FR2565116A1 - Cross country ski with boot and guide - Google Patents

Abstract

The cross-country ski boot is reliably guided on the ski by a guide rib (3) whose top side lies in the same plane as the top side (2a) of the ski. The rib is then defined on each side by a lateral recess (4) which is formed in both the narrow side (2b) and in the top side (2a) of the ski. The cross-section of the guide rib (3) can be constant or variable in the longitudinal direction. The sole of the cross-country ski boot has a central longitudinal groove which defines two side ribs which each fit into the side recesses (4) which define the central guide rib (3) in the ski. The guide rib can be moulded out at the same time as the ski.

Description

 The present invention relates to a device for lateral guidance of a ski boot, fixed at its front end, on a ski in particular cross-country and whose heel is free to move at least vertically, as well as a cross-country ski arranged respectively. to provide this lateral guidance.

 Various devices are already known for ensuring the lateral guidance of a cross-country ski boot relative to the ski. Some of these devices use a longitudinal guide rib attached to the ski and which cooperates with a groove of the same shape provided in the sole of the boot, to ensure lateral guidance of the latter during the unwinding of the boot, c 'That is to say when the latter is applied flat on the ski, this guide or centering rib (longitudinal) extending along the plantar support zone. Such a guide device is described in French patent 2 443 853 by the applicant. This guide device comprising a central longitudinal rib attached to the ski has the drawback of requiring manual operation for fixing the guide rib to the ski and moreover the skier's foot happens to be too high compared to the snow.

 The present invention aims to remedy these disadvantages by providing a particularly simple design device ensuring excellent lateral guidance of the boot and making it possible to keep the skier's foot at a low height relative to the snow, when the foot is flat on the ski.

 To this end, this lateral guide device for a boot fixed, at its front end, to a cross-country ski, and the heel of which is free to move at least vertically, comprising, at the upper part of the ski, a rib of guide and, in the sole of the shoe, a groove substantially of the same cross section as the guide rib and gradually covering this rib as the foot unfolds flat on the ski, is characterized in that the rib guide whose upper surface is flush with the rest of the upper surface of the ski, is delimited on each side by a lateral clearance formed both in the edge and in the upper face of the ski.

Various embodiments of the present invention will be described below, by way of nonlimiting examples, with reference to the appended drawing in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lateral guide device of a shoe, the shoe being shown in the position it occupies when the heel of the skier's foot is raised.

 FIG. 2 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the part of the cross-country ski where the longitudinal lateral guide rib is provided.

 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a sole of a cross-country ski boot applied to the part of the ski where the longitudinal lateral guide rib is provided.

 Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3 and show a variant.

 Figures 4 to 11 are perspective views of various alternative embodiments of the longitudinal lateral guide rib.

 Figure 12 is an elevational view of three cross-country skis on which the longitudinal lateral guide rib extends over different lengths.

 FIG. 13 is an elevation view of a cross-country ski boot of the type with an anterior extension, this boot being shown held laterally on a cross-country ski by means of the device according to the invention.

 Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV of Figure 13.

 FIG. 15 is a partial elevation view of the front part of a cross-country ski boot maintained attached to the ski by a flexion blade.

 Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI of Figure 15.

 Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a ski.

 Figures 18 to 24 are perspective views showing alternative embodiments of a ski according to the invention.

 Figure 25 is a perspective view showing the device according to the invention with partial section of the ski.

 Figure 26 is a bottom view of the ski and the boot.

 Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figures 3 and 3A and showing a variant.

 Figure 28 is a bottom view of a shoe according to the device of the invention.

 Figures 29, 30 and 31 are views respectively from below of a boot, in plan and in perspective of the ski in the case of a variant of the device.

 Figure 32 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of a guide rib.

 Figures 33 and 34 are perspective views showing a ski according to the invention and a variant.

 If we now refer to FIG. 1, we see there a cross-country ski boot 1 which is fixed, at its front end, to a cross-country ski 2, by means of a suitable binding, not shown, in any case. known type, the heel of the cross-country ski boot being free at least vertically to allow the winding of the foot forward as indicated by the arrow F (Figure l), the winding resulting in a lifting of the heel, or on the contrary, the unfolding of the foot resulting in the flat application of the boot 1 on the ski 2.

 The device according to the invention which is intended to provide lateral guidance of the cross-country ski boot 1, during its unwinding race, that is to say its coming flat on the ski, comprises a longitudinal guide rib 3 which is delimited on each side by a recess or lateral clearance 4 hollowed out both in the upper face 2a and in the vertical edge 2b of the ski 2. As a result, the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 is located be flush with the rest of the upper face 2a of the ski: in fact the upper face 5 of the guide rib is a part of the upper face 2e of the ski, but of smaller width.

 The rib 3 can come from molding with the rest of the ski or else it can be released by digging the two lateral clearances 4 in the material constituting the ski.

 In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 the guide rib 3 has a constant cross section in the form of an isosceles trapezoid. In other words, the width x1 of the anterior end of the planar upper face 5 is equal to the width x2 of the posterior end of this upper face 5. This upper face 5 thus has in plan a rectangular shape. Furthermore, the rib 3 is delimited, on each side, by an inclined lateral face 6 which is connected to a horizontal bearing face 7 opening into the edge 2b of the ski, the two faces 6, 7 forming a obtuse angle dihedral. and constituting the lateral clearance 4. The width yl of the horizontal bearing face 7 of the lateral clearance4, is height hl below the plane of the upper face 2a of the ski, and the angle al of the inclined face 6 relative to the vertical are, at the anterior end of the guide rib 3, the same as the corresponding values y2, h2 and a2, at the posterior end of this rib.

 With the guide rib 3 cooperates a longitudinal groove 8 provided in the sole 9 of the cross-country ski boot, as can best be seen in FIG. 3.

tette longitudinal groove 8 has, in cross section, substantially the same shape as that of the guide rib 3, that is to say that it has an isosceles trapezoid shape.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, when the cross-country ski boot 1 is unwound flat on the ski, at the end of the unwinding period, the longitudinal groove 8 provided in the underside of the sole 9 covers the rib central guide 3. The inclined lateral faces 8a of the groove 8 of trapezoidal shape gradually slide, during the course of the foot, on the inclined faces 6 of the guide rib 3, thus ensuring the centering of the shoe. The longitudinal and central groove thus delimits, in the sole 9, two lateral ribs 10 which are housed respectively in the two lateral clearances 4. Preferably the boot 1 is worn on the ski, at the end of the unwinding of the foot, only by the two lateral ribs 10 which come to bear, by their horizontal lower faces, on the corresponding horizontal faces 7 of the two lateral clearances 4. In other words the depth of the groove 8 is greater than the height of the guide rib 3 and therefore the bottom 8b of the groove 8 is spaced a short distance from the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3.

This corresponds to the case where the height hl or h2 of the guide rib 3, that is to say the distance between the upper face 5 and the horizontal bearing faces .7, is less than the depth of the groove 8 It will also be noted that the outer lateral edges 100 of the ribs 10 are in the plane of the edges 2b of the ski. With such an arrangement, the lower part of the sole of the boot does not exceed the width of the ski.

 FIG. 3A represents a variant according to which it is the bottom 8b of the groove 8 of the sole which happens to be in abutment on the upper surface 5 of the guide rib 3. There is then a clearance between the lower faces lateral ribs 10 of the sole and the horizontal faces 7 of the lateral clearances 4.

In the variant illustrated in FIG. 4, the guide rib 3 has a declining profile towards the rear, in other words its trapezoidal cross section progressively decreases towards the rear. Therefore the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 has the shape of an isosceles trapezium converging towards the rear, that is to say that width xl at its anterior end is greater than its width x2 at its pos'-drieure end
The width yl of the horizontal support face 7s at the anterior end thereof, is less than the width
corresponding y2 at its posterior end. The height hl of the rib 3 at the anterior end is equal to the
height h2 at the posterior end and the angles al and a2
of inclination of the face 6 have the same values.

In the variant shown in the figure
5, the guide rib 3 also has a declining profile
backwards (xl>x2; yl <y2; ai = a2) but the support face 7 is no longer horizontal. On the contrary, it is inclined by
up and down from front to back: in other words the
height hl between the anterior end of the upper face
re 5 and that of the support face 7 is less than the height
tor h2 between the posterior end of the upper face 5 and the posterior end of the bearing face 7.

In the variant shown in the figure
6, the guide rib 3 always has a declining profile
backwards (xl> x2), the side face 6 always has the same inclination (al = a2), the support face 7 is inclined up and down from front to back (hl <h2) but she has
a constant width (yl = y2).

In the variant illustrated in FIG. 7, the guide rib 3 has the same critical characteristics as that of FIG. 6 (xl>x2; yl = y2; hl <h2) but
the slope of the inclined side face 6 varies with increasing
from front to back, in other words al is less than
a2. The angle al defining the slope of the inclined face 6
delimiting the guide rib 5 can vary from
of zero value: in this case face 6 is perpendicular
space on the support surface 7.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 is connected to the bearing face 7, which is preferably inclined up and down and from front to back, by a curved surface
11, having the same radius of curvature or a radius of curvature
variable over its entire length, and a vertical face 12
perpendicular to the bearing face 7. Since the face
upper 5 of the guide rib 3 has the shape of a trapezoid converging towards the rear, the curved surface 11 is generated by arcs of the same radius of curvature but the length of which increases from front to back.

 In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, the horizontal upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 is connected to the vertical face 12 perpendicular to the bearing face 7 by a flat face 14, of triangular shape with directed tip forward, then a cylindrical surface 15. The cylindrical surface 15 is delimited by two longitudinal and horizontal generators 15a and 15b, the upper generatrix 15a being common to the face 14 and constituting one of the sides of the triangle which it forms , while the other lower longitudinal generator 15b is common to the vertical face 12.

 In the variant shown in FIG. 10, the upper face 5 of the guide rib 3 comprises, from front to rear, several sections of different widths, namely, at the front, a rectangular section front 5a of large width, then an intermediate section 5b of trapezoidal shape in plan, then a posterior rectangular section 5c of small width. Each of these sections Sa, 5b, 5c, of the upper face 5 is connected to the bearing face 7, by inclined faces 6a, 6b, 6c having corresponding slopes.

 FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a guide rib 3 with a progressive profile, that is to say the cross section of which goes from front to rear.

In this case the width xl of the horizontal upper face 5, at the front end thereof, is less than the width x2 of this face at its rear end. This arrangement is strictly the reverse of that illustrated in FIG. 4. In the same way, all the embodiments of FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 could be reversed, the rear replacing the front and vice versa.

 FIG. 12 shows that the guide rib 3 can extend only over a short length A of the ski 1, over a longer length B or even over the entire length C of the ski. This length must be sufficient to allow the use of shoes of different sizes 1A and 18.

 Figures 13 and 14 illustrate the maintenance and guidance of a cross-country ski boot 16 with anterior extension 17, as described in patent FR-A-2,304,368. In this case the extension 17 of the boot can also be retained laterally by the guide rib 3 formed in the ski.

 Figures 15 and 16 illustrate the application of the invention to the maintenance and guidance of a cross-country ski boot associated with a binding as described in French patent 79,02513. In this case the boot 18 is extended, to its front end, by a bending blade 19 which is immobilized by a fixing 21. Here again, the bending blade 19 can be retained laterally by the guide rib 3.

 Under these conditions a single screw 20 & is necessary for the connection with the ski, the lateral retention being produced by the guide rib 3. This screw 200 is screwed into the guide rib 3 and in the axis of the latter.

 FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a ski representing an alternative embodiment of the rib 3 according to which each lateral face 6 of the rib is formed by a longitudinal cylindrical surface.

 FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a longitudinal rib 3 with a cylindrical surface.

 According to the embodiments previously described, the horizontal 7 and lateral 6 faces of the lateral clearances 4 are flat faces, but it can be otherwise as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. In FIG. 19, each bearing face 7 is a convex curved surface. In FIG. 20, it is the lateral face 6 which is curved and convex towards the outside of the ski. This surface could of course be concave as shown in FIG. 21.

 Figures 22 to 24 show alternative ribs which of course do not depart from the scope of the invention.

 According to these variants, the ribs are more or less discontinuous, but the fact remains that these effectively ensure lateral retention of the shoe.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 22, the ski presents
a rib 3 which comprises, in each of its lateral faces 6, lateral recesses 60 spaced apart from each other longitudinally. The lateral retaining face 6 is then made up of successive elementary faces 600 separated from each other by the recesses 60.

 FIG. 23 shows a variant similar to that described with reference to FIG. 22. In this embodiment, each lateral retaining face 6 of the rib 3 has, in plan view, the shape of a broken line formed by a succession of teeth and triangular hollows separated from each other by successive edges 62.

 According to the embodiment of Figure 24 the rib 3 is interrupted by successive recesses or recesses 61 extending transversely and opening into the upper face 5 of the rib.

 FIGS. 25 and 26 represent the device according to the invention and more particularly a shoe 1 retained by a ski comprising a guide rib 3 for example like that according to FIG. 4.

Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figures 3 and 3A. According to this embodiment, the lateral clearances 4 are each produced by a chamfer 6 extending from the upper face 5 of the rib 3 to a edge 2b of the ski so that the lateral clearances
do not include horizontal faces 7 as in the previous embodiments, the corresponding shoe 1 being similar to those already described.

 FIG. 28 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of a shoe according to the invention and in which the lateral ribs 10 of the sole include successive housings 101 opening towards the inside of the central groove 8.

 FIGS. 29 to 31 show a variant in which the lateral clearance 4 is interrupted and the longitudinal guide rib 3 is extended on one side, over part of its length, by a lateral projection 300.

This projection 300 advantageously extends towards the inside of the ski until it is vertically aligned with the internal edge 2b. On the other hand the inner rib 10 of the corresponding shoe 1 is interrupted at the location of the arch of the foot to create a housing 110 intended to receive the projection 300 of the rib 3 when the foot is flat on the ski.

 Figure 29 is a bottom view of the sole while Figure 30 is a top view of the ski.

 Figure 31 is a perspective view showing the ski at the place where the foot is called to be supported.

 FIG. 32 is a perspective view of an alternative form of guide rib 3 in which the latter has a cross section which has the shape of an isosceles triangle with point directed upwards, the upper face 5 of the rib being then reduced to an edge.

 FIG. 33 represents a ski according to the invention while FIG. 34 illustrates a variant.

 Of course, it would not go beyond the scope of the invention if the position of the ribs were reversed, that is to say at the front, became the rear and vice versa.

Claims (31)

 1.- Device for lateral guidance of a boot fixed, at its front end, to a cross-country ski, and the heel of which is free to move at least vertically, comprising, at the upper part of the ski, a guide rib and, in the sole of the boot, a groove substantially of the same cross section as the guide rib and gradually covering this rib as the foot is laid flat on the ski, characterized in that the guide rib , whose upper surface (5) is flush with the rest of the upper surface (2a) of the ski, is delimited, on each side, by a lateral clearance (4) formed both in the edge (2b) and in the upper face (2a) of the ski.  2.- Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) is constant.  3.- Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) is variable in the longitudinal direction.  4.- Device according to claim 3 characterized in that the horizontal dimensions of the guide rib (3) gradually decrease towards the rear.  5.- Device according to claim 3 characterized in that the horizontal dimensions of the guide rib (3) gradually increase towards the rear.  6.- Device according to any one of claims 3 and 4 characterized in that the vertical dimensions of the guide rib (3) gradually decrease towards the rear.  7.- Device according to any one of claims 3 and 4 characterized in that the vertical dimensions of the guide rib (3) gradually increase towards the rear.  8.- Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) has the shape of an isosceles trapezoid.  9.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) has a curved shape.  10.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that the cross section of the guide rib (3) has the shape of a triangle.  11.- Device according to any one of claims 8 to 10 characterized in that the lateral clearance (4) is delimited by an inclined lateral face (6) attached to the upper face (5) of the rib (3).  12.- Device according to claim 11 characterized in that the lateral clearance (4) is also limited by a bearing face (7) attached to the edge (2b).  13.- Device according to claim 12 characterized in that the bearing face (7) is planar.  14.- Device according to claim 12 charac-terized in that the bearing face (7) is curved.  15.- Device according to any one of claims 13 and 14 characterized in that the bearing face (7) is horizontal.  16.- Device according to any one of claims 12 and 13 characterized in that the bearing face (7) is inclined forward or backward.  17.- Device according to any one of claims 11, 15 and 16 characterized in that the inclined lateral face (6) of the rebate (4) has the same slope (a) along the guide rib ( 3).  18.- Device according to any one of claims 11, 15 and 16 characterized in that the inclined side face (6) has a slope (a) variable along the guide rib (3).  19.- Device according to any one of claims 11, 15 and 16 characterized in that the lateral face of the rebate (4) is constituted by a curved surface (11) having the same radius of curvature or a radius of curvature variable over its entire length.  20.- Device according to any one of claims 11, 15 and 16 characterized in that the upper face (5) of the guide rib (3) is connected to a vertical face (12) perpendicular to the bearing face lateral (7) by a planar face (14), of triangular shape, then a cylindrical surface (15) delimited by two generators (15a, 15b) horizontal and longitudinal, the upper generatrix (15a) being common to the planar face (14 ) and constituting one of the sides of the triangle it forms, while the other lower longitudinal generatrix (15b) is common to the vertical face (12).  21.- Device according to any one of claims 11, 15 and 16 characterized in that the upper face (5) of the guide rib (3) comprises, from front to rear, several sections of different widths .  22.- Device according to claim 15 characterized in that the upper face (5) of the guide rib (3) comprises an anterior rectangular section (5a) of large width, then an intermediate section (5b) of trapezoidal shape in plan , then a posterior rectangular section (5c) of small width, each of these sections (5a, 5b, 5c), of the upper face (5) being connected to the bearing face (7), by inclined faces (6a , 6b, 6c) having corresponding slopes.  23.- Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral retaining face (6) of the guide rib (3) is constituted by successive faces (600) or by successive edges (62).  24 .- Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper face (5) of the rib (3) is interrupted by at least one recess (61).  25.- Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the guide rib (3) is used for the lateral retention of an anterior extension (17) of a cross-country ski boot (16).  25.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 2Ez characterized in that the guide rib (3) is used for the lateral retention of a flexion blade (19) extending forward a cross-country ski boot (18) and engages in a fixing (21).  27.- Device according to any one of claims 25 and 26 characterized in that the anterior extension (17) of the boot or the flexion blade (19) is retained on the ski (2) by a single screw (200) screwed in the guide rib (3) and in the axis thereof.  28.- Cross-country ski boot using a lateral guiding device according to any one of claims 1 to 27 characterized in that its sole (9) has a central lingitudinal groove (8) delimiting two lateral ribs (10) intended to come be housed respectively in two lateral lalS clearances (4) bordering a central guide rib (3) formed in the ski.  29.- Cross-country ski boot according to claim 28 characterized in that the depth of the groove (8) is greater than the height of the guide rib (3) so that when the boot is applied flat on the ski , the bottom (8b) of the groove (8) is spaced a short distance from the upper face (5) of the guide rib (3).  30.- Cross-country ski boot according to claim 2S characterized in that the depth of the groove (n) is less than the height of the guide rib (3) so that the boot rests on the face upper (5) of the rib (3) by the bottom (9b) of its groove (S).  31.-cross-country ski boot according to any one of claims 28 to 30 characterized in that the lateral edges (ln) of the ribs (l0) of the sole of the boot do not exceed the edges (2b) of the ski ( 2).  32.- Cross-country ski boot according to any one of claims sa z 31 earactdrisde in that the inner nervtlre (In) of the sole is interrupted.: The location of the arch to form a housing (110) intended to receive a projection (300) arranged on the ski.  33.- Cross-country ski provided with a lateral guide device for a boot according to any one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that it has, over at least part of the length of its face upper (ra ', two lateral clearances (4) formed both in the edge (2b) and in the upper face (2a) of the ski and delimiting a longitudinal rib (3) constituting a guide member for a ski boot background.  Cross-country ski according to claim 33 carae t'ris in that the guide rib (3) comes from molding with the rest of the ski.,  35.- Fpnd ski according to claim 33 as terized in that the guide rib (3) is formed by digging two clearances (4) in the material constituting the ski.  36.- Cross-country ski according to any one of claims 33 to 35 characterized in that the guide rib (3) comprises a lateral projection (300) extending laterally towards the inside of the ski.