GB2471828A

GB2471828A - Multi directional ski brake

Info

Publication number: GB2471828A
Application number: GB0908453A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jack Spencer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-05-18
Filing date: 2009-05-18
Publication date: 2011-01-19
Also published as: GB0908453D0

Abstract

Disclosed is a ski brake mechanism that can absorb forces applied during an ejection however the ski is orientated. The brake mechanism comprises a body 2 for attachment to the ski, pedal 3, biased anus 1 and 5, and braking aims 13 for engaging the snow. The pedal 3 is depressed by the skier's boot which flattens the brake mechanism into an inoperative position (figure 2) so the ski can move freely. The mechanism is biased by means of springs such that when the ski is ejected the brake mechanism is forced to its operative biased position (figure 1). When the brake is in operation the braking arms 13 will switch position such that they face away from the direction of travel allowing that the brake to function in a similar manner whether the ski is travelling in a forwards or backwards direction after ejection. To absorb forces applied during an ejection the mechanism flexes from its operative biased position temporarily.

Description

Multi directional ski brake A skiers boots are attached to his skis with a pair of bindings. To help prevent injury the binding is designed to release the boot if stresses reach a certain level during a fall, this is called an ejection. A mechanism is built into ski bindings which allow free movement when the rider's weight is present but deploys if the ski is ejected, stopping it within a short distance so it is not lost. When the ski brake is deployed it is subjected to an initial force from its impact with the snow. It then is subjected to irregular forces from uneven ground. Current designs are built to absorb these forces by moving from their biased positions but only if the ejection takes place when the front of the ski is facing the direction of travel.

Backward skiing is very common. People land backwards off of big jumps and this makes ejections inevitable when the back or side of the ski is facing the direction of travel. Current ski brake designs do not allow for the forces applied during a backwards or sideways ejection and therefore the ski brake often sustains sufficient damage to disable its functionality or prevent it from deploying the next time round.

To overcome this, the present invention proposes a ski brake mechanism that can absorb forces applied during an ejection when the ski is pointing in the direction of travel, when the back of the ski is facing the direction of travel and preferably however the ski is orientated. The mechanism is less likely to malfunction if the skis eject during a fall when the rider is not facing the direction of travel. The mechanism will be biased to a position that allows for the braking arms to be extended below the ski to a distance that will disrupt the skis free movement on the snow, bringing it to a halt. When the skiers boot is secured in the binding the braking arms are moved to a position which allows for the ski to move freely.

Preferably the mechanism will be designed to fit to existing ski bindings with little or no modification to the rest of the binding needed. e...

The invention will now be described purely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the ski brake when it is unloaded Figure 2 shows the ski brake when it is loaded In figure 1, four arms (1) point upward at an angle from the base of the mechanism (2), at the top of each arm there is a bend which goes through a cavity in a pedal (3). The way in which the four arms (1) go through the cavities in the pedal (3) means that they are forced apart and against the walls of the main body (2). At the bottom of each arm there is a hinge (4) which attaches a horizontal arm (5). These horizontal arms (5) can rotate and to an extent can move in other directions within the hinge (4) but have stoppers (6) to prevent unwanted sliding. The main body of the mechanism (2) has attachment points (7) for the rest of the binding and has slots (8) which accommodate the horizontal arms (5) as they extend from the hinges (4). They continue to extend before bending at preferably 90 degrees (9) and opposing the angle of the upward pointing arms (1) that each one is hinged to (4). Preferably the bottom of these arms (5) have small flat sections which stops rotation within the hinges (10). The two hinges (10) have a single pivot point (11). Preferably each hinge (10) contains a torsional spring which gives the whole mechanism a bias. Attached to the same pivots (11) are the housings for the braking arms (12). The braking arni extends at a downward angle with a shaped end attachment (14) which contacts the snow and is effective in stopping the ski. The housing for the braking arm (12) is biased to an angle that is parallel to one of the lower arms (5) once it has gone through the bend (9) and points at a downward and backward angle from the front of the ski. The housing for the braking arm (12) cannot rotate to an angle any further towards the back of the ski however it can rotate to the opposite angle which is parallel to the other lower arm (5) once it has gone through the bend (9) before rotation is limited in that direction.

In figure 2, as the pedal (3) is depressed the two sets of top arms (1) are pushed apart. This forces the horizontal arms (5) to slide along the slots (8) in the main body of the mechanism (2).

As they do so they rotate and pull the bottom hinges (10) up. As the bottom hinges (10) are pulled up the housing for the braking arm (12) and braking arm (13) remain parallel to one of the lower arms (5) once it has gone through the bend (9) and therefore are brought upward and horizontal. The top arms (1) final section of travel forces them onto a feature of the main body (15) which forces them together toward the centre of the mechanism. This pulls the horizontal arms (5) in so that the bottom hinges (10) and the braking arms (13) are pulled in as well.

*... So as the skier applies weight to the pedal (3) the mechanism flattens and reduces in width allowing for uninterrupted movement of the ski. When weight is removed and the mechanism : is free to spring back to its original bias and the braking arms (13) are forced to a position which contacts the snow via the attachment (14) and interrupts free movement of the ski.

*.....

* * The mechanism absorbs forces applied during an ejection by flexing away from its biased S. a, S. * position to a position somewhere between those illustrated in figure 1 and figure 2 temporarily.

If the back of the ski is facing the direction of travel during an ejection then the braking arm (13) switches to its unbiased position as described above which reduces the risk of it catching in *: the snow and jarring the mechanism. The mechanism then moves as it would if the front of the ski was facing the direction of travel. The ski is brought to a halt and as it does so the braking arm (13) moves back to its biased position.

Preferably the top arms (1), the horizontal arms (5) and the braking arms (13) will be made of circular section stainless steel rod which just needs cutting and bending to shape. Preferably the hinges (4,10), the housing for the braking arm (12) and the attachment (14) at the end of it will be made of injection molded plastic although it may be necessary to have metal hinges.

Preferably the main body of the mechanism (2) will be made of bent stainless steel plate which reinforces a plastic shell.

Attaching the hinges (4, 10) to the arms (1, 5, 13) and attaching the stoppers (6) to the horizontal arms (5) may be achieved using a strong adhesive. The hinges (4, 10) and the housing for the braking arm (12) may be riveted or bolted through the pivot point (11). The whole mechanism may attach to the rest of the binding with a single screw at point (7) and may have recesses on the underside of the main body (2) which connect with parts of the binding securing it. S... * S *.*. *

S..... * S

*SSS.S * S * S..

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*S.S.I

Claims

Claims 1. A ski brake mechanism that can absorb forces applied during an ejection without being damaged when the front of the ski is facing in the direction of travel and when the back of the ski is facing the direction of travel.
2. A ski brake mechanism that is effective in stopping a ski and not being damaged after an ejection when the front of the ski is facing the direction of travel or when the back of the ski is facing the direction of travel.
3. A ski brake mechanism according to any previous claims which can absorb the forces applied during an ejection however the ski is orientated without sustaining damage.
4. A ski brake mechanism according to any previous claims that absorbs the forces applied during an ejection by temporarily moving from its biased position.
5. A ski brake mechanism according to any previous claims that has a braking arm that faces away from the direction of travel when the front of the ski is facing the direction of travel during an ejection and moves to a position where it is facing away from the direction of travel when the back of the ski is facing the direction of travel during an ejection. *.S. * *S..... * IS**SS*I * . *. * . * S.. *S.....