Safety ski binding

Claim 2

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis and connectable with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing said release plate to the ski, a reinforcement element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, means mounting said lower end portion of said reinforcement element on said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, at least one relatively rigid side portion at said upper end portion of said reinforcement element in the region of the upper of the ski boot above the ankle receiving portion of the boot, said side portion bearing against the ski boot when the latter is inserted in the ski binding and imparting lateral support to the upper of the ski boot in a region above the ankle receiving portion of the boot, said reinforcing element extending upwardly a substantial distance from the release plate above the heel of the boot to transmit forces applied to the skier''s leg in the lengthwise direction of the ski to said release plate.

Claim 3

A safety ski binding as defined in claim 1, further including attachment means for said at least one side portion, said attachment means being engageable about the upper of said ski boot.

Claim 4

A safety ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises adjustable tensioning means having one end pivotably connected with said release plate.

Claim 5

A safety ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting means directly pivotably connects said reinforcement element to said release plate.

Claim 6

A safety ski binding as defined in claim 1, further including limit stop means for delimiting the pivotal movement of said reinforcement element about said transverse axis.

Claim 7

A safety ski binding as defined in claim 1, further including roller means for bracing said reinforcement element against the upper end portion of the heel of the ski boot.

Claim 8

A safety ski binding as claimed in claim 1, further including hold down means for retaining the heel portion of the ski boot against said release plate, said hold down means being located intermediate said upper end portion and lower end portion of said reinforcement element, said reinforcement element acting upon said hold down means during bending of the skier''s leg in the direction of the lengthwise axis of the release plate to provide a rigid interconnection between said reinforcement element and said release plate for transmitting forces directly from the skier''s leg to said release plate without any excessive loading of the ankle joint.

Claim 9

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis and connectable with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing said release plate to the ski, a reinforcement element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, means for mounting said lower end portion of said reinforcement element to said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, a pair of oppositely situated relatively rigid side portions mounted at said upper end portion of said reinforcement element and between which the upper of the ski boot is retained, said side portions bearing against the ski boot when the latter is inserted in the ski binding and imparting lateral support to the upper of the ski boot, and means for adjustably positioning both of said side portions at said reinforcement element, said reinforcement element being constituted by a centrally disposed support plate.

Claim 10

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis and connectable with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing said release plate to the ski, a reinforcement element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, means for mounting said lower end portion of said reinforcement element to said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, a pair of oppositely situated relatively rigid side portions mounted at said upper end portion of said reinforcement element and between which the upper of the ski boot is retained, said side portions bearing against the ski boot when the latter is inserted in the ski binding and imparting lateral support to the upper of the ski boot, and means for adjustably positioning both of said side portions at said reinforcement element, said reinforcement element being constituted by a centrally disposed support plate.

Claim 11

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis and connectable with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing said release plate to the ski, a reinforcement element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, means for mounting said lower end portion of said reinforcement element on said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, a single relatively rigid side portion mounted at said uppeR end portion of said reinforcement element in the region of the upper of the ski boot at the inside thereof, said side portion bearing against the ski boot when the latter is inserted in the ski binding and imparting lateral support to the upper of the ski boot, and relatively soft band means coupled to said rigid side portion for being wrapped about the ski boot to press the upper of said ski boot against said single side portion.

Claim 12

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis and connectable with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing said release plate to the ski, a reinforcement element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, means for mounting said lower end portion of said reinforcement element on said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, a single relatively rigid side portion mounted at said uppeR end portion of said reinforcement element in the region of the upper of the ski boot at the inside thereof, said side portion bearing against the ski boot when the latter is inserted in the ski binding and imparting lateral support to the upper of the ski boot, and relatively soft band means coupled to said rigid side portion for being wrapped about the ski boot to press the upper of said ski boot against said single side portion.

Claim 13

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis and connectable with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing said release plate to the ski, a reinforcement element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, means for mounting said lower end portion of said reinforcement element on said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, at least one relatively rigid side portion at said upper end portion of said reinforcement element in the region of the upper of the ski boot, said side portion bearing against the ski boot when the latter is inserted in the ski binding and imparting lateral support to the upper of the ski boot, said lower end portion of said reinforcement element including means cooperating with the ski so that during forward pivotal movement of said reinforcement element about said transverse axis said release plate is raised and, when reaching a predetermined degree of pivotal movement, said release plate is released from the ski.

Claim 14

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis and connectable with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing said release plate to the ski, a reinforcement element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, means for mounting said lower end portion of said reinforcement element on said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, at least one relatively rigid side portion at said upper end portion of said reinforcement element in the region of the upper of the ski boot, said side portion bearing against the ski boot when the latter is inserted in the ski binding and imparting lateral support to the upper of the ski boot, said lower end portion of said reinforcement element including means cooperating with the ski so that during forward pivotal movement of said reinforcement element about said transverse axis said release plate is raised and, when reaching a predetermined degree of pivotal movement, said release plate is released from the ski.

Claim 15

A safety ski binding as defined in claim 10, further including a plate member carried by said ski in the region of said reinforcement element, said cooperating means of said reinforcement element comprising shoulder means having an arched lower edge arranged at said lower end portion of said reinforcement element and supported on said plate member.

Claim 16

A safety ski binding as defined in claim 10, wherein said cooperating means of said lower end portion of said reinforcement element incorporates a surface having a lower edge of predetermined shape adapted to ride upon the surface of the ski during movement of the skier''s leg in the lengthwise direction of the ski so as to urge the release plate in a direction away from the surface of the ski into the preparatory release position so as to facilitate final release of the release plate from the ski.

Claim 17

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis, means for connecting the release plate with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing the release plate to the ski, an element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, means mounting said lower end portion of said element on said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending substantially transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, hold down means disposed intermediate said upper end portion and lower end portion of said element, said element acting upon said hold down means for urging the heel portion of the ski boot against said release plate, said element having a portion intermediate said lower and upper end portions extending substantially coextensive with the major portion of the length of the upper of the ski boot, said element transmitting forces applied to the skier''s leg in the lengthwise direction of the ski to said release plate, and at least one relatively rigid side portion at said upper end portion of said elements in the region of the upper of the ski boot, said side portion bearing against the ski boot when the latter is inserted in the ski binding and imparting lateral support to the upper of the ski boot and the skier''s leg.

Claim 18

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis, means for connecting the release plate with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing the release plate to the ski, an element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, means mounting said lower end portion of said element on said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending substantially transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, hold down means disposed intermediate said upper end portion and lower end portion of said element, said element acting upon said hold down means for urging the heel portion of the ski boot against said release plate, said element having a portion intermediate said lower and upper end portions extending substantially coextensive with the major portion of the length of the upper of the ski boot, said element transmitting forces applied to the skier''s leg in the lengthwise direction of the ski to said release plate, and at least one relatively rigid side portion at said upper end portion of said elements in the region of the upper of the ski boot, said side portion bearing against the ski boot when the latter is inserted in the ski binding and imparting lateral support to the upper of the ski boot and the skier''s leg.

Claim 19

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis, means for connecting the release plate with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing said release plate to the ski, an element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, said element being positioneD so as to be responsive to movement of the skier''s leg in the lengthwise direction of the ski, means mounting said element on said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending substantially transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, said lower end portion of said element including means cooperating with the upper surface of the ski such that during pivotal movement of said element about said transverse axis and in the lengthwise direction of the ski said cooperating means bears against said upper surface of the ski to raise said release plate into a preparatory release position and, upon reaching a predetermined said release movement, sairelease plate is released from the ski.

Claim 20

A safety ski binding for a ski, comprising a release plate having a lengthwise axis, means for connecting the release plate with the ski boot of the skier, means for releasably fixing said release plate to the ski, an element having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, said element being positioneD so as to be responsive to movement of the skier''s leg in the lengthwise direction of the ski, means mounting said element on said release plate for pivotal movement about an axis extending substantially transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of said release plate, said lower end portion of said element including means cooperating with the upper surface of the ski such that during pivotal movement of said element about said transverse axis and in the lengthwise direction of the ski said cooperating means bears against said upper surface of the ski to raise said release plate into a preparatory release position and, upon reaching a predetermined said release movement, sairelease plate is released from the ski.

Claim 21

A safety ski binding as defined in claim 14 comprising hold down means disposed intermediate said upper end portion and lower end portion of said element, said element acting upon said hold down means for urging the heel portion of the ski boot against said release plate, said element possessing a length such that said element extends along the upper of the ski boot to a point at least above the ankle joint of the skier''s leg, and means for placing the element in contact with the skier''s leg for movement therewith.

Claim 22

A safety ski binding as defined in claim 14 comprising hold down means disposed intermediate said upper end portion and lower end portion of said element, said element acting upon said hold down means for urging the heel portion of the ski boot against said release plate, said element having a portion intermediate said upper and lower end portions extending substantially coextensive with the major portion of the length of the upper of the ski boot, said element transmitting forces applied to the skier''s leg in the lengthwise direction of the ski to said release plate, and means for connecting the element with the skier''s leg to partake in movements thereof in the lengthwise direction of the ski.