Ski Binding Heel Unit Cam Body Mz Release Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing heel units for gliding board bindings, particularly touring bindings, require a large amount of space and weight due to the arrangement of compression springs and axle bodies along the longitudinal direction of the board, which is inefficient and cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

A heel unit design featuring a spring arrangement with a cam body and a cable element or torsion spring that pre-tensions the coupling means, allowing for a compact design by exerting a tensile force on the cam body to engage with a mating contour, thus reducing the overall size and weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a compression spring and axle body arrangement is used along the longitudinal direction of the gliding board, then the Mz release mechanism can provide reliable safety release, but the heel unit requires a large amount of space and has increased weight

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveMz safety release reliabilityVSAvoidlongitudinal space requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transitions from a longitudinal spring arrangement to a transverse arrangement. The spring means is positioned transverse to the longitudinal direction of the gliding board, and the cam body is arranged to engage with the cam surface in a manner that utilizes transverse space rather than longitudinal space. This dimensional change allows the Mz release mechanism to maintain its functionality while significantly reducing the longitudinal footprint of the heel unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The cam body is designed to engage with the cam surface in a nested or interlocking manner, where the cam body's contour complements the cam surface's counter-contour. This nesting arrangement allows the components to occupy overlapping or closely integrated spatial volumes, maximizing space efficiency and reducing the overall longitudinal dimension of the heel unit while maintaining reliable Mz release functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If a compression spring and axle body arrangement is used along the longitudinal direction of the gliding board, then the Mz release mechanism can provide reliable safety release, but the heel unit has increased weight

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveMz safety release reliabilityVSAvoidheel unit weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By repositioning the spring means transverse to the longitudinal direction and redesigning the cam body engagement, the invention achieves a more compact overall structure. This dimensional rearrangement allows for optimized material distribution and reduced component sizes, resulting in a lighter heel unit while maintaining the reliability of the Mz safety release mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Length of moving object

If the spring arrangement exerts a tensile force on the cam body to engage with the mating contour, then the heel unit achieves a compact design, but the mechanism requires precise engagement geometry

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelongitudinal dimensionVSAvoidcam engagement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cam body and cam surface are designed with specific local geometric features - the cam body has a contour that precisely complements the counter-contour of the cam surface. This local quality optimization ensures that the tensile force from the spring arrangement is effectively converted into the desired rotational movement about the release axis, achieving compact dimensions while maintaining manufacturability through well-defined local engagement geometries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 achieves a more compact and lightweight heel unit by optimizing the spring mechanism, providing efficient Mz release without increasing the space requirement, and allowing for adjustable preloads for user customization.

Implementation Method 1

The Mz release mechanism has a spring arrangement with a spring means which determines the predetermined release force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring force: Spring

Implementation Method 2

the spring arrangement is configured to exert a tensile force on the cam body in order to pull it into slotted engagement with the mating contour of the cam surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTensile force: Tension

Implementation Method 3

the Mz release mechanism comprises a cam body arranged on the binding body, which is designed to engage in a cam-like manner with a counter-contour of a cam surface provided on the base

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCam mechanism: Cam

Implementation Method 4

an Mz release mechanism which is designed to pretension the coupling means in the downhill position in such a way that in the downhill position, they release from engagement with the gliding board shoe upon application of a force exceeding a predetermined release force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPre-tensioning: Tension

Data Source

PatentEP4257212B1Heel unit for a gliding board binding with mz release via cam bodies
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 SALEWA SPORT
  • EP4257212B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4257212B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4257212B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a heel unit (10; 110) for a ski-ski binding, in particular for a touring binding, comprising a base (12; 112) with a mounting arrangement (14; 114) for attachment to a ski-ski, a binding body (16; 116) which is rotatable relative to the base (12; 112) about a release axis (A) extending orthogonally to a ski-ski plane (E), coupling means (18; 118) arranged on the binding body (16; 116) which are configured to engage with a heel section of a ski-ski boot in a downhill position of the ski-ski binding in order to hold the ski boot on the ski-ski binding, wherein the coupling means (18; 118) project from the binding body (16; 116) in a ski-ski longitudinal direction (x), in particular in a forward direction, in the downhill position, and an Mz release mechanism (26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 50;126, 128, 130, 138, 140), which is configured to pre-tension the coupling means (18; 118) into the release position such that, in the release position, they disengage from the engagement with the glide board shoe when a force exceeding a predetermined release force is applied and move from the release position to a release position by a rotational movement of the binding body (16; 116) about the release axis (A), wherein the Mz release mechanism has a spring arrangement (30, 38, 50; 130, 138) with a spring element (30; 130) which determines the predetermined release force, and wherein the Mz release mechanism (26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 50; 126, 128, 130, 138, 140) has a connection to the binding body (16; 116) arranged cam body (40; 140) which is designed to engage in cam action with a counter contour (28; 128) of a cam surface (26; 126) provided at the base (12; 112) in the departure position, wherein the spring arrangement (30, 38, 50;130, 138) is designed to exert a tensile force on the cam body (40; 140) in order to pull it into cam engagement with the counter contour (28; 128) of the cam surface (26; 126).;