Patent Application
20100308549
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to snowboard equipment and, more specifically, to a temporary snowboard binding apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Snowboarding is an increasingly popular downhill winter sport. A person who practices the sport of snowboarding is commonly referred to as a snowboarder. One of the primary goals of snowboarding is for the snowboarder to enjoy a downhill ride on a snowboard. The snowboarder typically dons a pair of snowboard boots, which may be attached independently to the snowboard using a highly robust binding mechanism, such as a set of straps or mechanical latches. The binding mechanism associated with the snowboard boots is commonly referred to as “bindings.” The bindings include a front binding, positioned generally to the front (downhill end) of the snowboard, and a rear binding, positioned at the rear (uphill end) of the snowboard. While riding a snowboard down a slope, the snowboarder stands on the snowboard and points one end of the snowboard in a generally downhill direction while performing various maneuvers. Some snowboarders may perform maneuvers that alternate which end of the snowboard is pointed down hill. While riding styles and different maneuvers may vary with respect to which end of the snowboard is pointed downhill at a particular time, a rear snowboard boot, or simply “rear boot,” is designated herein as a snowboard boot the snowboarder prefers to unbind and keep detached from the snowboard when riding a chairlift. A front snowboard boot, or simply “front boot,” is designated herein as a snowboard boot the snowboarder prefers to keep bound and attached to the snowboard while riding the chairlift. When attached to a binding, the front boot is conventionally bound to the front binding and the rear boot is conventionally bound to the rear binding.
Prior to snowboarding down a hill, the snowboarder typically rides the chairlift up the hill. Snowboarders are conventionally required to bind the front boot to the front binding of the snowboard and un-bind the rear boot from the snowboard before boarding the chairlift. The snowboarder normally dismounts the chairlift at the top of the chairlift path, known as a dismount point. Immediately after dismounting the chairlift, the snowboarder typically attempts to ride the snowboard a short distance from the dismount point to an arbitrary attachment location where the snowboarder may safely attach the rear boot to the rear binding. Riding conditions at the chairlift dismount area are generally much less demanding than many surfaces and slopes that the snowboarder may wish to subsequently ride, but the fact that the rear boot is not attached to the snowboard makes dismounting the chairlift and riding to the attachment location relatively difficult. In fact, this can be a very awkward maneuver, even for relatively experienced snowboarders, because only partial control of the snowboard is possible with just the front boot securely bound to the snowboard.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is a means for a snowboarder to gain greater overall control of their snowboard when their rear boot is not bound to the rear binding.
Embodiments of the invention provide a snowboard binding apparatus for temporarily binding a boot to a snowboard. A boot binding assembly having a permeable element and a concave structure is configured to bind to a magnetic binding assembly having a magnetic element and a convex structure. Engaging the concave structure with the convex structure forms a pivot means that allows a user to rotate the boot binding assembly with respect to the magnetic binding assembly about a rotation angle. A binding force that is a function of the rotation angle is developed between the magnetic element and the permeable element. A first binding force is developed for a first rotation angle, and a second binding force that is smaller than the first binding force is developed for a second rotation angle. The user may disengage the boot binding assembly from the magnetic binding assembly by rotating the boot binding assembly to approximately the second rotation angle, thereby reducing the binding force for easy detachment.
So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
In one embodiment, the boot binding assembly 222 is configured to be attached to the underside of the rear boot sole 232. Alternatively, the boot binding assembly 222 may be configured to be inserted into a cavity in the rear boot sole 232. The boot binding assembly 222 may be implemented as a modification to a conventional boot. The modification may be performed by a manufacturer or by an end user.
In an alternative embodiment, the boot binding assembly 222 is configured to be embedded in the rear boot sole 232. For example, rear boot 230 may be manufactured to include the boot binding assembly 222 as an integral component of the rear boot sole 232.
In one embodiment, the discrete permeable components are configured to form a pattern substantially encompassed by an outline of the shape of the rear boot 230 projected onto the top surface 212 of the snowboard 210. For example, the outline may be based on a shape of the rear boot sole 232.
The boot binding assembly 222 may also include a casing 320 configured to enclose at least part of the permeable element 322 and to provide mechanical structure for mounting the boot binding assembly 222 to the rear boot sole 232. The casing 320 may also provide mechanical structure for mounting, and holding in position, the one or more permeable components. The magnetic binding assembly 220 includes a magnetic element 332, and an attachment element 336. The attachment element 336 should be configured to attach the magnetic binding assembly 220 to the top surface 212 of the snowboard 210. The magnetic binding assembly 220 may also include a casing 330, configured to enclose at least part of the magnetic element 332. The magnetic binding assembly 220 may also include a surface element 334, configured to provide a protective barrier above the magnetic element 332.
In one embodiment, the magnetic element 332 comprises one or more magnets that are oriented with either a north magnetic pole or a south magnetic pole generally aligned along a normal axis 301 from the top surface of the magnetic binding assembly 220. The permeable element 332 may also be generally aligned along the normal axis 301 when coupled to the magnetic binding assembly 220. As the boot binding assembly 222 is brought into closer proximity with the magnetic binding assembly 220, a magnetic attractive force between the magnetic element 332 and the permeable element 322 increases. When the snowboarder maneuvers the rear boot 230 to step onto the magnetic binding assembly 220, the permeable element 322 within the boot binding assembly 222 is pulled, via the magnetic attractive force, to the magnetic element 332 within the magnetic binding assembly 220, thereby temporarily binding the rear boot 230 to the snowboard 210.
With a sufficiently strong magnetic attractive force, or “binding force,” between the magnetic element 332 and the permeable element 322, the rear boot 230 should remain sufficiently well bound to the snowboard 210 for the snowboarder to perform certain maneuvers, such as dismounting a chairlift and riding a short distance from a chairlift dismount location to a safe location away from dismount traffic. Depending on the size and weight of the snowboard 210 and riding style of the snowboarder, a binding force of two to twenty pounds may be sufficient to bind the rear boot 230 to the magnetic binding assembly 220 for the snowboarder to perform basic maneuvers. Binding force may be measured as a “pull force” needed to separate a rear boot 230 from the magnetic binding assembly 220. A binding force of one hundred pounds or more may be excessive in certain settings. When disengaging (unbinding) the rear boot 230 from the magnetic binding assembly 220, a binding force of one pound or less should be easily overcome by a snowboarder.
An inherent pull force is defined herein as a pull force measured with zero distance between a magnet and a sheet of ferromagnetic (permeable) material. Inherent pull force represents a maximum pull force for a given combination of magnet and permeable material. Because the pull force generated by the one or more magnets may be substantially diminished by unavoidable spatial separation from the permeable element, each one of the one or more magnets may need to exhibit a substantially higher inherent pull force than the two to twenty pounds required to bind the rear boot 230 to the magnetic binding assembly 220. For example, each one of the at least one magnets may need an inherent pull force of over fifty pounds for the pull force between the rear boot 230 and the magnetic binding assembly 220 to achieve at least five pounds.
Upon reaching the chairlift dismount location, the snowboarder may position the rear boot 230 over the magnetic binding assembly 220, allowing the boot binding assembly 222 to be pulled to the magnetic binding assembly 220, thereby temporarily binding the rear boot 230 to the snowboard 210. With the rear boot 230 temporarily bound to the snowboard 210, the snowboarder can better control their dismount ride until they have safely cleared the chairlift dismount location and arrived at an safe location away from the dismount area. After the snowboarder has cleared the chairlift dismount location and upon arriving at the safe location, the snowboarder may remove the rear boot 230 from the magnetic binding assembly 220 and robustly bind the rear boot 230 to the rear binding 240 for conventional riding on the snowboard 210.
Positioning the rear boot 230 over the magnetic binding assembly 220 should be easily accomplished by the snowboarder, even when preparing to exit a chairlift. Once the snowboarder has positioned the rear boot 230 in general proximity over the magnetic binding assembly 220, good alignment between the permeable element 322 and the magnetic element 342 should be achieved as a magnetic attractive binding force (or simply “binding force”) pulls the permeable element 322 and the magnetic element 342 together.
To unbind the rear boot 230 from the magnetic binding assembly 220, the snowboarder may execute a simple unbinding procedure that includes rotating the rear boot 230 along an axis substantially normal to the top surface 212, so as to misalign the permeable element 322 and the magnetic element 342. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that rotating the permeable element 322 and the magnetic element 342 into a misaligned position should require substantially less effort than directly and forcefully overcoming the binding force between the boot binding assembly 222 and the magnetic binding assembly 220. As shown in
In certain embodiments, the surface element 334 and casing 330 may comprise a single component. For example, surface element 334 and casing 330 may be manufactured from a single article of aluminum, polycarbonate, or any other material that substantially passes magnetic fields.
In one embodiment, the magnetic binding assembly 220 is configured as a modification to a conventional snowboard, and the boot binding assembly 222 is configured as a modification to a conventional rear boot. In one embodiment, the magnetic binding assembly 220 may be provided as a first modification kit. Similarly, the boot binding assembly 222 may be provided as a second modification kit. The first modification kit and second modification kit may be combined into a combined modification kit. An instance of the first modification kit enables users to modify a generic snowboard to include the magnetic binding assembly 220. An instance of the second kit enables user to modify a generic snowboard boot to include the binding assembly 220.
In one embodiment, the magnetic binding assembly 220 is robustly coupled to the snowboard 210, and the boot binding assembly 222 becomes engaged with the magnetic binding assembly 220 after the snowboarder positions the rear boot 230 in close proximity to the magnetic binding assembly 220, which is pulled to the boot binding assembly 222. When the boot binding assembly 222 is sufficiently close to the magnetic binding assembly 220, the magnetic element 332 within the magnetic binding assembly 220 pulls against the permeable element 322 within the boot binding assembly 222 until the two assemblies are bound together via a resulting binding force.
When bound to the magnetic binding assembly 220, the boot binding assembly 222 should be configured to rotate with respect to the magnetic binding assembly 220 about a binding rotation axis 412. The binding rotation axis 412 may be located anywhere on the magnetic binding assembly 220, according to a particular implementation. For example the binding rotation axis 412 may be positioned at a geometric centroid of the magnetic binding assembly 220.
The magnetic binding assembly 220 and boot binding assembly 222 should be configured to develop at least a working force 432 when aligned at a maximum binding force angle 422, and to develop no more than a releasing force 434 when aligned to a minimum binding force angle 424. The binding force 430 may be represented as a force curve, which indicates binding force 430 over a range of binding rotation angles 420. In one configuration, force curve 440 represents a strong scenario, in which manufacturing tolerances related to the boot binding assembly 222 and magnetic binding assembly 220 favor a stronger binding force 430, and the boot binding assembly 222 and magnetic binding assembly 220 are relatively free of snow and debris. Importantly, the force curve 440 satisfies requirements for both at least a minimum working force 432 and at most a maximum allowable releasing force 434. In another configuration, manufacturing tolerances, snow, and debris may conspire to create a weak scenario that does not favor a strong binding force 430. In this configuration, the force curve 442 still satisfies requirements for both the minimum working force 432 and maximum allowable releasing force 434.
The boot binding assembly 222 should also include a casing 532 configured to include a concave structure 534. The casing 532 should be constructed from a material, such as polycarbonate or aluminum, which substantially allows a constant magnetic field to pass through the material. The concave structure 534 is configured to open downward with respect to the bottom of the rear boot 230. In an alternative embodiment, the rear boot sole 232 includes the concave structure 534.
The magnetic binding assembly 220 includes a magnetic element 520, which should include one or more magnetic components 522. Each of the one or more magnetic components 522 should comprise a relatively strong, permanent magnet. In one embodiment, each of the one or more magnetic components 522 comprises a neodymium magnet. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that any sufficiently strong permanent magnet may be employed as each of the one or more magnetic components 522. The magnetic binding assembly 220 may also include a casing 514 configured to provide mechanical structure for the magnetic element 520, and may hold the one or more magnetic components 522 in place. In one embodiment, each of the one or more magnetic components 522 is configured within the casing 514 to generally align with each of the one or more permeable components 536. For example, magnetic components 522-1 and 522-2 may be configured to align with permeable components 536-1 and 536-2, respectively.
The magnetic binding assembly 220 includes a convex structure 518. The magnetic binding assembly 220 may also include also include a casing top 516, which may serve as a protective barrier for the casing 514 and magnetic element 520. The convex structure 518 may be fabricated as part of the casing top 516. The convex structure 518 may comprise a section of a volume of revolution from an arbitrary curve, such as a parabola or an arc of a circle. The convex structure 518 should be configured to substantially fit into the concave structure 534 associated with the boot binding assembly 222. When the boot binding assembly 222 is brought into proximity with the magnetic binding assembly 220 along an appropriate approach vector 501, a magnetic force increasingly develops between each magnetic component 522 and each corresponding permeable component 536. The boot binding assembly 222 may then be pulled into contact and bind with the magnetic binding assembly 220, such that the convex structure 518 protrudes upward and into the concave structure 534, and each magnetic component 522 is aligned with a corresponding permeable component 536. This configuration is referred to herein as an engaged configuration. Importantly, a pivot means is formed by the convex structure 518 protruding into the concave structure 534, enabling the boot binding assembly 222 to readily rotate with respect to the magnetic binding assembly 220, about the convex structure 518.
To disengage the boot binding assembly 222 from the magnetic binding assembly 220, the boot binding assembly 222 may be rotated about the convex structure 518 until each permeable component 536 is generally unaligned with respect to any corresponding magnetic component 522. This configuration is referred to herein as a disengaged configuration. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the pivot means allows a snowboarder to easily transition between the engaged position and the disengaged position by rotating the rear boot without forceful or abrupt movement. This is an important advantage in settings that favor stability and balance. Engaged and disengaged configurations are illustrated in greater detail in
The magnetic binding assembly 220 should include an attachment element 512, configured to robustly couple the magnetic binding assembly 220 to the snowboard 210. In one embodiment, the attachment element 512 comprises an adhesive agent such as epoxy, epoxy film, glue, or adhesive sheet, which may serve to robustly affix the magnetic binding assembly 220 to the snowboard 210. In another embodiment, the attachment element 512 comprises a system of screws that may be coupled to the attachment element 512 and driven into the snowboard 210 to couple the magnetic binding assembly 220 to the snowboard 210. In yet another embodiment, the attachment element 512 comprises a system of anchors disposed within the snowboard 210 and coupled to the attachment element 512 to couple the magnetic binding assembly 220 to the snowboard 210.
In one embodiment, the concave structure 534 is placed central to the geometry of the permeable components 536 (as shown). In alternative embodiments, the concave structure may be placed at an arbitrary offset with respect to the geometry of the permeable components 536. The permeable components 536 may be distributed using a substantially equal distance to each neighbor (as shown), or in an arbitrary pattern (not shown).
In one embodiment, the boot binding assembly 222 includes two permeable components 622-1 and 622-2, disposed about a concave structure 640. The magnetic binding assembly 220 includes two magnetic components 612-1 and 612-2, disposed about a convex structure 642, configured to protrude into the concave structure 640 and form a pivot means. A rotation axis 632 indicates an approximate binding rotation axis, such as binding rotation axis 412, about which the boot binding assembly 222 may rotate with respect to the magnetic binding assembly 220. When the boot binding assembly 222 is bound to the magnetic binding assembly, the concave structure 640 is approximately aligned with the convex structure 642, and magnetic components 612-1 and 612-2 are aligned with permeable components 622-1 and 622-2, respectively.
A user (e.g., a snowboarder) may bind the boot binding assembly 222 to the magnetic binding assembly 220 by bringing the boot binding assembly 222 into proximity of the magnetic binding assembly 220 so that the permeable components 622 are pulled together with respective magnetic components 612. For example, the user may bring their rear boot 230, configured to include the boot binding assembly 222, into close proximity with the magnetic binding assembly 220, which is coupled to the snowboard 210. This action binds the rear boot 230 to the snowboard 210 in the engaged configuration, as defined previously herein. The user may rotate the rear boot 230, and therefore, the boot binding assembly 222 with respect to the magnetic binding assembly 220 to disengage and remove the boot binding assembly 222 from the magnetic binding assembly 220, thereby removing the rear boot 230 from the snowboard 210. Importantly, the user may transition between the engaged configuration and disengaged configuration easily by rotating the rear boot 230 with respect to the snowboard 210.
In an alternative embodiment, illustrated below in
In one embodiment, the boot binding assembly 222 includes two permeable components 622-1 and 622-2. The boot binding assembly 222 may include a concave structure 641, or the concave structure 641 may be fabricated as part of the rear boot sole 232, as shown. The magnetic binding assembly 220 includes two magnetic components 612-1 and 612-2. The magnetic binding assembly 220 should also include a convex structure 643, configured to abut at least a portion of the rear boot sole 232 to form a pivot means when the magnetic binding assembly 220 and boot binding assembly 222 are in the engaged configuration. In one embodiment, the concave structure 641 and convex structure 643 form the pivot means. In an alternative embodiment, the convex structure 643 and a side edge of the rear boot sole 232 form the pivot means. A rotation axis 632 indicates an approximate binding rotation axis, such as binding rotation axis 412, for the pivot means.
A user (e.g., a snowboarder) may bind the boot binding assembly 222 to the magnetic binding assembly 220 by bringing the boot binding assembly 222 into proximity of the magnetic binding assembly 220 so that the permeable components 622 are pulled together with respective magnetic components 612. For example, the user may bring their rear boot 230, configured to include the boot binding assembly 222, into close proximity with the magnetic binding assembly 220, which is attached to the snowboard 210. This action binds the rear boot 230 to the snowboard 210 in the engaged configuration, as defined in
When the one or more permeable components 722 within the boot binding assembly 222 are brought into proximity with the one or more magnetic components 712 within the magnetic binding assembly 220, a binding force is developed that should be sufficient to bind the two assemblies together with at least working force 432, as defined in
In one embodiment, the convex structure 742 comprises a spherical section. In alternative embodiments, the convex structure 742 comprises a section of a volume formed by a paraboloid. In other alternative embodiments, the convex structure 742 comprises a section of a volume formed from a revolution of an arbitrary curve. In one embodiment, the concave structure 740 is substantially a geometric inverse of the convex structure 742, so that the convex structure 742 may protrude into the concave structure 740, forming a close fit between the two structures. In alternative embodiments, the geometry of the convex structure 742 and the geometry of the concave structure 740 may depart from each other to some degree, for example to incorporate grooves, bumps, or other surface features on either the convex structure 742 or the concave structure 740.
The permeable component 830 may comprise one or more structures of magnetically permeable material, such as soft iron or mu-metal. In one embodiment, the permeable component 830 includes one block 834 of magnetically permeable material. A gap 840 specifies a region of material, such as air, aluminum, or polycarbonate, with a significantly lower magnetic permeability than the 834. A protective bather 832, such as that provided by casing 320, is configured to protect the permeable component 830 from physical damage, such as scratching, as well as chemical damage from certain agents. When permeable component 830 is brought into proximity of magnetic component 810, forces 854 and 856 develop between the permeable component 830 and the magnetic component 810. The forces 854 and 856 force permeable component 830 and magnetic component 810 together.
Persons skilled in the art will recognize that many types of permanent magnets that are good candidates to function as magnetic component 910 are fragile with respect to scratches and other forms of mechanical damage. Damaging such magnets can lead to catastrophic structural failure of the magnet. To avoid certain types of damage, the magnetic component 910 should be shielded from mechanical damage such as impacts and scratches, and chemical damage such as corrosion. These forms of damage are very likely in a typical snowboarding environment. In one embodiment, a protective barrier 950 may serve as surface element 334 of
In certain circumstances, the magnetic component 910 may apply a substantial binding force against the casing 920, resulting in stress, which can lead to structural failure of the casing 920 or the magnetic component 910. To reduce the likelihood of these types of structural failure, a force distribution means may be employed to distribute forces that develop between the magnetic component 910 and the casing 920. In one embodiment, beveled region 940 along the beveled edge 912 provides a force distribution means, which reduces localized stress associated with the binding force, and therefore reduces potential for structural failure. Because magnetic force diminishes quickly as a function of distance between a magnet and a permeable material, thickness 930 may have a significant impact on an overall binding force developed by the magnetic component 910 and an associated permeable component. Thickness 930 should, therefore, be minimized to the extent structural integrity of casing 920 is adequately preserved. Beveled edges 912 and 922 form the beveled region 940. In one embodiment, the beveled region 940 distributes the binding force asserted on casing 920 by magnetic component 910, thereby reducing localized stress and improving structural integrity of the casing 920.
The magnetic component 910 may be mounted in a cavity fabricated within the casing 920 and held in place by a filler material 914. The filler material 914 may comprise, a solid, a layered material, gel, adhesive, glue, epoxy, powder, or any other material configured to hold the magnetic component 910 in place. The filler material 914 should exhibit a property of distributing force and mechanical shocks developed between the casing 920 and the magnetic component 910.
In one embodiment, the flux guide 960 is exposed through the protective barrier 950, minimizing spacing between the permeable element and the flux guide 960. The spacer 915 is configured to be relatively thin (e.g., less than one millimeter in thickness) to reduce distance between the magnetic component 910 and the flux guide 960. In this embodiment, the flux guide 960 is fabricated from a mechanically robust material with high permeability, such as soft iron or mu-metal. The flux guide 960 transmits the magnetic flux developed by magnetic component 910 to the top surface 951 of the magnetic element 901, without exposing the mechanically fragile magnetic component 910 to potential damage from a relatively hostile environment, commonly encountered in practical snowboarding settings. In this configuration, a relatively small (less than one millimeter) effective distance between the magnetic component 910 and a permeable component, such as permeable component 536 of
The magnetic binding assembly 220 comprises magnetic element 1052, a convex structure 1026 (concave outward from page), and a second surface of varying height 1035 disposed between inner perimeter 1036 and an outer perimeter 1034. The height of the second surface of varying height 1035 at a given angle about the outer perimeter 1034 is indicated herein by the density of radial lines connecting the inner perimeter 1036 and the outer perimeter 1034. Dense radial lines in region 1024 indicate increased height (increasing outward from page). Sparse radial lines in region 1022 indicate decreased height.
The first and second surfaces of varying height are configured to fit together in an engaged configuration, with a separation between the permeable element 1050 and magnetic element 1052 determined by the rotation angle. Because the binding force 430 of
Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the convex structure 1026 and concave structure 1016 will self-align when the boot binding assembly 222 is brought into close and nearly aligned proximity with the magnetic binding assembly 220 prior to the boot binding assembly 222 fully engaging the magnetic binding assembly 220. Therefore, the snowboarder does not need to precisely position their rear boot 230 over the magnetic binding assembly in order to prepare to configure the boot binding assembly 222 and the magnetic binding assembly 220 in the engaged configuration. Importantly, the snowboarder can easily engage the boot binding assembly 222 with the magnetic binding assembly 220 as they dismount the chairlift by stepping onto the magnetic binding assembly 220 with their rear boot 230. The placement of the rear boot 230 does not need to be precise because the convex structure 1026 and concave structure 1016 will self-align as the convex structure 1026 protrudes into the concave structure 1016 and the boot binding assembly 222 engages with the magnetic binding assembly 220.
In alternative embodiments, the first surface of varying height 1031 departs in geometry from the second surface of varying height 1035. For example, the first surface of varying height 1031 may include only a narrow bump or ellipsoid section for elevated region 1012, with the remaining portions of the first surface of varying height 1031 configured to a minimal height, such as region 1014 in
In one embodiment, a snowboard binding kit comprising an instance of the magnetic binding assembly 220 may be configured to facilitate augmenting a generic sports board, such as a snowboard, to include the magnetic binding assembly 220. In an alternative embodiment, a boot binding kit comprising an instance of the boot binding assembly 222 may be configured to facilitate augmenting or modify a generic sports boot, such as a generic snowboard boot, to include the boot binding assembly 222.
In summary, a temporary binding for a sports board, such as a snowboard, is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a boot binding assembly coupled to a sports boot, such as a snowboard boot, is configured to engage with a magnetic binding assembly coupled to the sports board. When the sports boot is rotated with respect to the sports board, the magnetic binding assembly and boot binding assembly disengage and a user may easily remove the sports boot from the sports board. One advantage of the invention is that a user may readily bind the sports boot to the sports board and achieve greater riding control of the sports board during moments when the user's rear boot is otherwise not bound to the sports board. One such moment is during dismount from a chairlift. Alternative embodiments include any technically feasible binding technique between an apparatus coupled to a sports boot and an apparatus coupled to a sports board, wherein rotating the sports boot with respect to the sports board disengages the sports boot from the sports board.
While the forgoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
