FR2508805A1 - Heel clamp for ski - has pivoting blades to aid ascent held together by rods and retained on ski by collars - Google Patents

Abstract

The ski heel clamp has pivoting blades (1,1b) that, in one position, cut into the ice for the ascent of hard slopes of snow and, in another position, form part of the clamp for a descent. The blades have teeth and are joined by rods (2), one of which is fixed to the ski by collars (15) that form hinges. In the frontal position, the blades are held by a cursor (9) with lateral hooks and in the rear position, they are held by a clip (3). Two straps (18) are fixed to the blades by plates (7) and hold the ski boot.

Description

The present invention relates to hiking equipment
skis and more precisely his crampon on the snow.

It is used for the descent, the watch or the crossing of hard snow slopes, such as they are usually practiced using ice knives or fasteners.
security independent of said knives.

It is well known to use ice knives on
high mountain touring skis by fixing them laterally
by snap fasteners or by overlapping skis
and any other mechanical blocking, this in order to improve the
crampons on skis on frozen snow. These knives are metal plates with giant saw teeth, which
crunch in frozen snow like crampons. This ope
ration is very inconvenient to carry because in most cases it is necessary to take out the knives stored in a backpack and
this sometimes in situations of bad balance, which
creates a risk of falling and losing part of the equipment and in particular the knives.

On the other hand, the assembly of these knives being rather tedious, the intended use must be sufficient
long-term or to compensate for security that has become pre
to consider this assembly. In addition, to carry out
this process, it is often necessary to detach the skis from the feet where there is an additional risk of imbalance and loss of equipment.

In the middle of the mountain, as well as on the snow-covered high plateaus, you can hike more easily using skis with scales or coated with sticky waxes while being lightly shod. This is an area deriving from the practice of cross-country skiing that does not include any previous traces, this is what is called "cross-country ski touring
In this area the slope inclinations are of all kinds, variable and frequently contradictory. As a result, the installation of knives quickly becomes tedious since hardly installed they must be removed, the relief having quickly transformed.

 It should also be noted that most cross-country skis, due to the fragile composition of their edges, do not allow the installation of ice knives.

 Often, on the other hand, the cross-country touring skier would like to descend a slightly steep slope by the chain of successive turns. For this it would be necessary that his foot is firmly pressed to the ski, but also that in case of fall, the heel is released.

 Currently removable elastic straps or heels with no triggering effect in the event of a fall exist on the market but offer only relative security.

 According to the invention, we wanted to remedy all these drawbacks and establish a compromise making it possible to get out of embarrassment in the most diverse cases and as close as they were, this safely, easily and quickly by serving as rudimentary equipment as possible in order to gain weight and a cost price which is compatible with that low of a pair of cross-country skis. An important aspect of the invention is that once implemented, this device can no longer be removed without tools, which makes it, therefore, captive. This is not always the case for ice cream knives existing to date.

 The present invention therefore claims to be used for both ascending and descending, on flat ground or across the slopes of frozen snow slopes. It also allows conversions, that is to say the realization of U-turns on the spot, skis one after the other.

 The risks of losing the knives are definitely ruled out during these works, as has been said, because they are permanently fixed to the skis.

 The object of the invention is therefore that these knives are permanently mounted on the skis and always ready to come into action at the option of the user, with complete ease and safety and that they can also serve as lateral stops for the heel. of the shoe during descents in successive turns and that, in addition, a so-called safety and support strap cooperates with this heel piece for a better connection and that in the event of a fall the foot is no longer held on the ski in order to avoid any physical trauma.

 This belt, as has just been written, keeps the boot pressed against the ski according to two antagonistic provisions provided for side knives, this as well on the rise as on the descent or crossing of slopes.

 This belt device can also serve as a rudimentary safety binding on any type of ski and mainly, to troubleshoot a faulty binding.

 This belt, according to the invention, is that it can be released in the event of sudden force by sliding the fasteners at its ends, the well-known system of buckle and multiple hooks frequently used on ski boots co-operating in the event failure of the fasteners which would be due to improper adjustment on the part of the user.

 This adjustment is provided by varying the adhesion of the belt ends using extra-flat screw-nuts and the tension gradually increased from one hook to another further away until the sliding begins to either of the two fasteners.

 Returning to one or two previous hooks, the setting is thus established definitively. The adhesion of the end fasteners, during this adjustment, is achieved by the pressure of a screw-nut system actuated by means of a hexagonal wrench. It is desirable that this key accompanies the skier during his progress.

 It is intended that this strap can be neutralized, once stored on the ski, by means of two removable elastic loops, after it has passed through two openings in the knives, this to allow normal use of cross-country skis without have to use this device.

 The extreme positions which this heel with pivoting knives must occupy are fixed on the one hand, by means of one or more clips behind the hinges, on the other hand, by a system of cursor with hooks in front of the hinges as well as it will be defined later.

 According to another variant, the entire device is moved away from its hinges by means of lateral links. In this case, double the number of sliders and clips is then provided.

 These characteristics will be developed in the following description.

To clearly define the subject of the invention without however limiting it in the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 shows pKr a perspective view of most of the components of the assembly on a ski This ski having / been cut for reasons of space in the drawing.

 Figure 2 shows the use of the pending invention.

A knife, in a lateral profile view, has been cut to make the attachment of the strap more visible with the aid of an elastic loop on a clip.

 Figure 3 shows the use of the invention in a side view without the use of the safety belt during crampons on snow.

 Figure 4 is a side view showing the use of the invention according to Figure 3 but the ski being riveted to the foot using the safety strap.

 Figure R is a side view showing the use of the invention on the descent. A knife is shown cut to better make the rear clip apart.

Figure 6 is a top view of han ski provided with the invention to observe the possible arrangement of cour couries when they are not used, as well as most
components of the system.

 Figure 7 is a front view of a strap attachment tab.

 Figure 8 is a perspective view of a belt end reinforcement.

 Figure 9 is a perspective view of a spacer rod and holding knives.

 Figure 10 is a front view with partial sections of a fixing collar.

 Figure II is a front view of a clip with partial section.

 Figure 2 is a front view of a crimp washer.

 Figure 13 is a front view of a disengaged knife.

 Figure 14 is a perspective view of a knife blocking slider. Figure 9 5 is a front view or nrofil of a mounting variant of the invention using rods.

 In order to give concrete expression to the object of the invention, it is now described in a nonlimiting manner by referring to the examples illustrated by the figures of the drawings indicated above.

We see in Figure i the device as it is intended to operate and comprising side knives 1 and ib, cylindrical rods 2, one or more clips 3, one of the ronuelles holding before crimping 4, a nut belt attachment 5, a belt passage opening 6, a belt-attaching loop 7, a metal strap end eyelet 8, a slider with side hooks 9, one of the slider fixing screws 10, a fixing loop cooperating with the multi-hooks 12, one of the two elastic loops 13 for storing belts, a belt fixing screw ^ 11, one of the two hinge collars 5, a nut for adjusting the length of belt 16 also serving to hold the elastic loop 13, a metal reinforcement plate at the end of the belt 17, a belt 18, the edge of a ski i 9
To explain what has just been stated, FIG. 1 shows a pair of side knives 1 and 1 b according to the invention joined together by cylindrical rods 2 (fig.g) after passing through holes 0 (fig.13) and crimping of washers 4 (fig.12) These knives have one or more openings 6 (fig.13) intended for the passage of the belts i8 for their storage (fig. 6) It is expected that these knives include additional deformations to accentuate their rigidity or possibly, for the housing of the shoe heel as well as to facilitate the operation of the slider with lateral hooks 9 (fig. 14)
These knives are fixed to the ski by the hinge collars 15 (flg.io) provided with screws. As illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 14 the knives are blocked on the one hand, by means of the clip 3 (fig. 11) and on the other hand, with a slider with side hooks 9 (fig. 14)
The clip 3 (fig.11) will not be described further since it is currently manufactured industrially.

 On the other hand, the slider with lateral hooks 9 represented by FIGS. I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, i4 and 15, is a stamped plate having hooks or flaps c, a pusher p, oblong openings , these openings can also be enlarged at their end by a diameter greater than that of the screw heads 10 (fig.1) to allow their rapid and temporary removal.

An important aspect of the invention resides in the addition of a 6jetable safety belt 18 (fig.1) this belt being fixed to each knife by orientable strips 7 (fig.7) riveted with functional play outside knives on the axes 2 (fig. 9) passing through the hinge clips 1 5 (fig.10)
These strips 7 are sheet metal ends comprising (fig. 7) a total opening h and an axis passage hole 2, j
The fixing is done with extra-large and flat screw-nuts 5 and 14 (fig. 1) The ends of the belts are reinforced by pieces of folded sheet metal 17 (fig. 8) on the belt and comprising at least two holes m and n to allow them to be riveted by means of metal eyelets 8 (rig.i), the so-called eyelets which must allow passage for the screws 14 (fig. 1) which have been mentioned previously.

 Another improvement of this belt is provided by two elastic loops 13 (fig.i) which are provided for holding the belts when they are not in use, (fig. 2,3 and 6) and to avoid unpleasant floating. .

the attachment of these belts to the skier's shoe is effected by means of a multi-hook 12 (fig. i) and a loop 11 (fig.1)
The principle of operation of ejection of this belt is that in the event of sudden or exaggerated effort the screws 14 (fig,) slide in the openings h (fig.7) of the adjustable slats for lack of adhesion.

 As was written earlier, the grip adjustment is carried out by gradually forcing the tension of the belts by means of the multiple hook 12 (fig.?) Until a sliding of the screws 14 (fig.i) begins.

 It is also noted that the length of the belts is adjustable by means of screw-nuts 6 (fig.i) passing through holes.

According to a variant shown in Figure 15 the knives and jb are moved away from their attachment point by means of links
In this embodiment the device provides two already described sliders 9 and 9 e, an additional axis of rotation 2 (fig.g) having two shoulder ends intended for crimping the washers 4 (fig.12) as well as two clips, this to allow either to go closer to the front of the skier's foot, or to cross a mechanical heel installed at the back of the heel of the skier's foot. In this variant the belts will obviously be longer than in the initial case.

 In conclusion, the assembly fortifying the heel piece of sKi with pivoting and captive knives, comprising ejectable belts, is made of any rot-proof and weatherproof material resistant to abrasion.

The advantages emerge clearly from the description, in particular, it is emphasized
- allows cross-country skiers to increase their possibilities of progression, in particular on frozen snow and on strong slopes as well as the rise as the descent or the crossing.

 - safety by releasing the belts in the event of a fall or reckless effort.

 - easy, quick and safe handling.

 - storage of belts, when not in use, out of side friction.

 - clipping of the whole assembly when it remains unused.

 - possibility of using the strap alone on any type of ski, provided you provide full opening sipes.

 The invention is in no way limited to that of its modes of application, nor to those of its embodiments of its various parts having been particularly mentioned.

On the contrary, it envisages all its variants of form or design presenting analogies as to its principle.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS 1. Ski heel with captive pivoting knives comprising ejectable belts, consisting of two toothed metal plates (", 1b) connected to each other by cylindrical rods (2) fixed to a ski (19) by means of collars (15) acting as hinges and being able to be tilted forwards or backwards of an axis (2) to then be immobilized in one or the other of these two positions by means of a slider with removable lateral hooks or not (9 ) and a clip (3), provided with two orientable strips (7) which are used for fixing ejection belts (i8) with reinforced ends (A7) comprising metal eyelets (8) intended for the housing of screws ( 14) whose role is the maintenance of said belts (i 8) as well as the adjustment of their release force, these belts (18) being provided with elastic loops (^ 3) whose role is to cooperate in their storage in the event of '' inactivity, characterized by its ability to permanently attached to the ski which makes it captive and that it can tilt back and forth thanks to an axis of rotation (2) rotating in collars (i 5) and be blocked on the one hand by a slider with lateral hooks (9) d 'other hand by an elastic clip (3), that an ejectable safety belt (18) can slide along two release openings (h, fig.  7) formed on two orientable strips (7) integral or not integral with the heel piece and arranged outside of the latter in order to constitute at will a safety attachment for the descent or a pair of captive ice knives for the ascent, the modification being carried out quickly and surely on hard snow slopes.  2. Ski heel with captive pivoting knives comprising ejectable belts, according to claim characterized in that the knives (1, @ b) have one or more openings (6 fig.fl3) intended for the passage of ejectable belts for their storage, as well as two the pivoting ones (7) with a liberating opening (h) used for fixing the belts as well as for their ejection, one or more connecting pins including one of rotation (2i and collars (i Efig. 1o) for its permanent connection to the ski (19).  3. Ski heel with pivoting impersible knives comprising eJectable belts according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the knives (1,1b) are provided with a rotation axis (2) allowing them to tilt back and forth. rear along the axis of symmetry - or length of the ski and once placed in position they can be held there energetically by a clip (3) or a slider with lateral hooks (j as the case may be.  4. Ski heel with captive pivoting knives comprising ejectable belts according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that orientable strips (7) fixed to the outside of the knives have a rectilinear opening and not stopped until the end of the free end (h, fig. 7) of each of them, a holding and articulation hole (j, fig. 7) intended to allow the ejection of the belts (i 8) by lack of adhesion or on the contrary their maintenance by adhesion according to the intensity of the efforts requested.  5. Ski heel with captive pivoting knives according to claims 1, 2 and 4 characterized in that the ejectable belts (18) are provided at one of their ends with metallic reinforcements or not, striated or not (i 7) fixed by metallic or non-metallic eyelets (8) for the passage of fixing screws (i 4) and comprising elastic loops (i 3) for the storage and maintenance of these belts, and an adjustable closure system of the rigid loop type (it) cooperating with an eccentric lever comprising several hooks (fol2).  6. Ski heel with captive pivoting knives comprising ejectable belts, according to claims 1 and 3 characterized in that the maintenance in position when climbing is ensured by a slider (9) with lateral hooks (c, fig.i4) which can slide under the heads of two screws (10) through two oblong openings (f, fig. 14) which can be widened at one of their ends to a diameter greater than that of the screw heads (10) in order to make them removable and that a folded tab (p, fig. 14) is provided as a push-button. evening.  7. Ski heel with captive pivoting knives comprising ejectable belts according to claims I and 3 characterized in that the maintenance in the descent position is obtained by a clip (3, fig.ll) having a fixing hole.  8. Ski heel with captive pivoting knives comprising ejectable belts according to claims  and 2 characterized in that the lateral toothed knives (, fig.A3) can be independent of each other, being then fixed on the edge of a ski (la) by means of a screw passing through a hole (o fig.13) or that, on the contrary, they are united to each other by any means whatsoever.  9. Ski heel with captive pivoting knives comprising ejectable belts according to claims i and 2 characterized in that the belts (J8) are stored between the knives (i, ib) and held by means of the clip (3) at the 'using elastic loops (13) after title passed through the openings (6) and wedged under any one of the crosspieces (2, fig.i and6)  10. Ski helm with captive pivoting knives comprising ejectable belts according to claims j and 5 characterized in that the ends of the belts at their point of attachment are reinforced by metal parts (17) in U and are perforated with holes (met n fig.e)  11. Ski heel with captive pivoting knives comprising ejectable belts according to claim 1 characterized in that, as a variant, the links (Q fig.i 5) move the device away from its axis of rotation at the level of the collars (i 5, fig ; 6) for a more precise and handy positioning or the crossing of any obstacles fixed on the ski and that in this variant two sliders are provided (9et9e, fig.1 5) as well as two clips (3et3d, fig.i 5)