Ski binding apparatus and method of mounting

Claim 2

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: lower plate means having an uppermost surface, a recessed shoulder surface, a lower mounting surface which abuts said ski, screw means engaging said shoulder surface for securing said lower plate means to said ski, internal lock means located between said upper and lower surfaces, an open channel extending through the lower plate means, safety loop means disposed in and external to said channel for retaining the ski binding to the ski boot when the release pressure is exceeded, said lower plate means further including extension means located in said channel for capturing said safety loop means therein, spring biased pressure means for securing said ski boot to the ski until a release pressure is exceeded, extending means engagable with said internal lock means to detachably secure said spring biased pressure means to said lower plate means, and said lower plate means and said spring biased pressure means including longitudinal adjust means for establishing a plurality of spaced detent positions for said spring biased pressure means relative to said lower plate means, said extending means engaging said internal lock means to secure said spring biased pressure means to said lower plate means at any preselected one of said plurality of spaced detent positions.

Claim 3

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: housing means having a housing threaded surface, a release element disposed at least partly within said housing means and movable to a release position to allow release of the ski boot, pressure spring means disposed at least partly within said housing means for urging said release element away from said release position, a cylindrical adjustment screw having a hollow interior with said spring means being disposed at least partly within the hollow interior, said cylindrical adjustment screw having an adjustment threaded surface engaging said housing threaded surface and a head portion extending external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating said adjustment threaded surface to vary the pressure of said spring means, a lock member for selectively preventing and allowing movement of said cylindrical adjustment screw, including a tubular sleeve having a substantial longitudinal extent with an interior spaced from said adjustment threaded surface except for a short extent of an interior lock thread in engagement with said adjustment threaded surface, at least a portion of the lock member being external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating said interior lock thread to move an end of said tubular sleeve into engagement with said housing means, thereby preventing movement of said cylindrical adjustment screw.

Claim 4

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: housing means having a housing threaded surface, a release element disposed at least partly within said housing means and movable to a release position to allow release of the ski boot, pressure spring means disposed at least partly within said housing means for urging said release element away from said release position, a cylindrical adjustment screw having a hollow interior with said spring means being disposed at least partly within the hollow interior, said cylindrical adjustment screw having an adjustment threaded surface engaging said housing threaded surface and a head portion extending external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating said adjustment threaded surface to vary the pressure of said spring means, a lock member for selectively preventing and allowing movement of said cylindrical adjustment screw, including a tubular sleeve having a substantial longitudinal extent with an interior spaced from said adjustment threaded surface except for a short extent of an interior lock thread in engagement with said adjustment threaded surface, at least a portion of the lock member being external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating said interior lock thread to move an end of said tubular sleeve into engagement with said housing means, thereby preventing movement of said cylindrical adjustment screw.

Claim 5

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: housing means having a housing threaded surface and wall means defining an opening contiguous with a cylindrical cavity, a release pin extending through said opening for coupling to the ski boot and an integral cylindrical sleeve disposed within said cylindrical cavity, said sleeve having a substantial longitudinal extent in sliding engagement with said wall means to confine said release pin for movement solely in a longitudInal direction to a release position to allow release of the ski boot, pressure spring means disposed at least partly within said cylindrical sleeve for urging said release pin away from said release position, a cylindrical adjustment screw having a hollow interior with said spring means being disposed at least partly within the hollow interior, said cylindrical adjustment screw having an adjustment threaded surface engaging said housing threaded surface and a head portion extending external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating said adjustment threaded surface to vary the pressure of said spring means, a lock member for selectively preventing and allowing movement of said adjustment screw, including lock thread means in engagement with the threaded surface of one of said housing means and cylindrical adjustment screw, a stop surface movable with rotation of said lock thread means, at least a portion of the lock member being external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating said lock means to move said stop surface against the other of said housing means and cylindrical adjustment screw to prevent movement of said cylindrical adjustment screw, sole plate means with means for releasably securing the ski boot to the sole plate means and arcuate surface socket means in mating engagement with said release pin, the arcuate surface forcing said release pin to extract into said housing means due to movement of said sole plate means, the arcuate surface being nonsymmetrical in order to vary the release pressure necessary for different angles of release, and finger means extending between said socket means and said sole plate means for preventing rotation of said socket means.

Claim 6

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: housing means having a housing threaded surface and wall means defining an opening contiguous with a cylindrical cavity, a release pin extending through said opening for coupling to the ski boot and an integral cylindrical sleeve disposed within said cylindrical cavity, said sleeve having a substantial longitudinal extent in sliding engagement with said wall means to confine said release pin for movement solely in a longitudInal direction to a release position to allow release of the ski boot, pressure spring means disposed at least partly within said cylindrical sleeve for urging said release pin away from said release position, a cylindrical adjustment screw having a hollow interior with said spring means being disposed at least partly within the hollow interior, said cylindrical adjustment screw having an adjustment threaded surface engaging said housing threaded surface and a head portion extending external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating said adjustment threaded surface to vary the pressure of said spring means, a lock member for selectively preventing and allowing movement of said adjustment screw, including lock thread means in engagement with the threaded surface of one of said housing means and cylindrical adjustment screw, a stop surface movable with rotation of said lock thread means, at least a portion of the lock member being external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating said lock means to move said stop surface against the other of said housing means and cylindrical adjustment screw to prevent movement of said cylindrical adjustment screw, sole plate means with means for releasably securing the ski boot to the sole plate means and arcuate surface socket means in mating engagement with said release pin, the arcuate surface forcing said release pin to extract into said housing means due to movement of said sole plate means, the arcuate surface being nonsymmetrical in order to vary the release pressure necessary for different angles of release, and finger means extending between said socket means and said sole plate means for preventing rotation of said socket means.

Claim 7

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: lower plate means having an uppermost surface, a recessed shoulder surface, a lower mounting surface which abuts the ski, screw means engaging said shoulder surface for securing said lower plate means to the ski, internal securing means located between said upper and lower surfaces, housing means having a housing threaded surface and a flange, longitudinal adjust means for establishing a plurality of different longitudinal positions for said housing means with respect to said lower plate means, and extending means extending from said flange and into engagement with said internal securing means to detachably secure said housing means to said lower plate means at a preselected one of said longitudinal positions, a release element disposed within said housing means and movable to a release position to allow release of the ski boot, pressure spring means disposed within said housing means for urging said release element away from said release position, an adjustment member at least partly external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating an adjustment threaded surface which engages said housing threaded surface to move said adjustment member and thereby vary the pressure of said spring means, a lock member at least partly external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating a lock thread means which engages the threaded surface of one of said housing means and adjustment member to move a stop surface against the other of said housing means and adjustment member to prevent movement of said adjustment member.

Claim 8

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: lower plate means having an uppermost surface, a recessed shoulder surface, a lower mounting surface which abuts the ski, screw means engaging said shoulder surface for securing said lower plate means to the ski, internal securing means located between said upper and lower surfaces, housing means having a housing threaded surface and a flange, longitudinal adjust means for establishing a plurality of different longitudinal positions for said housing means with respect to said lower plate means, and extending means extending from said flange and into engagement with said internal securing means to detachably secure said housing means to said lower plate means at a preselected one of said longitudinal positions, a release element disposed within said housing means and movable to a release position to allow release of the ski boot, pressure spring means disposed within said housing means for urging said release element away from said release position, an adjustment member at least partly external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating an adjustment threaded surface which engages said housing threaded surface to move said adjustment member and thereby vary the pressure of said spring means, a lock member at least partly external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating a lock thread means which engages the threaded surface of one of said housing means and adjustment member to move a stop surface against the other of said housing means and adjustment member to prevent movement of said adjustment member.

Claim 9

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: housing means having a housing threaded surface, means to secure the housing means to the ski, a release element disposed within said housing means and movable to a release position, pressure spring means disposed within said housing means for urging said release element away from said release position, an adjustment member at least partly external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating an adjustment threaded surface which engages said housing threaded surface to move said adjustment member and thereby vary thE pressure of said spring means, a lock member at least partly external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating a lock thread means which engages the threaded surface of one of said housing means and adjustment member to move a stop surface against the other of said housing means and adjustment member to prevent movement of said adjustment member, and sole plate means having ear means for supporting one end of the ski boot and lever means for securing the other end of the ski boot to said sole plate means, socket means mated with said release element to release said sole plate means when said release element is moved to the release position, said lever means having arm means laterally adjustable for different width ski boots, first bearing means defining an opening to allow passage of said arm means, second bearing means defining an opening to allow passage of said arm means, channel means located between said first and second bearing means for establishing a plurality of locked positions for said arm means, said arm means being located within both of said first and second bearing means for all of said plurality of locked positions.

Claim 10

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: housing means having a housing threaded surface, means to secure the housing means to the ski, a release element disposed within said housing means and movable to a release position, pressure spring means disposed within said housing means for urging said release element away from said release position, an adjustment member at least partly external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating an adjustment threaded surface which engages said housing threaded surface to move said adjustment member and thereby vary thE pressure of said spring means, a lock member at least partly external to said housing means and manually rotatable for rotating a lock thread means which engages the threaded surface of one of said housing means and adjustment member to move a stop surface against the other of said housing means and adjustment member to prevent movement of said adjustment member, and sole plate means having ear means for supporting one end of the ski boot and lever means for securing the other end of the ski boot to said sole plate means, socket means mated with said release element to release said sole plate means when said release element is moved to the release position, said lever means having arm means laterally adjustable for different width ski boots, first bearing means defining an opening to allow passage of said arm means, second bearing means defining an opening to allow passage of said arm means, channel means located between said first and second bearing means for establishing a plurality of locked positions for said arm means, said arm means being located within both of said first and second bearing means for all of said plurality of locked positions.

Claim 11

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot and including lever means for securing an offset portion of the ski boot to said sole plate means, said lever means having a pair of arms received on opposite sides of said sole plate means and laterally adjustable to accommodate different width ski boots, a pair of apertures on the opposite sides of said sole plate means for receiving said pair of arms therein, at least one of said apertures including a first bearing surface for supporting a first portion of the arm received therein, a second bearing surface laterally spaced from said first bearing surface for supporting a second portion of the arm received therein, width means located between said spaced first and second bearing surfaces for establishing a plurality of locked positions for said arm, the first and second portions of the arm being supported by both said first and second bearing surfaces, respectively, for all of said plurality of locked positions, and release means for releasably securing said sole plate means to said ski.

Claim 12

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot and including lever means for securing an offset portion of the ski boot to said sole plate means, said lever means having a pair of arms received on opposite sides of said sole plate means and laterally adjustable to accommodate different width ski boots, a pair of apertures on the opposite sides of said sole plate means for receiving said pair of arms therein, at least one of said apertures including a first bearing surface for supporting a first portion of the arm received therein, a second bearing surface laterally spaced from said first bearing surface for supporting a second portion of the arm received therein, width means located between said spaced first and second bearing surfaces for establishing a plurality of locked positions for said arm, the first and second portions of the arm being supported by both said first and second bearing surfaces, respectively, for all of said plurality of locked positions, and release means for releasably securing said sole plate means to said ski.

Claim 13

The ski binding of claim 6 wherein each arm includes a lock element located between the first and second portions of the arm, said width means establishing a plurality of lateral positions each of which maintains said lock element within the associated lateral position to establish a particular width adjustment.

Claim 14

The ski binding of claim 7 wherein said width means comprises a divider for establishing an outer channel and an inner channel corresponding to said plurality of locked positions, the lock element comprises an extending element which is captured between the divider and the first or second bearing surface to maintain the arm in said outer or inner channel.

Claim 15

The ski binding of claim 8 wherein the arm received in said at least one aperture is generally circular in cross section, said one aperture includes a generally circular opening for passing said arm and a slot contiguous with said circular opening for passing said lock element, said arm being manipulated so as to pass the lock element through said slot and over said divider when said lock element is to be captured in said inner channel.

Claim 16

The ski binding of claim 6 wherein said sole plate means includes a plurality of said pair of apertures, each pair of apertures being longitudinally spaced along said sole plate means, said pair of arms being removable from one of said pair of apertures and insertable into a different of said pair of apertures to longitudinally move said lever means with respect to said sole plate means.

Claim 17

The ski binding of claim 10 wherein said lever means includes an adjustment sleeve for connecting said pair of arms to a heel lever, the rotation of said adjustment sleeve lengthenIng the distance to the heel lever, thereby forming a fine length adjustment in supplement to the coarse length adjustment provided by said plurality of pair of apertures.

Claim 18

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: a lower plate having an upper ribbed surface, an internally threaded bore in the plate, a shoulder surface recessed in the plate below the upper ribbed surface, and screw means engaging the recessed shoulder surface for fixedly securing the lower plate to said ski; and a release assembly detachable from the lower plate including a housing containing a spring biasing a release element which secures the ski boot to the ski until a release pressure is exceeded, a flange on the housing having at least one longitudinal slot and a lower ribbed surface which mates with the upper ribbed surface on the lower plate to provide a plurality of spaced detent positions for the release assembly relative to the lower plate, and a screw member extending through the longitudinal slot and into engagement with the internally threaded bore to secure the release assembly to the lower plate at any preselected one of the plurality of spaced detent positions established by the ribbed surfaces.

Claim 19

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: a lower plate having an upper ribbed surface, an internally threaded bore in the plate, a shoulder surface recessed in the plate below the upper ribbed surface, and screw means engaging the recessed shoulder surface for fixedly securing the lower plate to said ski; and a release assembly detachable from the lower plate including a housing containing a spring biasing a release element which secures the ski boot to the ski until a release pressure is exceeded, a flange on the housing having at least one longitudinal slot and a lower ribbed surface which mates with the upper ribbed surface on the lower plate to provide a plurality of spaced detent positions for the release assembly relative to the lower plate, and a screw member extending through the longitudinal slot and into engagement with the internally threaded bore to secure the release assembly to the lower plate at any preselected one of the plurality of spaced detent positions established by the ribbed surfaces.

Claim 20

The ski binding of claim 12 wherein said housing comprises a cylindrical tube having a threaded surface, an adjustment screw having a threaded surface engaging the threaded surface of said cylindrical tube and rotatable to adjust the release pressure of said spring, and a lock sleeve engaging one of said threaded surfaces and movable to selectively lock and release said adjustment screw.

Claim 21

The ski binding of claim 12 including sole plate means for releasably securing the ski boot thereto and having at one end a socket in mating engagement with the release element and at the opposite end a sole plate mating surface, a retainer plate fixedly securable to the ski adjacent said opposite end and having a retainer mating surface in engagement with the sole plate mating surface, one of said mating surfaces comprising a tongue extending into a recess which corresponds to the other mating surface, the pressure of the release element urging the sole plate means against the retainer plate to force the tongue into engagement with the recess.

Claim 22

The ski binding of claim 14 wherein the retainer plate has a relatively flat upper surface, a recessed shoulder, and a screw means mountable against the shoulder for fixedly securing the retainer plate to the ski, the height of both the retainer plate from the upper surface to said ski and the height of the lower plate from the ribbed upper surface to said ski being less than the height of said ski to allow premounting of a portion of the ski binding without adding substantially to the height of the ski when containing the premounted portion.

Claim 23

The ski binding of claim 12 wherein the housing comprises a cylindrical wall surrounding a cylindrical cavity contiguous with an opening, the release element comprises a cylindrical sleeve disposed within the cylindrical cavity and having a substantial longitudinal extent in sliding engagement with the cylindrical wall to confine the cylindrical sleeve for movement solely in a longitudinal direction, the end of the cylindrical sleeve extending through the opening for releasable connection with the ski boot.

Claim 24

The ski binding of claim 16 wherein said cylindrical sleeve has a hollow central interior terminating in an end surface, and the spring is elongated and disposed within the hollow central interior with one end thereof bearing against the end surface.

Claim 25

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot including a socket having an enlarged head defining a nonsymmetrical arcuate surface, a reduced neck extending from the enlarged head, and an integral finger extending from the enlarged head and spaced from the reduced neck, an upright ear on the sole plate means and haVing a mounting aperture for receiving the neck of the socket and an offset aperture spaced from the mounting aperture for receiving the finger to prevent rotation of the socket; and a release unit mountable on the ski including a release pin biased into mating engagement with the nonsymmetrical arcuate surface on the enlarged head of the socket, the nonsymmetrical arcuate surface forcing the release pin to retract out of engagement with the socket with different release pressures for different angles of release.

Claim 26

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot including a socket having an enlarged head defining a nonsymmetrical arcuate surface, a reduced neck extending from the enlarged head, and an integral finger extending from the enlarged head and spaced from the reduced neck, an upright ear on the sole plate means and haVing a mounting aperture for receiving the neck of the socket and an offset aperture spaced from the mounting aperture for receiving the finger to prevent rotation of the socket; and a release unit mountable on the ski including a release pin biased into mating engagement with the nonsymmetrical arcuate surface on the enlarged head of the socket, the nonsymmetrical arcuate surface forcing the release pin to retract out of engagement with the socket with different release pressures for different angles of release.

Claim 27

The ski binding of claim 18 wherein the release unit confines the release pin for movement solely in a longitudinal direction coaxial with a center line extending through the release pin and the arcuate surface on the head, the finger being offset from the center line.