The objective of this work is to design and build a device to reduce the incidence of inadvertent release and ACL injuries for skiers. Inadvertent release occurs when sufficient work is done on a binding to separate the boot and the binding. Inadvertent release often results in loss of control resulting in serious injuries and death. Axiomatic design was used to link functional and physical decompositions and avoid unwanted coupling. In particular, it was important to decouple pitch, roll, and yaw so the spring system only influences fore and aft pitch and vertical displacement. Both roll and yaw loads are transferred through an interlocking "half moon" coupling mechanism. The approach is to increase the "work to release" without impairing the transfer of control loads from binding to ski.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Havener, Donald Maxwell

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-043009-093654

Advisor

• Brown, Christopher A.

Year

• 2009

Date created

• 2009-04-30

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright