A heel unit for an alpine touring binding, comprising a binding body which is suitable for holding a heel portion of an alpine touring shoe in a downhill position of the heel unit and for releasing the heel portion of the alpine touring shoe in an alpine touring position of the heel unit, such that the alpine touring shoe can lift off the heel unit, and a climbing aid which is adjustable between an active position and a passive position, wherein, while in the active position, the climbing aid supports the heel portion of the alpine touring shoe at a predetermined height above a sliding board plane in the alpine touring position of the heel unit, wherein the climbing aid is biased over the entire path of movement thereof into the active position by means of a flexible element and can be locked in the passive position.

A rear portion of a ski mountaineering binding has a base with a turret rotatable into a first position. The binding portion attaches to a ski boot heel for downhill skiing. The turret has a second position for walking uphill. A ski brake includes a braking lever rotatable to assume a braking position and a non-active position. The brake has elastic for rotating the braking lever towards the braking position, the braking lever is pressed by the ski boot heel, when the turret is in the first position, in order to reach the non-active position. A rotation member rotatably borne by the base bears the braking lever. The rotation member and the turret are interconnected and solidly constrained to one another, with the turret in the second turret position and the braking lever in the non-active position, to enable walking uphill.

A heel unit for an alpine touring binding, comprising a binding body which is suitable for holding a heel portion of an alpine touring shoe in a downhill position of the heel unit and for releasing the heel portion of the alpine touring shoe in an alpine touring position of the heel unit, such that the alpine touring shoe can lift off the heel unit, and a climbing aid which is adjustable between an active position and a passive position, wherein, while in the active position, the climbing aid supports the heel portion of the alpine touring shoe at a predetermined height above a sliding board plane in the alpine touring position of the heel unit, wherein the climbing aid is biased over the entire path of movement thereof into the active position by means of a flexible element and can be locked in the passive position.

A heel unit apparatus for a ski touring binding is disclosed which comprises a body mounted on a support, the body being rotatable relative to the support on a vertical axis. The body comprises a resilient element movable within the body which when pre-loaded under compression or tension, exerts forces in opposing directions. The body also comprises at least one forward connector moveable between resting and release positions for releasably connecting the body to the heel of a footwear and a My linkage between the resilient element and the at least one forward connector configured such that force exerted in one of the opposing directions resists movement of the at least one forward connector from the resting position to the release position. The resilient element, the at least one forward connector and the My linkage cooperate to resist forward release. The body further comprises a Mz linkage between the resilient element and a resting surface on the support configured such that the force in the other of the opposing directions presses against the resting surface to resist rotation of the body about the support. The resilient element, the Mz linkage and the body cooperate to resist lateral release. Shocks independently affecting the My and the Mz linkages do not significantly lessen resistance to Mz and My release, respectively.

A heel unit apparatus for a ski touring binding is disclosed which comprises a body mounted on a support, the body being rotatable relative to the support on a vertical axis. The body comprises a resilient element movable within the body which when pre-loaded under compression or tension, exerts forces in opposing directions. The body also comprises at least one forward connector moveable between resting and release positions for releasably connecting the body to the heel of a footwear and a My linkage between the resilient element and the at least one forward connector configured such that force exerted in one of the opposing directions resists movement of the at least one forward connector from the resting position to the release position. The resilient element, the at least one forward connector and the My linkage cooperate to resist forward release. The body further comprises a Mz linkage between the resilient element and a resting surface on the support configured such that the force in the other of the opposing directions presses against the resting surface to resist rotation of the body about the support. The resilient element, the Mz linkage and the body cooperate to resist lateral release. Shocks independently affecting the My and the Mz linkages do not significantly lessen resistance to Mz and My release, respectively.

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 (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).