Heel unit of a ski binding, comprising a ski brake and a heel piece, and ski binding, in particular touring binding, having a heel unit of this type

Abstract

The invention relates to a heel unit of a ski binding, comprising a heel piece (2), a ski brake (3) connected to the heel piece, and a guide rail (1) which can be fixed to a ski, wherein: the heel piece (2) comprises a base part (4), which can be positioned on the guide rail (1); the ski brake (3) comprises a brake housing (9), which is releasably connected to the heel piece (2), a brake pedal (10), and a lever-type brake support (12, 12'); a spring element (7) is provided, which presses the brake pedal into the raised position. The spring element is a pressing compression spring (7) which is located within the base part (4) and which acts on the brake support (12, 12') such that the brake pedal (10) is pressed toward its raised position.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Heel unit of a ski binding with a ski brake and with a heel jaw and ski binding, in particular touring binding, with such a heel unit

[0003] The invention relates to a heel unit of a ski binding with a heel piece and a ski brake connected thereto, as well as with a guide rail that can be arranged fixedly to the ski, wherein the heel piece has a base part that can be positioned on the guide rail, wherein the ski brake has a brake housing that is detachably connected to the heel piece, a brake pedal, two brake levers that are pivotally mounted both on the brake pedal and on the brake housing, and a lever-like brake support that is pivotally mounted with one end on the brake pedal and with its second end on the brake housing, such that the brake pedal can assume a raised position and a lowered position, and wherein a spring element is provided that presses the brake pedal into the raised position.

[0004] Such a heel unit is known, for example, from EP 3 750 604 A1. In this known embodiment, the spring element mentioned is a torsion coil spring, which is housed within the brake housing, extending transversely, and is supported by at least one spring leg on the underside of the brake pedal in such a way that the pedal is pushed away from the brake housing. In another known embodiment, a torsion coil spring housed in the brake housing engages the brake support.

[0005] AT 368 700 B discloses a heel piece mounted on a housing-shaped bearing part, which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the ski against the action of a push-pull spring clamped between an abutment fixed to the ski and an abutment movable relative to the ski. The push-pull spring is simultaneously an actuating spring of a brake lever of a ski brake pivotally mounted on the bearing part. The spring abutment of the push-pull spring on the bearing part is drivingly coupled to the brake lever by means of transmission devices and, upon relative displacement relative to the abutment fixed to the ski in the direction of release of the push-pull spring, pivots the brake lever into its braking position. A similar construction is known from DE 2707625 A1. The movable spring abutment of the push-pull spring is pivotally suspended from a housing—or a bearing part of the binding part.DE 3035738 A1 discloses a ski brake with a pedal whose end region facing the ski binding is designed to interact with a congruent end region of a guide plate of the ski binding. The two end regions are beveled, respectively, whereby a thrust compensation device of the ski binding allows the ski binding to be moved away from the pivot axis of the ski brake in the longitudinal direction of the ski when the pedal is depressed. US 4872698 A relates to a ski brake associated with a heel piece of a ski binding, which is biased forward by a return spring. The ski brake has an arm pivotable about a horizontal axis. The arm is biased into the active braking position by elastic return devices.The elastic return devices comprise at least one spring, which is directly connected to the arm via a first end, with the second end of the return spring being connected to a point fixedly arranged on the heel piece and thus following the longitudinal displacement of the heel piece. The invention is based on the object of simplifying a heel unit of the type mentioned above with regard to the spring loading of the ski brake in order to press the brake pedal into the raised position.

[0006] The stated object is achieved according to the invention in that the spring element is a contact pressure spring located within the base part, which acts on the brake support in such a way that the brake pedal is pressed in the direction of its raised position.

[0007] According to the invention, a spring typically found in the heel unit, namely the compression spring, is used to act as a spring for the ski brake or the ski brake pedal. In alpine ski bindings, the compression spring ensures that the ski boot is clamped between the two ski binding parts, the heel piece and a toe piece. In touring bindings with a pin heel piece, the compression spring ensures length compensation when the ski flexes. Therefore, the invention eliminates the need for a separate spring to actuate the ski brake into its active position—with the brake pedal raised. The invention thus provides a simple, practical, functionally reliable, and compact design.

[0008] Advantageously, the compression spring can be arranged to apply pressure to the brake support either directly or indirectly. These measures allow adaptation to the available space depending on the binding type.

[0009] Particularly advantageous are designs in which the contact pressure spring acts on the brake support below its mounting on the brake housing, which, given the usual installation positions for the contact pressure spring, provides the optimal location for applying pressure to the brake support. Particularly preferred in this context is a design in which the contact pressure spring acts, as mentioned, directly or indirectly, on a cam-like projection of the brake support formed below the rotatable mounting of the brake support.

[0010] For indirect loading, a design in which the pressure spring acts on the brake support via a push rod is particularly advantageous. Between the pressure spring and the brake support, or rather its cam-like attachment, a push rod is provided, which is pushed forward by the pressure spring and is installed in the base part of the heel piece as an extension of the pressure spring, thus running in the longitudinal direction of the ski. In this design, the pressure spring is advantageously supported in the area below the base plate at one end of the push rod.

[0011] The push rod rests directly on the brake support or its cam-like attachment. Another, particularly reliable design provides a operative connection between the push rod and the cam-like attachment.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of this operative connection, which ensures optimal mutual mobility of the components involved, it is provided that the push rod has an end section assigned to the cam-like projection, which is provided on its upper side with a groove running in the transverse direction, which intersects with a receiving slot running in the longitudinal direction of the push rod, wherein a support bolt running in the transverse direction is arranged on the cam-like projection of the brake support, which support bolt projects beyond the cam-like projection on both sides and engages in the groove from above when the ski brake is mounted.

[0013] For stable mounting of the push rod in the base part, it is advantageous if the push rod is slidably mounted at the front end of the base part in a guide sleeve formed on the base part. A similar design can also be provided if the brake support is directly actuated by the contact pressure spring.

[0014] Advantageously, the contact pressure spring is supported on an adjusting element, which, together with the contact pressure spring, is mounted on the base part, in the area of ​​the underside of the base part. Such adjusting elements allow adjustment of the longitudinal position of the heel unit in the longitudinal direction of the ski. For this purpose, the adjusting element is provided, for example, with an external thread that engages with a thread-like engagement structure of the guide rail that runs in the longitudinal direction of the ski.

[0015] The invention further relates to a ski binding with a toe piece and a heel unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 11. The ski binding is preferably a touring binding, with the heel piece and the toe piece being provided, in particular, with pins that engage the boot. Alternatively, the ski binding is a conventional alpine downhill binding.

[0016] Further features, advantages and details of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawing, which schematically shows exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0017] Fig. 1 an oblique view of a heel unit consisting of heel jaws and ski brake in the entry position,

[0018] Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the heel unit in its position according to Fig. 1 and along the median plane of the heel unit,

[0019] Fig. 3 is an oblique view of the heel unit with the brake pedal depressed,

[0020] Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section of the heel unit in its position according to Fig. 3 and along the center plane of the heel unit and Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of an operative connection of a brake support of the ski brake with a push rod of the heel jaw.

[0021] The invention relates to a heel unit of a ski binding comprising a ski brake 3, a heel jaw 2, which in the illustrated embodiment is a heel jaw of a touring ski binding, and a guide rail 1 to be arranged fixedly to the ski. In addition to the heel unit, the ski binding has a front unit, for example a front jaw designed in a manner known per se.

[0022] The description and claims refer to a heel unit mounted on a ski. For clarity, a ski has been omitted. Some terms are defined below.

[0023] “Longitudinal direction of the ski” means the longitudinal direction of the ski when viewed from above,

[0024] “transverse direction” means a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ski when viewed from above and

[0025] “Center plane” means the plane running perpendicular to the ski and in the longitudinal direction of the ski through the center of the heel unit.

[0026] Directional and positional information or related expressions such as "top" or "bottom" of components, "forward" or "backward", "top" or "bottom" refer to the orientation of the components in question with respect to the ski or the top of the ski, the longitudinal direction of the ski, the transverse direction or the tip or tail of the ski.

[0027] As shown in particular in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, the heel piece 2 is arranged together with the ski brake 3 on the guide rail 1 to be attached to the ski and can be fixed and released thereon in variable positions. The heel piece 2 has a base part 4 which can be pushed onto the guide rail 2 by grasping lateral guide projections of the guide rail 2 and can be moved relative to the guide rail in the longitudinal direction of the ski. The base part 4 carries the other components of the heel piece 2 which are not relevant to the present invention, so that a separate description is largely omitted. In the embodiment shown, the heel piece 2 is a heel piece intended for an alpine touring ski binding and has a U-shaped retaining bracket 5, the free ends of which engage in correspondingly designed receptacles on the ski boot in a manner known per se when the ski boot is inserted.

[0028] On the rear end section of the guide rail 2, an engagement structure 1a (Fig. 2, Fig. 4) extending in the longitudinal direction of the ski and designed like a threaded section is formed centrally, consisting of alternating recesses and elevations for engaging an external thread 6a of an adjusting element 6. The adjusting element 6 allows adjustment of the longitudinal position of the heel unit in the longitudinal direction of the ski over the adjustment range provided by the engagement structure 1a, in order to adapt the ski binding to the ski boot to be used.

[0029] At the front end of the adjusting element 6, one end of a contact pressure spring 7 is supported directly or indirectly, for example by means of an inserted sliding sleeve or the like, wherein the adjusting element 6 is inserted from below in a correspondingly designed recess on the underside of the base part 4 running in the longitudinal direction of the ski and is held there together with the contact pressure spring 7. The second end of the contact pressure spring 7 acts on the rear end of a push rod 8 arranged in alignment with the contact pressure spring 7. The push rod 8 is received at the front end region of the base part 4 by a guide sleeve 4a formed on the base part 4 (Fig. 2, Fig. 4) and is slidably displaceable relative to this in the longitudinal direction of the ski.The contact pressure spring 7 is supported on a support projection 8a formed at the rear end of the push rod 8, which, as long as the ski brake 3 is not mounted, ensures that the push rod 8 cannot protrude forward from the base part 4.

[0030] The ski brake 3 comprises a brake housing 9, a brake pedal 10, two brake levers 11, and a brake support 12 acting as a lever. The brake housing 9 can be connected, for example, by means of a recess formed on the rear underside (not shown), to an engagement element (also not shown) formed on the front end region of the base part 4 in a form-fitting but detachable manner. A connection by means of screws is also possible. The brake levers 11 are designed in particular in a conventional manner and each have a bearing section 11a (Fig. 2), wherein the bearing sections 11a essentially face one another and an L-shaped bracket section 11b adjoins each of the bearing sections 11a. By means of its bearing sections 11a, the brake levers 11 are pivotally mounted on the brake housing 9, by means of the free, transversely extending sections of the L-shaped bracket sections 11b on the underside of the brake pedal 10.In an alternative embodiment, the brake levers are components of a one-piece brake bracket, which is mounted with a U-shaped bracket section on the underside of the brake pedal 10.

[0031] The lever-like brake support 12 is pivotally mounted at one end behind the brake levers 11 centrally in the area of ​​the underside of the brake pedal 10 by means of a bolt 13. In the area of ​​its second end, the brake support 12 is pivotally connected to the brake housing 9 by means of another bolt 14 and projects from above through a longitudinal slot 9a in the brake housing 9. Below the pivotal mounting of the brake support 12 on the brake housing 9, a cam-like projection 12a is formed on the brake support 12, which projects downwards into a recess in the brake housing 9. When the ski brake 3 is connected to the base part 4 of the heel piece 2, the cam-like projection 12a comes into contact with the front end of the push rod 8 in such a way that the push rod is pushed slightly backward, creating a slight preload on the contact pressure spring 7. As soon as the ski brake 3 is connected to the base part 4, the brake support 12 is spring-loaded via the push rod 6.

[0032] In the entry position (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), the contact pressure spring 7 presses on the brake support 12 via the push rod 6, so that the brake pedal 10 remains in a raised position. If the brake pedal 10 is pressed down, for example, via a ski boot, towards the top of the ski or the guide rail 1, the brake support 12 moves the push rod 6 backward, compressing the contact pressure spring 7 and increasing the preload of the contact pressure spring 7. If the ski boot comes free from the heel piece 2, for example as a result of a fall by the skier or due to the deliberate opening of the heel piece 2, the contact pressure spring 7 pushes the push rod 6 forward, whereby the brake support 12 raises the brake pedal 10 and the ski brake 3 is brought into its entry-ready or active position.

[0033] Fig. 5 illustrates a possible operative connection between a brake support 12' and the end section of a push rod 8' facing it. The push rod 8' has a shallow groove 8'a formed in the transverse direction on the upper side of its front end section, which intersects with a receiving slot 8'b running centrally in the longitudinal direction of the push rod 8', which is open towards the front end of the push rod 8' and is deeper than the groove 8'a. The cam-like projection 12'a of the brake support 12' is penetrated in the transverse direction by a support bolt 15, which projects beyond the cam-like projection 12'a on both sides and, when the ski brake 3 is mounted, engages from above into the groove 8'a. The receiving slot 8'b ensures the required relative movement between the brake support 12' and the push rod 8' when the brake pedal 10 is actuated.

[0034] In other designs not shown, no push rod is provided; instead, the pressure spring acts either directly or via a counterbearing plate or similar device on the cam-like projection of the brake support. For this purpose, the pressure spring is either located further forward in the base part or made longer, and the cam-like projection is adjusted accordingly.

[0035] List of reference symbols

[0036] 1 guide rail

[0037] 2 heel pieces

[0038] 3 ski brake

[0039] 4 Base part

[0040] 4a Guide sleeve

[0041] 5 holding brackets

[0042] 6 Control element

[0043] 6a external thread

[0044] 7 Contact pressure spring

[0045] 8, 8' push rod

[0046] 8'a . Nut

[0047] 8'b slot

[0048] 9 Brake housing

[0049] 10 Brake pedal

[0050] 11 brake lever

[0051] 11a storage section

[0052] 11 b L-shaped bracket section

[0053] 12, 12' brake support

[0054] 12a, 12'a cam-like attachment

[0055] 13, 14, 15 bolts

Claims

Patent claims 1 . Heel unit of a ski binding with a heel piece (2) and a ski brake (3) connected thereto, as well as with a guide rail (1) which can be arranged fixedly to the ski, wherein the heel piece (2) has a base part (4) which can be positioned on the guide rail (1), wherein the ski brake (3) has a brake housing (9) which is detachably connected to the heel piece (2), a brake pedal (10), two brake levers (11) which are pivotally mounted both on the brake pedal (10) and on the brake housing (9), and a lever-like brake support (12, 12') which is pivotally mounted with one end on the brake pedal (10) and with its second end on the brake housing (9), such that the brake pedal (10) can assume a raised position and a lowered position, and wherein a spring element (7) is provided which moves the brake pedal into the raised position, characterized in thatthat the spring element is a pressure spring (7) located within the base part (4), which acts on the brake support (12, 12') in such a way that the brake pedal (10) is pressed towards its raised position., 2. Heel unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact pressure spring (7) acts on the brake support (12, 12') directly or indirectly.

3. Heel unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact pressure spring (7) acts on the brake support (12, 12') below its mounting on the brake housing (9).

4. Heel unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the contact pressure spring (7) acts on a cam-like projection (12a, 12'a) of the brake support (12, 12') formed below the rotatable mounting of the brake support (12, 12').

5. Heel unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contact pressure spring (7) the brake support (12, 12') via a push rod (8, 8').

6. Heel unit according to claim 5, characterized in that the contact pressure spring (7) is supported in the area below the base plate (4) on one end of the push rod (8, 8').

7. Heel unit according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the push rod (8') is operatively connected to the cam-like projection (12'a).

8. Heel unit according to claim 7, characterized in that the push rod (8') has an end section assigned to the cam-like projection (12'a), which is provided on its upper side with a groove (8'a) formed in the transverse direction, which intersects with a receiving slot (8'b) running in the longitudinal direction of the push rod (8'), wherein a support bolt (15) running in the transverse direction is arranged on the cam-like projection (12'a) of the brake support (12'), which support bolt projects beyond the cam-like projection (12'a) on both sides and engages in the groove (8'a) from above when the ski brake (3) is mounted.

9. Heel unit according to one or more of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the push rod (8, 8') is arranged at the front end region of the Base part (4) is slidably received in a guide sleeve (4a) formed on the base part (4). Heel unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the contact pressure spring (7) is supported on an adjusting element (6) which is held together with the contact pressure spring (7) on the base part (4), in the region of the underside of the base part (4). Heel unit according to claim 10, characterized in that the adjusting element (6) has an external thread (6a) which engages in a An engagement structure (1a) of the guide rail (1) extending in the longitudinal direction of the ski and designed in the manner of a threaded section engages it. Ski binding, in particular a touring binding, with a toe piece and with a heel unit according to one or more of claims 1 to 11.

Images