Patent Application
20080116664
Embodiments of the invention are directed generally to the field of bindings for gliding sports, and more particularly to the field of snowboard bindings.
Snowboard binding systems used with soft snowboard boots typically are classified as one of two general types. A strap binding typically includes one or more straps that extend across a rider's boot to secure the boot to the binding. In contrast, a step-in binding typically employs one or more strapless engagement members, rather than straps, into which the rider can step to lock the boot into the binding. A strap binding typically delivers a feel or performance many riders find desirable. More particularly, a strap binding allows a rider's foot to roll laterally when riding by allowing the boot to roll relative to the binding.
Most commercially available snowboard bindings typically include a base plate that is mounted on the snowboard to receive the snowboard boot. A heel loop is mounted at the rear of the base plate in a position so that the heel loop surrounds the lower leg of the rider. In some embodiments, the heel loop is adjustable to accommodate different snowboard boot sizes. The snowboard binding may further include a high-back leg support, which is pivotally mounted on the heel loop to provide support to the leg of the rider. With strap binding systems, in certain embodiments, a pair of straps may be provided on side rails of the base plate to secure the rider's snowboard boots within the binding.
A snowboard binding is mounted in a direction substantially across the edges of the board so the rider's toes point towards one edge of the board (the “toe side edge”) while the rider's heels are positioned relative to the other edge of the board (the “heel side edge”). The rider may apply pressure on either the toe side edge or the heel side edge to steer the board when carving a turn. The strap binding described above enables the rider to develop a better feel when turning.
One aspect of the invention is directed to a snowboard binding for securing a boot to a snowboard. In a certain embodiment, the snowboard binding comprises a base configured to be mounted on the snowboard. The base includes a base plate and a pair of side rails that extend upwardly from the base plate along lateral sides of the base plate. The snowboard binding further comprises a high-back support secured to the pair of side rails. The high-back support is fabricated from a single piece of material and has a hinge formed therein to adjust a forward lean position of the high-back support.
Embodiments of the snowboard binding may further include configuring the high-back support to include a main body with the hinge being formed in the main body and a pair of descending arms, one for each side rail. The main body has a top portion and a bottom portion, with the hinge being disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion. The main body has a curved surface at an area surrounding the hinge. The snowboard binding may further comprise a locking mechanism secured to the main body of the high-back support at the curved surface. In one embodiment, the curved surface has teeth formed therein, and the locking mechanism has teeth configured to mate with the teeth of the curved surface. The locking mechanism may be pivotally connected to the main body of the high-back support.
Other embodiments include configuring the arms of the high-back support to pivotally secure to their respective side rails. Each arm may be configured to include a surface configured to engage the base plate of the base to transfer a load from the leg engagement portion to the base plate. In another embodiment, the high-back support is pivotable between a stowed position in which the high-back support is disposed against the base and a use position in which the high-back support extends away from the base. The snowboard binding may further comprise a releasable securing feature associated with the base and the high-back support to releasably secure the high-back support in the use position. The releasable securing feature includes a first interconnecting portion associated with the base adjacent one of the side rails and a second interconnecting portion associated with one of the descending arms. The arrangement is such that the first and second interconnecting portions are releasably engagable with one another for securing the high-back support in its use position. The high-back support may further include a fastener assembly to enable front to back adjustment of the high-back support with respect to the base while the releasable securing feature secures the high-back support in its use position.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a snowboard binding comprising a base configured to be mounted on the snowboard. The base includes a base plate and a pair of side rails that extend upwardly from the base plate along lateral sides of the base plate. The snowboard binding further includes a high-back support pivotally secured to the pair of side rails. The high-back support is pivotable between a stowed position in which the high-back support is disposed against the base and a use position in which the high-back support extends away from the base. The snowboard binding also includes a releasable securing feature associated with the base and the high-back support to releasably secure the high-back support in the use position.
Certain embodiments of the snowboard binding may further include configuring the high-back support with a main body and a pair of descending arms, one for each side rail. The arrangement is such that the releasable securing feature includes a first interconnecting portion associated with the base adjacent one of the side rails and a second interconnecting portion associated with one of the descending arms. The first and second interconnecting portions are releasably engagable with one another for securing the high-back support in its use position. The high-back support may be further configured to include a fastener assembly to enable a front to back adjustment of the high-back support with respect to the base while the releasable securing feature secures the high-back support in its use position.
Yet another aspect of the invention is directed to a snowboard binding comprising a base configured to be mounted to the snowboard and a high-back support secured to the base. The high-back support includes a main body having a top portion and a bottom portion with a flexible hinge formed between the top portion and the bottom portion to adjust a forward lean position of the high-back support, the main body having a curved surface at an area surrounding the hinge. The snowboard binding further comprises a locking mechanism secured to the main body of the high-back support at the curved surface.
Embodiments of the snowboard binding may include providing the curved surface with teeth that mate with teeth of the locking mechanism.
A further aspect of the invention is directed to a snowboard binding comprising a base configured to be mounted to the snowboard. The base has a base plate and a pair of the side rails that extend upwardly from the base plate along lateral sides of the base plate. The snowboard binding further comprises a high-back support pivotally secured to the pair of side rails. The high-back support has a leg engagement portion and a pair of descending arms, one for each side rail, pivotally connected to the side rails. Each arm includes a surface configured to engage the base plate of the base to transfer a load from the leg engagement portion to the base plate.
Embodiments of the snowboard binding may further include a releasable securing feature associated with the base and the high-back support to releasably secure the high-back support in the use position. In a certain embodiment, the releasable securing feature includes a first interconnecting portion associated with the base adjacent one of the side rails and a second interconnecting portion associated with one of the descending arms. The arrangement is such that the first and second interconnecting portions are releasably engagable with one another for securing the high-back support in its use position.
A further aspect of the invention is directed to a method of adjusting a forward lean position of a snowboard binding of the type including a high-back support having a top portion and a bottom portion separated from the top portion by a flexible hinge. Specifically, the method comprises: flexing the high-back support by moving the top portion of the high-back support with respect to the bottom portion to a desired forward lean position; and locking the high-back support in the desired forward lean position.
In particular embodiments, the step of locking the high-back support in the desired forward lean position includes engaging teeth formed in the high-back portion with teeth formed in a locking mechanism. The method may further comprise pivoting the high-back portion with respect to a base of the snowboard binding.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a method of securing a high-back support to a base of a snowboard binding in a use position. In particular, the method comprises: releasably securing a feature associated with the base to a feature associated with the high-back support to releasably secure the high-back support in the use position.
In certain embodiments, the step of releasably securing a feature associated with the base to a feature associated with the high-back support comprises interlocking a first interconnecting portion associated with the base adjacent one of the side rails and a second interconnecting portion associated with one of the descending arms. The method may further comprise adjusting the high-back support with respect to the base in a front to back direction while the high-back support is in its use position.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be appreciated more fully from the following drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like features, in which:
This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
The invention is directed to an improved snowboard binding system that incorporates many of the features of presently available, high-end bindings. Specifically, the binding of embodiments of the invention is meant to be economical in construction and offer the same or increased functionality that is normally associated with more expensive bindings. One cost savings feature is that the binding disclosed herein does not include a separate and distinct heel loop, which is conventionally used to provide adjustment for the size of the rider's boot. Another feature is that the entire binding, except for fasteners, may be fabricated from a low-cost material, such as nylon.
The invention is directed to a binding for a foot, boot, or shoe and, for the purposes of this specification including the claims, the term “boot” shall encompass not only a boot, but also a foot, shoe, and other footwear. Further, although the invention is described in connection with a snowboard boot binding, the inventive arrangement is not so limited, and may be embodied in other devices where a boot is secured including, without limitation, a ski binding, snow shoe, snow skate, snow scooter, and the like. Also, the invention is not limited to a binding used on a device that glides only over snow. Boot bindings used in devices that glide over water, sand, ice, dirt, asphalt, and other surfaces also are within the scope of the invention.
In certain embodiments not shown in the drawings, the hold-down disc 24 may be configured with a different hole pattern, such as a four-by-four hole pattern, so as to mount the hold-down disc and therefore the binding 14 onto the snowboard 12. In other embodiments, the hole pattern may be a triangular hole pattern that includes a set of multiple repetitions of holes that are adapted to receive screws to mount the binding 14 to the snowboard 12. This construction enables, among other things, the position of the bindings 14 on the snowboard 12 to be adjusted to accommodate different riding stances. Additionally, the hold-down disc 24 may be constructed in a variety of different ways so long as it is capable of fastening the base plate to the snowboard. For example, more than one hold-down disc may be provided to suit different types of snowboards.
As shown, the base 18 of the binding 14 may further include a pair of side rails 26, 28 that extend upwardly from the base plate 20 along the lateral sides of the base plate. The side rails 26, 28 are spaced apart from another and are shaped so as to accommodate the rider's boot in between. At the rear (i.e., the heel) end of the base plate 20, the walls of the side rails 26, 28 extend upwardly in a pronounced manner and terminate prior to reaching the rear or back end of the base plate thereby creating an open end (see
The binding shown in
As with the strap bindings described above, the binding 14 of embodiments of the invention may include one or more straps to secure the rider's boot in the binding. Specifically, in the shown embodiment, a toe strap generally indicated at 36 and an ankle or heel strap generally indicated at 38 may be provided. While shown and described as distinct toe and ankle straps herein, it should be appreciated that the toe and ankle straps may be interconnected by material covering the instep area through which the toe and ankle straps are threaded. As shown in
Once the teeth of the lateral strap portion 44 are engaged with the buckle of the locking mechanism 48, the ratcheting feature of the locking mechanism may be used to tighten the toe strap 36 down over the front of the rider's boot in the toe area. In a certain embodiment, the medial strap portion 46 may include a pad 50 disposed over the inner surface of the strap portion to cushion the top of the rider's foot as the toe strap 36 is tightened down over the top of the boot. In addition, although not shown, the toe strap may be split in the middle area so that the strap does not bear upon the top of the rider's instep bone. In other configurations, the medial strap portion may further include a plurality of openings so that the attachment point of the second strap portion to the binding may be adjusted to accommodate different boot sizes.
The operation of the ankle strap 38 is substantially the same as the toe strap described above. As shown, the ankle strap portions 52, 54 are secured by fasteners 56 to the side rails 26, 28 adjacent the back ends of the side rails by means of one of two openings 58, 60 formed in the side rails. Additional openings may be provided to increase the level of adjustability of the ankle strap 38. It should be understood that the specific strap arrangement shown in the drawings and described above is provided merely for illustrative purposes, and that the invention is not limited to any particular strap arrangement. The provision of at least one strap that is tightened down over the top of the rider's boot enables the sole of the boot to roll laterally during riding while providing a secure attachment to the snowboard.
The binding straps 36, 38 may provide some flexibility, such as a typical strap in a conventional strap binding, which may be formed from an injection molded plastic (e.g., polyurethane), woven nylon, or any of a number of other flexible materials. In addition, the locking mechanisms 48 employed with the straps may operate to securely hold the heel of the boot in the binding, while still providing enough give to enable the sole of the boot to roll laterally. However, even though a binding having straps is illustrated in the drawings and described herein, it should be understood that the principles of the invention may be applied to bindings not having straps, such as the step-in binding mentioned above.
Turning now to
Thus, it should be observed that the high-back support as shown and described herein is capable of being mounted directly onto the base without the need of a heel loop as with prior art snowboard bindings without sacrificing functionality normally associated with such prior art snowboard bindings.
As shown in
As best shown in
The geometry of the flexible hinge 70 is configured to allow the forward lean adjustment of the high-back support 30 to engage the rider's lower leg in all forward lean positions with only one pivot point, which is defined by the flexible hinge. Prior art high-back supports typically include two pivot points (one pivot point between the high-back support and the heel loop and a second pivot point between the heel loop and the base). Furthermore, with the forward lean adjustment of embodiments of the invention, the pivot point is positioned higher on the high-back support than with prior art forward lean adjustments. In addition, the provision of the curved teeth enables the single pivot point. In certain embodiments, the radius R of the parts comprising the curved teeth is substantially equal to a radius about which the top portion rotates with respect to the bottom portion about hinge 70. In other embodiments, the pivot point of the top portion with respect to the bottom portion and the center of the curved teeth may be the same.
The arrangement is such that by flexing the top portion 72 of the main body 62 with respect to the bottom portion 74 of the main body with the latch 80 in its unlocked position, the forward lean position may be adjusted by the rider. Once the rider adjusts the forward lean to a desired position, the latch 80 may be pivoted counterclockwise to its locked position so as to securely clamp the curved segment 84 against the curved surface 76 thereby interlocking the teeth of the curved segment with the teeth of the curved surface. The latch 80 may include a cam portion 88 configured to mate with a cam surface 90 of the curved segment 84 so as to apply pressure on the curved segment when moving the latch from its unlocked position to its shown locked position.
As discussed above, the high-back support 30 is pivotable between a stowed position in which the high-back support is disposed generally against the base 18 and a use position in which the high-back support extends away from the base. With reference to
The releasable securing feature, with respect to the base 18 adjacent side rail 26 and the descending arm 64 illustrated in
This construction enables the forward and back adjustment of the high-back support 30 while maintaining the high-back support in a secured position with the detents 94 of the ridges 92 disposed within the slots 96. Specifically, the fastener assemblies 68 associated with side rails 26, 28 and descending arms 64, 66, respectively, may be loosened to enable the forward and backward adjustment of the high-back support 30. During adjustment, the detents 94 slide within their respective slots 92 when moving the high-back support 30 from front to back and from back to front with respect to the base 18.
Each descending arm 64 and 66 further includes a bottom surface 98, 100, respectively, configured to engage the top surface of the base plate 20 between the side rails 26, 28 and their respective ridges 92 to transfer a load from the high-back support to the base plate. The arrangement is such that force applied by the rider during use is directed from the main body 62 of the high-back support 30 down through a descending arm (64 or 66 depending on the direction of turn of the rider), to the base plate 20 via the bottom surface 98 or 100 of the descending arm. Thus, this arrangement enables the displacement of heel side forces during riding. The feature enables the binding to create a rigid body and superior heel hold.
Thus, it should be observed that the snowboard binding of the invention is capable of adjusting a forward lean of a snowboard binding to suit the rider's preference while maintaining intimate contact of the bottom surfaces 98, 100 of the descending arms 64, 66 of the high-back support 30 with the base 18. This adjustment may be made by flexing the high-back support by moving the top portion of the high-back support with respect to the bottom portion to a desired forward lean position. With the latch, the high-back support may be locked in place in the desired forward lean position by means of engaging teeth formed in the curved surface of the high-back support with teeth formed in the curved segment of the locking mechanism. In addition, the snowboard binding disclosed herein is capable of pivotally moving the high-back portion with respect to a base of the snowboard binding between the use position in which the high-back support extends away from the base to the stowed position in which the high-back support is disposed against the base.
Furthermore, the snowboard binding is capable of securing the high-back support to a base of a snowboard binding in a use position. The releasable securing feature associated with the base may engage the releasable securing feature associated with the high-back support to releasably secure the high-back support in the use position. Specifically, the interconnecting portions associated the base adjacent the side rails interlock with the interconnecting portions associated with the descending arms. Front-to-back adjustment of the high-back support may further take place when the high-back support is locked into its use position.
Although the particular features disclosed herein have been described above in connection with a binding that includes straps for holding down the rider's boot in the binding, it should be understood that these features of the invention are not so limited. In particular, the features described above, e.g., the living hinge and releasable securing feature, can alternatively be employed with other types of bindings, such as step-in bindings.
In addition, the forward lean adjustment mechanism in accordance with the invention may be implemented in any number of ways. Although the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings employ a locking mechanism having teeth that engage teeth formed on the main body of the high-back support, the invention is not so limited to this particular construction. For example, a hook may be provided in place of the teeth for latching the locking mechanism in place. Similarly, the releasable securing feature may embody other designs as well. For example, slots may be formed in the side rails of the base and the detents formed in the descending arms of the high-back support.
Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.
