Brake for the locking of tensioning elements provided on ski boots.

The present invention relates to a brake, particularly usable for the locking of tensioning elements in ski boots.

The use of locking devices is known in ski boots for the closure of the quarters or for the fastening of foot pressers or for similar functions normally required in a boot.

Such devices usually comprise a shaft or a pulley for winding traction elements, such as bands or cables, on the axis whereof are associated suitable ratchet means adapted to allow the rotation of the pulley in the direction of winding of said traction elements.

The disadvantages which can be found in such types of known devices reside in the fact that it is not always possible to regulate as precisely as required the tension of the traction element since that regulation is often discontinuous, being it related to the number of teeth with which the ratchet interacts. Furthermore, the disengagement of said ratchets or hook means, to allow the rotation of the pulley in the direction of unwinding, is difficult, since the teeth are always under tension, especially for functions requiring significant traction forces such as the closure of the quarters.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the disadvantages described above in known types by providing a brake which allows the locking with continuity of traction elements wound on shafts or pulleys.

Within the scope of the above described aim, another important object is to achieve an optimum and safe locking in a simple and rapid manner.

Still another object is to devise a brake which associates with the preceding characteristics that of allowing the rapid and easy unlocking of the rotation of the pulley in the direction of unwinding of the cable.

Not least object is to provide a brake which is structurally compact and simple to apply.

The aim and the objects described above, as well as others which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a brake, particularly for the locking of tensioning elements provided on ski boots, comprising a pulley rotatably associated to a containment body and adapted to wind a traction element, wherein it further comprises an arm, eccentrically pivoted to said body and having at least one curved section engaging the groove of said pulley by the action of an elastic element, means being provided for the disengagement of said curved section from said groove of said pulley.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a particular embodiment, illustrated only by way of non-­limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a brake applied to a pulley;</li><li>Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1;</li><li>Fig. 3 shows a brake according to another aspect of the invention in a view similar to that of Fig. 2; and</li><li>Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the brake applied to a different tensioning element.</li></ul>

With reference to the above described figures, the brake, generally indicated by the reference numeral 1, consists of an arm 2 pivoted to a pivot 3 which protrudes from a containment body 4 associable with a ski boot, not illustrated.

The arm 2 is pivoted eccentrically with respect to its transverse middle axis, and has a curved section 5 accommodated in the groove 6 of a pulley 7 which is rotatably associated with said containment body 4 and operatable, for example, by means of an adapted knob 8. The pulley 7 can be axially provided with a shaft 7a having a longitudinal opening 7b for a band 7c accommodatable therein. Alternately a cable 9 is associable within the groove 6 and is adapted for example to fasten the quarters of the boot or a presser arranged at the foot instep or heel regions, in a per se known manner.

The curved section 5 has a first longer portion 10 arranged at the region of the arm whereto is hinged the pivot 3, and a second shorter portion 11 which follows the first portion.

The lateral surfaces 30 of the arm 2 of the brake interact with the lateral walls of the groove 6 of the pulley 7, allowing the rotation of said pulley only in the direction of winding of the traction element consisting of the cable 9 or of the band 7c which can be wound on the shaft 7a. The cable 9 in any case does not interact with the curved section 5 of the arm 2.

In order to force the surfaces 30 into the groove 6 of the pulley 7, an elastically deformable element is provided, consisting of a cylindrical helical compression spring 12 the ends whereof are accommodated, respectively, in an adapted seat 13 provided on the planar surface 14 opposite to the surface 5 and on a lug 15 which protrudes from said containment body 4.

The seat 13 is provided proximate to the end of the arm 2 overlying the second portion 11.

Conveniently, the curved section 5 consists of an arc of circumference with its center arranged on a plane which passes through the longitudinal axis of the seat 13.

A lever 16 protrudes outside the containement body 4 transversely with respect to the arm, and the user can thereby manually impart to the arm 2 a rotation around its pivot 3.

The use of the brake 1 is therefore as follows: by imparting a clockwise rotation to the pulley 7, with reference to figures 2 or 3, the winding of the cable is achieved.

The locking of the pulley 7 is allowed by virtue of the friction provided between the lateral surfaces 30 of the arm 2 of the brake 1 and the lateral walls of the groove 6 of said pulley.

When the desired tension of the cable 9 (or the band 7c) is reached, and the user disengages the knob 8, the unwinding of the cable 9 is prevented by the brake's arm 2 interacting with the lateral walls of the groove 6; by wedging itself in, a locking action is achieved which is all the more powerful the greater the traction imparted to said cable.

If the user wishes to unwind the cable, it is sufficient to grip the lever 16, imparting thereto an upward motion which causes the lateral surfaces 30 to disengage from the walls of the groove. The spring 12 subsequently returns the arm 2 in contact with the pulley's groove.

If it is more convenient to provide a disengagement means of the curved section 5 from the groove laterally and not frontally with respect to the containment body 4, an opening 17 can be provided on the body 4 wherefrom projects the stem 18 of a small preferably L-shaped rod 19. The rod 19 is advantageously pivoted to the containment body 4 at the joining of its arms and arranged so that the smaller arm 20 interacts by contact with the end of the arm 2 which is opposite, with respect to the pivot 3, to the one provided with the seat 13 for the spring 12.

Also in this case the user need only impart a rotation to the small rod 19 as indicated in fig. 3 in order to have the latter impart to the arm 2 a rotation about its own pivot 3 in the opposite direction and so as to move the surface 5 away from the base of the groove 6.

It has thus been observed that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, a brake having been provided which allows the locking of the traction elements at the pulleys in a continuous manner, free from discontinuities, said locking being in any case optimum and safe.

The use of the brake is furthermore very easy and rapid for the user, its compact structure allowing its accomodation in the containment bodies usually employed and associated with ski boots.

Naturally the materials, as well as the dimensions of the individual components of the invention, amy be any according to the specific requirements.