Alpine ski binding having release logic for inhibiting anterior cruciate ligament injury
AssigneeVermont Safety Developments
InventorsCarl F. Ettlinger, David J. Dodge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alpine ski binding system for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski. The binding system includes a secondary toe release that provides an attenuated release threshold under lateral shear loading conditions that can cause anterior cruciate ligament injuries. The secondary toe release responds to a trigger that senses the lateral shear loads applied to the inside (medial) afterbody of the ski and triggers the secondary toe release to release the boot at an attenuated release torque. Lateral shear loads applied to the ski along the leading (medial) forebody and along the entire outside (lateral side) of the ski substantially do not cause the trigger to trip.
Claims6
A method of releasing a ski boot from an alpine ski binding system having a boot release, comprising:
- sensing lateral shear forces applied to a snow ski having a first-quadrant, a second-quadrant, a third-quadrant and a fourth-quadrant;
- attenuating the boot release only when a virtual net shear force, which is a composite of the lateral shear forces, is 1) applied to the ski in the third quadrant and 2) exceeds an attenuated-release threshold value;
- and releasing the ski boot from the alpine ski binding system in response to said attenuating of the boot release.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.