Toe piece for a safety ski-binding

Abstract

A toe piece for a safety ski binding having a pivotable rearwardly facing soleholder for releasably engaging the sole of a ski boot, a pedal having a series of ramps inclined towards opposite sides of the binding and joined by flattened junctures and engageable by lower support elements when the pedal is subjected to downward and sidewise forces for receiving forces which offset the frictional forces resulting from the engagement of the boot and the pedal. The toe piece further includes a second set of transverse ramps engageable by upper support elements when the pedal is subjected to upward and sidewise forces for receiving forces which offset the frictional forces resulting from the engagement of the boot and the pedal.

We claim: 
     
       1. A toe piece for a safety ski binding, said toe piece having a rearward portion, a longitudinal axis and longitudinally extending side portions, and comprising: base means;   soleholder means pivotally mounted .[.in fixed relation with.]. .Iadd.on .Iaddend.said base means and biassed to a central, rearwardly facing direction for engaging and retaining a ski boot sole in the binding, said soleholder means pivoting to release a retained ski boot when a sidewise force applied to the ski boot exceeds a predetermined value;   lower support means mounted on said base means;   pedal means for engaging the sole portion of a ski boot in said toe piece, said pedal means being pivotally mounted for movement with said soleholder means in response to the movement of the ski boot retained in the toe piece; said pedal means being disposed over said lower support means and having first ramp means including a series of resilient ramps joined by juncture means; said juncture means extending in directions generally parallel to said side portions and located for engagement by said lower support means when a downward force is exerted on said pedal means in the absence of sidewise forces, said first ramp means including ramps inclined from said juncture means towards opposite sides of said toe piece for engagement by said lower support means when said pedal means is subjected to downward and sidewise forces, the ramps configured for engagement by said lower support means for establishing forces offsetting the sidewise forces resulting from friction between .[.the ski boot.]. .Iadd.said ramp means .Iaddend.and the binding.]. .Iadd.said lower support means.Iaddend..   
     
     
       2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first ramp means includes a series of transverse ramps in the form of a flattened W when viewed in the longitudinal direction, said juncture means comprising flattened regions between the transverse ramps of said first ramp means. 
     
     
       3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said lower support means comprise posts mounted in said base means. 
     
     
       4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said posts include a pair of posts disposed symmetrically on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said toe piece. 
     
     
       5. The toe piece according to claim 1 and further comprising a pair of levers mounted on said base means for pivotal movement about vertical axes disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the toe piece, said levers extending rearwardly and each carrying vertical soleholder axles disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis; and wherein said soleholder means comprises a pair of soleholders pivotally mounted on said soleholder axles.   
     
     
       6. The invention according to claim 5 and further including a coupling member mounted on said soleholder axles and extending rearwardly, said pedal means forming part of said coupling member. 
     
     
       7. The invention according to claim 1 and further including: upper support means fixedly mounted relative to said base means;   second ramp means movable in response to movement of said soleholder means, said second ramp means including transverse ramps meeting at a second juncture means, said second juncture means being engageable by said upper support means when said soleholder means is subjected to upward forces in the absence of sidewise forces, said transverse ramps of said second ramp means being inclined towards the opposite sides of said toe piece for engagement by said upper support means when said soleholder means is subjected to upward and sidewise forces, or to rotational loads, the ramps engaged by said upper support means being contoured to establish forces offsetting the forces resulting from friction between the latter ramps and said upper support means.   
     
     
       8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said upper support means comprise roller means mounted for rotation about longitudinal axes. 
     
     
       9. The invention according to claim 7 and further comprising a pair of levers pivotally mounted on said base means for pivotal movement about vertical axes disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the toe piece, said soleholder means including soldeholders pivotally mounted on said respective levers, and said second ramp means comprising a pair of flattened A-shaped portions on the respective levers engageable by said upper support means. 
     
     
       10. A front piece for a safety ski binding, said front piece comprising: base means mountable on a ski;   at least one sole holder mounted to pivot relative to said base means against the force of a spring in response to the application of sideways forces against said sole holder;   said sole holder being further adapted to restrain a boot sole on the sides, and in forward and upward directions;   a pedal attached to and pivotal with said sole holder, having a resilient area, and being held in a normal position and movable relative to said base means to generally follow the pivotal movement of the ski boot in the front piece, and having a boot supporting area with a lower portion facing the base means and further having in said resilient area the generally shape of a flattened W with flattened tips and ramps joining the tips; and.   two supporting elements fixedly mounted with respect to said base means and being spaced by a distance corresponding to said resilient area, said supporting elements abutting the flattened tips when said pedal is in the normal position and engaging said ramps in response to downward and sidewise forces which move said sole holder, the force of said supporting elements against said ramps offsetting the frictional force between said supporting elements and said pedal.   
     
     
       11. The front piece of claim 10 wherein said at least one sole holder comprises two sole holders, said front piece comprising a linkage quadrangle including a coupling element, said two sole holders being pivotally supported in said coupling element and a portion of said coupling element forming the pedal. 
     
     
       12. The front piece of claim 10 and further comprising a housing for receiving components of the front piece, and supporting element means mounted on said housing, said sole holder(s) each having a supporting area movable therewith, said supporting area having towards the side of support the form of a flat A with a flattened apex abutting said support element means when the pedal is in the normal position, and having inclined camming surfaces inclined for engagement by said support element means with a force offsetting the friction force between the support element means and said supporting area. 
     
     
       13. The front piece of claim 12 wherein said supporting element means comprises a roller. 
     
     
       14. The front piece of claim 10 wherein said base means has a longitudinal axis and said at least one sole holder comprises a pair of sole holders mounted to pivot about axes transverse to said base means and equidistant from said longitudinal axis, and said front piece further comprising a housing and supporting element means mounted on the housing, each of said sole holders including an A-shaped supporting area movable therewith, the supporting areas being arranged symmetrically with respect to said longitudinal axis for engaging said supporting areas. 
     
     
       15. A front piece for a safety ski binding, said front piece comprising: base means mountable on a ski and having a longitudinal axis;   two sole holders arranged on opposite sides of said front piece;   said sole holders being mounted to pivot against the force of a spring in response to the application of sideways forces against said sole holders;   said sole holders being further adapted to restrain a boot sole on the sides, and in forward and upward directions;   a pedal pivotal with said sole holders and having a resilient area, and being held in a normal position and movable relative to said base means to generally follow the pivotal movement of the ski boots in the front piece, and having a boot supporting area with a lower portion facing the base means and further having in said resilient area the general shape of a flattened W with flattened tips and ramps joining the tips; and,   two supporting elements fixedly mounted with respect to said base means and being spaced by a distance corresponding to said resilient area, said supporting elements abutting the flattened tips when said pedal is in the normal position and engaging said ramps in response to downward and sidewise forces which move said sole holder, the force of said supporting elements against said ramps offsetting the frictional force between said supporting elements and said pedal. .Iadd.   
     
     
       16.  A toe piece for a safety ski binding comprising: base means;   means for engaging and retaining upper and lower portions of a toe section of a ski boot to restrain the toe section against vertical movement relative to the plane of a ski on which the toe piece is mounted, wherein said means for engaging and retaining is laterally movable as a unit with the movement of the ski boot and includes,   soleholder means pivotally mounted with respect to said base means and biased to a central, rearwardly facing direction for engaging and retaining said toe section of a ski boot in the binding, said soleholder means pivoting to release a retained ski boot when a sidewise force applied to the ski boot exceeds a predetermined value,   lower support means mounted on said base means; and,   pedal means for engaging the bottom of the sole portion of a ski boot in said toe piece, said pedal means being pivotally mounted for movement with said soleholder means in response to the movement of the ski boot retained in the toe piece; said pedal means being disposed over said lower support means and having first ramp means including a series of ramps joined by juncture means; said juncture means extending in directions generally parallel to said side portions and located for engagement by said lower support means when a downward force is exerted on said pedal means in the absence of sidewise forces, said first ramp means including ramps inclined from said juncture means toward opposite sides of said toe piece for engagement by said lower support means when said pedal means is subjected to downward and sidewise forces, the ramps configured for engagement by said lower support means for establishing forces offsetting the sidewise forces resulting from friction between said ramp means and said lower support means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A toe piece for a safety ski binding, said toe piece having a rearward portion, a longitudinal axis and longitudinally extending side portions, and comprising:   base means,   soleholder means pivotally mounted on said base means and biased to a central, rearwardly facing direction for engagement and retaining an upper surface of a ski boot sole in the binding, said soleholder means pivoting to release a retained ski boot when a sidewise force applied to the ski boot exceeds a predetermined value;   lower support means mounted on said base means;   pedal means for engaging a bottom surface of a sole portion of a ski boot in said toe piece, said pedal means being pivotally mounted for movement with said soleholder means in response to the movement of the ski boot retained in the toe piece; said pedal means being disposed over said lower support means and having first ramp means including a series of ramps joined by juncture means; said juncture means extending in directions generally parallel to said side portions and located for engagement by said lower support means when a downward force is exerted on said pedal means in the absence of sidewise forces, said first ramp means including ramps inclined from said juncture means towards opposite sides of said toe piece for engagement by said lower support means when said pedal means is subjected to downward and sidewise forces, the ramps configured for engagement by said lower support means for establishing forces offsetting the sidewise forces resulting from friction between said ramp means and said lower support means;   wherein said soleholder means and said pedal means are laterally movable as a unit with the movement of said ski boot prior to release ot said ski   
     
     
        boot. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18.  The invention according to claim 17 wherein said first ramp means includes a series of transverse ramps in the form of a W when viewed in the longitudinal direction, said juncture means comprising regions between the transverse ramps of said first ramp means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The invention according to claim 17 wherein said lower support means comprise posts mounted in said base means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The invention according to claim 19 wherein said posts include a pair of posts disposed symmetrically on opposite sides of the longitudinal 
     
     
        axis of said toe piece. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21.  The toe piece according to claim 17 and further comprising a pair of levers mounted on said base means for pivotal movement about vertical axes disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the toe piece, said levers extending rearwardly and each carrying vertical soleholder axles disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis; and wherein said soleholder means comprises a pair of soleholders pivotally mounted on said soleholder axles. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The invention according to claim 21 and further including a coupling member mounted on said soleholder axles and extending rearwardly, said pedal means forming part of said coupling member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The invention according to claim 17 and further including:   upper support means fixedly mounted relative to said base means;   second ramp means movable in response to movement of said soleholder means, said second ramp means including transverse ramps meeting at a second juncture means, said second juncture means being engageable by said upper support means when said soleholder means is subjected to upward forces in the absence of sidewise forces, said transverse ramps of said second ramp means being inclined towards the opposite sides of said toe piece for engagement by said upper support means when said soleholder means is subjected to upward and sidewise forces, or to rotational loads, the ramps engaged by said upper support means being contoured to establish forces offsetting the forces resulting from friction between the latter ramps and said upper support means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The invention according to claim 23 wherein said upper support means comprise roller means mounted for rotation about longitudinal axis. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The invention according to claim 23 and further comprising a pair of levers pivotally mounted on said base means for pivotal movement about vertical axes disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the toe piece, said soleholder means including soleholders pivotally mounted on said respective levers, and said second ramp means comprising a pair of A-shaped portions on the respective levers engageable by said upper support means. .Iaddend.