Ski Binding Heel Piece With Elastic Fork And Lifting Wedge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heel pieces for ski bindings are complex, heavy, and inefficient, particularly in ski touring where lightness is crucial, and they often require complex mechanisms for vertical and lateral triggering, which can be unreliable and prone to wear.
Innovation Solution
A compact, robust, and lightweight heel piece design featuring a lifting wedge and a fork with elastic arms that provide both vertical and lateral triggering, where the lifting wedge remains functional even under lateral forces and the fork's design distributes the return force over multiple surfaces, reducing wear and simplifying maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex mechanisms are used for vertical and lateral triggering, then triggering reliability is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines vertical and lateral triggering functions into a single integrated heel piece structure. The fork-shaped body with elastic arms provides both triggering modes through one unified mechanism rather than separate systems, reducing overall complexity while maintaining reliability through the interdependent design of the arms and blocking zones
Solution Approach 2:
The heel piece structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: the elastic arms provide both vertical support and lateral triggering capability, the blocking zones handle both triggering directions, and the single body structure integrates functions that would traditionally require separate mechanisms, achieving multi-functionality without proportionally increasing complexity
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional heel piece designs are used, then structural stability is maintained, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heel piece is segmented into a fork-shaped body with two separate elastic arms that can independently deflect and return. This segmentation allows each arm to be optimized for its specific function while reducing overall material requirements compared to a solid monolithic structure, achieving weight reduction without compromising structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses elastic arms with controlled flexibility to provide structural support and triggering functionality. The arms are designed with specific elastic properties that allow them to deflect under load and return to their original position, replacing heavier rigid structures with lighter flexible elements that maintain structural integrity through material elasticity rather than mass
3Device complexity
If the lifting wedge is positioned on the rotating body, then integration is improved, but functionality under lateral forces is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting wedge is extracted from the rotating body and positioned independently on the chassis. This separation allows the wedge to remain stationary relative to the chassis while the body rotates during lateral triggering, ensuring the wedge maintains its lifting function regardless of body rotation and preventing loss of functionality under lateral forces
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances the reliability and lightness of the heel piece, maintains functionality under various forces, and allows easy adjustment of trigger thresholds, improving both vertical and lateral release mechanisms while minimizing wear and maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
a fork (50) having two arms (51, 52) linked together by a junction portion (55) so as to form a U-shape... The two arms (51, 52) are constrained by a holding means (55) tending to bring the two free ends (53, 54) together
Data Source
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AI summary
A heel piece (100) for a boot (10) binding on a snowboard (20) comprising: - a frame (110) for attachment to the snowboard and including a vertical extension (112), - a body (130) rotatably mounted around the vertical extension of the frame, the body carrying a boot release mechanism. The heel piece includes a climbing wedge (250) formed on an upper portion (220) of the frame, below which at least one portion (131) of the body pivots.