FR2548032A1 - Ski safety binding with rotationally synchronised stop and heelpiece - Google Patents

Abstract

Safety binding for fastening a boot to a ski 1, of the type comprising: at the front, a first retention device or stop 2 having a jaw 4, intended to retain the front of the boot and mounted movably, at least laterally, about a support fastened to the ski; at the rear, a second retention device or heelpiece 3 having a jaw 5, intended to retain the rear of the boot and mounted movably, at least vertically and laterally, about a support fixed to the ski. This binding comprises at least one intermediate transmission piece 6, 22, 32 connected, on the one hand, to the front stop 2 and, on the other hand, to the rear heelpiece 3 so as to transmit the rotation of one of the two retention devices to the other, so that they pivot simultaneously and in the same direction, one releasing the boot on one side of the ski and the other releasing it on the other side.

Description

 The present invention relates to a device for triggerably securing a boot to a ski.

 Numerous devices are already known comprising a front binding also called a "stop" intended to hold the front end of the boot, while the rear end is retained on the ski by a rear binding also called a "heel piece". Generally, the jaw of the stopper pivots laterally, while the jaw of the heel-piece pivots vertically to release the shoe during a fall or a stress exceeding a triggering threshold determined by the tension of the elastic energization system (s) .

 Devices of this kind are widely known and have been, for example, described in French patents 2,314,742, 2,420,359, 2,478,476 as regards the front stop and in French patent 2,338,060 as regards the heel.

 As a reminder, mention may be made, for example, of the stops or heel pieces described in French applications 2,420,359, 2,478,476, 2,314,742 and 2,333,060.

 Also known are heels of the multidirectional type whose jaw allows not only to vertically release the heel of the shoe, but also to release it laterally during a twist of the leg.

Fasteners of this type are described in French patent applications No. 82.04947 and No. 82.04948. This type of embodiment, although perfect at the triggering level, nevertheless has the drawback of presenting risks of untimely triggers, therefore unwanted when skiing. Indeed, during non-dangerous impacts, the heel or the front of the shoe can rip by lateral movement of the jaw.

 The skier, to eliminate these nuisance trips and improve skiability, is therefore required to harden the resistance to release of his bindings, which is of course not very recommended.

 It is therefore necessary to find a compromise between safety and skiability.

 To this end, it has been proposed in French patent No. 2,279,433 benefiting from the priority of October 30, 1974, a safety binding also constituted by a plate rotatably mounted on the ski and on which the boot is fixed, but by fixing the shoe to the plate on the one hand by a stirrup at the front and on the other hand by a heel piece at the rear, the rotation of the plate being prevented by another trigger means, independent of the heel piece. Thus, the safety function for the fall forward is ensured by the heel fixing the shoe to the plate, while the safety for the fall in torsion is ensured by the locking device of the pivoting plate. Such a device does not give really satisfaction because it is rare that during a fall, the leg is stressed only forward or only in torsion, the falls causing multiple efforts in all directions.

 French patent No. 2,305,208 of March 25, 1975 has proposed a fairly similar device comprising a pivoting plate on which the boot is fixed, the latter being fixed to the plate as on a ski by means of a stop and 'a heel piece, the plate being articulated around an axis located in the vicinity of the heel and held at the front by a trigger threshold system.

This structure arrangement a little different from that described in the above-mentioned patent No. 2,279,433 operates according to the same principles and therefore has the same drawbacks.

 French patent No. 2,149,703 has been described, benefiting from the priority of August 9, 1971, a safety binding comprising a front stop, a heel piece and a pivot projecting in between, out of the ski, and on which comes engage a recessed recess in the sole of the shoe. In addition to the fact that this recessed recess inevitably fills with snow, since the skier must walk before putting on his skis, this arrangement is designed so that the thrust forwardly exerted by the heel rests on this pivot and not on the front stop; it follows that any energetic tightening - necessary for a heavy skier for example - causes such a support, of the sole against the pivot, that the rotation of the shoe is considerably slowed down. In addition, this provision removes practically any safety role from the front stop.

 The ski binding according to the present invention comprises a usual front stop and rear heel which are connected to each other by a mechanism such that they are made to rotate in such a way that they are simultaneously rotated and in the same direction. one releasing the tip of the boot on one side of the ski and the other releasing the heel on the other side of the ski.

By way of nonlimiting examples and to facilitate understanding of the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings
Figure 1, a schematic plan view illustrating the principle of the invention
Figure 2, a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing the various rotating elements
Figure 3, a schematic side elevational view of the device of Figure 1, the shoe of the skier going to be engaged;
Figures 4 and 5, a plan view and a side elevational view illustrating a first embodiment of the device schematically shown in Figures 1 to 3
Figures 6 and 7, a plan view and a side elevational view illustrating a second embodiment of the device schematically shown in Figures 1 to 3
Figures 8 and 9, a plan view and a side elevational view illustrating a third embodiment;
Figure 10, a schematic plan view of a first alternative embodiment
Figure 11, a schematic view corresponding to Figure 10, showing the various rotating elements;
Figure 12, a schematic view illustrating a means of adjusting the tension of the cable of Figure 10;
Figure 13, a schematic side elevational view of the device of Figures 10 to 12 ;;
Figure 14, a schematic plan view of a second alternative embodiment;
Figure 15, a schematic view corresponding to Figure 14, showing the various elements in rotation;
Figure 16, a schematic plan view of a third alternative embodiment the parts being shown in rotation;
Figure 17, a schematic plan view of a fourth alternative embodiment, the parts being shown in rotation.

 Figures 1 to 3 show a ski 1 on which are arranged, in a known manner, retaining devices themselves known, namely a front retaining device or front stop 2 and a rear retaining device or rear heel 3 These two retaining devices 2 and 3 each comprise a jaw 4 and 5. Between the two retaining devices 2 and 3 is disposed a plate 6 rotatably mounted on the ski 1 by means of a pivot 7.

 This plate 6 has at each of its ends a notch 8 and 9. In the notch 8, located at the front, engages a stud 10, integral with the front stop 2 while in the notch 9, located at rear, engages a stud 11, integral with the rear heel piece 3.

 In the example shown schematically, the front stop 2 can pivot about an axis 2a and the rear heel about an axis 3a; but they are held in place by an elastic threshold device (not described and not shown because known per se) so as to pivot only beyond a certain force, predetermined and adjustable.

 Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that when one or the other of the retaining devices 2 or 3 pivots, it drives the other in rotation. Indeed if, for example, the front stop 2 rotates according to the arrow f1, the lug 10, sliding in the notch 8 drives the plate 6, which pivots around the pivot 7 and rotates the heel piece 3 in the direction of arrow f2, that is to say, in fact, in the same direction as arrow f1. However, as the jaws 4 and 5 of the stop 2 and of the heel piece 3 are turned towards one another, when the stop 2 pivots laterally towards the right side of the ski, as shown in FIG. 2, this results that heel piece 3 pivots to the left side.

 Figures 4 and 5 show a first embodiment of a safety attachment, corresponding to Figures 1 to 3; the same elements have the same references.

 In this exemplary embodiment, the front stop 2 is that described in patent application No. 81/22577; this stop is energized laterally, that is to say that it is held in position against any pivoting causing displacement lateral of the jaw 4 by an elastic arrangement with adjustable threshold, so that this pivoting occurs only beyond a predetermined force threshold and adjustable at will. non-limiting example that the front stop 2 corresponds to patent application No. 81/22577 it may be that described in one or other of the patents No. 2,314,060, 2,420,359, 2,478,475. rear 3 is that described in patent 2,338,060. This heel piece 3 can pivot around an axis 3a, but it is not energized laterally, that is to say that if it comprises an elastic mechanism with threshold d '' force acting along arrow F to maintain by a force directed vertically from top to bottom, the heel of the shoe ski (not shown), it has no force threshold mechanism controlling the lateral pivoting and it is the energization system of the front stop 2 which resiliently maintains the assembly in position centered along the longitudinal axis YY ' .

 The plate 6 is articulated to the heel piece 3 by a lug 10, integral with the heel piece, sliding in the notch 9 formed at the rear of the plate 6. At the front, the stop 2 is provided with a connecting piece 12 carrying a finger 13 engaging in a housing 14 formed on the underside of the plate 6.

 Advantageously, friction pads (61) are disposed between the plate 6 and the ski 1. These pads are, for example made of a material with a low coefficient of friction (such as polytetrafluoroethylene) and are fixed to the ski by gluing.

 Figures 6 and 7 show a second embodiment of a safety fastener corresponding to the block diagrams of Figures 1 to 3; here again the same elements have the same references.

 In this exemplary embodiment, the front stop 2 is not energized laterally and could therefore pivot freely around its vertical axis 2a without its connection to the plate. It is, unlike the previous example of Figures 4 and 5, the heel piece 3 which is energized not only vertically but laterally. It can be carried out in accordance with patent application No. 82/04947 or 82/04948. It is therefore in this case the energy retained side of the heel piece 3 which resiliently maintains the assembly in position centered along the longitudinal axis YY '.

 Figures 8 and 9 show a third embodiment of a safety fastener corresponding to the diagrams of Figures 1 to 3; here again the same elements bear the same references.

 In this example, neither the front stop 2, nor the rear heel 3 are energized laterally: they could therefore pivot freely around their axes 2a and 3a without their connection to the plate 6. The elastic maintenance of all three elements mobile toe stop 2, heel piece 3, plate 6 in position centered along the longitudinal axis YY 'is provided by a device associated with the plate. As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, this device consists of a reaction part or piton 15 fixed on the ski 1, which projects into a window 16 formed in the plate 6; a pusher 17 biased by a spring 18 slides in this window while bearing against the stud 15; as shown in FIG. 9, the contact surface of the pusher 17 and the stud 15 is V-shaped, so as to comprise two symmetrical ramps 17a and 17b which tend to resiliently hold the plate 6 and therefore the stop 2 and the heel piece 3 in position centered along axis YY '.

 In the device described in Figures 4 and 5, only the front stop 2 is energized in the centered position in the device described in Figures 6 and 7, it is conversely, only the heel piece 3 is energized; in the device described in Figures 8 and 9, neither is energized and it is only the plate 6 which is.

Although this is not shown, it is obvious that the present invention also covers the case where the toe 2 and the heel piece 3 are both energized; in this case, the forces of their elastic systems add up and they must be tared accordingly.

 Likewise, energizing devices can be placed on both the two retaining devices 2 and 3 and the plate 6.

 Figures 10 and 11 show an alternative embodiment of the rotational connection system of the front and rear retaining devices. Referring to Figure 10, we see that the front stop, pivotally mounted on the axis 2a is secured to a pulley 20 coaxial with the axis 2a and that similarly, the heel piece 3 is secured to a pulley 21, coaxial with axis 3a. On these two pulleys 20 and 21 is wound a cable 22, which is preferably immobilized on the pulleys by locking means 23, such as screws for example to prevent the cable 22 from being able to slide in the grooves of either of the pulleys 20 or 21.

 It is obvious that, as in the cases shown in Figures 1 to 9, the rotation of one or the other of the retaining devices 2 and 3 causes the rotation of the other, in the same direction (Figure 11) .

 If the two pulleys 20 and 21 have the same diameter, the theoretical pivot point 24 of the shoe is located midway between the axes 2a and 3a. On the other hand.

 If, as shown, one of the pulleys 21 has a larger diameter than that of the other 20, the theoretical pivot point 24 is closer to the pulley having the largest diameter 21.

 FIG. 12 illustrates a device making it possible to keep the tension of the cable 22 constant by winding a strand of it around two rollers 26 and 27 kept spaced from one another by a set of micrometric screws 28.

 Figures 14 and 15 illustrate another variant of connecting the two pivoting retaining devices by connecting rods.

 Referring to these figures, it can be seen that the front stop 2 has a small cross-member 30 perpendicular, in the centered position, to the longitudinal axis YY 'and that in a similar manner the heel piece 3 has a cross-member 31, parallel to the cross-member 30 These two crosspieces 30 and 31 are connected to each other by two rods 32 which both rotate at their ends on axes 33 situated at the ends of said crosspieces 30 and 31. The length of the rods 32 can be adjusted using the devices 34. FIG. 15 shows that the operation is the same as in the case of FIGS. 1 to 13. In a similar manner to the case represented in FIG. 10, if one of the crosspieces 31 at a length greater than the other 30, the theoretical pivot point 24 will be closer.

 Figures 16 and 17 show two alternative embodiments of the device described in relation to Figures 1 to 3. According to Figure 16 one of the notches 8 or 9 of the plate 6, the notch 8 in this example is replaced by a orifice 8a into which the stud 10 penetrates. In this case, for the plate 6 to be able to pivot, it is necessary for the pivot 7 to be able to slide in an oblong window 35. FIG. 17 proposes a variant in which the plate comprises three slots 8, 9 and 35. The plate being positioned longitudinally by the two springs 351 and 352 arranged on either side of the pivot 7 in the slot 35.

Claims (22)

 1. Safety binding for attaching a boot to a ski (1) of the type comprising: at the front a first retaining device or stop (2) having a jaw (4), intended to retain the front of the boot and mounted mobile at least laterally around a support fixed to the ski; at the rear a second retention device or heel piece (3), presenting a jaw (5), intended to retain the rear of the boot and mounted movable at least vertically and laterally around a support fixed to the ski, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one intermediate transmission part (6, 22, 32) connected on the one hand to the front stop (2) and on the other hand to the rear heel (3) in order to transmit the rotation of one of the two retaining devices to the other, so that they pivot simultaneously and in the same direction, one releasing the boot on one side of the ski and the other releasing it on the other side .  2. Attachment of a boot to a ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate transmission part is a plate (6) disposed under the boot and disposed mobile around a vertical axis (7) fixed to the ski (1).  3. Attachment of a boot to a ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate transmission part is constituted by a cable system (22).  4. Attachment of a boot to a ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate transmission part is constituted by a link system (32).  5. Attachment of a boot to a ski (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the front stop (2) is held in a centered position aligned with the longitudinal axis YY 'by an elastic system with effort threshold, the heel piece (3) then not comprising its own energization system to maintain it laterally.  6. Attachment of a boot to a ski according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the rear heel piece (3) is maintained in a centered position, aligned with the longitudinal axis YY ′ by an elastic system with threshold d 'effort, the front stop (2) then not including its own energization system to hold it laterally.  7. Attachment of a boot to a ski according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the front stop (2) and the heel piece (3) are both maintained in a centered position, aligned with the longitudinal axis YY 'by an elastic system with force threshold.  8. Attachment of a boot to a ski according to claim 2, in which only the intermediate transmission part, namely the plate (6) is provided with an elastic system (17, 18) with force threshold, the now in the centered position, aligned with the longitudinal axis YY ', said plate (6) holding the two retaining devices (2 and 3) in this centered position.  9. Attachment of a boot to a ski according to claim 2, in which the intermediate transmission part, namely the plate (6) is provided with an elastic system (17, 18) with force threshold keeping it in centered position, aligned with the longitudinal axis YY '; and that the two retaining devices (2 and 3) are also held in this centered position, each by its own elastic system.  10. Attachment according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the plate (6) is provided at each of its ends with a notch (8 and 9) in each of which slides a stud (10, 11) integral l 'one of the front stop (2), the other of the heel piece (3).  11. A binding according to any one of claims 8 to 10, in which the pivoting plate (6) is provided with a window (16) in which protrudes a piton (15) integral with the ski, this piton (15) taking support against a pusher (17) carried by said plate (6) and constrained by a spring (18).  12. Attachment according to claim 11, wherein the contact surface of the pusher (17) and the stud (15) is V-shaped.  13. Attachment according to any one of claims 3, 5, 6 and 7, wherein each of the retaining devices (2 and 3) is integral with a pulley (20, 21) on which a cable is wound (22 ).  14. Attachment according to claim 13, wherein the cable is fixed to each pulley (20, 21) by a clamping screw (23).  15. Attachment according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the two pulleys (20, 21) have the same diameter, so that the pivot point (24) is located in the middle of the distance separating said pulleys.  16. Attachment according to claim 13 or 14, in which one of the two pulleys (21) has a diameter greater than that of the other (20) so that the pivot point (24) is closer to the larger of the two pulleys.  17. Attachment according to any one of claims 13 to 16, in which the cable (22) is provided with a tension adjustment means constituted by two rollers (26, 27) kept spaced from one another by a set of micrometric screws (28).  18. Attachment according to any one of claims 4 to 7, in which each of the retaining devices (2, 3) is provided with a crosspiece (30, 31) connected to one another by two connecting rods (32 ).  19. Attachment according to claim 18, wherein the two crosspieces (30, 31) have the same length so that the pivot point (24) is located in the middle of the distance separating the pivot axes (2a, 3a) of the two retainers.  20. The binding as claimed in claim 18, in which one of the two crosspieces (31) is larger than the other (30) so that the pivot point (24) is closer to the most transverse (31) big.  21. Attachment according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the rods (32) are provided with a device (34) for adjusting the length.  22. Attachment according to any one of claims 2, 5, 6, 7 and 10, in which the plate (6) is provided at one of its ends with a notch (9) in which slides a stud (11 ) integral with one of the two retaining devices (3) and is articulated at its other end to the other retaining device (2) by a stud (10) passing through an orifice (8a) formed in the plate, the latter possibly sliding relative to the pivot (7) because the latter protrudes into an oblong slot (35).