Multiple-position heel piece with easy engagement/release for Ski-touring bindings

Abstract

Heel piece for ski-touring bindings, comprising a base piece ( 10 ) fixed to the ski, a slide ( 20 ) joined to said base piece and displaceable relative thereto in the longitudinal direction (X-X), wherein said slide has, formed thereon, a body ( 24 ) which contains the means ( 30 ) for resilient reaction of the heel piece and which has, pivotably mounted thereon, a first rear lever ( 120 ) for operating the heel piece, rotationally movable between different working positions, and a front fork ( 110 ) engageable with the heel ( 1 a ) of a boot ( 1 ), in turn movable rotationally between different working positions, said front fork ( 110 ) comprising two arms ( 111 ) each of which has a free upper end in the form of a hook ( 112 ) designed to engage with a corresponding pin (1 b ) on the heel ( 1 a ) of the boot ( 1 ).

1 . Heel piece for ski-touring bindings, comprising a base piece ( 10 ) fixed to the ski, a slide ( 20 ) joined to said base piece and displaceable relative thereto in the longitudinal direction (X-X), characterized in that said slide has, formed thereon, a body ( 24 ) which contains the means ( 30 ) for resilient reaction of the heel piece and which has, pivotably mounted thereon, a first rear lever ( 120 ) for operating the heel piece, rotationally movable between different working positions, and a front engaging member ( 110 ) for engaging with the heel ( 1   a ) of the boot ( 1 ), in turn movable rotationally between different working positions, said lever ( 120 ) and engaging member ( 110 ) being directly connected together via respective means ( 114 , 122 ) for transmitting the movement from the lever ( 120 ) to the engaging member ( 110 ). 
     
     
         2 . Heel piece according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said fixed base piece ( 10 ) is formed by a perimetral frame ( 11 ) which is elongated in the longitudinal direction (X-X) and defines an inner seat which is open in the vertical direction (Z-Z) and forms a guide for the slide ( 20 ). 
     
     
         3 . Heel piece according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the front part of the slide ( 20 ) has, formed therein, a seat ( 21 ) for housing lugs ( 22   a ) of a step ( 22 ). 
     
     
         4 . Heel piece according to  claim 3 , characterized in that said housing seat ( 21 ) is shaped so as to allow the step ( 22 ) to assume at least two stable positions in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         5 . Heel piece according to  claim 4 , characterized in that one of said two positions of the step ( 22 ) is designed to form a raised base for supporting the front fork ( 110 ). 
     
     
         6 . Heel piece according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said body ( 24 ) has, formed inside it, a hollow cylindrical seat ( 26 ) suitable for housing the resilient means ( 30 ) comprising a spring ( 31 ) extending in a substantially vertical direction (Z-Z) and fixed under compression between a closing cap ( 33 ) and a bottom shaped foot ( 32 ). 
     
     
         7 . Heel piece according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the shaped foot ( 32 ) has a transverse through-hole ( 32   a ) designed to receive a cross-pin ( 34 ) mounted on the body ( 24 ) via corresponding eyelets ( 24   b ). 
     
     
         8 . Heel piece according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the body ( 24 ) has longitudinal tracks ( 24   a ) formed on the front surface of the same body ( 24 ) and designed to form guides for corresponding roller wheels ( 113   a ) associated with the front fork ( 110 ). 
     
     
         9 . Heel piece according to  claim 8 , characterized in that said longitudinal tracks ( 24   a ) have an inclination from the top downwards and from the rear towards the front. 
     
     
         10 . Heel piece according to  claim 9 , characterized in that said longitudinal tracks ( 24   a ) have at least one change in inclination along their extension. 
     
     
         11 . Heel piece according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the rear operating lever ( 120 ) is formed in the manner of a fork with parallel arms ( 121 ) which have respective holes ( 121   a ) for receiving a cross-pin ( 34 ). 
     
     
         12 . Heel piece according to  claim 7 , characterized in that each arm ( 121 ) of said rear operating lever ( 120 ) has a respective eyelet ( 122 ) at the bottom end. 
     
     
         13 . Heel piece according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the bottom end of each arm ( 121 ) of the lever ( 120 ) is formed in the manner of a cam ( 123 ) consisting of a first surface ( 123   a ) substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction (X-X), a second surface ( 123   b ) forming an obtuse angle with said first surface ( 123   a ) and a third surface ( 123   c ) forming an obtuse angle with said second surface. 
     
     
         14 . Heel piece according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the front fork ( 110 ) is formed by two arms ( 111 ) which have a respective first upper hole ( 111   a ) and a second bottom hole ( 113   a ). 
     
     
         15 . Heel piece according to  claim 11 , characterized in that a connecting cross-pin ( 113 ) is arranged between the said arms ( 111 ), being inserted between the said first holes ( 111   a ) in the arms ( 111 ). 
     
     
         16 . Heel piece according to  claim 16 , characterized in that the connecting cross-pin ( 113 ) carries a pair of roller wheels ( 113   a ) designed to roll along the tracks ( 24   a ) of the body ( 24 ). 
     
     
         17 . Heel piece according to  claim 11 , characterized in that said second bottom holes ( 113   a ) are designed to engage with the cross-pin ( 34 ) supporting the lever ( 120 ). 
     
     
         18 . Heel piece according to  claim 11 , characterized in that, at its bottom end, each arm ( 111 ) has a pin ( 114 ) projecting outwards in the transverse direction (Y-Y). 
     
     
         19 . Heel piece according to  claim 14 , characterized in that said pins ( 114 ) are suitable for insertion inside a corresponding shaped eyelet ( 122 ) in the arms ( 121 ) of the operating lever ( 120 ). 
     
     
         20 . Heel piece according to  claim 14 , characterized in that each arm ( 111 ) of the engaging member ( 110 ) has a top free end in the form of a hook ( 112 ) designed to engage with a corresponding pin ( 1   b ) on the heel ( 1   a ) of the boot ( 1 ). 
     
     
         21 . Heel piece according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the bottom end of the arms ( 111 ) of the engaging member ( 110 ) has a respective cam ( 115 ) formed by a first surface ( 115   a ) substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction (X-X) and a second surface ( 115   b ) forming an acute angle with said first surface ( 115   a ). 
     
     
         22 . Heel piece according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said different relative working positions of the lever ( 120 ) and the engaging member ( 110 ) comprise a closed heel-piece position for downhill use and at least two different open heel-piece positions for uphill use where the heel of the boot rests on different surfaces of the fork ( 110 ). 
     
     
         23 . Heel piece according to  claim 18 , characterized in that said surfaces of the fork are the rear surface ( 110   a ) and the top surface ( 110   b ), respectively. 
     
     
         24 . Heel piece according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said different relative working positions of the lever ( 120 ) and the fork ( 110 ) comprise a third open position of the heel piece for very steep slopes where the heel of the boot ( 1 ) rests on the free end of the operating lever ( 120 ).