EP2036596A1 - Shock-absorber device for attaching a boot to a snowboard or skateboard and method of implementing this device - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a mounting plate (10) that is movably mounted, on a sliding or rolling board (3) by elastic units (20a, 20b) e.g. compression springs. The elastic units are traversed in a direction (7) perpendicular to an upper surface (11) by guiding rods (30). The elastic unit (20a) is provided at an upstream of the board when the elastic unit (20b) is passed at a rear of the board. Each guiding rod allows sliding of plain bearings (50a, 50b) whose lower end is located at an interior of the elastic units. An upper end of the bearings is integrated to the mounting plate. An independent claim is also included for a damping method for attaching a boot on a sliding or rolling board i.e. alphine ski.

Description

The present invention relates to a damping device for a shoe attachment on a gliding or rolling board, such as a ski, a surf or other pad intended to move for example on snow, sand, a plane water or a hard coating, and a method of implementation of this device.

Preferably, the device of the invention is intended to be mounted on such a board, either directly before the sale of this board, or later in the form of complementary equipment easily adaptable to any board that can receive a fixation shoe. The invention aims in particular to equip downhill skis, which is why the present description will mainly focus on such gliding boards. However, it should be noted that the invention is in no way limited to equipping exclusively alpine skis.

The ski boots are generally attached to the ski, namely to the batten or gliding board, by the only intermediary of a binding directly screwed to the ski. During descent, especially at the reception of a bump, the front of the ski hits the snow and begins to beat generating a train of unpleasant vibrations that can affect the ski's handling. These vibrations stem mainly from the fact that the shocks encountered are poorly absorbed in the ski portion located under the binding of the shoe. The pair that forms the binding and the shoe is a rigid assembly that, in the length of the ski, breaks the absorption of shocks to the right of this attachment. This break occurs despite the fact that the ski was originally designed to be flexible over its entire length. From this phenomenon stem the beating of the ski which may appear both in the front and back of the fastening area.

Such beats tend to unbalance the skier rearward, which further amplifies the phenomenon by lightening the front portion of the ski. This will result in a loss of grip that can lead to the fall of the skier.

In addition to the problems associated with skiing on the snow, many skiers complain of pains in the feet, joints (knees in particular) and the spine. Foot pain occurs as burns that result from a repeated back and forth movement of the sole of the foot into the shoe. The back pains, as well as those appearing in the joints, result from the succession of vibrations and shocks which can not be dampened neither by the ski, nor by the binding or the shoe. As a result, these vibrations are directly transmitted to the skier's muscles, ligaments and skeleton.

In order to dampen these shocks and to absorb at least some of these vibrations, the document US5820154 suggests to add, under the binding of the shoe, a layer of elastomeric material extending between 35 and 80% of the total length of the ski. In the middle part of this length, however, is a portion of non-elastic material which aims to take up and transmit the efforts between the ski and the shoe. By this means is provided a rigid torsion element, useful for negotiating turns on the edges of the ski and thus keep control. The main disadvantage of this device lies in the fact that the rigid element, arranged in the central part of the ski under the binding of the shoe, although fulfilling its role, however transmits most of the vibrations of the ski to the shoe without being able to absorb.

The document EP0104185 describes another damping device in which the resilient material fills the space left between the inking points on the ski of a support plate intended to accommodate the attachment of the shoe. This plate is thus fixed by its front and rear ends, in direct contact with the upper surface of the ski. At the front, cylindrical holes in this plate admit screws fixed in the thickness of the slat, while at the rear, this plate is provided with oblong holes whose ends are filled with an elastomeric material. The screws for holding the back of the plate on the ski first pass through an absorption member before passing through the oblong holes and screw into the thickness of the ski. The disadvantage of this device stems from the fact that the method of fixing the support plate bypasses the damping effect provided by the elastic material which fills, between the front and rear anchoring points, the space left between this plate and ski. In addition, the longitudinal deflection provided by the oblong holes is greatly limited by the filling of the latter with a resilient material. Finally, all of the resilient material as arranged in this device prevents a good deflection of the ski batten under the binding of the boot, which significantly reduces the expected damping effect.

The document US4979761 refers to another cushioning device for a shoe attachment on a ski board. He suggests the arrangement of a block of elastic material filling the space between an upper support plate, intended for fixing the boot, and a lower plate connected to the batten of the ski. Maintaining the upper plate and the elastic block is effected by means of posts integral with the lower plate, which extends over at least the entire length of the attachment of the shoe. The upper end of the columns is threaded so as to be able to screw a nut also serving as adjustment for the pre-stress of the elastic block. Between the upper and lower plates, compression springs are held around the balusters. Finally, a plurality of articulated oblique plates connect the upper and lower support plates and serve to take up and transmit the torsional forces that appear in the damping device when the ski initiates turns. The whole mechanism (columns, springs, hinged plates) is embedded in the elastic block. One of the disadvantages of this device lies in the fact that its method of attachment, its lower plate and the arrangement of the elastic block under the attachment of the shoe, affect the flexion of the ski. In addition, this system appears to be relatively complex in view of the many recesses in the elastic block to be able to arrange all the damping members as well as those for strengthening the device against its torsion.

The object of the present invention aims at remedying at least in part the aforementioned drawbacks by suggesting a damping device for a shoe attachment on a gliding or rolling board, in particular on alpine skis, as stated in the claim 1.

This device comprises a support plate of a shoe attachment which is secured to the gliding board via an elastic structure traversed by vertical guide rods. According to the invention, this elastic structure consists of two independent elastic means, spaced apart from each other and each traversed by at least one guide rod rendered in turn integral with the gliding board.

Thanks to this arrangement, a free space of vertical movement between the support plate and the gliding board is preserved between the two attachment points linking the present device to this board. So, flexing the board along its longitudinal axis is found little or no impediment. Advantageously, a resilient and flexible protection means can still close the periphery of the free space useful for the deflection.

Advantageously, this arrangement provides a relaxing effect generating an acceleration of the ski, especially at the reception of a bump. This dynamic effect makes it possible to propel the skier forward and contributes to shortening his downhill time so precious during competitions.

According to the preferred embodiment, the guidance and the holding of the gliding board, for example on snow, are improved by the addition of plain bearings intended to slide along the various guide rods. Also, the longitudinal flexion of this board can advantageously become completely free thanks to the arrangement of rear bearings each provided with an oblong bore allowing only a relative displacement of the gliding board with respect to the support plate, in the longitudinal direction of this board only.

Preferably, the elastic means consist of interchangeable elastic blocks that can easily be replaced by other blocks of the same size. Provided with different elastic characteristics, such exchange blocks then give the possibility of being able to easily adapt the present device to the conditions of use of a gliding board. In the context of a ski descent, these conditions will be dictated in particular by the quality of the snow, the level of the skier, the configuration of the descent or the quality of the skis or its bindings for example.

Advantageously, the object of the present invention incorporates an independent means of adjusting the hardness of the front and rear elastic means. In this way it becomes possible to choose or easily adapt the degree of pre-stress of these means independently between the front and the back of the device. In addition, this also makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the release of the shoe provided during a fall, according to a pre-set reference value.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective et en coupe partielle du dispositif amortisseur monté sur une planche de glisse.
• La figure 2 est une vue en plan, depuis dessous, de l'objet de l'invention.
• La figure 3 est une vue latérale du dispositif amortisseur tel que monté sur une planche et vu le long de son plus grand côté.
• La figure 4 est une vue en coupe verticale selon la ligne IV-IV de la figure 3.
• La figure 5 est une vue en coupe verticale d'une des tiges de guidage du dispositif amortisseur.
• La figure 6 est une vue en coupe transversale, suivant la ligne VI-VI de la figure 2, dans laquelle subsiste seuls la plaque-support et les paliers lisses.
• Les figures 7a et 7b sont des vues en plan des moyens élastiques, respectivement avant et arrière, du dispositif amortisseur selon le mode de réalisation préféré.

Other advantages and specific features will become apparent in the light of the description which follows and which refers to a preferred embodiment of the subject of the present invention as well as to variants, taken as a non-limitative and illustrated schematically and for example by the appended figures in which:

• The figure 1 is a perspective view in partial section of the damping device mounted on a gliding board.
• The figure 2 is a plan view, from below, of the object of the invention.
• The figure 3 is a side view of the damping device as mounted on a board and viewed along its longer side.
• The figure 4 is a vertical sectional view along the line IV-IV of the figure 3 .
• The figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of one of the guide rods of the damping device.
• The figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI of the figure 2 in which only the support plate and the plain bearings remain.
• The Figures 7a and 7b are plan views of the elastic means, respectively front and rear, of the damping device according to the preferred embodiment.

From a terminological point of view and with the aim of removing any ambiguity, it should be mentioned above all that front and rear terms used in the description which follows, are in reference to the front and rear parts of the gliding board, parts located opposite each other, along the longitudinal axis of the plank, respectively at the left end and at the right end of this axis as shown in the first figure.

With reference to the figure 1 , this schematically illustrates the damping device 1, object of the present invention, mounted on a board 3 sliding, longitudinal axis 5. According to the preferred mode of use, this board represents a downhill ski under a very schematic form. The device 1 comprises a support plate 10 at the upper surface 11 of which a shoe attachment (not shown) can be immobilized. Such a binding is generally composed of a front jaw and a rear jaw to maintain the ski boot conventionally by its tip and by its heel. For this purpose and as best illustrated in the figure 2 , a plurality of holes 12 formed in the support plate at the front and rear of the upper surface 11, are intended to provide a range of possible positions to receive the screws that will be used to immobilize the binding of shoe on the damping device 1.

With respect to the plate 3, the support plate 10 is intended to be mounted mobile in translation in a direction substantially perpendicular to its surface 11, as indicated by the double arrow 7 of the figures 1 and 3 . This translational assembly is obtained by means of an elastic structure 20a, 20b, traversed in this same direction 7 by guide rods 30.

According to the invention, the elastic structure on which the support plate 10 is constituted consists of two elastic means 20a, 20b, independent of each other and each traversed by at least one guide rod 30. The resilient means 20a is located at the front of the support plate 10 while the other elastic means 20b is at the rear of the latter. This arrangement leaves between them a free space 25 of vertical deflection, located between the support plate 10 and the board 3. On the order of 10 to 20mm thick, the height of this free space corresponds to at least the length of the stroke that can make the support plate following its translational movement along the double arrow 7.

The figures 3 , 4 and 5 give a representation of the guide rods 30 as they appear in the assembled device, respectively viewed from the side in the figure 3 , in section in the figure 4 and in detail at the figure 5 . In this last figure is illustrated the preferred embodiment of one of these guide rods which comprises a lower end 31 and an upper end 32. The lower end is preferably provided with a base 33 which is intended to serve as a guide. shoulder against which may rely a countersink of a fastener 40a, 40b described below. The upper end 32 comprises an upper portion 34, which is preferably provided with a thread 36 intended to engage an adjustable stop 35, clearly visible in the figure 4 . Preferably, this stop is constituted at least by a nut. Each abutment 35 maintains in pressure, at least in abutment, the elastic structure 20a, 20b, in particular the upper surface of this structure. This stop constitutes an adjustable member in position along the upper portion 34. By this means, it is possible to adapt at will the degree of pre-stress of the elastic structure, in particular of each elastic means 20a, 20b of an independent way.

With reference to the figure 3 it will be noted that the guide rods 30 are, at their lower end 31, secured to the board 3. To do this, the guide rods associated with the same elastic means 20a, 20b, are preferably made integral with this board by means of a fastener 40a, 40b, independent and fixed to this board with screws 41. Such an organ can take the form of a plate, as well illustrated at figure 1 . In the figures 3 and 4 , the screws 41 are represented, in a simplified form, by their longitudinal axis only. They are intended to be housed in the holes 42 formed in the fasteners 40a, 40b, before coming into engagement in the board 3.

According to the preferred embodiment, the lower ends 31 of the guide rods are, via their base 33, welded to the corresponding fixing members 40a, 40b, more precisely at the bottom of the countersinks formed in these members ( figure 4 ).

In order to improve the accuracy of guiding the movement in translation of the elastic structure, each guide rod 30 allows the sliding of a sliding bearing 50a, 50b whose lower end 51 is located inside the corresponding elastic means 20a. , 20b ( figures 1 and 4 ), while the upper end 52 is secured to the support plate 10. Preferably and as best illustrated in the figure 6 , the maintenance of the plain bearings 50a 50b to the upper surface 11 of this support plate is obtained by welding a flange 55 arranged at the upper end 52 of each bearing.

With reference to figures 1 and 3 it will be noted that the plain bearings 50a associated with the guide rods 30 of the elastic means before 20a each consist of a cylindrical bore 53, without play with the corresponding guide rod. On the other hand, the plain bearings 50b located at the rear of the support plate 10 each consist of an oblong bore 54 allowing a relative displacement of the guide rod 30 with respect to its sliding bearing 50b, that in the direction of the longitudinal axis 5 of the board 3.

The cylindrical bores 53 make it possible to perfectly maintain the strength of the ski, in particular when the skier initiates the turns thus inducing a localized stress mainly at the front of the binding of the boot. For these reasons, the oblong bores 54 are located at the rear of the damping device 1 and allow, thanks to their orientation according to the longitudinal axis 5 of the board, to compensate for the deformation of the latter relative to the support plate 10 which is not likely to be deformed. Thus, the board portion 3 located between the two front and rear attachment points intended to link the latter to the damping device, can freely be arched in the form of a convex or concave curvature, encroaching for the latter in free space 25.

The absence of play in the transverse direction of the cylindrical bores 53 and oblong bores 54 ensures guiding of the board controlled by the inclinations of the shoe in its fixation. The plain bearings 50a, 50b alone can transmit all the torsional forces generated by the inclinations of the shoe from the attachment of the shoe to the gliding board without any loss in the damping device 1.

As shown in the top views of Figures 7a and 7b each elastic means before 20a and rear 30b is preferably constituted of a single member or element in the form of a block of elastic material. The front block is provided with through holes 21 having a circular section whose diameter allows the insertion of the corresponding bearing 50a. For the same purpose, the rear block comprises oblong and through holes 22 which can each admit an oblong smooth bearing 50b.

Advantageously, each of these blocks is formed of an elastic material, for example an elastomer Vulkan® type consisting of a microcellular material having a maximum compressibility rate of the order of 80%. Such a material has the advantage of being able to compress with a minimum of deformation on its lateral surfaces. Thus the compressed material fills above all the free space within it before being deformed in the plane perpendicular to the stress applied to it. This property makes it possible to guarantee the absence of any hindrance, blockage or malfunction of the damping device, in particular to preserve the correct arrangement of a flexible and elastic protection means (not shown) which could close the periphery of the free space. useful for vertical deflection. This protection means would prevent for example any insertion of snow between the support plate 10 and the board 3. Such a member could be obtained from an elastic band surrounding the free space 25 and the elastic means 20a. , 20b.

Alternatively, it would also be possible to replace the resilient material blocks of these resilient means by compression springs. Whatever the shape of these elastic means, their mode of attachment within the damping device 1 makes them easily interchangeable. Indeed, it suffices to remove the stops 35 and lift the support plate 10 to directly access the elastic means 20a, 20b. Advantageously, these means can thus be easily replaced or exchanged on the site with other similar means, for example provided with a different compressibility module.

According to another more complex embodiment, it has also been thought to replace the damping blocks by an oil damping system combined with a compression spring. Alternatively, this combined system could be replaced by an oleopneumatic suspension involving an oil damper and a gas, preferably a non-corrosive neutral gas and safe to handle such as nitrogen. In this latter variant, such a gas would be contained in a chamber closed by a membrane, which could be compressed by the displacement of a piston in a cylinder containing oil. When a board with such a system runs through a bump, it will transmit a pressure on the piston that compresses the membrane through the oil contained in the cylinder. The compression of the membrane will in turn put in compression the gas which will behave like a shock absorber. The gas pressure within the chamber could be adjusted using a regulator such as a valve. The gas could be injected into the chamber through a valve and a small reserve tank easily transportable.

According to the preferred embodiment, the support plate 10 is advantageously ribbed or folded down along its longer sides so as to increase its mechanical strength, particularly in bending and torsion. This support plate could also be formed from a hollow section of rectangular section. More preferably, the front portion of this support plate will be contoured to improve aerodynamics.

Advantageously, the pairs formed by the sliding bearings 50a, 50b sliding along the guide rods 30 do not require any particular maintenance. Their sliding can be ensured either by the kiss of self-lubricating material, or by means of a lubrication such as that procured by a graphite grease.

The maintenance of the sliding bearings by welding to the upper surface 11 of the support plate 10 generates within them deformations of the bore which result from the heating required for welding. In the presence of machining tolerances clamped between the diameter of the guide rods and that of the bore of the bearings, it has been found that these deformations impair or prevent the required adjustment between these sliding parts. To cope with this problem, the present invention also suggests a method of implementing the damping device 1, in which is performed a boring or grinding operation of the plain bearings 50a, 50b after welding of the latter to the plate- support 10. The process step in which the reaming or grinding operation is carried out may be carried out for example by means of a cutting tool such as a reamer or a chisel mounted on a head of bore, or by grinding by means of an abrasion tool.

Claims (12)

Shock absorbing device (1) for attaching a shoe to a board (3) for sliding or rolling with a longitudinal axis (5), comprising a support plate (10) on the upper surface (11) of which said shoe attachment can be immobilized, this support plate (10) being intended to be mounted mobile in translation, in a direction (7) substantially perpendicular to its surface (11), on said board (3) via an elastic structure (20a, 20b) traversing, in the same direction (7), by guide rods (30) secured to said board (3) at their lower end (31) and provided at their upper end (32), an abutment (35) now bearing said elastic structure (20a, 20b), characterized in that the elastic structure consists of two independent elastic means (20a, 20b) each traversed by at least one of said guide rods (30) and located for one (20a) in front of the said support plate (10) and for the other (20b) at the rear of the latter leaving between them a free space (25) of travel between the support plate (10) and the board (3). Damper device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each guide rod (30) has the sliding of a plain bearing (50a, 50b) whose lower end (51) is located inside the means elastic (20a, 20b) and the upper end (52) is secured to said support plate (10). Damper device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the plain bearings (50a) associated with the rods of the elastic means (20a) situated at the front of the support plate (10) each consist of a cylindrical bore (50a) without clearance with the corresponding guide rod (30), and those (50b) located at the rear of the support plate (10) each consist of an oblong bore (50b) allowing a relative displacement of the guide rod (30) relative to its bearing (50b), only in the direction of the longitudinal axis (5) of the board (3). Damper device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic means (20a, 20b) are blocks of elastic material. Damper device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic means (20a, 20b) are compression springs or an oleopneumatic suspension. Damper device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a flexible and resilient protection means closes the periphery of said free space (25). Damper device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop (35) is an adjustable stop in position along an upper portion (34) of the guide rod (30). Damper device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the upper portion (34) of the guide rod (30) is provided with a thread (36) and in that said stop (35) is constituted at least by a nut that can be screwed onto said threaded upper portion (34). Damper device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide rods (30) associated with the same elastic means (20a, 20b) are, at their lower end (31), secured to said board (3) by the intermediate of an independent fastener (40a, 40b). Damper device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the lower end (31) of each guide rod (30) is welded to the fastener (40a, 40b). Damper device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper end (52) of the sliding bearing (50a, 50b) is welded to said support plate (10). Method of operating the damping device (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that a boring or grinding operation of said plain bearing (50a, 50b) is carried out after welding thereof to said support plate ( 10).

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