Ski binding
AssigneeAlpine Research, Inc.
InventorPaul C. Ramer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ski binding for use both in downhill skiing and cross-country skiing which can be used with either conventional downhill skiing boots or with non-skiing boots through the use of a leg cast which conformably grasps the lower leg of a skier. The leg cast is selectively pivotal relative to a boot plate for cross-country skiing, and vertically releasable from the ski during downhill or cross-country skiing.
Claims20
A ski binding for releasably connecting a skier's leg and associated footwear to a ski comprising in combination:
- a toe piece mounted on said ski including laterally extending pin means;
- a boot plate releasably connected to said ski, said boot plate rotatably connected to said pin means, whereby rotation of the boot plate relative to the toe piece is provided about an axis transverse to said ski;
- a heel piece mounted on said ski, said heel piece being releasably connectable to said boot plate to thereby selectively permit rotation of said boot plate relative to said toe piece;
- a leg cast which surrounds and retains the lower leg of the skier, said leg cast being pivotally connected to said boot plate for selective movement about an axis substantially transverse to said ski;
- and
- strut means for adjusting the angular position of said leg cast relative to said boot plate, said strut means selectively connected to said leg cast, and said strut means being further selectively connectable to said boot plate.
A ski binding for releasably connecting a skier's leg and associated footwear to a ski comprising in combination:
- a toe piece mounted on said ski including laterally extending pin means;
- a boot plate releasably connected to said ski, said boot plate being rotatably connected to said pin means, whereby rotation of said boot plate relative to the toe piece is provided about an axis transverse to said ski;
- a heel piece mounted on said ski;
- said heel piece being releasably connectable to said boot plate to thereby selectively permit rotation of said boot plate relative to said toe piece;
- a leg cast which surrounds and retains the lower leg of the skier;
- strut means interconnecting said leg cast and said boot plate and releasably connected to the leg cast and to the boot plate;
- and
- a pair of generally vertically extending braces fixedly connected to either side of said boot plate and pivotally connected to said leg cast at the ankle of the skier whereby said leg cast can pivot about a second axis transverse to said ski passing through the ankle of the skier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.