Compensation element and heel jaw with a compensation element

Abstract

Compensating element (1) for use with a heel piece (15) of a touring binding, the heel piece (15) being coupled or connected to a support element (19) for the sole of a ski boot, being arranged on a guide rail (18) and being provided with pins (16a) which can be engaged with receiving openings (22a) on the sole (22) of the ski boot, and for partially compensating for a gap (X) between the sole (22) of the ski boot and the top of the support element (19).The compensating element (1) has a stirrup-shaped part (2) whose upper surface forms a flat support for the sole (22) of the ski boot and whose underside is designed to abut the upper surface of the support element (19) and has engagement elements (5) for releasably positioning the compensating element (1) on the support element (19) and further has two support parts (3) projecting laterally from the stirrup-shaped part (2), which are provided with snap elements (9) for releasably snapping the compensating element (1) onto the guide rail (18).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a compensating element for use in a heel piece of a touring binding, which heel piece is coupled or connected to a support element for the sole of a ski boot, is arranged on a guide rail and is provided with pins which can be brought into engagement with receiving openings on the sole of the ski boot.

[0002] When using ski boots with pin heel pieces, the distance between the sole and the contact surface is greater than with ski boots with thicker soles. Since the pins of pin heel pieces are relatively close together, a greater distance in particular means that the ski boot can tilt relatively far during skiing and under lateral loads before coming into contact with the contact surface. As a result, the power transfer from the ski boot to the ski suffers. However, when the ski boot is in use, a certain minimum distance of approximately 0.30 mm is required between the sole of the ski boot and the top of the contact surface to prevent the ski boot from becoming undesirably jammed in the heel piece. When touring, the ski boot can rest on the contact surface.

[0003] A compensation element of the type mentioned above is a product of ATK Bindings, see https: / / www.atkbindings.com / de / prodotto / zubehoer / free-touring accessories-de / freeride-spacer-2 / (accessed on November 15, 2022). This compensation element has a base part, which is provided with two elongated, symmetrically arranged fastening elements with outwardly bent, hook-like end sections. Block-like support parts with "elastic pads" and support plates screwed to the pads are arranged on the base part. The support parts are arranged on the base part in such a way that they can move slightly outward laterally. The compensation element is to be mounted before the heel piece and before the ski brake are mounted by positioning the hook-like end sections below the screw heads of screws intended for mounting a guide rail for the heel piece. When the heel piece and ski brake are mounted, the two support parts are located to the side of the brake housing.To adjust the compensation element to the distance between the ski boot sole and the brake housing when the ski boot is in use, compensation plates of varying thickness are available. These are inserted between the pads and the support plates. To do this, the support plates must be unscrewed and then screwed back on after the appropriate compensation plates have been placed. Further disclosures from ATK that are related to the invention can be found at: https: / / powderguide.com / magazin / materialtests / materialtest-atk-fr-14.

[0004] The invention is based on the object of designing a compensating element of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that it can be assembled and disassembled much more easily and conveniently than that of the prior art and has a particularly low weight.

[0005] The stated object is achieved according to the invention with a compensating element having a bow-shaped part, the upper side of which forms a flat support for the sole of the ski boot and the underside of which is designed to rest on the upper side of the support element and has engagement elements for releasably positioning the compensating element on the support element and with two support parts projecting laterally from the bow-shaped part, which support parts are provided with snap elements for releasably engaging the compensating element on the guide rail.

[0006] A compensating element according to the invention is therefore a generally bow-shaped component that can be mounted on the guide rail and the contact element by simply snapping it on or into place, and can also be removed again if necessary. A particular advantage of the inventive, generally bow-shaped compensating element is its extremely low weight, so that it barely affects the weight of the touring binding. When skiing, the ski boot can support itself against the compensating element when subjected to lateral load without significant lateral tilting, thus enabling prompt power transmission from the ski boot to the ski.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment which hardly affects the low weight, the bow-shaped part has, at least in sections, a thickness which corresponds to the compensable distance.

[0008] In a further preferred embodiment of the compensating element, at least one support element is formed on the underside of the bow-shaped part. The underside of the support element is designed as a support surface that comes into contact with the upper side of the support element and is offset from the remaining underside to form a stepped surface that is designed to engage with an oppositely offset stepped surface on the upper side of the support element. This measure supports a stable arrangement of the compensating element on the support element.

[0009] According to a further advantageous embodiment, an engagement element is formed on each side of the bow-shaped part, which engagement element is provided with a sliding bevel to support the engagement in a receptacle formed on the support element.

[0010] A reliable engagement of the compensating element on the guide rail is achieved if, according to a further preferred embodiment, the two support parts projecting laterally from the bow-shaped part have a height which is adapted to the distance to be compensated between the sole of the ski boot and the upper side of the contact element.

[0011] The compensating element is preferably a plastic part manufactured by injection molding, the support parts of which are elastically deformable to such an extent that the two snap elements at the free ends of the support parts can be designed as mutually facing, curved end sections, which are designed to engage under the lateral edge areas of the guide rail. Each snap element advantageously has a sliding bevel to support the engagement over and under of the lateral edge areas of the guide rail during installation of the compensating element.

[0012] In this context, it is particularly advantageous if the sliding bevels are inclined to each other and to the upper side of the bow-shaped part at an angle of 20° to 45°.

[0013] The installed compensating element should not be able to accidentally detach from the guide rail. In this regard, it is advantageous if the support parts above the snap-in elements are connected to each other via a stabilizing connecting bar, which has at least one support element on its underside to support the connecting bar on the top side of the guide rail.

[0014] Compensation elements which belong to a set of compensation elements are particularly advantageous, wherein this set has at least two, in particular three, compensation elements which differ from one another in their dimensions in order to compensate for different distances between the sole of a ski boot inserted in the heel piece and the upper side of the contact element as appropriately as possible, wherein the aforementioned minimum distance of approximately 0.30 mm should be maintained in any case.

[0015] Each of these output elements further comprises a test plate which is connected to the compensating element, in particular to the bow-shaped part, via a predetermined breaking point, wherein the test plate provides information about the size of the area of ​​the mentioned distance which can be compensated with this compensating element.

[0016] The invention further relates to a heel piece of a touring binding, which is coupled or connected to a support element for the sole of a ski boot, is arranged on a guide rail and is provided with pins which can be brought into engagement with receiving openings on the sole of a ski boot, wherein a compensating element, which is designed according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, is positioned on the support element and the guide rail.

[0017] It is particularly advantageous if this heel jaw can be arranged on the guide rail coupled to a ski brake having a brake housing, wherein the brake housing forms the contact element.

[0018] Further features, advantages and details of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments. Fig. 1 a view of a heel piece of a touring binding, Fig. 2 a compensation element in plan view, Fig. 3 the compensation element in side view, Fig. 4 a view of the underside of the compensation element, Fig. 5 a front view of the compensation element according to the arrow P 1 of the Fig. 2 , Fig. 6 Views of three differently dimensioned compensation elements with corresponding side views of these compensation elements, Fig. 7 a side view of a compensating element mounted on a brake housing and a guide rail of the heel piece, Fig. 8 a sectional view along the line indicated by arrows P 2 in Fig. 7 marked cutting plane, Fig. 9 a view of a brake housing, Fig. 10 a side view of a heel piece mounted on a guide rail including a ski brake, but without a mounted compensation element and Fig. 11 a side view analog Fig. 9 but with the compensating element installed.

[0019] In the following description and in the patent claims, terms such as "top side," "bottom side," "vertical," "rearward," and the like refer to the positions of the respective components in the illustrations and in their mounted position on the ski or a binding part arranged on the ski. For the sake of clarity, the ski is not shown. The term "longitudinal direction of the ski" refers to the longitudinal direction of the ski when viewed from above, while the term "transverse direction" refers to a direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ski when viewed from above.

[0020] Compensating elements according to the invention are intended to bridge any free space or distance between the underside of the sole of a ski boot inserted into a pin heel piece of a touring binding and the contact surface of the sole to such an extent that only a small distance remains, but at least a distance of approximately 0.30 mm. The pin heel piece of the touring binding is intended and suitable for alpine downhill skiing and touring and is provided with a U-shaped retaining bracket or with two retaining pins with pins, the free ends of which are brought into engagement in a conventional manner with correspondingly designed receiving openings formed at the rear of the sole of the ski boot when the ski boot is inserted.

[0021] Fig. 1 shows a heel piece 15 with a retaining bracket 16 with two pins 16a, furthermore a ski brake 17 which is connected to the heel piece 15, in particular detachably, which is arranged or pushed together with the heel piece 15 on a guide rail 18 attached to the ski (not shown) and can be fixed and released thereon in variable longitudinal positions. Fig. 8 As shown, the guide rail 18 is provided, in a conventional manner, with projecting edge regions 18a on its longitudinal edges extending in the longitudinal direction of the ski for sliding on a brake housing 19 of a ski brake 17 and the heel piece 15. The ski brake 17 further comprises a brake pedal 20 and brake lever 21. The other configuration of the heel piece 15 and the ski brake 17 is not relevant to the present invention and will therefore not be discussed further. A compensating element 1 can be attached to the brake housing 19 and the guide rail 18, as will be described in detail below.

[0022] Based on the Figuren 2 bis 5 First, the design of a single compensating element 1, which is a one-piece component, in particular made of plastic by injection molding, is described in more detail. The compensating element 1 is Fig. 2 indicated central plane M e , which runs in the longitudinal direction of the ski when the compensation element 1 is mounted, is designed symmetrically. Viewed in plan view, the compensation element 1 has a U-shaped or overall arched part 2 with a base leg 2a and two side legs 2b. In the mounted position of the compensation element 1, the base leg 2a is positioned running in the transverse direction, the two side legs 2b are positioned running in the longitudinal direction of the ski. Side support parts 3, which run essentially at a right angle, are attached to the free ends of the side legs 2b and run in the direction of and perpendicular to the upper side of the ski when the compensation element 1 is mounted.The upper side of the bow-shaped part 2 forms a flat support surface 4 which, in the mounted position of the compensating element 1, runs parallel or largely parallel to the upper side of the ski and is intended for contact with the underside of a ski boot sole, as will be described later. An engagement element 5 is formed on the underside of the bow-shaped part 2, particularly in the area of ​​the transition from the base leg 2a to one of the side legs 2b. The engagement elements 5 engage or snap into correspondingly formed recesses 6 (Fig. 1) when the compensating element 1 is mounted. Fig. 8 ) on the top side of the brake housing 19. The design is such that a locked compensating element 1 is secured against displacement relative to the brake housing 19. Sliding bevels 7 formed on the engagement elements 5 assist the compensating element 1 in snapping into place on the brake housing 19.

[0023] On the underside of the base leg 2a ( Fig. 5 ) In the embodiment shown, two support elements 8 of equal and constant thickness are formed laterally with a flat support surface 8a that runs parallel to the support surface 4. When the compensating element 1 is mounted, the support elements 8 come into supporting contact with the top side of the brake housing 19. Instead of two support elements 8, a single support element running along the underside of the base leg 2a can also be provided. In the embodiment shown, the support elements 8 are offset from the rest of the underside of the base leg 2a, forming narrow step surfaces 8b that come into contact with an oppositely offset step surface 19a on the top side of the brake housing 19 when the compensating element 1 is mounted.Preferably, the side legs 2b of the bow-shaped part 2 are designed on their underside in such a way that, when the compensating element 1 is mounted, they also come into supporting contact with the upper side of the brake housing 19.

[0024] The support parts 3 of the compensating element 1 have, at their free ends, snap elements 9 which are curved toward each other and toward the center plane M e for snapping the compensating element 1 onto and over the lateral edge regions 18a of the guide rail 18. This snapping is facilitated by sliding bevels 10 formed at the mutually facing ends of the snap elements 9. The sliding bevels 10 are inclined to each other and to the plane of the support surface 4 at an angle of inclination α of 20° to 45°.

[0025] Above the snap elements 9, the two support parts 3 are connected to each other via a stabilizing connecting web 11. The connecting web 11 has a support element 12 on its underside, and in particular in the center, which has a constant thickness and ensures that the connecting web 11 rests on the upper side of the guide rail 18 when the compensating element 1 is mounted.

[0026] In order to enable compensating elements 1 for use with ski boot soles of different thicknesses, which, when inserted into the heel jaws 15, create different distances between the ski boot sole and the brake housing top, a set of compensating elements 1 is provided in designs with different dimensions. For example, and as Fig. 6 A set of such compensating elements 1 shows three different compensating elements 1, which differ from one another with regard to the height h of the side sections 3 and the material thicknesses of those components of the part 2 that are supported on the upper side of the brake housing 19. For example, compensating elements 1 are provided, the base legs 2a of which in the area of ​​the support elements 8 have a material thickness d ( Fig. 4 ) of 1.50 mm, 2.50 mm and 3.50 mm. Each of the different compensation elements 1 is marked accordingly, for example with a test plate 13 which is injection-molded laterally onto the base leg 2a of the support bracket 2 via a predetermined breaking point, a material thinning, wherein the thicknesses of the test plates 13 correspond to the distances that can be bridged with their compensation elements. The compensation element 1 is selected from this set whose material thickness d is such that, with the ski boot inserted in the heel jaw 15, the distance between the ski boot sole and the top side of the brake housing 19 is most appropriately reduced, taking into account the aforementioned minimum distance of approximately 0.30 mm. To this end, a test is carried out to determine which of the test plates 13 of different thicknesses best compensates for the gap between the ski boot sole and the top side of the brake housing 19 in this regard.

[0027] With the ski boot removed from the ski binding, the appropriate compensating element 1 is positioned from above on the brake housing 19 such that the engagement elements 5 of the compensating element 1 are located above the recesses 6 of the brake housing 19. With the support surface 4 aligned parallel or largely parallel to the surface of the brake housing 19, pressure on the compensating element 1 causes the engagement elements 5 to snap into the recesses 6 of the brake housing 19 and, at the same time, the hook-like snap elements 9 to snap into place below the edge regions 18a of the guide rail 18.

[0028] Before or after the compensating element 1 has been installed, the test plate 13 is removed by loosening the predetermined breaking point.

[0029] Fig. 7 und 8 show a compensating element 1 mounted on the brake housing 19 and the guide rail 13; the reference numerals correspond to those already used. In the example, a bolt 14 for pivotably supporting a brake support, which represents a connecting element to the brake pedal, is mounted between the aligned recesses 6 in the brake housing 19.

[0030] Fig. 9 shows a view of the brake housing 19 with openings 19b for receiving the brake levers 21, furthermore with the two recesses 6 for receiving the engagement elements 5 of the compensating element 1, and a largely flat upper surface. On the underside of the brake housing 19, inwardly bent edge regions 19c each form sliding guides for sliding the brake housing 19 onto the guide rail 18, with the edge regions 19c overlapping the lateral edge regions 18a of the guide rail 18.

[0031] Fig. 10 shows a side view of a heel piece 15 with a ski brake 17 and with pins 16a inserted into the receiving openings 22a of a ski boot sole 22. Between the top of the brake housing 19 and the underside of the ski boot sole 22, a distance X exists perpendicular to the top of the guide rail 18, and a distance Y is located between the center of the receiving openings 22a and the top of the brake housing 19. Fig. 11 shows a Fig. 10 analogous side view with positioned compensation element 1 and correspondingly reduced distance X.

[0032] The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. In particular, the design of the brake housing may differ from that illustrated and described. Instead of the brake housing, any support element, such as a base plate, may be provided, which is coupled to the heel piece or connectable in some other way, particularly detachably. Bezugszeichenliste

[0033] 1 Compensation element 2 Bow-shaped part 2a Base leg 2b Side leg 3 Support part 4 Support surface 5 Engagement element 6 Recess 7 Sliding bevel 8 Support element 8a Support surface 8b Step surface 9 Snap element 10 Sliding bevel 11 Connecting web 12 Support element 13 Test plate 14 Bolt 15 Heel jaws 16 Retaining bracket 16a Pins 17 Ski brake 18 Guide rail 18a Edge area 19 Brake housing 19a Step surface 19b Opening 19c Edge area 20 Brake pedal 21 Brake lever 22 Ski boot sole 22a Receiving opening α Angle of inclination d Thickness M e Center plane X, Y Distance

Claims

1. Compensation element (1) for use with a heel jaw (15) of a touring binding, which heel jaw (15) is coupled or connected to a contact element (19) for the sole of a ski boot, is arranged on a guide rail (18) and is provided with pins (16a) which can be brought into engagement with receiving openings (22a) on the sole (22) of the ski boot, and for partially compensating a distance (X) between the sole (22) of the ski boot and the upper side of the contact element (19), characterized by a bow-shaped part (2), the upper side of which forms a flat support for the sole (22) of the ski boot and the underside of which is designed to bear against the upper side of the contact element (19) and has engagement elements (5) for releasably positioning the compensation element (1) on the contact element (19), and two supporting parts (3) projecting laterally from the bow-shaped part (2), which are provided with snap elements (9) for releasably latching the compensation element (1) on the guide rail (18).

2. Compensation element (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the bow-shaped part (2) has, at least in sections, a thickness (d) which corresponds to the distance which can be compensated by the compensation element (1).

3. Compensation element (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one supporting element (8) is formed on the underside of the bow-shaped part (2), the underside of which is designed as a supporting surface coming into contact with the upper side of the contact element (19) and is offset from the other underside by forming a stepped surface (8b) which is designed to bear against a stepped surface (19a) offset in the opposite direction on the upper side of the contact element (19).

4. Compensation element (1) according to one or more of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that one engagement element (5) each is formed laterally on the bow-shaped part (2), which engagement element is provided with a sliding bevel (7) for supporting the engagement in a receptacle formed on the contact element (19).

5. Compensation element (1) according to one or more of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the two supporting parts (3) projecting laterally from the bow-shaped part (2) have a height (h) which is adapted to the distance (X) to be compensated between the sole (22) of the ski boot and the upper side of the contact element (19).

6. Compensation element (1) according to one or more of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the two snap elements (9) at the free ends of the supporting parts (3) protruding laterally from the bow-shaped part (2) are designed as mutually facing, curved end sections, which are designed to engage under lateral edge regions (18a) of the guide rail (18).

7. Compensation element according to claim 6, characterized in that each snap element (9) has a sliding bevel (10) for supporting the engagement of the lateral edge regions (18a) of the guide rail (18) when mounting the compensation element (1).

8. Compensation element (1) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the sliding bevels (10) are inclined with respect to one another and with respect to the upper side of the bow-shaped part (2) at an angle of inclination (α) of 20° to 45°.

9. Compensation element (1) according to one or more of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the supporting parts (3) are connected to one another above the snap elements (9) via a stabilizing connecting bridge (11), which has at least one supporting element (12) on its underside for supporting the connecting bridge (11) on the upper side of the guide rail (18).

10. Compensation element (1) according to one or more of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it belongs to a set of compensation elements (1), which set has at least two, in particular three, compensation elements (1), which differ from one another in their dimensions, for compensating for different distances (X) between the sole of a ski boot inserted into the heel jaw (15) and the upper side of the contact element (19).

11. Compensation element (1) according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it is connected to a test plate (13) via a predetermined breaking point, in particular via a predetermined breaking point formed on the bow-shaped part (2), which test plate reproduces information about the size of the region of the distance (X) which can be compensated with this compensation element (1).

12. Heel jaw (15) of a touring binding, which is coupled or connected to a contact element (19) for the sole of a ski boot, is arranged on a guide rail (18) and is provided with pins (16a), which can be brought into engagement with receiving openings (22a) on the sole (22) of a ski boot, wherein a compensation element, which is formed according to one or more of Claims 1 to 11, is positioned on the contact element (19) and on the guide rail (18).

13. Heel jaw (15) of a touring binding according to Claim 12, characterized in that it can be arranged on the guide rail (18) in a manner coupled to a ski brake (17) having a brake housing (19), wherein the brake housing (19) forms the contact element.

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