EP0755703A1 - Sliding board with platform for holding and raising of the ski bindings - Google Patents

Abstract

The snow ski has an upper face (9) connecting two lower lateral ribs via two lateral inclined surfaces (10,11). The ski has, in its foot area, at least one rigid platform (12) which raises and supports the bindings for the ski boot. The platform has an inverted U-shaped cross section spaced above the ski surface. The platform is fixed on the lateral faces of the ski via a visco-elastic spacer which is connected to the exterior face of each side.

Description

The present invention relates to a board for gliding on snow, a ski, which comprises, in its skate area, at least one platform for receiving and raising the bindings of the skier's boot.

It is known to provide a ski with a platform for raising the bindings of the boot, in the form of a raised plate which is attached to the skate area and to the upper surface of the ski by means of a layer. of material having damping properties, typically a layer of visco-elastic material.

By "raising platform" is meant a platform providing an effective raising of the fasteners, and therefore formed of a plate whose total thickness, including that of the visco-elastic intermediate layer, is for example greater than 5 millimeters.

These heightening plates are now necessary because of the current reduction, at the level of the skate area, of the width of modern alpine skis, a consequence of which is then a risk of skidding of the ski in tight turns, because the shoe, which overflows laterally, then comes to touch the snow with each grip of sharp edge. With sufficient elevation, the boot practically no longer runs the risk of coming to rub on the snow at each significant lateral tilt of the ski, and the ski can therefore be used normally, in particular in slalom.

In addition to these functions of raising the boot and damping vibrations, this raising plate has, or may have, an unclamping function for the ski.

Indeed, the front stop and the heel of the fastening system tightening the skier's shoe, due to the relatively large forces due to the tension of the springs included in these devices, this tension of the springs comes to exert a moment of force which, without an intermediate plate, comes to increase the bending of the ski, which is very annoying because the functional camber of the ski was particularly defined at the design stage of each skiing by the producer. In this case, the bindings therefore tend to modify the characteristics of the ski. With the elevating plate, these efforts due to the bindings then come to be exerted on this plate which is particularly studied not to retransmit them to the structure of the ski.

. Conversely, it can be designed by the ski manufacturer to, in the rest position, exert a pre-tension at each end by two stops adjustable by screws, thus generating an effect of adjustment of the camber of the ski according to the weight of the skier.

As a state of the art, for example, US Pat. Nos. 3,260,532 and No. 2,550,002 can be cited, as well as document FR-A-2,638,651.

These known devices are quite heavy. In addition, they provide a damping of the flexion of the ski by shearing effect as well as a vertical damping of the shocks which are both insufficient.

Document WO-A-93/12845 describes a ski which comprises a platform for receiving the bindings of the boot, this platform being fixed to the ski by means of elastomer cylinders. These support cylinders are driven into lateral holes, which are formed in the body of the ski and therefore open onto the lateral faces of the latter.

This solution, which requires making lateral holes in the body of the ski, has the drawback of weakening its structure. In addition, the fact that these elastomeric cylinders work essentially for crushing, the elastomer of which they are made must have, to be effective, not only a significant thickness, but also a relatively low shore hardness to be sufficiently deformable at crushing. It results in instability of the platform, with roll effect very detrimental to the precision of driving turns.

The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. To this end, it relates to a board for gliding on snow, the upper surface of which is connected to the two lower lateral edges by means of two respective lateral surfaces, this gliding board being provided, in its skid area, with less a rigid platform for receiving and raising shoe bindings, this platform having an inverted U section, being positioned at a distance from the upper surface of the board as well as from its lateral faces, and being characterized in that said platform is fixed to said lateral faces of the board by means of a visco-elastic connecting and bracing material which is attached to the surface of each lateral face, which it covers at least partially in the pad area and which therefore alone provides the link between the board and this platform.

It is then fine visco-elastic spacers, with a thickness of the order of a millimeter to fix ideas, which work in shearing, which allows good guidance of the ski, without rolling effect, and a damping of shocks and vibrations by optimal shearing effect

Advantageously, an air space remains formed between the upper surface of the board and the base of the combined upper part of this platform.

• . Figure 1 est une vue perspective, avec écorchement partiel, d'un ski à coque selon l'invention, dans sa zone de patin.
• . Figure 2 est une vue très partielle de ce même ski, avec coupe transversale selon II-II de Figure 3.
• . Figure 3 montre partiellement ce même ski, en vue latérale de profil, ce dernier étant en position de repos.
• . Figure 4 est une vue semblable à Figure 3, le ski étant en position de flexion correspondant par exemple au passage dans un trou de la piste et Figures 5 et 6 en sont des sections selon V-V et VI-VI.
• . Figure 7 est une section transversale médiane d'un ski traditionnel conforme à l'invention.
• . Figure 8 montre, de façon similaire à Figure 6, la déformation de la section de Figure 7 en cours de flexion, semblable à Figure 4, de ce ski traditionnel.
• . Figure 9 est une coupe horizontale partielle, selon IX-IX de Figure 7, d'une variante de réalisation de ce ski traditionnel.

The invention will be clearly understood, and its advantages and other characteristics will emerge more clearly from the following description of two nonlimiting exemplary embodiments, with reference to the appended schematic drawing in which:

• . Figure 1 is a perspective view, with partial flaking, of a hull ski according to the invention, in its skate area.
• . Figure 2 is a very partial view of this same ski, with cross section along II-II of Figure 3.
• . Figure 3 partially shows this same ski, in side profile view, the latter being in the rest position.
• . Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, the ski being in the bending position corresponding for example to the passage through a hole in the runway and Figures 5 and 6 are sections according to VV and VI-VI.
• . Figure 7 is a median cross section of a traditional ski according to the invention.
• . Figure 8 shows, similar to Figure 6, the deformation of the section of Figure 7 during bending, similar to Figure 4, of this traditional ski.
• . Figure 9 is a partial horizontal section along IX-IX of Figure 7, of an alternative embodiment of this traditional ski.

• . une semelle de glissement 1 bordée par des carres métalliques 2 ;
• . un renfort inférieur 3 composé par exemple d'une couche de fibres de verre imprégnée de résine;
• . un noyau 4, en polyuréthanne par exemple, obtenu par un procédé d'injection
• . et enfin une coque plastique 5 qui forme la partie externe visible du ski et qui s'étend d'un bord latéral à l'autre de ce ski, cette coque étant doublée intérieurement par une couche 6 de même nature que la couche 3 et constituant un renfort supérieur et latéral.

Referring to all of FIGS. 1 and 2, this is a modern alpine ski, of the so-called "hull" type, which conventionally comprises:.

• . a sliding sole 1 bordered by metal edges 2;
• . a lower reinforcement 3 composed for example of a layer of glass fibers impregnated with resin;
• . a core 4, made of polyurethane for example, obtained by an injection process
• . and finally a plastic shell 5 which forms the visible external part of the ski and which extends from one side edge to the other of this ski, this shell being internally lined with a layer 6 of the same nature as layer 3 and constituting an upper and lateral reinforcement.

In FIG. 1, the ski is only represented in its "skid zone" which is the intermediate zone, located between the front and the rear of the ski, on which the bindings are mounted (front stop 7 and heel piece 8 ) of the shoe.

As can be seen in the drawing, we define, with regard to the visible external surface delimited by the shell 5, a upper surface 9 and two respective side faces 10 and 11.

In this embodiment, the upper surface 9 is substantially planar and, for each section, parallel to the sole 1, but this is in no way limiting and in particular this upper surface could very well have a more or less convex shape.

On the ski which is represented, the lateral faces 10 and 11 of the ski are, in the skid zone and in no way limiting, substantially orthogonal to the sliding sole 1. In front and behind this zone, these faces could have an angle of inclination, relative to the sole, less than 90 degrees.

It should also be noted that, still in this embodiment and therefore in a nonlimiting manner, the lateral faces 10 and 11 are each connected respectively to the corresponding edge of the ski by means of a longitudinal zone, respectively 22 and 23, which is flat, relatively narrow, parallel to the sole 1, which is called "overflowing".

The bindings 7, 8 of the skier's boot are fixed on a rigid (for example metallic) platform 12, with an inverted U-shaped section, which surrounds as shown the side faces 10, 11 and the upper surface 9 of the ski, while by being kept away from them.

This platform 12 is of length limited to that of the skate zone, and it is fixed to the lateral faces 10, 11 of the ski by means of two thin longitudinal strips 13, 14 made of visco-elastic material, these two thin strips of bracing strongly adhering to said lateral faces and to said platform and extending longitudinally over at least part of the length of platform 12.

These thin viscoelastic bands 13,14 constitute the only means of attachment of the platform 12 on the ski, an air space "e" being consequently formed between the surface upper 9 of the ski and the base 15 of the upper horizontal conjugate part of the platform facing it.

To fix the ideas in a nonlimiting manner, the common length of the platform 12 and the visco-elastic bands 13 and 14 is of the order of 50 cm, the air space "e" is, at rest (position of Figure 2), of the order of 5 millimeters, while the thickness of the thin visco-elastic bands 13 and 14 is of the order of millimeters.

Note that, in this first exemplary embodiment, the two lower lateral edges 16 and 17 of the platform 12 are positioned largely at a distance from the two respective "overhangs" 22 and 23 which they overhang, they are for example distant from them. a vertical height f of approximately 3 millimeters.

We are finally in the presence of a "floating" but stable platform which, thanks to the thin visco-elastic lateral bands 13 and 14, can be struggled, with visco-elastic damping effect, in all directions, but without however creating roll effect.

In particular, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, the platform 12 can be struggled vertically, with relative damped movement, during the passage of the ski in hollows or over bumps, or during a turn. It can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 6 that the aforementioned air space "e" has grown in the center of the platform when passing through a hollow to adopt the value "e '", the two bands 13 and 14 being deformed upwards accordingly and providing, by their visco-elastic properties, an appreciable damping by shearing effect. Similarly, this space "e" has decreased at the two longitudinal ends of the platform, according to FIGS. 4 and 5, to adopt a value "e" ", the two bands 13 and 14 then being deformed downwards, this deformation causing , also, a damping effect.

As we can finally see, the platform 12 then exerts on the ski, in combination with these lateral viscoelastic bands 13 and 14, a very appreciable effect. damping in shear, without however creating a roll effect resulting in an instability of the platform.

Positioning the visco-elastic bands on the side faces of the ski makes it possible to benefit, on these bands, from much larger deformations (about 100 times greater for fixing ideas) than those provided by the prior art, which consists in provide the visco-elastic band on the upper surface of the ski. It is then possible to significantly reduce the amount of visco-elastic material, and therefore to have a significant gain in weight and cost savings, while nevertheless greatly increasing the efficiency of damping by shearing.

FIGS. 7 and 8, which are equivalent to FIGS. 2 and 6, show an alternative embodiment for which, when the ski is at rest, the two lower lateral edges 16, 17 of the platform 12 rest respectively, as shown in FIG. 7, on the upper surface of the respective associated overhangs 22,23 instead of being kept at a good distance "f" above them as is the case for the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6.

• . Une semelle de glissement 1 bordée par des carres métalliques 2.
• . Un renfort inférieur 3 surmonté du noyau 4, cet ensemble 3,4 étant bordé par des chants latéraux 24 qui définissent les faces latérales 10,11 du ski.
• . Une couche supérieure de protection et de décor 25 qui est doublée intérieurement par une autre couche de renfort 26.

As can be seen in the drawing, for this last embodiment, it is not a hull ski but a traditional ski with a "sandwich" structure, this structure conventionally comprising:

• . A sliding sole 1 bordered by metal edges 2.
• . A lower reinforcement 3 surmounted by the core 4, this assembly 3,4 being bordered by lateral edges 24 which define the lateral faces 10,11 of the ski.
• . An upper protective and decorative layer 25 which is internally doubled by another reinforcing layer 26.

Advantageously, each side face 10, 11, and therefore each edge 24, has a shoulder 27 in the form of a "stair step", on which the platform 12 rests in the position of rest (Figure 7).

During the flexing of the ski, corresponding for example either to a turn, or to a passage in a hollow, the lower lateral edges 16, 17 of the front and rear ends of the platform remain in contact with the upper surface 22, 23 of the shoulders 27 (Figure 7). This keeps an energetic contact at the time of the edge grip, while in the central part of the platform 12, due to the arrow of the ski, the lower lateral edges 16, 17 of the platform move away from the upper surface 22, 23 of the shoulders 27 (FIG. 8) by creating a shear in the visco-elastic bands 13, 14, and therefore a damping effect.

In addition, during a turn, only the side of the platform which is outside the turn lifts relative to the ski, while on the contrary the other side comes to bear strongly on the associated overhang of the ski, favoring thus taking edges.

Referring to FIG. 9, it can be seen that the shoulders 27 in FIG. 7 are produced by lateral clearances 18, 19 produced longitudinally in the two edges 24 of the ski, the transverse width L of the ski after machining these two clearances 18 , 19 being adjusted so that, apart from these two clearances (that is to say in front and behind the platform 12), the lateral faces 10, 11 of the ski constitute the coplanar extension of the platform 12, so that there is no excess thickness on the two sides of the ski, and more precisely at the level of this platform 12. The two clearances 18,19 are at least a little longer than the platform 12, of which they protrude towards forward and backward to allow the longitudinal flapping of the latter.

Where the two viscoelastic bands 13,14 exist, the depth of the clearances 18,19 is therefore substantially equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the viscoelastic layer, 13 or 14, and of the platform 12.

Note that, in addition, Figure 9 illustrates, for this ski whose front part is assumed on the left in the drawing and the rear part on the right, an interesting alternative embodiment of the ski according to FIGS. 7 and 8. Here, in fact, the two visco-elastic bands 13, 14 do not extend over the entire length of the platform 12, but they stop set back from its front part, so that there are practically no lateral viscoelastic layers 13, 14 at the level of the front stop of the attachment.

At this location (zones marked A on the drawing), the depth of the clearances 18.19 is only equal to the thickness of the platform 12, so that the platform 12 here comes to bear against the lateral bearing surfaces 20.21 of the ski, with of course a possibility of sliding, in particular longitudinal, relative. This is very advantageous, since an excellent precision of the guidance exerted by the stop is thus obtained before the binding to the ski.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described. It applies to any board for gliding on snow, and in particular to cross-country skis as well as downhill or touring skis, or even to snowboards, the presence or absence of lower metal edges being not necessarily decisive.

Claims (9)

Snow gliding board, such as a ski, the upper surface (9) of which is connected to the two lower lateral edges by means of two respective inclined lateral surfaces (10, 11), this sliding board being provided, in its skate area, at least one rigid platform (12) for receiving and raising the bindings (7,8) of the shoe, this platform (12) having an inverted U section and being positioned at a distance (e) of the upper surface (9) of the board as well as of its lateral faces (10,11), characterized in that said platform is fixed on said lateral faces (10,11) of the board and by means of a visco-elastic connecting and bracing material (13,14) which is attached to the external surface of each lateral face (10,11), which it covers at least partially in the skid zone, and which therefore ensures a itself the connection between the board and this platform (12). Gliding board according to claim 1, characterized in that said visco-elastic bracing and connecting material (13,14) has a thickness of the order of a millimeter. Gliding board according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that an air space (e) is provided between the upper surface (9) of the board and the combined upper part (15) of this platform (12 ). Gliding board according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said visco-elastic material for connection and bracing consists of two visco-elastic longitudinal strips (13,14) which respectively cover at least part of said respective side faces (10,11). Gliding board according to one of claims 1 to 4, this board being provided with "overhangs" (22,23) which connect its lateral faces (10,11) to its respective lateral edges, characterized in that the two lower lateral edges (16,17) of the platform (12) are, at rest, respectively positioned vertically and at a distance above (f) these overhanging (22,23). Gliding board according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the two lower lateral edges (16,17) of the platform (12) rest respectively (22,23), at rest, on the shoulders (27) which are provided for this purpose in said side faces (10,11) of the board. Snow gliding board according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the visco-elastic bands (13,14) and the associated lateral parts of the platform (12) are received in lateral clearances (18,19 ) which are made longitudinally in the lateral faces (10,11) of the board, these clearances being at least a little longer than the platform (12) from which they project forward and backward. Gliding board according to claim 7, characterized in that, where the two visco-elastic bands (13,14) exist, the depth of the clearances (18,19) is substantially equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the visco- layer. elastic (13 or 14) and the platform (12). Gliding board according to claim 8, characterized: . in that the two visco-elastic bands (13,14) do not extend over the entire length of the platform (12), but they stop behind its front part, so that one does not find practically no lateral viscoelastic layers (13,14) under the front stop of the fixing. . and in that, at this location (A), the depth of the clearances (18,19) is chosen so that the platform (12) comes to bear here against the lateral surfaces (20,21) of the board, with possibility of relative sliding, in particular of longitudinal relative sliding.

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