Land vehicles – Skates – Shoe attaching means
Reexamination Certificate
1997-03-06
2001-09-04
Oberleitner, Robert J. (Department: 3613)
Land vehicles
Skates
Shoe attaching means
C411S303000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283491
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention broadly relates to fasteners for securing a support structure such as a binding device to a sportboard such as a snowboard, water ski, snow ski, boogie board, skateboard or the like. Specifically, the present invention is a resiliently self locking anchor intended to be imbedded in a sportboard for attaching bindings or other structures to the sportboard. Art pertinent to the subject matter of the present invention can be found in United States Patent Class 280, Subclasses 607 and 611.
2. State of the Art
Numerous patents have been issued on ski bindings and related fixtures. Plateless snowboard bindings are disclosed in Young, U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,244. Hunter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,217 and Hunt, U.S. Pat. No. 2,526,137, each disclose metal plates laminated into the structure of a ski to receive binding screws. Kautzky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,044 and Gorliez, U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,419, each disclose tabs associated with ski bindings, intended to index with the ski body.
Flexible anchoring for bindings is taught by Gertsch, U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,948; Haff U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,298; and Baggio U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,424. Gertsch teaches the use of a resilient baseplate to provide flexibility. Haff provides a deformable base which can be adjusted to provide toe-in and toe-out. Baggio provides a spring loaded vibration dampening bolt to attach bindings.
Some patents disclose screw retainers to assist in installing bindings. These devices are intended to hold the screws in place in the bindings to facilitate alignment and installation. Beyl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,377 discloses a destructible retainer. Salomon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,300; Mickiewicz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,407; and Riegler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,700, all disclose deformable retainers. Vitali, U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,031 and Muad, U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,698 both disclose a pair of offset holes in the bindings to hold assembly screws in place.
Several patents disclose methods for attaching and/or securing bindings to skis. Matsuda, U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,465, discloses through-bolts countersunk into the face of the ski. Sedlmair, U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,524, discloses a resilient tongue disposed within the screw bores of a binding to engage and lock a screw in place. A binding screw anchor, similar to a conventional lag or wall “bullet” anchor, is disclosed in Provence, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,410. Dietlein, U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,061, discloses a self tapping internally/externally threaded bushing. This bushing in obviously intended to be screwed into a blind bore.
Mayr, U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,901, and Hoelzl, U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,445 each disclose the use of inserts within the binding screw bores. Mayr teaches the use of layered cores to provide adjustable mounting. The inserts in Mayr are alternating layers of a rubber material and rigid material, (metal or fiberglass). Hoelzl teaches similar use of layered material in conjunction with a bushing or flared end insert. However, In both of these patents, the rubber and fiberglass material are all disposed externally, away from the threads. The rubber material is intended to provide flexibility to the securements. Hoelzl and Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,299, each disclose the use of a ski binding attachment having a generally inverted “T” shaped cross-section. The Anderson anchor is installed generally flush with the sole of a ski.
The prior art fails to disclose a snowboard, ski or other sportboard related reference that teaches the use of a nylon insert to lock the threaded elements anchoring a snowboard or ski binding, particularly in conjunction with an anchor which has a shape which further enhances performance by increasing the bearing surface and spreading the angle of stress on the sportboard-anchor interface.
SUMMARY
Our invention provides a vibration and stress resistant locking anchor intended to be embedded in a sportboard such as a water ski, a snowboard, snow ski, boogie board or skateboard in a concentric countersunk mounting hole to mount bindings or other elements such as skateboard carriages.
Our fastener for use with a sportboard comprises a base sized to be received within a countersink defined in the face of a sportboard. Preferably, the base and countersink have corresponding noncircular shapes to provide a tight fit. Specifically, the base and countersink are generally rectangular with rounded ends. An integral ferrule extends upwardly from the base through a bore defined in the sportboard concentric with said countersink. Internal threads are defined within the ferrule portion to receive a screw for mounting a binding or other sportboard element. An internal annulus portion is defined in the lower portion of the ferrule portion, positioning it generally at the juncture of the base and the ferrule. A generally circular resilient insert is disposed within the annulus. A screw threaded into the ferrule of the anchor contacts the resilient insert. This prevents the screw from backing out as a result of flexure of the sportboard, vibration and lateral mechanical stresses.
Preferably, the resilient insert is nylon, red in color. The shape it defines might be considered a washer-like or ring shape. Additionally, in the preferred embodiment, the base defines a central orifice having a diameter approximately equal to or slightly greater than the external diameter of the resilient ring, to allow insertion of the ring into the annulus. The floor of the annulus and the floor of the ferrule's threaded bore is defined by a plate crimped into the base orifice. The preferred shape of the base is noncircular. This shape aids in preventing rotation of the anchor while the binding mounting screw is tightened. The preferred shape, in plan, is generally ovoid with flat sides. This shape has the aforementioned advantage over a circular shape of indexing the anchor in place, preventing rotation while tightening the binding screws. Additionally, the rounded ends provide a greater bearing area than would be provided by a strictly rectangular base. Furthermore, the rounded ends prevent the corners of the anchor from digging in as easily as the corners of a truly rectangular base.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an integral self locking fastener for a sportboard.
Further, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an integral resiliently self locking anchor intended to be imbedded in the body of a sportboard for attaching bindings or other structures to the sportboard using screws.
Specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a resiliently self locking sportboard binding screw anchor.
More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a resiliently self locking binding screw fastener for snowboards, snow skis, water skis and boogie boards.
Also, an object of the present invention is to provide a resiliently self locking skateboard carriage mounting screw anchor.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sportboard binding anchor having a nylon insert to engage and lock a binding or mounting, screw or bolt against loosening.
A specific object of the present invention is to provide a sportboard binding anchor having a red nylon insert.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sportboard binding fastener which resists lateral forces to maintain a binding or mounting screw against rotation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sportboard binding fastener which resists vibration to maintain a binding or mounting screw against rotation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sportboard fastener which resists mechanical forces to maintain a binding or mounting screw against rotation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sportboard fastener which resists forces applied to the binding or mounting screw by board flexure to maintain a binding or mounting screw against rotation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sportboard binding fastener which widely distributes bearing stresses.
A related obj
Bush Duane
Hufstedler Cliff
Kirby Don
Bartz C. T.
MacLean-Esna, L.P.
Mahurin Jerry L.
Oberleitner Robert J.
LandOfFree
Sportboard fastener does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sportboard fastener, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sportboard fastener will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2441740