Ski Binding Heel Unit

A heel unit apparatus for a ski touring binding features two separate heel pins projecting forwardly from a heel body, and a heel pin blocker engaging the heel pins at an adjustable location within lengthwise mid regions thereof to laterally restrain outward spreading of the heel pins at said location. A blocker adjustment is operable to vary location of the blocker. Rear regions of the heel pins are restrained against longitudinal and lateral displacement. Lateral outward spreading of the heel pins in front of the heel body during both forced insertion of a footwear heel and safety release thereof is achieved by laterally outward flexure of the heel pins themselves. The adjustable location of the blocker varies the resistance to such spreading, thus setting the effective spring stiffness of the heel unit, and thereby dictating the spreading force needed to spread the heel pins apart during footwear insertion and release.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the toe unit of release bindings used in alpine ski touring, also known as “AT bindings”. More particularly, this invention relates to such heel units which engage with the footwear for skiing and support the heel with adjustable risers for ski touring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Alpine touring bindings allow the heel of the user's footwear (such as a ski boot) to be latched to a snow travel aid (such as a ski), for sliding downhill (the “downhill mode”) and allow the heel to be released for walking and climbing (the “touring mode”). Release bindings allow the footwear to release from the snow travel aid when in the downhill mode, in case of a fall. When in the touring mode, the user may climb or walk with a great degree of freedom since the footwear is pivotally engaged with the aid near the toe of the footwear while the heel of the footwear is free to move upward and downward relative to the aid. A historical collection of such bindings can be viewed in the “Virtual Museum of Backcountry Skiing Bindings” at www.wildsnow.com, authored by Louis Dawson.

Alpine touring bindings that take advantage of the fact that modern alpine touring boots have a rigid sole are called “pin bindings”. With pin bindings it is unnecessary to provide a bar, plate or other arrangement connecting the toe and heel units, as is the case with many other alpine touring bindings (see patent publications EP0199098, EP0519243, EP1559457, and AT402020). Unlike other release bindings, lateral release of pin bindings is provided at the heel, not the toe.

Pin binding systems comprises a toe unit which has a set of jaws that pivotally engage a special insert in the footwear sole. The toe unit is mountable at an appropriate location on the upper surface of a snow travel aid. A separate heel unit is mountable at a particular region on the upper surface rearward of the toe unit, the location of which is dictated by the length of the footwear sole. The toe and heel units function independently in retaining the footwear attached to the snow travel aid. The heel unit comprises projections (typically a pair of pins) which extend forward to engage opposite sides of a fitting placed over a cavity in the rear of the footwear heel. Under forward release conditions, the pins are intended to be forced apart against spring pressure to respective release positions to disengage from the fitting and the heel. The pins typically communicate with a spring or springs through inclined sliding surfaces that move a block which engages the spring or springs. The original method of creating the spring pressure for the pins is to embody the two pins in a singular u-shaped spring, examples of which can be seen in EP0199098, DE202015005560, EP3050602 and EP4112140. Bindings of this type that make use of a u-shaped spring will be called “u-spring bindings.” They typically work by having the u-spring handle the forward falling portion of release which retains the footwear heel vertically when skiing, while the lateral or twist release portion of the release is handled by one or more springs that are either horizontally mounted springs (EP0199098 and DE202015005560) or vertically mounted springs (EP3050602 and EP4112140). In both of the aforementioned binding types the springs providing the lateral release biasing action both push on a plunger which slides against a cam surface to provide this biasing action.

U.S. Pat. No. 10,010,782 describes a u-spring type pin binding where the u-spring biases the heel for both the forward falling and the lateral release modes. When twisting the heel unit about a vertical axis, two vertically mounted pins force the u-spring to open, which biases the heel unit towards a central skiing position.

The main advantage of the “u-spring” bindings is that they are mechanically simple, lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture. They are popular with dedicated ski tourers and ski mountaineers who seek to find a binding with the most minimal weight. U-spring bindings have the disadvantages of being set for only a single release value and they are subject to wear since the heel fittings rub the u-spring ends under high load with every engagement and vertical release of footwear for skiing. This results in a binding that is not possible to adjust the release forces to recommended values for based on the skier's size and weight without disassembling the binding, and switching out the u-spring for one with a different opening stiffness. Since many of the skiers who use these bindings are more interested in saving weight than the safety function of the bindings, they typically make this compromise.

U.S. Pat. No. 10,463,946 describes a binding where the u-spring is replaced by two independent pins that are able to rotate about their long axis and are biased against opening under the force of the footwear heel insert by a set of springs. This design allows the release value to be adjusted by means of adjusting the preload of the springs, and it also prevents the wear mentioned above that's associated with the u-spring bindings since the heel pins can rotate when the footwear heel is engaged with the binding, which prevents sliding wear under high load. The disadvantage of this type of binding is that it is much more complex, involves more moving parts, and is significantly heavier than u-spring bindings.

One attempt to make u-spring bindings adjustable has been shown in the KREUZSPITZE GT 2.0 binding (described here https://www.wildsnow.com/33339/kreuzspitze-gt-2-0-binding-a-first-look/), whose mechanism also appears to be present in EP3906980. The heel pin ends that engage with the footwear are cylindrical pins with holes inside them, and a u-spring element whose position can be adjusted fore and aft is inserted into the rear end of each heel pin. This provides a simple u-spring style binding that has adjustable release by way of changing the mechanical advantage of the u-spring by adjusting its position relative to heel pins. The disadvantage of this system is that the heel pins tips need to be retained inside the heel unit so they do not slip fore and aft but can move side to side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Given the above summarized state of the art, one object of the present invention is to make lightweight ski binding heel units release settings easily adjustable.

Another object of the present invention is to make lightweight ski binding heel units heel pins more durable than u-spring bindings.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means of making u-spring bindings designs adjustable and more durable by swapping out the u-spring for two separate heel pins with a means of adjusting an effective spring action of those pins.

Among preferred embodiments of this invention are novel design elements that, alone or in combination may denote, or contribute to, fulfillment of one or more of the foregoing objects of the invention, and in doing so, individually or collectively achieve an improved ski binding heel unit that is simple to manufacture, lightweight, has adjustable release settings, and is more durable that u-spring bindings. In one particularly beneficial embodiment of the present invention, a ski binding heel unit for a pin binding has two independent heel pins that are rotatable along their long axis, and are held at the appropriate width for engaging the footwear heel fitting by a blocking element located at a variable position along the length of the heel pins, which position can be adjusted fore and aft by way of an adjustment, such as an adjustment screw. The rear ends of the heel pins are fixed pivotally to allow rotation along their long axis as well as lateral rotation about a vertical axis, but restrained against longitudinal or lateral displacement. When the heel fitting is forced in-between the two heel pins, the heel pins themselves provide a biasing by each flexing outward at the frontmost heel pin tip, while being laterally restrained at the width of the blocking element. By adjusting the position of the blocking element towards the front of the binding unit, the release value will increase due to the shortening of the flexible front region of the heel pin, denoting a stiffening of the effective spring cooperatively embodied by the two pins. Conversely, if the blocking element is adjusted towards the rear of the heel unit, it softens the heel pin opening force due to the longer flexible front region and the increase in mechanical advantage. The blocking element only prevents the heel pins from opening (spreading) outwardly at the location of the blocking element, without detriment to a freely rotatable character of the pins along their long axes in their passage through the blocking element. The advantageous design is lightweight and simple, yet adjustable and durable. It's possible to utilize an arrangement like this to replace the “u-spring” in heel units that previously utilized such u-springs.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a heel unit apparatus for a ski touring binding, the apparatus comprising:a heel body;two heel pins supported on said heel body in positions projecting forwardly from a front end of said heel body in positions of laterally spaced relation to one another;a heel pin blocker engaging the two heel pins at an adjustable location within lengthwise mid regions of the two heel pins in a manner restraining laterally outward spreading of the heel pins at said location;a blocker adjustment operable to vary said adjustable location at which said blocking element engages the two heel pins; anda rear heel pin restraint by which the two heel pins, at rear regions thereof, are:restrained against longitudinal movement of either of the heel pins; andrestrained against lateral displacement of either of the heel pins;whereby, owing to lateral restraint of the heel pins at both the rear and intermediate regions thereof, laterally outward spreading of the heel pins at a front region thereof situated in front of the heel body during forced insertion of a footwear heel between said heel pins for engagement thereby, and during safety release of the footwear heel therefrom, is achieved by laterally outward flexure of the heel pins themselves somewhere between said adjustable location and front ends of said heel pins.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a heel unit apparatus for a ski touring binding, the apparatus comprising:a heel post;a heel body rotatable about said heel post;two heel pins supported on said heel body in positions projecting forwardly from a front end of said heel body in positions of laterally spaced relation to one another;a heel pin blocker engaging the two heel pins at an adjustable location within lengthwise mid regions of the two heel pins in a manner restraining laterally outward spreading of the heel pins at said location;a blocker adjustment operable to vary said adjustable location at which said blocking element engages the two heel pins to adjust an effective spring stiffness of said two heel pins;a set of contacts supported on the heel post in static relation thereto in positions that reside between the two heel pins and impart and outward spreading action thereto under rotation of the heel body in either direction out of a centered position in which the heel pins point longitudinally forward;whereby the effective spring stiffness imparted to the two heel pins according to the adjustable location of the blocker controls both a forward falling release force required to spread the heel pins apart in the centered position, and a lateral release force required to rotate the heel body out of the centered position.

The above and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed description presented in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the exemplary structural details and component arrangements described in this description and shown in the accompanying drawings. Many aspects of this disclosure may be applicable to other aspects and/or capable of being practiced or carried out in various variants of use, including the examples described herein.

Throughout the written descriptions, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons of ordinary skill in the art. For convenience and ease of description, some well-known elements may be described conceptually to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the focus of this disclosure. In this regard, the written descriptions and accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative rather than restrictive, enabling rather than limiting.

FIG.1shows the prior art use of a singular u-spring10whose two symmetrical halves embody two heel pins12in a manner utilized in lightweight pin binding heel units for many years. The two ends14of the u-spring10engage with the footwear heel fitting16shown inFIG.2, and in order for the fitting16to engage the u-spring10, the fitting must be forced downwards to bring the wedge defined by the two upwardly divergent entry ramps18of the footwear heel fitting16into contact with the u-spring heel pins12, which allows the downward force exerted on the pins by the fitting16to flex the two pins12of the u-spring10away from one another. This permits the wide top end of the wedge of the heel fitting16to pass fully between the two pins12so that the two pins ride past this widest point at the top ends of the entry ramps18and into a pair of engagement notches20situated above the entry ramps18and beneath a head22of the fitting16. In this engaged state of the heel pins12with the notches20of the heel fitting16of the footwear, the footwear heel is supported for skiing, and cannot move up or down unless a sufficient upward force is generated which allows the heel fitting3to flex the heel pins12apart and disengage from the notches20of the footwear heel fitting16, allowing the footwear heel fitting to decouple from the u-spring10. This disengagement most commonly occurs when the user falls forward and the disengagement is desirable to prevent injuries.

FIG.3shows an exploded view of the inventive heel unit24according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which exploded view reveals all component parts for this embodiment. In this heel unit24, the traditional u-spring10is replaced with two separate flexible heel pins26of elongated linear shape and circular cross-section, a blocker28, a blocker adjustment screw30and a pair of rear pivots32.FIG.4shows the fully assembled binding in a perspective view. Similar to the integrally joined heel pins12of the prior art u-spring10the flexible separate heel pins26of the inventive heel unit24can be forced open in wedged fashion by the footwear heel fitting16to engage the binding, but the force required to spread the heel pins26is adjustable, and not fixed as it is in a traditional u-spring10implementation.FIGS.5&6show how the heel fitting16can be forced in-between protruding front regions26A of the heel pins26from above to make these protruding front regions26A of the heel pins26spread further apart from one another. Once the wide top end of the wedge of the heel fitting16is forced downwards just past the point shown inFIG.5, the temporarily flexed apart front regions26A of the heel pins26will close or relax back toward one another and settle in the engagement notches20of the heel fitting16. The blocker28resists the outward spreading of the heel pins26at an adjustable position along lengthwise mid regions26B thereof, while the rear pivots32resist laterally inward movement of the heel pins26at rear regions26C thereof near the terminal rear ends of heel pins5. When the position of the blocker28is shifted towards the rear of the heel unit24with the blocker adjustment screw30, the spreading force required to flex the front regions26A of the heel pins26further apart from one another is reduced, and conversely if the blocking element28is positioned further forward, then the amount of required spreading force is increased.

In known fashion, the inventive heel unit24features a chassis34for flush placement atop a ski100and fastening of the heel unit hereto via mounting screws36tightenable through suitably located fastening holes of the chassis34. A static heel post38stands vertically upright from the chassis34to accommodate mounting thereover of a heel body40that can be rotatably adjusted about a vertical axis of the heel post38. Referring toFIG.7for directional reference, a longitudinal midline axis42of the ski100defines a longitudinal directionality, in which the terms front/fore and rear/aft are used herein to differentiate longitudinally opposing directions, and which longitudinal directionality also corresponds to the forward travel direction of the ski during use thereof. A directionality of perpendicularly transverse relation to the longitudinal directionality is referred to herein as a lateral directionality, in which the term inner and outer may be used to differentiate between relatively near and far lateral proximity to the longitudinal midline axis42. Component geometry and relative component positions of the heel unit24is described herein in relation to the downhill mode of the heel unit24in which it is illustrated. In this downhill mode, the components are suitably positioned and oriented for engagement of the heel pins26with the heel fitting16of the ski boot or other similarly equipped footwear.

The heel body40has a lower front cylindrical hub44characterized by an internal cylindrical bore of downwardly open character by which the heel body is rotatably mountable over the heel post38. A tail46of the heel body40radiates unidirectionally from the hub44in the rearward longitudinal direction. Situated atop the hub44and across from the tail46is a head48of the heel body40that spans laterally across the heel body40in tangential relation to the cylindrical shape of the hub44. Laterally opposing sides of the head48are characterized by respective notches50of laterally open character, each of which cradles a respective one of the heel pins26. From each notch50, the front region26A of the respective heel pin26projects forwardly past the head50to overhang from the front end of the heel body40in exposed fashion engageable by the footwear heel fitting16. Also atop the hub44, at a position diametrically across the from the head50and above the tail46, the heel body40features a pivot lug52penetrated by a threaded longitudinal pivot bore52A that aligns with a blind hole in rear face of the head48to accommodate cooperative support of a heel lift pivot54in the pivot bore52A and aligned hole in the rear of the head48. The heel lift pivot54thus spans longitudinally and diametrically across the hub44in elevated relation thereover. An externally threaded pivot retainer54A is engaged in the threaded pivot bore52A behind the heel lift pivot54to capture the heel pivot54in its installed position, thereby locking it to the heel body40. A pair of heel lifts56are pivotally supported on the heel lift pivot54for pivotal movement thereabout. In touring mode, when the heel body is rotated 90-degrees from its illustrated downhill mode position, one or both heel lifts56can be situated in working positions overhanging forwardly from the heel post38(at the front position that is occupied by the overhanging front regions26A of the heel pins26in the illustrated downhill mode). Here, the heel lifts56can be used by the skier to support the bottom of the footwear heel while climbing slopes. If not needed, one or both heel lifts can be flipped to a reversed non-working position to the rear of the heel post38, thus out the way of the skier's footwear.

Restraint of the rear regions26C of the heel pins26is achieved by the rear pivots32and a heel cap58that are cooperatively installed atop a rear mount60of the heel body40that resides at or near a rear end of the tail46furthest from the hub44. The vertically oriented rear pivots32are threaded downwardly into threaded holes in the rear mount60through matching holes in the heel cap58, whereby the rear pivots32perform double duty to both fasten the heel cap58in place and serve as bearing surfaces that restrain the rear regions of the heel pins26against laterally inward displacement. The rear mount60and the heel cap58fastened thereto cooperatively form a pair of pin-receiving channels, each of which houses the rear region26C of a respective one of the heel pins26. The rear region26C of each heel pin26is thereby vertically bound between the heel cap58and the underlying rear mount60, and horizontally bound between an outer side of the channel (e.g. embodied by a downturned outer wall of the heel cap58in the illustrated example, or alternatively by an upturned outer wall of the rear mount60in an unillustrated variant) and the respective rear pivot32that resides at an opposing inner side of the channel. The rear pivots32and the cooperating heel cap58and rear mount60thus collectively form a rear heel pin restraint by which the rear regions26C of the heel pins26are restrained against longitudinal, lateral and vertical displacement.

The rear region26C of each heel pin26of the illustrated embodiment is characterized by a circumferential groove62of concavely rounded character, which groove is matched to the respective rear pivot32, which in this embodiment is a pivot pin whose cylindrical profile has an outer arc thereof received in the rounded groove so that the rear pivot32restricts longitudinal movement of the heel pin5in the forward and rearward directions, but allows the heel pin26to spin about its longitudinal axis. As revealed inFIG.6A, the outer channel walls of the heel cap58have rounded protuberances at the inner surfaces thereof that likewise mate with the rounded grooves62of the heel pins at positions diametrically across from the respective rear pivots in contribution to the restrained yet rotatable state of the two heel pins26. Fitted over the heel pins26, the heel cap58also restrains the rear ends of heel pins26in the vertical direction, blocking lifting thereof from off the rear mount60and out of the grooved engagement with the rear pivots32. The rotatability of the heel pins26allows heel pins26to have a much longer service life than traditional u-spring bindings, since the heel pins26can roll about their axes when engaged by the heel fitting16, as opposed to a non-rolling higher-friction sliding interface that would occur with a rotationally fixed u-spring10of the conventional prior art.

The heel pin blocker28lies laterally across the tail46of the heel body40at a position elevated thereover between the rear mount60and the pivot lug52, and has a threaded center bore28A penetrating longitudinally therethrough, and two pin channels28B penetrating longitudinally therethrough on respective sides of the center bore28A. The blocker adjustment screw30engages into the threaded center bore28A of the heel pin blocker28through a rear center opening delimited between the heel cap58and rear mount60at a position between the two pin-receiving channels. An actuation head30A of the adjustment screw30projects through, or is at least accessible in, the rear center opening, and a threaded shaft30B of the adjustment screw30spans forwardly from the head30A to the pivot lug52and has its threads engaged with those of the threaded center bore28A of the heel pin blocker. User rotation of the adjustment screw30is operable to longitudinally advance and retreat the heel pin blocker28along the threaded shaft30B of the adjustment screw30in the confined space between the pivot lug52and the heel cap58, thereby adjusting the particular location along the heel pins26at which the heel pin blocker28encompasses the heel pins26and restrains the same against laterally outward deflection at an outside wall of each pin channel28B. As best shown inFIG.6A, each pin channel28B is wider than the diameter of the heel pin26passing through the channel, thus leaving clearance space between the heel pin26an inner side of the channel, which accommodates laterally inward bowing of the mid regions26B of heels pins at the blocker28during laterally outward spread of the front regions26A of the heel pins. The closer the heel pin blocker28resides to the rear heel pin restraint32,58,60, the less resistance the heel pins26have to outward flexure at front regions26A that project forwardly from the head48of the heel body in overhanging fashion at the front end of the heel unit24. The further the heel pin blocker28resides from the rear heel pin restraint32,58,60, and thus the closer the heel pin blocker28resides to the pivot lug52, hub44and heel post38, the greater resistance the heel pins26have to outward flexure thereof at the projecting front regions26A. The partial length of the heel pin26throughout which the heel pin blocker28is adjustable in position is referred to herein as a mid region26B thereof, in that it is located intermediately of the projecting front region28A and the grooved rear region28C in the longitudinal direction.

In alternative to inclusion of a circumferential groove62in each heel pin26at the captured rear region26C thereof to cooperate with a respective cylindrical rear pivot32in a manner blocking longitudinal displacement of the pin26while allowing rotation thereof via receipt of the cylindrical pivot profile in the rounded concavity of the groove62, a variant of the illustrated embodiment could instead embody a spherical ball at the rear end of the heel pin26cooperating with a spherical socket inside the respective channel of the rear mount60and heel cap58, in similar fashion to such ball tipped pins seen in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 10,463,946. The heel pin5diameter can also be varied along its length, as variation in the pin diameter will affect the spring characteristics of the pin and vary the degree of adjustment of that occurs during graduated advancement and retraction of the blocker back and forth along the pins. Pins with differential variable profiles can also be offered to provide different spreading force characteristics that allow different ranges of release values for skiers of different sizes. In this way we can turn a typical u-spring binding that's not adjustable or durable into a binding where the user doesn't have to make these compromises with adding very little weight by not requiring a coil spring.

A lateral release mechanism that's well known in the prior art can be implemented, and utilizes a lateral release spring64, a lateral release plunger66and a lateral release adjuster68, by which the heel pins26are biased, in the manner described in more detail below, towards a central position pointing forwardly and lying symmetrically of the ski's longitudinal midline axis42. In this embodiment, the heel pins26themselves can resist loads in the lateral direction that arise from the skier twisting their leg about a vertical axis, and thus don't spread under such action, and it is the lateral release spring64that will instead give way under such instances. The lateral release components64,66,68are housed in the heel body40, which as previously mentioned, is able to rotate about a vertical axis defined by the heel post38. More particularly, in order of proximity to the heel post38, the lateral release plunger66, the lateral release spring64and the lateral release adjuster68are cooperatively installed within a longitudinally oriented internal bore of the tail46of the heel body40, a front end of which bore opens horizontally into the vertically oriented internal bore of the hub44. The heel body40is restrained vertically to the heel post38by a top hat spacer70and a heel body screw72. A crown of the top hat spacer70is rotationally locked into the heel body40at the ceiling of the hub's internal bore, and the rim of the top hot spacer slides against a ceiling of a hollow interior of the post38so that the heel body screw13will not loosen. The heel post38has three detents of rounded camming profile in its periphery, situated at ninety degrees to one another around the vertical heel post axis, with one detent at the rear and two slots at laterally opposing sides. Spring biased engagement of the lateral release plunger66in the rear detent of the heel post38holds the heel body40in the illustrated downhill mode position, with the heel pins26protruding forwardly from the heel post38in a centered position. Lateral release adjuster68is threaded in the longitudinal bore of the tail46of the heel body40, whereby rotation of the adjuster68is operable to adjust the pre-compression of the lateral release spring64, and thereby control the lateral release force by which the heel body40is biased to the centered position by the cooperatively camming profiles of the post's rear detent and the mating plunger66.

As mentioned above, the rear detent in the heel post38is accompanied by two side detents situated at ninety degrees from the rear detent, from which it will be appreciated that this embodiment is switchable to the touring mode by rotating the heel body40from its longitudinally oriented downhill mode position parallel to the longitudinal travel direction, as shown in the drawings, to either one of two possible touring mode positions each oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal travel direction. In either touring mode position, the plunger66is relocated to one of the side detents in the heel post38, in which the spring biased plunger66achieves a relatively stable static or solid position. In such touring mode positions, the heel pins26point laterally outward from the heel post38at one side thereof instead of pointing forwardly therefrom, and one or both heel lifts56can be positioned about the heel lift pivot54into the working position at the front of the heel post38for optional use to support the bottom of the footwear heel while climbing slopes.

The chassis34of the heel post38can be mounted directly to a ski by the mounting screws36, or indirectly into an adjustment plate to allow the heel unit position to be adjustable fore and aft of the ski100to fit different size footwear. It should be noted that the arrangement of components26,28and30could be used with a binding of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 10,010,782, and instead of the heel pins26just biasing the forward falling release force, with separate reliance made on lateral release spring64to bias the lateral release force, the heel pins26could instead be reconfigured in a manner responsible for biasing both the forward falling and lateral release forces, in similar fashion to how the binding of U.S. Pat. No. 10,010,782 uses its u-spring10to control lateral release. This would be a significant improvement over the prior art, since it would have a single adjustment screw30for both release modes. This would mean that binding setup would be extremely quick, release loads would be appropriate for every user, and the heel pins26would be much more durable than a u-spring binding.

One possible implementation of such an alternate embodiment of the heel unit24′ is schematically illustrated inFIGS.8and8A, where the lateral release spring64and associated plunger66and adjuster68are rendered unnecessary and thus omitted. In this embodiment, four contact pins74stand vertically upright from the heel post38in static positions thereon and are tall enough to reach the elevation of the two heel pins26in the lateral space between the two heel pins above the heel post38. The four contact pins74are arranged in two pairs, each pair residing on respective side of the longitudinal midline axis42in symmetric relation to the other pair, in positions such that each pair resides closely adjacent, or even abutting, relationship to the inner side of a respective one of the heel pins when the heel pins are in the illustrated centered position pointing longitudinally of the ski in symmetric relationship to one another on opposing sides of the longitudinal midline axis. Under rotation of the heel body40in either direction out of this centered position, a diagonally opposing two of the contact pins force laterally outward spread of the two heel pins26further away from one another in front of the blocker that prohibits such spread at the blocker's location further back on the heel pins. In this embodiment, the rotation of the heel body40from the centered position in a lateral release scenario is thus resisted by the effective spring stiffness (i.e. flexure resistance) of the heel pins26, whose particular value is variable through adjustment of the blocker position. In this embodiment, if the lateral release spring64and associated plunger66and adjuster68are omitted, the adjustment screw30of the blocker28is therefore operable to adjust both the forward falling release force and the lateral release force. While the illustrated example uses four discretely separate contact pins74to form the contact surfaces against which heel pins ride during rotation of the heel body out of the centered position to force the spreading of the heel pins26, these four contact surfaces may be embodied in any quantity of one or more contact bodies, whether pin-shaped or otherwise, and so general reference to a set of contacts can refer to a plurality of separate contact bodies (e.g. pins) each embodying one such contact, or as few as a singular contact bodies, of which differently positioned and oriented surfaces or features embody this plural set of contacts.

While principles of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to illustrative aspects for particular applications, the disclosure is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, aspects, and substitution of equivalents all fall in the scope of the aspects described herein. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description.