WO2014209130A1

WO2014209130A1 - Mounting system for roller ski

Info

Publication number: WO2014209130A1
Application number: PCT/NO2014/050112
Authority: WO
Inventors: Øyvar Svendsen
Original assignee: Rottefella As
Priority date: 2013-06-24
Filing date: 2014-06-23
Publication date: 2014-12-31
Also published as: NO20130873A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mounting system comprising a mounting plate or profile (1), where the plate or profile is arranged or can be arranged on a top surface (10) of a ski (11) and comprises a longitudinal guide (2, 3) that has a profile with undercuts (4, 5) for longitudinal positioning of a binding or binding components (12, 13) which have a complementary profile. The invention is characterised in that the longitudinal guide (2, 3) comprises at least one set of pockets (6, 7) into which a binding of complementary profile can be inserted or lowered. The invention also relates to a method for use of the mounting system.

Description

Mounting system for roller ski

The present invention relates to a mounting system for mounting bindings on a ski 11, in particular a roller ski.

When bindings are to be mounted on roller skis, they should be placed as far back as possible in relation to the roller ski. The determining and limiting factor in mounting bindings on roller skis is primarily the size of the ski shoe and the required position of the binding heel piece.

N0327573 relates to a mounting or binding plate for skis, where the plate is mounted on the top surface of the ski and comprises a longitudinal guide that has a profile with undercuts for longitudinal positioning and fixing of a binding or binding components that have a

complementary profile.

There has been an increasing trend for bindings to be mounted by means of mounting or binding plates instead of having to be screwed on by means of screws. This applies first and foremost to conventional skis, i.e., snow skis. The advantages of using mounting plates are many, including not having to use tools and glue, that it is easy for the user to carry out the task himself, that it is unnecessary to drill holes in the ski, that the user can change bindings as desired and required, that it is easy to replace or repair a damaged/worn binding etc. Where roller skis are concerned, conventional screw bindings are still used for the most part. This is primarily due to the fact that it is not easy/possible to push the bindings into place from the front or the rear of the mounting or binding plate, as the roller ski is very short and the wheels get in the way.

Conventional mounting or binding plates for cross-country skis are configured such that the binding...

At present there are only a few bindings that can be screwed onto a roller ski and which also have the properties a roller skier is looking for. At the same time, it is a problem that newer binding models, which can only be mounted by means of mounting or binding plates, are not available to the roller ski user.

The present invention relates to a mounting system which makes it possible to mount bindings on a roller ski without using screws, and which makes the choice of available bindings larger for the roller ski user. It is an aspect of the present invention that the manufacturers of bindings do not need to maintain production of binding products that are regarded as being out of date. The manufacturer can offer the roller ski user all the advantages and upgrades that are developed in new products.

According to the present invention, the aforementioned problem is solved by means of a mounting system as disclosed in attached claim 1. Additional advantageous embodiments and alternatives are disclosed in the dependent claims.

A detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention is given below with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

Figs, la-c show respectively the bottom, top and a cross-section of an exemplary embodiment of the mounting system according to the present invention comprising a mounting plate 1 with one set of pockets 6, 7;

Fig. 2 shows the same embodiment as in Fig. 1, but in a perspective view;

Figs. 3a-c show respectively a top, side and bottom view of an embodiment of the mounting system according to the present invention comprising a mounting profile 1 with one set of pockets 6, 7;

Figs. 4a-c show the same embodiment as in Fig. 3, the figures showing partly exploded and perspective views, where also a possible method for mounting is shown;

Figs. 5a-f show an embodiment of the mounting system according to the present invention comprising a mounting profile 1 with a plurality of sets of pockets 6, 7;

Figs. 6a-c show the same embodiment as in Fig. 5, the figures showing partly exploded and perspective views;

Figs. 7a-c show the same embodiment as in Figs. 3 and 4, i.e., with one set of pockets 6, 7, and illustrate how the binding can be inserted obliquely into the pockets 6, 7 and secured in the mounting profile 1; and

Figs. 8a-c show possible embodiments of a front binding 12 and a heel piece 13.

The exemplary embodiments disclose the mounting system used in connection with roller skis, but it should be understood that it can just as readily be used in connection with conventional snow skis and skates, in particular skates of the kind where the blade of the skate is detachable.

According to the present invention, a mounting system is provided in the form of a mounting plate or profile 1, where the plate or profile is arranged or can be arranged on the top surface

10 of a roller ski 11 and comprises a longitudinal guide 2, 3 that has a profile with undercuts 4, 5 for longitudinal positioning and fixing of a binding or binding components 12 which have a complementary profile. The longitudinal guide 2, 3 comprises one or more sets of pockets 6, 7 into which a conventional binding with complementary profile can be inserted or lowered.

If a user chooses to use the mounting plate 1 according to the present invention, it can either be screwed in place, glued on or in some other manner be integrated with the top surface 10 of the roller ski 11.

If the mounting plate 1 is screwed on, this need only be done once. If a mounted binding 12, 13 is to be replaced, switched with a newer one or repaired, this is done easily without impacting on the screwed-on mounting plate 1.

If the mounting plate 1 according to the present invention is glued on, this can advantageously be done by the roller ski manufacturer's sales agent. Also if the mounting plate 1 according to the present invention has to be screwed on, this can advantageously be done by the roller ski manufacturer or the sales agent. The sales agent can then choose a suitable binding type for the consumer, for example, racing, touring, junior racing, Back Country etc.

Roller skis 11 that are intended for skating are often made of a metal material or a fibre/composite material which can easily be configured with the desired profile without this causing problems for the production or strength of the roller ski 11. According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the roller ski 11 can be configured with a profile that results in a longitudinal guide 2, 3 with undercuts 4, 5, the longitudinal guide 2, 3 comprising one or more pockets 6, 7 into which a conventional binding with ordinary complementary profile can be inserted or lowered.

Roller skis 11 that are intended for the classical style are often made of the central piece of a conventional snow ski that has been cut down to a suitable length for a roller ski 11. Roller skis

11 that are intended for the classical style therefore have a traditional core that is suitable for screwing in screws to fix bindings. The starting point for the roller skis 11 intended for the classical style could conceivably also have been selected from skis that already comprise so- called NIS-plates. These NIS-plates would then have the very disadvantage that the bindings could not be mounted without taking off the wheels first. For roller skis 11 intended for the classical style, it will initially be most appropriate to screw or glue on a mounting plate or profile 1 according to the present invention. However, a new or alternative type of NIS-plate or the like on or for a conventional snow ski is conceivable, which is made according to the principles that are described for the mounting system according to the present invention, i.e., where a binding 12, 13 can be mounted on a mounting plate or profile 1 from above, either in that it is lowered straight down over the mounting plate or profile 1 (ref. Figs. 5 and 6), or in that it is inserted obliquely into the pockets 6, 7 from above (ref. Figs. 3, 4 and 7, - Fig. 7 shows this situation the most clearly).

According to an embodiment of the mounting system of the present invention, the binding can be mounted on a roller ski by placing the binding on the mounting plate or profile 1, moving the binding over and lowering it down into the pockets 6, 7 which most closely correspond to the optimal position for the binding on the roller ski, and then snapping the binding with its complementary profile into place in the mounting plate or profile 1 with the aid of a per se conventional snap lock and notch solution 14, 15. This embodiment requires the binding to be provided with complementary pockets 6', 7', such that the binding can be lowered down over the mounting plate or profile 1 at several points. The complementary longitudinal guides 2, 3, undercuts 4,5, and profiles can then be configured in such a way as to allow the bindings, for example, to be displaced forwards or backwards and snapped in place, which gives at least two binding positions on the mounting plate or profile 1 for each set of pockets 6, 7. With several sets of pockets 6, 7 in the mounting plate or profile 1, there will be more possible positions for the binding on the mounting plate or profile 1. This embodiment is illustrated particularly well in Figs. 6a-c, but Figs. 5 a-f also show this embodiment. Fig. 5f shows a detail where the binding has been lowered into the mounting plate or profile 1, but not yet pushed forwards or backwards so that the complementary longitudinal guides and undercuts in respectively the mounting plate or profile 1 and the binding are not fixedly engaged with each other. Fig. 5e shows precisely this. Here the binding has been lowered into the mounting plate or profile 1, and in addition pushed backwards so that the complementary longitudinal guides and undercuts in respectively the mounting plate or profile 1 fixedly engage with each other. The top plate 10 may then comprise a plurality of notches 14 that will prevent the binding 12, 13 from moving forwards or backwards by means of complementary snap locks 15 on the bottom of the bindings 12, 13. According to an advantageous embodiment, the notches 14 can then be placed such that they provide two or three positions for each corresponding pocket 6, 7. These positions can optionally also correspond to 1/2, 1/3 or 2/3 shoe sizes, and each pocket 6, 7 can then, for example, correspond to an even or odd number shoe size, so that a user can snap down or up a 2/3 shoe size by pushing the binding 12 either forwards or backwards.

According to another embodiment of the mounting system of the present invention, the binding can be mounted on a roller ski by lowering the binding partly obliquely into the pocket 6, 7 and then snapping the binding with its complementary profile into place in the mounting plate or profile 1. An attempt has been made to show this in Figs, a, b, c. This embodiment requires the binding to be slightly flexible, which today's conventional bindings are. Like the embodiment mentioned above, this embodiment permits access to the mounting plate or profile from above, and not only from the back or front as with conventional mounting or binding plates. According to this embodiment, the pockets 6, 7 are configured such that they are able to receive a binding 12, 13 that is lowered obliquely downwards and into the pockets 6, 7, at an angle a. It will be understood that that the angle a can lie within an angle range that gives the user flexibility and makes it easy to use the mounting system. The angle range a may vary. The angle a also corresponds to the angle formed in the movement path that occurs when the binding is lowered partly obliquely into the pockets 6, 7. An attempt has been made to illustrate this movement path in Fig. 7a. Once this movement path has been completed, the binding 12 is in engagement with the longitudinal guides 2, 3 and undercuts 4, 5 of the mounting plate or profile 1, and all that remains is to fix the binding 12, 13 in the longitudinal direction, in the right position in relation to the shoe size that is intended to be used. Said position will then correspond to notches 14 in the top plate 10 and snap locks 15 under the binding 12, 13, these locking together and fixing the binding 12, 13.

In both of the aforementioned embodiments, it is advantageous to mount the heel plate 13 first, as this should be placed as far back on the roller ski 11 as possible.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the heel plate 13 can be an integral part of the mounting plate or profile 1, so that it is then only the front binding 12 that is positioned and fixed relative to the wholly or partly integrated heel plate. An alternative to using notches 14 and snap locks 15 for fixing the binding in the longitudinal direction is to fix the binding in the longitudinal direction using one or more screws or plug/pin devices.

In the embodiment comprising one set of pockets 6, 7, the heel piece 13 is lowered into the pocket 6, 7 first, after which it is pushed backwards towards the rear wheels. In this area of the top plate 10, there could be either one notch 14, or 2-3 notches 14 to allow for fine adjustment. The front binding 12 is subsequently lowered obliquely downwards into the pockets 6, 7, at an angle a etc., after which the front binding 12 is finely positioned on the basis of shoe size and then fixed in that the snap lock 15 is snapped into place in the right notch 14.

In the embodiment comprising several or many sets of pockets 6, 7, it is still advantageous to mount the heel plate 13 first, which is done by lowering it right down over the rear or one of the rear pockets 6, 7 as explained in more detail above, after which the front binding 12 is lowered straight down over the pockets 6, 7 that most closely correspond to the shoe size that is relevant, and then the front binding 12 is fixed by pushing it slightly forwards or slightly backwards, so that the snap locks 15 and the notches 14 engage with each other, again as described above. Figs. 8a-c show a binding 12, 13 with a plurality of complementary pockets 6', 7' that could be used in such an embodiment comprising several or many sets of pockets 6, 7. Figs. 8a-c also show what the snap locks 15 may look like according to an embodiment. It will be understood that other embodiments of such snap locks may be equally suitable within the scope of the present invention.

It is conceivable that the mounting plate for the heel and associated heel are replaced by a screw heel. The system then consists of a mounting plate 1 for the binding, a screw heel 13 with correct pattern and a front binding 12.

Fig. 3b shows a point that is of some importance. The arrow/caret that is shown under the middle of the roller ski 11, indicates the point of balance of the ski. It can be seen that this point lies some distance behind the axis of rotation 17 of the binding 12, but that it had not been possible to get them to coincide because the roller ski 11 is so short and the rear wheel is in the way. It is therefore the rear wheel, the shoe size and the length of the roller ski 11 that determine where the axis of rotation 17 of the binding 12 ultimately ends up. In addition to the mounting plate or profile 1 according to the present invention comprising pockets 6, 7 that allow access to the mounting plate or profile from above, and not only from the rear and the front, the mounting plate or profile 1 according to an embodiment of the invention can be split so that the front binding, which is to hold the ski shoe in position as well as support and stabilise the front of the ski shoe, has a separate front mounting plate or profile 1, whilst a heel plate 13, whose task it is to support, lift and stabilise the heel of the ski shoe, has a separate mounting plate or profile 21. Such a configuration can help to further increase the flexibility of use for the end user. In contrast to how a conventional binding is mounted on a conventional snow ski, where the ski's point of balance 16 is taken as a starting point for determining where the front binding 13 is to be positioned in the longitudinal direction of the ski, after which the skier's shoe size determines where the heel plate 13 is positioned, the order of mounting as mentioned is reversed when a binding is mounted on a roller ski 11. The heel plate 13 is positioned first, as far back towards the rear wheel as possible, after which the position of the front binding is determined on the basis of the skier's shoe size. In the case of a mounting system 1 for a roller ski, this entails that the rear mounting plate or profile of the heel plate basically only needs one position, and that is as far back as possible. It is conceivable that the rear mounting plate or profile should be capable of receiving and adapting to different types of heel plates of different design and dimensions, and that it is therefore desirable that the rear mounting plate or profile 21 has a couple of different positions for different types of heel plates, but the general rule, regardless of what type of binding is chosen, will nevertheless be that the heel plate 13 is positioned as far back as possible on the roller ski 11.

This important condition for mounting bindings on roller skis means that the front mounting plate or profile 1, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, can be designed so as to comprise a larger number of positions into which the front binding 12 is able to fit. Such an embodiment will be particularly well suited for a mounting plate or profile 1 that is glued on by the roller ski manufacturer or is produced such that it is in an integral part of the ski's profile, because many available positions for the front binding will mean that the roller ski can be used by roller ski users with a wide range of shoe sizes. This embodiment will benefit more from having more sets of pockets 6, 7. Since the front part of the mounting plate or profile 1 in this case will be longer than is usual for a conventional mounting or binding plate, there will also be room for more pockets 6, 7. According to an embodiment of the invention, it is conceptually conceivable that the mounting plate or profile 1 forms a T-shape, the binding having a complementary open box shape. This complementary shape, in addition to snap locks 15 suitable therefor, prevents the binding from moving in an undesirable manner in the longitudinal direction. The aforementioned pockets 6, 7 will conceptually form an l-shape, so that the binding's open-box shape can easily be lowered into the mounting plate or profile 1 and a forward or backward movement will enable the binding's open box shape to engage with the T shape.

Figs. 8a-c show possible embodiments of a front binding 12 and a heel piece 13.

Claims

P a t e n t c l a i m s

1. A mounting system comprising a mounting plate or profile (1), where the plate or profile is arranged or can be arranged on a top surface (10) of a ski (11) and comprises a longitudinal guide (2, 3) which has a profile with undercuts (4, 5) for longitudinal positioning and fixing of a binding or binding components (12, 13) which have a complementary profile,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the longitudinal guide (2, 3) comprises at least one set of pockets (6, 7) into which a binding with complementary profile can be inserted or lowered.

2. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate or profile 1 is mounted on a skate, roller skate, ski, snow ski or roller ski.

3. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate or profile 1 can be screwed in place, glued on or in some other way be integrated with the top surface 10 of the ski 11.

4. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate or profile 1 comprises several sets of pockets (6, 7) into which a binding of complementary profile (12, 13) can be inserted or lowered, the position and placing of the pockets (6, 7) corresponding to a specific shoe size or a specific range of shoe sizes.

5. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the binding is mounted on a ski by placing the binding on the mounting plate or profile (1), the binding being moved over and lowered down into the pockets (6, 7) which correspond most closely to the optimal position for the binding on the roller ski, and then snapping the binding with its complementary profile in place in the mounting plate or profile (1) by means of a snap lock that cooperates with a notch (14, 15).

6. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the binding is mounted on a ski by lowering the binding partly obliquely into the pocket (6, 7) in the mounting plate or profile (1), after which the binding with its complementary profile is snapped into place in the mounting plate or profile (1) by means of a snap lock that cooperates with a notch (14, 15).

7. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the binding (12, 13) can be locked in the longitudinal direction using one or more screws.

8. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate or profile (1) is split into a front and a rear part, one for the binding and one for the heel.

9. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the heel piece (13) is an integral part of the mounting plate or profile (1).

10. A mounting system according to claim 5, wherein the pockets (6, 7) are configured such that they are able to receive a binding (12, 13) that is lowered obliquely downwards and into the pockets (6, 7) at an angle a, where the angle a may constitute an angle range.

11. A method for mounting a binding (12, 13) on a ski (11), the ski comprising a top plate (10), the top plate (10) being provided with a mounting plate or profile (1), c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the mounting plate or profile (1) comprises at least one set of pockets (6, 7) into which a binding of complementary profile can be inserted or lowered, the method comprising the steps of:

-mounting a heel piece (13) first by inserting or lowering it into at least one set of pockets (6, 7), the heel piece (13) being snapped into place in the mounting plate or profile (1) with the aid of a snap lock that cooperates with a notch (14, 15);

-assessing where a front binding (12) must be in relation to the heel piece (13) with respect to a shoe size that is to be used;

-then mounting the front binding (12) by inserting or lowering it into at least another set of pockets (6, 7), the front binding (12) being snapped into place in the mounting plate or profile (1) by means of a snap lock that cooperates with a notch (14, 15).