Claims
- 1. A binding for securing a foot or a boot a gilding implement, comprising:a base for receiving the foot or boot, said base being attachable to the gliding implement; at least one strap that is conformable to a surface of the foot or boot as it is tightened thereagainst; said at least one strap being attachable on said base at a first mounting location and at a second mounting location, said at least one strap being disengageable tool free from said first mounting location and movable to said second mounting location while said base is attached to the gilding implement, wherein said at least one strap cannot be removed from said base while said base is attached to said gliding implement; and a sidewall having a slot for receiving said at least one strap in said first mounting location and said second mounting location, said slot including a bottom that is open, said base being flush mountable to the gliding implement so that said at least one strap is seatable through said open bottom of said slot against a surface of the gliding implement.
- 2. The binding of claim 1, wherein said at least one strap includes a first section and a second section, said first and second sections being separable to allow insertion and removal of the foot or boot and being releasably engageable to restrain the foot or boot within said binding.
- 3. The binding of claim 2, wherein said first section includes a ratchet strap and said second section includes a foot or boot engagement strap.
- 4. The binding of claim 2, wherein both said first section and said second section are arranged for tool free disengagement from said first mounting location while said base is attached to said gliding implement.
- 5. The binding of claim 1, wherein said base and said at least one strap include complementary locking members for releasably engaging said at least one strap to said base at said first mounting location and said second mounting location.
- 6. The binding of claim 5, wherein said base includes a sidewall defining a slot and said complementary tool free locking members are contained completely within said sidewall slot.
- 7. The binding of claim 5, wherein said at least one strap is actuatable by a user to disengage, tool free, said complementary locking members at said first mounting location and said second mounting location.
- 8. The binding of claim 5, wherein said at least one strap is actuatable by a user towards said base to disengage said complementary locking members.
- 9. The binding of claim 1, wherein said binding has a heel to toe direction and wherein said first mounting location and said second mounting location extend in said heel to toe direction.
- 10. A binding for securing a foot or a boot to a gliding implement, comprising:a base for receiving the foot or boot, said base being attachable to the gliding implement; at least one strap that is conformable to a surface of the foot or boot as it is tightened thereagainst; said at least one strap being attachable on said base at a first mounting location and at a second mounting location, said at least one strap being disengageable tool free from said first mounting location and movable to said second mounting location while said base is attached to the gliding implement, wherein said at least one strap cannot be removed from said base while said base is attached to said gliding implement; and a sidewall having a slot for receiving said at least one strap in said first mounting location and said second mounting location, said sidewall slot including a bearing surface against which a mounting end of said at least one strap is seatable.
- 11. The binding of claim 10, wherein said at least one strap includes at least one of a toe strap, an ankle strap and a shin strap.
- 12. The binding of claim 10, wherein each side of said base includes a sidewall having a toe strap slot and an ankle strap slot, said at least one strap including a toe strap having a first section and a second section each of which is attachable to said base within said respective toe strap slots in a first mounting location and a second mounting location, and also including an ankle strap having a first section and a second section each of which is attachable to said base within said respective ankle strap slots in a first mounting location and a second mounting location.
- 13. The binding of claim 12, wherein said first section of said toe strap and said ankle strap each includes a ratchet strap and said second section of said toe strap and said ankle strap each includes a boot engagement strap having a buckle that is releasably engageable with said ratchet strap.
- 14. The binding of claim 10, wherein said at least one strap includes a first section and a separate second section that are releasably engageable together, wherein one of both said first and second sections, and said base, includes a locking member, and the other of both said first and second sections, and said base, includes at least two complementary locking members corresponding to said first and second mounting locations, wherein said first and second sections are detachable, tool free, from said first mounting location, while said base is attached to the gliding implement.
- 15. The binding of claim 10, wherein said at least one strap includes a living hinge.
- 16. The binding of claim 15, wherein said living hinge includes an opening in a mounting end of said at least one strap.
- 17. The binding of claim 16, wherein said mounting end including said opening has an outer curved profile that seats against said base.
- 18. The binding of claim 15, wherein said at least one strap includes a lower end that is wider than an intermediate portion of said at least one strap.
- 19. The binding of claim 15, wherein said living hinge includes a mounting portion of said at least one strap having surface reliefs formed therein.
- 20. The binding of claim 19, wherein said surface reliefs include accordion type impressions in said strap surface.
- 21. The binding of claim 15, wherein said living hinge is positioned within said base.
- 22. The binding of claim 10, wherein said binding includes a heel to shin direction and said first mounting location and said second mounting location extend in said heel to shin direction.
- 23. A binding for securing a foot or a boot to a gliding implement, comprising:a base for receiving the foot or boot, said base being attachable to a gliding implement; at least one strap that is conformable to a surface of the foot or boot as it is tightened thereagainst; said base and said at least one strap including complementary locking members for attaching said at least one strap to said base at a first mounting location, at least one of said at least one strap and a portion of said base being resiliently biased to urge said complementary locking members into engagement while said at least one strap is in an untightened state.
- 24. The binding of claim 23, wherein said at least one strap includes a mounting end having a living hinge that is seatable against one of said base and the gliding implement to urge the complementary locking members into engagement.
- 25. The binding of claim 24, wherein said base includes a slotwall having a bearing surface against which said mounting end is seated to urge said complementary locking members into engagement.
- 26. The binding of claim 24, wherein said base includes a slot having an open bottom exposing a bearing surface against which said mounting end is seatable.
- 27. The binding of claim 23, wherein said at least one strap includes a biasing member that seats against a support for said complementary locking members in said base.
- 28. The binding of claim 23, wherein a portion of said base, against which a mounting end of said at least one strap is seated, is resilient and urges said complementary locking members into engagement.
- 29. The binding of claim 23, wherein said complementary locking members include a first set of teeth carried by said at least one strap and a second set of teeth carried by said base.
- 30. The binding of claim 23, wherein said complementary locking members include a boot carried by said at least one strap and a set of teeth carried by said base.
- 31. The binding of claim 23, wherein said base includes a sidewall having a slot for receiving said at least one strap in said first mounting location and in a second mounting location, wherein said complementary locking members also engage said at least one strap to said base at said second mounting location, said complementary locking members being contained within said slot.
- 32. The binding of claim 23, wherein said at least one strap is actuatable by a user, tool free, to disengage said complementary locking members.
- 33. The binding of claim 23, wherein said complementary locking members include at least one boss carried by one said at least one strap and said base, and at least one catch carried by the other of said at least one strap and said base.
- 34. A snowboard binding for securing a boot to a snowboard, comprising:a baseplate including an aperture and a complementary hold down disc for mating with the aperture and securing the baseplate to the snowboard, said baseplate including a pair of sidewalls and a heel hoop, and a highback extending from a rear portion of said baseplate; at least one strap that is conformable to a surface of the boot as it is tightened thereagainst, said at least one strap including a mounting end portion; and at least one of said pair of sidewalls and said heel hoop defining a slot that includes a bottom that is open, the slot receiving said mounting end portion of said at least one strap such that said mounting end portion is seatable through said open bottom of said slot against the snowboard, the at least one strap being mountable to the baseplate within said slot in a first fixed mounting location and in a second fixed mounting location different from the first fixed mounting location, said mounting end portion of said at least one strap being releasable, tool free, from said first fixed mounting location while said baseplate is attached to said snowboard and then repositionable and remountable, tool free, in the second fixed mounting location, wherein said at least one strap cannot be removed from said slot while said baseplate is attached to said snowboard.
- 35. The snowboard binding of claim 34, wherein said mounting end portion of said at least one strap includes a living hinge.
- 36. The snowboard binding of claim 34, wherein said at least one strap includes a first locking member and said slot includes a second complementary locking member that is engageable with said first locking member to attach said at least one strap to said base in said first fixed mounting location.
- 37. The snowboard binding of claim 36, further including a biasing member that biases said first locking member and said second locking member in engagement.
- 38. The snowboard binding of claim 37, wherein said biasing member is a living hinge.
- 39. The snowboard binding of claim 36, wherein said at least one strap is actuatable by a user to disengage said first locking member and said second complementary locking member at said first mounting location.
- 40. The snowboard binding of claim 36, wherein said at least one strap is moveable by a user to disengage said first locking member and said second complementary locking member at said first mounting location.
- 41. The snowboard binding of claim 36, wherein said at least one strap is moveable towards said base to disengage said first locking member and said second complementary locking member at said first mounting location.
- 42. The snowboard binding of claim 36, wherein application of a force along an axis of said at least one strap disengages said first locking member and said second complementary locking member at said first mounting location.
- 43. The snowboard binding of claim 36, wherein said mounting end portion of said at least one strap is compressible to disengage said first locking member from said second locking member.
- 44. The snowboard binding of claim 36, wherein said first locking member is pivotable relative to said second locking member when said locking members are engaged.
- 45. The snowboard binding of claim 36, wherein a portion of an outer profile of said mounting end portion is rounded.
- 46. A method for adjusting tool free, the mounting location of a foot or boot engagement member on a binding while the binding is mounted to a gliding implement, the method comprising:providing a binding having a base and at least one foot or boot engagement member, the binding including a first mounting location for the at least one foot or boot engagement member and a second mounting location for the at least one foot or boot engagement member, the binding being mounted to the gliding implement; and adjusting the at least one foot or boot engagement member from the first mounting location to the second mounting location without tools while the binding is mounted to the gliding implement by moving the at least one foot or boot engagement member relative to the base to disengage complementary locking members on the at least one foot or boot engagement member and the base, said first and second mounting locations being displaced from one another, wherein said at least one foot or boot engagement member cannot be removed from the binding while being adjusted from said first mounting location to said second mounting location.
- 47. A method for adjusting tool free, the mounting location of a foot or boot engagement member on a binding while the binding is mounted to a gliding implement, the method comprising:providing a binding having a base and at least one foot or boot engagement member, the binding including a first mounting location for the at least one foot or boot engagement member and a second mounting location for the at least one foot or boot engagement member, the binding being mounted to the gliding implement; and adjusting the at least one foot or boot engagement member from the first mounting location to the second mounting location without tools while the binding is mounted to the gliding implement by compressing a resilient member to disengage the at least one foot or boot engagement member from the first mounting location, said first and second mounting locations being displaced from one another, wherein said at least one foot or boot engagement member cannot be removed from the binding while being adjusted from said first mounting location to said second mounting location.
- 48. The method of claim 47, wherein the step of compressing comprises:moving the at least one foot or boot engagement member toward the gliding implement.
- 49. A snowboard binding comprising:a base having a bottom and at least one side flange supported by the bottom, the at least one side flange having a front slot that extends from a top of the at least one side flange toward the bottom of the at least one side flange, and a rear slot that extends from a top of the side flange toward a bottom of the side flange; a toe strap positioned at least partially within the front slot; at least two front strap mounting features adapted to attach the toe strap to the base at at least two displaced mounting positions, the at least two front strap mounting features positioned within the front slot and adapted to allow the toe strap to be moved between the at least two mounting positions without tools while the base is attached to a snowboard, wherein the toe strap cannot be removed from the base while being moved between the at least two mounting positions; an ankle strap positioned at least partially within the rear slot; and at least two rear strap mounting features positioned within the rear slot adapted to engage the ankle strap at at least two rear mounting positions, the at least two rear strap mounting features adapted to allow the ankle strap to be moved between the at least two rear mounting positions without tools while the base is attached to a snowboard.
- 50. The snowboard binding of claim 49, wherein the toe strap has an end positioned within the front slot, the end having a rounded shape.
- 51. The snowboard binding of claim 49, wherein the end of the toe strap has an opening formed through the toe strap.
- 52. The snowboard binding of claim 49, wherein the rear slot extends from the top of the side flange partially toward the bottom of the side flange and the bottom of the side flange below the rear slot is positioned substantially away from the snowboard when the binding is mounted to the snowboard.
- 53. The snowboard binding of claim 52, wherein the front and rear strap mounting features are recesses formed in respective sidewalls of the front and rear slots.
- 54. A snowboard binding comprising:a base, including a bottom, a side flange supported by the bottom, and a slot that extends from a top of the side flange only partially through the side flange such that the slot does not extend through a bottom of the side flange; at least one binding strap; and a detent, supported by the base and formed in the side flange, adapted to mount the at least one binding strap to the base in at least two mounting positions, the detent and the at least one binding strap being configured to allow the at least one binding strap to be selectively moved between the at least two strap mounting positions without tools and without separating the at least one binding strap from the base while the base is attached to a snowboard.
- 55. The binding of claim 54, wherein the slot has opposite sidewalls, at least one of the sidewalls including at least two strap mounting features, and wherein the at least two strap mounting features are adapted to engage with the at least one strap to prevent the strap from being withdrawn upwardly from the slot.
- 56. The binding of claim 55, wherein the side flange has an outer side including a window formed therein that exposes the slot.
- 57. The binding of claim 56, further including a cover that covers the window.
- 58. The binding of claim 55, wherein the detent includes at least two recesses formed at sidewalls within the slot.
- 59. The binding of claim 54, wherein the at least one binding strap includes a resilient end adapted to deform to allow the at least one strap to be disengaged from a first strap mounting position and moved to a second strap mounting position.
- 60. The binding of claim 59, wherein the strap is formed of at least two materials including a first material that forms a body of the strap and a resilient material that forms a resilient end of the strap.
- 61. The binding of claim 59, wherein the resilient end of the strap has at least one aperture to form the resilient end.
- 62. The binding of claim 54, wherein the detent includes a resilient shelf adapted to be deformed to allow the at least one binding strap to be selectively moved between the at least two strap mounting positions.
- 63. The binding of claim 62, wherein:the detent includes a slot that extends from a top of the side flange toward a bottom of the side flange, and the resilient shelf is positioned near a bottom of the slot.
- 64. The binding of claim 54, wherein the at least one binding strap is a heel strap.
- 65. The binding of claim 54, wherein the detent comprises:means for allowing the at least one binding strap to be selectively moved between the at least two strap mounting positions without tools while the base is attached to a snowboard.
- 66. The binding of claim 54, wherein the base includes a slot, wherein the detent includes recesses formed in the slot and adapted to engage with an end of the at least one strap, and wherein the at least one strap includes a tab adapted to engage with the recesses.
- 67. A gliding apparatus comprising:a snowboard; and the snowboard binding of claim 54 attached to the snowboard.
- 68. The binding of claim 54, wherein the detent includes a resilient member.
- 69. A snowboard binding comprising:a base having at least two mounting positions; at least one binding strap constructed and arranged to attach to the base at the at least two mounting positions; and at least one resilient member adapted to deform to allow the at least one binding strap to be moved, tool free, between the at least two mounting positions on the base, the resilient member biasing the at least one binding strap towards engagement at one of said mounting locations when the at least one binding strap is in an untensioned state.
- 70. The binding of claim 69, wherein the base includes a side flange and the side flange includes a slot that extends from a top of the side flange toward a bottom of the side flange.
- 71. The binding of claim 70, wherein the slot has opposite sidewall, at least one of the sidewalls including at least two strap mounting features adapted to engage with the at least one binding strap to prevent the binding strap from being withdrawn upwardly from the slot.
- 72. The binding of claim 70, wherein the side flange has an outer side including a window formed therein that exposes the slot.
- 73. The binding of claim 69, wherein the resilient member is fixed to the at least one binding strap.
- 74. The binding of claim 69, wherein the at least one binding strap is a heel strap.
- 75. The binding of claim 69, wherein the resilient member is a resilient shelf.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of the filing date of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/560,094, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,075, filed Apr. 28, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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Jul 1998 |
EP |
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FR |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/560094 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
Child |
09/880577 |
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US |