FR2722418A1 - ALPINE SKI IN SHAPE AND IMPROVED PROFILE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an alpine ski which comprises a sliding sole (1O), metal edges (110) with two lower side ridges connected to two side surfaces (12, 13); themselves connected to an upper surface (11); the upper surface (11) being substantially planar in a central zone (2) corresponding at least to the mounting region of the bindings, and comprising in front and / or behind said central zone (2), a recess (7, 8) ), longitudinally oriented, limited by two continuous lateral edges (90, 91) connecting to said central zone (2) on the one hand, and extending to the vicinity of the front contact line (100) and / or rear (101) of the ends of the ski, on the other hand. The reduction of the inertias of the ends is encouraged while maintaining sufficient resistance to lateral bending and torsion by providing that the ratio between the depth (p) of the recess (s) (7, 8) and the height (h) of each edge gradually increases in this same direction.

Description

Alpine ski in shape and with an improved evolutionary profile.

  The present invention relates to skis intended for the practice of disciplines

leisure or sports alpines.

  Generally speaking, alpine skis have a lower sole of

  sliding, metal edges, side edges and a top surface.

  In section, traditional skis can have a substantially rectangular or trapezoidal shape, the largest opposite sides of which form the face.

  upper and lower and the smaller sides form the edges of the ski.

  To obtain an appropriate stiffness distribution, the thickness of the ski varies as a function of its length. The thickness is greater in the central area to give the support region of the shoe sufficient rigidity. On the other hand, the ski thins towards the ends which must be flexible and elastically deformable. The document EP-A-0 580 522 relates to a ski with an improved profile which comprises front and rear recesses whose depth decreases from the

  skate area to the vicinity of the front and rear contact lines of the ski.

  Each recess extends longitudinally and is bordered on each side by a lateral rib which tapers in width and thickness towards the ends. It is thus justified to lighten the ski with conservation of a

  significant inertia of the anterior and posterior zones for better stability.

  The object of the present invention is to propose a new ski geometry which optimizes the compromise between lightness, on the one hand and the characteristics of

  stiffness in lateral bending and torsion on the other hand.

  The applicant agrees with the general principle of reducing the weight of the ski by making longitudinal recesses. But to improve the maneuverability of the ski, that is to say its ability to pivot and to change support from one edge to the other, it is important to preferentially reduce the inertia of the front and rear ends. Thus, the weight gain must be achieved more around the front and rear contact lines, and beyond, rather than near the mounting area of the fasteners as can be taught in document EP-A-580 522 To facilitate the mounting of all types of bindings on the ski, it is also

  important to keep a central area of substantially flat configuration.

  The ski according to the invention comprises a sliding sole, edges

  metallic with two lower edges connected to two lateral surfaces,

  same connected to an upper surface; the upper surface being substantially flat in a central zone corresponding at least to the region for mounting the fasteners, and comprising in front of and / or behind said central zone, a longitudinally oriented recess, limited by two continuous lateral edges connecting to said central zone on the one hand and extending to the vicinity of the front and / or rear contact line of the ends of the ski, on the other hand. The height of each lateral edge decreases progressively from the central zone towards the front and / or rear contact line while the ratio between the depth of the recess (s) and the height of each edge gradually increases in this same direction. In this way, it favors the reduction of the inertias of the ends of the ski while retaining sufficient resistance to lateral bending and to torsion over all

  the length of the ski thanks to the continuous side edges.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the depth of the recess (s) is constant or gradually increases from the central zone towards the front and / or rear contact line. Thus, the relief is, proportionally, greater at the ends than in the zones

ski intermediaries.

  According to an additional characteristic, the width of the recess (s) gradually increases from the central zone towards the front and / or rear contact line. This characteristic also contributes to the progressive lightening of the

  body of the ski towards the ends.

  According to another characteristic, each lateral edge comprises an internal face of concave shape which is connected with the surface of each recess. This ensures continuity of the lines of force at this location, which contributes to ensuring

  improved resistance of the structure in torsion.

  Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention

  will emerge from the following description of particular embodiments, made in

  relation to the attached figures among which - Figure 1 is a side view of the ski according to the invention; - Figure 2 is a top view of the ski of Figure 1; - Figures 3 to 9 respectively represent the schematic representation

  cross sections of the ski according to plans 1-1, Il-11, 111-111, IVIV, V-V, VI-VI, VII-

  VII, VIII-VIII, IX-IX mentioned in Figures 1 and 2; - Figure 3 is a section at the contact line before the ski; - Figure 4 is a section through the front quarter; - Figure 5 is a section through the front third; - Figure 6 is a section through the middle of the central area; - Figure 7 is a section at the posterior third; - Figure 8 is a section at the rear quarter; Figure 9 is a section at the rear contact line; - Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the front part of the ski according to the invention; FIG. 11 shows, in the form of a graph, the evolution of the depth ratio of the recess over the height of the lateral edge as a function of the length of the ski; - Figures 12 to 15 correspond, respectively, to Figures 3 to 6 according to a variant of the invention; - Figure 16 is a view similar to that of Figure 10 according to a variant; - Figure 17 illustrates an example of the internal structure of the ski according to the invention in the region of the recess; FIG. 18 shows on a cross section of the ski according to the invention, how the various variable parameters of the ski are measured as a function of the

  longitudinal position considered.

  FIG. 1 and 2 show a ski (1) according to the invention and which comprises a sliding sole (10), an upper surface (11) and two lateral surfaces (12, 13) connecting the sole to the surface superior. The ski is broken down into several distinct parts including, a central zone (2) which corresponds to the region for mounting the bindings (3) shown in FIG. 1, a front part (40) located between the central zone and the tip (5 ) and a rear part (41) located between the zone

center and heel (6).

  At the border of the front part (40) and the tip (5), the sole rests on the ground when the ski is unloaded along a transverse front contact line (100). Similarly, at the border of the rear part (41) and the heel (6), the sole rests along a transverse rear contact line (101). At the front end of the tip, the ski can be provided with a protective and decorative tip (50),

for example.

  According to the illustrated mode of the invention, the ski is hollowed out in the front part (40) and also in the rear part (41). The front (7) and rear (8) recesses extend in the longitudinal direction of the ski to the contact lines (100,

  101) and beyond, preferably, as shown.

  The central area (2) is flat enough to receive any type of fixings (3). It extends laterally towards the front of the ski and towards the rear by continuous lateral edges (90, 91) bordering each recess (7, 8). These edges contribute to imparting sufficient stiffness in bending and torsion to the front parts (40) and

rear (41) of the ski.

  FIGS. 3 to 9 show, thanks to different cuts, the longitudinal evolution of the cross section of the ski according to the invention. Generally, the height (h) of the lateral edges decreases from the central zone (2) towards the front and rear ends. This height distribution directly determines the flexibility distribution of the ski. The height (h) can be defined as being the measurement, in a given section on the ski, of the distance which separates a transverse line (S) passing through the sole plane (10) and a transverse line (B) parallel to the sole plane and passing through the highest point of the lateral edge (90,

91) (Figure 18).

  Similarly, the depth (p) of each recess (7, 8) remains constant in the mode shown. It is between 0.5 mm and 3 mm. Thus, according to an essential characteristic of the invention, the w / h ratio increases in the direction of each of the ends of the ski. The depth (p) of the recess is the measure in a given section of the distance between the transverse line (B) parallel to the sole plane and passing through the highest point of the transverse edge (90, 91) and a line transverse parallel (E) passing through the deepest point of the recess

(7, 8) (Figure 18).

  In the figures, the location of the lateral edges (110) has been shown schematically. The lateral surfaces (12, 13) of the ski correspond to the face

  outer of each side edge (90, 91).

  The lateral surfaces (12, 13) can be rectilinear portions in section or even slightly convex or concave. They can also be of complex shape and formed by several connected portions rectilinear, convex or concave. Each lateral edge (90, 91) comprises an internal face (900, 910) which is connected to the surface of each recess (7, 8). This face (900, 910) is, of

  preferably of concave shape over its entire connection height.

  Advantageously, it is a concave shape chosen from the curves

  conical (radius, parabola, hyperbola ...) and which evolves over the entire length of the ski.

  In addition, each recess (7, 8) has a width (I) which increases progressively from the central zone towards the front and rear contact lines. The width (I) can be defined as the distance separating in a given section, the points (901, 902) of intersection of the transverse line parallel to the sole plane and passing through the highest point of the edge with the concave line extension (C) of the internal face (900, 910). When the convex shape is a conic, it

  it is an extension of the line of the conic section (figure 18).

  The surface of each recess (7, 8) is preferably flat. Nevertheless, we can admit a very slight concavity or convexity in one direction

transverse and / or longitudinal.

  FIG. 11 shows the variation of the w / h ratio as a function of the longitudinal position considered (L) on the ski. Curve (A) represents the minimum accepted limit, curve (C) represents the maximum accepted limit and curve (B) represents a mode as an average example. Measurements are made between

  the two contact lines (100, 101) of the ski.

  In the front part (40) defined above, the w / h ratio varies from 0.035 to

  About 0.06 for curve (A) and about 0.2 to 0.4 for curve (C).

  In the rear part (41); the w / h ratio varies from about 0.035 to 0.06 for the

  curve (A) and from 0.2 to 0.38 approximately for curve (C).

  Figures 12 to 16 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention in which the depth (p) of the recess (7) gradually increases from

  the front end of the central zone (11) in the direction of the front contact line.

  This increase in depth is accompanied by an increase in the width (I) of the recess in this same direction. It is understood that we can

  have the same evolution in the rear part (41) of the ski.

  FIG. 17 shows an example of the structure of the ski according to the invention.

  Such a ski comprises a sole (10) based on polyethylene, for example, a lower reinforcement (23) in the form of a plate, an upper reinforcement (21) whose shape matches the external shape of the upper surface and the lateral surfaces of the ski. The reinforcements can be monolayer or multilayer based on fibrous material or aluminum alloy, or the like. The lower (23) and upper (21) reinforcements are separated by a core (22), preferably of injected foam. Finally, the upper reinforcement (21) is covered by a protective and decorative element

  (20) in monolayer or multilayer thermoplastic material.

  Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants thereof and

  generalizations contained in the area of claims below.

Claims (4)

  1) Alpine skiing comprising a sliding sole (10), metal edges (110) with two lower lateral edges connected to two lateral surfaces (12, 13), themselves connected to an upper surface (11); the upper surface (11) being substantially flat in a central zone (2) corresponding at least to the region for mounting the fasteners, and comprising in front and / or behind said central zone (2), a recess (7, 8 ), longitudinally oriented, limited by two continuous lateral edges (90, 91) connecting to said central zone (2) on the one hand and extending to the vicinity of the front contact line (100) and / or rear (101) of the ends of the ski, on the other hand, characterized in that: - the height (h) of each lateral edge (90, 91) decreases progressively from the central zone (2) towards the front contact line (100 ) and / or rear (101) while, - the relationship between the depth (p) of the recess (s) (7, 8) and the height (h)   of each edge gradually grows in this same direction.   2) Ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the depth (p) of the (of) recess (s) (7, 8) is constant.   3) Ski according to claim 1, characterized in that the depth (p) of the recess (s) (7, 8) increases progressively from the central zone (2) towards the   front (100) and / or rear (101) contact line.   4) Ski according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in   that the width (I) of the recess (s) (7, 8) gradually increases from the zone   central (2) towards the front (100) and / or rear (101) contact line.   ) Ski according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in   that each lateral edge (90, 91) comprises an internal face (901, 910) of shape   concave which connects with the surface of each recess (7, 8).