Ski binding apparatus

Claim 2

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski and for maintaining a sole of the ski boot at a skew with respect to an upper surface of the ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to both the ski and the ski boot and having planar surface means and securing means for releasably securing the ski boot sole to the sole plate means, skew producing means securable to the sole plate means for maintaining the ski boot sole at a skew with respect to the planar surface means including at least one skew member having a main body portion with an extent along the planar surface means and tongue means extending outward from the main body portion of the skew member for securing said skew member to said planar surface means, said planar surface means includes aperture lock means for receiving said tongue means to hold the main body portion in abutting relation to the planar surface means, and primary release means for releasably holding the sole plate means to the ski with the planar surface means parallel to the ski upper surface, including bias means for releasing the sole plate means in the presence of a release force.

Claim 3

The ski binding of claim 1 wherein said tongue means comprises a snap-fit member having resilient extensions, said aperture lock means comprises an aperture located in said planar surface means and having a narrow neck of smaller extent than the resilient extensions and a shoulder for receiving the resilient extensions to secure the resilient extensions with the aperture.

Claim 4

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski and for maintaining a sole of the ski boot at a cant with respect to an upper surface of the ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to both the ski and the ski boot and having planar surface means containing a first plurality of apertures spaced along one side of the planar surface means and a second plurality of apertures spaced along the other side of the planar surface means, and securing means for releasably securing the ski boot sole to the sole plate means, at least one removable cant member having a main body portion with an extent parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski and a plurality of tongue members extending from the main body portion and insertable into one of the first and second plurality of apertures for securing said cant member to said planar surface means and disengageable from said one of the first and second plurality of apertures to allow a different cant member to be secured to said planar surface means, and primary release means for releasably holding the sole plate means to the ski with the planar surface means parallel to the ski upper surface, including bias means for releasing the sole plate means in the presence of a release force.

Claim 5

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski and for maintaining a sole of the ski boot at a cant with respect to an upper surface of the ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to both the ski and the ski boot and having planar surface means containing a first plurality of apertures spaced along one side of the planar surface means and a second plurality of apertures spaced along the other side of the planar surface means, and securing means for releasably securing the ski boot sole to the sole plate means, at least one removable cant member having a main body portion with an extent parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski and a plurality of tongue members extending from the main body portion and insertable into one of the first and second plurality of apertures for securing said cant member to said planar surface means and disengageable from said one of the first and second plurality of apertures to allow a different cant member to be secured to said planar surface means, and primary release means for releasably holding the sole plate means to the ski with the planar surface means parallel to the ski upper surface, including bias means for releasing the sole plate means in the presence of a release force.

Claim 6

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski and for maintaining a sole of the ski boot at a cant with respect to an upper surace of the ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to both the ski and the ski boot and having planar surface means and securing means for releasably securing the ski boot sole to the sole plate means including an upright member extending from the planar surface means, bracket means having a sole engaging surface for engaging an offset portion of the ski boot sole, bracket mounting means for affixing the bracket means to the upright member with the sole engaging surface at a predetemined cant with respect to said planar surface means, an elongated cant member having connector means for securing the elongated cant member to the planar surface means, said cant member having a height to cause the ski boot sole when resting on the cant member and one side of the sole plate means to have the same predetermined cant as the sole engaging surface, and primary release means for releasably holding the sole plate means to the ski with the planar surface means parallel to the ski upper surface, including bias means for releasing the sole plate means in the presence of a release force.

Claim 7

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski and for maintaining a sole of the ski boot at a cant with respect to an upper surace of the ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to both the ski and the ski boot and having planar surface means and securing means for releasably securing the ski boot sole to the sole plate means including an upright member extending from the planar surface means, bracket means having a sole engaging surface for engaging an offset portion of the ski boot sole, bracket mounting means for affixing the bracket means to the upright member with the sole engaging surface at a predetemined cant with respect to said planar surface means, an elongated cant member having connector means for securing the elongated cant member to the planar surface means, said cant member having a height to cause the ski boot sole when resting on the cant member and one side of the sole plate means to have the same predetermined cant as the sole engaging surface, and primary release means for releasably holding the sole plate means to the ski with the planar surface means parallel to the ski upper surface, including bias means for releasing the sole plate means in the presence of a release force.

Claim 8

The ski binding of claim 4 wherein said bracket mounting means includes adjustment means for affixing the bracket means at different heights from the planar surface means to accommodate different ski boot soles, said adjustment means maintaining the sole engaging surface at said predetermined cant.

Claim 9

The ski binding of claim 4 wherein said connector means is securable in right side lock means spaced along the right side of the planar surface means or in left side lock means spaced along the left side of the planar surface means to thereby produce an opposite cant.

Claim 10

The ski binding of claim 6 wherein said right side and left side lock means each comprises a plurality of aperture means spaced longitudinally along the right side and the left side, respectively, of the sole plate means and generally parallel with the axis of the ski, and the connector means comprises a plurality of extending elements securable within the plurality of aperture means for securing the cant member to the sole plate means.

Claim 11

The ski binding of claim 4 including a second elongated cant member having connector means for securing the second cant member to the planar surface means at the rear of the first named cant member, the second cant member having a height to cause the ski boot sole, when resting on the first and second cant members and said one side of the sole plate means to have the same predetermined cant as the sole engaging surface.

Claim 12

The ski binding of claim 8 wherein the sole plate means includes lever means spaced opposite from the upright member for securing an opposite offset portion of the ski boot sole to the sole plate means, a plurality of adjusment bores longitudinally spaced in the sole plate means, a pair of arm means securing said lever means to opposite sides of the sole plate means with at least one of the arm means extending into one of the longitudinally space bores, a longitudinal channel connecting at least some of the plurality of longitudinally spaced bores, the longitudinal channel forming a portion of the connector means for securing one of the cant members to the sole plate means.

Claim 13

The ski binding of claim 9 wherein the one cant member has a plurality of tongues which extend through the channel and into the longitudinally spaced bores to secure the one cant member to the sole plate means, the plurality of tongues being adapted to be removed from an elongated body member in order to allow removal of the tongue which otherwise would be inserted in the bore in which the arm is located.

Claim 14

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski and for maintaining a sole of the ski boot at a cant with respect to an upper surface of the ski, comprising: release means for releasably securing the ski boot to the ski including an upright member extending substantially perpendicular to the ski upper surface and having a series of parallel spaced first ribs, bracket means having a sole engaging surface for engaging the ski boot sole, cant means for canting the ski boot sole at a predetermined angle with respect to the ski upper surface, and said release means includes adjustment means for affixing the bracket means at different heights along said upright member and for maintaining the sole engaging surface at the same angle with respect to the ski upper surface as produced by the cant means, said adjustment means includes a plurality of parallel spaced second ribs which mate with the frist ribs to prevent movement of the bracket means, lock means for maintaining the first and second ribs in abutment, the sole engaging surface being at said angle with respect to at least one of said first and second ribs.

Claim 15

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski and for maintaining a sole of the ski boot at a cant with respect to an upper surface of the ski, comprising: release means for releasably securing the ski boot to the ski including an upright member extending substantially perpendicular to the ski upper surface and having a series of parallel spaced first ribs, bracket means having a sole engaging surface for engaging the ski boot sole, cant means for canting the ski boot sole at a predetermined angle with respect to the ski upper surface, and said release means includes adjustment means for affixing the bracket means at different heights along said upright member and for maintaining the sole engaging surface at the same angle with respect to the ski upper surface as produced by the cant means, said adjustment means includes a plurality of parallel spaced second ribs which mate with the frist ribs to prevent movement of the bracket means, lock means for maintaining the first and second ribs in abutment, the sole engaging surface being at said angle with respect to at least one of said first and second ribs.

Claim 16

The ski binding of claim 11 wherein the second ribs are substantially perpendicular to an elongated slot, said upright member includes an internally threaded bore, and screw means extending through said elongated slot and into engagement with said internally threaded bore to secure the bracket means to the upright member at different heights depending on the location of the screw means within the elongated slot.

Claim 17

The ski binding of claim 12 wherein said bracket means has an extending member with a lower surface defining the sole engaging surface and being at said predetermined angle with respect to the first and second ribs.

Claim 18

The ski binding of claim 12 wherein said bracket means includes an extending member with a lower surface defining the sole engaging surface, said bracket means having a plurality of spaced third ribs, plate means having on one side said plurality of second ribs which mate with the first ribs of the upright member and on an opposite side a plurality of fourth ribs which mate with the third ribs of the bracket member, the second and fourth ribs on opposite sides of the plate means being at a skew corresponding to the predetermined angle.

Claim 19

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski and for maintaining a sole of the ski boot at a cant with respect to an upper surface of the ski, comprising: release means for releasably securing the ski boot to the ski including an upright member extending substantially perpendicular to the ski upper surface, bracket means having a sole engaging surface for engaging the ski boot sole and first surface means which mates with second surface means on the upright member to locate the sole engaging surface parallel with the upper surface of the ski and at different detented vertical positions, cant means for canting the ski boot sole at a predetermined angle with respect to the ski upper surface, and adaptor means located between the first and second surface means for tilting the sole engaging surface by said predetermined angle.

Claim 20

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski and for maintaining a sole of the ski boot at a cant with respect to an upper surface of the ski, comprising: release means for releasably securing the ski boot to the ski including an upright member extending substantially perpendicular to the ski upper surface, bracket means having a sole engaging surface for engaging the ski boot sole and first surface means which mates with second surface means on the upright member to locate the sole engaging surface parallel with the upper surface of the ski and at different detented vertical positions, cant means for canting the ski boot sole at a predetermined angle with respect to the ski upper surface, and adaptor means located between the first and second surface means for tilting the sole engaging surface by said predetermined angle.

Claim 21

The ski binding of claim 15 wherein said adaptor means can be inserted between the first and second surface means in a flipped position to tilt the sole engaging surface at the same predetermined angle but of opposite cant.

Claim 22

The ski binding of claim 15 wherein said release means includes sole plate means releasably securable to both the ski and the ski boot sole and having a planar surface, said upright member extending substantially perpendicular upward from the planar surface of the sole plate means, bias means mountable to the ski for releasably holding the sole plate means to the ski with the planar surface parallel to the ski upper surface, and the cant means being detachably securable to the sole plate means when the adaptor means is being utilized for canting the ski boot sole by said predetermined angle with respect to the planar surface.

Claim 23

The ski binding of claim 17 wherein said sole plate means includes lever means spaced at an opposite end of the planar surface from the upright member to secure an opposite end of the ski boot sole to the sole plate means, a pair of arm means extending from said lever means for securing the lever means to opposite sides of the sole plate means, at least one of the arm means including an adjustment member for changing the effective length of the arm means to allow the lever means to tilt by said predetermined angle.

Claim 24

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means with socket means for receiving a biased release element and boot securing means for releasably securing the ski boot to the sole plate means, retainer means mountable to the ski and having a retainer surface mating with a retainer surface on the sole plate means, the biased release element urging the retainer surfaces into mating contact, the positions of the retainer surfaces establishing the ratio of upward to lateral release pressure necessary to release the ski boot in the upward and lateral directions, respectively, and adjustable means effective to change the position of at least one of the retainer surfaces to establish a different ratio of upward to lateral release pressure.

Claim 25

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means with socket means for receiving a biased release element and boot securing means for releasably securing the ski boot to the sole plate means, retainer means mountable to the ski and having a retainer surface mating with a retainer surface on the sole plate means, the biased release element urging the retainer surfaces into mating contact, the positions of the retainer surfaces establishing the ratio of upward to lateral release pressure necessary to release the ski boot in the upward and lateral directions, respectively, and adjustable means effective to change the position of at least one of the retainer surfaces to establish a different ratio of upward to lateral release pressure.

Claim 26

The ski binding of claim 19 wherein the retainer means includes a plurality of separate retainer surfaces spaced about a retainer member, each retainer surface of the retainer member having a different position when in abutting relation with the retainer surface of the sole plate means.

Claim 27

The ski binding of claim 20 wherein said retainer member comprises plate means having a plurality of recesses located on different sides of the plate means, each recess being formed by inclined walls corresponding to the retainer surfaces of the retainer member, said adjustable means comprises a plurality of screw means for securing the plate means to the ski with one side adjacent the retainer surface of the sole plate means, the screw means being removable to allow the plate means to be rotated to a different side containing a recess.

Claim 28

The ski binding of claim 20 wherein the separate retainer surfaces of the retainer member when in the active position contact the retainer surface of the sole plate means at different longitudinal positions, the release means includes lower plate means mounted to said skis, upper release means detachable from said lower plate means and including said biased release element extending therefrom for mating with the socket means, said upper release means includes lock means to detachably secure the upper release means to said lower plate means at any desired one of a plurality of spaced detent positions relative to the lower plate means in order to maintain the retainer surfaces in engagement.

Claim 29

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot, forward retainer means for releasably securing a forward portion of the sole plate means to the ski, rear retainer means for releasably securing a rear portion of the sole plate means to the ski, the sole plate means includes at least one bearing surface in contact with at least one bearing surface of the retainer means and movable out of contact to release the sole plate means from the retainer means in response to a release force, and means to change the angle of at least one of said bearing surfaces to change the release force necessary to release the sole plate means from the retainer means.

Claim 30

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot, forward retainer means for releasably securing a forward portion of the sole plate means to the ski, rear retainer means for releasably securing a rear portion of the sole plate means to the ski, the sole plate means includes at least one bearing surface in contact with at least one bearing surface of the retainer means and movable out of contact to release the sole plate means from the retainer means in response to a release force, and means to change the angle of at least one of said bearing surfaces to change the release force necessary to release the sole plate means from the retainer means.

Claim 31

The ski binding of claim 23 wherein one retainer means includes at least two bearing surfaces each of a different fixed angle, only one of the fixed angle bearing surfaces being in engagement with the bearing surface of the sole plate means to establish the release force necessary to release the sole plate means, the angle change means being effective to place the other of the fixed angle bearing surfaces in engagement with the bearing surface of the sole plate means.

Claim 32

The ski binding of claim 23 wherein one retainer means includes a spring release element urged into engagement with the sole plate means, the other retainer means includes the bearing surface which is maintained in contact with the bearing surface of the sole plate means by the bias pressure of the spring release element.

Claim 33

The ski binding of claim 25 wherein the angle change means changes the angle of the bearing surface on the other retainer means and thereby changes the longitudinal position of the sole plate means with respect to the one retainer means, said one retainer means includes lower plate means mounted to the ski and detachable upper means carrying the spring release element, and longitudinal adjust means for mounting the detachable upper means to the lower plate means at a plurality of longitudinally detented positions.

Claim 34

The ski binding of claim 25 wherein the bearing surfaces have a lateral section to control the lateral release pressure necessary to disengage the sole plate means in a lateral direction with respect to the ski and an upward section to control the upward release pressure necessary to disengage the sole plate means in an upward direction with respect to the ski, and said angle change means alters the ratio of the angles between the lateral and upward sections to change the ratio of lateral to upward release pressure.

Claim 35

The ski binding of claim 27 wherein the bearing surface of the sole plate means comprises a beveled tongue having a downward slope corresponding to the upward section and a pair of converging side slopes corresponding to the lateral section, the other retainer means comprises plate means having at least two recesses each defined by a top wall and a pair of side walls, the top wall being inclined to vertical and corresponding to the upward section and the side walls being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the ski and corresponding to the lateral section, the ratio of the angles of the top to side walls being different for the two recesses, and the angle change means allowing a different one of the recesses to mate with the beveled tongue of the sole plate means.

Claim 36

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot and having a first release element, retainer means for releasably securing the sole plate means to the ski and having a second release element in mating engagement with the first release element and relatively movable out of contact therewith to release the sole plate means from the retainer means in response to a release force, one of the release elements comprising a member having a plurality of ratio establishing sections including a top surface defining an upward release pressure and a side surface defining a lateral release pressure, the top and side surfaces for each section being different to thereby change the ratio of upward to lateral release pressure when a different section is positioned into engagement with the other of the release elements.

Claim 37

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot and having a first release element, retainer means for releasably securing the sole plate means to the ski and having a second release element in mating engagement with the first release element and relatively movable out of contact therewith to release the sole plate means from the retainer means in response to a release force, one of the release elements comprising a member having a plurality of ratio establishing sections including a top surface defining an upward release pressure and a side surface defining a lateral release pressure, the top and side surfaces for each section being different to thereby change the ratio of upward to lateral release pressure when a different section is positioned into engagement with the other of the release elements.

Claim 38

The ski binding of claim 29 wherein each of the sections comprises a recess formed in the member and defined by an upward sloped wall and a side sloped wall corresponding to the top and side surfaces, respectively.

Claim 39

The ski binding of claim 30 wherein the other of the release elements comprises a bearing element which extends into one of the recesses in the member, and spring release means biasing the bearing element into mating engagement with the sloped walls of the one of the recesses whereby the angle of the sloped walls establishes the upward and lateral release pressures necessary to disengage the bearing element from the sloped walls.

Claim 40

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot and having a socket adjacent one end and a beveled tongue adjacent the opposite end, a retainer plate having a plurality of separate tongue receivable recesses formed in separate sides of the plate, each tongue receivable recess being defined by a top wall inclined to vertical and a pair of side walls inclined to the horizontal axis of the ski, the ratio of the angles of the inclined top and side walls being different for each separate recess, and a spring biased element for engaging the socket to urge the beveled tongue into one of the separate recesses so that the ratio of upward to lateral release pressure necessary to move the beveled tongue out of engagement with the one recess is controlled by the ratio of the angles of the inclined walls of the one recess and can be changed by changing the recess which receives the beveled tongue.

Claim 41

A ski binding for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising: sole plate means releasably securable to the ski boot and having a socket adjacent one end and a beveled tongue adjacent the opposite end, a retainer plate having a plurality of separate tongue receivable recesses formed in separate sides of the plate, each tongue receivable recess being defined by a top wall inclined to vertical and a pair of side walls inclined to the horizontal axis of the ski, the ratio of the angles of the inclined top and side walls being different for each separate recess, and a spring biased element for engaging the socket to urge the beveled tongue into one of the separate recesses so that the ratio of upward to lateral release pressure necessary to move the beveled tongue out of engagement with the one recess is controlled by the ratio of the angles of the inclined walls of the one recess and can be changed by changing the recess which receives the beveled tongue.

Claim 42

The ski binding of claim 32 wherein the separate recesses formed in the retainer plate have an open channel therebetween.

Claim 43

The ski binding of claim 32 wherein the retainer plate has a plurality of symmetrically located fasteners for securing the retainer plate to the ski, the fasteners being disengageable to allow the retainer plate to be rotated to a side containing another recess and then engageable at the same positions on the ski.