Ski binding assembly

Details Ski binding assembly Ski binding assembly

2000-03-10

2002-10-22

Hess, Douglas (Department: 2167)

Land vehicles

Skates

Shoe attaching means

C280S619000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06467796

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ski binding assemblies, and more particularly to ski binding assemblies having a toe member and a heel member arrangement adapted to secure and support a ski boot.
2. Prior Art
Those skilled in the art can best appreciate that there are generally three types of skiing: alpine or downhill, cross-country or touring, and telemark or backcountry. Each type of skiing is performed in a significantly different manner which has resulted in the development of distinctly different equipment. For instance, in downhill skiing a skier descends down a steep slope at a high rate of speed while executing certain downhill maneuvers. To withstand the forces created during downhill skiing, the equipment must be comparatively robust. As such, the skis are often manufactured with metal edges while the ski boots are rigid and sturdy in order to withstand the rigors of downhill skiing. To attach the ski boots to the skis, a binding is fastened to the ski which secures both the heel and the toe of the ski boot to the ski, thus enhancing the rigidity and overall responsiveness of the connection between the ski boot and ski.
On the other end of the spectrum, cross-country skiing requires a skier to traverse typically level fields by performing a walking or skating motion. Since cross-country skiing is substantially slower, the stresses exerted upon cross-country equipment is far less than that exerted upon downhill skiing equipment, therefore there is no need for the equipment to be as robust as downhill equipment. Instead, the weight and flexibility of the equipment becomes critical. As such, the skis do not typically have metal edges and the boots are often lightweight and more shoe-like. Reducing the weight of the equipment enhances performance since the cross-country skier propels himself over generally level surfaces. The equipment must be flexible to allow the skier to perform the various walking or gliding motions required of a cross-country skier. For instance, in order to perform either motion, the cross-country skier must be able to easily raise his ski boot heel from the surface of the ski, thus cross-country bindings typically secure only the toe portion of the ski boot to the ski while the soles of the ski boots are pliant.
A hybrid between downhill skiing and cross-country skiing is telemark skiing. Telemark skiing often involves traversing unpredictable backcountry terrains. In some instances, the terrain may be similar to a downhill slope and in other instances the terrain may be similar to a level cross-country field or anything in between. The equipment used in telemark skiing must therefore be sufficiently rigid in order to provide adequate responsiveness as in downhill skiing while also being sufficiently flexible and lightweight to allow for cross-country touring.
A variety of different ski binding assemblies have been suggested in the art which could be used in telemark skiing in order to interconnect a ski boot to a ski. One such prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,319 to Bearlide, Jr. entitled “Toepiece for Cross-Country Skiing.” The toepiece disclosed by Bearlide includes a base plate attached to the surface of the ski and a pair of side walls which extend upwardly from the base plate. The base plate has three pins that extend upwardly, while the sole includes three corresponding recesses that terminate within the sole of the ski boot. To couple the ski boot to the ski, the skier first slides the ski boot forward until the recesses in the boot are aligned with the pins of the toepiece. Once the pins are inserted into the recesses, a clamp is lowered over the ski boot to secure it to the ski.
Although three-pin bindings may adequately secure a ski boot to a ski, these bindings also have several disadvantages. As the ski boot is coupled to the ski, the pins are concealed by the ski boot. Therefore, the user may be required to expend substantial time and energy while trying to align the recesses with the pins. In addition, snow and other debris tends to collect on the base plate and becomes compacted about the pins, thus concealing their location. The skier must then expend even more time and effort to chisel this debris from around the pins or from within the recesses before securing the ski boot to the ski.
Other types of ski binding assemblies are well known in the art such as cable bindings. These bindings may be used either alone or in conjunction with a three-pin bindings. One reference which discloses a cable binding representative of the art is U.S. Pa. No. 5,669,622 to Miller entitled “Ski Binding.” This ski binding assembly includes a ski boot having a heel portion with a slot or groove formed thereabout and a toe piece having a pair of side walls. A cable is then fitted into the slot or groove formed about the heel of the ski boot and tensioned in order to secure the ski boot to the ski. This reference also discloses a spacer which has a curved rear edge and a hollow formed thereabout which is designed to hold and store the cable when not secured to the heel of the ski boot.
Cable bindings have been found to have several drawbacks. For instance, they tend to be less reliable and break over time. In fact, this occurrence is so acute that many telemark skiers often carry spare cables. Further, these cable bindings secure the ski boot to the ski by drawing the boot forward against the toe piece. Over time the sides of the boot begin to deform inwardly resulting in a loose connection between the ski boot and the ski. As such, the cable needs to be tightened over time as the boot creeps deeper into the toe piece. In the event the cable binding is used in combination with a three-pin binding, the forward force exerted by the cable on the boot causes the pins to bear against and elongate the holes. Aside from these general drawbacks inherent in cable bindings, the spacer disclosed by Miller has an additional drawback. Spacers manufactured in accordance with Miller are capable of providing sufficient support to the heel of the ski boot while also serving as a receptacle for receiving the cable when not secured to the heel of the ski boot. However, these spacers are typically quite large and result in a corresponding increase in the overall weight of the ski binding assembly which is undesirable.
Another type of ski binding assembly which has been suggested in the context of cross-country skiing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,823 to Pyzel, et al. entitled “Touring Ski Boot Binding.” The ski boot binding assembly described in this reference discloses a ski boot having an L-shaped element which extends from the forward portion of the sole and an L-shaped element attached to the ski which may be biased to releasably engage the L-shaped element on the ski boot.
Although the ski boot binding assembly disclosed in Pyzel et al. is structurally different than the three-pin binding assemblies and cable binding assemblies previously discussed, it has many of the same drawbacks. As with three-pin bindings, the L-shaped elements are prone to snow collection during use, thereby frustrating simple and quick interconnection between the L-shaped element on the ski boot and the L-shaped element on the ski. Further, this reference does not suggest any mechanism which facilitates the proper alignment of the ski boot with the ski binding. Another disadvantage with this binding is that the attachment mechanism extends from the forward portion of the sole which is prone to being inadvertently impacted or damaged during use.
Still another device known in the art to secure a ski boot to a ski is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,092 to Feucht, et al., entitled “Cross-County Ski Binding.” This ski binding assembly includes a ski boot which has a projection with a pair of slots and a pair of openings that extend from the forward portion of the boot's sole. The ski binding also includes a pair of pins that correspond to the slots on the ski boot and a hooked member which is releasably biased to grasp and draw

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