# US 5,702,119 A · Boot and retention element assembly adapted for skiing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,702,119 A - Document ID: US5702119A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/501,797 - Filed: 1995-07-13 - Granted: 1997-12-30 - Earliest claimed: 1994-07-13 - Assignees: Salomon S.A. - Inventors: Christian Challande; Pierre Desarmaux; Pascal Thomas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5702119A ## CPC - A43B 5/0417: {for soles or associated with soles of ski boots; for ski bindings (A43B5/0411 takes precedence)} - A63C 9/00: Ski bindings - A63C 9/0855: {pivoting about a vertical axis} - A63C 9/08578: {using a plurality of biasing elements} - A63C 9/08521: {pivoting about a vertical axis, e.g. side release} - A63C 9/086: using parts which are fixed on the shoe of the user and are releasable from the ski binding - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - A63C: SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE (water skis B63B32/00, B63B34/00) ## Abstract The invention relates to an assembly of a boot and a retention element of the ski boot. The boot has at the level of its tip a local asymmetry, that the retention element has a specific and symmetrical elastic retention element adapted to cooperate with the asymmetric zone in a manner such that the boot is freed more easily on one side than on the other. The invention relates also to a retention element and a boot considered alone, and to a pair of boots whose tips are symmetrical to one another. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly of a boot and a retention device for a boot on a gliding board, said assembly comprising: a boot comprising an end having a tip extending on each side of a longitudinal vertical median plane of said boot, said tip having a local asymmetrical portion; a retention device adapted to be affixed to the gliding board, said retention device comprising: a retention jaw having a construction adapted to engage said tip of said boot in a retention position in alignment with a longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device; a return spring operatively connected to said retention jaw to bias said jaw to said retention position, said jaw being supported for movement from said retention position against a return force of said return spring in response to movement of said tip of said boot laterally in a direction toward one or the other side of said longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device from said retention position of said jaw to a release position upon a force exerted by said tip of said boot equal to or greater than a release threshold force; a symmetric elastic retention mechanism adapted to cooperate with said local asymmetric portion of said boot for causing said release threshold force to have an increased magnitude for release of said boot upon lateral movement in a direction toward said one side of said longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device with respect to a direction toward said other side of said longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said boot comprises a sole, said end of said boot comprising a front end of said sole; and said local asymmetric portion of said boot comprises a shape extending in relief from said front end of said sole. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said boot comprises a sole, said end of said boot comprising a front end of said sole; and said local asymmetric portion of said boot comprises a recessed portion of said front end of said sole. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said boot comprises a vamp, said end of said boot comprising a front end of said vamp; and said local asymmetric portion of said boot comprises a shape extending in relief from said front end of said vamp. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said boot comprises a vamp, said end of said boot comprising a front end of said vamp; and said local asymmetric portion of said boot comprises a recessed portion of said front end of said vamp. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said symmetric elastic retention mechanism comprises: an element adapted to engage said asymmetric portion of said boot; and at least one spring for biasing said element for movement independent of said retention jaw. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said symmetric elastic retention mechanism comprises an element fixed for movement with said retention jaw. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said retention jaw and said symmetric elastic retention mechanism collectively comprise a pair of upper wings for engagement with a vamp of said boot and a pair of lower wings for engagement with a sole of said boot. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An assembly according to claim 8, wherein: said upper wings and said lower wings have different respective lengths. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) An assembly according to claim 8, wherein: said upper wings are longer than said lower wings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) An assembly according to claim 8, wherein: said upper wings envelop said vamp of said boot more than said lower wings envelop said sole of said boot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said tip of said boot is interchangeable with another tip. ### Claim 13 A retention device for use with a boot on a gliding board, the boot having an end with a tip extending on each side of a longitudinal vertical median plane of said boot, said tip having a local asymmetrical portion, said retention device comprising: a retention jaw having a construction adapted to engage the tip of the boot in a retention position in alignment with a longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device; a return spring operatively connected to said retention jaw to bias said jaw to said retention position, said jaw being supported for movement from said retention position against a return force of said return spring in response to movement of the tip of the boot laterally in a direction toward one or the other side of said longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device from said retention position of said jaw to a release position upon a force exerted by the tip of the boot equal to or greater than a release threshold force; a symmetric elastic retention mechanism adapted to cooperate with the local asymmetric portion of the boot for causing said release threshold force to have an increased magnitude for release of the boot upon lateral movement in a direction toward said one side of said longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device with respect to a direction toward said other side of said longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A retention device according to claim 13, wherein: said jaw comprises a seat; and said symmetric elastic retention mechanism comprises: an element mounted in said seat of said jaw, said element being located along said longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device, said element being adapted to engage the asymmetric portion of the boot; and at least one spring for biasing said element for movement longitudinally independent of said retention jaw. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A retention device according to claim 14, wherein: said jaw is adapted to engage a front end of a boot; and said element is biased by said at least one spring for rearward longitudinal movement. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) A retention device according to claim 13, wherein: said symmetric elastic retention mechanism comprises: a finger longitudinally extending in a centered position along said longitudinal vertical median plane of said retention device, said finger being mounted for movement out of said centered position; and a spring for elastically returning said finger to said centered position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) A retention device according to claim 13, wherein: said retention jaw and said symmetric elastic retention mechanism collectively comprise a pair of upper wings for engagement with a vamp of the boot and a pair of lower wings for engagement with a sole of the boot. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A retention device according to claim 17, wherein: said upper wings and said lower wings have different respective lengths. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A retention device according to claim 18, wherein: said upper wings are longer than said lower wings. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) An assembly according to claim 17, wherein: said upper wings are adapted to envelop the vamp of the boot more than the lower wings envelop the sole of the boot. ### Claim 21 A boot for use with a retention device on a gliding board, the retention device having a retention jaw with a construction adapted to engage a tip of and end of the boot in a retention position in alignment with a longitudinal vertical median plane of the retention device, and a return spring operatively connected to the retention jaw to bias the jaw to the retention position, the jaw being supported for movement from the retention position against a return force of the return spring in response to movement of the tip of the boot laterally to one or the other side of the longitudinal vertical median plane of the retention device from the retention position of the jaw to a release position upon a bias exerted by the tip of the boot equal to or greater than a release threshold force, said boot comprising: said end having said tip, said tip extending on each side of a longitudinal vertical median plane of said boot; and said tip having a local asymmetrical portion. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A boot according to claim 21, wherein: said local asymmetrical portion comprises a curved surface immediately adjacent a longitudinal vertical median plane of said boot. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) A boot according to claim 21, wherein: said local asymmetrical portion comprises a shoulder immediately adjacent a longitudinal vertical median plane of said boot. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) A boot according to claim 21, wherein: said boot further comprises a sole; and said local asymmetrical portion comprises a recessed portion on a lateral edge of said sole of said boot. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) A boot according to claim 21, wherein: said boot further comprises a vamp; and said local asymmetrical portion comprises a recessed portion on one side of said vamp of said boot. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) A pair of boots comprising a first boot and a second boot, each of said pair of boots comprising a boot according to claim 21, wherein said tip of said first boot is symmetric to said tip of said second boot.