Patent Publication Number: US-2023140901-A1

Title: Skibinding, in particular touring skibinding

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a skibinding, in particular a touring skibinding, according to claim  1 , an arrangement comprising a ski binding and a ski boot according to claim  14 . 
     STATE OF THE ART 
     Touring skibindings are known from the state of the art. For an ascent, the touring skibinding can be adjusted in such a way that the skiboot is only connected to the touring skibinding at the toe of the boot. The heel can be moved freely with respect to the surface of the ski. For a descent, the heel is on the other hand fixed. 
     A touring skibinding has become known from DE 202 08 913 U1, which is intended to enable natural rolling during ascent. For this purpose, the touring skibinding has a stand plate. The stand plate is connected at the front to a first hinge. The hinge is connected to a plate, which in turn is connected to a support element by another hinge. The support element is located below the stand plate. Due to this design, the movement sequence of walking is interrupted when the pivoting movement around the further hinge has taken place and the plate stands up on the ski and then the pivoting movement around the first hinge begins. 
     Furthermore, there is the disadvantage that the technical implementation leads to a mechanism that reproduces an inaccurate, slackly behavior and is also very error-prone. 
     Presentation of the Invention 
     Based on this prior art, the task of the invention is providing a skibinding, in particular a touring skibinding, which enables an improved motion sequence during the ascent. The object of claim  1  solves this problem. Accordingly, a skibinding, in particular a touring skibinding, comprises a support element which can be fastened to the ski, a bearing element with a skiboot reception which is designed in such a way that the skiboot can be mounted or is mounted in the skiboot reception such that it can pivot about a first pivot axis with respect to the skiboot reception, and a convex supporting surface on which the skiboot can roll. The bearing element is connected to the support element pivotably about a second pivot axis from an initial state to a pivoted state. The skiboot is movable from a standing state, in which the skiboot stands on the convex supporting surface, into a pulling state, in which the skiboot is at least partially lifted from the convex supporting surface. Starting from the standing state, the skiboot can be moved on the convex supporting surface in the direction of the pulling state in such a way that the skiboot rolls on the convex supporting surface. A pivoting movement of the skiboot about the first pivot axis and of the bearing element about the second pivot axis is effected simultaneously with the rolling process. 
     The arrangement of the two pivot axes and the convex supporting surface has the advantage that the skiboot can be guided in a very ergonomic motion sequence. This motion sequence preferably further approximates, even with a rigid skiboot, the natural barefoot walking that humans prefer. In particular, a dynamic and fluid movement, especially also of the skier&#39;s entire body, can be achieved, which can be executed without interruption of movement. This sequence corresponds more to normal walking with a fluid movement of the upper body. In prior art binding concepts, the foot usually has to be put down each time when climbing a hill or walking on level ground before the weight can be shifted and the next step can be taken. This leads to a rather jerky or stop-and-go movement of the skier. Rolling according to the invention allows the hips and upper body to move with far less deceleration and acceleration, and thus to move more fluidly and thus with less effort. Thus, besides the muscular loads, the loads on the skier&#39;s joints and ligaments are also noticeably reduced. 
     As mentioned, the skier moves the skiboot from the standing state to the pulling state. The standing state is the state in which the skier stands firmly on the ski. If a climbing aid is optionally used, an additional distance between the heel and the ski can be created in the standing state, with the front part of the skiboot still resting on the supporting surface. The roll process is then shortened compared to the roll process without a climbing aid, whereby the movements of the pivot axes take place analogously. The pulling state is the state in which the skier pulls the ski forward in order to initiate the next step with the ski. In the pulling state, the ski is pulled while hanging on the boot. In the pulling state, the skiboot is lifted at the heel at least partially from the convex supporting surface. At least partially lifted means that the skiboot is partially or completely lifted from the convex supporting surface. 
     A convex supporting surface is a supporting surface which is designed in such a way that a roll process can be provided. Preferably, the convex supporting surface is convexly curved with a radius of curvature about an axis of curvature. The axis of curvature runs parallel to the said pivot axes. 
     Preferably, the movement of the skiboot from the initial state into the pulling state is guided exclusively via the convex supporting surface and the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis. If the skiboot is completely lifted from the convex supporting surface, the movement is guided exclusively via the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis. 
     When the skiboot moves in the direction of the pulling state, the skiboot, as mentioned, performs a pivoting movement about the first pivot axis and the bearing element performs a pivoting movement about the second pivot axis. In the process, the skiboot reception is pivoted with the first pivot axis downward with respect to the second pivot axis toward the support element or the ski. The movement in the direction of the pulling state is thus such that the tip of the skiboot is moved downward toward the ski. 
     Preferably, the pivot movement about the first pivot axis is in a different pivot direction than the pivot movement about the second pivot axis. 
     Preferably, the second pivot axis is located on the support element in such a way that its distance from the ski on which the support element is mounted is fixed. 
     When the skiboot moves into the pulling state, the bearing element, after an intermediate state is reached, is fixedly abutted on the support element in its pivoted state in a first phase of the movement between intermediate state and pulling state and is pivoted back to its initial state in a second phase of said movement. In other words, the bearing element is fixedly abutted on the support element in the intermediate state and is then pivoted away from the support element again during the further movement of the skiboot into the pulling state. 
     Preferably, the first pivot axis runs parallel to the second pivot axis and the first pivot axis can be pivoted about the second pivot axis. Thereby, the position of the second pivot axis is fixed with respect to the support element or the ski. Preferably, the maximum pivot angle of the first pivot axis about the second pivot axis is in the range of 10° to 35°, in particular in the range of 20° to 30°. In other words, the first pivot axis can be pivoted around the second pivot axis by this maximum pivot angle. Preferably, the first pivot axis lowers in the direction of the ski during the movement sequence of a step. 
     Preferably, the maximum pivot angle of the skiboot about the first pivot axis is larger than the maximum pivot angle of the first pivot axis about the second pivot axis. 
     The first and/or second pivot axis may be provided by a physical axle in the form of a cylinder. Alternatively, the first and/or the second pivot axis can also be generated by a bendable or flexible element such as a spring plate, a rubber part or a webbing. In this case, the movability can also result approximately like a fixed axle of rotation. 
     Preferably, the two pivot axes remain parallel to each other during the entire movement from the standing state to the initial state. 
     Preferably, the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis span a reference plane in the standing state. The first pivot axis is moved away from this reference plane and moved back towards this reference plane before reaching the pulling state. In other words, when moving from the standing state to the pulling state, the first pivot axis is deflected out of the reference plane and then moved back in the direction of the reference plane. 
     The reference plane is substantially parallel to a mounting surface of the support element with which the support element is mountable on the surface of a ski. In the mounted state, the reference plane is preferably substantially parallel to the surface of the ski on which the skibinding is mounted on the ski. When a climbing aid is used, the reference plane runs at an angle to the mounting surface or the surface of the ski, respectively. 
     Preferably, the first pivot axis provides an articulated joint between the skiboot and the skiboot reception. 
     Preferably, when climbing, in the standing state position a climbing aid can support the heel elevated relative to the ski. 
     Preferably, the first pivot axis is located between the second pivot axis and the skiboot. 
     Preferably, both pivot axes move simultaneously in such a way that the point of contact between the skiboot and the supporting surface is without sliding movement and thus without friction wear. In other words, the skiboot rolls on the supporting surface in the sense of a rolling movement without any sliding movement between the skiboot and the supporting surface. 
     Preferably, the skibinding further comprises a locking element with which the bearing element can be locked to the support element, so that pivoting between the bearing element and the support element is made impossible. Accordingly, the skiboot cannot be moved into the pulling state. The locking device allows the skibinding to be fixed for downhill runs so that the tip and heel of the skiboot are rigidly fixed. 
     Preferably, the locking element is provided by an opening in the support element, an opening in the bearing element, and a locking pin insertable into the openings, wherein when the locking pin is inserted, the bearing element is locked to the support element. The ski tourer can lock the skibinding with a very simple element for the descent. Alternatively, this can also be done by a frictionally engaged or form-fitted element such as a clamping device or a blocking element. 
     Preferably, the support element has a base plate from which two spaced bearing blocks project. The bearing blocks have the bearing sites for the pivotable mounting of the bearing element relative to the support element. The bearing element extends between the two bearing blocks. 
     Preferably, the base plate has a mounting surface on its underside with which the support element can be mounted on the surface of a ski. 
     Preferably, the base plate has a plurality of mounting holes. The mounting holes are used to accommodate mounting screws with which the support element can be fixedly connected to a ski. 
     Preferably, the bearing blocks extend away from a top surface of the base plate and are located on two opposite side edges of the base plate. 
     Preferably, each of the bearing blocks has a bearing opening. A bearing bolt extends through the bearing openings. The bearing element is mounted on said bearing bolt. The bearing bolt defines the second pivot axis. 
     Preferably, the bearing bolt is firmly connected to the bearing element. The bearing bolt and the bearing openings form a plain bearing, whereby the bearing bolt can be pivoted accordingly in the plain bearing. Alternatively, the bearing bolt is fixedly mounted in the opening and the bearing element is designed to pivot relative to the bearing bolt. 
     Preferably, the skiboot reception is outside the space between the two bearing blocks in any state. 
     Preferably, the support element has a first support element side stop surface and a second support element side stop surface. The bearing element has a first bearing element side stop surface and a second support element side stop surface, wherein in the initial state the first bearing element side stop surface abuts the first support element side stop surface and wherein in the pivoted state the second bearing element side stop surface abuts the second support element side stop surface. 
     In one variant, the convex supporting surface is provided by a convex upper side of a bottom plate. In another variant, the convex supporting surface is provided by a convex underside of the skiboot. In another variant, the convex supporting surface is provided by a convex upper side of the bottom plate and by a convex underside of the skiboot. The convexity can also be provided approximated, for example, by a step contour. In another variation, the sole of the skiboot and the surface of the bottom plate may each have a contour, with the two contours interlocking. In this variation, the contour can provide the convexity. The contour can further increase lateral stability for the skiboot. 
     Preferably, the bottom plate is mounted on the surface of the ski. Preferably, the bottom plate is matched in contour and height to other elements of the skibinding. The contour and height of the bottom plate can also be designed to match the convexity of the skiboot. The bottom plate can also be designed to be fixed or integrated to the ski. The bottom plate can also be flat if the underside of the skiboot is convex. 
     The bottom plate is preferably formed separately from the support element. However, the bottom plate can also be an integral part of the support element. 
     Preferably, the bearing element has two bearing sections, which bearing sections extend radially away from the second pivot axis, the bearing sections being spaced apart from each other such that a space is created between the bearing sections into which the skiboot can project and wherein the skiboot reception is provided at the free end of the bearing sections. Preferably, each free end has a pin which can engage in a corresponding bearing site on the skiboot. 
     Preferably, the two bearing sections are firmly coupled to each other mechanically. The coupling is such that the two bearing sections run parallel to each other during the movement into the pulling state. 
     The pins project from the free end of the bearing sections. The two pins are arranged collinearly to each other and define the first pivot axis. 
     Preferably, the free end of the bearing sections is designed as a pivot arm with a joint, which pivot arm can be pivoted relative to the bearing section. The pivot arm is preferably designed in such a way that it is locked in a normal position and releases the shoe in the event of a safety opening in the event of a fall or other overload. 
     Preferably, the skibinding further comprises a heel locking element arranged in the direction of travel of the ski behind the support element. With the heel locking element, the rear area of the skiboot can be locked to the ski. 
     An arrangement includes a skiboot and a skibinding as described above, the tip of the skiboot having a bearing site for pivotal connection to the skiboot reception. 
     Preferably, the bearing site at the tip of the skiboot has a receptacle for receiving said pin, which is arranged at the skiboot reception. 
     Further, the arrangement may comprise a ski, wherein the skibinding is attached to the ski by the support element. By the expression ski may be meant an alpine ski, a touring ski, a cross-country ski, a telemark ski, or a ski part of a snowboard of divisible design. 
     Further embodiments are provided in the dependent claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the figures, which are for explanatory purposes only and are not to be construed restrictively. Shown in the figures: 
         FIG.  1   a    a perspective view of a touring skibinding according to one embodiment of the present invention in the standing state; 
         FIG.  1   b    a side view of the  FIG.  1     a;    
         FIG.  2   a    a perspective view of a touring skibinding according to  FIG.  1    during movement from the standing state to a pulling state; 
         FIG.  2   b    a side view of the  FIG.  2     a;    
         FIG.  3   a    a perspective view of a touring skibinding according to  FIG.  1    during movement from the standing state to a pulling state; 
         FIG.  3   b    a side view of the  FIG.  3     a;    
         FIG.  4   a    a perspective view of a touring skibinding according to the figure during movement from the standing state to a pulling state; 
         FIG.  4   b    a side view of the  FIG.  4     a;    
         FIG.  5   a    a perspective view of a touring skibinding according to  FIG.  1    in a pulling state; and 
         FIG.  5   b    a side view of the  FIG.  5     a.    
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the Figures, a skibinding  1  is shown. The skibinding is preferably a touring skibinding, an alpine ski binding, a telemark ski binding or a cross-country ski binding or a binding for a divisible snowboard. 
     The skibinding  1  comprises a support element  2  which can be attached to the ski, a bearing element  3  with a skiboot reception  4  which is designed in such a way that the skiboot  5  is mounted in the skiboot reception  4  so as to be pivotable about a first pivot axis S 1  with respect to the skiboot reception  4 , and a convex supporting surface  6  on which the skiboot  5  can roll. The bearing element  3  is pivotably connected to the support element  2  via a second pivot axis S 2 . 
     The support element  2  has a base plate  10 . Two spaced bearing blocks  11  project from the top of the base plate  10 . The underside of the base plate is a mounting surface  27  which rests on the upper surface of a ski not shown in the figures. The mounting surface is thus parallel to the surface of the ski. The base plate  10  includes a plurality of bearing openings  12  through which the support element  2  can be secured to the ski. The bearing blocks  11  provide the bearing sites for the pivotable mounting of the bearing element  3 . 
     The bearing element  3  can be pivoted relative to the support element  2 . The bearing element  3  is partially located between the two bearing blocks  11 . Each of the bearing blocks  11  has a bearing opening  12 . The bearing openings  12  are thereby arranged in alignment with one another. A bearing bolt  13  extends through the two bearing openings  12  and the space between the two bearing blocks  11 . The bearing element  3  is mounted on the bearing bolt  13 . The bearing bolt  13  defines the second pivot axis S 2 . In one variant, the bearing bolt  13  is pivotably mounted in the bearing openings  12  and the bearing element  3  is fixedly connected to the bearing bolt  13 . In another variant, the bearing bolt  13  is fixedly mounted in the bearing openings  12  and the bearing element  3  has an opening through which the bearing bolt extends in such a way that the bearing element  3  can be pivoted to the bearing bolt  13 . 
     The bearing element  3  is connected to the support element  2  so that it can be pivoted about the second pivot axis S 2  from an initial state to a pivoted state. The skiboot reception  4  lies outside the space between the two bearing blocks  11 . 
     As previously explained, the bearing element  3  is formed with a skiboot reception  4 . In the embodiment shown, the bearing element  3  has two bearing sections  24 , which bearing sections  24  extend radially to the second pivot axis S 2 . In the embodiment shown, the two bearing sections  24  extend away from the bearing bolt  13 . The two bearing sections  24  are spaced apart, such that a space is created between the bearing sections  24 . The skiboot  5  can project into this intermediate space. Further, the skiboot reception  4  is located at the free end of the bearing sections  24 . In the embodiment shown, the skiboot reception  4  has a pin  25  on each of the bearing sections  24 , which projects into the intermediate space between the two bearing sections  24 . The two pins  25  extend along the same axis and engage bearing sites  23  on the skiboot  5 . The pins  25  and the engagement in the bearing sites  23  thereby define the first pivot axis S 1 . The bearing section  24  further comprises a joint  26 , the free end being pivotable about the joint  26  so that the pin  25  can engage the bearing sites on the skiboot  5  via the joint  26 . Preferably, the joint  26  and/or the bearing section  24  is blocked for movement from the standing state to the pulling state so that the skibinding cannot open. 
     The convex supporting surface  6  on which the skiboot  5  can roll is provided in the embodiment shown by a bottom plate  20  with a convex upper side  19  and by a convex underside  21  of the skiboot  5 . The skiboot  5  can roll on the convex supporting surface  6 . 
     The first pivot axis S 1  runs parallel to the second pivot axis S 2  and the first pivot axis S 1  can be pivoted by a pivot angle cc about the second pivot axis S 2 . The maximum pivot angle cc of the first pivot axis S 1  about the second pivot axis S 2  is preferably in the range from 10° to 35°, in particular in the range from 20° to 30°. 
     The support element  2  has a first support element side stop surface  15  and a second support element side stop surface  16 . The bearing element  3  has a first bearing element side stop surface  17  and a second bearing element side stop surface  18 . In the initial state, the first bearing element side stop surface  17  abuts the first support element side stop surface  15 , and in the pivoted state, the second bearing element side stop surface  18  abuts the second support element side stop surface  16 . 
     Furthermore, the skibinding  1  preferably has a locking element  7  with which the bearing element  3  can be locked to the support element  2  so that pivoting between the bearing element  3  and the support element  2  is made impossible. The locking is then activated when the ski is used for a downhill run. 
     In the embodiment shown, the locking element  7  is provided by an opening  8  in the support element  2 , an opening  9  in the bearing element  3  and a locking pin that can be pushed into the opening  8 ,  9 . In the inserted state, the bearing element  3  is locked to the support element  2 . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  1   a  to  5   b   , the movement sequence of the skibinding  1  will now be explained in more detail. 
     In  FIGS.  1   a   / 1   b , the skibinding  1  is shown in a standing state. The skier, in particular the ski tourer, stands with his foot flat in the skibinding  1 . From the standing state, the roll process begins and the foot or the skiboot  5  moves into a pulling state, as shown in  FIGS.  5   a   / 5   b.    
     Starting from the standing state, the skiboot  5  rolls on the convex supporting surface  6 . 
     At the beginning of the roll process, the skiboot  5  rolls on the crowned surface  6 . At the same time, a pivoting movement of the skiboot  5  about the first pivot axis S 1  is executed or caused due to the connection between the skiboot  5  and the skiboot reception  4 , respectively. Also simultaneously, a pivoting movement of the bearing element  3  about the second pivot axis S 2  is effected or executed, respectively, whereby the bearing element  3  is pivoted from its initial state with respect to the support element  2  in the direction of its pivoted state. In other words, the tip  22  of the skiboot  5 , pushes down the skiboot reception  4 , resulting in said pivoting movements. 
     In the standing state, the first pivot axis S 1  and the second pivot axis S 2  span a reference plane E. When moving into the pulling state, the first pivot axis S 1  is moved away from this reference plane E and back towards this reference plane E again. The reference plane E is substantially parallel to the underside of the base plate or substantially parallel to the surface of the ski on which the support element  2  is mounted, respectively. If the skier uses a climbing aid, the reference plane E can also run at an angle to the underside of the base plate or at an angle to the surface of the ski on which the support element  2  is mounted, respectively. 
       FIGS.  2   a   / 2   b  show very clearly how the skiboot  5  rolls on the convex supporting surface  6 . The contact point between the skiboot  5  and the convex supporting surface moves towards the support element  2  as the roll process progresses from the standing state. At the same time, the skiboot  5  is further pivoted about the first pivot axis S 1  relative to the bearing element  3 . Also at the same time, the bearing element  3  is pivoted about the second pivot axis S 2  relative to the support element  2 , whereby the first pivot axis S 1  is pivoted about the second pivot axis S 2 . 
     When the skiboot  5  moves into the pulling state, the skiboot  5  performs a pivoting movement about the first pivot axis S 1  and the bearing element  3  and the first pivot axis S 1  perform a pivoting movement about the second pivot axis S 2 . In the process, the boot reception  4  is pivoted downward with the first pivot axis S 1  with respect to the second pivot axis S 2  toward the support element  2 . That is, the first pivot axis S 1  is pivoted towards the upper side of a ski. 
       FIGS.  3   a   / 3   b  show a state between the standing state and the pulling state. In the state shown, which can also be referred to as the intermediate state, the roll process between the convex supporting surface  6  and the skiboot  5  is completed. Likewise, the pivoting movement about the second pivot axis S 2  is completed. The second bearing element side stop surface  18  abuts the second support element side stop surface  16 , whereby the bearing element  3  is abuts the support element  2 . In the state shown, the maximum pivot angle of the bearing element  3  relative to the support element  2  has been reached. The pivot angle is indicated by the reference sign cc in  FIG.  3     b.    
     Starting from the state shown in  FIGS.  3   a   / 3   b , the skiboot  5  is now moved further in the direction of the pulling state. In the process, the skiboot  5  is pivoted further relative to the bearing element  3  about the first pivot axis. The skiboot  5  is further pivoted in the same pivoting direction as from the initial state into the intermediate state relative to the pivot mount  4 . At the same time, a movement of the bearing element  3  takes place. In a first phase of the further movement into the pulling state, the bearing element  3  continues to abut the support element  2  in the pivoted state. In a second phase of the movement into the pulling state, the bearing element  3  is pivoted back to its initial state with respect to the support element, with the bearing element  3  resting with its first bearing element side stop surface  17  against the first support element side stop surface  15 . 
       FIGS.  5   a   / 5   b  show the pulling state. In the pulling state, the actual roll process of the skiboot  5  is completed and the skier will pull the ski accordingly. The bearing element  3  and also the skiboot  5  are then moved back to the standing state. 
     With this sequence of movements, in particular also due to the movement limitations at the stops, typical necessary movements such as sharp turns or short descents can also be executed without locking the heel, in a stable manner and without an unsteady standing feeling of the skier.