FR2768937A1 - Shock absorber for ski or roller skate - Google Patents

Abstract

The shock absorber has a pad which can deform elastically under a crushing action. It has a section (13) which can pivot under the crushing action, the degree of stiffness of the pad being dependent on the degree of pivoting. The pivoting section can be of a harder material than the rest of the pad.

Description

SHOCK ABSORBER PLOT FOR MOUNTING ON AN ARTICLE OF
SPORT. SUCH AS A SKI EQUIPPED WITH A FLAT
FORM OR A PLATE OF ROLLER SKATE
Technical area
The invention relates to the sector of shock absorbing mechanisms mounted on sliding sports articles. It finds an application in the field of alpine skis or roller skating. It relates more precisely to products equipped with a platform arranged on the upper sliding surface and intended to receive the binding or the elements of the binding of the shoe.

 It aims at an improvement making it possible to adjust the stiffness of the means connecting the platform proper to the upper surface of the ski, so as to adjust the bending ability of the ski according to the wishes of the user.

 The invention also finds application in the field of roller skates. It allows an adjustment of the stiffness of a platform mounted articulated on a plate of inline casters.

Previous techniques
As is known, it is frequent to mount on the upper face of the ski a platform on which the heel piece and the stop of the binding are installed. In this way, it ensures a decoupling of the stiffness of the shoe and the bending capacities of the board itself. Thus, the dynamic behavior of the ski is close to the theoretical behavior corresponding to its intrinsic characteristics conferred by the constituent elements of the board. Such platforms are illustrated in particular by US patent US 5,474,321, or the document FR 2,649,902.

Furthermore, we also know that it is important that the transmission of forces from the foot to the ski takes place effectively, but avoiding making a rigid coupling between the sole of the boot and the ski. Thus, it has been proposed to connect the platform to the ski at well localized areas. In practice, this platform is connected either at its front and rear ends, or at the central level corresponding to the middle of the shoe. It is understood that the position of these anchor points has a considerable influence on the transfer of support and of the boot to the snow, therefore on the dynamic behavior of the ski. An example of optimizing the position of these members is illustrated in the patent.
WO 96/35488.

 It has also been proposed in document FR 2 663 234 to give the members interposed between the platform and the ski, a damping capacity in order to limit the transmission of vibrations from the ski to the boot. It is easily understood that such a device, if it acts positively with regard to vibrations, on the other hand decreases the ability to practice aggressive skiing.

 It has been proposed in document FR 2 657 025 to make the bodies interposed between the platform and the ski, adjustable in longitudinal position, with the aim of matching these bodies with the location of the zones in which the boot transmits the forces in ski direction. To this end, the platform is equipped with mechanical means making it possible to offset the position of these members by sliding them between the platform and the upper face of the ski.

Unfortunately, this device is used on a platform resting on its two front and rear ends generating significant clamping. The displacement of the movable members does not make it possible to appreciably modify the stiffness of the connection between the platform and the ski, but at most, to prevent it from working in overhang depending on the location of the zones shoe support. In addition, the longitudinal displacement of such members generally comes up against the presence of snow or ice at the level of the platform, which makes adjustment difficult.

 One of the problems which the invention proposes to solve is therefore that of the variation in the stiffness proper of the members connecting the platform to the upper face of the ski.

 As already said, the invention also relates to the field of roller skates. Thus, there is known a design of inline roller skates in which the rollers are mounted on a plate, which plate receives in an articulated manner a platform on which the user's shoe is secured.

This platform is hingedly mounted on the plate to allow a modification of the plane of the foot relative to the ground. During movements of the platform relative to the plate, a compressible pad interposed between the plate and the platform provides a damping effect and gives the articulated link a certain flexibility. However, the flexibility needs of the connection between the platform and the plate are different depending on the practice, for example slalom or walking which require less stiffness than the practice of line racing or ramp .

 One of the problems which the invention therefore proposes to solve is that of adapting the stiffness of the connection between the platform and the support plate of the rollers.

 More generally, the problem which the invention proposes to solve is that of adjusting the stiffness of a shock absorbing pad mounted on a sliding sport article such as an inline roller skate.

Statement of the invention
The invention therefore relates to a shock absorbing pad intended to be mounted on a gliding sport article such as in particular a ski equipped with a platform for supporting the bindings, or a plate of roller skates, said pad having a deformation capacity. in compression under the action of a form of crushing.

 This pad is characterized in that it comprises at least one portion capable of pivoting along an axis perpendicular to that of the crushing force, the capacity of compression deformation of said pad under the action of the crushing force being variable as a function of the position of the pivoting of said portion.

 In other words, the invention consists in allowing the modification of the stiffness of studs located between two bodies of a gliding sport article, and this without modifying the position of these studs relative to the crushing forces, but only by playing on the geometry of their internal elements.

 Thus, in a position of the portion able to pivot, the crushing capacity is minimal, which corresponds to the greatest stiffness. In another position of the portion able to pivot, the capacity for compression deformation is maximum, which corresponds to a more flexible practice of the sport.

 Advantageously, in practice, the portion able to pivot has at least a fraction of a more rigid material than the rest of the stud. It is this fraction which, depending on its orientation, gives the pad a variable compression capacity. Thus, when this fraction has a maximum dimension oriented along the axis of the crushing force, the compression capacity is reduced than when this large dimension is oriented perpendicular to this crushing force.

 The fraction of a more rigid material can be either incompressible or deformable by buckling. In the second case, the stiffness of the assembly benefits from the spring effect of the portion which soars.

 In practice, the rest of the pad is made of elastic or viscoelastic material.

 In one embodiment, the stud comprises a cylindrical recess in which is inserted the portion capable of pivoting stiffness regulator. In this way, the stud remains in the same position relative to the platform regardless of the position of the portion capable of pivoting.

 In this embodiment, the portion able to pivot is either a single metal plate whose width is equal to the diameter of the recess, or a metal plate embedded in an elastic cylinder.

 In a second embodiment, although it remains in the longitudinal position relative to the gliding device, the entire stud is able to pivot.

 In an advantageous embodiment, the ends of the pivot axis of the stud are each mounted in a yoke having an elongated lumen in the direction of compression of the stud, so as to allow the displacement of said axis during compression.

 Advantageously, in this embodiment, the stud has a cross section taken perpendicular to its pivot axis which forms a polygon with an even number of sides and greater than or equal to 4. In this way, on the one hand, good transmission of forces, the contact zones between the stud and the adjacent members being flat strips. On the other hand, the number of stable positions can thus be multiplied, thus ensuring the choice between a plurality of stiffness values, the rotation of 90 of the stud allowing the passage between the two extreme stiffnesses.

 As already said, the invention finds an application in the field of skiing.

Thus, the invention also relates to alpine skiing equipped at the level of the skate with a platform for supporting the binding, said platform being rigidly connected to the ski, either in its central part or in its front and rear ends, and comprising at least one stud having a capacity for deformation in compression under the action of a vertical force.

 In a first family of embodiments, the platform has a central ski binding zone over a relatively short zone, and at least one of the cantilevered ends of the platform rests on a stud with deformation capacity in variable compression according to the invention.

 In a second family of embodiments, the platform has two fastening zones at its ends, and the central zone of the platform rests on at least one stud with capacity for deformation in variable compression.

 The axis of rotation of the pivoting portion is either perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ski, or parallel to this axis.

 The invention also covers the variants in which the ski comprises at least two pads of variable compression capacity arranged at one end of the platform, on either side of the longitudinal axis of the ski. In this way, it is possible to adjust the stiffness of the ski in a differentiated manner between the inner edge and the outer edge.

 As already said, the invention can also be used on an inline skate. Thus, on a roller skate comprising a plate supporting the rollers and a platform on which the user's shoe is secured, the platform being provided with a capacity for articulation relative to the plate, between the platform and the plate a stud according to the invention.

 Advantageously in practice, the stud is arranged directly above the heel of the user.

Brief description of the drawings
The manner of carrying out the invention, as well as the advantages which result therefrom, will emerge clearly from the description of the embodiment which follows, with the support of the appended figures in which
Figure 1 is a side view of the skate area of a ski equipped with a platform according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a summary and partial perspective view of a stud according to the invention, in which the portion adapted to pivot is shown in the extracted configuration;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ski, at the characteristic pivot axis;
Figure 4 is a section of the deformable part of the pad of Figure 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the stud according to the invention, in the configuration of minimum stiffness;
Figure 6 is the corresponding section of Figure 5 in which the compression capacity is minimal;
Figures 7 and 8 are the sections of Figures 5 and 6 illustrating the stud when it is subjected to a compressive force
Figure 9 is a summary perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the pad;
Figures 10 and 1 1 are summary perspective views of other alternative embodiments of the pad;
Figure 12 is a side view of the variant of Figure II;
Figure 13 is a sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the stud according to the invention, in which the rigid element is deformed by buckling;
Figures 14 and 15 are schematic sectional views of the pad of Figure 13 shown under stress of a vertical force, in two different pivot positions;
Figure 16 is a schematic top view of a platform equipped with four studs according to the invention, distributed at the front and at the rear of the platform, on either side of the longitudinal axis ski;
Figure 17 is a side view of an inline skate equipped with a pad according to the invention;
Figure 18 is a section along the plane XVIII-XVIII 'of Figure 17.

Way of realizing the invention
As already said, the invention relates to a shock absorbing pad intended to be mounted on a gliding sport article. We will first describe the use of this pad on an alpine ski, then on an inline skate. Of course,
The invention can be transposed immediately for a person skilled in the art to other sporting goods requiring an adjustable damping capacity such as for example a snowboard, a sledge, a skateboard ...

 As seen in Figure 1, such a ski (1) has a platform (2) which is rigidly connected to the board by a central area (3). This platform (2) receives at its front and rear ends (4,5) respectively the stop (6) and the heel piece (7) of the safety binding, intended to ensure the temporary attachment of the shoe (8 ).

 FIG. 1 illustrates a type of platform called cantilever, in which the platform (2) is rigidly fixed on the upper face of the ski (1) at the median level, via the zone (3). In this case, the front (4) and rear (5) ends of the platform are connected to the ski (1) by means of the characteristic pads (10, 11). It goes without saying that the invention also covers other variants of architecture of platforms which, for example, would be in rigid support on its front and rear ends, the characteristic stud being positioned in the middle part between the rigid supports. .

 Figures 2 to 8 illustrate a first embodiment in which the stud (10) has a cylindrical recess (12) in which is inserted the portion adapted to pivot (13). More precisely, as can be seen in FIG. 3, the platform (2) has at each end (4, 5) a stud (10) fixed to the ski (1) by a stirrup (9) comprising a base (11) and two wings (14, 15) each pierced with an oblong hole (16, 17) capable of being traversed and of cooperating with the portion (13) capable of pivoting authorizing the crushing of the stud. The stud (10) mainly consists of the portion able to pivot (13) and of the stud itself (18) interposed between the platform (2) and the upper face of the ski (21).

 The actual stud (14) is made of a deformable, elastic, even viscoelastic material. It is crossed in its center by a recess (12), advantageously cylindrical.

 The portion able to pivot (13) essentially consists of a flat area (24) and two ends (25, 26) comprising a guide of diameter equal to the holes (16 and 17) of the wings (14, 15) of the '' caliper (9). One of these ends (26) can for example be clipped onto an extension (27) of the planar portion (24). This allows in particular the easy introduction and assembly of the portion able to pivot (13) inside the stud (18).

 We can also avoid the risk of snow or water penetration inside the housing (12) by injecting inside this housing (12) a rubber foam, very light, without significant influence on the compression capacity of the pad.

 Figures 5 to 8 illustrate the operating principle of the invention.

 Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 45, the stud (18) has in its recess (12) the flat plate (24) arranged parallel to the upper face (21) of the ski (1). By action on the adjustment means (25) or (26), the user can pivot the plate (24) to bring it into a position perpendicular to the upper face of the ski, as shown in FIG. 6.

 When the stud illustrated in FIG. 5 undergoes compression7, the stud (18) tends to deform at first, and this in theory, until the faces of the recess (12) come into contact with the faces of the plate (24), then the material of the stud (18) crashes to the value E3. The compression capacities therefore correspond to the possibility of deformation of the stud (18). The maximum compression value is therefore 2 (E1-E3).

 On the contrary, when the plate (24) is oriented in accordance with FIG. 6, the stud collapses only in the upper and lower zones (E2) situated above and below the level of the plate (24). In other words, only the upper and lower parts of the pad proper (18) compress, in this case, the maximum compression capacity is 2 (E2 - E4). It is therefore easy to see that the compression capacity is much higher when the plate (24) is oriented parallel to the upper face of the ski than when it is perpendicular to it.

 The choice of the dimensions of the plate (24), in terms of width and thickness, determines the ratio of the compression capacities. In an exemplary embodiment, the stud (18) has an overall thickness of about twenty millimeters. The plate (24) has a width of the order of about twelve millimeters, and a thickness of about three millimeters. Thus, when the plate is oriented perpendicularly to: the upper face of the ski for a hardness of the pad (18) of 20 to 60 Shones A, the crushing, that is to say the maximum approximation of the ski to the platform is on the order of six millimeters. Conversely, when the plate (24) is parallel to the upper face of the ski, the crushing recorded is of the order of fifteen millimeters. It can therefore be seen that the corresponding races of the platform are in a ratio of the order of two, which proves to be very sensitive when skiing.

 Of course, these values are only given by way of illustration, and do not in any way limit the invention which covers numerous dimensional variants respecting the principle of the invention.

 Figures 9 to 12 illustrate alternative embodiments in which the stud interposed between the platform and the upper face of the ski is entirely capable of pivoting.

 Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 9, this stud (31) can be cylindrical and contain a submerged metal plate (30). This metal plate (30) has ends protruding from the width of the stud (31). These ends forming the axes (32, 33) are arranged along the pivot axis of the stud. These axes (32,33) are freely inserted in the lights (35) of yokes (36) mounted on the upper face of the ski. In this way, when a vertical force is exerted by the skier, the ski flexes which brings the upper face of the ski closer to the platform, thus, the stud tends to crash, and the axis (32, 33) to move down the light (35). Depending on the orientation of the pad (31), and more precisely of the plate (30) which is embedded therein, this compression capacity is therefore variable. Indexing means not shown may allow the stud to be held in position.

 Figures 10 and 12 illustrate an alternative embodiment in which the stud has a polygonal shape, for example square (40) or octagonal (41).

In this way, there is a determined number of stable positions of the pad (40, 41) corresponding to particular stiffness values. The use of a polygonal shape allows self-indexing and prevents any movement of the stud, therefore any unexpected variation in stiffness.

 In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, the metal plate embedded inside the stud can be replaced in general by a piece whose symmetry is different from that of the stud itself, so as to confer a different behavior depending on direction and crushing force.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 12, this embedded metal part (43) can have a general shape of more complex section having a center (44) so that the active thicknesses (L1, L2, L3) of compressible material are different according to the positions of the stud.

In this case, for example, for a stud (41) having a thickness of 20 mm, if the metal part has its axis AA ′ parallel to the ski, the maximum crushing value will be 2 x L1 or 12 mm, if the metal part has its axis
AA 'perpendicular to the ski, the crushing value will be 2 x L3 or 5 mm and if the axis AA' is at 450 the crushing value will be 2L2 or 8 mm.

 Figures 13 to 15 illustrate alternative embodiments in which the stud (50) comprises a part capable of being deformed by buckling. It is for example a thin steel blade (51). Thus, such a blade, when it is arranged perpendicular to the upper face of the ski, opposes the crushing of the stud (see FIG. 14).

 In addition, the buckling of the blade (51), when the stress disappears, plays a spring effect by facilitating the return to flat of the ski which allows a return to the very rapid turn initiation position necessary in particular in competition. In contrast, when the blade (51) is oriented parallel to the upper face of the ski, the stud (50) is deformed by crushing its elastic or viscoelastic material.

 As already said, the studs according to the invention can be arranged at the front and / or rear ends of the platform, but they can also be located differently, depending on the shapes and dimensions of the platform used. They can extend over the entire width of the platform, as illustrated in FIG. 2, but can also be arranged longitudinally with respect to the ski, either in position coincident with this axis, or as illustrated in FIG. 16, the flat -form may include four independent studs located under the front (4) and rear (5) ends of a platform (2) fixed to the ski by two legs (68) and (69) located in the central part of said platform ( 2). Thus, the adjustment of the stiffness of each of the elements (60-63) can be optimally chosen. More particularly, the studs (60,61) corresponding to the internal side (65) can be adjusted more rigidly than the studs (62,63) corresponding to the external side (66). This variant allows the stiffness of each stud to be adjusted by pivoting along axes parallel to the longitudinal axis (67) of the ski, but the invention also covers the variants in which the pivoting of the four studs (60, 63) is made perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ski.

 As already said, the invention can also be applied to the field of inline skating as illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18.

 Thus, as seen in Figure 17, an inline roller skate (70) consists of a plate (71) supporting a plurality of aligned rollers (72).

 At the front end (73) of the plate (71), there is mounted in an articulated manner (79) a platform (74) extending towards the rear of the shoe, and on the upper face (75) which is secured to the shoe (76) of the user. This shoe (76) can be secured either temporarily by a hooking mechanism not shown, or permanently during assembly.

 Opposite the articulation zone (79), the platform (74) is connected to the plate (71), substantially in line with the heel (77) of the user, via a stud (80 ) according to the invention.

 This stud (80) ensures a certain stiffness at the connection between the heel (77) of the platform (74) and the plate (71). This stud (80) can be inserted, as illustrated in FIG. 18, inside the profiled forms forming the platform (74) and the plate (71).

 The stud (80) consists of a rigid portion (81) capable of pivoting inside an elastic or viscoelastic stud (82) fixed on a foot (83). In this way, it is possible to adjust the stiffness of the platinum platform link by a simple manual action, or even using a screwdriver.

 The different variants of architecture and construction of the studs listed and described in the application to alpine skiing can be easily transposed for application to roller skating.

 I1 emerges from the above that the skis according to the invention have the essential advantage of allowing an adjustment of the stiffness of the studs interposed between the platform and the upper face of the ski. In this way, depending on the desired behavior, this platform can be adjusted so as to obtain a more or less aggressive behavior of the ski and therefore influence the precision, the speed of reaction or the comfort of the ski assembly. platform.

 At the same time, in its application to inline skating, the invention makes it possible to adapt the suspension characteristics of the skate according to the type of sports practice.

Claims (16)

 CLAIMS 1 / Shock absorber pad intended to be mounted on an item of sliding sport, such as in particular a ski equipped with a platform supporting the bindings or a roller skate plate, said pad having a capacity of deformation in compression under the action of a crushing force, characterized in that it comprises at least one portion (13) capable of pivoting along an axis perpendicular to that of the crushing force, the capacity for deformation in compression of said pad under the action of a crushing force being variable as a function of the pivoting position of said portion (13). 2 / stud according to claim 1, characterized in that the portion able to pivot has at least a fraction of a more rigid material than the rest of the stud (18). 3 / stud according to claim 2, characterized in that the fraction of a more rigid material is incompressible. 4 / stud according to claim 2, characterized in that the fraction (51) of a more rigid material is deformable by buckling. 5 / stud according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rest of the stud (18) is of elastic or viscoelastic material. 6 / stud according to claim 1, characterized in that the stud comprises a cylindrical recess (12) in which is inserted the portion (13) adapted to pivot.  7 / stud according to claim 6, characterized in that the portion (13) adapted to pivot comprises a metal plate (24) whose width is equal to the diameter of the recess (12). 8 / stud according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the entire stud (10) is able to pivot. 9 / stud according to claim 8, characterized in that the ends (25,26) of the portion able to pivot (13) are each mounted in the wings (14, 15) of a stirrup (9) each having a lumen elongated (16, 17) in the direction of compression of the stud (10), so as to allow the displacement of said axis during compression. 10 / stud according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the stud (40, 41) has a cross section taken perpendicular to its pivot axis which forms a polygon with an even number of sides and greater than or equal to 4 . 11 / Alpine skiing equipped at the level of the skate with a platform (2) for supporting the binding, said platform (2) being connected to the ski (1) by means of studs (10, 40, 41 ) of which at least one has a capacity for deformation in compression under the action of a vertical force, characterized in that at least one of the studs (10) is according to one of claims there 9. 12 / Ski according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises at least two studs (60-63) of deformation capacity in variable compression arranged at one end of the platform on either side of the longitudinal axis of the ski (1). 13 / Ski according to one of claims 1 1 to 12, characterized in that the platform has a zone of attachment to the ski at the central level and in that at least one of the ends (4) cantilevered the platform rests on a stud (10) with variable compression deformation capacity. 14 / Ski according to one of claims 1 1 to 12, characterized in that the platform has two areas of attachment to the ski at its ends and in that the central area of the platform rests on a stud deformation capacity in variable compression.  15 / In-line roller skate (70) comprising a plate (71) supporting the rollers (72) and a platform (74) on which the shoe (76) of the user is secured, the platform (74 ) being mounted with articulation capacity (73) relative to the plate (71), characterized in that it is equipped with a stud (80) according to one of claims 1 to 11, interposed between the plate form (74) and the plate (71). 16 / skate according to claim 16, characterized in that the stud is arranged vertically above the heel (77) of the user.