FR2805755A1 - SIDE DRIVE SKIS TREATMENT MACHINE - Google Patents

Abstract

Machine comprises tools (2) and guiding devices for the skis (3), some supporting devices (5,6,7) and some side guiding devices (11,12).

Description

The present invention relates to machines allowing the

  treatment of skis or snowboards.

  During their period of use, skis or snowboards require maintenance operations during which their surface is treated with the aid of treatment tools to

restore it.

  For example, there is a periodical need to sharpen the side edges of the ski or snowboard to ensure its effective grip on the ice. Damage to the ski's sliding sole can be repaired by overmolding and / or sanding. We can improve the sliding properties of the

  gliding sole by covering it with a film of wax.

  During these treatment operations, a relative movement is ensured between the ski or snowboard surface to be treated and treatment tools. This movement can be provided manually. However, it is advantageous to provide mechanized means of relative displacement, ensuring more displacement

  regular and continuous and better treatment.

  When the ski or snowboard is positioned on a fixed frame and the tools are moved, it is necessary to provide a frame having a bulk that is clearly greater than the length of the ski. This results in a large footprint, which is not adapted to the usual conditions of use in stores.

  winter sport, the premises of which are generally too small.

  A reduction in the footprint can be sought by moving the ski or snowboard in front of tools in a fixed position on a frame. However, the difficulty then comes from the fact that the skis or snowboards have irregular surfaces, in particular on the side edges and on the binding surface. The side edges are generally wasp-shaped, not straight. The fixings and the spatula constitute protruding elements which protrude substantially from the fixing surface. Ski brakes significantly protrude

side edges of the ski.

  Another difficulty comes from the fact that skis or snowboards have very variable sizes depending on the

models, especially in width.

  It has been proposed, in document EP 0 367 684 A, to associate the ski with an added straddle structure which covers the binding face of a ski and constitutes a regular surface capable of cooperating with rotary drive means. in translation of the straddle-ski assembly. This requires additional manipulations to secure the straddle and the ski before the treatment, and then to separate the straddle and the ski after the treatment. In addition, this structure is not suitable for

  very variable dimensions of skis or snowboards.

  The problem proposed by the present invention is to design means for driving and guiding skis or snowboards making it possible to ensure reliable guidance and training of the ski or snowboard facing tools in a fixed position, whatever the width of the ski or snowboard in a very wide variation range corresponding to

  all types of skis or snowboards in use.

  The invention also aims to facilitate the use of the processing machine, by avoiding the operations of assembling and disassembling the ski or the snowboard with an element.

  additional such as a straddle.

  The invention also aims to ensure efficient and reliable training and positioning of the ski or snowboard, despite the presence of the protruding elements such as the

ski brakes and bindings.

  Preferably, the invention aims to ensure complete positive training of the ski or snowboard during the entire treatment cycle, with effective and regular training for

  ensure good quality treatment.

  To achieve these and other objects, a machine for processing skis or snowboards according to the invention generally comprises processing tools and means for driving and guiding in longitudinal translation a ski or snowboard with regard to the processing tools; the drive and guide means include: - support means generally defining a support plane and on which the ski or snowboard gliding sole can come to bear by moving longitudinally along a longitudinal transfer axis, - at least one pair of guide rollers in opposition on either side of the longitudinal transfer axis, mounted to rotate along axes of rotation substantially perpendicular to the support plane, with means of clamping in order to urge them into flexible support against the side edges of the ski or of the snowboard, - motor means for rotating at least one of the guide rollers of the pair of guide rollers and thus for driving the ski or the snowboard in translation along

of the longitudinal transfer axis.

  According to this general structure, one possibility consists in providing that one of the guide rollers of the pair of guide rollers journals around a fixed axis of rotation on the frame, while the other guide roller of the pair of guide rollers guide is movable laterally towards and away from the axis

longitudinal transfer.

  However, according to a more advantageous embodiment, the invention provides that the two guide rollers of a pair of guide rollers are movable laterally towards and away from the longitudinal axis of transfer symmetrically on the one hand and

  across the longitudinal transfer axis.

  This makes it easier to adapt the machine to different widths of skis or snowboards, in particular in the case where the processing tools have to process the side edges or side areas of the ski or snowboard, simultaneously . To ensure lateral displacement of one and the other of the guide rollers of a pair of guide rollers symmetrically, one solution consists in providing that the guide rollers are mounted on two oscillating arms with axes parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to the support plane, the

  swing arms being synchronized in rotation.

  Preferably, the two guide rollers of a pair of guide rollers are motorized in opposite directions of rotation. This ensures a more efficient training of the ski or board

in the machine.

  To ensure complete positive drive of the ski or snowboard during the entire treatment cycle, and better regularity of drive, at least one pair of guide rollers is advantageously provided at the input upstream of the tools and at the minus a couple of guide rollers at the outlet

tools downstream.

  The flexible support of the guide rollers on the edges of the ski or of the snowboard can be advantageously ensured by urging the guide rollers towards and away from the longitudinal transfer axis by clamping means comprising a

or more pneumatic cylinders.

  Preferably, the guide rollers comprise an elastic structure such that at least one peripheral layer of adherent and elastically deformable material, for example in

natural or synthetic rubber.

  Automation of the lateral movement of the guide rollers towards and away from the longitudinal transfer axis can be ensured by providing at least one input sensor, upstream of the tools, to detect the ski or the snowboard. and to control the approximation of the guide rollers. Preferably, an output sensor is provided, downstream of the tools, for controlling the spacing of the guide rollers when both of the input and output sensors detect the absence of a ski or

of a snowboard.

  Generally, it can be provided that the support plane is horizontal, and that the ski sliding sole rests on this support plane by gravity. The guidance thus formed can be sufficiently effective if the tools come into lateral support on the ski edges or, in the case where the tools come to bear

  on the ski sole, if their support force is weak.

  Alternatively, it is advantageously possible to provide pressing means for urging the ski or the snowboard to bear on the support surface. According to one embodiment, the pressing means may comprise a support wheel with an elastic bandage and a transverse axis parallel to the support plane, the support wheel coming to bear in flexible support on the binding face of the ski or the board snow. Alternatively, the pressing means can be constituted by the guide rollers themselves, each then having an axis of rotation slightly inclined in a longitudinal plane perpendicular to the support plane, inducing on the side edges of the ski or the snowboard. snow a component of

  force oriented towards the support plane.

  Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the

  present invention will emerge from the following description of modes

  of particular embodiments, made in connection with the attached figures, among which: - Figure 1 is a general top view of a machine for processing skis or snowboards according to an embodiment of the present invention; - Figure 2 is a side view of the machine of Figure 1; and

  - Figure 3 is an end view of the machine of Figure 1.

  In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, a machine for treating skis or snowboards according to the invention comprises, on a frame 1, treatment tools 2, and drive and guide means for moving a ski or snowboard 3 along a longitudinal axis of transfer II through the

area occupied by tools 2.

  The drive and guide means comprise support means generally defining a support plane A and on which the gliding sole 4 of the ski or snowboard 3 can come to bear by moving longitudinally along

  the longitudinal transfer axis I-I.

  In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the support means comprise three support rollers 5, 6 and 7, freely journalling on respective transverse axes 8, 9 and 10 of the frame 1, and distributed along the longitudinal transfer axis II. For example, the support rollers 5 and 6 are arranged upstream of the area occupied by the tools 2, while the support roller 7 is arranged downstream of the area occupied by the tools.

tools 2.

  According to the invention, the drive and guide means further comprise at least one pair of guide rollers 11 and 12, in opposition on either side of the longitudinal transfer axis II, mounted to rotate along axes of respective rotation 13 and 14 substantially perpendicular to the support plane A, with clamping means 15 to urge them in flexible support against the side edges 16 and 17 of the ski or of the snowboard 3. The guide rollers 11 and 12 in opposition can be positioned along the same transverse line, or they can be offset longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of

transfer I-I.

  Motor means drive in rotation at least one of the guide rollers of the pair of guide rollers, thereby driving the ski or the snowboard 3 in translation along the longitudinal transfer axis I-I. In the illustrated embodiment, each guide roller 11 and 12 of the pair of guide rollers is driven by a respective gear motor 18 or 19, so that the guide rollers 11 and 12 are driven in opposite directions of rotation as illustrated by arrows 20 and 21 in FIG. 1. Thus, in FIG. 1, the ski or the snowboard 3 is driven in translation to the right,

as shown by arrow 22.

  In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the two guide rollers 11 and 12 of the pair of guide rollers are movable laterally towards and away from the longitudinal transfer axis II, symmetrically on either side other of the longitudinal transfer axis II. Their lateral movement is illustrated by arrows 23 and 24. For this, the guide rollers 11 and 12 are mounted on two respective oscillating arms 25 and 26 with axes 27 and 28 parallel and generally perpendicular to the support plane A, and are synchronized in rotation. Their synchronization in rotation can be ensured by two toothed wheels 29 and 30, integral with the respective oscillating arms 25 and 26, and meshing one on the other. Thus, the oscillating arms 25 and 26 and the guide rollers 11 and 12 which they carry can be moved laterally between a close position, illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1, in which the guide rollers 11 and 12 come to bear on the side edges 16 and 17 of the ski or of the snowboard 3, and a rest position illustrated in dotted lines in which the guide rollers 11 and 12 are away from the longitudinal transfer axis II. In their approaching and moving away, the oscillating arms 25 and 26 are biased by clamping means such as the jack

  tire 15 engaged between frame 1 and swing arm 25.

  In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the first pair of guide rollers 11 and 12 is arranged at the outlet, downstream of the zone occupied by the tools 2, and a second pair of guide rollers 31 and 32 are provided at the input, upstream of the area occupied by the tools 2. The input guide rollers 31 and 32 are similarly mounted on respective oscillating arms 33 and 34 biased in symmetrical rotation around axes

  35 and 36 respectively by a pneumatic cylinder 37.

  The force of the pneumatic cylinders 15 and 37 is chosen so that the guide rollers 11, 12, 31, 32 each come to bear on one of the side edges 16 or 17 of the ski or snowboard 3 according to a force of support between 20 and 100 Newtons approximately. Preferably, the guide rollers 11 and 12, 31 and 32 have an elastic structure, for example by having at least one peripheral layer of material adhering and elastically

  deformable such as natural or synthetic rubber.

  An input sensor 38 is advantageously provided, upstream of the zone occupied by the tools 2, for detecting the presence of a ski or a snowboard 3 and for controlling the bringing together of the guide rollers 11, 12, 31 and 32. Preferably, an outlet sensor 39 is also provided, arranged on the frame 1 downstream of the area occupied by the tools 2, for controlling the spacing of the guide rollers 11, 12, 31, 32 when the both of the input 38 and output 39 sensors

  detect the absence of a ski or snowboard 3.

  To ensure an effective plating of the gliding sole 4 of the ski or snowboard 3 on the support plane A, that is to say on the support rollers 5, 6 and 7, it is possible, if necessary , provide pressing means which urge the ski or snowboard 3 towards the support plane A. According to a first embodiment, the pressing means comprise a support wheel 40, mounted on an oscillating arm 41 and freely rotating around a transverse axis 42 parallel to the support plane A, resting by gravity on the binding face 43 of the ski or snowboard 3. The diameter of the support wheel 40 is large enough, so as to roll effortlessly longitudinal on the irregular binding face 43 of the ski or snowboard, having in particular the irregularities formed by the bindings 44. The support wheel 40 can rest by gravity, or be stressed by a

  spring. It includes an elastic bandage.

  According to a second embodiment, the pressing means can be constituted by the guide rollers 11, 12, 31 and 32 themselves, by providing that their axes of rotation are slightly inclined in a longitudinal plane perpendicular to the support plane A , thus inducing on the side edges 16 and 17 of the ski or the snowboard 3 a force component oriented towards the support plane A. For example, illustrated in FIG. 2, by exaggerating it, the inclination angle B along which the axis of rotation 13 of the guide roller 11 could be oriented. The angle B

maybe a few degrees.

  Thanks to the elasticity provided by the pressing means such as pneumatic cylinders 15 and 37, and to the presence of two pairs of guide rollers at the entry and exit of the machine, as well as to the elastic constitution of the guide rollers 11, 12, 31, 32 themselves, the driving of the ski or snowboard 3 is regular, despite the presence of prominent lateral elements such as ski brakes 45, and despite the non-shaped linear of the side edges 16 and 17 of the ski or the

snowboarding 3.

  The figures show an advantageous application of the invention to the production of a machine for processing skis or snowboards making it possible to simultaneously and quickly sharpen the external lateral faces of the edges 46 and 47 of the ski or snowboard 3 In this case, the tools 2 comprise two rotating abrasive belts 48 and 49 arranged in opposition on either side of the longitudinal transfer axis II, each stretched between a drum 50 or 51 and a return pulley 52 or 53 mounted on a rotary plate 54 or 55. Each plate 54 or 55 is rotatably mounted around a respective vertical axis 56 or 57 of the frame 1, and is biased by a pneumatic cylinder 58 or 59 between a close position illustrated in solid lines on Figure 1 and a rest position illustrated in dotted lines. In the close position, the abrasive belts 48 and 49 come into resilient abutment against the respective lateral edges 16 and 17 of the ski or of the snowboard 3. The drums 50 and 51 are driven in rotation by motors such as the motor 60 ( Figure 2), to rotate the respective abrasive belts 48 and 49 in the direction of

opposite rotation.

  Thus, the abrasive belts 48 and 49 are movable towards and away from the ski or the snowboard 3, and support means such as pneumatic cylinders 58 and 59 urge them elastically to bear against the side edges 16 and 17

  respective ski or snowboard 3.

  It is understood that the general machine structure as illustrated in FIG. 1 has symmetry on either side of the longitudinal transfer axis II, allowing great ease of adaptation to very different widths of skis or of snowboards 3, and thus ensuring great

flexibility of operation.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and generalizations thereof contained in the field.

of the claims below.

Claims (9)

  1 - Machine for treating skis or snowboards, comprising tools (2) for processing and means for driving and guiding in longitudinal translation of a ski or snowboard (3) with regard to the tools (2) treatment, characterized in that the drive and guide means comprise: - support means (5-7) generally defining a support plane (A) and on which the gliding sole (4 ) the ski or snowboard (3) can come to bear by moving longitudinally along a longitudinal transfer axis (II), - at least one pair of guide rollers (11, 12) in opposition to on either side of the longitudinal transfer axis (II), rotatably mounted along axes of rotation (13, 14) substantially perpendicular to the support plane (A), with clamping means (15) to urge them in flexible support against the side edges (16, 17) of the ski or the snowboard (3), - motor means (18, 19) for entry rotate at least one of the guide rollers (11, 12) of the pair of guide rollers and thereby drive the ski or snowboard (3)   translation along the longitudinal transfer axis (I-I).   2 - Machine for processing skis or snowboards according to claim 1, characterized in that the two guide rollers (11, 12) of a pair of guide rollers are movable laterally towards and away from the longitudinal transfer axis (II) symmetrically on either side of the longitudinal axis transfer (I-I).   3 - machine for processing skis or snowboards according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide rollers (11, 12) are mounted on two oscillating arms (25, 26) with axes (27, 28) parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to the support plane (A), the oscillating arms (25, 26) being synchronized in rotation.   4 - Ski or snowboard processing machine   according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that   that the two guide rollers (11, 12) of a pair of rollers   guides are motorized in opposite directions of rotation (20, 21).   Il - Ski or snowboard processing machine   according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that   that at least one pair of guide rollers (31, 32) is provided at the inlet upstream of the tools (2) and at least one pair of guide rollers (11, 12) at the outlet downstream of the tools (2 ). 6 - Ski or snowboard processing machine   according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that   that the guide rollers (11, 12, 31, 32) are urged towards and away from the longitudinal transfer axis (I-I) by   clamping means such as a pneumatic cylinder (15, 37).   7 - Ski or snowboard processing machine   according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that   that the guide rollers (11, 12, 31, 32) have an elastic structure such that at least one peripheral layer in   adherent and elastically deformable material.   8 - Ski or snowboard processing machine   according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that   that it comprises an input sensor (38), upstream of the tools (2), for detecting the ski or the snowboard (3) and for controlling the   approximation of the guide rollers (11, 12, 31, 32).   9 - Ski or snowboard processing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises an outlet sensor (39), downstream of the tools (2), for controlling the spacing of the guide rollers (11, 12, 31, 32) when both of the input (38) and output sensors   (39) detect the absence of a ski or a snowboard (3).   - Ski or snowboard processing machine   according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that   that it further comprises pressing means comprising a support wheel (40) in flexible support on the fixing face (43) of the ski, or snowboarding (3).   11 - Ski or snowboard processing machine   according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that   that it further comprises pressing means constituted by the fact that the guide rollers (11, 12, 31, 32) have an axis of rotation (13, 14) slightly inclined at an angle (B) in a perpendicular longitudinal plane to the support surface (A), inducing on the side edges (16, 17) of the ski or the snowboard   (3) a force component oriented towards the support plane (A).   12 - Ski or snowboard processing machine according to   any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that   the tools (2) comprise two rotating abrasive bands (48, 49) arranged in opposition on either side of the longitudinal transfer axis (II) to sharpen the external lateral faces of the ski edges (46, 47) or of the snowboard (3), the abrasive belts (48, 49) being movable towards and away from the ski or the snowboard (3) and being stressed by support means (58, 59) which push them in elastic support against the edges   respective sides (16, 17) of the ski or snowboard (3).