Ultralight Touring Ski Binding with Elastic Snow Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touring ski bindings face challenges in achieving a low weight, safety, and minimal parts while ensuring secure connection and easy operation, particularly in terms of weight reduction and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A touring ski binding design featuring a base with deepening or through openings, sole holder pins that connect with the ski boot, a clamping mechanism, and an elastic cover to prevent snow and dirt accumulation, made from lightweight materials like aluminum or magnesium with an elastic cover for improved water and snow repellency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional touring ski bindings are used, then safety and secure connection are ensured, but weight is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into functional zones including deepening areas and through-openings that separate snow accumulation zones from structural support zones, allowing weight reduction in non-critical areas while maintaining strength where needed
Solution Approach 2:
The binding combines lightweight materials (aluminum or magnesium for the base, elastic material for the cover) to reduce overall weight while maintaining structural integrity and safety through material property optimization
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple individual parts are used, then safety and functionality are ensured, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base integrates multiple functions into a single component: snow protection through deepening and cover, boot connection through sole holder pins, and structural support, thereby reducing the number of separate parts while maintaining safety and functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The base serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it provides structural support, prevents snow accumulation through deepening and cover, and enables boot connection through integrated sole holder pins, reducing the need for separate components
3Ease of operation
If deepening or through openings are added to prevent snow accumulation, then ease of use is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic cover acts as a flexible membrane that covers through-openings in the base, preventing snow and dirt accumulation while allowing the simple base structure with openings to maintain ease of boot insertion and removal
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 solution results in a lightweight, safe, and efficient touring ski binding with reduced parts, ensuring secure boot connection and easy operation, while preventing snow and dirt from hindering boot movement, thus enhancing touring efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
at least a cover (3) made of an elastic material, which at least covers a deepening or through the opening in the base
Data Source
Figure 1a~1d
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Toe piece for a touring ski binding comprising a) a base (1) with b) at least one recess or through-opening (2) in the base (1), c) two lateral sole holders (13) opposite each other with respect to a longitudinal axis (L) of the toe piece, each with a boot holder pin (14), which in a pivoted state interact with counter bearings formed on a ski boot to define a pivot axis for the ski boot, which runs substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis (L) of the toe piece, and which are adjustable between the pivoted state in which the counter bearings of the ski boot engage with the boot holder pins (14), and a pivoted state in which the counter bearings of the ski boot no longer engage with the boot holder pins (14), d) spring elements (15) for tensioning the lateral sole holders (13), e) a tensioning lever (16) for moving the sole holders (13) from the pivoted state to the pivoted state,in which they release the ski boot from a downhill or walking position and f) optionally a locking lever (17) for locking the lateral sole retainers (13) in the walking position, g) wherein the at least one recess or through-opening (2) is covered with at least one cover (3) made of an elastic material.