Flexible and length adjustable lateral guide apparatus for a

Abstract

Apparatus for connection to a cross-country ski for laterally guiding a ski shoe having a front end attached to the ski at a position forwardly of the rear of the shoe whose heel is vertically movable on the ski in the longitudinal median plane thereof includes a longitudinally extending guide rib adapted to cooperate with a longitudinal groove of complementary shape in the sole of the ski shoe. The groove successively includes, from front to rear, a first region beneath the toes of the foot of the wearer of the shoe, a second region beneath the ball of the foot of the wearer, a third region beneath the arch of the foot of the wearer, and a fourth region beneath the the heel of the foot of the wearer. The rib has opposite lateral sides defining the width of the guide, and a top surface defining the height of the guide. Both the slope of the sides relative to the longitudinal median plane of the ski, and the height of the guide, are nonconstant functions of the length of the guide. The length of the guide rib can be modified to accommodate different shoe lengths. Specifically, the end of the rib is configured to facilitate the breakage of predeterminate section(s) of the rib, depending upon the particular shoe size with which the rib is to be used. Such configuration can include a number of transverse score lines at which point an unneeded end section of the guide rib can be broken off.