Land vehicles – Skates – Runner type
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-10
2004-01-20
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Skates
Runner type
C280S611000, C280S602000, C280S617000, C280S618000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06679514
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to
a binding support plate, in particular an interface system between a binding unit for retaining, releasably if necessary, a boot and a board-type runner, having a single- or multiple-component support body of a length approximately that of a binding unit, the distal end regions of which are provided as a means of receiving jaw bodies or guide tracks for jaw bodies of a binding unit and the bottom face of which is designed, at least in part regions, to sit on the top face of a board-type runner,
and a runner, in particular a ski, having several layers between a running surface layer and a top layer forming an integral sandwich unit and the top face of which is designed either to support a binding unit directly or so that a plate-shaped binding support plate can be mounted between the top face of the runner and the bottom face of the binding unit.
2. The Prior Art
Numerous designs of so-called binding support plates or interface systems between a ski and a binding unit are known. One function of these binding support plates is to elevate the standing position of a user relative to a ski, thereby preventing the ski boot from prematurely coming into contact with the piste when the user is in a very inclined position, particularly when turning. In order to ensure that the runner is not rendered too stiff by the binding support plate, a stable binding support plate is either joined to the ski at the centre region only or bent front ends of a plate part are mounted on the top face, one end region being screwed fast to the ski whilst the end region remote therefrom is joined to the ski by means of elongated holes in which screws are inserted, as described in document EP 0 104 185 B1, for example. To ensure that these plates are capable of withstanding the forces acting on them, they have had to be made to a relatively solid design and of a large volume and the relatively high natural stiffness of the binding support plate or the forces centrally transmitted between the ski and the binding support plate have a marked and perceptible effect on the running properties of the ski.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the present invention is to propose an interface system between a runner and a binding unit that will have the least possible effect on the elastic deformation properties built into the runner by the manufacturer as well as a runner designed accordingly.
This objective is achieved by the invention by means of a binding support plate, where a middle region of the single-component support body is of a lesser structural stiffness than the two end regions thereof and at least one end region of the support body can be mounted by means of clamp-type fixing means on the top face of a runner so as to slide freely in the binding longitudinal direction. The advantage of this system is that the bending resistance and the structural stiffness of the longitudinal, profiled support body can be designed to be relatively low transversely to its longitudinal direction, so that it has barely any effect on the inherent bending characteristics or elasticity properties of the runner or ski. This advantage is assisted due to the fact that because at least one end region of the support body is mounted in a free-sliding arrangement, the runner is not placed under any strain in the region of the binding mounting but is able to deform, in particular bend, and is so as far as possible decoupled from the support body. These features also largely avoid any compressive or tensile stress in the support body. Another significant advantage is the fact that the support body, which assumes the function of transferring the force, can be made relatively slim and to what might in principle appear to be a relatively unstable design due to the clamp-type fastening means but nevertheless provides a highly stable and break-resistant arrangement on the top face of a runner. Because the fastening clamps at least partially overlap transversely across the support body, fixing regions of a relatively large surface area can be provided on the support body, which are also capable of withstanding a high input of forces. In particular, there is no need to provide orifices for fixing screws in the support body, affording a high resistance to breaking in spite of the relatively small dimensions in cross section. The clamp-type fastening means also avoid causing weakness in the support body in regions where the highest loads or forces act locally. The binding support plate proposed by the invention therefore offers high stability values in spite of a relatively low natural stiffness and gives rise to hardly any or very few repercussions on the deformation properties of the runner.
As a result of another advantageous embodiment, where the clamp-type fixing means extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the support body and transversely to the binding longitudinal axis, the runner is not rendered significantly stiffer or blocked, even in the region where the fastening clamps are mounted fast with the ski.
The advantage of a binding support plate, where the clamp-type fixing means extend in the manner of a bracket across the support body, is that the support body can be very securely mounted on the top face of the runner even though the walls of the fastening clamps are relatively thin.
The advantage offered by an embodiment, in which the clamp-type fixing means are provided in the form of half-open fixing clamps, orifices or slits being provided in the end regions thereof to receive fixing screws, is that the fastening clamps may also be of a relatively low structural stiffness if the material from which the fastening clamps are made has an adequate tensile or stretching resistance.
A binding support plate, where the shape of the fix clamps is at least partially adapted to the contour of the support body in the respective fixing region, ensures that the support body is guided with as little clearance as possible, with a low surface contact pressure between the matching guide parts.
Optimum bending capacity, i.e. as low a natural stiffness as possible, of the support body can be obtained, when the end regions of the support body provided as a means of supporting the jaw bodies are designed so that they are elevated in the manner of a block above the surrounding part regions, in particular elevated above the middle region or when that the contour of the support body seen in plan view is that of a dog's bone or dumb bell or when the support body has a slim, skeletal-type structure.
A design, where at least a part region of the bottom face of the support body is designed to complement a profiling of the top face of a ski or where the bottom face of the support body can be displaced at least partially in a positive fit in engagement with a surface profiling of a runner, is of particular advantage because, although the support body has a low transverse stability, the support body stays very true to the desired position on the runner, even under high loads. In particular, the support body can be made even slimmer and dimensioned to an even smaller cross section as a result and still reliably withstand the high loads placed on it.
A further embodiment, in which the profiling of the bottom face of the support body, complementing a top face of a runner, forms, in conjunction with the runner profiling, a longitudinal guide device extending in the direction of the binding longitudinal axis, enables the binding support plate to be positioned accurately in the direction running transversely to the binding longitudinal axis. Furthermore, any strain between the support body and the runner is avoided when the runner deforms.
As a result of the embodiment, where a cover element is designed to at least partially cover the bearing frame-type support body, the load-bearing support body, which is visually rather unattractive as a rule, can be effectively covered by simple means which determine the overall appearance of the binding support plate.
A binding su
Luitz Max
Stonig Adolf
Atomic Austria GmbH
Collard & Roe P.C.
Shriver J. Allen
LandOfFree
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