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US 9,039,030 B2Granted
Convertible ski systems having toe binding mounts and associated quick-release locking mechanisms
OwnerLars Chickering-Ayersinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ski system includes a ski, a heel binding provided on an upper surface of the ski, a toe binding mount provided on the upper surface of the ski forward of the heel binding, a toe binding releasably mounted to the toe binding mount, and a quick-release locking mechanism for locking the toe binding to the toe binding mount. The quick-release locking mechanism is configured for release by hand.
Claims20
A ski system, comprising:
- a ski having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a heel binding provided on the top surface of the ski;
- a toe binding mount provided on the top surface of the ski forward of the heel binding, the toe binding mount including a first sidewall that extends upwardly above the ski and a first lip that extends inwardly from the first sidewall, and a second sidewall that extends upwardly above the ski and a second lip that extends inwardly from the second sidewall toward the first sidewall, the first and second sidewalls being generally opposed from each other and defining a channel therebetween;
- a toe binding that includes a support plate, the support plate configured to be slidably received within the channel of the toe binding mount between the top surface of the ski and the first and second lips and to be releasably mounted to the toe binding mount, wherein a bottom surface of the support plate is coplanar with inner lower edges of the first and second sidewalls of the toe binding mount;
- a quick-release locking mechanism for locking the support plate of the toe binding within the toe binding mount, wherein the quick-release locking mechanism is configured for release by hand.
2 more elements
A ski system, comprising:
- a ski having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a heel binding provided on the top surface of the ski;
- a toe binding mount provided on the top surface of the ski forward of the heel binding, the toe binding mount including a first sidewall that extends upwardly above the ski and a first lip that extends inwardly from the first sidewall, and a second sidewall that extends upwardly above the ski and a second lip that extends inwardly from the second sidewall toward the first sidewall, the first and second sidewalls being generally opposed from each other and defining a channel therebetween;
- a first free-pivoting toe binding that is suitable for use in ascending mountains, the first free-pivoting toe binding configured to be releasably mounted to the toe binding mount the first free-pivoting toe binding including a first support plate, the first support plate configured to be slidably received within the channel of the toe binding mount between the top surface of the ski and the first and second lips, wherein a bottom surface of the first support plate is coplanar with inner lower edges of the first and second sidewalls of the toe binding mount;
- a second alpine toe binding that is suitable for descending mountains, the second alpine toe binding also configured to be releasably mounted to the toe binding mount, the second free-pivoting toe binding including a second support plate that is separate from the first support plate, the second support plate configured to be slidably received within the channel of the toe binding mount between the top surface of the ski and the first and second lips, wherein a bottom surface of the second support plate is coplanar with inner lower edges of the first and second sidewalls of the toe binding mount;
- a quick-release locking mechanism that is configured to lock one of the first free-pivoting toe binding or the second alpine toe binding at a time within to the toe binding mount, wherein the quick-release locking mechanism includes at least one release mechanism that is configured for release by hand.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.