Tool-Free Plate Fastening Mechanism for Ski Bindings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing securing devices for boots on gliding boards, such as cross-country skis, require tools for assembly and disassembly, which is cumbersome, time-consuming, and prone to screw loss, especially in adverse conditions like snow.
Innovation Solution
A manually actuated immobilizing mechanism, comprising a cleat with a stop pin and receiving cavities on both the plate and base, allows for tool-free longitudinal immobilization of the plate relative to the base, simplifying assembly and disassembly and preventing screw loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screws are used to secure the plate to the base, then the connection is stable and reliable, but the assembly and disassembly require tools which are cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the tool requirement from the assembly process by replacing screw-fastening with a tool-free mechanical interlocking system. The plate features extraction protrusions that engage with corresponding insertion recesses in the base, allowing direct manual assembly without external tools while maintaining connection stability through the interlocked geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system is designed to be self-sufficient, where the plate and base themselves provide the locking mechanism through their complementary geometries. The extraction protrusions and insertion recesses form a self-contained fastening system that does not require external tools or additional fastening elements, enabling users to assemble and disassemble the connection directly by hand.
2Reliability
If screws are used to secure the plate to the base, then the connection is stable, but the process is time-consuming and prone to screw loss
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes screws and tool-based fastening from the assembly process, replacing them with a direct mechanical engagement system. The extraction protrusions on the plate fit into insertion recesses in the base, enabling rapid tool-free assembly that eliminates the time required for tool selection, screw manipulation, and fastening, while maintaining stable connection through the interlocked geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses self-contained geometric features (extraction protrusions and insertion recesses) that enable immediate manual assembly without external tools. This self-service mechanism eliminates the multiple steps involved in screw-based fastening, dramatically reducing assembly time while ensuring reliable connection through the complementary shapes that interlock when assembled.
3Reliability
If screws are used to secure the plate to the base, then the connection can be made stable, but there is a risk of screw loss especially in snow
Solution Approach 1:
The invention completely eliminates screws from the fastening system, replacing them with integrated extraction protrusions on the plate that engage with insertion recesses in the base. This removal of loose fastening elements eliminates the risk entirely of screw loss in snowy or other adverse conditions, while the interlocked geometric features maintain stable connection through their fitted engagement.
4Reliability
If a tool is required to assemble the plate to the base, then the connection can be secured, but the manipulation is not always simple
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is designed to be manipulated directly by hand without external tools. The extraction protrusions and insertion recesses are shaped to engage smoothly through simple linear motion, allowing users to assemble and disassemble the connection with straightforward manual manipulation. The geometry itself provides the fastening function, eliminating the need for tool handling and making the operation simple and intuitive.
Data Source
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AI summary
An assembly (1) comprising a plate (10), a base (20), and a removable fastening device for the plate (10) to the base (20), the plate (10) being designed to be used with a removable retention device (4) for a shoe (2), the base (20) being designed to be used with a sliding board (3), the removable fastening device including a means for longitudinally guiding the plate (10) to the base (20). A locking means is manually actuated to immobilize the plate (10) to the base (20) along the longitudinal guidance direction (L).