초록 ▼

A step-in binding system (20, 220) including a binding (24, 224) and an engagement member (26, 226) for securing a snowshoe to footwear (22). In one embodiment, the binding includes a pivotable latch (78) and a fixed latch (80), each having a pair of catches (116) for engaging a corresponding receiv

A step-in binding system (20, 220) including a binding (24, 224) and an engagement member (26, 226) for securing a snowshoe to footwear (22). In one embodiment, the binding includes a pivotable latch (78) and a fixed latch (80), each having a pair of catches (116) for engaging a corresponding receiver (110) on the engagement member. The pivotable latch is pivotable between a closed position (CP) and an open position (OP) and is biased into the closed position by a helical rotational spring (100). The binding further includes an adjustment mechanism (32) extending between a toe member (28) and a heel member (30) that allows the distance between the toe and heel members to be selectively changed by a user. In another embodiment, the binding includes a pair of pivotable latches (278, 280), each biased into its closed position by two torsional rotational springs (300).

대표청구항 ▼

A step-in binding system (20, 220) including a binding (24, 224) and an engagement member (26, 226) for securing a snowshoe to footwear (22). In one embodiment, the binding includes a pivotable latch (78) and a fixed latch (80), each having a pair of catches (116) for engaging a corresponding receiv

A step-in binding system (20, 220) including a binding (24, 224) and an engagement member (26, 226) for securing a snowshoe to footwear (22). In one embodiment, the binding includes a pivotable latch (78) and a fixed latch (80), each having a pair of catches (116) for engaging a corresponding receiver (110) on the engagement member. The pivotable latch is pivotable between a closed position (CP) and an open position (OP) and is biased into the closed position by a helical rotational spring (100). The binding further includes an adjustment mechanism (32) extending between a toe member (28) and a heel member (30) that allows the distance between the toe and heel members to be selectively changed by a user. In another embodiment, the binding includes a pair of pivotable latches (278, 280), each biased into its closed position by two torsional rotational springs (300). r more vertical springs acting between said lower frame and said upper frame, wherein said vertical springs may be one of many types such as helical springs, coiled springs, leaf springs, or bow springs. 5. The space shoe of claim 4 wherein said spring system comprises one or more horizontal springs acting between said inside link hinge and said center length link, wherein said one or more horizontal springs may be attached at any location along the length of said center length link, wherein said one or more horizontal springs may be one of many types such as helical springs, coiled springs, leaf springs, or curved-bow springs. 6. The space shoe of claim 5 wherein said horizontal spring has a force curve which allows the force curve of said spring system to be approximately constant over the compression of said p-diamond. 7. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said p-diamond linkage further comprises a mirrored p-diamond linkage which adds to the original p-diamond linkage the mirrored image or structure of said p-diamond linkage, minus said outside diamond links, wherein said mirrored image comprises a second center length link, a second top length link, a second bottom length link, and two second end links, wherein said second top length link is hingeably connected to said top link hinge, said second bottom length link is hingeably connected to said top link hinge, and said second center length link is hingeably connected to said outside link hinge. 8. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said p-diamond linkage further comprises a stacked p-diamond linkage comprising one or more p-diamond linkages stacked, one above the next, and attached, one to the next. 9. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said link hinges comprise necked hinges which are monolithic with said nine links and which flex due to being necked down to a small width at the hinge location. 10. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said upper frame further comprises a push-off means including a push off frame which allows said wearer to flex his metatarsal joint, push off his toe, and lift his heel as he rocks forward onto his toe during push-off, wherein said push-off means constrains the heel of said wearer to raise and lower vertically with respect to said upper frame. 11. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said p-diamond linkage is oriented longitudinally along the wearer's foot. 12. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said p-diamond linkage is oriented transversely across the wearer's foot. 13. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said lower frame comprises a curved bottom. 14. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said foot attachment means comprises straps and buckles to attach a pre-existing shoe to said space shoe. 15. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said foot attachment means comprises straps, buckles, a toe cup attached to the front of said upper frame, and a heel cup attached to the rear of said push-off frame, wherein a pre-existing shoe or simply the foot of said wearer can be confined to said space shoe by said straps, said toe cup and said heel cup. 16. The space shoe of claim 10 wherein said space shoe further comprises elastic outer walls connecting said push-off frame and said upper frame with said lower frame. 17. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said p-diamond linkage has an end-on profile of an hourglass shape which is wide at the top and bottom and narrow in the center. 18. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said p-diamond linkage has an end-on profile of a pedestal shape which is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. 19. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said lower frame comprises at least one flex-rigger, flexibly attached to a side of said lower frame so that said at least one flex-rigger can bend or rotate in a horizontal plane but not in a transverse-vertical plane, wherein said at least one flex-rigger is biased to stick approximately straight out to the side, wherein said at least one flex-rigger is dimensioned and constructed to resist sideways t ipping over of said space shoe which could cause said wearer to sprain his ankle, wherein said at least one flex-rigger can optionally be compressed inward along its length. 20. The space shoe of claim 10 wherein said push-off means comprises a toe cup fixably attached to the front of said upper frame, wherein this is the only location of said foot attachment means, wherein said toe cup may optionally further comprise straps. 21. The space shoe of claim 10 wherein said push-off means comprises a rear-foot guide to constrain the heel of said wearer to raise and lower vertically with respect to said upper frame. 22. The space shoe of claim 10 wherein said push-off means comprises a toe hinge connecting a push-off frame to said upper frame in the region of, or behind, the wearer's metatarsal joint, wherein said push-off frame allows said wearer to lift his heel as he rocks forward onto his toe during push-off, wherein said push-off frame constrains the heel of said wearer to raise and lower vertically with respect to said upper frame, wherein said push-off frame extends a variable distance back toward and around the heel of said wearer, wherein said push-off frame is located at a variable level from the level of the bottom of the foot of said wearer to a level a variable distance above the level of the bottom of the foot of said wearer, wherein said push-off frame extends a variable distance beneath the bottom of the foot of said wearer. 23. The space shoe of claim 22 wherein said toe hinge comprises a necked hinge which flexes due to being necked down to a small width at the hinge location. 24. The space shoe of claim 22 wherein said push-off frame comprises a heel hugger which closes said toe hinge so that the rear lower part of the said p-diamond sole does not flop or hang below the heel of said wearer during swing phase, wherein said push-off frame remains in contact with the rear section of said upper frame during swing phase. 25. The space shoe of claim 24 wherein said heel hugger comprises a zero-force heel hugger comprising a toe lever pivotally connected to said lower frame, a toe-lever spring biasing said toe lever to extend below said lower frame, a drive link pivotally connected to said toe lever, a drive link guide attached to said lower frame for guiding said drive link upward, a hinge spring connecting said drive link to said push-off frame, wherein ground contact of said lower frame pushes said toe lever to drive said drive link up and relax the pull of said toe-lever spring to close said push-off frame against the rear part of said upper frame, wherein in swing phase said toe-lever spring closes said push-off frame against the rear part of said upper frame. 26. The space shoe of claim 24 wherein said heel hugger comprises a low-eccentricity heel hugger comprising a bias spring connected to said push-off frame, a spring tube rigidly attached to said upper frame, a tube spring housed within said spring tube, a spring catch pushed by said tube spring toward said upper frame and rotatably attached to said bias spring, wherein said bias spring biases said push-of frame to contact the rear part of said upper frame, that is to close it, when said push-off frame is rotated below a threshold angle, wherein said spring catch compresses a tube spring and said spring catch to move to align the line of force of said bias spring along the direction of said push-off frame and passing approximately through said toe hinge, wherein the torque due to said bias spring to close said push-off frame remains very small as said push-off frame continues to rotate beyond said threshold angle. 27. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said space shoe further comprises a front/back brace leg further comprising a harness for coupling to a wearer's pelvis, a front hip pivot, a back hip pivot, a front thigh link pivotly attached to the front of said harness with said front hip pivot, a back thigh link pivotly attached to the front of said harness with said back hip pivot, a front tibia link pivotly attached to the front of said brace foot, a back tibia link pivotly attached to the back of said brace foot, a front knee pivot connecting said front thigh link and said front tibia link, a back knee pivot connecting said back thigh link and said back tibia link, one or more hyper-extending knee pivot locks at the locations of said front and back knee pivots to prevent pivot hyper-extension, an optional back hydraulic knee lock pivotly attached to said back thigh link and said back tibia link, an optional front hydraulic knee lock pivotly attached to said front thigh link and said front tibia link, a front ankle pivot for the connection of said front tibia link to said upper frame, a back ankle pivot for the connection of said back tibia link to said upper frame, a knee cross link connecting said front knee pivot with said back knee pivot, wherein said front and back hip pivots are located approximately above the center of each leg, wherein the front and back locations of said brace leg elements prevents interference with said runner's legs. 28. The space shoe of claim 27 wherein said harness comprises a front/back pack extension further comprising a front pack-frame pivot at the front of said harness, a back pack-frame pivot at the back of said harness, a front pack frame attached to the front of said harness via said front pack-frame pivot, a back pack frame attached to the back of said harness via said back pack-frame pivot, pack straps, a front pack secured to said front pack frame by said pack straps, and back pack secured to said back pack frame by said pack straps, wherein said brace legs continuously support said front and back packs as said wearer walks or runs. 29. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said space shoe acts as a prosthetic leg, wherein said space shoe further comprises a pylon attached to said upper frame, wherein said pylon attaches to the stump of an amputee's leg. 30. The space shoe of claim 1 wherein said space shoe is a component of a robotic limb or a robotic actuated part. 31. The space shoe of claim 4 which further comprises a bow shoe for use by a runner, wherein said spring system comprises a bow spring located above said upper frame and hingeably connected to said upper frame, a leg attachment means for attaching said bow spring to the leg of said runner, a suspension system connecting the top of said bow spring to said lower frame, wherein the force of both the runner's toe and heel cause said bow spring to be loaded throughout foot-strike, wherein heel impact energy is not returned prematurely at the beginning of push-off, but rather is returned optimally during toe-off during the latter part of push-off. 32. The bow shoe of claim 31 wherein said suspension system comprises one or more ankle-pivot supports rigidly attached to said lower frame and extending around and above the level of the top of the foot of said runner, one or more ankle-pivot housings rigidly attached to said ankle-pivot support and housing an ankle pivot, one or more cords attached to said upper frame and passing around the foot of said runner and through said ankle-pivot housings, and a cord guide to constrain said cords to the location of said ankle-pivot. 33. The bow shoe of claim 32 wherein said suspension system further comprises a shin-level bow spring assembly comprising a bow spring pivotly attached to said one or more ankle-pivot housing, a bow guide pivotly attached to said one or more ankle-pivot housing and to the top of said bow spring, wherein said bow guide changes length telescopically, a shin slider slidingly attached to the top of said bow guide, and a shin strap for attaching said shin slider to the shin of said runner, wherein said cords extend to connect to the top of said bow spring, wherein the impact force of said runner's foot on said upper frame loads said bow spring via said cords.