Abstract
System for a touring ski-binding comprising a front unit and heel unit comprising a heel member, wherein the stopper plate is switchable between an adjacent position and a protruding position, wherein the stopper plate is configures to leave the adjacent position when the touring ski binding is released, wherein the heel unit is switchable between a starting position for providing a blocking function and for receiving a ski boot, and a snap-in position for retaining the ski boot, wherein the heel unit comprises a walking means by means of which the stopper plate can be blocked in the adjacent position, wherein the blocking means with respect to the pivot axis is switchable between a blocking position and a non-blocking position depending on the position of the heel member, wherein with respect to the downhill mode the front unit in the climbing mode of the touring ski-binding is displaced to the front in the longitudinal direction of the ski, so that a ski boot present in the touring ski-binding cannot contact the heel member of the heel unit.
Claims
1. A system for a touring ski-binding comprising a front unit and a heel unit comprising a heel member, wherein the heel member comprises a reception bowl for receiving a heel part of a ski boot, a biasing device for biasing the heel unit against a ski boot, wherein the heel member is pivotally disposed around a pivot axis, wherein the pivot axis runs horizontally, transverse to a longitudinal direction of a ski, and a stopper plate for releasing a ski stopper, wherein the stopper plate is switchable between an adjacent position and a protruding position, wherein the stopper plate is configured to leave the adjacent position when the touring ski binding is released, wherein the heel unit is switchable between a starting position for providing a walking function and for receiving a ski boot, and a snap-in position for retaining the ski boot, wherein the heel unit comprises a blocking element configured to block the stopper plate in the adjacent position, wherein the blocking element is configured to switch, with respect to the pivot axis, between a blocking position and a non-blocking position depending on the position of the heel member, wherein with respect to a downhill mode the front unit in a climbing mode of the touring ski-binding is displaced to the front in the longitudinal direction of the ski, so that a ski boot present in the touring ski-binding cannot contact the heel member of the heel unit.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element is disposed in a relative displaceable manner with respect to the heel member.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the heel member comprises a first pressure area which can be brought into contact with the blocking element, wherein the system is configured such that a movement of the first pressure area towards the blocking element is configured to push the blocking element from the non-blocking position to the blocking position.
4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the first pressure area is in contact with the blocking element when the heel unit is in the starting position.
5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the heel member comprises a second pressure area configured to be brought into contact with the blocking element, wherein the system is configured such that a movement of the second pressure area towards the blocking element is configured to push the blocking element from the blocking position to the non-blocking position.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the second pressure area is the bottom side of a flange, wherein a top side of the flange is configured to receive the heel part of a ski boot.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element is disposed on a base plate, wherein the base plate is configured to be disposed on a surface of the ski.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the base plate and the blocking element are displaceably coupled relative to each other by a guiding groove.
9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element comprises at least one retaining member for retaining the stopper plate in the blocking position.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are described by means of the following description and figures in more detail.
(2) FIG. 1A schematically shows a perspective view of a heel unit wherein a stopper plate is in a protruding position,
(3) FIG. 1B schematically shows a side-view of the heel unit of FIG. 1A,
(4) FIG. 2A schematically shows a perspective view of the heel unit of FIG. 1A wherein the stopper plate is in an adjacent position,
(5) FIG. 2B schematically shows a side-view of the heel unit of FIG. 2A,
(6) FIG. 3A schematically shows a perspective view of the heel unit of FIG. 1A wherein the heel unit is in a snap-in position,
(7) FIG. 3B schematically shows a side-view of the heel unit of FIG. 3A,
(8) FIG. 4A schematically shows a perspective view of the heel unit of FIG. 1A wherein the stopper plate is about to leave the adjacent position,
(9) FIG. 4B schematically shows a side-view of the heel unit of FIG. 4A,
(10) FIG. 5A schematically shows a detailed view of a blocking means wherein the stopper plate is in the adjacent position,
(11) FIG. 5B schematically shows a sectional view of the cutting line A-A of FIG. 5A wherein the inner action of a blocking means and the stopper plate is shown,
(12) FIG. 6A schematically shows a front unit and a heel unit of a touring ski-binding which is in a climbing mode,
(13) FIG. 6B schematically shows a front unit and a heel unit of a touring ski-binding which is in the downhill mode.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
(14) Hereafter different embodiments are described according to the figures. The same elements, similar elements or elements with the same effect are identified with the same reference signs. In order to avoid redundancies there is partially no repeated description of these elements in the following description.
(15) FIGS. 1A and 1B show a heel unit 1 in the starting position. The heel unit 1 comprises a heel member 10, which comprises a reception bowl 12 and a flange 16. The reception bowl 12 is configured to receive the heel part of a ski boot. The heel member 10 is connected to the base plate 30 by means of two brackets 18 running parallel with respect to each other. The heel member 10 is not displaceable in a longitudinal direction of the ski L, however, it can be rotated around a pivot axis S1 which runs horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction L of the ski.
(16) Furthermore, the heel unit 1 comprises a stopper plate 40, which is mounted on the base plate 30 by means of two connecting arms 42 running parallel with respect to each other. The connecting arms 42 are disposed in a pivotable manner around a pivot axis S2, which runs horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski L. Two stopper arms 44 running parallel with respect to each other extend from the pivot axis S2, wherein the stopper arms 44 are integrally formed with the connecting arms 42, respectively. The connecting arms 42 and the stopper arms 44 are disposed in one plane, which can rotate around the pivot axis S2.
(17) The stopper plate 40 is mounted at the ends of the connecting arms 42 in a pivotable manner and can be rotated around a pivot axis S3, which runs horizontally, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski L.
(18) In FIGS. 1A and 1B the stopper plate 40 is in a protruding position, in which it is spaced apart from the space plate 30. Thereby, the plane in which the connecting arms 42 and the stopper arms 44 are disposed, crosses the longitudinal direction of the ski L in a way that the stopper arms 44 extend downward from the base plate. In this position the stopper arms 44 can contact a ground on which the ski moves and, thus, slow-down the ski.
(19) The heel unit 1 further comprises a blocking means 20, which is disposed between the heel member 10 and the base plate 30. The blocking means 20 has retaining members 22, which interact with a clamping device 46 of the stopper plate 40. FIG. 1B shows that the heel member 10 has a first pressure area 17 by means of which the heel member 10 may push the blocking means 20 in the longitudinal direction of the ski L towards a ski tip. In FIGS. 1A and 1B the starting position of the heel unit is shown, in which the blocking means 20 have been pushed by the first pressure area 17 into a blocking position. In this blocking position, the blocking means 20 and in particular its retaining members 22 are ready to immerse into the clamping device 46 of the stopper plate 40 in order to retain the stopper plate 40 in an adjacent position in which the stopper plate 40 is adjacent to the base plate 30.
(20) Accordingly, an automatic switching of the blocking means 20 is provided, which depends on the position of the heel member 10. Thus, no manual intervention of the user is required to switch the blocking means 20.
(21) FIG. 1B further shows a second pressure area 19 on the bottom side of the flange 16, by means of which the blocking means can be displaced against the longitudinal direction of the ski L.
(22) FIGS. 2A and 2B also show the heel unit 1 in the starting position. In contrast to FIGS. 1A and 1B the stopper plate 40 is in the adjacent position, in which it is adjacent to the base plate 30. The blocking means 20 is in the blocking position, wherein the retaining members 22 of the blocking means 20 are coupled with the clamping device 46 of the stopper plate 40 and, thus, block the stopper plate 40 in the adjacent position. For example, the stopper plate 40 can be brought into the adjacent position shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B by means of the sole of ski boot.
(23) FIG. 2B further shows that the first pressure area 17 of the heel member 10 contacts the blocking means 20, wherein the blocking means 20 is in the blocking position.
(24) FIGS. 2A and 2B further show that because the stopper plate 40 is in the adjacent position, the stopper arms 44 executed a rotation around the pivot axis S2 with respect to the FIGS. 1A and 1B, so that the stopper arms 44 almost run parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ski L. In this position the stopper arms 44 have no braking effect. The position of the heel unit 1 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B can for example be desired when a touring ski-binding is in the downhill mode. The sole of the ski boot can be lifted from the stopper plate 40, wherein the blocking means 20 prevents the stopper plate 40 from taking the protruding position and creating a braking effect. The endeavor of the stopper plate 40 to take-up the protruding position can be provided by means of a torsion spring, which is capable to rotate the connecting arms 42 and the stopper arms 44 around the pivot axis S2.
(25) FIGS. 3A and 3B show the heel unit 1 in the snap-in position. The heel unit 1 takes-up this position when the heel part of a ski boot is biased against the base plate 30. I.e., the touring ski-binding is in the downhill mode, wherein a ski boot is fixedly clamped in the touring ski-binding. FIGS. 3A and 3B show the blocking means 20 in a non-blocking position, into which it has been pushed by the second pressure area 19 of the heal member 10. The blocking means 20 has a guiding 24 by means of which the second pressure area 19 can be guided on the blocking means.
(26) The stopper plate 40 is held in the adjacent position by the sole of a ski boot clamped in the touring ski-binding. If, for example, in the invent of a fall, the binding releases the ski boot and the stopper plate 40 can take-up the protruding position as it is not blocked by the blocking means 20. Thereby, the stopper arms 44 are moved into the direction of the riding surface, so that the lost ski can be slowed down.
(27) As can be taken from FIGS. 3A and 3B the blocking means 20 is brought into the non-blocking position in that the heel member 10 takes-up the snap-in position. This results in an automatic switching of the blocking means 20, which depends on the position of the heel member 10. Thus, no manual intervention of the user is required to switch the blocking means 20.
(28) FIGS. 4A and 4B show the heel unit 1 in a state in which the touring ski-binding releases, i.e. in a state, in which the touring ski-binding releases a ski boot that previously has been clamped. The stopper plate 40 already partially has left the adjacent position, as it is configured to leave the adjacent position when the touring ski binding is released. With respect to the snap-in position shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the heel member 10 has been pivoted around the pivot axis S1, so that now the first pressure area 17 is in contact with the blocking means. With respect to the snap-in is position shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B the blocking means 20 has been moved in the longitudinal direction of the ski L by the first pressure area 17. The retaining members 22, however, are not engaged with the clamping device 46. Furthermore, the stopper arms 44 still run almost parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ski L.
(29) In the position of the heel unit 1 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B a ski boot clamped in the touring ski-binding can loosen, wherein the stopper plate 40 can move into the protruding position so that the breaking function of the ski stopper is activated.
(30) FIG. 5A shows a detailed view of the blocking means 20 and the stopper plate 40. The blocking means 20 is in the blocking position while the stopper plate 40 is in the adjacent position. Accordingly, the stopper plate 40 is blocked by the retaining members 22.
(31) FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view along the cutting line A-A of FIG. 5A. The retaining members 22 block the stopper plate 40 and hold the latter in the adjacent position. FIG. 5B shows the clamping device 46 by mans of which the stopper plate 40 can be clamped in the adjacent position when the blocking means 20 is already in the blocking position. The clamping device 46 has tapered recesses in the stopper plate 40, through which the retaining members 22 can slide. The walls of the clamping device 46 are flexible so that the retaining members 22 entirely can glide there through. The upper gap of the clamping device has a smaller width than the width of the retaining members 22, so that a retaining member 22 cannot slide back after it has passed the flexible walls of the clamping device 46. The walls are made of flexible plastic. Alternatively, the walls can be made of flexible sheet metal.
(32) FIG. 6A shows a touring ski-binding system in the climbing mode. The touring ski-binding system comprises a heel unit 1 and a front unit 5. A ski boot 6 is pivotally mounted on the front unit 5 around a horizontal axis, which runs transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski L. The heel part 60 of the ski boot 6 can be lowered onto the heel unit 1 and lifted there from. The heel member 10 holds the blocking means 20 in the blocking position, whereby the stopper plate 40 is retained in the adjacent position even if the heel part 60 is lifted. Due to the mounting position of the ski boot 6 on the front unit 5 the ski boot does not get into contact with the heel member 10. An appropriate front unit can be taken, for example, from US 2016/0074742 A1 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
(33) FIG. 6B shows the touring ski-binding system of FIG. 6A in the downhill mode. The ski boot 6 is fixedly clamped between the front unit 5 and the heel unit 1. The heel member 10 holds the blocking means 20 in the non-blocking position. The stopper plate 40 is retained in the adjacent position by the heel part 60 of the ski boot 6.
(34) The single components of the touring ski-binding system are made of plastic and/or metal. In case of the rubber parts also injection molding parts can be used. In general, light materials are used, in particular, fiber reinforced plastics and/or aluminum.
(35) As far as applicable, single features shown in the embodiments can be combined and/or replaced with each other without departing the field of the invention.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
(36) 1 heel unit 10 heel member 12 reception bowl 14 biasing device 16 flange 17 first pressure area 18 bracket 19 second pressure area 20 blocking means 22 retaining member 24 guiding 30 base plate 40 stopper plate 42 connecting arm 44 stopper arm 46 clamping device 5 front unit 6 ski boot 60 heel part L longitudinal direction of the ski S1 pivot axis S2 pivot axis S3 pivot axis
