Telemark binding assembly
OwnerMatthew E. Venable, Matthew J. Rollinsinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A binding assembly is provided for an elongate ski. The binding assembly receives a boot having a toe portion and a heel portion. The assembly comprises a toe piece mountable to the ski for receiving at least a portion of the toe portion of the boot. A heel piece is spaced from the toe piece with the heel piece for receiving at least a portion of the heel portion of the boot. A spring mechanism connects the heel piece to the toe piece. A cam member is rotatably mounted to the heel piece and contactable with the heel portion of the boot with the cam member releasably retaining the boot within the heel piece wherein upon the heel portion contacting and rotating the cam member, the spring mechanism releasably secures the heel portion within the heel piece.
Claims20
A binding assembly for an elongate ski, the binding assembly receiving a boot having a toe portion and a heel portion, the assembly comprising:
- a toe piece mountable to the ski for receiving at least a portion of the toe portion of the boot;
- a heel piece spaced from the toe piece, the heel piece for receiving at least a portion of the heel portion of the boot;
- spring means for connecting the heel piece to the toe piece;
- and
- a cam member rotatably mounted to the heel piece and contactable with the heel portion of the boot, the cam member releasably maintaining the boot within the heel piece;
- wherein upon the heel portion contacting and rotating the cam member, the spring means releasably secures the heel portion within the heel piece.
A method for mounting a boot within a binding system on a ski, the method comprising:
- providing a toe piece;
- mounting the toe piece on the ski;
- providing a heel piece spaced from the toe piece;
- rotatably mounting a cam member to the heel piece;
- connecting the heel piece to the toe piece with spring means;
- inserting a toe portion of the boot into the toe piece;
- contacting the cam member with the heel portion of the boot;
- rotating the cam member with the heel portion of the boot until the heel portion of the boot is seated into the heel piece;
- and
- tensioning the spring means to releasably securely maintain the boot between the toe piece and the heel piece.
A binding system for skiing activities, the binding system comprising:
- a toe piece mountable to the ski;
- a free heel piece spaced from the toe piece;
- cam means rotatably mounted to the heel piece for releasably maintaining a boot within the heel piece;
- means for connecting the heel piece to the toe piece and tensioning the heel piece in a general direction toward the toe piece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.