Patent Publication Number: US-2012025488-A1

Title: Apparatus and method for canting a skier

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional application of a non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/397,228 which claims priority from a provisional application filed Nov. 12, 2005 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CANTING A SKIER, Application No. 60/736,470 which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     To maximize skiing enjoyment, proficiency, and safety, all skiers should have their equipment anatomically adjusted. One of the most critical anatomical adjustments is referred to as “canting”. 
     Canting alters the lateral tilt or “cant angle” at which a boot supports a skier&#39;s foot and lower leg, relative to the longitudinal running surface or bottom plane of an attached ski. Optimizing the cant angle improves skeletal alignment and allows the skier to tilt or “edge” the ski with the least amount of muscular effort. 
     In the 1993 book “The Athletic Skier”, authors Warren Witherell and David Evrard wrote that, “Only when properly canted can our bodies and skis work as efficiently as possible. By tilting or canting our boots, we can precisely control the geometry of our legs and establish an ideal position over our skis. Canting is the final step in the alignment process that makes efficient and balanced skiing possible for all skiers.” 
     Recent changes in equipment design have only magnified the importance of optimizing a skier&#39;s cant angle. Some of these changes include the lateral stiffening of boot shells, the increased elevation or stand-height of binding systems, and the exaggerated sidecut or shape of modern skis. 
     Unfortunately most ski shops still do not offer canting services, therefore, only a small percentage of skiers ever have their cant angle tested or altered. There are numerous reasons for this which will become apparent in the review of prior art. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
     Various prior art exists for altering the cant angle at which a boot supports a skier&#39;s foot and lower leg, relative to the longitudinal running surface or bottom plane of an attached ski. All methods to date have been based on a universal belief that canting must include modifications under both the toe and heel support portions of a boot or binding. 
     The classic method is to mount wedge-shaped shims or “cants” between the top surface of the ski and the under surface of both the toe and heel units of the binding. Some skiers have used strips of tape on both the toe and heel as temporary or test cants, as depicted in “The Athletic Skier”, Chapter 34. 
     Another well-known method for altering the cant angle is to permanently grind or plane the bottom toe and heel sole portions of the boot. 
     A reversible variation of this technique is to use interchangeable “canted soles” as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,078,322 and 4,945,659. 
     Another approach is to utilize a ski boot with an adjustable sole that can pivot along a longitudinal axis as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,901. 
     Each of the above listed approaches suffer from a number of disadvantages: 
     (a) While the classic method of using wedge-shaped shims or “cants” can be effective for altering a skier&#39;s cant angle, it requires a time intensive process of custom mounting or remounting the binding on each pair of the customer&#39;s skis. In most cases, a technician must first cut and drill the appropriate cant shim material to match the shape and screw hole pattern of the particular binding being used. Next, the technician must carefully choose longer length screws to install the binding with the cants to meet International Standard ISO 8364 for screw depth and binding retention forces. If the screws chosen are a little too long, an expensive ski can easily be ruined. If screws are too short, the binding can pull out leading to potential skier injury. Because screw head shapes are often specific to particular binding brands and models, screws must be stocked in a multitude of styles and various lengths. 
     (b) The above procedure also creates a specific left and right ski due to the angular orientation of the cant shims installed. This prevents a skier from reversing his left and right skis out on the hill which is desirable as edges become dull or damaged, especially for performance minded skiers like instructors, patrollers and racers. 
     (c) There is also a growing retail trend towards selling more integrated ski-binding systems. On many of these systems, the binding is not attached to the ski with screws, but by various other means such as sliding the binding onto rails or tracks integrated into the ski construction. In these cases, the classic method of installing cant shims is not possible. 
     (d) An ever increasing number of skiers want to rent skis versus own, or at least “demo” various models before they buy. Due to the time requirement and cost of installing cant shims, canted rentals are simply not practical. Yet proper canting can make the difference between a great skiing experience and never wanting to ski again. 
     (e) Due to the above problems and limitations on installing cant shims, a small percentage of ski shops and skiers prefer to permanently grind or plane the bottom toe and heel sole portions of the boot. This method is known as “sole planing”. Unfortunately, sole planing is often an imprecise operation that requires the use of dangerous machinery by ski shop employees. Because its irreversible, a slight mistake can ruin an expensive pair of boots. It also requires that the boot toe and heel sole portions be built back up to meet International Standard ISO 5355 for boot sole thickness and shape dimensions. 
     (f) The use of interchangeable canted soles, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,078,322 and 4,945,659, requires that a special boot be purchased and that the ski shop stock an assortment of canted soles only useful for the particular boot that supports the feature. Due to the cost of producing interchangeable canted soles, they have only been available in gross cant angle increments of 1 degree or greater. Only a limited number of boot models on the market accept this feature. 
     (g) The production and use of the ski boot design in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,901 with a pivoting adjustable sole has not proven to be practical because of mechanical problems of implementation and the added weight and cost to produce the boot. This patented product is no longer on the market. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Accordingly, a need exists for a simple canting solution to overcome all of the problems of the prior art above. Several objects and advantages of the present invention are: 
     (a) to provide an apparatus and method for canting a skier that is fast and efficient, that doesn&#39;t require the custom mounting or remounting of each pair of skis by a skilled or highly trained technician, or have the potential for damaging the ski, or cause the binding to pull out which could lead to potential injury, nor the need to stock a multitude of screw styles in various lengths to meet International ISO Standards; 
     (b) to provide an apparatus and method for canting a skier that allows the left and right skis and any canting to be reversed or changed out on the hill as desired; 
     (c) to provide an apparatus and method for canting a skier on integrated ski-binding systems; 
     (d) to provide an apparatus and method for canting a skier on rental or “demo” skis, both quickly and cost effectively, to enhance the skier&#39;s experience and increase the desire to continue in the sport; 
     (e) to provide an apparatus and method for canting a skier that is accurate and reversible, and that doesn&#39;t require dangerous grinding or planing of the bottom toe and heel sole portions of the boot, nor any building up of these sole portions to meet any International ISO Standards; 
     (f) to provide an apparatus and method for canting a skier that can be used with any boot and produced cost effectively in cant angle increments finer than 1 degree; and 
     (g) to provide an apparatus and method for canting a skier that is practical, lightweight, inexpensive and widely available. 
     Still further objects and advantages are to provide an apparatus and method for canting a skier that only has to include a modification under the heel support portion of a boot or binding, that is designed to induce a prescribed cant angle prescribed for a particular skier, that can be designed compatible with the majority of bindings and skis on the market, and manufactured cost effectively out of well known materials, in various colors, and with visible labeling in a desired location to identify the cant angle. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A-B  are side views of an embodiment of the invention integrated into a ski binding system; 
         FIGS. 2A-B  and  3 A-B are simplified rear views showing a cutaway of the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1A-B ; 
         FIGS. 4A-B  are cross-sectional views depicting a lock on embodiment of a CAP (Cant Angle Plate); 
         FIGS. 5A-D  are cross-sectional views depicting a replacement embodiment of a CAP; 
         FIGS. 6A-D  are cross-sectional views depicting an adaptor piece for receiving a lock on embodiment of a CAP; 
         FIGS. 7A-B  are cross-sectional views depicting a heel bearing surface having mounting structures that allow connecting an embodiment of a CAP to the heel bearing surface; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view depicting a replacement brake embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIGS. 9A-H  are detailed views of a preferred lock on embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with these embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to any embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. However, the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process operations have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. 
     The inventor has discovered through analysis of current ski binding function, the biomechanics of skiing, and extensive experimental testing of hundreds of skiers, that a skier can be effectively canted by making modifications under only the heel support portion of a boot or binding. This has allowed the design of a novel system of canting that eliminates all of the problems listed above for actual and proposed canting systems. In the following, various embodiments of an apparatus and method for canting a skier are described that are extremely effective in altering the cant angle at which a boot supports a skier&#39;s foot and lower leg, relative to the longitudinal running surface or bottom plane of an attached ski. Optimizing the cant angle improves skeletal alignment and allows the skier to tilt or “edge” the ski with the least amount of muscular effort. 
     Referring now to the drawings where like numerals are used throughout the several views to indicate like or corresponding parts,  FIG. 1A  is an exploded side view of a standard boot, binding and ski and an embodiment of the present invention where the boot is not retained by the binding. In  FIG. 1A , a portion of a ski  14  is depicted having a running surface  16 , which contacts the snow when skiing, and an upper surface  18  on which a binding  20  is mounted. Bindings come in many designs; however  FIG. 1  depicts generic components which are included in most bindings. A detailed description of the function of the components will be provided below. 
     The binding  20  includes a toe unit  22 , a heel unit  24 , and an integrated brake system  26 . All ski and binding systems are required by ski areas to include a leash or integrated brake system  26  which usually comprises a brake compressor plate  28 , a brake arm  30  on either side of the ski, and a brake heel bearing surface  32 . 
       FIG. 1A  also depicts a generic ski boot  40  having an outer shell  42  including an upper cuff  44  for supporting the skier&#39;s lower leg and a lower shell  46  for supporting the skier&#39;s foot. The boot also includes a sole  50  having a boot toe portion  52  that is engaged by the toe unit  22  of the binding and a boot heel portion  54  that is engaged by the heel unit  24  of the binding. 
     Different embodiments of a cant angle plate (CAP)  60  are designed either to mate with a standard heel bearing surface  32 , to replace a standard heel bearing surface  32 , or to mate with a modified heel bearing surface  32 , as described in detail later. 
       FIG. 1B  includes the same components as  FIG. 1A  and depicts the ski boot  40  retained by the binding  20 . The boot toe portion  52  of boot sole  50  is retained by the toe unit  22  of binding  20  and the boot heel portion  54  of boot sole  50  is retained by the heel unit  24  of binding  20 . In this embodiment the lower surface of boot heel portion  54  of boot sole  50  does not directly contact the heel bearing surface  32  of integrated brake system  26 , but instead rests on the upper surface of CAP  60 . 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are simplified cut away rear views of ski boot  40 , CAP  60 , heel bearing surface  32  and ski  14  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  respectively, taken along the view lines  2 A- 2 A and  2 B- 2 B. In  FIGS. 2A-2B , the horizontal cross-sectional thickness of the exemplary CAP  60  decreases from left to right to form a planar upper surface having a normal CAP axis  62  tilted at a tilt angle (t) defined as the angle between a normal ski axis  64  perpendicular to the running surface  16  of the ski and the normal CAP axis  62  perpendicular to the planar upper surface of CAP  60 . The upper surface of CAP  60  also is oriented at tilt angle τ from a horizontal line parallel to running surface  16  of the ski. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2B , because the lower surface of boot heel portion  54  rests directly on the upper surface of CAP  60  and is forced down on heel bearing surface  32  by the retention force of heel unit  24  (not shown), the entire boot  40  is forced to tilt from normal ski axis  64  by the angle τ. 
       FIGS. 3A-B  depict a CAP having a horizontal cross-sectional thickness that decreases from right to left to form a planar upper surface having a normal CAP axis  62  tilted relative to the normal ski axis  64  at an angle of −τ. 
       FIGS. 4-8  illustrate various embodiments of CAP  60  designed to solve problems posed by different industrial designs of the heel bearing surface included in different brands of bindings. Each view is the same as the view of  FIGS. 2A-B  but only the heel bearing surface  32  and CAP  60  are depicted. 
       FIGS. 4-6  illustrate “retrofit” techniques that allow the heel bearing surface  32  of an existing commercially available binding to accept a CAP  60 . Three different embodiments are depicted. 
     In  FIGS. 4A  and B the industrial design of the heel bearing surface  32  is such that its shape allows a lock on CAP  60  to be designed that will lock onto existing features of heel bearing surface  32 . By way of illustration, heel bearing surface  32  depicted in  FIG. 4A  has protrusions which allow CAP  60  to be designed as a female part that will lock onto these protrusions. It is also necessary that the industrial design of the brake or heel unit allows CAP  60  to be locked onto heel bearing surface  32  without interference from other parts of the binding. 
     A detailed description of a preferred lock on embodiment of a CAP, designed for a particular commercial binding, will be described in detail below with reference to  FIGS. 9A-H . 
     In  FIGS. 5A-D  the industrial design of the binding does not facilitate the use of the lock on CAP of  FIG. 4  because other parts interfere; there is no structure to facilitate locking on, or for other reasons.  FIG. 5A  depicts a heel bearing surface  32  having an interior structure  70  including metal parts, for example, and a removable outer structure  72 , which is usually plastic, that has an upper surface on which the heel portion of the ski boot sole rests and which can be easily removed as depicted in  FIG. 5B . 
       FIGS. 5C-D  depict an embodiment of the invention in the form of a replacement CAP  60   r  having an interior portion the same as the removable outer structure  72  so that it may be connected to the interior structure  70 . However, the cross sectional thickness of the upper part of replacement CAP  60   r  varies so that the upper planar surface of replacement CAP  60   r  forms an angle of τ relative to the running surface  16  of the ski (not pictured). 
     In practice, the removal of the standard outer structure  72  and installation of replacement CAP  60   r  is a simple operation that can be performed quickly by ski shop personnel. 
       FIGS. 6A-D  depict a variation of the embodiment of  FIG. 5D  that provides an adaptor part  74  to allow the use of interchangeable lock on CAP  60 . The adaptor part  74  has an interior portion identical to the removable outer structure  72  ( FIG. 5A-B ) so that it can be connected to the interior structure  70  of the heel bearing surface  32 . The outer part of adaptor part  74  includes structure that provides protrusions for a lock on CAP  60  to lock onto. This embodiment also requires that the industrial design of the brake or heel unit does not interfere with the locking-on of lock on CAP  60 . 
       FIGS. 7A-B  depict an embodiment for use with a commercially available integrated ski brake or heel unit having a heel bearing surface that does not have a shape that permits locking-on and is not easily removable. In this embodiment, the heel bearing surface  32  has been modified by the manufacturer or ski shop personnel to include one or more holes or other mounting structures to facilitate mounting a CAP  60 . By way of example, in  FIG. 7A  the heel bearing surface  32  has holes positioned to receive pins protruding from the lower surface of CAP  60  with each pin having a wider tip which locks into a respective hole.  FIG. 7B  depicts a heel bearing surface  32  having holes to accept screws or other means for fastening CAP  60  to heel bearing surface  32 . 
       FIG. 8  depicts a solution useful where a brake heel bearing surface  32  is not removable, for example where it is molded around the brake arms and the industrial design is such that interference prevents the use of a lock on CAP. In this example the manufacturer assembles a brake with a heel bearing surface having an upper surface for providing a tilt of a selected angle τ. The brake can be labeled or packaged with an indication of the tilt angle so the skier may select a brake with a desired tilt angle that can be mounted on the binding. 
     In each embodiment that includes a CAP, a CAP having a τ of 0° can be utilized initially or in the case where the skier does not require any tilt to be properly canted. For example, manufacturers could ship bindings with a 0° CAP  60  attached to an adaptor part  74  ( FIG. 6C ). Furthermore, for all embodiments the thickness of the various parts are designed so that any added step height is within the functional retention range tolerances of the heel unit of the binding. A preferred thickness can also be provided at any lateral point, for example in the center of each CAP, to create a common point of thickness on various angled CAPS. 
       FIGS. 9A-9H  depict a preferred lock on embodiment of CAP  60  designed to lock onto structural features that are part of the industrial design of a common ski brake heel bearing surface  32 , manufactured by Marker®. 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  are left rear perspective views of the lock on CAP  60  exploded above and then locked on the Marker® heel bearing surface  32 .  FIG. 9C  is an exploded left side profile view.  FIG. 9D  is an exploded rear end view. In  FIGS. 9A-9D , the Marker® heel bearing surface  32  is depicted with contour lines indicating the shape of the surface. Furthermore, lock on CAP  60  includes left and right shrouding parts  90  and  92 , left, center and right sections  94 ,  96 , and  98 , and an insertion member  100  (depicted in greater detail in  FIGS. 9G-9H ). The sides of the shrouds  90  and  92  are shaped to fit over complementary shaped sections of the heel bearing surface  32  to affect a secure mechanical lock. The lock is further stabilized by the mating of the insertion piece  100  with an upper opening  102  (seen in  FIGS. 9A and 9D ) of the Marker® heel bearing surface  32 . 
       FIG. 9F  depicts a cross-section rear end view of  FIG. 9E  along view line  9 F of the upper surface of lock on CAP  60  that induces a tilt of 1° to the left. Note that the upper surface of the center section  96  is lower than the upper tilted surfaces of the right and left sections  94  and  98  so that the boot (not shown) is substantially supported by the upper tilted surfaces of the right and left sections  94  and  98 . To create a tilt of 1°, the far right thickness of section  98  is approximately 40/1000 (0.040) of an inch thicker than the far left thickness of section  94 . Also, by supporting the boot substantially on these right and left sections, a wobble caused by a slightly higher center section of the common Marker® heel bearing surface  32  is reduced or eliminated. In this case a 0° CAP  60  would be useful to stabilize the skier even if no cant angle alteration were required. 
     Additionally, the left and right shrouds  90  and  92  and additional center shrouds  104  and  106  (seen in  FIGS. 9E-9H ) prevent snow and debris from building up between the lower surface of the lock on CAP  60  and the Marker® heel bearing surface  32 . This is beneficial because debris or snow buildup with a thickness of even 10/1000 (0.010) of an inch lodged between the heel bearing surface and lower surface of the lock on CAP  60 , for example, could induce an undesirable cant angle change of approximately ¼° or possibly damage the lock on CAP  60  or induce wobble. 
     To better understand the operation and effectiveness of the invention, it is helpful to understand at least basic binding function. Most modern bindings include a toe unit and a heel unit that attach the boot to the ski in two separate places, and that function in different ways to provide effective retention of the boot to the ski for control, and effective release of the boot from the ski in various directions for safety, as in the case of a fall. 
     The toe unit captures or retains the toe portion of the boot sole for control, and provides primarily lateral release in twisting falls and sometimes vertical release in backward falls. Since twisting falls and backward falls can be quite dangerous, a lower retention force is provided in the toe unit to allow these directions of release. Furthermore, mechanical play or elasticity is purposefully designed into the toe unit. The first reason is to accommodate for allowable boot sole shape tolerances and expected wear. Another reason is to enhance release when needed by minimizing or reducing friction between the boot sole and toe unit. Due to the combined affect of the lower retention force and mechanical play or elasticity, the toe unit does not capture or hold the boot down against the ski, relative to the longitudinal running surface, as aggressively as the heel unit. 
     The heel unit captures or retains the heel portion of the boot sole for control, and provides primarily vertical release in forward falls. Due to a skier&#39;s forward momentum and the desire to prevent a premature vertical release while skiing, a much higher retention force is designed into the heel unit. Therefore, it is the heel unit of the binding that most securely holds the boot down against the ski, relative to the longitudinal running surface, with the highest degree of retention force. Thus, the strong downward retention force of the heel unit combined with the mechanical play or elasticity of the toe unit, provide that a cant angle change at only the heel bearing surface of the binding, with no similar cant angle change at the toe bearing surface, is sufficient to alter the cant angle at which a boot supports a skier&#39;s foot and lower leg, relative to the longitudinal running surface or bottom plane of an attached ski. 
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     Accordingly, various embodiments of an apparatus and method for canting a skier have now been described which are compatible with existing binding systems, that can be used to modify existing binding systems, or can be manufactured into existing binding systems by binding manufacturers. All of these embodiments provide a fast, accurate, reversible, safe and inexpensive means to alter a skier&#39;s cant angle, and can be easily applied by any ski shop personnel or by the skier himself. 
     While the above description contains much specificity, this should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention. Many alternatives and substitutions will now be apparent to persons of skill in the art. 
     Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the following appended claims and their legal equivalents, not by the examples given.