedge of the present invention and its binding may be supplied individually for attachment to a ski in which case it may be supplied together with means for attachment to the ski. Alternatively the wedge may be supplied together with the ski in which case the ski and the wedge may be provided with the means for attachment of the wedge to the ski. For example one or two attachment points such as thread protrusions may be provided on the ski to allow the wedge to be attached to and removed from the ski. Alternatively an attachment plate may be provided on the surface of the ski to which the wedge and its binding may be easily attached and removed.

In a preferred embodiment the invention provides a binding for the rear foot which allows continuous placing and removing of the foot without the need for resetting the biding while using a standard alpine ski boot and without the need for a boot plate such as described in US3944237A or any modification to the ski boot such as is described in US3936065A. Many of the existing solutions for facilitating OFIFOTOIL skiing involve a binding or holder for the rear foot which is either not a safety binding and/or requires manual opening and closing such as in a snowboard binding. The binding of the present invention enables a skier to step easily into the binding so that the skier can push off with the unbound foot to gain momentum and, therefore, balance before attaching their rear foot to the ski. It is, likewise advantageous for the skier to be able to lift their rear foot from the ski when slowing down or coming to a stop so that they can stabilise themselves and more easily balance themselves when they are stationary. It is also important that the binding is capable of holding the rear foot securely until a certain level of force caused the release of the boot and that the level of force necessary is adjustable. The ability to remove the rear foot from the ski provides the possibility of an easy and smooth propulsion for the skier using the free rear foot to push against the snow in order to glide or skate on the ski whenever there is insufficient gradient in the ski slope to facilitate normal skiing. In a further embodiment the invention provides a binding that can attach a ski boot to a ski behind a standard alpine binding but can be easily removed from the ski so that the ski can be used as one of a pair of standard alpine skis without adversely affecting the aerodynamic function of the ski or causing a weight imbalance with the other ski. The reason the permanent attachment of the rear binding to the ski would be disadvantageous is that it would have a significant weight which would cause an imbalance for the skier because one ski of the pair of skis would be heavier than the other. Another issue which would be caused by the permanent attachment of the rear binding would be that it would increase the aerodynamic drag on the ski which could also cause an imbalance for the skier. The present invention seeks to facilitate the easy removal of the back foot binding wedge by using a permanently attached sub binding plate. This sub binding plate is preferably a small, lightweight, and low-profile plate that will be attached permanently to the ski. The sub binding plate can be located at a specified distance behind the heel biding for the front foot and the wedge binding will be slid onto the sub binding plate so that it pushes to a forward block point from where it cannot move further forward. In a preferred embodiment the sub binding plate will be capable of holding binding wedges of different sizes. A hand operated clamp system (part of the injection moulded wedge unit) that will attach the binding wedge to the sub binding plate can be provided. The forces required to remove the binding wedge shall be greater than those required to lift the rear foot from the binding wedge at the maximum level of spring force on the heel lug.

While the invention has been described in an embodiment in which the two feet are in line on the ski it is equally applicable to systems in which the two feet are on the same ski but are slightly offset from each other which can be useful if the ability to cause slight rotation of the ski is desired.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 illustrates a wedge according to the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates one method by which a wedge such as that illustrated in Figure 1 can be attached to a ski.

Figure 3 illustrates a spring biased catch at the heel end of the wedge.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an inclined wedge (1) for attachment to a ski the top surface of which is shown at (5). The wedge is provided with a toe holder (2) to retain the toe of a ski boot (not shown) and a heel holder (3) to retain the heel of the boot. The upper surface of the wedge (6) is shaped to provide support to the boot on the hind foot of the skier (not shown). The toe holder and the heel holder may be spring biased to provide the pressure required to hold the boot and at the same time allow ready removal.

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration showing how the wedge (1) as shown in Figure 1 can be attached to a ski whose upper surface is shown at (5) by means of an attachment (10) provided on the surface (5) which can mate with an attachment (7) provided in the base of the wedge. Figure 2 also shows how a boot (9) can be located on the surface of the wedge (11) by means of the toe holder (2) and the heel holder (3).

Figure 3 shows a spring biased catch that may be provided at the heel end (3) of the wedge with pillar (17) providing a stop for the heel of a ski boot. The catch (14) is provided at the back end of the wedge and the roller catch (15) is provided within the heel unit (16). As the ski boot is pressed into the heel unit the roller catch is pushed towards the pillar (17) allowing the ski boot to pass downwards onto the foot plate of the wedge (18). Once the heel of the boot is on the foot plate the roller catch will be pushed back by the spring (19) provided on the roller catch arm (20) so clamping the heel of the ski boot within the spring biased heel unit.

Figures 4 and 5 are a top view and a side view of the sub plate used for locating the wedge of this invention.

Figure 6 shows a channel formed in the ski for attachment of the plate.

Figure 7 is a top view of the hind foot rest unit which may be located on the ski.

Figure 8 shows the heel unit of the wedge.

Figure 4 shows the unit (23) provided with ten locking rod receiver holes (21) and provided with holes (22) for screw attachment to the ski. Figure 6 shows how a channel (24) can be provided for retention of the foot rest unit.

Figure 7 shows the hind foot rest unit provided with the locking rods (25) to be located in the locking rod receiver holes shown in Figure 4. Figure 7 also shows the locking mechanism for retention of the boot of the skier including a spring mechanism (26) which can be flexed around a pivot (27) to enable insertion and removal of the ski boot. Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of the heel unit (28) of the wedge provided with a roller bar catch (29) for retention of the boot of the kier which can also be manually operated to release the boot of the skier from the wedge. Figures 9 and 10 are top views of the heel unit (28) showing the fixing plates (30) that can attach the heel unit to the wedge and also showing the roller bar catch (29), the compressions springs (30) and the tension adjusting screw (31) that ensure the ski boot is securely held in the heel unit whilst also allowing for ready removal.

Claims

1. A wedge shaped component which can be detachably provided on the upper side of a ski towards the rear end of the ski with the upward slope provided by the component directed towards the rear end of the ski whereby the hind foot of the skier can be placed against the upward slope of the wedge while skiing on one ski.

2. A wedge shaped component according to Claim 1 which is detachable from the ski.

3. A wedge shaped component according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein means are provided to enable to the wedge to be temporarily attached to the upper surface of the ski.

4. A wedge shaped component according to Claim 3 in which the wedge may be attached to the ski at varying positions along the rear section of the ski.

5. A wedge shaped component according to any of the preceding claims wherein the wedge is provided with a holder for the toe of a boot at the front end of the wedge and heel holder for the heel of a boot at the back end of the wedge.

6. A wedge shaped component according to any of the preceding claims provided with a binding that will attach the footwear of the skier such as a ski boot onto the individual shape of the wedge.

7. A wedge according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the heel unit can slide along the wedge.

8. A wedge according to any of Claims 5 to 7 wherein the heel unit is provided with a spring biased catch for securing the heel of a ski boot within the heel unit.

9. A wedge according to any of the preceding claims provided with a groove and/or a friction strip on its upper surface to aid retention of the ski boot on the wedge.

10. A wedge according to any of the preceding claims wherein the wedge is angled so that the boot on the hind foot remains clear of the snow when the ski is used on typical ski slopes where the ski can be tilted by as much as 45° from the horizontal.

11. A kit comprising a wedge according to any of the preceding claims and means for attachment of the wedge to the ski.

12. A kit according to Claim 11 wherein the means for attachment comprises a plate attached to the ski and a binding detachably attached to the plate for receipt of the wedge.

13. A kit according to Claim 12 where in the binding can be removed from the plate without the need for any tools.

14. A kit according to any of Claims 11 to 13 in including a ski.