INTERFACE PLATE FOR A GLIDING BOARD

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon French Patent Application No. FR 2413447, filed Dec. 4, 2024, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 119.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an interface plate between a gliding board and a boot binding element. The invention is more particularly applicable to the field of skiing, in particular alpine skiing.

2. Background Information

Conventionally, an on-piste ski, also referred to as an alpine ski, includes a binding intended to receive the boot worn by the skier. The binding is generally comprised of a front binding element referred to as the “toe piece” and a rear binding element commonly referred to as the “heel piece”.

It is known to position an interface plate between the binding and the gliding board. This interface plate includes a body generally made of a plastic material such as a fiber-reinforced polyamide.

The interface plate makes it possible to:

• • Raise the boot relative to the gliding surface of the gliding board.
  • Modify the mechanical properties of the gliding board in terms of mass distribution, bending stiffness, and torsional stiffness.

These modifications improve the skier's mastery of skiing, which translates into more precise handling of the gliding board, better grip on the snow, and improved dynamic behavior of the gliding board.

Furthermore, this interface plate includes several rows of attaching holes. The first rows receive fasteners for attaching the interface plate to the gliding board. The second rows receive fasteners for attaching a binding element to the interface plate. These second rows enable adjustment of the relative position between the two binding elements so that the binding is adapted to a predetermined boot size and adjustment of the longitudinal position of the boot relative to the ski.

A gliding board may be equipped with two interface plates, one for each binding element, or with a single interface plate, common to both binding elements.

Interface plates of these types are described in Patent Applications FR2800623A1, FR2786403A1, and EP1166834A1.

Patent application FR3043916A1 describes the addition of a plurality of support elements between the interface plate and the ski, these support elements are made of metal, for example. The support elements limit the impact of the interface plate on the intrinsic mechanical properties of the gliding board. They also aim to optimize the transmission of the vertical pressures exerted by the user.

In practice, these support elements project relative to the lower surface of the interface plate by a height on the order of a few tenths of a millimeter to a few millimeters. They are housed in two grooves on either side of the longitudinal axis of the plate. However, this structure does not make it possible to create a rigid direct connection between the binding element and the gliding board to achieve optimal transmission of the vertical pressures exerted by the user. Although these support elements enable good transmission of the vertical pressures, they do not ensure a rigid direct transmission. Indeed, these support elements are distributed on each side of the ski, without being directly connected to one another. This results in less effective distribution of the vertical pressure exerted by the user toward these lateral support elements and in a relatively less precise positioning between the lateral support elements, which can affect the distribution the forces transmitted onto the ski. Furthermore, the support elements are distant from the attachment zone of the binding element, which also results in poorer transmission of the forces.

SUMMARY

The invention provides an interface plate with a structure that is an improvement over the prior art and achieves the above-mentioned objectives.

The interface plate of the invention is particularly advantageous in its integration into a gliding board, between a front binding element and the gliding board.

An interface plate between a gliding board and a boot binding element includes a body having a lower surface oriented to face an upper surface of the gliding board, and an opposite upper surface oriented to face the binding element. The body is made of a first material having a first modulus of elasticity. The boot binding element also includes at least one insert. The insert is affixed to the body and made of a second material having a second modulus of elasticity. The second modulus of elasticity is greater than the first modulus of elasticity.

The insert includes a central core which, when the insert is affixed to the body, is substantially parallel to the lower surface of the body. The central core has two opposite lateral edges and two lateral wings which, when the insert is affixed to the body, extend from each respective lateral edge of the central core, toward the lower surface of the body.

The insert is affixed to the body so that the central core of the insert has a fastener for attaching the binding element to the plate.

The shape of the insert gives it rigidity and allows the lateral wings to be precisely positioned on the body. Precise positioning of the lateral wings enables a better distribution of the forces on the lateral edges of the gliding board.

The interface plate may incorporate one or more of the following features, in any technically feasible combination:

• • According to one embodiment, each lateral wing extends up to an end edge that is flush with or projecting from the lower surface of the body, when the insert is affixed to the body. This embodiment allows for direct contact between the plate and the gliding board, which results in better transmission of the mechanical forces of the supports exerted by the user on the gliding plate.
  • According to another embodiment, the lateral wings are spaced apart near the insert along a transverse direction, by a distance greater than 60% of the width of the body along that transverse direction. In this embodiment, the lateral forces are transmitted more effectively to the gliding board, thus achieving better transmission of the forces, notably on the edges, and thus better control and handling of the gliding board.
  • According to another embodiment, the body is overmolded onto the insert to enable better transmission of the forces between the body and the insert. Overmolding is also an easy way to mount the body on the insert. Further, an insert that is completely enclosed by an overmolded body is insulated and protected from external elements (weather, water, snow, etc.) capable of causing degradation of the insert.
  • According to another embodiment, the insert is housed within a lower recess opening out onto the lower surface of the body. In this embodiment the insert can be removed for replacement during maintenance. In addition, the interface plate can be customized by replacing the insert with another insert having different mechanical characteristics (material, size, etc.).
  • According to another embodiment, the interface plate includes a stiffener housed within the insert between the wings. The stiffener improves the strength of the binding element positioned above it, by providing a better grip between the fastener and a component of the interface plate.

According to another embodiment, the insert is made of a metallic material such as steel or aluminum. The metallic insert improves the rigidity of the interface plate and ensures better transmission of mechanical forces exerted by the user.

• • According to another embodiment, the body is made of a plastic material. The body of the plate is thus easier to manufacture and the plate has lengthwise flexibility in order to adapt to the movements of the user.

The invention also relates to a binding device that includes the interface plate. According to one embodiment, the binding device of the gliding board, includes a binding element and an interface plate as described above. The central core is positioned so that at least one fastener for attaching the binding element to the interface plate extends through the central core. The fastener is in direct contact with the central core. and extends through the central core of the insert to attach to a part of the body of the interface plate located underneath the binding element or to attach directly to the insert. In the first case, direct transfer of the force from the binding element to the interface plate is achieved. In the second case, the mechanical strength of the binding element attachment to the interface plate is improved and an even more direct transmission of the forces is achieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the detailed description that follows, with reference to the annexed drawings illustrating, by way of non-limiting embodiments, how the invention can be carried out, and in which:

• • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gliding board with a boot attached to it using a fastener;
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a side view of of FIG. 1;
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 are two perspective views of an insert forming the interface of the invention; and
  • FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate three sectional views, along the line A-A of FIG. 3, illustrating three embodiments of the interface plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description defines an orthonormal reference frame X, Y, Z, in which the longitudinal direction (X) corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the board, the transverse direction (Y) corresponds to the axis perpendicular to (X), the axes (X) and (Y) being located in the plane defined by the gliding or walking board, and the vertical direction (Z) corresponds to the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the gliding or walking board.

Three orthonormal planes are then defined as follows:

• • a frontal or coronal plane YZ corresponding to a plane perpendicular to an axis X,
  • a sagittal plane XZ corresponding to a plane perpendicular to an axis Y, and
  • a transverse plane XY corresponding to a plane perpendicular to an axis Z.

With reference to FIG. 1, a gliding board P, such as a ski, receives a binding system provided to affix a boot C to the gliding board. The binding system includes a front binding element F_AV, commonly referred to as the “toe piece” and a rear binding element F_AR, commonly referred to as the “heel piece”. The boot C of the user is interposed between the front binding element F_AV and the rear binding element F_AR.

In the following description, the terms ‘front’ and ‘rear’ should be understood with reference to a direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) extending along the length of the gliding board and oriented in the direction extending from the rear binding element F_AV toward the front binding element F_AR. Similarly, the terms ‘upper’ and ‘lower’, or ‘top’ and ‘bottom’, should be understood with reference to the direction (Z) that is perpendicular to the surface of the ski and oriented from the ground toward the top.

In the following description, two planes are considered parallel when the two planes are substantially parallel, that is, oriented with respect to each other by an angle of less than 30°.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention relates to an interface plate 1 that is positioned between at least one binding element F_AV, F_AR and the gliding board P. The gliding board P may be provided with a single interface plate, arranged between its two binding elements F_AV, F_AR and the gliding board P, or with two distinct interface plates, one arranged between the front binding element F_AV and the gliding board P, and the other between the rear binding element F_AR and the gliding board P. The annexed drawing figures show, by way of non-limiting example, a single interface plate 1 common to both binding elements.

The interface plate 1 is also called an elevation platform as it raises the binding element, and thus the boot C, relative to the gliding board P.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the interface plate 1 includes a body 10. The body 10 is made of a material having a predetermined modulus of elasticity E10, referred to as the first modulus of elasticity. For example, the first modulus of elasticity E10 is between 1 GPa and 15 GPa, to avoid making the ski too rigid while allowing some bending. The body 10 is made of a plastic material.

The body 10 extends over a portion of the length of the gliding board P. The body is attached to the gliding board P and includes a lower surface 100 facing the upper surface 200 of the gliding board P and an opposite upper surface 101 facing the binding element.

The body 10 includes a plurality of attachment holes that align with corresponding attachment holes present on the upper surface of the gliding board P. Fasteners, such as screws, extend through the holes in the body and engage with the holes of the gliding board. The holes and fasteners make it possible to affix and adjust the longitudinal position of the body 10 on the gliding board P.

As shown in FIG. 3, the interface plate 1 includes an insert 11 integrated into the body 10 (see various embodiments in FIGS. 6 to 8). In this example, the insert 11 extends over only part of the length of the body 10. It is positioned toward the front of the body 10 with respect to the center of gravity of the body 10 and of the gliding board P.

The insert 11 is made of a material distinct from that of the body 10 of the interface plate 1. This material has a second modulus of elasticity E11, greater than the first modulus of elasticity of the material forming the body 10 of the interface plate 1. For example, the second modulus of elasticity E11 is between 20 GPa to 300 GPa to ensure good transmission of forces exerted by the user on the gliding board P. The insert 11 is, for example, made of a metallic material or a composite material.

According to an embodiment enabling good force retransmission, the second modulus of elasticity E11 is at least five times greater than the first modulus of elasticity E10, and preferably ten times greater than the first modulus of elasticity E10.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show an embodiment wherein the insert 11 is a unitary part with a U-shaped front section. It includes a central core 110 that is a plate arranged in a plane parallel to the transverse plane XY. The central core extends over a length L110 and is laterally demarcated by two lateral edges 110D, 110G. Central core 110 includes portions 115 and 116 to help affix insert 11 to body 10. The insert 11 also includes two extensions in the form of two wings 111G, 111D, each wing extending from a respective lateral edge 110D, 110G of the central core 110, and each extending in a plane parallel to the sagittal plane XZ. The two wings 111G, 111D extend substantially perpendicularly with respect to the central core 110 towards the lower surface 100 of the body 10 of the interface plate 1 when the insert 11 is integrated into the body 10.

The two wings 111G, 111D each have an end edge 112G, 112D. According to one embodiment, when the insert 11 is housed in the body 10 of the interface plate 1, the respective end edges of the two wings are flush with or project from the lower surface 100 of the body 10 of the interface plate 1.

Thus, when the interface plate 1 is mounted on the gliding board P, the two edges 112G, 112D demarcating each respective wing 111G, 111D of the insert 11 rest on the upper surface 200 of the gliding board P so that the body 10 of the interface plate 1 does not bear against the upper surface of the gliding board P. A better mechanical transfer of the forces arising from the supports of the boot C to the gliding board P results from this arrangement because the material forming the insert 11 has a hardness greater than that of the mounting plate 10.

In the examples described above, the insert 11 is interposed between the upper surface 101 of the body 10 and the gliding board P. In this way, a direct kinematic chain is obtained for the transmission of the forces resulting from the supports of the boot C toward the gliding board P. The latter goes through the boot C, then the binding elements F_AV and F_AR, then the body 10 of the interface plate, then the insert 11 of the interface plate to bear on the upper surface 200 of the gliding board.

FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate a plurality of further embodiments.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment wherein the insert 11 is embedded in the body 10 of the interface plate. For example, the body 10 of the interface plate is overmolded around the insert 11. In this example, the interface plate 1 includes the body 10 and the overmolded insert 11. Portion 115 helps affix the insert 11 to the body 10.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment wherein the body 10 of the interface plate 1 is recessed on the side of its lower surface 100, so that the insert 11 can be inserted into this recess 102 that opens out onto the lower surface 100 of the body. The insert 11 can be affixed to the body 10 by any suitable manner, e.g., by clipping, by bonding, or by a screw. In this example, the interface plate 1 includes the body 10 and the insert 11.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment that is analogous to the second embodiment, except that it includes a stiffener 12 that is housed within the insert 11, in the recess formed by the inner U-shaped portion of the insert 11. Thus, the insert 11 is interposed between the stiffener 12 and the body 10. In this example, the interface plate 1 includes the body 10, the insert 11 and the stiffener 12.

The stiffener 12 can be affixed to the body 10 in any appropriate manner. Because the insert 11 is sandwiched between the stiffener 12 and the body 10, the insert 11 is not necessarily affixed to the body 10. In a variant of this latter configuration, the insert 11 is affixed to the body 10 or to the stiffener 12 in any appropriate manner, e.g., by clipping, by bonding, or by a screw. Alternatively, the stiffener 12 is affixed to the gliding board P in any appropriate manner, e.g., by clipping, by bonding, or by a screw.

The insert 11 can be removably affixed to the body 10 or to the stiffener 12, so it can be easily removed for replacement in case of wear or to modify the mechanical characteristics of the interface plate 1. For example, the insert 11 can be attached to the body 10 by screws extending through holes in the portion 116.

It should also be noted that the binding element F_AV (or F_AR) includes one or more fasteners 3 (for example, attachment screws in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 6 to 8) extending through the central core 110 of the insert 11 which enable the binding element to be attached to the interface plate 1.

For example, the screw can extend (without contact) through the central core 110 of the insert 11 and engage with the body 10 of the interface plate 1, either above or below the central core 110 of the insert 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the binding element F_AV can be affixed to the body 10 by two front screws 3 and one rear screw 3. The two front screws 3 affix the body 10 to the binding element. Each front screw 3 passes through one hole of the row of 4 side holes of the central core 110 of the insert 11 and the rear screw passes through one hole of the row of 4 central holes of the portion 116 of the insert 11. In this example, the screw can engage with the body 10 or the stiffener 12 of the interface plate. With this option, damage to the screw threads can be prevented.

As another example, the screw may engage with the central core 110 of the insert 11. It can also engage with the body 10 or the stiffener 12 of the interface plate 1. With this example, a more direct kinematic chain is achieved due to the forces being transmitted directly from the attachment screws of the binding elements F_AV and F_AR to the insert 11, without extending through the body 10 of the interface plate 1. This improves the transmission of the forces resulting from the supports of the boot C onto the gliding board P.

According to another embodiment, the insert 11 is affixed to the interface plate 1 with the central core 110 positioned longitudinally near a binding element F_AV or F_AR so that at least one fastener extends through the central core 110 as shown in FIG. 3. In this example, the central core 110 includes at least one complementary part cooperating with the fastener near the binding element. The complementary part is, for example, a through hole and the fastener near the binding element is a screw. This arrangement improves the transmission of the bearing pressure exerted by the boot on the ski via the binding element F_AV, F_AR. Indeed, when positioned at a right angle with the binding element F_AV, F_AR, the vertical force is transmitted directly to the ski by compression of the components interposed between the binding element F_AV, F_AR and the gliding board P creating greater power and better efficiency. For example, such improvements are achieved by compression of an upper layer of the body 10 against the central core 110, then by direct transmission of the force onto the gliding device via the insert 11 and, more particularly, its wings 111D, 111G. In another example,, the transmission chain of the forces passes directly from the screws to the central core 110, then to the wings 111D, 111G, and up to the gliding board P. If the insert 11 is offset longitudinally relative to the binding element F_AV, F_AR, the transmission of the forces is less effective because the kinematic chain is less direct and there is a loss due to bending of the body 10 between the binding element F_AV, F_AR and the insert 11.

The interface plate 1 of the invention modifies the mechanical behavior of the gliding board P. It enables a direct relationship between the boot C, the binding element F_AV, F_AR, and the gliding board P. The interface plate 1 transmits the vertical forces, notably at the start of a turn to better guide the tip of the board, via the front binding element F_AV.

A similarly shaped insert 11 (with two wings) can be used on the rear portion of the mounting plate, so as to cooperate with the rear binding element F_AR of the gliding board P and to enable improved mechanical transfers between the rear of the boot C and the gliding board P. This improves control at the end of the turn with better support for a relaunch and to reduce skidding.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It is also possible to combine these embodiments. The invention extends to all the embodiments covered by the appended claims.

• • P: Gliding board
    • 200: Upper surface
  • F_AV: Front binding element
  • F_AR: Rear binding element
  • 3: Fastener
  • 1: Interface plate
    • 10: Body
      • 100: Lower surface
      • 101: Upper surface
      • 102: Recess
    • 11: Insert
      • 110: Central core
      • 110G, 110D: Left/Right lateral edge
      • 111G, 111D: Left/Right lateral wings
      • 112G, 112D: Left/Right end edges
    • 12: Stiffener