Snowboard binding

Details Snowboard binding Snowboard binding

1999-03-01

2001-01-02

Mar, Michael (Department: 3619)

Land vehicles

Skates

Shoe attaching means

C036S117300, C280S014230, C280S617000

Utility Patent

active

06168183

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to bindings for sports equipment and, more particularly, to sport boots and bindings for releasable attachment to snow boards and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Snowboards have been in use for a number of years, and snowboarding has become a popular winter sports activity. A snowboard is controlled by weight transfer and foot movement, both lateral and longitudinal. Precision edge control is especially important in alpine snowboarding activities where carving, rather than sliding, through the snow is desirable. Therefore, small movements of the snowboarder's feet within the boots can have significant effects on the user's control over the snowboard's movement. However, boot flexibility is also important for many recreational and freestyle snowboarding activities. Despite the widespread acknowledgment of the importance of these two desirable factors of edge control and flexibility, snowboard boots generally do not satisfactorily provide both.
To provide control, mountaineering-type boots have been used, especially in Europe. These boots include a molded plastic, stiff outer shell and a soft inner liner. The boots are mounted on the snowboard using mountaineering or plate bindings. Plate bindings are fastened to the board under the fore and aft portions of the sole of the boot and typically provide both heel and toe bails to secure the boot in place, usually without any safety release mechanism. These boots are stiff enough to provide the desired edge control and stability for carving. However, they are too stiff to allow significant lateral flexibility, a key movement in the sport that is essential for freestyle enthusiasts and desirable for all-around snowboarders. As a result, the mountaineering-type boots feel too constraining to many snowboarders.
Freestyle snowboarding requires more flexibility of the ankle of the snowboarder relative to the board than the mountaineering-type boots allow. Even all-around recreational snowboarding requires some boot flexibility. The stiff mountaineering-type boots offer little lateral flexibility and only marginal fore and aft flexibility. Because of the desire for flexibility, most American snowboarders have opted for an insulated snow boot combined with “soft-shell” bindings. These bindings have rigid bases attached to the board, highback shells, straps to wrap around the boot, and buckles to secure the straps in place. The boots, when removed from the bindings, are standard insulated snow boots or slightly modified snow boots. The flexibility gained from the soft boot and relatively soft binding results in less edge control than a mountaineering-type boot and difficult entry and release. The snowboarder may attempt to gain more edge control by tightening his binding straps around his boots. However, such overtightening may seriously sacrifice comfort. A related problem occurs every time the snowboarder reaches flat terrain, the bottom of the hill, or the chairlift. The snowboarder must unbuckle the straps of at least one binding to scoot along skateboard-style by pushing with the released foot. This may be time consuming and cumbersome, since proper securing and tightening of the binding is difficult. Disembarking from the chairlift with only one boot nonreleasably attached to the snowboard is also hazardous, since the leverage of the board on one ankle or knee could easily cause injury in a fall.
Manufacturers' attempts at providing both edge control and flexibility have centered around plate bindings for use with stiff mountaineering-type boots. Plate bindings offer ease of entry and release-no buckles to unsnap or straps to tighten. They may also be made releasable in response to forces placed thereon during use. Plate binding manufacturers have approached the problem of lateral flexibility from several different angles. For example, one type of binding, made by Emery, offers a two-piece plate—one for the heel and the other for the toe. Under each toeplate and heelplate is a half-inch high rubber pad shaped in the form of a rectangle. The rubber pad is supposed to act as a shock absorber and provide side-to-side flex.
Other attempts have used adaptations of Swiss mountaineering bindings. A hard plate is mounted to the board. Two rectangular boxes—at the toe and heel—cradle a spring steel cage. Bails are connected to the cage and act as cantilevers in creating a side-to-side flex. However, such attempts may sacrifice some edge control by making the interface between boot and board too soft in order to achieve the desired lateral flexibility.
In general, the public has not been satisfied with the use of binding plates to solve the flexibility/control dichotomy and the ease of entry and exit problem. Those serious snowboarders who desire to both carve racing turns and “board” freestyle, purchase two boards and two sets of bindings and boots. Those who are simply recreational boarders or cannot afford the two-board luxury, generally settle on one type or the other, and thus sacrifice performance and/or convenience of one type or the other.
The boot of the present invention solves the flexibility/control problem by proceeding in a different direction from past attempts. The invention provides a boot that allows most of the flexibility of the soft shell boot/binding while retaining the advantages of control and ease of entry and release of the mountaineering-type boot/binding arrangement. The invention thus allows greater comfort, convenience, all-around performance, and safety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides snowboard boots and bindings. The boots are flexible while giving proper support for edge control of the snowboard. The boots are also much easier to use than a typical freestyle boot, as the soft shell binding is not needed, and a step-in binding can be used.
The binding is for securing a boot having a rearward portion and a forward portion to the snowboard. The boot has a forward attachment member beneath the forward portion, and a rearward attachment member beneath the rearward portion. The binding includes a binding frame, a first jaw, a second jaw, and a first release mechanism. The binding frame is configured for attachment to the snowboard. The first jaw is secured to the frame and is arranged and configured to grasp at least one of the forward and rearward attachment members. The second jaw is also secured to the frame in a location spaced from the first jaw for grasping the other of the forward and rearward attachment members. The first release mechanism is coupled to the first jaw and functions to open the first jaw to release the boot from the first jaw.
In one preferred form of the invention, the binding also includes a second release mechanism coupled to the second jaw for opening the second jaw to release the boot. In one embodiment, the first and second release mechanisms are coupled together. This allows the mechanisms to simultaneously open the first and second jaws. One preferred form of the invention may also include, as part of the frame, a binding plate coupled to the first and second jaws. The binding plate has a surface on which at least a portion of the boot rests.
In one preferred embodiment, the second jaw is fixed and does not move relative to the frame during release of the boot. The opening of the first jaw thus allows both the first and the second attachment members to be released from the first and second jaws. Preferably, the first release mechanism comprises a slide member attached to the first jaw and a lever pivotally attached to the slide member. Movement of the lever causes sliding motion of the slide member and movement of the first jaw. A first static jaw is secured to the frame adjacent the first jaw.
The invention may also be summarized as a snowboard binding apparatus including a boot, a frame, a movable jaw, and a jaw movement mechanism. The boot includes a sole having a first attachment member secured near the longitudinal axis thereof. The frame is securable to a snowboard. The

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