Patent ID: 8246071

Claim:
A telemark ski binding comprising: a toepiece sized and shaped to receive a telemark ski boot; a coupler assembly comprising: an upper coupler rotationally and translationally fixed relative to the toepiece regardless of torque; and a lower coupler that is: substantially translationally fixed relative to the upper coupler regardless of torque; and rotationally fixed relative to the upper coupler such that: rotation between the lower coupler and the upper coupler is permitted within a set angular range below a set threshold torque; rotation between the lower coupler and the upper coupler from an angle within the set angular range to an angle outside the set angular range is resisted below the set threshold torque; and rotation between the lower coupler and the upper coupler is permitted at or above the set threshold torque; and an attachment device fixed to the lower coupler and so positioned as to permit the lower coupler to be rotationally and translationally fixed relative to a ski regardless of torque; so that exposure of the ski binding to a torque at or above the set threshold torque causes the upper coupler and the lower coupler to decouple rotationally from one another without separating from one another, without causing the upper coupler to separate from the toepiece, and without causing the lower coupler to separate from the ski when attached to the ski.