WO1992018211A1

WO1992018211A1 - Releasable binding assembly for a skiboard or the like

Info

Publication number: WO1992018211A1
Application number: PCT/FR1992/000070
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gérard Graillat
Original assignee: Salomon S.A.
Priority date: 1991-04-11
Filing date: 1992-01-27
Publication date: 1992-10-29
Also published as: FR2675052A1; FR2675052B1

Abstract

Releasable binding assembly, particularly for snowboards, for fastening both of a skier's boots to a single board. The assembly includes two binding elements (2, 3) and a common resilient return device (36). Each binding element (2, 3) has a toe clamp (8,, 9) and a heel clamp (14, 15) with one of the clamps (14, 15) being connected via links (30, 31, 34, 35) to the resilient return device (36). Said links (30, 31, 34, 35) may impart to said resilient return device (36), in the form of a release force, both a vertically upward force from the end of the boot and a vertically upward force from either side edge of said boot end.

Description

SET OF TRIGGERED BINDINGS FOR A SLIDING BOARD

The invention relates to a set of triggerable bindings for a gliding board, such as in particular, but not exclusively, a snowboard, which are intended to hold the two shoes of a skier in support on the board, and to release the two shoes when one or the other exerts excessive stress.

A device of this type is known, in particular from US Pat. No. 4,652,007. According to this patent, the two shoes are each mounted on an interface plate, this plate itself being retained in fasteners of the triggerable type. This device gives good results, but it has the drawback of requiring the use of interface plates, which complicates construction and use.

Also known, for example from unpublished French patent application No. 90/00776, a device for retaining the two shoes. The means for holding the shoes consist of stirrups which respectively hold the front end and the rear end of each of the shoes. The stirrups are connected to support plates integral with the board, and a stirrup of each fastening element is connected by means of a cable to a main boot element which is of the triggerable type, that is to say -to say which rocks itself in the open position when the cables exert on it excessive stress.

This device has the advantage that the shoe is retained directly on the board, without an intermediate plate. However, it has the drawback that the main fitting member only triggers under the influence of stresses of a specific nature, and that, moreover, it is not sensitive to other types of stresses which could be dangerous for the skier.

For simplicity, one can identify the stresses that the shoe exerts on its fastening element with respect to three axes, a vertical axis corresponding approximately to the axis of the skier's tibia, a horizontal longitudinal median axis oriented parallel to the direction of the foot of the skier, and a horizontal transverse axis perpendicular to the previous one.

In the case of patent application No. 90/00776, it can be considered that only the stresses in rotation relative to the horizontal and transverse axis are taken into account for the triggering of the energy device.

One of the aims of the present invention is to provide an improved device of this type, for which several types of stress, of a different nature, are taken into account to cause tripping.

Another object of the invention is to propose a device for which the stresses taken into account to cause tripping are selected for each of the feet.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear during the description which follows, this description being however given by way of non-limiting indication.

The set of triggerable bindings according to the invention is intended to retain the two boots of a skier on the same gliding board.

It comprises two fastening elements each intended to retain a shoe bearing on the board and to release said shoe when it exerts excessive stress. Each fastening element comprises a plate on which the shoe sole rests, a front stirrup intended to retain the front end of the shoe bearing on the plate, a rear stirrup intended to retain the rear end of the shoe resting on platinum

It also comprises an elastic return device which expands elastically over a limited amplitude by opposing a return force in response to the stresses coming from one and / or the other of the two fixing elements, and which relaxes so non-elastic over a large amplitude when said stresses have caused the device to relax more than a predetermined value.

It also comprises means for connecting at least one of the stirrups of each of the fastening elements, which is said to be an openable stirrup, to the elastic return device.

It is characterized by the fact that the connecting means are capable of transmitting to the elastic return device, in the form of a stress on rebound, both a vertical stress upwards on the workable shoe from the end of the shoe, that a vertical bias up one or the other side edge of the end of the shoe.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the description below, as well as to the accompanying drawings which form an integral part thereof.

Figure 1 shows schematically a top view of the set of fasteners in a non-limiting embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view in longitudinal section of the front fastening element in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view in partial section of the rear fixing element of FIG. 1.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the behavior of the fasteners for stresses of a different nature.

Figure 7 shows in side view, a variant of the retaining means of the rear of the shoe.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the device in FIG. 6.

Figure 9 is an alternative embodiment of the device according to Figures 7 and δ.

Figure 1 shows the central part of a gliding board 1, on which are mounted two fastening elements 2 and 3 for each of the shoes. As can be seen in the figure, and as is known in practice, the fastening elements 2 and 3 are oriented obliquely to the median longitudinal axis 5 of the board 1. The fastening element 3 located at the top of the figure is intended to retain the front shoe of the skier, the fastening element 2 located at the bottom of the figure is intended to retain the rear shoe of the skier.

The fixing elements 2 and 3 have similar elements which will now be described with reference to the rear fixing element 2.

The fastening element 2 has a plate 4 with an upper cover 6 on which the shoe sole rests. To facilitate understanding of the drawings, the cover 6 is not present in FIG. 1. The plate 4 has, in the plane of FIG. 1, a shape and dimensions which correspond substantially to the contours of a shoe sole. running length. The fastening element 2 also has means for retaining the front and rear end of the shoe. These means are shown for the front end of the shoe in the form of a stirrup 8. This stirrup is for example made of metal wire, it has two ends oriented in a co-axial manner which are engaged in the base 4, and which also constitute the axis of rotation of Petrier relative to the base. The central portion of Petrier is shaped so as to come to engage in the front end of the shoe above the front retaining toe, as is known. Preferably, a voluntary boot lever 10 is located in the central part of the petrier, with respect to which it is articulated. The lever 10 comprises a small branch intended to come to engage above the shoe retaining end piece, and a large branch allowing the maneuver for putting on and taking off voluntarily. Such a lever is already known, for example from French patent application No. 90/00776, where it is described in association with the rear fixing element.

The means for retaining the rear end ^′ of the shoe of the element 2 are represented in the form of a rear stirrup 14 constituted by a flexible and inextensible cable, which has roughly the shape of a semicircle . In the central part of Petrier 14 is a counterweight 16, which is intended to take hold on the rear end of the shoe, above its retaining tip.

The two lateral arms of Petrier 14 are guided inside the plate 4 by two conduits 18 and 20 which open inside the plate.

The ends 22 and 24 of Petrier 14 are connected to the two lateral edges of a lifting beam 30 which is housed inside the plate 4. For example, as shown, studs are integral with the ends of the cable which constitutes Petrier 14, and these studs are engaged in mooring points 26 and 28, located on each lateral edge of the lifter 30.

The lifter 30 also has, in its central part, an attachment point 32 for the end of a flexible and inextensible link such as a cable 34. The lifter 30 is therefore acted on by the two Petrier arms 14 and by the cable 34 in opposite directions, which in a way keeps it in equilibrium inside the plate 4. Inside this plate, the lifter 30 is guided for a movement of displacement in a horizontal plane, that is to say parallel to the upper surface of the board 1.

We find at the level of the fastening element 3 the various components which have just been described for the fastening element 2, that is to say a plate 5, a front stirrup 9 and its fitting lever 11, a rear stirrup 15 and its counterweight 17, and a lifter 31. The two ends of Petrier 15 are connected to anchoring points of the lifter 31 which are located on its lateral edges. In addition, a cable 35 is connected to a point of attachment of the lifter 31 which is located in its central part. The lifter 31 is kept in equilibrium by the stirrup arms 15 and by the cable 35 which urge it in the opposite directions.

The two cables 34 and 35 are also guided to a common elastic return device which has been shown diagrammatically at 36. Preferably, the cables 34 and 35 are routed to the device 36 by incompressible sheaths 38 and 39 respectively. The ends of the sheaths 38 and 39 bear on the side of the fastening elements 2 and 3 against stops, 42 and 43 respectively.

This device is of any suitable type, and it will not be described in detail.

In response to the tensile stresses transmitted to it by the cables 34 and 35, the elastic return device 36 expands elastically over a variable amplitude by opposing a return force. In the event that the stress transmitted by the two cables 34 and 35 causes an relaxation of the elastic return device greater than a determined amplitude, this device then relaxes in a non-elastic manner over a large amplitude so as to give slack to each of the cables. 34 and 35.

Such a device is, for example, described in French patent application No. 90/00776. In this device, the cables coming from the two fixing elements stress in parallel a compression spring. On a first phase of elastic relaxation, in response to the stresses, the spring compresses by developing an elastic restoring force. For a determined amplitude of compression of the spring, the lever rocks, and then the device relaxes in a non-elastic manner, giving the cables a large amplitude of play.

However, any other suitable elastic return device could be suitable.

As (e represents FIG. 4 for the fastening element 2, a vertical upward stress on the rear of the shoe on the counterweight 1 causes a stress on the lifter 30 towards the rear, which is transmitted in a balanced manner by each of the Petrier branches 14. The lifter 30 therefore moves in translation, against the elastic return force coming from the device 36, this force being transmitted to it by the cable 34. FIG. 4 represents in 30 'the lifter 30 in the limit position of elastic relaxation of the device 36, and at 30 "the lifter 30 after triggering of the device 36. In the latter position, either the rear petrier 14 or the front petrier 8 releases one end of the shoe which can then completely escape of its fixing element.

Figure 5 illustrates a solicitation of another nature. In the illustrated case, the lifter 30 is urged for a rearward movement movement by a single branch of Petrier 14. Such a case occurs for example when the skier falls sideways forwards or backwards. his board. In this case, the shoe biases Petrier asymmetrically by one or other of its lateral edges. As shown in Figure 5, the lifter 30 then moves in a horizontal plane with a pivoting movement around the mooring point of the lifter 4 which is not requested, that is to say the point of mooring 28 in the case of FIG. 5. The cable 34 is stressed in tension, and it transmits to the spreader the elastic restoring force which results from the elastic relaxation of the device 36.

In the embodiment which is illustrated in the figures, the plate 4 of the rear fastening element 2 is integral with the board 1, while the plate 5 of the front element 3 can pivot in a horizontal plane, in response to a rotational stress on the shoe around a vertical axis. As with the stresses which have been previously described, the pivoting of the plate 5 generates a stress on the relaxation of the elastic return device 36. Referring to the figures, the plate 5 is movable relative to a base 44 which is integral with the board. The stop 43 for stopping the sheath 38 is integral with this base 44 and passes through the bottom of the plate 5 at an opening 49.

The connection between the plate 5 and the base 44 is carried out by means of four pads, two main pads 45 and 46, and two secondary pads 47 and 48, which are integral with the base 44, and which pass through the bottom of the plate 5. Above this bottom, the studs flare, and for example, they have a head or a washer which is intended to prevent relative movement in a vertical direction between the base 44 and the plate 5 The bottom of the plate 5 has elongated lights, two main lights 50 and 51 through which the main studs 45 and 46 pass, and two secondary lights 53 and 54 for the studs 47 and 48.

In the embodiment shown, the main studs 45 and 46 are located on either side of the stop 43 against which the end of the sheath 39 bears. The secondary pads 47 and 48 are located towards the front edge and the rear edge of the plate 5. The main slots 50 and 51 are arcs of a circle which extend towards the front of the plate 5, when the plate is in the axis of the base, and which are respectively centered around the other main stud 45, 46. The secondary slots 53 and 54 respectively have two parts, each of them being centered around a main stud 45, 46, so that the plate 5 can pivot relative to the base around one or the other main stud 45 or 46, this stud bearing against the rear end of the main light associated with it.

FIG. 6 shows, by way of illustration, the rotation of the base 5 around the stud 46. The shoe is not, however, shown in this figure. As can be seen in this figure, this rotation causes the distance between the lifter 31 and the stop 43 for supporting the sheath 39. The lifter is in fact linked to the plate 5 in its pivoting movement due to the presence of the shoe in Petrier 15. This results in a stress on the relaxation of the elastic return device 36. Naturally, any other construction could be suitable, from the moment when a pivoting of the plate relative to its base generates, at the level of the cable 35, a stress on triggering of the elastic return device 36.

A rotational stress on the shoe around a vertical axis is transmitted in this way to the device 36.

Thus, in the preferred embodiment which is shown in the figures, the front fastening element picks up stresses on the shoe along the three axes which have been mentioned in the preamble. Furthermore, the rear fixing element only picks up stresses along two of these axes. On the other hand, the stresses, to which the front fixing element and the rear fixing element are subjected, add up at the level of the elastic return device 36, and cause the triggering of this device when they generate a trigger greater than a predetermined value.

On the other hand, it should be emphasized that the stresses, whatever their nature, are transmitted to the device 36 via the spreaders 30 and 31, and the cables 34 and 35. The rudder pedals therefore each behave like a sort of adder to which converge stresses of a different nature; moreover, the device 36 also adds the stresses to the trigger coming from the two spreaders.

The preferred embodiment which has been illustrated is not, however, limiting, and the two fixing elements could be similar, either to the front element 3, or to the rear element 2.

In this regard, it goes without saying that the breakdown of a stress has been proposed only for the purpose of facilitating the operation of the various fastening elements. In practice, the shoe subjects the fastening element to complex stresses which are a combination of these stresses of a different nature.

Preferably, as can be seen in the figures, the plate 4 of the element 2 has two stops 56, 58 oriented towards the rear in the direction of the lifter 30 at each lateral edge thereof. The rear end of these stops are located a short distance from the lifter 30.

Likewise, the fixing element 3 has two stops 57 and 59 oriented in the direction of the lifter 31.

When putting on, the skier engages one foot in one of the fastening elements. Generally, this is the front foot. This mode of footwear is known; firstly, the skier arms the device 36, that is to say places it in operating mode with elastic relaxation. Then, he presents his shoe in the rear petrier 15 and forces the engagement in the front petrier 9 by means of the lever 11.

The front foot is then retained by its fixing element, and the skier can move on flat ground, for example in the queues of the ski lifts, by driving his gliding board, and taking support on the other foot.

The footing of the other foot is done in the same way by presenting the shoe in the rear petrier and then forcing the engagement of the front petrier on the front toe of the shoe.

If the device 36 is triggered following excessive stress, the two cables 35 and 34 are released by the device 36, the spreaders 30 and 31 are released and can move back to the position illustrated in 30 "for the spreader 30 in figure 4.

The two shoes can then escape from their fastening element.

The stops 56, 58 and 57, 59 constitute a forward stop for the rudder pedals 30 and 31.

In the absence of a shoe engaged in their fastening element, they retain the lifter when putting on the other shoe. That is to say, they avoid a sliding of the two spreaders and of their connection on the side of the item of footwear first, which would have the effect of excessively relaxing the rear bracket of the element in question and of disturbing the operation of the elastic device 36 when only one shoe is present.

Figures 7, 8 show an alternative embodiment of Petrier which maintains the rear end of the shoe. According to this variant, Pétrier has a central flyweight 60, which is connected to the plate 61 by a hoop 62 made for example of steel wire. The counterweight is pivotally mounted in the upper part of the arch, and the arch is connected to the plate 61 by articulation in its lower part. The arch 62 allows rotation of the counterweight 60 around one or the other of these two axes of articulation.

The stirrup also comprises a flexible and inextensible cable 63 which is situated in front with respect to the arch 62, and which constitutes a loop, the two branches of which penetrate into the plate and are connected to the lifter.

As can be seen in FIG. 7, the articulation of the arch 62 to the counterweight 60 is located behind the contour of the shoe sole, so that a vertical stress on the shoe on the counterweight 60 tends to make pivot the counterweight around the hoop. As is apparent from what has been described above, in the event of excessive stresses, the triggering of the elastic return device gives slack to the cable 63, which causes an upward tilting of the counterweight 60 around the arch 62 The sole then escapes without difficulty from the stirrup which retains it.

Preferably, as can be seen in FIG. 8, the counterweight has a reduced width at the level of its articulation with the arch 62. In addition, the housing 65 which is crossed by the arch 62 has a diabolo shape, this in order to facilitate the collection of stresses from one or the other lateral edge of the shoe.

FIG. 9 shows a variant of a cylindrical housing 66 of revolution, the diameter of which is close to the diameter of Petrier 62. This construction then prevents the picking up of the stresses of one or the other lateral edge of the shoe. Only the vertical stresses on the rear of the shoe will be transmitted to the lifter symmetrically by the two branches of the stirrup 63.

In addition, the elastic return device could be integrated inside one of the plates 4 or 5 and preferably in the rear plate 4.

Naturally, the present description is given for information only, and other implementations of the invention could be adopted without departing from the scope thereof.

In particular, it goes without saying that the fastening elements 2 and 3 could be equipped with various known means for adjusting their angular position, adjusting their relative spacing or adjusting the spacing of their front and rear stirrups. Such means are widely known to those skilled in the art.

Also, it would be possible to add front and rear support plates above the covers of the plates 4 and 5, in order to locate the support of the shoe on its fastening element in the front and rear part of the sole. shoe.

Also, it would be possible to make the two plates 2, 3 movable in a horizontal plane, that is to say to make the two plates similar to plate 3 as it has been described in relation to FIG. 6.

Claims

1- Set of triggerable bindings intended to hold the two boots of a skier on the same board,

comprising two fastening elements (2, 3) each intended to retain a shoe bearing on the board (1) and to release said shoe when it exerts excessive stress,

each fastening element (2, 3) comprising a plate (4, 5) on which the shoe sole rests, a front stirrup (8, 9) intended to retain the front end of the shoe in abutment on the plate, a rear stirrup (14, 15) intended to retain the rear end of the shoe bearing on the plate

- Furthermore comprising an elastic return device (36) which expands elastically over a limited amplitude by opposing a return force in response to the stresses coming from the two fixing elements (2, 3), and which relaxes in a non-elastic manner on a large amplitude when said stresses have caused the device to relax by more than a predetermined value,

- Furthermore comprising connecting means (30, 31, 34, 35) of at least one of the stirrups of each of the fastening elements, which is said to be an opening stirrup, to the elastic return device, characterized in that the connecting means (30, 31, 34, 35) are capable of transmitting to the elastic return device, in the form of a stress on relaxation, both a vertical stress towards the top of the end of the shoe on the openable stirrup (14, 15), that a vertical bias up one or the other side edge of the end of the shoe on the openable stirrup (14, 15).

2- set of fasteners according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting means comprise a spreader (30, 31) movable guided inside the plate (4, 5) for movement in a horizontal plane, said spreader bar having on its lateral edges two mooring points (26, 28) for each of the ends of the openable petrier branches (14, 15), and in its central part an attachment point (32) for the end of an inextensible link (34, 35) connecting with the elastic return device (36), the ends of the opening stirrup and the inextensible link urging the lifter in opposite directions, so that a stress on the shoe, on one or the other or both ends of the openworker, causes the spreader to move in the horizontal plane or in pivoting or in translation, and causes the movement of the inextensible link in the direction of a stress on the trigger relaxation elastic reminder.

3- A set of fasteners according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting means (30, 31, 34, 35) are moreover capable of transmitting to the elastic return device, in the form of a stress on relaxation of the elastic return device (36), a stress in rotation about a vertical axis of at least one of the shoes.

4- set of fasteners according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (5) of at least one of the fastening elements (3) is movable in a horizontal plane, that the inextensible link (35) connecting with the elastic return device is guided inside an incompressible sheath (39), that the end of the sheath situated on the side of the lifting beam (31) is in abutment against an integral stop (43) of the board, and that the pivoting movement of the plate on either side of its centered position causes the attachment point (33) of the inextensible link to move away from the stop (43) of the sheath.

5- set of fasteners according to claim 4, characterized in that the plate (5) is pivotally mounted around one or the other of two support pads (45, 46) located on either side of the stop (43) supporting the sheath (48).

6- set of fasteners according to claim 3, characterized in that the connecting means are adapted to transmit to the elastic return device (36), in the form of a stress on relaxation, both a vertical stress upwards on a working petrier (14, 15) from the end of each of the shoes, that a vertical upward bias of each lateral edge of the end of each of the shoes, and that the connecting means are moreover capable of transmitting to the elastic return device (36), in the form of a stress on relaxation, a stress in rotation about a vertical axis of only one of the two shoes.

7- A set of bindings according to claims 4 and 6, characterized in that one (5) only of the two plates is movable, and is pivotally mounted to follow a rotational stress of the shoe around a vertical axis.

8- A set of fasteners according to claim 7, characterized in that the front plate (5) is movable for a pivoting movement, and the rear plate (4) is integral with the board.

9- set of fasteners according to claim 4, characterized in that the two plates (2, 3) are movable in a horizontal plane.