FR2745192A1 - DEVICE FOR RETAINING A SHOE ON A SNOWBOARD. - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for binding a boot to a snowboard or the like, including at least one hooking means (2) securable to a boot (5) for holding one side (51) thereof; a locking means (4) connectable to the snowboard and engageable with said hooking means (2); a locking means jaw member (40) with an opening (41) for inserting a portion of the hooking means (2) into an inner space (42) defined by at least one substantially cylindrical inner surface portion (400) of said jaw member; a locking member (43) rotatably mounted relative to the jaw member and provided with at least one recess (434) engageable by the hooking means, said locking member (43) being rotatable between an open position in which the recess (434) is opposite the opening (41) in the jaw member, and a series of locking positions in which the recess (434) is opposite said cylindrical inner surface portion (400); and a stop means (45) for stopping the rotation of the locking member (43) and holding it in one of said locking positions depending on the degree to which the hooking means (2) is inserted. Said device enables the boot and snowboard to be coupled together under suitable visual conditions, even when snow is wedged under the sole of the boot.

Description

 Device for retaining a boot on a gliding board, in particular a snowboard.

 The invention relates to a device for retaining a boot, in particular a snowboard, on a gliding board. The invention also relates to a shoe equipped to operate with such a device.

 Snowboarding has become more and more popular in recent years. This activity calls for the use of a gliding board on which the feet of the user are disposed and held firmly in a configuration substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the board. This is controlled mainly by the weight transfer and the movements of the user's legs both laterally and longitudinally.

 Shoes of the flexible type are those which are most appreciated by those who practice disciplines such as "free-style" or "free-ride" in snowboarding. They are provided with a flexible rod cover on a more or less rigid sole base; buttresses or reinforcements are arranged at the rear or on the side of the structure to provide the supports necessary for making turns, certain style figures or even jumps.

 One of the problems encountered is being able to connect such shoes on the board by retaining means which are both compact and easy to use.

 Fasteners of the "shell" type do not properly meet user expectations in this area. The shoe is held in place by systems of straps and tightening loops. The adjustment of these systems is long and must be reproduced at the start of each descent and in conditions that are sometimes uncomfortable for the user. The laxity necessary for good snowboarding is mainly given by the flexible side of the tightening system and the boot associated with it. This laxity is not always properly controlled.

 The document WO 95/09035 proposes a system for attaching a snowboard boot or boot of the flexible type which overcomes the straps and loops of traditional bindings. The system is based on a mechanism of jaws connected to a base, and which allows the engagement of an anchoring means secured to the sole of a shoe.

 One of the disadvantages is that the shoe is made "blind"; that is to say that the user does not have a precise vision of the anchoring elements and of the jaws opposite when putting on the shoe and must therefore proceed to the correct positioning of the shoe and to anchor that - by trial and error. Under certain conditions, such as in deep snow, it becomes very difficult, if not impossible, to put on the board.

 Such a system allows controlled lateral laxity in very specific cases; when the central anchoring means in the form of a pin are arranged in a longitudinal direction on the one hand, and the sole of the shoe is provided with resilient and compressible pads to allow rotation around the anchoring means, on the other hand go. The rotation is therefore necessarily limited in its travel by the thickness and compressibility of the pads located under the sole. For significant laxity, the thickness of the sole must be provided sufficient and the foot thus moves away considerably from the board; hence a loss of feeling and control for the user.

 US Patent 5,474,322 also provides a snowboard binding for a boot of the flexible type on the basis of a coupling mechanism comprising a pair of pins located under the shoe sole, which take position in holes of complementary shape. This system also adopts the blind shoe even if the engagement is facilitated by means of guidance of the type by interlocking shapes. Another major drawback stems from the formation of snow wedges under the shoe which can make it impossible for the needles to be inserted into the receiving holes. The accumulation of snow is further favored by the hollow shape of the sole of the shoe.

 US Pat. No. 5,299,893 proposes another device for fixing a snowboard boot with a double side grip by means of a bolt moving transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the boot and on the side thereof. This promotes the display of the boot because the anchoring means are mounted on the two lateral sides of the boot. However, the drawbacks due to the snow wedge which may form between the sole and the base of the binding cannot be eliminated. In addition, snow can easily block the transverse movement of the lock in its housing and make any fitting impossible.

 The object of the present invention therefore aims to propose a new type of construction of a retaining means which avoids the drawbacks of previous systems.

 In particular, the proposed device allows a shoe / board coupling under correct visual conditions and a locking of this coupling even in the event of the formation of a wedge of snow or ice under the sole of the shoe. Thus, the shoe becomes an easier and safer operation for the practitioner.

To obtain these advantages, the invention relates to a device for retaining a boot on a gliding board, in particular a snowboard, which comprises
at least one hooking means, intended to be secured to a shoe to retain one of the sides of the shoe
- A locking means intended to be connected to the gliding board and which cooperates with said attachment means.

Said locking means comprises
a jaw element provided with an opening for the engagement of part of the hooking means in an internal volume delimited by at least a portion of substantially cylindrical internal surface of the jaw element
- A lock mounted in rotation relative to the jaw element, which is provided with at least one housing for receiving the attachment means; said lock being movable in rotation between an open position in which the housing is located opposite the opening of the jaw element and several successive locking positions in which the housing is located opposite the cylindrical internal surface part
- A stop means which stops the movement of the rotary lock in one of said locking positions depending on the more or less significant engagement of the hooking means.

 Thus, the locking is done by the stop means which blocks the lock in a locked position of the hooking means, even when the latter is not fully engaged in the locking means due to the presence of a block. snow under the shoe, for example.

 According to a more precise characteristic of the invention, the lock has at least one disc part comprising a cylindrical portion interrupted by said housing, and substantially on the side opposite to the housing a toothed peripheral sector defining the different successive locking positions, which cooperates with a ratchet type stop means. The device thus operates in a mode that is both simple and particularly reliable in any condition of use.

 Other objects and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows in relation to the appended drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the best embodiment of the invention.

 Figure 1 is a top view of the inventive retainer in the locked position.

 Figure 2 is a sectional view along ll-ll of Figure 1 of the device in a configuration before fitting.

 Figure 3 is a sectional view along ll-ll of Figure 1 of the device in a locking configuration without a snow hold.

 FIG. 4 is a sectional view along IV-IV of FIG. 3.

 Figure 5 is a sectional view along V-V of Figure 3.

 Figure 6 is a view along VI-VI of Figure 1.

 Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 according to an alternative embodiment.

 Figure 1 shows a retaining device 1 according to the invention which comprises a hooking means 2 intended to be connected to the snowboard boot; a base 3 intended to be connected to the snowboard and a locking means 4 mounted on the base 3. The outline of the snowboard boot 5 appears in dotted lines in FIG. 1. The direction or the main orientation of shoe 5 is determined by the vertical median plane Pc.

 As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the locking means 4 comprises a main part constituting the jaw element 40 provided with an opening 41 for the engagement of part of the hooking means 2 in an internal volume 42 and which comprises a substantially cylindrical internal surface portion 400.

 The locking means also comprises a lock 43 mounted in rotation about an axis 44 on the jaw element 40. The lock therefore occupies part of the internal volume 42 of the jaw element.

 The latch has two disc parts 430, 431 secured together by a rod part 432. Each disc part comprises a cylindrical portion 433 interrupted by a receiving housing 434. The rod part has a diameter smaller than the discs in order to provide a space or clearance inside the jaw element 40 which promotes the evacuation of snow or ice and prevents blocking of the latch 43.

 On the side substantially opposite to the housing 434, there is a toothed sector 435, at the periphery of each disc part. Each recess formed between each tooth represents a selectable locking position. The toothed sector therefore defines the different successive and irreversible locking positions cooperating with a stop means 45 of the pawl type.

 The stop means 45 is integrally extended by an unlocking lever 46, the actuation of which compresses an elastic means, in this case a pin spring 47, and allows the latch 43 to be released.

 An elastic return member 436, of the pin spring type mounted on the axis 44 of rotation of the latch as shown in FIG. 3, permanently biases the latch in the opposite direction of rotation to the direction of rotation when the means are engaged hanging. In this way, the return to the open position of the lock 43 takes place automatically when the stop means or pawl 45 is held in the disengaged position by actuation of the lever 46 in the direction of rotation of the arrow A (FIG. 3).

 The locking means comprises a stop member 48 which acts on the bolt 43 to limit its rotational travel between the open position (Figure 2) and the last locked position, the furthest from the open position (Figure 3). Such a stop means 48 can be produced by an oblong hole 480 passing through a part of the bolt and in which a pin 481 cooperates integral with the jaw element which slides in rotation in the oblong hole 480.

 The hooking means 2 more precisely comprises a rectilinear pin portion 20 intended to take position in the receiving housing 434 of the latch during coupling.

 The introduction of the pin portion 20 is done in a substantially vertical direction or slightly inclined relative to the vertical and linear to promote the support exerted. For this, the jaw element 40 comprises a guide means 401 for engaging the hooking means, in particular of the journal part in this preferred direction. Such means 401 is represented by a ramp formed on the two lateral and vertical edges of the jaw element 40 as shown in FIG. 4. The trunnion part is thus guided during the introduction by resting on the two edges straight of the jaw element. This characteristic has the advantage of facilitating the coupling of the device by guiding in translation of the journal part.

 According to an advantageous mode, the device according to the invention allows a possibility of lateral tilting of the boot during the practice of surfing. This lateral laxity is an advantage in order to be able to perform jumps or particular figures.

 To perform this tilting function, the locking means 4 is mounted on the base 3 so as to be able to rotate about an articulation axis 30 substantially parallel to the plane P of the base 3. The locking means is articulated , more precisely, on the base 3 by a hinge pin 30 which passes through the lower part of the jaw piece 40. Preferably, the hinge pin 30 is arranged so as to be parallel or slightly inclined, by example of an angle less than or equal to 10 relative to the median vertical plane Pc of the shoe so that the rotation of the locking means occurs during the lateral bending of the leg.

 The device also comprises an elastic return means 6, in the form of two elastomeric blocks 60, 61, which exerts an elastic return force against the locking means and opposes its rotation around the axis of rotation. 30 during tilting on the side of the shoe pushing against the locking means.

 The elastomeric blocks 60, 61 are located on either side of the jaw element 40. Two fins 402, 403 extend laterally the jaw element to serve as a support surface for compression of the elastomeric blocks 60, 61 against the base 3.

 The attachment means 2 has a substantially horizontal flank 21 intended to be anchored under or inside the sole 50 of the shoe, and a flank raised upwards 22 extending the flank 21, which is intended to take position on the side 51 of the shoe, and which is provided with a bearing surface 220 which cooperates with a complementary bearing surface 420 of the locking means, in particular of the jaw element 40. The contact is made in two surfaces whose dimensions, surface condition and rigidity can be parameters perfectly mastered so as to produce a solid and reliable support.

 For better operation, the complementary bearing surface 420 is substantially oriented vertically or slightly inclined relative to the vertical, as in the example illustrated. It is conceivable that these bearing surfaces are covered with a thin thickness of elastomeric or plastic material to provide a backlash function and increase the feeling of comfort during pressing. In this case, the entire insert 2 can be covered in this way.

 Preferably, the bearing surface 220 of the hooking means is substantially parallel to the plane in which the preferred direction of the guide means 401 is inscribed when the pin portion 20 is engaged in the receiving housing 434. In this way, contact is maintained between the surfaces 220, 420 whatever the locking position in which the attachment means is located. In order to facilitate sliding, the bearing surface 420 could also be replaced by a rotating roller, for example.

 The hooking means 2 also extends on the sides towards the locking means by two vertical lateral guide wings 23, 24, which are substantially divergent and which laterally border the jaw element when the trunnion part 20 is engaged. of the attachment element 2. Thus, the approximation of the attachment means to the locking means is facilitated by these guide elements. The wings or flanks 23, 24 are preferably also covered with a layer of plastic or elastomeric material for the purpose of taking up play, reducing wear on the parts and comfort in use.

 The two wings 23, 24 are interconnected by the straight pin portion 20 which thus gives good rigidity by means of attachment.

 As shown more particularly in Figure 6, each elastomeric block is mounted on the device by means of a central rod 600 passing through a central recess of the block. The rod bears on the base at its lower end on the one hand and is connected to a means for adjusting its length 601 of the screw / nut type, thus making it possible to adjust the initial compression of each block. The assembly being removable, it has the advantage of allowing the blocks to be changed and replaced by others of higher or lower hardness as required.

 For this, it is sufficient to unscrew each adjustment means 601, to tilt the jaw element to take off the fins, then to remove the blocks and replace them with others.

 The base 3 which is illustrated in the figures represents a preferred but nonlimiting example.

It includes in particular:
- an offset part 31 on the side of the shoe on which the locking means 4 is fixed;
- A central part 32 which extends the offset part 31 under the area of the shoe; said central part 32 being provided with a central hole
- A central disc 33 intended to be fixed on the gliding board and which bears on the edge of the central hole to immobilize the base in a determined angular position.

 Figure 7 shows an advantageous variant of the invention. The latch 43 of the attachment means comprises two independent discs 430, 431 separated by a bracing element 434. Each disc 430, 431 is mounted so that it can rotate around the axis 44 without driving the other disc in rotation . For this, no fixed link is provided between the bracing element and the discs. An elastic return member 436, of the pin spring type is mounted on the axis 44 on either side of each disc 430 in order to urge them permanently in the opening direction. A housing is provided in each disc to receive each elastic return member.

 According to this variant, the device can be locked even when the trunnion part of the fastening means is presented with a certain inclination of a few degrees relative to the horizontal reference plane P. Such inclination may be due to the presence of a larger snow hold at the front or back of the shoe, for example.

 It is also possible that the inclination is due to an imprecise mounting of the attachment means on the shoe. This may be the case due to the imperfections in geometry resulting from the manufacture of the shoe soles, or the mounting of the soles on the rest of the shoe.

 In the context of this variant, the stop means and the lever can be made in a single part as in the main mode presented in Figures 1 to 6, or on the contrary be made in two separate parts; each of them cooperating with the toothed sector of each corresponding disc.

 The invention also relates to a snowboard boot equipped with a means for attaching the retaining device.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment thus described, and includes other variants which may fall within the scope of the claims which will follow. Thus the locking device could be fixed relative to the base without the possibility of lateral tilting.

Claims (13)

 1- Device for retaining a boot on a gliding board, in particular a snowboard, which comprises  - a hooking means (2) at least, intended to be secured to a shoe (5) to retain one of the sides (51) of the shoe  - a locking means (4) intended to be connected to the gliding board and which cooperates with said attachment means (2), characterized in that said locking means comprises  - a jaw element (40) provided with an opening (41) for the engagement of part of the attachment means (2) in an internal volume (42) delimited by at least a portion of substantially cylindrical internal surface (400) of the jaw element  - A lock (43) mounted in rotation relative to the jaw element, which is provided with at least one receiving housing (434) of the hooking means; said latch (43) being movable in rotation between an open position in which the housing (434) is opposite the opening (41) of the jaw element and several successive locking positions in which the housing (434) is opposite the cylindrical internal surface part (400);  - a stop means (45) which stops the movement of the lock (43) in rotation in one of said locking positions as a function of the more or less significant engagement of the hooking means (2).  2- A shoe retaining device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lock (43) has at least one disc part (430, 431) comprising a cylindrical portion (433) interrupted by said housing, and substantially of the side opposite to the housing a toothed peripheral sector (435) defining the different successive locking positions, which cooperates with a stop means (45) of the pawl type.  3- shoe retaining device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the return to the open position of the lock (43) when the stop means (45) is kept disengaged from a locking position is obtained by an elastic return member (436) which permanently biases the latch in the opposite direction of rotation to the direction of rotation when the attachment means (2) is engaged.  4- A shoe retaining device according to claim 3, characterized in that the stop means (45) is integrally extended by an unlocking lever (47) whose actuation releases the lock (43).  5- shoe retaining device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the locking means (4) comprises a stop member (48) which acts on the lock (43 ) to limit its rotational travel.  6- shoe retaining device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the jaw element (40) comprises a guide means (401) for the engagement of the fastening means (2) in a preferred direction that is substantially linear and vertical.  7- A shoe retaining device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a base (31) intended to be connected to the board; the locking means (4) being mounted on the base (3) so as to be able to rotate about an articulation axis (30) substantially parallel to the plane P of the base (3), and in that it also comprises an elastic means (6, 60, 61) which exerts an elastic restoring force against the locking means (4) and opposes its rotation around said axis of rotation during tilting on the side of the shoe pushing against said locking means.  8- Shoe retaining device according to claim 7, characterized in that the articulation axis (30) of said locking means (4) is substantially parallel or inclined by an angle less than or equal to 10 relative to in the vertical vertical plane Pc of the shoe.  9- Shoe retaining device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the fastening means (2) has a substantially horizontal sidewall (21) intended to be anchored under or inside the sole ( 50) of a shoe (5) and a raised flank (22) upwards extending the substantially horizontal flank (21), and intended to take position on the side (51) of the shoe and provided with a surface support (220) which cooperates with a complementary support surface (420) of the locking means (4).  10- A shoe retaining device according to claim 9, characterized in that the hooking means (2) extends on the sides towards the locking means by two vertical lateral guide wings (23, 24) substantially divergent, which laterally border the jaw element when engaging the fastening means.  11- A shoe retaining device according to claim 10, characterized in that the two lateral vertical wings (23, 24) are connected together by a rectilinear pin portion (20) intended to take position in the receiving housing (434) of the attachment means.  12- Device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the elastic return means (6) of the locking means is in the form of two elastomeric blocks (60, 61) located on either side other of the jaw element (40) which is extended laterally by fins (402, 403) serving as a support surface in compression of the elastomeric blocks (60, 61) against the base (3) .  13- Device according to any one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that the latch (43) comprises two independent discs (430, 431) separated by a bracing element (434).