FR2665370A1 - Ski brake - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ski brake including a pair of stop arms (4) mounted pivotably about a horizontal and transverse axis (xx'), and an energy generating device (5, 6) with a return spring (5) for normally passing the arms (4) into the active braking position when a boot is not applied on the ski. This ski brake is characterised in that the energy generating device (5, 6) is embedded at least partially in a longitudinal housing (11) formed in the ski (2) and opening out in the upper surface (2a) of the latter and the linking segments (4c) of the arms (4) are engaged in the longitudinal housing (11).

Description

 The present invention relates to a ski brake, that is to say a device intended to prevent a ski from sliding on a slope when, during skiing, the ski is no longer connected to the skier, for example following the triggering of a safety attachment during a fall.

 Various ski brakes are already known which generally comprise at least one stop arm forming a "spade" at its end and which is mounted to rotate laterally with respect to a edge of the ski. When the ski is free, this spade is normally in an active braking position in which it projects under the sole of the ski. This spade is biased, as well as the rest of the constituent parts of the brake, towards this position by an energy generating device comprising a return spring. When the boot is engaged in a binding carried by the ski and when it is applied against the upper face of the latter, it on the contrary maintains the spade in an inactive position in which the latter is substantially horizontal at a slightly greater than that of the upper surface of the ski. When the binding is released, causing the boot to separate from the ski, the brake is released and the spade then switches to the active braking position, under the action of the generator device. 'energy. This spade can thus penetrate more or less into the snow so as to immobilize the ski, so that the skier can recover it easily. Skiing therefore does not run the risk of hurtling downhill and injuring a downhill skier or even getting lost.

 Ski brakes currently known generally have a base fixed on the upper surface of the ski and which contains the energy generating device of the brake and in particular its return spring. A ski brake of this type is for example described in patent EP-A-0227939.

The return spring used in such known ski brakes is a longitudinal compression spring bearing, at one of its ends, on a fixed part of the base and, at its other end, on a mobile control element. itself coupled to the brake spades. This mobile control element is connected to a brake actuation member which may be constituted, for example, by a pedal on which the shoe comes to bear.

As a result of the effort required of the compression spring to move the spades into the active braking position, this compression spring must have relatively large dimensions, both in length and in diameter, that is to say in height. I1 follows that the base of the ski brakes known to date has an appreciable height and that it therefore constitutes a projection which may slightly hamper the application of the boot flat on the ski.

 The present invention aims to remedy this drawback by providing a ski brake of particularly simple design and very small overall height.

 To this end, this ski brake comprising a pair of stop arms pivotally mounted about a horizontal and transversal axis, which can pivot between an active braking position in which these arms protrude below the ski, and a position inactive in which the arms extend substantially horizontally at a level slightly higher than that of the upper surface of the ski, an energy-generating device with return spring for normally passing the arms into the active braking position, when a boot is not applied to the ski, and actuation means for moving the arms from their active braking position to their inactive position when a boot is applied to the upper surface of the ski, each arm comprising a main segment external forming a spade intended to be planted in the snow, extending outside of a edge of the ski in the active braking position, a central segment forming an axis transverse pivot extending above the upper surface of the ski, and an internal link segment coupled to the energy generating device, characterized in that the energy generating device is embedded at least partially in a longitudinal housing formed in the ski and opening into the upper surface thereof and the connecting segments of the arms are engaged in the longitudinal housing.

Various embodiments of the present invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended drawing in which
Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view with partial cutaway of a ski brake according to the invention, in the active braking position.

 Figure 2 is a simplified perspective view of the brake of which only the arms are shown in the active braking position.

 Figure 3 is an elevational view of the ski brake in the inactive position in which its arms extend horizontally above the upper surface of the ski.

 Figure 4 is a simplified perspective view of the ski brake, its arms being shown in an intermediate horizontal position.

 Figure 5 is a simplified perspective view of the ski brake, its arms being shown in the retracted position towards the inside of the ski.

 Figure 6 is a vertical and longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the ski brake, in the active braking position.

 Figure 7 is a schematic horizontal sectional view of the ski brake in the active braking position, the upper wall of its housing being assumed to be removed.

 Figure 8 is a vertical and longitudinal sectional view of the ski brake in the intermediate position in which the arms are raised horizontally above.

the upper surface of the ski.

 FIG. 9 is a view in vertical and longitudinal section of the ski in the inactive position in which the arms are retracted in the direction of the vertical and longitudinal plane of symmetry of the ski.

 Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the ski brake with the upper wall of its housing removed, the right half of this figure representing the brake in the intermediate position and the left half representing the brake in the inactive position.

 Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the piston and the part providing the connection between the piston and the brake arms.

 Figure 12 is a schematic horizontal sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the ski brake, in the active braking position.

 FIG. 13 is a view in vertical and longitudinal section of the ski brake shown in FIG. 12.

 FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the piston and of the sliding control slide of the ski brake shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

 FIG. 15 is a schematic elevation view illustrating the operation of the ski brake shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

 In Figures 1 and 2 is shown, in a simplified manner, a brake 1 mounted on the upper surface 2a of a ski 2, in order to immobilize this ski on snow when it is found to be released, for example at following the fall of a skier. This brake 1 is carried by a base comprising an external housing 3 and on which are mounted to rotate, around a horizontal and transverse axis xx ', two opposite brake arms 4. Each of these brake arms 4 comprises a main segment or "spade" 4a, which constitutes the active part of the brake extending outside a edge 2b of the ski 2. This spade 4a is inclined downward and towards the rear of the ski, in the active braking position in which it projects under the ski 2 in order to be able to be planted in the snow. Each spade 4a is extended, at its upper end, by a central segment 4b forming a pivot axis, substantially perpendicular to the spade 4a and extending horizontally along the pivot axis xx ', just above the upper surface 2a of the ski 2. Finally, each brake arm 4 ends, in the central part of the ski 2, in the vicinity of the vertical and longitudinal plane of symmetry P thereof, by a short link or control segment 4c which is substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the other two segments 4a and 4b. In the active braking position which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spades 4a of the two brake arms 4, parallel to one another, are inclined downwards and backwards while their two connecting segments 4c, parallel between them are tilted down and forward.

 The ski brake I also includes an energy generator device housed inside the housing 3 of its base. This device comprises a longitudinal compression spring 5 and a sliding piston 6 coupled to the connecting segments 4c of the two arms 4. The compression spring 5 is supported, at its rear end, on a rear vertical and transverse wall 3a of the housing 3 and it constantly pushes the piston 6 forward. This piston 6 can be driven towards the rear, against the return spring 5, by any suitable means actuated as a result of the engagement of the boot in the bindings (not shown) carried by the ski. non-limiting execution shown in Figure 1 the piston 6 is driven by a pedal 7 inclined from bottom to top and front and rear, articulated on the ski, at its front end, around a horizontal and transverse axis 8 and coupled to the piston 6 via a connecting rod 9.

 According to the invention the housing 3 of the base of the ski brake 1, containing the energy generating device 5,6 of the brake, is embedded in a housing 11, formed in the ski 2 and opening into the upper surface 2a of this one. This housing 11 has a parallelepiped shape, and it is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the ski 2. The dimensions of the lateral surface of the housing 11 correspond to those of the housing 3 which is thus tightly embedded in this housing. The housing 3 is sufficiently embedded in the ski 2 so that its upper horizontal wall 3b just protrudes above the upper surface 2a of the ski 2. It follows that the housing 3 of the ski brake base 1 forms a projection of very low height relative to the upper surface 2a of the ski.

 When the skier puts on his ski 2, his shoe, by pressing the pedal 7 of the brake 1, causes a rearward movement of the piston 6, against the return spring 5, and this movement causes, by means which will be described in detail below, a pivoting of the brake arms 4 clockwise around the horizontal and transverse axis xx '. The effect of this movement is to bring the spades 4a into an intermediate horizontal position in which these spades 4a are at a level slightly higher than that of the upper surface 2a of the ski but still being located outside the vertical planes of the edges 2b of the ski, as shown in FIG. 4. In this intermediate position the short connecting segments 4c are then brought into a vertical position and they can constitute, from this moment, vertical pivot axes for the end the retraction movement of the spades 4a. This final pivoting movement ensures a displacement of the central segment 4b of each arm towards the rear and of each spade 4a in the direction of the vertical and longitudinal plane of symmetry P of the ski so that in the inactive final position, as represented on the FIG. 5, the two spades 4a are therefore retracted inwards above the upper surface 2a of the ski 2.

 When the skier's shoe ceases to be applied flat on the ski 2, as a result of a voluntary fall or heaving, the reverse movements occur under the action of the return spring 5, that is to say -to say that the spades 4a first pass from the inactive or retracted position (FIG. 5) to the intermediate position (FIG. 4), then to the active braking position (FIGS. 1 and 2).

 We will now describe, with particular reference to Figures 6 to 11, a particular embodiment of the brake according to the invention.

 As can best be seen in FIG. 11, the piston 6 which is housed with longitudinal sliding in the housing 3 of the brake base, is constituted by a substantially parallelepipedal block which carries, at its upper and rear part, a support 12 for a transverse articulation axis 13 ensuring the connection between the piston 6 and the connecting rod 9 connected to the pedal 7. For this purpose the support 12 projects upwards, above the rear part of the upper wall 3b of the housing 3, through a longitudinal slot formed in this upper wall.

Furthermore, the piston 6 has, at its upper and front part, two longitudinal lateral ramps 14 formed by two longitudinal faces slightly set back relative to the longitudinal faces 6a of the piston 6. The ramps 14 delimit, in the upper parts of the longitudinal faces 6a, two opposite longitudinal recesses 15 in which are engaged the internal ends of two movable lugs 16. These lugs are respectively mounted to slide in housings 17 which are formed in two blocks 18 arranged and fixed under an elevated front part 3c of the wall upper 3b of the housing 3, on either side of the longitudinal housing 11. Each housing 17 and therefore each cleat 16 is inclined towards the front and towards the outside of the ski. Each cleat 16 opens into a space 19 forming a bearing delimited, towards the rear, by the front face 18a of the corresponding block 18, which is inclined towards the outside and towards the rear of the ski, and, towards the front, by a transverse wing 20a of a support piece 20 having in horizontal section the shape of an omega, with a central U-shaped part open towards the rear, symmetrical with respect to the vertical and longitudinal plane of symmetry P. In each bearing space 19 is engaged and retained the central pivot segment 4b of an arm 4 of the brake. This segment 4b is preferably applied to an intermediate horizontal strip 3d of the housing 3, which thus isolates it from the upper surface 2a of the ski 2. The length of each sliding cleat 16 is chosen so that in the active position braking (Figure 7) its front end is in contact with a central pivot segment 4b of an arm 4, thereby retaining it rearward, and that its rear end is engaged in a recess 15 of the piston 6 and in contact with the corresponding lateral ramp 14, in the extreme rear part thereof. This ramp 14 is connected to an upper front face 21 of the piston 6 by a chamfered intermediate face 22 on which can come to bear the rear end of a cleat 16 when the piston 6 has been pushed back enough as is will see further.

 The central pivot segment 4b of each of the arms 4 is subjected to the action of a spring 23 tending to push it backwards, against the front end of the cleat 16. This spring can be of the appropriate type and in particular it may be constituted by a torsion spring, one end branch of which passes through a hole drilled in the wing 20a to urge the central pivoting segment 4b towards the rear.

 The piston 6 is coupled to the two short connecting segments 4c of the arms 4 by means of a connecting piece 24 in the form of a yoke which is substantially parallel to the spades 4c of the arms 4. This yoke 24 comprises two wings 24a extending towards the rear from a front transverse core 24b and which are connected together by a horizontal and transverse axis 25. The two wings 24a of the yoke 24 are engaged in a recess 26 provided in the front and bottom part of the piston 6 , so that the axis 25 is located just behind a hook 27, open upwards, formed in the lower central part of the front front face 28 of the piston 6. Furthermore, this hook 27 is just in contact, by its upper and anterior edge 27a which can be advantageously chamfered, with the lower and rear part 24c of the connecting yoke 24 which can also be advantageously chamfered.

Consequently, when the piston 6 is driven towards the rear, it causes a rotational movement of the yoke 24 in the clockwise direction around the transverse axis xx ', because the axis 25 of the latter is pulled back by the hook 27. On the other hand, when the piston 6 is pushed forward by the spring 5, its anterior hook 27, when it comes into contact with the connecting yoke 24, rotates this yoke 24 counterclockwise around the transverse axis xx '. To ensure the connection with the arms 4 the transverse core 24b of the yoke 24 is pierced with two holes 29, of parallel axes, aligned transversely and in which the connection segments 4c of the two arms 4 are engaged respectively.

 In the active braking position, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the piston 6 is pushed forward as much as possible, by the spring 5, the front hook 27 of the piston 6 pushes forward and towards the top of the web 24b of the connecting yoke 24 so that this yoke 24 is inclined from bottom to top and from back to front and it is the same with the spades 4a which are substantially parallel thereto. Furthermore, the central pivoting segments 4b of the arms 4 are kept aligned along the transverse axis xx ', in contact with the support wings 20a, by the sliding tabs 16 themselves bearing against the ramps 14. As for the segments of link 4c, they are inclined downwards and forwards.

 When the skier puts on his ski, he causes, by pressing his shoe on the pedal 7, a movement of the piston 6 backwards. During this movement the piston 6 rotates clockwise, through its front hook 27, the connecting yoke 24, to which it is coupled by the transverse axis 25, as well as the spades 4a which then go back up. During this movement, the ramps 14 slide backwards while remaining in contact with the rear ends of the cleats 16 which ensure the maintenance of the central pivoting segments 4b in their alignment along the transverse axis xx '.

 When the spades 4a reach the horizontal intermediate position, the various movable elements occupy the positions shown in FIG. 8 and on the right half of FIG. 10. The connecting yoke 24 has then been brought to a horizontal position, the axis 25 then found just at the level of the upper face of the hook 27.

The connecting segments 4c are in a vertical position and they can then constitute, from this moment, vertical pivot axes for the spades 4a. The posterior ends of the sliding tabs 16 then just come into contact with the chamfered faces 22 ending towards the front of the ramps 14.

 When the piston 6 continues to move backwards, from the intermediate position to the extreme rear position, corresponding to the inactive position, the rear end of each cleat 16 slides in contact with the chamfered face 22 facing so well that the cleat 16 is gradually released and can slide backwards and inwards, that is to say in the direction of the vertical and longitudinal plane of symmetry P. Its anterior end which is in contact with the central pivot segment 4b of an arm 4, thus gradually released this segment so that the whole of the brake arm 4 can pivot around the vertical axis constituted by the corresponding connecting segment 4c. This pivoting movement maintained in vertical position by the connecting yoke 24 which is limited by the front face 18a of the block 18, is effected by the action of the spring 23 which then intervenes to push back the central pivoting segment t 4b of arm 4.

 When the skier takes off his shoes voluntarily or following a fall, when his boot leaves the ski, the ski brake 1 is released and it automatically switches to the active braking position. The operations described above then take place in reverse. The piston 6 is pushed forward by the spring 5 so that the anterior chamfered faces 22 of the piston 6 gradually push the tabs 16 forward and outward and the lateral ramps 14 then immobilize the tabs 16 in their position pushed forward. The tabs 16 cause the central pivoting segments 4b to move forward until they come to bear against the wings 20a and are aligned along the transverse axis xx '. This corresponds to the horizontal exit movement of the spades which pass from the retracted position to the intermediate position. During all this movement, the connecting yoke 24 remains horizontal.

 Once the intermediate position has been reached, the axis 25 of the connecting yoke 24 passes behind the hook 27, and this hook 27 acts on the lower part of the yoke 24 so as to rotate this yoke 24 in the direction of the needles d 'a watch around the transverse axis xx'. I1 follows that each arm 4 pivots anti-clockwise around the transverse axis xx 'and that each spade 4a goes into the active braking position.

 Although it has been indicated in the preceding description that the piston 6 of the ski brake is driven by a pedal actuated by the sole of the boot, it goes without saying that the movement of the piston could be caused by another element. mobile. This movable element controlling the retraction of the brake in the inactive position may be the body of a rear binding and in this case the sliding movement of the body of the binding is then used in its slide. I1 can also be an element of a binding which is sensitive to the presence or absence of the shoe. This element can thus be constituted by a rocker located inside the body of the binding or even by the jaw in the case of a magic binding, that is to say a jaw which always moves into position. open in the absence of the shoe.

 In the alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 12 to 15, the sliding piston 6 of the embodiment described above is replaced by two independent superposed elements, movable longitudinally relative to one another, at namely a lower piston 6, pushed forward by the spring 5 and coupled to the connecting piece 24, in the same way as the piston 6 described above, and an upper control slide 29 sliding on the upper surface of the lower piston 6. This upper drawer 29 has, in its front part 29a, the lateral ramps 14, the front front face 21, the chamfered intermediate faces 22. The upper drawer 29 has, seen in plan, the general shape of a U open towards the rear and it comprises two rear longitudinal branches 29b, 29c extending rearward the front part 29a. These two rear branches 29b, 29c extend respectively on either side of the support 12 for the horizontal and transverse articulation axis 13 ensuring the connection between the lower piston 6 and the connecting rod 9 connected to the pedal 7. The support 12 comprises two parallel vertical wings between which extends the axis 13. Between the two wings of the support 12 passes a longitudinal tie 31 which is connected on the one hand to the control slide 29 and on the other hand to the body 32 of a rear or heel piece 33, as it is shown in figure 15.

 In the active braking position, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the upper control slide 29 occupies its anterior extreme position and in this position the internal ends of the two cleats 16 are in contact with the edges formed at the connection of the two. chamfered intermediate faces 22 and lateral ramps 14.

 We will now describe, with particular reference to FIG. 15, the operation of the ski brake illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. Part A of FIG. 15 represents the lower piston 6 and the upper control slide 29 in their positions anterior extremes which they occupy when the brake pedal 7 is raised and the heel piece 33 is released. When the skier puts on his ski, he presses his boot first only on the pedal 7 and the pivoting movement of the pedal 7 is then transmitted to the lower piston 6 which backs up alone then against the action of the spring 5, the control drawer remaining stationary. This corresponds to the passage of the brake arms 4 in the horizontal intermediate position (part B of FIG. 15) .When the downward movement of the boot continues, movement causing it to be applied flat on the ski, the rear of the sole of the shoe pushes the body 32 of the heel 33 towards the rear, to ensure the engagement of this heel, and this recoil of the body 32, causes a displacement towards the rear of the longitudinal tie 31, as well as of the upper control drawer 29. This drawer then releases the tabs 16 which can thus slide backwards in their housings 17 by releasing the brake arms 4, these arms then being retracted under the action of the springs 23 as it was described previously.

 During heaving, voluntary or in safety, the aforementioned movements take place in the opposite direction, the body 32 of the heel piece 33 being pushed forward under the action of the recoil spring of the heel piece. The tie rod 21 then brings the upper control drawer 29 back to its anterior extreme position and the lower piston 6 is also pushed back to its anterior extreme position by the spring 5.

Claims (11)

 1.- Ski brake comprising a pair of stop arms (4) pivotally mounted about a horizontal and transverse axis (xx '), which can pivot between an active braking position in which these arms protrude below of the ski, and an inactive position in which the arms (4) extend substantially horizontally at a level slightly higher than that of the upper surface (2a) of the ski (2), an energy generating device (5,6 ) with return spring (5) for normally passing the arms (4) into the active braking position, when a boot is not applied to the ski, and actuation means (7, 9) for passing the arms (4) from their active braking position to their inactive position when a shoe is applied to the upper surface (2a) of the ski, each arm comprising an external main segment (4a) forming a spade intended to be planted in the snow, extending outside of an edge (2b) of the ski (2) in position a ctive braking, a central segment (4b) forming a transverse pivot axis extending above the upper surface (2a) of the ski (2), and an internal link segment (4c) coupled to the generator device energy (5,6), characterized in that the energy generating device (5,6) is embedded at least partially in a longitudinal housing (11) formed in the ski (2) and opening into the upper surface (2a) of it and the connecting segments (4c) of the arms (4) are engaged in the longitudinal housing (11).  2.- ski brake according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises a housing (3) containing the energy generating device (5,6) and which is tightly embedded in the longitudinal housing (11).  3.- ski brake according to claim 2 characterized in that the energy generating device comprises a longitudinal compression spring (5) bearing, at its rear end, on a rear vertical and transverse wall (3a) of the housing ( 3), and pushing forward a piston (6) mounted to slide longitudinally in the housing (3) and which is coupled, at its front part, to the connecting segments (4c) of the arms (4).  4.- ski brake according to claim 3 characterized in that the piston (6) of the energy generating device is secured to a member (12) projecting upwards, above the rear part of the wall upper (3b) of the housing (3) through a longitudinal slot formed in this upper wall, this member (12) being coupled to the actuating means (9,7).  5.- ski brake according to any one of claims 3 and 4 characterized in that each central pivot segment (4b) of the stop arms (4) extends under a raised front part (3c) of the wall upper (3b) of the housing (3), between this raised part (3c) and the upper surface of the ski (2), and it is housed in a bearing space (19) delimited between two anterior bearing surfaces (20a) and posterior (18a).  6. A ski brake according to claim 5 characterized in that the anterior bearing surface (20a) delimiting the bearing space (19) towards the front, extends transversely, the posterior bearing surface (18a ), delimiting the space forming a bearing (19) towards the rear, is inclined towards the outside and towards the rear and. elastic means (23) are provided for urging each central pivot segment (4b) towards the rear and a sliding cleat (16) which is in contact with the central pivot segment 4b, behind the control thereof, and which can be blocked or released by an element (6,29) sliding longitudinally, according to the longitudinal position of this element.  7.- ski brake according to claim 6 characterized in that each cleat (16) is slidably mounted in a housing (17) formed in a block (18) disposed 'and fixed below the raised front part (3c ) of the upper wall (3b) of the housing (3), this block ending towards the front by a face constituting the posterior bearing surface (18c) delimiting towards the rear the space forming a bearing (19), each housing (17) is drilled right through in the block (18) in a direction inclined outward and forward, and the rear end of each cleat (16) is in contact with a longitudinal lateral ramp ( 14) of the control element (6,29), set back with respect to a longitudinal face of this control element (6,29), or with a chamfered intermediate face (22) connecting the front front face (21) of the control element and each lateral ramp (14), along the longitudinal position of the control element command (6.29).  8.- ski brake according to claim 7 characterized in that the cleat control element (16) is constituted by the upper part of the piston (6).  9.- ski brake according to claim 7 characterized in that the cleat control element (16) is constituted by an upper drawer (29), independent of the lower piston (6), slidably mounted on this piston and connected , by a longitudinal tie rod (31), to the body (32), movable longitudinally, of a rear attachment (33) so that the upper control drawer (29) follows the movement of the movable body (32) of the rear attachment (33).  10.- ski brake according to any one of claims 5 to 9 characterized in that the piston (6) has, at its front end, a hook (27) coupled to a connecting piece (24) pierced with two holes parallel (29) in which are respectively engaged the connecting segments (4c) of the two arms (4), so that the longitudinal sliding movement of the piston causes a rotation of the connecting piece (24) about the transverse axis .  11.- ski brake according to claim 10 characterized in that the connecting piece (24) is constituted by a yoke comprising two wings (24a) s. ' extending backwards from a transverse core (24b) in which the holes (29) receiving the connecting segments (4c) are drilled, the two wings (24a) of the yoke are connected by a transverse axis (25 ) engaged behind the front hook (27) of the piston (6) and able to slide on the upper face of this hook, so that the longitudinal sliding movement of the piston (6) towards the rear causes a rotation of the connecting yoke (24) upwards in a horizontal position in which the connecting segments (4c) of the arms (4) are found to be vertical, and that a longitudinal sliding movement of the piston (6) forwards causes a rotation of the connecting yoke (24) downwards so that the connecting segments (4c) of the arms (4) are inclined up and down and from back to front.