Touring Ski Binding Toe Hook and Heel Lever for Ascent and Descent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touring ski bindings face limitations in downhill performance due to higher stance height and weight, and pin bindings suffer from impaired lateral release behavior, while existing strap bindings compromise on weight and stability.
Innovation Solution
A binding system for touring skis with a toe piece device and a heel piece device, featuring a hook-shaped receptacle and a lever mechanism, allowing the ski boot to rotate in ascent mode and be securely fixed in descent mode, preventing translation and rotation during different skiing conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If strap bindings are used to provide ascent function, then the boot can be lifted and rotated for uphill skiing, but the stance height increases and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heel piece from the traditional strap binding structure, allowing the heel to be freely movable during ascent while only the toe piece remains fixed to the ski. This eliminates the need for heavy strap mechanisms at the heel, reducing overall binding weight while maintaining ascent capability through toe-piece rotation only.
Solution Approach 2:
The binding system is segmented into an independent toe piece device and heel piece device. The toe piece contains all necessary locking and retention mechanisms, while the heel piece is simplified to basic contact elements. This segmentation allows the heavy-duty mechanisms to be concentrated only where needed (toe), reducing overall weight compared to traditional strap bindings that require robust mechanisms throughout the entire strap.
2Weight of moving object
If pin bindings are used to reduce weight and stance height, then the binding becomes lighter and lower, but the lateral release behavior is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bar element as an intermediary between the pin and the boot sole. This bar acts as a mediator that transmits forces from the boot to the toe piece while allowing controlled lateral movement. The bar's geometry and connection points are designed to enable natural release behavior under excessive lateral loads, preventing the impaired release characteristic of direct pin-to-sole connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the bar and its connection points to optimize both weight reduction and release behavior. The bar's length, thickness, and attachment angles are specifically designed to provide adequate lateral flexibility for natural release while maintaining sufficient structural integrity for secure binding during normal use.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the toe piece device securely locks the boot in descent mode, then downhill stability is improved, but the boot rotation capability for ascent is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The toe piece device incorporates dynamic elements including a movable bracket and spring-loaded locking mechanisms that can transition between locked and unlocked states. During descent, the locking system engages to provide rigid fixation. During ascent, the system can be dynamically switched to allow rotation around the toe piece axis, enabling the boot to achieve the necessary angular displacement for uphill skiing.
Solution Approach 2:
The binding system operates in periodic cycles between two distinct states: a locked state for downhill skiing providing maximum stability, and an unlocked rotatable state for uphill skiing providing mobility. The transition between these states is achieved through manual operation of release mechanisms that periodically switch the binding characteristics to match the required skiing mode.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2E
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The present invention relates to a binding system (1) for a ski touring binding, comprising a front jaw device (2) and a rear jaw device (3) for receiving a ski boot (4), wherein the ski boot (4) has a heel part (40) and a front foot part (42), wherein a web (44) is arranged in or on the front foot part, wherein the web axis (Y) of the web (44) runs perpendicular to the boot longitudinal axis (X), wherein the boot longitudinal axis (X) extends from the heel part (40) to the front foot part (42), wherein the front jaw device (2) comprises a holding device (20) with a retainer (21) and with a locking system (27), wherein the retainer (21) has a hook-shaped receptacle (22) for receiving the web (44) of the ski boot (4), which receptacle is oriented counter to the boot longitudinal axis (X), wherein the retainer (21) at least partially encloses the web (44) and thus receives the web (44) of the ski boot (4), wherein the locking system (27) is suitable for locking the web (44) of the ski boot (4) in the retainer (21) such that the web is rotatable about the web axis (Y), wherein the rear jaw device (3) has a lever mechanism (30) which is suitable for fixing the heel part (40) of the ski boot (4), wherein, in an uphill mode of the ski touring binding, the front jaw device (2) is closed and the rear jaw device (3) is opened, wherein the retainer (21) can lock the web (44) of the ski boot (4) in rotation and the locking system (27) can secure the web (44) against a translation counter to the boot axis (X), wherein the rear jaw device (3) does not fix the heel part (40) of the ski boot (4), and so the ski boot (4) can be rotated about the web axis (Y), wherein, in a downhill mode, the front jaw device (2) is opened and the rear jaw device (3) is closed, such that the retainer (21) can receive the web (44) of the ski boot (4), and the lever mechanism (30) can fix the heel part (40) of the ski boot (4), wherein the rear jaw device (3), with the lever mechanism (30), exerts a contact pressure on the heel part (40) of the ski boot (4) along the boot longitudinal axis (X), such that the web (44) is pressed into the hook system (200) of the front jaw device (2), and so the ski boot (4) is secured against a translation counter to the boot longitudinal axis (X).