Salomon S.a.

Alain Bejean

Gerard Graillat

Bernard Couderc

Didier Rousset

Pierre Szafranski

Joel Arduin

Benoit Saillet

Olivier Bagneres

Lionel Astier

Yvan Thevenin

Ivan Thevenin

Jacques Milloz

An apparatus for retaining a snowboard shoe on a board which includes a first anchoring device for the sole of the shoe; a second anchoring device affixed to the sole; a base affixed to the board and on which are mounted an arrangement for rotationally guiding and vertically retaining the first anchoring device and a mechanism for latching the second anchoring device, the mechanism including a jaw member having a housing for receiving the second anchoring device, and a latch journalled on the jaw member. The latching mechanism includes an elastic return device biased during the displacement of one portion at least of the latching mechanism which is driven by the thrust exerted by the second anchoring device moving vertically, substantially along an arc whose radius is equivalent to the distance separating the two anchoring devices during the tilting of the shoe about the axis of rotation of the first anchoring device. The apparatus combines the ease of automatically fitting the shoe with the controlled lateral slackness necessary for the practice of the sport.

Apparatus for retaining a snowboard boot on a board

A device for modifying, dynamically, the pressure distribution of a ski, such as an alpine ski, along its sliding surface. The ski is equipped with front and rear binding elements and support elements for the front and rear ends of the sole of the boot. The device includes a sensor element in contact with the sole of the boot, and additionally, movable along a vertical direction, a flexion device to generate a flexional moment on at least one front or rear end of the ski, and a connection device between the sensor element and the flexion device to transmit, to the flexion device, at least one part of the vertical thrust of the boot sensed by the sensor element.

Device for modifying the pressure distribution of a ski along its

An interface device between a ski and front and rear bindings (2, 3) designed to hold the ends of a boot in place on the ski. The device comprises a plate (13) with an elongated the central part (14) which extends above the upper surface of the ski in the area of the runner. A first end (15) of the plate is fastened to the ski, and a second end (16) is attached to the ski by a block of damping material (17) mounted in a sandwich configuration between the end of the plate and the ski. The block of damping material is preferably provided in order to function under compression and shearing action.

Interface device between a ski and associated bindings

A cross country ski in which, in the central portion of the ski, in the gripping zone of the boot, the heel zone acts as a support of the foot during a sliding phase, and a metatarso-phalangian support zone of the impulsion in the impulsion phase of the ski, a transverse slit is arranged, crossing the ski. The slit defines two flexion beams, upper and lower, respectively, in the thickness of the ski. This arrangement enables, during the impulsion phase, a good flattening on the ground of the lower beam and thus of the sole portion of the ski, i.e., the waxing chamber. The efficiency of the impulsion is thus substantially increased without affecting the sliding phase.

Cross country ski, especially for the practice of alternating steps

A ski and a method of forming a ski. The ski includes a lower element and an upper element, each having the shape of a beam casing. The lower element has an upper surface that has either a longitudinally extending groove or a longitudinally extending projection and the upper element has a lower surface that has a groove or a projection that has a transverse cross-section that is respectively complementary to a transverse cross-section of the groove or to a transverse cross-section of the projection of the lower element, and in which the groove or projection of the lower element is nested in the projection or groove, respectively, of the upper element. Depending upon the nature of the desired response characteristics of the ski, the interior of the upper and lower elements can be selectively filled with specific materials or left empty.

Process of manufacturing a ski and a ski produced by the process

A device for modifying, dynamically, the pressure distribution of a ski, such as an alpine ski, along its sliding surface. The ski is equipped with front and rear binding elements and support elements for the front and rear ends of the sole of the boot. The device includes a sensor element in contact with the sole of the boot, and additionally, mobile along a vertical direction, a flexion device to generate a flexional moment on at least one front or rear end of the ski, and a connection device between the sensor element and the flexion device to transmit, to the flexion device, at least one part of the vertical thrust of the boot sensed by the sensor element.

Device for the modifying the pressure distribution of a ski along its

The cross-country ski according to the invention is characterized by a relatively regular curvature of the lower surface of the ski, i.e., a curvature such that the modules of variation of slope of the lower surface of the ski is less than 9.10.sup.4 cm.sup.-1 when the ski is at rest. Simultaneously, the front zone of the ski has a relatively high rigidity. Likewise, the rear zone can be relatively rigid. Preferably, the lateral surfaces of the ski are hollowed. Such a ski structure is particularly well adapted to obtain a good gripping of the edges, a good sliding on the edges, and a good sliding in direct tracks.

Cross-country ski for skating

A backward slippage-prevention device for cross-country skis incorporating a movable anchoring mechanism (6) mounted in a housing (4) opening into the lower sole (3) of the ski. The anchoring mechanism (6) has at least one upper surface (6d) which forms an upward and rearward sloping ramp, and which is maintained in contact with at least one activating element (4d) fitted on the upper part of the housing (4) and capable of sliding longitudinally on the upper surface (6d) constituting the inclined ramp. Longitudinal play is provided between the housing (4) and the anchoring mechanism (6).

Device for preventing backward slippage of cross-country ski

System for binding a shoe or boot onto a cross-country ski. The system includes an upper support plate which is movably mounted along a direction having a component which is substantially perpendicular to the ski. The system further includes an elastic means for elastically biasing the movable support plate in a direction separating it from the ski.

Device for binding a shoe or boot to a cross-country ski

Apparatus and method for linking a ski pole to a hand of a skier. The apparatus has a hand cover that is placed over the hand of said skier. The hand cover includes a strap for transmitting forces of the skier to the ski pole. First and second connections secure the hand of the skier to a handle of the ski pole.

System for linking a ski pole to a skier's hand

A cross-country ski and an apparatus for supporting a shoe or boot on a cross-country ski which has an upwardly projecting longitudinally extending rib. The apparatus includes a front support element positioned on either side of the longitudinally extending rib proximate an area of the ski at which a front binding is to be located, and a rear support element longitudinally spaced from the front support element and located on either side of the longitudinally extending rib proximate an area of the ski at which the heel of a shoe or boot is to be located during the course of skiing. The materials from which the front and rear support elements are made and their respective mechanical response characteristics are selected with respect to the ability level of the skier and with respect to the type of skiing that is to be performed.

Cross-country ski apparatus

Apparatus for a cross-country ski having a longitudinal median plane for laterally guiding a ski shoe whose toe is attached to the ski on top of the ski and whose heel is vertically movable in the median plane on the ski includes a longitudinally extending guide rib adapted to be attached to the top of the ski. This rib is symmetrically located with respect to the median plane of the ski and has top and lateral side surfaces adapted to cooperate with a longitudinal groove in the sole of the ski shoe. The groove has a bottom and lateral side surfaces for receiving the rib when the sole of the shoe seats on the top of the ski. Finally, a resilient member is interposed between the bottom of the groove in the shoe and the top of the ski for resilient compression in response to the seating of the sole on the top of the ski.

Lateral guide apparatus for cross-country ski, ski shoe operable

A lateral guidance apparatus for a ski boot including a longitudinal guidance element projecting from the ski for engagement with a complementary shaped groove in the sole of the boot. On either lateral side of the groove of the boot is a support surface for engagement with a support surface on the interior side of the guidance element and a support surface on the exterior side of the guidance element. With the boot supported upon the ski, the configuration of the support surfaces of the boot and the ski orient the boot, and the skier's lower leg, toward the interior side of the ski.

Growing community of inventors

Alby sur Cheran, France

Alain Bejean