Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6558217
-
Patent Number
6,558,217
-
Date Filed
Monday, February 7, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 6, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Morano; S. Joseph
- Olson; Lars A.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 441 70
- 441 65
- 441 68
- 441 74
- 441 75
- 441 79
- 114 3919
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A mounting and retrieval system for wakeboards includes a pair of opposed pads for receiving the feet of a wakeboarder thereunder. The pads are mounted on subframes which facilitate the longitudinal and pivotal positioning of the pads. A strap extends over one of the pads to secure a foot of the wakeboarder while the opposite foot is being engaged with the opposing pad. A retrieval cable extends from a spring loaded reel mounted on one of the subframes which normally retracts the retrieval cable while facilitating extension thereof to facilitate a fall from the wakeboard.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to improvements in the art of wakeboard design and construction, and more particularly to a wakeboard mounting and retrieval system which is easier, safer, and more convenient to use as compared with the prior art.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As is well known, the sport of surfboarding has been popular for decades, particularly in those parts of the world in which the ocean can be relied upon to regularly produce substantial waves. In general, surfboarding involves selecting a wave, mounting the surfboard as the wave approaches, and then riding the wave into the shore. More recently, the sport of snowboarding has gained popularity. In general, snowboarding involves mounting a snowboard, then riding it down a hill, ski jump, or the like in lieu of traditional skis.
Perhaps the most recent of the boarding sports is that of wakeboarding. As opposed to surfboarding and snowboarding wherein the power source is gravity, in wakeboarding the wakeboarder mounts the wakeboard and is then pulled by a power boat. The power boat also forms a wake which provides the wakeboarder with both an obstacle and an opportunity to perform stunts, etc.
Prior art mounting systems for wakeboards have involved the use of boots which in many ways resemble ski boots. Like a ski boot, prior art wakeboard boots have very securely received the boot, ankle, and lower leg of the wakeboarder. The wakeboard boots are secured to an aperture plate which is in turn secured to the wakeboard by threaded fasteners. The wakeboard plate has a plurality of apertures arranged in a generally circular array, thereby facilitating the positioning of the wakeboard boot in accordance with the preferences of a particular wakeboarder.
Although generally satisfactory, prior art wakeboard mounting systems have exhibited various problems. For example, although prior art wakeboard mounting systems perform adequately during wakeboarding, they have proven to be otherwise quite awkward. In particular, the use of threaded fasteners to secure the heavy and clumsy boot/aperture plate assembly to the wakeboard has made it impossible for the wakeboarder to reposition the wakeboard boots while in the water. Leaving the water, either by getting into the boat or by climbing onto a dock is both time consuming and disruptive.
Another problem involved in the use of prior art wakeboard mounting systems relates to safety. Prior art wakeboard boots are intended to protect the wakeboarder against ankle injury. In doing so, prior art wakeboard mounting systems present substantial difficulties to the wakeboarder in disengaging from the wakeboard in the event of a fall. Because the wakeboarder is locked onto the heavy wakeboard, swimming is virtually impossible, meaning that the wakeboarder may not be able to get out of the path of an oncoming boat and, in extreme cases, may be unable to avoid drowning.
Yet another problem which characterizes prior art wakeboard mounting systems comprises maintaining control over the wakeboard if the wakeboarder is able to disengage therefrom. The same problem applies to surfboards and snowboards, i.e., in the event of a fall, the board tends to float or slide away from its user with attempts at recovery only exacerbating the problem.
The present invention comprises a wakeboard mounting and retrieval system which overcomes the foregoing and other problems which have long since characterized the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a wakeboard mounting and retrieval system includes a pair of opposed pads which are readily positionable relative to the wakeboard, both longitudinally and pivotally. In use, the pads extend over the feet of the wakeboarder who pushes outwardly against the pads, thereby gaining secure control over the wakeboard. If desired, a strap may be extended over one of the pads to facilitate maintaining control over the wakeboard during the actual mounting thereof by the wakeboarder.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a retrieval line is secured to the lower leg of the surfboarder by a strap. The retrieval line extends to a spring loaded reel which pays out the retrieval line in the event of a fall and which automatically rewinds the retrieval line when the wakeboard is re-mounted. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the retrieval system of the present invention is equally adaptable to surfboards and snowboards.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1
is a side view of a prior art wakeboard mounting system;
FIG. 2
is a top view of the prior art wakeboard mounting system of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a top view of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system of the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a top view similar to
FIG. 3
illustrating the use of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system of the present invention;
FIG. 5
is a somewhat enlarged partial top view of the front portion of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system of
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 6
is a somewhat enlarged partial top view of the rear portion of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system of
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 7
is a view similar to
FIG. 5
in which certain components have been broken away more clearly to illustrate certain features of the invention;
FIG. 8
is a view similar to
FIG. 7
showing the component parts in a different configuration;
FIG. 9
is a sectional view illustrating the construction and operation of a spring loaded retaining pin useful in the practice of the invention;
FIG. 10
is a view similar to
FIG. 9
illustrating the component parts of the spring loaded retaining pin in a different configuration;
FIG. 11
is a top view of the front portion of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system of the present invention showing the use of the retaining strap;
FIG. 12
is a view similar to
FIG. 11
showing the component parts in a different configuration;
FIG. 13
is a further illustration of the use of the retaining strap;
FIG. 14
is an enlarged perspective view of the rear portion of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system of the present invention less the retrieval component thereof;
FIG. 15
is an enlarged perspective view of the rear portion of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system of the present invention showing the retrieval component installed; and
FIG. 16
is an illustration of the retrieval component of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system of the present invention mounted on a surfboard.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the Drawings, and in particular to
FIGS. 1 and 2
thereof, there is shown a prior art wakeboard mounting system
20
. The system
20
is utilized in conjunction with a conventional wakeboard
24
, it being understood that various types and kinds of wakeboards are known and used in the art. The wakeboard
24
is provided with a plurality of threaded apertures
26
which are located at spaced apart intervals along the longitudinal center line of the wakeboard
24
.
The wakeboard mounting system
20
comprises a pair of boots
30
and
32
which are constructed from suitable plastic or other waterproof materials. The boots
30
and
32
are secured to the left leg LL and the right leg RL of a wakeboarder, respectively, by a plurality of straps
34
which are in turn secured in place by conventional fasteners. For example, the straps
34
may be secured in place by hook and loop-type fasteners of the type sold under the trademark “VELCRO”®.
The left and right boots
30
and
32
are secured to aperture plates
36
by threaded fasteners
38
. The aperture plates
36
have a plurality of apertures
40
formed therethrough. As is clearly shown in
FIG. 2
, the apertures
40
of the aperture plates
38
are arranged in circular arrays. Threaded fasteners
42
extend through the apertures
40
and threadedly engage the threaded apertures
26
of the wakeboard
24
.
It will therefore be understood that the aperture plates
36
are secured to the wakeboard
24
by threaded engagement of the fasteners
42
with the threaded apertures
26
; the boots
30
and
32
are secured to the aperture plates
36
by the threaded fasteners
38
; and the legs LL and RL of the surfboarder are secured in the boots
30
and
32
, respectively, by the straps
34
and the fasteners thereof. In this manner the wakeboarder is very securely retained in engagement with the wakeboard with little possibility of separation between the two during wakeboarding activities.
Unfortunately, the secure connection between the wakeboarder and wakeboard also results in problems, for example, in the event of a fall. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the wakeboard has considerable mass, as do the aperture plates and the boots which secure the wakeboarder to the wakeboard. So long as the mounting system secures the wakeboarder to the wakeboard, swimming is impossible which can lead to disastrous results such as injury or death.
The wakeboard mounting system of the prior art is also inconvenient to use. Because of the mass of the wakeboard, the aperture plates, and the boots comprising the prior art wakeboard mounting system, it is virtually impossible to remove the threaded fasteners
42
, reposition one or both of the boots and the aperture plates secured thereto relative to the wakeboard, and re-engage the threaded fasteners with the threaded apertures of the wakeboard while the wakeboarder is in the water. This in turn means that in order to reposition the boots of the prior art wakeboard mounting system, the wakeboarder must leave the water either by climbing onto a boat or by climbing onto a dock. It is then possible to remove the fasteners
42
, reposition one or both of the boots
30
and
32
, and then re-engage the fastener
42
with selected threaded apertures
26
of the wakeboard
24
, but only with considerable difficulty and loss of time.
Referring to
FIGS. 3
,
4
, and
5
there is shown a wakeboard mounting and retrieval system
50
comprising the present invention. The wakeboard mounting and retrieval system
50
is utilized in conjunction with a conventional wakeboard
52
which is provided with a plurality of threaded apertures
54
. As is well known to those skilled in the art, wakeboards such as the wakeboard
52
can be and are formed from a variety of materials including various woods, various types and kinds of plastics, various types and kinds of plastic foam having suitable coverings extending thereover, and various composite constructions. The threaded apertures
54
are shown in the conventional spaced apart array extending along the longitudinal axis of the wakeboard
52
, however, other positionings of the threaded apertures
54
can be utilized in the practice of the invention.
The wakeboard mounting and retrieval system
52
includes a pair of opposed foot receiving pads
58
and
60
each comprising a rigid interior core or frame
62
formed from metal or plastic, a layer of resilient plastic foam
64
surrounding the core or frame
62
, and a water impervious exterior layer
66
surrounding the foam
64
. The pad
58
is supported by a subframe
68
which is protected by a cover
70
and which facilitates selective positioning of the pad
58
in the manner illustrated in FIG.
4
. The pad
60
is mounted on a subframe
72
which is protected by a cover
74
and which likewise facilitates the selective positioning of the pad
60
.
The use of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.
4
. The left foot LF of the wakeboarder is positioned under the pad
58
and the right foot RF of the wakeboarder is positioned under the pad
60
. The wakeboarder applies modest outward pressure against the pads
58
and
60
and is thereby securely retained and in engagement with the wakeboard
52
. However, in the event of a fall, the feet of the wakeboarder are simply moved inwardly, whereupon the wakeboarder is instantly disengaged from the wakeboard
52
thereby completely eliminating the problems which can result if the wakeboarder remains engaged with the wakeboard.
The construction and operation of the subframe
68
which supports and positions the pad
58
is illustrated in
FIGS. 5
,
7
, and
8
, it being understood that the construction and operation of the subframe
72
which positions the pad
60
is substantially identical. The subframe
68
includes a mounting bracket
80
which is secured to the wakeboard
52
by fasteners
82
and
84
which extend through apertures
86
formed in the bracket
80
. The fasteners
82
and
84
comprise threaded fasteners which threadedly engage selected threaded apertures
54
formed in the wakeboard
52
to the secure the subframe
68
thereto.
The bracket
80
includes a pair of rails
88
. A bracket
90
is slidably received between the rails
88
. Referring particularly to
FIGS. 7 and 8
, the rails
88
have rachet teeth
96
formed on the interior surfaces thereof. The bracket
90
has opposed detents
98
slidably supported therein. The detents
98
are biased outwardly by a spring
100
. Each detent
98
has a handle
102
secured thereto.
It will therefore be understood that the detents
98
are normally engaged with the rachet teeth
96
thereby preventing the pad
58
from moving outwardly, that is, toward the mounting bracket
80
. Conversely, the pad
58
is easily moved inwardly, that is, away from the mounting bracket
80
by simply applying sufficient force thereto to overcome the resistence of the spring
100
. Additionally, by moving the handles
102
inwardly in the direction of the arrows, the pad
58
is easily positioned at any desired location, with two of the many possible locations of the pad
58
being illustrated in
FIGS. 7 and 8
.
Referring to
FIGS. 9 and 10
, a plate
103
is pivotally supported on the bracket
90
by a pin
104
. A detent
105
is mounted on the bracket
90
for actuation by a handle
106
to move upwardly and downwardly against and with the actuation of a spring
107
. As is shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12
, the plate
103
has a plurality of apertures
108
formed therethrough. When the detent
105
is raised by actuation of the handle
106
, the pad
58
and/or the pad
60
is pivotal about the axis of the pin
104
after which the handle
106
is released allowing the detent
105
to engage one of the apertures
108
to secure the pad
50
and/or
60
in place.
Referring to
FIGS. 11
,
12
, and
13
, the wakeboard mounting and retrieving system
50
of the present invention may be provided with a strap
110
. When used, the strap
110
is secured between an extension
109
of the pin
104
and a threaded fastener
112
which threadedly engages one of the threaded apertures
54
of the wakeboard
52
.
The use of the strap
110
is illustrated in FIG.
13
. When used, the strap
110
extends over the left foot LF of the wakeboarder which in turn extends under the pad
58
. The purpose of the strap
110
is to prevent disengagement of the left foot LF from the pad
58
while the right foot of the wakeboarder is being engaged with the pad
60
. Thus, in the preferred operation of the wakeboard mounting and retrieving system
50
, the left foot LF of the wakeboarder is first positioned in engagement with the pad
58
and under the strap
110
which retains the left foot of the wakeboarder and in engagement with the strap
58
while the right foot of the wakeboarder is being engaged with the pad
60
.
Referring to
FIGS. 14 and 15
, the retrieval component
116
of the wakeboard mounting and retrieval system
50
is shown in detail. A spring driven reel
118
is mounted on the sliding bracket
90
of the subframe
72
by a bracket
120
and fasteners
122
. Although various types of spring driven reels may be utilized in the practice of the invention, the spring driven reel
118
may be of the type utilized in self-retrieving dog leads. A retrieval cable
130
extends from the spring driven reel
118
and is connected to an ankle strap
132
by a conventional fastener
134
.
Referring momentarily to
FIG. 4
, the ankle strap
132
is wrapped around the right leg of the wakeboarder and is secured in place by conventional fastening apparatus, for example, a hook and loop-type fastener of the type sold under the trademark “VELCRO”®. Other conventional fastener arrangements may be utilized in conjunction with the ankle strap
122
is desired.
Referring to
FIG. 16
, the retrieval component
116
of the present invention may be utilized in conjunction with apparatus other than wakeboards. In
FIG. 16
, the retrieval apparatus
116
is shown secured to surfboard
144
, it being understood that the retrieval apparatus
116
may also be utilized in conjunction with a snowboard. The use of the retrieval apparatus
116
in conjunction with surfboards and/or snowboards is advantageous in that the retrieving cable
126
is retained in a retracted condition except in the event of a fall, whereupon the cable automatically extends. The cable
126
is thereafter used to retrieve the surfboard or snowboard thereby eliminating the possibility of loss.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Descriptions, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Claims
- 1. A wakeboard mounting system comprising:opposed pads mounted on a wakeboard and configured to receive the feet of a wakeboarder thereunder; each of said pads comprising a rigid frame, a layer of resilient material surrounding the frame, and a layer of water impervious material surrounding the resilient material and defining a surface curving upwardly and inwardly from the surface of a wakeboard for engaging the outward surface and a portion of the upper surface of one foot of a wakeboarder; the opposed pads comprising mirror images of one another; the opposed pads comprising the sole connection between the feet of the wakeboarder and the wakeboard upon which the pads are mounted; and apparatus mounting the opposed pads on a wakeboard and facilitating positioning of the opposed pads longitudinally and pivotally relative to the wakeboard.
- 2. The wakeboard mounting apparatus according to claim 1 further including a strap extending over one of the pads for facilitating engagement of a foot of the wakeboarder with the other pad.
- 3. The wakeboard mounting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the wakeboard is provided with a plurality of threaded apertures, and wherein each of the pads is supported on a subframe which is secured to the wakeboard by a fastener threadedly engaged with one of the threaded apertures thereof.
- 4. The wakeboard mounting apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of the subframes includes means for selectively positioning the pad longitudinally relative to the wakeboard.
- 5. The wakeboard mounting apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of the subframes includes means for selectively positioning the pad pivotally relative to the wakeboard.
- 6. The wakeboard mounting apparatus according to claim 1 further including a retrieval cable secured to the wakeboard and a spring loaded reel for normally retracting the retrieval cable and for extending the retrieval cable upon disengagement of the wakeboarder from the wakeboard.
- 7. A wakeboard mounting system comprising:opposed pads mounted on a wakeboard and configured to receive the feet of a wakeboarder thereunder; apparatus mounting the opposed pads on a wakeboard and facilitating positioning of the opposed pads longitudinally and pivotally relative to the wakeboard; the mounting apparatus for each of the opposed pads including a ratchet mechanism normally permitting movement of the pad in one longitudinal direction relative to the wakeboard while preventing movement of the pad in the opposite longitudinal direction and including a release mechanism selectively operable to facilitate movement of the pad in both longitudinal directions relative to the wakeboard; the mounting apparatus for each pad further including a pivot pin supporting the pad for pivotal movement relative to the wakeboard and a detent mechanism selectively operable to secure the pad in a plurality of pivotal orientations relative to the wakeboard.
US Referenced Citations (18)