Land vehicles – Skates – Shoe attaching means
Patent
1982-04-22
1985-01-29
Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
Land vehicles
Skates
Shoe attaching means
307 66, A63C 9085
Patent
active
044961685
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a current supply circuit for electronic safety ski bindings comprising a battery feeding a releasing circuit and feeding the electronic circuit which receives by way of converters signals corresponding to the respective forces acting on the leg of the skier and which delivers a releasing signal to the releasing circuit on the occurrence of forces endangering the skier's leg.
The safety of electronic safety ski bindings depends decisively on the current supply. If only one battery is provided to energize electronic safety ski bindings, the binding is useless if this battery fails, so that a considerable safety risk can occur if the current suddenly fails.
It is therefore the problem of the invention to provide a current supply circuit for electronic safety ski bindings that ensures adequate safety even when a battery feeding the binding fails or its capacity drops below a level maintaining the safety functions.
According to the invention, this problem is solved in that at least two batteries are provided which are so connected to the electronic circuit and releasing circuit by way of an electronic control circuit that only one feeds same, and that the control circuit switches the current supply to the other battery when the capacity of the first battery has dropped below a limiting value which, with an adequate safety factor, is above the level maintaining the functioning of the electronic circuit and releasing circuit. The current supply device of the invention ensures that, after one battery fails, the other is available as a reserve battery which maintains all safety functions of the electronic binding. The current supply circuit according to the invention thereby not only provides increased safety against current failure but also maintains the operability of the binding over a longer period because each of the two batteries undertakes the energization of the electronic binding as long as its capacity is adequate.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the respective battery separate from the electronic circuit and releasing circuit feeds additional safety circuits having a lower current consumption. These additional safety circuits can be circuits automatically setting the threshold value or circuits making additional measured values available. They may also be circuits increasing the comfort as well as the manipulation of the binding. The particular construction of these safety circuits is not the subject of the present invention.
If these safety circuits are fed by a lithium battery which is held ready, a low dissipation of current from this battery is desired because its operative condition is ensured only when taking a low current from it over a prolonged period. With other types of batteries the dissipation of current for the additional safety circuits would likewise not lead to marked weakening of the battery.
When the capacity of the battery has dropped to below the limiting value, its capacity is still sufficient for feeding the safety circuits and thus relieve the battery which maintains the safety functions.
In a further embodiment of the invention, acoustic and/or optical warning means are provided to indicate a drop in the capacity of a battery below the limiting value. The skier will then know that he should replace this battery for a new one at the next opportunity. However, the discharge or failure of a battery alone will not yet render the binding useless.
According to an inventive development, an electronic control circuit is provided which connects the condenser storing the charge for the releasing pulse to the electronic circuit as a source of current supply when the current supply to the electronic circuit by the battery is interrupted. Such interruptions can occur for short periods for example in the case of vibrations. The low discharge of the releasing condenser during such short time intervals is acceptable because it is still charged sufficiently to deliver an adequate surge of current to the electromagnet controlling the releasing mechanism if a rele
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Hull and Allen, "Design of an Actively Controlled Snow Ski Release Binding", Aug. 1981, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, pp. 138-145.
Electronic Design Magazine, Mar. 1, 1976, A. Levy, "Keep Your Power Flowing Etc.," pp. 62-64.
D'Antonio Nicholas F.
Knabel Walter
Stempfhuber Lorenz
Hochberg D. Peter
Kinetronic Industries, Inc.
Mar Michael
Marker-Patentverwertungsgesellschaft mbH
Peters Jr. Joseph F.
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