Rotatable Heel Holder for Directional Boot Release in Ski Bindings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heel pieces for ski bindings can cause the ski boot to become tense under high pressure, impeding release and increasing the risk of knee injuries during falls, particularly in combined lateral and vertical releases, and require cumbersome manual relocking after lateral releases.
Innovation Solution
A heel piece design with a vertical release functional group rotatable about an axis and a bearing part mounted on a carriage of the horizontal release functional group, allowing a two-phase release mechanism: lateral deflection followed by rotational release, facilitated by a spring arrangement and controlled by guide rails, ensuring safe and ergonomic boot release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the ski boot is clamped firmly in the binding to ensure secure attachment, then the binding strength is improved, but the ski boot may become tense under high pressure and release may be blocked or impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The release mechanism is divided into two independent functional groups: a vertical release functional group that handles vertical release forces, and a horizontal release functional group that handles lateral release forces. This segmentation allows each group to specialize in its specific release direction, preventing the boot from becoming tense during lateral releases while maintaining secure clamping during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A bearing part is introduced as an intermediary component between the vertical release functional group and the horizontal release functional group. This bearing part enables rotational movement of the vertical release group relative to the horizontal release group, allowing the release forces to be distributed more effectively and preventing direct transmission of excessive lateral forces to the boot clamping mechanism.
2Reliability
If lateral release is implemented to prevent knee injuries during falls, then the safety is improved, but the base plate requires manual relocking after release
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal release functional group is designed to automatically reset after a lateral release event. The spring arrangement and carriage mechanism work together to automatically return the bearing part to its initial position, eliminating the need for manual relocking operations by the user while maintaining the safety benefits of lateral release capability.
3Device complexity
If the vertical release functional group is fixed relative to the horizontal release functional group, then the structure is simplified, but the release characteristics cannot be optimized for different fall directions
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical release functional group is made rotatable relative to the horizontal release functional group through the bearing part. This dynamic connection allows the vertical release group to rotate about a vertical axis, enabling optimization of release characteristics for different fall directions while adding only minimal structural complexity through the introduction of a single rotational joint.
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 reduces the risk of knee injuries by allowing optimal boot release direction alignment with acting forces and enables automatic reset, enhancing safety and ergonomic operation.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring arrangement (7) for holding a ski boot in the downhill position
Implementation Method 2
a carriage (3) that can be deflected laterally against the force of a second spring arrangement (20)
Implementation Method 3
the vertical release functional group on the horizontal release functional group is rotatable about an axis which runs vertically to the top of the ski
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 3~6
AI summary
Heel jaws for a downhill or a combined downhill and touring binding for a ski, with a vertical release function group with a tensioning device with a sole holder and a first spring arrangement (7) for holding a ski boot in the downhill position, furthermore with a horizontal release function group with a base plate (1) that can be positioned on the ski and a carriage (3) that can be deflected laterally against the force of a second spring arrangement (20) relative to the longitudinal direction of the ski, on which the vertical release function group is arranged, and with a pressure spring arrangement acting on the horizontal release function group.The vertical release function group is rotatable on the horizontal release function group about an axis (1a) which runs vertically to the top of the ski or to the vertical on the top of the ski at an angle of up to 5°, such that after a limited lateral deflection of the sled (3) against the force of the second spring arrangement (20) the vertical release function group rotates in the respective lateral release direction to release the ski boot.