Heel holding assembly for a safety ski binding

Claim 2

In a safety ski binding, a step-in heel holding assembly comprising a base adapted to be mounted on a ski; a holder having means for receiving and retaining the heel of a ski boot, said holder being mounted on said base for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis which is normal to the longitudinal direction of the ski on which said base is mounted and said holder being movable about said axis between a step-in position and a range of heel-retaining positions; a support pivotally mounted on said base; retaining means pivotally mounted on said support and normally engaging said base to thereby maintain said support in a locked position in which said support remains while said holder moves within said range of positions; biasing means operating between said support and said holder to urge said holder away from said step-in position in the locked position of said support; and disengaging means for said retaining means, said disengaging means being movably supported by said base and by said holder so as to move with as well as relative to said holder and to thereby disengage said retaining means from said base in response to forcible movements of said holder beyond said range of positions in a direction toward said step-in position whereby said biasing means is free to dissipate energy, said disengaging means and said retaining means having cooperating portions arranged to move said holder to said step-in position in response to relative movement between said base and said support while said biasing means dissipates energy.

Claim 3

An assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising coupling means articulately connecting said support to said base.

Claim 4

An assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said coupling means is pivotable about said horizontal axis and defined for said support a second pivot axis, said second pivot axis being parallel to said first mentioned axis.

Claim 5

An assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said coupling means comprises a catch having a portion which is accessible to the tip of a ski pole to pivot said coupling means about said first mentioned axis and to thereby pivot said support about said second axis to thus disengage said retaining means from said base at the will of the user.

Claim 6

An assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said retaining means and said portion of said catch are located at the opposite sides of said second axis.

Claim 7

An assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said support is movable in the direction of said first mentioned axis between a first position in which it is held against pivotal movement and a second position in which it is free to pivot upon disengagement of said retaining means from said base.

Claim 8

An assembly as defined in claim 6, further comprising a projection provided on said base, said support having an aperture which receives said projection in said first position of said support.

Claim 9

An assembly as defined in claim 1, fUrther comprising means for limiting the extent of relative movement between said holder and said support.

Claim 10

An assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein said last mentioned means comprises an entraining member provided on said support and having a portion extending with clearance into a slot provided therefor in said holder.

Claim 11

An assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising cam and follower means provided on said retaining means and said base to pivot said retaining portion into engagement with said base in response to pivoting of said holder from said step-in position toward said range of retaining positions.

Claim 12

In a safety ski binding, a step-in heel holding assembly comprising a base adapted to be mounted on a ski; a holder having means for receiving and retaining the heel of a ski boot, said holder being mounted on said base for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis which is normal to the longitudinal direction of the ski on which said base is mounted and said holder being movable about said horizontal axis between a step-in position and a range of heel-retaining positions ; a support pivotally mounted on said base; retaining means pivotally mounted on said support and normally engaging said base to thereby maintain said support in a locked position in which said support remains while said holder moves within said range of positions; biasing means operating between said support and said holder to urge said holder away from said step-in position in the locked position of said support; and disengaging means mounted on said base and said holder and arranged to share the movements of said holder and to simultaneously move relative to said holder to thus disengage said retaining means from said base in response to forcible movements of said holder beyond said range of positions in a direction toward said step-in position whereby said biasing means is free to dissipate energy, said disengaging means and said retaining means cooperating to move said holder to said step-in position in response to relative movement between said base and said support while said biasing means dissipates energy, said disengaging means comprising a first lever which is pivotably mounted on said holder and said and said retaining means comprising a second lever having a retaining portion which engages said base in the locked position of said support and an arm, said first lever having an arm which engages said arm of said second lever and pivots the latter to disengage said retaining portion from said base in response to said forcible movement of said holder beyond said range of retaining positions.

Claim 13

In a safety ski binding, a step-in heel holding assembly comprising a base adapted to be mounted on a ski; a holder having means for receiving and retaining the heel of a ski boot, said holder being mounted on said base for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis which is normal to the longitudinal direction of the ski on which said base is mounted and said holder being movable about said horizontal axis between a step-in position and a range of heel-retaining positions ; a support pivotally mounted on said base; retaining means pivotally mounted on said support and normally engaging said base to thereby maintain said support in a locked position in which said support remains while said holder moves within said range of positions; biasing means operating between said support and said holder to urge said holder away from said step-in position in the locked position of said support; and disengaging means mounted on said base and said holder and arranged to share the movements of said holder and to simultaneously move relative to said holder to thus disengage said retaining means from said base in response to forcible movements of said holder beyond said range of positions in a direction toward said step-in position whereby said biasing means is free to dissipate energy, said disengaging means and said retaining means cooperating to move said holder to said step-in position in response to relative movement between said base and said support while said biasing means dissipates energy, said disengaging means comprising a first lever which is pivotably mounted on said holder and said and said retaining means comprising a second lever having a retaining portion which engages said base in the locked position of said support and an arm, said first lever having an arm which engages said arm of said second lever and pivots the latter to disengage said retaining portion from said base in response to said forcible movement of said holder beyond said range of retaining positions.

Claim 14

An assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said arms have first surfaces which abut against each other in the locked position of said support and second surfaces which abut against each other when said retaining portion is disengaged from said base.

Claim 15

An assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said first and second surfaces of each of said arms meet along an edge and wherein said edges abut against each other when said retaining portion is disengaged from said base.