Safety ski binding system

The invention relates to a safety ski binding system for the releasable fixing of a ski boot to a ski having an adjustable release mechanism and fixed holding elements. In accordance with the invention, two latching elements which each project laterally from the ski boot and which cooperate with a holder element formed fixed to the ski as a heel holder are arranged at the ski boot. The invention further relates to a ski boot which forms a part of the aforesaid safety binding system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a safety binding system for the releasable fixing of a ski boot to a ski having an adjustable release mechanism and fixed holding elements in accordance with the description herein.

Ski bindings have a toe holding unit, also called a toe piece, and a heel holding unit, also called a heel piece, for holding ski boots corresponding to certain standards. Such standards are laid down, for example, in the German industrial standard (DIN ISO 5355). These standardized ski boots have a front connection region for the cooperation with the toe piece of the ski binding and a rear connection region for the cooperation with the heel holder of the ski binding. The lower side of the sole of the standard ski boot is of planar configuration. The front contact surface and the rear contact surface of the ski binding therefore typically extend in a plane parallel to the ski. Due to this shaping, the ski boot cannot be adapted with respect to the anatomy and the movement comfort for the wearer. The movement process when walking with these standardized ski boots is correspondingly difficult.

Conventional ski bindings are, however, dependent on the cooperation with the standardized ski boots.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is now the object of the present invention to provide a safety ski binding system in which the ski boot to be fixed no longer has to correspond to the ski boot sole standard, but rather in which the boot sole can be designed better with respect to the anatomy and the movement comfort to allow the skier better freedom of movement when walking with the ski boots.

This object is satisfied in accordance with the invention by a safety ski binding system having the features herein.

For this purpose, the safety ski binding system for the releasable fixing of a ski boot to a ski comprises an adjustable release mechanism and fixed holding elements. Two latching elements which each project laterally from the ski book and which cooperate with a holder element formed fixed to the ski as a heel holder are arranged at the ski boot. It is possible due to the new conceptualization of the safety ski binding system to adapt the ski boot sole to the skier's anatomy to improve the movement comfort for the skier, i.e. to design it as regionally arched or sloped over the footfall surface.

Preferred embodiments of the invention result from the description herein.

It is thus possible in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention that the adjustable release mechanism is respectively integrated in the ski boot. The adjustable release mechanism is then advantageously coupled to the holding element fixed to the ski and configured as a heel holder on stepping into the ski.

The adjustable release mechanism particularly advantageously has an actuating mechanism acting on the two latching elements which each project laterally from the ski boot and are longitudinally displaceable with respect to it.

The latching elements can advantageously be locking rollers respectively rotatably supported on pins. The actuating mechanism itself can be formed by at least one spring element and/or at least one spring damper element. Alternatively, magnetic or electronic mechanisms can also be used which form the actuating mechanism via corresponding sensors, for example pressure sensors.

The adjustable release mechanism is particularly advantageously formed in a heel part of the ski boot which forms a unit with a shell substantially forming the ski boot.

In addition, a front part having a fixing and release rail can form a unit with the shell substantially forming the ski boot.

The at least one actuating mechanism can be adjustable toward two sliders which are mutually displaceable via an adjustment mechanism to set the contact pressure of the locking rollers.

The fixed holding elements fixed to the ski can have two locking links disposed opposite one another with respect to the ski center axis for receiving the latching elements. The locking links are preferably each arranged laterally on a turntable rotatable with respect to the ski.

The fixed holding elements fixed to the ski in accordance with a further preferred embodiment variant of the invention have toe pieces which are configured as a rigid sole clamp which cooperates with the front part having the fixing and release rail.

Furthermore, the toe pieces can each have lateral guide rollers whose axes of rotation are aligned perpendicular to the ski so that a lateral release of the ski boot is assisted here.

The previously described ski binding system can be designed as a ski binding/boot system integrated in a modular fashion. In the previously described embodiment variants, the actuating element formed by way of example as a spring tensioning element is integrated in the heel of the ski boot sole. The ski boot cooperates with the fixed binding element which can advantageously be formed as a binding element plate which includes the toe holding unit and the heel holding unit. This plate including the binding elements can be connected to the ski in a simple manner if the ski has increased regions forming respective undercuts into which the binding plate can be received in a shape-matched manner (cf. in this respect EP 1 674 138 B1 to which reference is made).

The adjustment of the binding release value, i.e. the so-called Z value, can be made directly at the ski boot by the integration of the actuating element preferably configured as a spring tensioning element in the ski boot sole. This results in a considerable advantage since the adaptation of the binding at the ski side which has to be carried at regularly—in particular in the rental sector—is omitted and the respective adjustment can be made individually in the ski boot of the skier.

Furthermore, the binding unit at the ski side is substantially simplified so that the system weight can be considerably reduced. The binding becomes more robust overall due to the simplified and reduced parts and can furthermore be produced less expensively.

The invention finally relates to a ski boot which forms a part of a safety binding system of the aforesaid type, with this ski boot having a ski boot shell in which a heel part having the latching elements and a front part having a fixing and release rail are integrated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment variant of the safety ski binding system10in accordance with the invention is shown inFIGS. 1 to 6. Only the parts necessary for the function are shown here for a better illustration of the safety ski binding system10. InFIG. 1, the fixed binding components fixed to the ski are shown which comprise the toe piece (also called a toe holder unit)12and the heel holder (also called a heel holder unit)14. A ski boot, of which only the sole region16is shown inFIG. 1, engages into the toe piece12and the heel holder14.

It can be seen from the perspective view in accordance withFIG. 1and from the side view in accordance withFIG. 2that the sole region16is not formed as flat on its lower side, but rather regionally has sloped or arched portions18so that the total ski boot is adapted anatomically better to the skier. The shape of the lower side of the ski boot sole is in this respect provided such that the skier can “roll off” better when walking in the ski boots so that even less skilled skiers have maximum movement comfort and a high movement security when walking in the ski boots. The risk of falling and/or of injury—for example when climbing stairs—is therefore considerably reduced.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 to 6, the adjustable release mechanism20of the safety ski binding system10is arranged in the sole region16of the ski boot. As is, for example, shown with respect toFIG. 1, the release mechanism comprises two parallel pressure springs22which act in a manner to be described in more detail in the following on two latching elements24projecting laterally from the ski boot sole16. The latching elements are configured as locking rollers24which are rotatably supported about pins26. The pins26are in turn arranged longitudinally displaceably in corresponding elongate holes28in the sole region16. An adjustment mechanism via which the contact pressure of the latching rollers24can be set is marked by30inFIG. 1. The bind release value (so-called Z value) can be set via this contact pressure.

Instead of the spring mechanism shown here, a spring damping mechanism can also be provided in which an oil damper is additionally installed. Alternatively, a magnetic, electromagnetic or electronically releasable actuating mechanism can also be provided here in which the latching elements24are acted on with the desired holding force via corresponding actuating members and sensors.

As shown inFIG. 1, the release mechanism20is arranged in the region of the heel of the ski boot. The heel part of the sole region16is preferably an integrated part of the total ski boot shell together with the latching elements24.

A front part32which has a correspondingly shaped fixing and release rail34is formed opposite the heel part of the sole region16of the ski boot. The fixing and release rail34in this respect has sloped release surfaces36(cf.FIG. 1andFIG. 2) as well as rounded side edges38(cf.FIG. 1).

The fixing and release rail34formed at the front part32cooperates with the toe piece12. The design of the toe piece12is shown in detail inFIGS. 3 and 4. For an upward release, the toe pieces12, which are otherwise fixedly connected to the ski, not shown in any more detail here, have sloped surfaces40which cooperate with the sloped release surfaces36of the fixing and release rail34(cf.FIG. 1andFIG. 6respectively).

Laterally, the toe pieces12each have guide rollers42whose axes of rotation are aligned perpendicular to the ski, not shown in any more detail here, and thus also to the ski boot sole16. These guide rollers42cooperate with the rounded side edges38of the fixing and release rail34for the lateral release of the ski binding system.

FIG. 5shows a representation of the heel holder14fixedly mounted to the ski as an individual component. This heel holder is arranged on a turntable, not shown in any more detail, with respect to the ski. This means that the heel holder14can rotate about a central axis of rotation relative to the ski.

The heel holder14has two locking links44which are oppositely disposed with respect to the ski center axis and which cooperate with the latching elements24formed as locking rollers. In this respect, the manner of cooperation can be seen fromFIGS. 1 and 6. The locking rollers24are shown in the latched position inFIG. 1. For this purpose, the locking rollers engage into a region46of the locking link44adapted to the outer radius of the locking rollers24. The locking rollers24are held in their latching position via the pressure springs22.

FIG. 6shows the situation on the stepping of the ski boot, i.e. of the sole region16of the ski boot shown here, into the ski binding. For this purpose, the front part32of the ski boot is pushed with its fixing and release rail34beneath the toe pieces12. The locking rollers24of the heel region of the sole region16are placed onto the locking links44of the heel holder14which are correspondingly formed as sloped edges48in the upper region onto which the locking rollers24impact on pressing down the sole region16. On the pressing down of the heel region of the sole region16, the locking rollers24are displaced along the sloped edges48of the locking links44of the heel holder14and are displaced against the force of the pressure springs22along the elongate holes28so that the locking rollers24move into the latching position in accordance withFIG. 1on a further pressing down of the heel region of the sole region16of the ski boot.

As can be seen fromFIG. 6, the toe pieces12and the heel holder14are connected to one another on an assembly plate50. This assembly plate50can, as explained in detail with reference to EP 1 674 138 B1, be connected to a ski, not shown here, in as simple manner. For this purpose, the binding reception plate50is integrated as a bearing part in the central region of the ski in which it is inserted in that it is laterally encompassed in a shape-matched manner by elevated regions of the ski body. A longitudinal displacement with respect to the ski is likewise prevented in a known manner via an additional screw or another securing element.

All release functions can be realized in a simple manner using the new safety ski binding system.

On a lateral release, the ski boot is pressured rearward via the guide rollers42, whereby the pressure springs20are compressed and the boot is guided laterally out of the toe pieces12. In this respect, the turntable allows a largely friction-free and controlled guiding of the boot to the side up to the release of the sole region16.

A forward release takes place by the upward force action of the heel. The locking rollers24are thereby pressed forward by the region46of the locking links and are led upward via the links. As soon as the locking rollers24unlatch from the region46of the locking links, the pressure springs are relaxed and the boot is released from the binding.

On the rearward release, the release mechanism, i.e. the pressure springs22, is compressed by the rearward and upward force action via the locking rollers24. The front part32is thereby pressed upward over the sloped release surface36of the fixing and release rail34along the sloped surface40of the toe pieces12until the ski boot is released.