Binding with anti-icing plate

Abstract

An improved ski binding relating generally to telemark skiing and other types of “heel-less” bindings is disclosed. Troublesome snow buildup underfoot, particularly in the area between a skier's boot and binding interface, is reduced and/or eliminated by the incorporation of a binding, anti-icing riser plate that pumps snow and ice away from the skier's boot and binding interface during operation of the “heel-less” binding. In conjunction with or alternatively from the anti-icing riser plate, a binding frame incorporating a hinge is also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heel-less telemark binding comprising: 
 a telemark binding frame;    a snow clearing base plate;    at least one snow clearing groove formed on an upper surface of said snow clearing base plate; and    means for securing a telemark ski boot to said binding frame.    
     
     
         2 . The binding according to  claim 1 , wherein said snow clearing base plate has a toe portion and a rear portion, said toe portion is more narrow than said rear portion so as to form a tapered shape.  
     
     
         3 . The binding according to  claim 1 , wherein said binding frame includes a horizontal base portion, a toe piece, and a plurality of side walls.  
     
     
         4 . The binding according to  claim 3 , wherein said side walls include a first pair of vertical sidewalls and a second pair of angular side walls.  
     
     
         5 . A snow clearing base plate for a heel-less binding, said snow clearing base plate comprising: 
 a tapered base portion having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction; and    a plurality of snow clearing grooves provided on an upper surface of said tapered base portion extending longitudinally with respect to said longitudinal direction of said tapered base portion.    
     
     
         6 . A heel-less binding comprising: 
 a mounting plate;    a binding frame;    a mounting plate insert;    an anti-icing insert;    at least one snow clearing groove formed on an upper surface of said anti-icing insert; and    a toe piece.    
     
     
         7 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 6 , further comprising a hinge integral with said binding frame, said hinge permitting a variable resistance, forward motion of said binding frame.  
     
     
         8 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 6 , wherein said anti-icing insert includes a toe portion and a rear portion, said toe portion being more narrow than said rear portion so as to form a tapered shape in conformance with an interior surface and an interior profile of the binding frame.  
     
     
         9 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 1 , wherein said binding frame includes a horizontal base portion, a toe piece, and a plurality of side walls.  
     
     
         10 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 8 , said anti-icing insert including a plurality of anti-icing grooves provided on an upper surface of said anti-icing insert, said anti-icing grooves extending longitudinally in an aft direction while progressively deepening and outwardly radiating.  
     
     
         11 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 8 , said anti-icing insert having a plurality of anti-icing grooves forming a snow removal pathway and an uppermost horizontal wear surface, said snow removal pathway permitting snow and ice removal and being separately formed from said uppermost horizontal wear surface of the anti-icing insert.  
     
     
         12 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 7 , said mounting plate, said mounting plate insert and said binding frame being effectively joined with a hinge, said hinge permitting a hinging action allowing a variable, forward and rear rotation of said binding frame.  
     
     
         13 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 12 , further comprising a quick release mechanism for creating an adjustable resistance motion, said hinging action of said binding frame being adjustable for all ranges of resistance by said quick release mechanism.  
     
     
         14 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 13 , wherein the adjustable resistance motion has an angular range of between 0 and 45°.  
     
     
         15 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 13 , further comprising a pair of parallel, longitudinally oriented locking bolts, said locking bolts permitting the adjustable resistance motion of said binding frame to be locked down horizontally against said mounting plate and mounting plate in a locked position.  
     
     
         16 . The heel-less binding according to  claim 7 , said toe piece further including 
 cable length adjustment lugs and cable routing channels providing cable length adjustment,    a forward routing guide, and    a cable routing pulley having a diameter and oriented at a specified length from a forward routing guide capable of accepting a heel retention device.