Patent Publication Number: US-6209903-B1

Title: Apparatus for attaching a gliding element to a shoe

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/014,248, filed on Jan. 27, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,719 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/426,868, filed on Apr. 24, 1995, now abandoned. The disclosures of both of the aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference thereto in their entireties and the priorities of both are claimed under 35 USC 120. This application is also based upon French application No. 94 05406, filed on Apr. 29, 1994, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety and priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 USC 119. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for attaching a shoe to a gliding element such as a cross-country ski adapted, more particularly, for the practice of skating or skating steps, but also to any other gliding element allowing for the practice of a gliding sport of the skating or ice skating type. 
     It is more specifically related to an attachment apparatus in which the shoe is affixed to the gliding element at least in the area of the metatarso-phalangeal zone or of the protuberance of the large toe. 
     2. Description of Background and Relevant Information 
     French Patent Publication No. 2,642,980, discloses a multi-point attachment apparatus for a cross-country ski constituted by a beam journalled on the ski, on which the shoe is anchored from the front end thereof up to a zone located in front of the metatarso-phalangeal journal axis. Such an apparatus ensures, by means of the beam, a linkage that is journalled, but rigid in the transverse direction, from the shoe to the ski, and more particularly adapted for the practice of mountain skiing. 
     Furthermore, it is provided in this same patent publication to affix the beam to the ski and only allow rotation of the shoe about a single axis of rotation positioned in front of the shoe, with the aim of practicing cross country skiing itself, whether it is the classic technique or skating. Such a multi-point attachment apparatus has proven unfortunately to be of a too complicated, heavy and costly construction. It is not very adapted for the practice of skating which requires a good control of the ski by the shoe. 
     It has likewise been proposed, for the practice of step skating in cross-country skiing or skating, special attachment apparatus maintaining the entire front zone of the shoe up to the metatarso-phalangeal journal axis. 
     Such an attachment apparatus is for example described in commonly owned French Patent Publication No. 2,595,952. Such an attachment system with an engagement of the shoe on the ski over the entire front zone until the area of the metatarso-phalangeal journal axis is particularly adapted to the practice of skating. Indeed, it provides a better guidance of the ski and a better stability, an increased precision, as well as a good ski/shoe contact, and thus a good feel of the snow necessary for the practice of skating. 
     Nevertheless, the disadvantage of such an attachment apparatus is the absence of angular movement between the foot and the ski or the gliding element, the foot being connected by the attachment of the shoe until the area of the metatarsus. 
     Indeed, certain skating skiers prefer to have a greater angular movement so as to have as long a gliding phase as possible and subsequently a greater impulse. The same desire is true for other types of skating sports. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is thus to provide an improved apparatus for attaching a gliding element of the skating type, and by reconciling the two contradictory requirements, to assure an engagement of the shoe up to the area of the metatarsus, while allowing for a sufficient angular movement between the shoe and the gliding element. 
     This object is achieved in the apparatus according to the invention which is of the type comprising an attachment or blocking/anchoring mechanism of the shoe in an attachment or anchoring zone thereof extending substantially from the front end of the shoe up to the area of the metatarso-phalangeal journal zone or in front thereof, whereby it comprises a device for rocking the attachment mechanism, this rocking device being positioned in the attachment zone of the shoe, the rocking device being designed so as to allow for a predetermined angle of movement of the shoe assembly with respect to the gliding element. 
     In this manner, even though the shoe is maintained over its entire front zone substantially to the area of the metatarsus, one possibility of supplemental movement of the foot with respect to the gliding element is offered. As a result the gliding phase can be continued longer and the impulse is improved. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment, the maximum angle of rotation of the attachment mechanism is between 5 and 30 degrees. Such an arrangement limits the inherent play to rocking the attachment mechanism and makes it possible to guarantee the guidance and stability necessary for the practice of skating. 
     When the attachment mechanism of the shoe is constituted by a journalled latching of the hinge type, it is advantageous that the axis of the latching system likewise be the pivot axis of the attachment mechanism assembly. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and the characteristics thereof will become clearer by means of the following description with reference to the annexed schematic drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal cross sectional view of the attachment apparatus according to the invention with an associated cross country ski shoe; 
     FIG. 2 is view similar to FIG. 1 showing the possible angle of movement; 
     FIG. 3 is view similar to FIG. 1 of an attachment apparatus according to another embodiment; 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of an attachment apparatus according to yet another embodiment. 
    
    
     A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the application of the invention to the latching, on a gliding element for the practice of skating, of a shoe having two anchoring pins or axles  11  and  12 , one of the pins  11  being situated at the front end of the shoe, and the second pin  12  being situated substantially in the area of the metatarso-phalangeal journal zone or in front thereof. 
     A preferred position of the pin  12  is between 30 and 60 millimeters to the rear of the front surface  14  of the shoe. These two pins  11  and  12  define the attachment or blocking/anchoring zone  15  of the shoe. 
     The attachment apparatus  20  is essentially constituted of a base  21  adapted to be affixed to the ski  1 , a beam or member  30  journalled on the base  21  about a pivot or angular movement structure including, for example, the transverse axis  33 , a latching carrier  40  mounted longitudinally displaceably mounted within the beam  30  and a knuckle joint latching system  50  of a type known per se. Alternatively, the attachment apparatus  20  can be considered to include an attachment mechanism, which includes those structural elements which are effective for latching or securing the shoe to the ski and a pivot or angular movement structure which are effective for providing a pivot or angular movement connection for the attachment mechanism with respect to the ski. 
     The knuckle joint locking or latching system is constituted by a slide  51  which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the ski, along a slideway which is not shown in the drawings, which is journalled at  43  on the carrier  40 . 
     Slide  51  is maintained in the latched position of the shoe by a U-shaped wire spring  60  journalled, on the one hand, on one fixed portion of base  21  of the apparatus through median portion  61  and, on the other hand, at each of its ends  62  on an unlatching lever  70  in the form of a cap which is itself journalled at  71  on slide  51 . 
     The assembly  51 ,  60 ,  70  constitutes a knuckle joint system whose axes are constituted by the axes  61 ,  62  and  71 , the two axes  61 ,  71  defining the dead point line of the knuckle joint. 
     In a manner known in itself, the locking of the knuckle joint is obtained when the journal axis defined by  62  passes below the dead point line defined by axes  61  and  71 . 
     The latching of the system is obtained by rearward displacement, i.e., towards the right on the drawing, of the slide  51 , the sleeve driving the latching carrier  40  in its displacement in this direction. 
     Conversely, the unlatching or unlocking is obtained by pivoting of the unlatching lever  70  in the clockwise direction, about its axis  71 , this displacement driving the gliding towards the front of slide  51 , and consequently of the latching carrier  40 . 
     The latching carrier  40  comprises two latches or hooks  41  and  42  having substantially the form of a C open towards the rear. 
     Each of hooks  41  and  42  cooperates in the manner of a jaw/counterjaw with a support surface affixed with a respectively affixed support surface  31  and  32  for the latching of a respectively associated pin or axle  11  and  12  of the shoe. 
     As seen in the figures, the support surface  31  has a vertical portion that engages pin  11  while the support surface  32  has a slight slope, so as to allow for the release as will be seen below. These two support surfaces  31  and  32  are provided on member  30  journalled on base  21 . Hook  42  likewise comprises a slight ramp  44  forming with the support surface  32  a sort of V allowing for automatic insertion of the shoe. 
     Hook  41  is affixed to the latching carrier  40 , while hook  42  is displaceably mounted in the longitudinal direction on carrier  40 . 
     A spring  45  constantly biases hook  42  towards the rear of the attachment, i.e., in the direction of support surface  32 , in the latching position of pin  12 . 
     Consequently, in case of an excessive force exerted on the pin  12 , the latter can glide upwardly along the ramp  32  by pushing movable hook  42  back towards the front against the force of spring  45 , until being freed from its seat, while the shoe is retained at the front by means of the pin  11  being retained against such automatic release from hook  41 . Thus, the blocking/anchoring mechanism includes an automatic releaseable latching device, in which pin  12  is latched, located at the rear end of the anchoring zone, and a second latching device operative to latch pin  11  at the front end of the shoe in which the pin cannot be automatically released. 
     Conversely, this construction likewise allows for an automatic insertion of the pin  12  with the aid of the V for the shoe insertion constituted by the ramps  44  and  32 , the pin  12  pushing hook  42  against the action of spring  45 . 
     An abutment  25  affixed to base  21  is furthermore provided to limit the upward pivoting of the journalled member  30 . A spring  26  interposed between the member  30  and this abutment biases furthermore the member  30  downwardly, into a “null” rotational position shown in FIG. 1, i.e., a rest position in which the heel of the shoe is lowered and supported on the ski. At the “null” rotational position, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, the lower surface of the latching carrier  40 , or attachment mechanism, is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the gliding element or ski. When the shoe, particularly the heel of the shoe, is raised during use, the lower surface of the latching carrier, or attachment mechanism, is pivoted to an angle with respect to the upper surface of the gliding element or ski, as shown in FIG. 2, for example. The abutment  25  functions as an mechanism, which effectively secures the shoe to the ski along the entirety of the aforementioned attachment zone. 
     Axes  33  and  43  are positioned so as to coincide in the latching position of carrier  40 , so as to allow for a simultaneous rotation of member  30  and of carrier  40  about their common axis  33  and  43  in this latching position. 
     As is shown clearly by comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, the attachment apparatus constituted by carrier  40  and member  30  can pivot upwardly and thus assure to the shoe assembly a supplemental angular movement adapted to extend the gliding phase. It will be noted that this constitutes a real angular movement of the assembly of the shoe with respect to the ski which thus achieves a real compromise between an engagement over an entire front zone of the shoe as known from French Patent Publication No. 2,595,952 and a total journal detrimental to a good guidance, of the shoe on the ski as in French Patent Publication No. 2,642,980. 
     Abutment  25  which limits the path of the journalled member  30  is selected so as to allow for a maximum rotation angle between about 5° and 30°, and preferably between about 10° and 20°. 
     The journal axes  33  and  43  can be displaced towards the rear until a position corresponding to that of pin  12 . 
     The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 will next be described. 
     In this case, the attachment apparatus  120  has exactly the same type of construction, i.e., a fixed base  121 , a pivot structure for journalling a member  130  on the base about an axis  133 , a latching carrier  140  longitudinally displaceably mounted with respect to the member  130  and whose displacement is controlled by a slide  151 , itself controlled by a knuckle joint latching system  160 ,  170 . 
     Although having different shapes by virtue of the position of the rotational axes  133  and  143 , the elements having the same function are thus designated by identical reference numerals increased by 100. 
     The main difference resides in this position of the journal axis  133 ,  143 , common to the beam  130  and to the latching carrier  140 , in the area of the rear end of the anchoring or attachment zone, a position which makes it possible in particular to have a greater angle of movement. 
     In this embodiment, the abutment or engagement structure limiting the angular movement is constituted by the upper surface of the ski  1  or of base  121 , and the “null” rotational position is that which is shown in FIG. 3 where the spring  126  located at the front of the attachment apparatus biases the journalled member  130  upwardly. 
     Depending upon the result desired, it is possible to displace the journal axis of the member  130  in any intermediate position between the front end  14  of the shoe and the rear limit of the attachment or blocking/anchoring zone  115  of the shoe. 
     Such a journal axis can in particular be arranged in a median position with respect to the two ends of such a zone. It can likewise be blended with one of the latching axis of the attachment apparatus. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a simplified embodiment in which the shoe is maintained not by means of latching axes, but rather by means of a latching projection  242  extending towards the rear and cooperating with an associated recess  212  of the shoe and of a hooking or latching system  241  of a type known in itself cooperating with a hooking buckle  211  of the shoe. 
     The attachment zone  215  of the shoe is thus demarcated, at the front, by the buckle  211  and at the rear by the recess  212 . 
     In this case, the pivotal or angular movement of the blocking/anchoring mechanism  211 ,  212 ,  241 ,  242  is obtained by simple interposition of a layer of elastic material  230  between the upper surface of the ski  1  and the blocking/anchoring mechanism, whereby the member  242  effectively pivots at the rear end of the recess  212 , the front end of the member  242  being movable toward and away from the ski  1 . 
     Such a layer can be constituted out of any known elastic material. Preferably, the layer of elastic material will have a thickness between about 10 and 20 millimeters. 
     An abutment or engagement structure (not shown in the drawing) can be provided to prevent any displacement of this elastic layer in the transverse direction. The aforementioned abutment or engagement structure, limiting the pivoting of the attachment mechanism of the FIG. 4 embodiment, is constituted by either by the upper surface of the ski  1  or of a base (not shown), or merely the full compression of the elastic layer  230 . 
     Such a solution is particularly desirable in the case where a small angle of movement is desired. 
     The invention is not to be considered as being limited to the disclosed embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the invention can be utilized for the linkage of a shoe with any gliding element of the skating type, ice skating, in line roller skating, ski skating, etc. 
     Further, the invention is not limited to the particular materials and shapes disclosed except when specifically necessary to accomplish the objects of the invention. Although particular materials are disclosed, the invention is not limited to these materials and other materials useful in achieving the aims of the invention may likewise be used.