Rear holding element for a ski boot comprising a heel grip (11), a lever (6) and a fitting pedal (7), characterized in that the fitting pedal (7) is mobile relative to the heel grip (11).

An apparatus for holding a footwear heel to a snow travel aid is provided. The apparatus comprises a mountable base connected to a generally vertical post and an upper portion having at least one forward connector for connecting the upper portion to the heel. The upper portion is rotatable on the post between a downhill position and at least one touring position and comprises at least one part which travels over a prominence at a fixed location relative to the upper portion during rotation from the downhill position to the touring position. The at least one part becomes engageable with a depression adjacent the prominence when the upper portion is in the touring position to resist rotation from the touring position back to the downhill position. The post comprises a feature that provides clearance for the at least one part to travel over the prominence or which functions as the prominence and depression. Also provided are posts for use as a part in such an apparatus.

A ski binding reduces a likelihood of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the tibia is accomplished by absorption in the binding to limit loads transmitted through the boot-binding interface. Release based on an injury threshold includes a binding response tower attached to the ski and adapted for selective engagement with the ski, such that the binding response tower permits biased vertical and lateral horizontal displacement, prior to a release threshold. The binding is in communication with the boot heel and is adapted for slideable engagement in response to vertical and lateral forces exerted from the boot heel. The binding response tower adapted to disengage, or release upon reaching at least one a predetermined lateral displacement or a predetermined vertical displacement, such as when the boot heel is forced sufficiently sideways or upwards due to skier movement that would tend to cause an ACL injury.

The invention relates to an automatic heel unit (1) for a ski binding, comprising a base (7) for fitting the automatic heel unit (1) on a ski and a heel downholder (3) for holding down a ski boot in a heel region of the ski boot. The heel downholder (3) is mounted so as to be movable in relation to the base (7). The automatic heel unit (1) has a holding configuration in which the heel downholder (3) is located in a holding position and may interact with the heel region of the ski boot that is held in the ski binding in such a manner that the heel region of the ski boot is held down in a lowered position. Furthermore, the automatic heel unit (1) has a step-in configuration in which the heel downholder (3) is located in a step-in position and the heel region of the ski boot is released by the heel downholder (3). The automatic heel unit (1) comprises a heel support structure (6), which is configured separately from the heel downholder (3), for supporting, in a direction that is horizontally transverse to the ski, the heel region of the ski boot that is held in the ski binding in the holding configuration of the automatic heel unit (1).

The invention relates to an automatic heel unit for a ski binding, in particular a ski-touring binding, comprising a heel retainer, for retaining a ski boot in a heel area of the ski boot, and a heel retainer support on which the heel retainer is mounted so as to be movable along an adjustment path relative to the heel retainer support. The automatic heel unit has a holding configuration in which the heel retainer is located in a holding setting and the heel retainer can interact with the heel area of the ski boot held in the ski binding in such a way that the heel area of the ski boot is held in a lowered position. Furthermore, the automatic heel unit has a walking configuration in which the heel retainer is located in a walking setting and the heel area of the ski boot held in the ski binding is freed from the heel retainer and can be lowered toward the ski without being locked by the heel retainer in the lowered position. The heel retainer in its walking setting is located farther to the rear than in its holding setting and is movable from its walking setting to its holding setting and back again along a first area of the adjustment path. Starting from its walking setting, the heel retainer is movable along the first area of the adjustment path, beyond its holding setting, upward from the first area of the adjustment path into a second area of the adjustment path separate from the first area of the adjustment path and adjoining the first area of the adjustment path, and back again.

The invention relates to an automatic heel unit for a ski binding, in particular a ski-touring binding, comprising a heel retainer, for retaining a ski boot in a heel area of the ski boot, and a heel retainer support on which the heel retainer is mounted so as to be movable along an adjustment path relative to the heel retainer support. The automatic heel unit has a holding configuration in which the heel retainer is located in a holding setting and the heel retainer can interact with the heel area of the ski boot held in the ski binding in such a way that the heel area of the ski boot is held in a lowered position. Furthermore, the automatic heel unit has a walking configuration in which the heel retainer is located in a walking setting and the heel area of the ski boot held in the ski binding is freed from the heel retainer and can be lowered toward the ski without being locked by the heel retainer in the lowered position. The heel retainer in its walking setting is located farther to the rear than in its holding setting and is movable from its walking setting to its holding setting and back again along a first area of the adjustment path. Starting from its walking setting, the heel retainer is movable along the first area of the adjustment path, beyond its holding setting, upward from the first area of the adjustment path into a second area of the adjustment path separate from the first area of the adjustment path and adjoining the first area of the adjustment path, and back again.

Ski binding heel unit includes lateral release cams and a vector decoupler mechanism that provide lateral shear release of the heel of a ski boot from a ski. The ski binding heel unit includes an independent vertical heel release mechanism, independent lateral release mechanism and a forward pressure compensator. The lateral release cams have laterally outwardly flaring contact points. The vector decoupler mechanism restricts heel unit lateral rotation and translation to a control path. The shape of the lateral release cams dictates the control path. The vector decoupler mechanism redirects the non-lateral forces without effecting the vertical heel release, lateral heel release or forward pressure compensator. The lateral release cams and vector decoupler mechanism avert non-lateral, benign loads from the lateral heel release, and avert non-vertical, benign loads from the vertical heel release thereby reducing the incidence of inadvertent pre-release of a boot from a ski.

The present invention concerns a ski binding (10) suited to be connected to a ski (1). The ski binding (10) comprises connection means (12) for connection to a footwear item (100) worn by a skier, and a lever (70) cooperating with the calf of the skier. The lever (70) transmits the movements of the skier's leg towards the ski (1). The ski binding (10) comprises magnetic connection means (80) suited to allow contact to take place between the lever (70) and at least one wearable element (100) suited to be worn on the leg of the skier.

The invention relates to an automatic heel unit (1) for a ski binding, comprising a base (7) for fitting the automatic heel unit (1) on a ski and a heel downholder (3) for holding down a ski boot in a heel region of the ski boot. The heel downholder (3) is mounted so as to be movable in relation to the base (7). The automatic heel unit (1) has a holding configuration in which the heel downholder (3) is located in a holding position and may interact with the heel region of the ski boot that is held in the ski binding in such a manner that the heel region of the ski boot is held down in a lowered position. Furthermore, the automatic heel unit (1) has a step-in configuration in which the heel downholder (3) is located in a step-in position and the heel region of the ski boot is released by the heel downholder (3). The automatic heel unit (1) comprises a heel support structure (6), which is configured separately from the heel downholder (3), for supporting, in a direction that is horizontally transverse to the ski, the heel region of the ski boot that is held in the ski binding in the holding configuration of the automatic heel unit (1).