Boardsport Foot-binding Mounting Plate

Abstract

The invention is an accessory boardsport foot-binding mounting plate. The invention provides a means for the rapid adjustment of foot-binding mounting angles without the use of tools. The invention is comprised of two concentric discs, which, in isolation from each other, have no moving parts. The invention is to be mounted between a foot-binding and a board. When mounted, the upper disc can be manually rotated over the lower disc, clockwise and counterclockwise, to effect a rotational lock and unlock of the foot-binding. When unlocked, the foot-binding drops approximately 1/10th of an inch, disengages from its retaining plate, and can be freely rotated to any desired angle in 360 degrees on the plane of the board. The foot-binding angle can be changed with or without the users foot actively strapped into the foot-binding.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the technical field of foot-bindings for boardsports. More particularly, the present invention pertains primarily, but not exclusively, to mounting systems for traditional snowboard foot-bindings that utilize a standard 3-4 inch retaining disc.

The vast majority of snowboard foot-bindings that have been commercially available for decades utilize a 3-4 inch retaining disc to affix the foot-binding to the board with 3 to 4 screws that pass through the retaining disc and into threaded inserts in the board. This basic foot-binding mounting system has proven to be the most commercially successful due to consumer preference for its durability. However, once mounted, the foot-binding angle relative to the plane of the board is essentially fixed, and cannot be easily adjusted. To adjust the foot-binding angle, the foot-binding essentially needs to be dismounted entirely from the board with hand tools, turned to a new angle, and remounted with hand tools. This means that a rider has to choose a single “stance” (a pair of angles for the right foot and left foot) that the rider cannot adjust without considerable hassle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an accessory boardsport foot-binding mounting plate, comprised principally of two concentric discs, an upper and lower disc, which allow for the simple and rapid angular adjustment of the majority of snowboard foot-bindings relative to the plane of the board without the use of hand tools.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overhead perspective view of both discs comprising the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottoms-up perspective view of both discs comprising the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side-on view of both discs comprising the present invention

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of both discs comprising the present invention while enmeshed in the “down and unlocked” position

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of both discs comprising the present invention while enmeshed in the “up and locked” position

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 1 there is shown two separate discs comprised of a lower disc 1, having a mounting-bolt hole pattern 2 compatible with standard 3 to 4 bolt snowboard foot-bindings; and an upper disc 3, having a large hole in the center 4 which fits snugly but loosely enough to rotate around the central plateau 5 of the lower disc. The central plateau 5 has a diameter of approximately 3.37 inches which appropriately matches the OEM snowboard foot-binding retaining discs that come with most snowboard foot-bindings. The surface of the upper disc 6 is the surface upon which an OEM foot-binding chassis is placed for installation onto a snowboard. The central plateau 5 is the surface upon which an OEM retaining disc is placed and through-bolted to the threaded inserts in a snowboard.

Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 2 there is shown a bottoms-up perspective of the lower disc and upper disc which comprise the mounting plate. The bottom surface 7 of the lower disc is the surface that is placed directly upon a snowboard.

Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 3 there is shown a side-on perspective of the lower disc and upper disc aligned concentrically. The mating surfaces of both discs have elevated radial surface features 8 on the outer few inches of mating-surface perimeter which allow for the upper disc 9 to vary its vertical position relative to the lower disc 10 by approximately 1/10^th of an inch when manually rotated through approximately 45 degrees of rotation by grasping the cogs 11 of the upper disc and rotating it upon the lower disc.

Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 4 there is shown the upper and lower discs enmeshed as they would be while mounted upon a snowboard, sandwiched between the board and the foot-binding. The discs are shown in the “down and unlocked” position. In this position, the OEM foot-binding chassis, which would sit upon the surface of the upper disc 12 will have dropped vertically approximately 1/10^th of an inch away from its OEM retaining disc which would sit upon the surface of the central plateau 13 of the lower disc 14, causing the matching anti-rotational teeth of the OEM foot-binding chassis and OEM retaining disc to disengage with minimal clearance—hence the OEM foot-binding chassis is free to rotate relative to the plane of the snowboard.

Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 5 there is shown the upper and lower discs enmeshed as they would be while mounted upon a snowboard. The discs are shown in the “up and locked” position. In this position the surface of the upper disc 15 is flush to the surface of the central plateau 16 of the lower disc 17. In this position the matching anti-rotational teeth of the OEM foot-binding chassis and OEM retaining disc will be tightly engaged and the OEM foot-binding chassis cannot rotate, as is the design of the majority of commercially available OEM foot-bindings. The user of the present invention switches between the “down and unlocked” position and the “up and locked” position by pushing upon the cogs 18 of the upper disc 19 in such a manner as to rotate the upper disc 19 clockwise and counterclockwise through approximately 45 degrees of rotation upon the lower disc 17. The diameter of the upper disc 19 is great enough that the cogs will stick out from underneath the left and right sides of an OEM foot-binding chassis such that a user can easily grasp them with their fingers.

The construction details of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1-5 are that the entire mounting plate may be made of solid plastic, nylon, aluminum or of any other sufficiently rigid and strong material such as epoxy, fiberglass and the like. Further, the invention can be made of different materials. Further, the invention can be made such that the maximum diameter of both discs varies to fit different sizes of OEM snowboards and foot-bindings, and could be sized into a typical S, M, L, XL sizing paradigm as are most OEM foot-bindings.

The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation: The present invention is compatible with traditional fixed-angle disc-mounted OEM foot-bindings that are broadly commercially available, and that millions of riders currently own and use. The present invention allows for the traditional OEM retaining disc to be through-bolted into the threaded inserts on a snowboard as would normally be done and does not require the traditional OEM retaining disc to be bolted into an accessory that is in-turn itself bolted into the board—in other words, the present invention does not displace the foot-binding bolts from the snowboard. The present invention relies on the existing 360-degree rings of meshing teeth that are found between standard OEM retaining discs and OEM foot-binding chassis to create a firm lock that prohibits rotation when the mounting plate is in the “up and locked” position—in other words, the present invention does not utilize pins, latches, or gears to lock the binding angle. The present invention allows for the existing 360-degree rings of meshing teeth between the traditional OEM retaining disc and OEM foot-binding chassis to separate and disengage when the mounting plate is in the “down and unlocked” position, thus enabling free rotation of the binding chassis relative to the plane of the snowboard—in other words, the present invention does not utilize pins, latches, or gears to unlock the binding angle. The two discs of the present invention in isolation have no moving parts. The present invention can easily withstand the extreme compression and torque forces that foot-binding systems are commonly subject to during normal riding. The present invention's rotational lock and unlock positions are accomplished by spinning only the upper disc clockwise and counterclockwise relative to the plane of the board. The present invention can be operated by a rider wearing gloves or mittens. The present invention can be operated by a rider while their foot and boot are strapped into the foot-binding chassis. The present invention is operated without the use of hand tools.

In broad embodiment, the present invention is an accessory snowboard foot-binding mounting plate that allows a rider to easily adjust their “stance” at any time during their riding session, in only a matter of seconds.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A sportsboard foot-binding mounting plate, comprising: two concentrically stacked discs, a lower disc and an upper disc, wherein the stacked discs are mounted between a sportsboard and a foot-binding.

2. The sportsboard foot-binding mounting plate as in claim 1, wherein the mating surfaces of said upper and lower discs have semicongruent radial surface features of various thicknesses which serve to alter the height of the disc stack as the rotational alignment of said upper and lower discs is altered, thereby raising or lowering the foot-binding chassis relative to its retaining plate.

3. The sportsboard foot-binding mounting plate as in claim 1, wherein said stacked discs are through-bolted between a sportsboard and a foot-binding.