Ski Binding Toe-Piece Simplified Jaw Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Alpine ski bindings have complex assemblies with numerous components, making them difficult to assemble, maintain, and resulting in excessive weight, which is a drawback in competitive skiing where lighter equipment is demanded.
Innovation Solution
A simplified toe-piece design with fewer components, where the second jaw is solidly fixed to the plate instead of being hinged, reducing the number of parts and weight, and incorporating elastic and stabilizing means to manage engagement and disengagement of ski boot pins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the toe-piece uses a complex joint mechanism with multiple hinged components, then the engagement and disengagement of ski boot pins is achieved, but the device complexity and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex joint mechanism (male and female hinged parts) from the traditional toe-piece design. Instead, it uses a simplified structure where the jaw is directly hinged to the plate, extracting the unnecessary intermediate components while maintaining the essential pin engagement function through elastic means and stabilizing elements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions into fewer components. The jaw structure integrates the engagement function, the elastic means provide both the closing force and the release mechanism, and the stabilizing means combine safety control and position stabilization. This merging reduces the overall component count while maintaining reliability
2Reliability
If the toe-piece uses multiple hinged components and joint mechanisms, then the pin engagement function is achieved, but the weight of the toe-piece becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the heavy joint mechanism (male and female parts) from the design. The remaining structure uses lightweight components: a single hinged jaw, elastic means (springs), and stabilizing elements, significantly reducing the overall weight while maintaining the security of pin engagement through the elastic closing force
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters by replacing rigid hinged joints with elastic means. The elastic springs provide the necessary closing force with minimal weight, and the stabilizing means control the release parameters, achieving secure engagement without the weight penalty of traditional rigid joint mechanisms
3Device complexity
If the toe-piece uses a simplified design with fewer components, then the weight and assembly time are reduced, but the engagement mechanism must be redesigned
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the engagement, closing, and release functions into a simplified structure. The jaw is hinged directly to the plate (one hinge instead of multiple joint hinges), elastic means provide the closing force, and stabilizing means handle the release control. This merging reduces component count and simplifies assembly while maintaining the complete engagement function
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic means automatically provide the closing force to engage the pin without manual intervention, and the stabilizing means automatically control the release when triggered. This self-service mechanism reduces the need for complex manual operation mechanisms and simplifies the overall assembly
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
This design reduces assembly and maintenance time and weight, aligning with market demands for lighter equipment while ensuring secure engagement and disengagement of ski boot pins during skiing.
Implementation Method 1
first elastic means (5), which exert an elastic force in such a way as to apply closing force on the first jaw (3)
Implementation Method 2
frictional force on the pin, in such a way as to prevent movement of the first jaw (3)
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
A toe-piece (1) for an Alpine ski binding, comprising: a plate (2) fixable to a ski; a first jaw (3) and a second jaw (4), arranged on the plate (2) in such a way as to be opposite one another and each comprising an external end (30, 40) provided with a pin (33, 43) for engaging a hole of a ski boot; wherein an internal end (41) of the second jaw (4) is solidly constrained to the plate (2); and wherein the first jaw (3) is hinged to the plate (2) at the relative internal end (31) with respect to an axis (H) so as to be mobile between a first position, in which the first jaw (3) and the second jaw (4) are in an open configuration and the relative pins (33, 43) disengage from the corresponding hole of the ski boot; and a second position in wherein the first jaw (3) and the second jaw (4) are in a closed configuration and the relative pins (33, 43) can engage the corresponding hole of the ski boot. The toe-piece (1) further comprises first elastic means (5) associated to the first jaw (3).