U.S. patent number 3,929,329 [Application Number 05/494,534] was granted by the patent office on 1975-12-30 for apparatus for testing ski boot fit.
Invention is credited to Richard L. Rivera.
United States Patent |
3,929,329 |
Rivera |
December 30, 1975 |
Apparatus for testing ski boot fit
Abstract
Apparatus including a pair of coil spring supported ski boot
bindings mounted for limited rotational movement in a horizontal
plane as well as bending movement forward and backward and from
side to side to provide 3.degree. of freedom of movement to
simulate positions that will be encountered in skiing and permit
the user thereof to duplicate the feel of his ski boots that will
be felt on the slopes.
Inventors: |
Rivera; Richard L. (Denver,
CO) |
Family
ID: |
23964870 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/494,534 |
Filed: |
August 5, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/71; 482/146;
482/79 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
22/18 (20130101); A63B 21/05 (20130101); A63B
22/14 (20130101); A63B 2022/185 (20130101); A63B
69/18 (20130101); A63B 21/045 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
21/02 (20060101); A63B 21/05 (20060101); A63B
22/00 (20060101); A63B 22/18 (20060101); A63B
21/045 (20060101); A63B 23/035 (20060101); A63B
22/14 (20060101); A63B 69/18 (20060101); A63B
069/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;272/57R,57B,57E,6R
;36/2.5AL,7.8 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Apley; Richard J.
Assistant Examiner: Taylor; Joseph R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wymore; Max L.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for the checking and verification of feel and fit of a
pair of ski boots to the feet of a wearer under conditions
simulating those of actual use on the ski slopes which comprises in
combination;
a stationary base member;
a pair of coil springs mounted on said base member in side-by-side
relation with the axes of the coils near parallel, said springs
being mounted for limited rotational movement about said axes in a
horizontal plane, as well as bending movement forward and backward
and from side-to-side to provide three degrees of freedom of
movement; and,
a foot support platform attached to the upper extremity of each
spring to lie generally near the same plane, each said foot
platform having a ski binding attached to the upper surface thereof
to secure thereto a pair of ski boots therein in side-by-side
skiing relation.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a pair of hand-hold supports
mounted on said stationary base to either side of the coil springs
to help steady the ski boot wearer.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lowermost coil of each
spring is near perpendicular to the axis of each coil spring and is
loosely clamped to the stationary base by diametrically opposed
clamps to permit movement of said lowest coil in a horizontal plane
and resilient movement limiting means mounted on the lowest coil to
either side of the clamping means to limit the rotational movement
of said coil springs.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the resilient movement limiting
means comprises an arcuate segment of loose fitting rigid tubing
positioned on said lowest coil to either side of the clamping
means, pin means passing diametrically through each end of the
arcuate tube and through the lowest coil securing said tube to said
lowest coil, an annular divider means positioned on said lowest
coil within the tubing intermediate the pin means and a pair of
springs positioned within the arcuate tube, one to either side of
the divider means acting therebetween and the pin means.
Description
The purchase and fitting of ski boots usually takes place at stores
located far from the ski slopes and many times occurs at a time of
year when the slopes are not suited for skiing. As a result the
skier in trying on ski boots is merely able to walk around a bit in
the hope that by this means he can determine if a pair of boots is
a proper fit. As usually happens, the ski boots fitted in this
manner do not fit properly and this is only discovered when the
skier is on the slopes and is able to put the boots through the
maneuvers and positions, heretofore only found in actual skiing on
the slopes.
According to the parallel style of skiing, the turn is performed by
the use of two basic motions. The first of these is leaning forward
sharply from the ankles, thus unweighting equally the heels of the
skis. While the skis remain and the heels thereof unweighted, the
shoulders are rotated sharply in one direction or the other, the
body remaining rigid, so that the shoulder motion is transmitted to
the skis, driving the same around in a parallel turn. Thus, at
least these motions should be applied to a pair of ski boots being
fitted to the skier's feet so as to establish the fit and comfort
thereof in so doing.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide
apparatus on which these motions and others can be duplicated and
actual ski positions be simulated by a wearer of ski boots being
fitted.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine on which
the basic motions of skiing can be performed at convenient times
and places and in a manner to more completely test the fit of ski
boots being fitted to the wearer under simulated skiing
conditions.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent
from the following detailed description taken in connection with
the accompanying drawing.
FIG. 1 is a frontal elevational view in perspective of the
apparatus of this invention mounted by a user;
FIG. 2 is a front elevation thereof;
FIG. 3 is a view along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a view along line 4--4 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a view along line 5--5 of FIG. 3; and,
FIG. 6 is a view along 6--6 6-6 of FIG. 4.
The apparatus 10 comprises a stationary base portion 12 supporting
for limited rotation in a horizontal plane a pair of independent
left and right boot platforms 14 and 16 respectively. To either
side of platforms 14 and 16 are mounted support members 18 and 20
having extensible portions 22 and 24 respectively. Each extension
terminates in a suitable hand grip such as a ball 26. The boot
platforms 14 and 16 are supported respectively upon coil springs 28
and 30 which allow movement of the boot platforms in two degrees of
freedom about an axis longitudinally of the boot platforms and
about an axis normal thereto. The upper ends of springs 28 and 30
are fixedly secured to the boot platforms 14 and 16 respectively
while the springs are secured to the base to permit limited
movement in a horizontal plane. As best seen in FIG. 5 the
lowermost coil 35 of spring 30 is secured to the base 12 by means
of clips 32 and 34 as by means of screws 36. Clips 32 and 34
provide a sliding fit to the coil of spring 30 so as to permit
rotational movement thereof in a horizontal plane. Mounted on the
lowermost coil 35 of spring 30 in diametrically opposed relation is
a floating washer 38. An arcuate section of tubing 40 of metal and
the like is positioned over the washer 38. Adjacent either end of
the arcuate portion is positioned a pin 42 and 44 which passes
through the arcuate tube and through the coil 35 of spring 30. A
small spring 46 and 48 is screwed inside one or the other side of
tube 40 past and via pins 42 and 44. The exposed ends of springs 46
and 48 provide resilient contact with brackets 32 and 34 and the
positioning of the springs determines the range of travel.
On top of each boot platform is mounted a pair of ski bindings 50
of any suitable design to secure the boots 52 on the feet of a
wearer. The wearer secures the boots in the bindings and with the
help of the support handles 26 supports himself upon the boot
platforms. In this position the wearer can rotate the boots through
all three degrees of freedom to test the fit and comfort of the
boots being worn.
Thus, there is provided a novel, mechanically sound and rugged
device for checking the fit of ski boots to the individual wearer's
feet prior to actual use on the ski slopes. While there has been
illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be
understood that the invention is susceptible of modifications
within the spirit and scope of the claims.
* * * * *