Claims
- 1. A snowboard binding system, comprising:(a) a boot including a sole and including first and second longitudinally spaced attachment members attached to said sole and at least one of said attachment members disposed within at least one recess formed beneath an under surface of said sole; (b) a frame securable to a snowboard defining a longitudinal axis; (c) a first jaw secured to said frame to selectively engage said first attachment member beneath said sole; (d) a movable second jaw secured to said frame and movable to selectively engage said second attachment member beneath said sole when said first jaw engages said first attachment member, thereby securing forward and rearward portions of said boot to said frame with at least one of said first and second attachment members being captured between said first and second jaws and the secured boot being positionable transverse to said longitudinal axis of said snowboard; and (e) a jaw release mechanism coupled to said movable second jaw and operable to move said movable second jaw to release said boot from said frame.
- 2. The snowboard binding system of claim 1, wherein said first and second attachment members are disposed beneath forward and rearward regions of said sole, respectively.
- 3. The snowboard binding system of claim 2, wherein said first and second attachment members are aligned generally along a longitudinal axis of said sole of said boot.
- 4. The snowboard binding system of claim 3, wherein said first and second jaws are secured to said frame such that when the frame is secured to a snowboard, said longitudinal axis of said sole of said boot is oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the snowboard.
- 5. The snowboard binding system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second attachment members projects from within a recess defined in the sole of the boot.
- 6. The snowboard binding system of claim 1, wherein said first jaw is stationary relative to said frame.
- 7. The snowboard binding system of claim 6, wherein said first jaw comprises a hook.
- 8. The snowboard binding system of claim 1, wherein said jaw release mechanism includes a release arm extending to the side of said frame and said boot when said boot is secured to said frame.
- 9. The snowboard binding system of claim 8, wherein said release arm extends upwardly from said frame.
- 10. The snowboard binding system of claim 1, wherein said first and second attachment members are defined by opposing edges of an elongate member.
- 11. The snowboard binding system of claim 1, wherein when said first jaw engages said first attachment member and said boot is depressed towards said frame, said second attachment member causes said second movable jaw to automatically move to an open position to receive said second attachment member, further comprising a biasing member coupled to said movable second jaw to thereupon cause said second movable jaw to move to engage said received second attachment member.
- 12. The snowboard binding system of claim 1, wherein said movable second jaw interfaces with a static portion of said frame to selectively receive said second attachment member therebetween.
- 13. The snowboard binding system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second attachment members comprises a horizontal rod.
- 14. A snowboard binding system, comprising:(a) a boot including a sole defining longitudinally spaced forward and rearward regions, said boot including forward and rearward attachment members secured to said forward and rearward regions, respectively, of said sole, at least one of said attachment members being disposed within at least one recess formed beneath an undersurface of said sole; (b) a frame securable to a snowboard defining a longitudinal axis; (c) a first jaw secured to said frame to selectively engage one of said forward and rearward attachment members; (d) a movable second jaw secured to said frame and movable to selectively engage the other of said forward and rearward attachment members, engagement of said forward and rearward attachment members securing said forward and rearward regions of said boot to said frame with at least one of said forward and rearward attachment members captured therebetween and the secured boot being positionable transverse to said longitudinal axis of said snowboard; and (e) a jaw release mechanism coupled to said movable second jaw and operable to move said movable second jaw to release said boot from said frame.
- 15. The snowboard binding system of claim 14, wherein said forward and rearward attachment members are aligned generally along a longitudinal axis of said sole of said boot.
- 16. The snowboard binding system of claim 15, wherein said first and second jaws are secured to said frame such that when the frame is secured to a snowboard, said longitudinal axis of said sole of said boot is oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the snowboard.
- 17. The snowboard binding system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said forward and rearward attachment members projects from within a recess defined in the sole of the boot.
- 18. The snowboard binding system of claim 14, wherein said first jaw is stationary relative to said frame.
- 19. The snowboard binding system of claim 18, wherein said first jaw comprises a hook.
- 20. The snowboard binding system of claim 14, wherein said jaw release mechanism includes a release arm extending to the side of said frame and said boot when said boot is secured to said frame.
- 21. The snowboard binding system of claim 20, wherein said release arm extends upwardly from said frame.
- 22. The snowboard binding system of claim 14, wherein said forward and rearward attachment members are defined by opposing edges of an elongate member.
- 23. The snowboard binding system of claim 14, wherein when said first jaw engages said one of said forward and rearward attachment members and said boot is depressed towards said frame, said other of said forward and rearward attachment members causes said second movable jaw to automatically move to an open position to receive said attachment member, further comprising a biasing member coupled to said movable second jaw to thereupon cause said second movable jaw to engage said received attachment member.
- 24. The snowboard binding system of claim 14, wherein said movable second jaw interfaces with a static portion of said frame to selectively receive one of said forward and rearward attachment members therebetween.
- 25. The snowboard binding system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said forward and rearward attachment members comprises a horizontal rod.
- 26. A snowboard binding system, comprising:(a) a boot including a sole and including first and second attachment members attached to said sole and aligned and spaced generally along a longitudinal axis of said sole at least one of said attachment members being disposed within at least one recess formed beneath an undersurface of said sole; (b) a frame securable to a snowboard defining a longitudinal axis; (c) a first jaw secured to said frame to selectively engage said first attachment member; (d) a movable second jaw secured to said frame and movable to selectively engage said second attachment member when said first jaw engages said first attachment member, thereby securing forward and rearward portions of said boot to said frame with at least one of said first and second attachment members captured between said first and second jaws and the secured boot being positionable transverse to said longitudinal axis of said snowboard; and (e) a jaw release mechanism coupled to said movable second jaw and operable to move said movable second jaw to release said boot from said frame.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional of pending prior application Ser. No. 08/904,911, filed Aug. 1, 1997, which is a divisional of Ser. No. 08/628,054 filed on Apr. 8, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,350, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/274,292, filed on Jul. 12, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,477, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/127,584 filed on Sep. 27, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,741; Ser. No. 08/120,629, filed on Sep. 13, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,907; application Ser. No. 08/100,745, filed on Aug. 2, 1993, abandoned; and Ser. No. 08/094,576, filed on Jul. 19, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,466.
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Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
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682133 A5 |
Jul 1998 |
CH |
30 04 668 |
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DE |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
08/274292 |
Jul 1994 |
US |
Child |
08/628054 |
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US |
Continuation in Parts (4)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
08/127584 |
Sep 1993 |
US |
Child |
08/274292 |
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US |
Parent |
08/120629 |
Sep 1993 |
US |
Child |
08/127584 |
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US |
Parent |
08/100745 |
Aug 1993 |
US |
Child |
08/120629 |
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US |
Parent |
08/094576 |
Jul 1993 |
US |
Child |
08/100745 |
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US |