Abstract
The authors developed and elaborated on a new method to release ski bindings by utilizing an industrial robot to simulate release movement showing a spatial repeatability of ± 0.06 mm. The parametric programming of the release parameters gave free control while executing repeatable release tests. A series of different motion patterns were performed, on the one hand, to test the applicability of the setup to the simulation of motion patterns and, on the other, to check for the impact of the ski deformations like ski deflections within the range of −5 mm to −85 mm, on the safety bindings' release forces. As certain falling mechanisms are related to knee injury, which is the most common severe injury in alpine skiing, this testing method can be used to develop related displacement movements in future. This movements do not necessarily accord with the directional release mechanics of safety ski bindings. The authors specify the developed testing apparatus as device for force measurements in 3D with an accuracy of ± 0.5% in boot-sole-plane. The intention behind this development is to enable faster, more versatile and adaptive testing procedures in R&D.
Highlights
Modern ski bindings were designed to protect the tibia and fibula from spiral and bending fractures and the accompanying standards such as ISO1 9462, 8061, and 11088 are strongly related to this objective
Recent statistics (Greenwald and Toelcke, 1997; Ruedl, 2011; Schulz, 2013, 2016; Ruedl et al, 2014; Shea et al, 2014) demonstrate that knee injuries, especially ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL), are some of the most frequent injuries in alpine skiing with no signs of decline
Heel piece release: As shown above, applied forces for heel piece release along the sagittal plane did not show any significant aberration of release forces, whereas inclining the test ski on x-axis during deflection loading lead to a greater dispersion
Summary
Modern ski bindings were designed to protect the tibia and fibula from spiral and bending fractures and the accompanying standards such as ISO1 9462, 8061, and 11088 are strongly related to this objective. Modern ski bindings possess a directional sideways release at the toe piece (front parts of the ski bindings) and an upwards release at the heel piece (back parts of the ski bindings) Since this type of safety ski bindings appeared in the early 1960s, traumata of the ankles and tibia fractures decreased substantially, whereas on the contrary knee injuries rates have not decreased substantially. During a backward-twisting fall, the forces apply beyond the boot’s heel and the lever, which takes effect on the sideways release of the toe piece, is relatively long. When catching an edge in a forward twisting fall situation, the center of gravity of the skier moves forward along the force vector of the mass inertia This can lead to false negatives, because most heel pieces are solely built to release upwards
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