Back to results
US 6,877,759 B2Granted
Ski binding
OwnerLouis Dandurandinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot and preferably for telemark skiing. The binding includes a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski and a pair of boot support members pivotally supported from a front side of the base, and disposed laterally on either side of the base. The lateral side members may be tapered inwardly toward the front so as to receive and guide the ski boot as it is to be engaged. The pair of boot support members are biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position.
Claims45
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot, comprising:
- a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski;
- a pair of boot support members pivotally supported from a front side of said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base;
- said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- a cross bar disposed transversely between the pair of boot support members for engaging the front top of the boot sole;
- and
- a release lever arranged at the front of said base readily accessible to the skier and a member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot receiving position upon activation of said release lever;
- said cross bar disposed over the front top of the boot sole so that the center of said cross bar receives the most forward portion of the toe box of the boot with the ends of the cross bar extending rearwardly therefrom to engage outer portions of the boot sole.
4 more elements
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot, comprising:
- a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski;
- a pair of boot support members pivotally supported from a front side said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base;
- said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- and
- a release lever arranged at the front of said base readily accessible to the skier and a member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot receiving position upon activation of said release lever;
- wherein said base has a pressure plate on a front top surface that firmly engages an underside of the boot.
3 more elements
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot, comprising:
- a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski;
- a pair of boot support members pivotally supported from a front side of said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base;
- said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- and
- a release lever arranged at the front of said base readily accessible to the skier and a member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot receiving position upon activation of said release lever;
- wherein the member that releases the pair of support members includes a latch pin that extends through the base retained at its front end at the release lever and having a back end that engages and locks the pair of support members.
3 more elements
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot, comprising:
- a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski;
- a pair of boot support members pivotally supported from a front side of said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base;
- said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- a release lever arranged at the front of said base readily accessible to the skier and a member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot receiving position upon activation of said release lever;
- and
- a ski brake integrated into the base and having wings that extend through the pair of lateral support members.
3 more elements
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot for telemark skiing, comprising:
- a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski;
- a pair of boot support members pivotally supported from a front side of said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base;
- said boot support members being tapered inwardly toward the front so as to receive and guide the ski boot as it is to be engaged;
- said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- a release lever arranged at the front of said base readily accessible to the skier and a member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot receiving position upon activation of said release lever;
- a ski brake integrated into the base, releasable when the boot is disengaged, and constructed and arranged to urge the lateral support members from the locked position to the released position;
- and
- wherein the ski brake has opposite legs that engage with respective boot support members.
5 more elements
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot for telemark skiing, comprising:
- a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski;
- a pair of boot support members pivotally supported from a front side of said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base;
- said boot support members being tapered inwardly toward the front so as to receive and guide the ski boot as it is to be engaged;
- said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- a release lever arranged at the front of said base readily accessible to the skier and a member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot receiving position upon activation of said release lever;
- and
- a ski brake integrated into the base, releasable when the boot is disengaged, and constructed and arranged to urge the lateral support members from the locked position to the released position;
- wherein said base has a pressure plate on a front top surface that firmly engages an underside of the boot, and wherein the pressure plate is slightly elevated above the rest of the top surface of the base.
5 more elements
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot for telemark skiing, comprising:
- a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski;
- a pair of boot support members pivotally supported from a front side of said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base;
- said boot support members being tapered inwardly toward the front so as to receive and guide the ski boot as it is to be engaged;
- said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- a release lever arranged at the front of said base readily accessible to the skier and a member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot receiving position upon activation of said release lever;
- and
- a ski brake integrated into the base, releasable when the boot is disengaged, and constructed and arranged to urge the lateral support members from the locked position to the released position;
- wherein the member that releases the pair of support members includes a latch pin that extends through the base retained at its front end at the release lever and having a back end that engages and locks the pair of support members.
5 more elements
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot, comprising:
- a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski;
- a pair of boot support members mounted from a front side of said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base;
- said boot support members adapted to receive and guide the ski boot as it is received;
- said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot released position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- a release lever mounted at the front of said base, readily accessible to the skier and including a release member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot released position upon activation of said release lever;
- a series of upright engagement pins on the base for engaging similarly disposed holes in the boot sole;
- and
- a cross bar between and stationary relative to the pair of boot support members, disposed overlying said engagement pins and for engaging the front top of the boot sole.
5 more elements
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot, comprising:
- a pair of boot support members mounted from a front side of said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base;
- said boot support members adapted to receive and guide the ski boot as it is received;
- said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot released position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- a release lever mounted at the front of said base, readily accessible to the skier and including a release member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot released position upon activation of said release lever;
- and
- three crossbars that are used to unify the boot support members.
- wherein the crossbars include a front bar that forms a hinge, a second bar across the top of the boot that holds the boot in place, and a rear bar that locks the boot support members down.
4 more elements
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot, comprising:
- a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski;
- a boot support member supported from a front side of said base and including a pair of separate boot support members each for supporting and guiding opposite sides of the boot sole;
- said boot support member being biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the boot support member, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position;
- a release lever arranged at the front of said base readily accessible to the skier and a member that releases the boot support member from the locked position to the boot receiving position upon activation of said release lever;
- a ski brake integrated into the base, and constructed and arranged to urge the support member from the locked position to the released position;
- at least one cross bar connected between said boot support members, that is disposed over the base and that engages the front top of the ski boot when the ski boot is inserted into the binding;
- and
- a common pivot that interconnects the front of the pair of boot support members and that forms both a pivot for the boot support members as well as defining the spacing between the boot support members.
5 more elements
A binding for receiving and mounting a ski boot to a ski, comprising:
- a base adapted for securing to the ski;
- a boot support carriage that is pivotally supported from said base and that is adapted to receive the sole of the ski boot;
- said boot support carriage having locked and released positions;
- said boot support carriage including;
- a pair of separated boot support members that each have a guide surface for guiding the lateral position of the boot and a support surface for supporting a side of the sole of the boot, and
- at least one cross member that extends between said boot support members, that is disposed over the base and that engages the front top of the ski boot when the ski boot is inserted into the binding;
- and
- a common pivot that interconnects the front of the pair of boot support members and that forms a pivot for the boot support members, defines the spacing between the boot support members and arranges the boot support members for motion at the sides of said base.
5 more elements
A binding for receiving and mounting a ski boot to a ski, comprising:
- a base adapted for securing to the ski;
- a pair of separated boot support members that are pivotally supported from said base at sides thereof, and that are adapted to receive the sole of the ski boot;
- said boot support members having locked and released positions;
- and
- a plurality of cross members that interconnect the pair of boot support members to maintain a fixed spacing therebetween and including an overlying member that is disposed over the base and that engages the front top of the ski boot when the ski boot is inserted into the base in the released position, and a cross member, forward of the overlying member, and forming the pivot for the boot support members.
2 more elements
A binding for receiving and mounting a ski boot to a ski, comprising:
- a base adapted for securing to the ski at a fixed position on the ski;
- a pair of boot support members that are respectively disposed at opposed sides of said base and that are adapted to receive the sole of the ski boot;
- said boot support members having locked and released positions;
- a common pivot that intercouples a front of the pair of boot support members with the base and that forms a pivot for the boot support members to enable the boot support members to move in unison between locked and released positions;
- an overlying member that pivots with the pair of boot support members, is disposed over the base and engages a top surface of the sole of the ski boot when the ski boot is inserted into the pair of boot support members;
- said boot support members and overlying member, upon receiving said boot, being cantilevered downwardly from a released position to a locked position wherein the sole of the ski boot is clamped by the overlying member against the fixed position base.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.