FR2578167A1 - Device for braking and stopping a ski - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for braking and stopping 17 a ski 22, comprising at least two lateral arms 25 forming spades arranged on either side of the ski and articulated transversely to the latter, between a raised position in which they extend rearwards above the lower plane of the ski 22 and an active position in which they extend downwards and rearwards so that their free end 33 is below the lower plane of the ski 22, actuating means 28 which can be operated by lowering the skier's boot, return means 27 which stress the said lateral arms 25 towards their active position and coupling means 30 fitted, in the case of the lateral arms 25, to the said actuating means 28 so as to bring the lateral arms 25 back to their raised position during lowering of the boot and which can be released so as to render the said lateral arms 25 independent of the actuating means 28. The above device makes it possible to brake the descent or the fall of a ski which has accidentally become detached from the skier's boot and to prevent back-sliding of the ski.

Description

 DEVICE FOR BRAKING AND STOPPING A SKI.

 The present invention relates to a device for braking and stopping a ski and, more specifically, a device capable of braking the descent or the fall of a ski escaping from the skier's shoe, for example following the fall of the latter. and prevent the ski from backing up when the skier is moving for example while walking on the flat or on an uphill.

 The braking and stopping device of a ski according to the present invention is such that it comprises at least two lateral arms forming spades arranged on either side of the ski and articulated transversely to the ski, between a raised position in which they extend rearwards above the lower plane of the ski and an active position in which they extend downwards and towards the career so that their free end is below the lower plane of the ski ski, actuation means which can be maneuvered by lowering the skier's boot, return means which urge said lateral arms to their active position, and coupling means suitable for connecting said lateral arms to said actuation means so as to return the lateral arms to their raised position when the shoe is lowered and released so as to make said lateral arms independent of said actuating means.

 I1 results from this structure of the braking and stopping device of a ski according to the present invention that, when the actuating means and the lateral arms are coupled and the boot is fixed to the ski, the lateral arms are raised and n do not prevent the skier from progressing normally. As soon as the skier's boot detaches from the ski, the lateral arms, under the effect of the return means, go to their active position and make it possible to brake the descent or the free fall of the ski. On the other hand, when the lateral arms are released from the actuation means, they go to their active position and can on the one hand conA2ltuer anti-annealing means penetrating into the snow if the ski tends to move back when the skier moves with the ski, and on the other hand , make it possible to brake the descent or fall of the ski if the latter is accidentally separated from the boots.

 The braking and stopping device of a ski according to the present invention may also comprise means for limiting the travel of its lateral arms towards their active position, acting when said coupling means are released. Thus, the lateral arms can occupy a very engaged position below the ski when the latter is accidentally separated from the skier's boot and can occupy a less engaged position below the ski when they are released from the actuation means and that they are used as backstop.

 According to the present invention, said coupling means can advantageously comprise coupling stops adapted to connect said actuation means and said side arms, these side arms being releasable by erasing said coupling stops.

 According to the present invention, said actuation means preferably comprise lateral actuation levers articulated transversely to the ski and respectively having a part which forms an abutment with a part of the corresponding lateral arm, in order to couple said lateral arms and said actuation levers, said lateral arms being releasable from said stops by erasing the latter.

 In an alternative embodiment, said coupling stops can be provided erasable by causing an elastic deformation of said actuating levers and / or said lateral arms.

 In another alternative embodiment, said coupling stops can be provided erasable by causing their displacement by displacement of the hinge pins of said actuation levers.

 According to the present invention, said actuating levers may advantageously have respectively another part which forms a stop with a part of the corresponding lateral arm, these stops acting, when the lateral arms are released, so as to limit the stroke of the latter towards their active position.

 According to the present invention, said actuating levers are preferably connected by an actuating crosspiece extending under the boot of the skier transversely to the ski.

 In accordance with the present invention, said lateral arms may, in a variant embodiment, be secured to a cross member articulated transversely to the ski and on which a return spring of said lateral arms acts towards their active position.

 In accordance with the present invention, and in another alternative embodiment, said lateral arms can be formed by pins made of an elastic material, two corresponding branches of these pins joining by a cross member articulated transversely to the ski, (or movable in oblong recesses) the second branches of said pins being bent transversely to the ski and displaceable in oblong recesses offset with respect to said crosspiece (or articulated transversely with the ski along an axis offset with respect to said oblong recesses so as to allow pivoting of said lateral arms around said cross member and produce the return effect towards their active position.

LR present ventiqn will be better understood from the study of braking and stop devices of a particular ski, described by way of nonlimiting examples and illustrated in the drawing in which,
- Figure 1 shows a side view of a first braking and stopping device of a ski, in the fully open position;
- Figure 2 shows a side view of the braking and stopping device of a ski of Figure 1, in the raised position
- Figure 3 shows a side view of the braking and stopping device of a ski shown in Figures i and 2, in the intermediate open position; ;
- Figure 4 partially shows a top view of the device shown in Figures 1 to 3, in its raised position, and partially a section along IV-IV of Figure 2, in the same position
- Figure 5 shows a side view of a second braking and stopping device of a ski according to the present invention in its intermediate opening position;
- Figure 6 shows a side view partially in section of the braking and stopping device of a ski shown in Figure 5, in the fully open position;
- - Figure 7 shows in perspective the active ltelement of the braking and stopping device of the ski ski shown in Figures 5 and 6
- Figure 8 shows a side view of a third device for braking and stopping a ski, in the fully open position;
- Figure 9 partially shows a top view of the braking and stopping device of a ski of Figure 8 and partially a horizontal section; and
- Figures 10 and it show an alternative embodiment of the braking and stopping device of a ski of Figures 8 and 9, according to corresponding views.

 With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, we will describe the first braking and stopping device shown, which is identified by the general reference 1.

 This device 1 comprises a support 2 of generally parallelepiped shape which is fixed on the upper face of a ski 3 just behind the front stop 4 of the binding of the boot 5, this binding also comprising a heel piece not visible on the figure.

 The device 1 also comprises two lateral arms which are situated on either side of the ski 3 and which are formed by pins 6 and 7. These pins 6 and 7 have internal branches 6a and 7a and external branches 6b and 7b which meet at their rear part by a curved portion 6c and 7c. The front ends of the branches 6a and 7a opposite the curved parts 6c and 7e are connected by a cross member 8 which extends in an oblong passage 9, transversely to the ski 3, so that this cross member 8 can slide parallel to itself and in the longitudinal direction of the ski 3. The front ends of the arms 6b and 7b opposite the curved parts 6c and 7e are extended by parts 6d and 7d which extend inwards transversely to the ski 3 and which are arranged in opposite transverse orifices 10 of the support 2, these orifices being arranged in front of the oblong passage 9.

 The element forming the pins 6 and 7 and their extensions constituted by the cross member 8 and the transverse ends 6d and 7d, is formed by a wire made of an elastic material so that the lateral arms 6 and 7 can pivot around the transverse parts 6d and 7d between a raised position in which the arms 6a, 6d, 7a and 7d extend rearward, longitudinally to the ski 3, the cross member 8 being in the front part of the oblong passage 9 of the support 2, and a position active or open in which the lateral bra 6 and 7 extend towards the basset hoop backwards so that their ends 6c and 7e lie largely below the lower plane of the ski 3, the cross-member 8 being in abutment against the rear part of the oblong passage 9 of the support 3 in this active position.

In addition, the elasticity of the wire. constituting the pins 6 and 7 allows a return effect which urges the latter towards their active position. These two extreme positions of the lateral arms formed by the pins 6 and 7 described above are visible in FIGS. 1 and 2.

 The device 1 comprises two lateral actuation levers 11 and 12 which are mounted on a transverse axis 13 extending through the support 2, transversely to the ski 3, and behind the oblong transverse passage 9, and which extend a the interior of the interior branches 6a and 7a of the lateral arms 6 and 7. The front ends of these fixing levers are connected by a crosspiece 14 which extends above the support 2. In addition, the levers 11 and 12 have, at their rear end, located on the other side of the hinge pin 13, lugs forming stops 15 and 16 which are on the passage of the inner branches 6a and 7a of the lateral arms 6 and 7 during the movement of rotation of these.

 We will now describe how the device 1 represented in FIGS. 1 to 4 works.

 Referring to Figure 1, in which the device 1 is shown in the fully open position, it can be seen that the lateral arms 6 and 7 are in their active position described above, that the actuating levers 11 and 12 are pivoted by such that the crosspiece 14 which connects them is distant from the upper face of the support 2 and that their lugs forming stops 15 and 16 extend below the branches 6a and 7a of the pins 6 and 7.

When the skier has his boot 5 in the binding mounted on the ski 3 and consequently in the front stop 4, the underside of the boot lowers the cross member 14 forward thereby causing the pivoting of the actuating levers 15 and 16 so that their lugs 15 and 16 are raised and drive the branches 6a and 7a and consequently the lateral arms formed by the pins 6 and 7 upwards until they are disposed in their raised position described above. The device 1 is then brought and maintained in the position shown in the. figure 2.

 If the ski 3 separates from the boot 5, the return effect, caused by the elasticity of the element comprising the pins 6 and 7, causes the lateral arms formed by these pins to pivot down to their position active, by pivoting the actuating levers 11 and 12 in the other direction using the pins 15 and 16.

The device 1 is then found in the open or active position shown in FIG. 1. In this active position, the device 1, thanks to its lateral arms 6 and 7 and in particular at their free ends 6a and 7a, allows braking of the descent or the fall of the ski 3 accidentally separated from the boot 5.

 By laterally deforming the pins 6 and 7 in the side, and / or by deforming laterally inward the parts of the actuating levers 11 and 12 carrying the pins 15 and 6, the skier whose shoe 5 is mounted on the ski 3, can erase the pins 15 and 16 from the passage of the branches 6a and 7a of the lateral arms 6 and 7 so as to cause the displacement of these lateral arms 6 and 7 from their raised position visible in FIG. 2 in a visible intermediate active position in FIG. 3 in which the lateral arms 6 and 7 are released from the actuating levers 11 and 12 and in which they extend downwards and backwards. It can be seen in FIG. 3 that in this intermediate active position , the actuating levers 11 and 12 are held by the shoe 5 in the same position as that visible in FIG. 2 and that the cross member 8 which connects the inner branches 6a and 7a of the pins 6 and 7 cannot reach the part rear of obl passage ong 9 because it abuts against a cam-shaped part lla of these levers 11 and 12 so that the downward travel of the ends 6c and 7c of the lateral arms 6 and 7 is limited and cannot reach the position active visible in Figure 1.

 In this active intermediate position visible in FIG. 3, the device I can form a non-return means preventing the ski 3 from moving back. Indeed, the lateral arms 6 and 7 of the device I can penetrate into the snow if the ski tends to move back. On the other hand, because they are oriented towards the rear, they do not prevent the ski 3 from advancing towards the front.

 If from the position shown in FIG. 3, the ski 3 accidentally separates from the boot 5, the actuation levers 11 and 12 are then released and the arms 6 and 7 can take the lowest visible active position in figure 1.

 If the skier wishes to return the device 1 to its visible position in FIG. 1 or to its visible position in FIG. 2, it is sufficient for it to deform the branches 6 and 7 laterally and outwards, and all the branches of the levers d 'actuation] 1 and 12 carrying the pins 15 and 16 laterally and outwards so as to again bring the branches 6a and 7a above the pins 15 and 16.

 Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, we will now describe another device for braking and stopping a ski generally identified by the reference 17.

 This device 17 comprises a support 8 of parallelepiped shape which is, this time, fixed under the plate 19 articulated at the front around an axis 20 of a ski touring binding, this axis 20 being carried by a support 21 fixed on the upper face of a ski 22 so that the plate 9 can, in the low position, extend substantially parallel to the ski 22 and at a distance.

 The device 17 comprises a stirrup 23, clearly visible in FIG. 7, which includes two lateral arms 24 and 25 located on either side of the ski as well as a crosspiece 26 which is pivotally mounted in a transverse hole in the support 18, the branches 24 and 25 extending rearward.

 Inside the support 18, the stirrup 23 has an eccentric part 26a on which a tension spring 27 acts, situated inside the support 18, in the direction of the lowering of the lateral arms 24 and 25.

 The device 17 also comprises two lateral actuation levers 28 which are articulated on the lateral sides of the support 18 around axes transverse to the ski situated in front of the crosspiece 26 of the stirrup 23 and not visible in the figures. These actuating levers i8 are connected by a cross member 29 which extends above the plate 19 of the binding and have, at their other end situated on the other side of their articulation axis, lugs forming stops 30 which are located on the pivoting passage of the lateral arms 24 and 25 of the stirrup 23.

 The device 17 operates in an equivalent manner to the device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. In fact, when the lugs forming stops 30 carried by the actuating levers 28 are placed below the arms 24 and 25 of the stirrup 23 and when the cilallssure 31 is mounted and supported on the plate 19 of Aa tion, the cross member 29 is abaqsFne so that the pins 30 carried by the actuating levers 28 are in the high position and hold the lateral arms 24 and 25 of the stirrup 23 in the raised position and oriented rearwards longitudinally to the ski 22 and at a distance from the underside of the latter. When the ski 22 accidentally separates from the boot 31, the spring 27 maneuvers 11 stirrup 23 to bring the rear ends of the lateral arms 24 and 25 far below the underside of the ski 22, by causing the pivoting of the actuation levers 28 by action of the lateral arms 24 and 25 on the lugs forming stops 30, the cross member 29 rising.

 As in the previous example, to release the lateral arms 24 and 25 from the actuating levers 28, it suffices to deform the lateral arms 24 and 25 outwards and all the arms of the actuating levers 28 carrying the pins 30 towards the interior so as to erase these pins 30 from the pivoting passage of the lateral arms 24 and 25 and bring them above these lateral arms 24 and 25. In order to limit the pivoting of the arms 24 and 25 of the stirrup 23, under the action of the spring 27, the actuation levers 28 have additional lateral stops 32 which are on the path of the lateral arms 24 and 25 and which ensure, when the cross member 29 carried by the actuation levers 28 is maintained resting on the plate 19 by the shoe 31, an orientation of the lateral arms 24 and 25 towards the rear and downwards less engaged below the lower face of the ski 22. This position is visible in FIG. 5 and in this position, the device 17 constitutes a hub n anti-retreat of the ski 22 thanks to the lateral arms 24 and 25 which can penetrate into the snow and the ends of which, in order to facilitate this penetration, carry elements 33 in the form of spikes.

 Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, we will now describe a third braking and stopping device for a ski generally identified by the reference 34.

 This device 34 comprises a support 35 of parallelepiped shape which is fixed on the upper face of a ski 36.

It also includes a stirrup 37 which has two lateral arms 38 and 39 which extend towards the rear and which are carried by a shaft 40 which cross the support 35 transversely to the ski 36.

This shaft 40 has, inside the support 35, a flat 41 on which bears a piston 42 on which acts compression springs 43. The flat 41, the piston 42 and the compression springs 43 constitute means for urge the lateral arms 38 and 39 to an active position in which they extend downwards and rearwards so that their rear end is largely below the underside of the ski 36.

 The device 34 also comprises two lateral levers 44 and 45 which extend rearward and whose rear ends are connected by a cross member 47 extending above the support 35 and whose front ends are connected to a transverse axis 48 extending through a horizontal oblong passage of the support 35. The levers 44 and 45 carry, below, cams 50 which are adapted to extend above extensions 38a and 39a of the arms 38 and 39 going beyond the tree 40 which carries them.

 In addition, the device 34 comprises an operating element 5 mounted inside the support 35 and having two slides 52, one of which is visible in FIG. 9. These slides 52 are crossed by the axis 48 carrying the levers d actuation 44 and 45 and are movable in grooves 53 of the support ~ 35, grooves which are inclined relative to the transverse direction to the ski 36.

The operating element 51 extends through the front face of the support 35 and has a front end 54. By acting laterally on the front end 54 of the operating element 51, the slides 52 can be moved in the grooves 53 and thus move the axis 48 carrying the actuating levers 44 and 45 parallel to itself and longitudinally to the ski between an advanced position and a retracted position.

 When the axis 48 is in its retracted position, the lowering of the actuation levers 44 and 45 by the positioning of the boot in the binding carried by the ski 36, not shown, in the drawing, makes it possible to have and maintain the lateral arms 38 and 39 in their raised position in which they extend substantially horizontally and towards the rear, the actuating levers 44 and 45 acting on the extensions 38a and 39a of these lateral arms 38 and 39 by the intermediate of the cam-shaped elements 50. When the ski 36 is separated from the boot, the springs 43 act so as to bring the lateral arms 38 and 39 which are no longer held by the actuating levers 44 and 45, in their active position.

 By acting on the operating element 5i, it is possible to bring the crosspiece 48 carrying the actuating levers 44 and 45 into its advanced position. In this position1 when the shoe maintains the actuating levers 44 and 45 in their low position, the extensions 38a and 39a of the lateral arms 38 and 39 are supported on the cams 50 at a place further from the axis 51 and such that these lateral arms 38 and 39 are in an active intermediate position-in which their ends are located below the underside of the ski 36 but at a shorter distance than when they are completely released. In this position, the lateral arms 38 and 39 can constitute means preventing the ski 36 from moving back.

 The present invention is not limited to the examples described above. Many other alternative embodiments are possible without departing from the scope defined by the appended claims.

 bn referring to Figures 10 and it, we will now describe a fourth braking and stopping device of a ski generally identified by the reference 55, which constitutes an alternative embodiment of the braking and stop of a ski 34 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

 This device 55 differs from the device 34 only in the structure and the functioning of its operating element 56 which corresponds to the operating element 51. Consequently, all the other parts of the device 55 bear the same references as the corresponding parts of device 34.

 The operating element 56 comprises a slide 57 which is crossed by the axis 48 carrying the actuating levers 44 and 45, this slide 57 being provided, this time, sliding in the support 35 longitudinally to the ski. The operating element 56 further comprises an operating lever 58 which is pivotally mounted about an axis 59 perpendicular to the direction of movement of the slide 57 and which is carried by the support 35 in front of this slide 57. This operating lever 58 has two opposite arms 58a and 58b, the arm 58a extending rearward and carrying a lug 60 which enters a groove 61 of the slide 57 and its front arm 58b having a vertical support plate 58c .

 The groove 61 of the slide 57 has a path inclined with respect to the transverse direction of the ski 36 so that, by an action on the support plate 58e of the arm 58b of the lever 58, substantially transversely to the ski 36, in a in either direction, this operating lever 58 can be pivoted in one direction or the other, the lug 60 carried by the rear arm 58a of the operating lever 58 cooperating with the walls of the groove 61 of the runner 57 so as to move the latter longitudinally to the ski 34 forwards or backwards This runner 57 thus moving forwards or backwards, it makes it possible to move the transverse axis 48 carrying the levers d actuation 44 and 45 parallel to itself and longitudinally to the ski 36 between an advanced position and a retracted position, commuted in the braking and stopping device of a ski shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

 The present invention is not limited to the examples described above. Many other alternative embodiments are possible without departing from the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims (10)

CLAIM  1. A braking and stopping device (I; 17; 34; 55) of a ski, characterized in that it comprises at least two lateral arms (6; 25; 39) forming beches arranged on either side other ski and articulated transversely to the ski, between a raised position in which they extend rearwards above the lower plane of the ski and an active position in which they extend downwards and rearwards so that their free end is located below the lower plane of the ski, actuation means (11; 28; 44) which can be operated by lowering the skier's boot, return means (6a; 6b; 27; 43) which urge said lateral arms to their active position, and coupling means (15; 30; 50) adapted to connect said lateral arms to said actuating means so as to return the lateral arms to their raised position when the lowering of the shoe and releasable so as to make said independent lateral arms said s actuation means.  2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for limiting (lla; 32; 50) the stroke of the lateral arms towards their active position, acting when said coupling means are released.  3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said coupling means comprise coupling stops (15; 20; 50) adapted to connect said actuating means and said lateral arms, lateral arms being releasable by erasing said coupling stops.  4. Device according to any one of the claims I to 3, characterized in that said actuation means comprise lateral actuation levers (11; 28; 44) articulated transversely to the ski and respectively having a part which forms a stop with a part of the corresponding lateral arm, in view to couple said lateral arms and said actuation levers, said lateral arms being releasable from said stops by erasing the latter.  5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said coupling stops (15; 30) are erasable by causing an elastic deformation of said actuating levers and / or said lateral arms.  6. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said coupling stops (50) are erasable by causing their displacement by displacement of the hinge pins (48) of said levers (44, 45) parallel to luiinuLes.  7. Device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said actuating levers respectively having a part which forms a stop (lIa; 32; 50) with a part of the corresponding lateral arm, this stop acting , when the side arms are released, so as to limit the travel of the latter towards their active position.  8. Device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said actuating levers are connected by an actuating crosspiece (14; 29; 47) extending under the skier's shoe, transversely to the ski.  9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said lateral arms are integral with a crosspiece (26; 47) articulated transversely to the ski and on which a return spring (27; 43) of the said arms acts. side to their active position.  10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said lateral arms are formed by pins (6, 7) made of an elastic material, two corresponding branches (6a, 7a) of these pins joining by a cross member (8) articulated transversely to the ski (or displaceable in oblong recesses), the second branches (6b, 7b) of said pins being bent transversely to the ski and displaceable in oblong recesses offset with respect to said cross member, (or articulated transversely to the ski along an axis offset from said oblong recesses), so as to allow the pivoting of the lateral arms around said cross member and produce the return effect towards their active position.