U.S. patent application number 10/392204 was filed with the patent office on 2003-09-04 for active engagement system for engaging a snowboard boot to a binding.
Invention is credited to Dodge, David J., Maravetz, Paul T., Perry, David L., Phillips, Frank, Reid, Joshua S..
Application Number | 20030164605 10/392204 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27488931 |
Filed Date | 2003-09-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030164605 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Maravetz, Paul T. ; et
al. |
September 4, 2003 |
Active engagement system for engaging a snowboard boot to a
binding
Abstract
One embodiment is directed to a system for mounting a rider to a
snowboard. The system comprises a snowboard boot; a snowboard
binding; a first engagement member; and a second engagement member;
wherein one of the first and second engagement members is mounted
to the sole of the snowboard boot forward of the arch area and the
other is mounted to the binding. The first engagement is adapted to
mate with the second engagement member to releasably engage the
snowboard boot to the binding. The first engagement member is an
active engagement that is automatically movable, in response to the
rider stepping out of the binding, from a closed position to an
open position. Another embodiment is directed to a snowboard boot
for use with a binding including a pair of spaced apart engagement
members. The snowboard boot includes a cleat adapted to be
releasably engaged by the pair of spaced apart engagement members.
At least one of side of the cleat tapers inwardly from a wider
base-end portion to a narrower free-end portion so that the cleat
separates the pair of spaced apart engagement members when the
snowboard boot steps into the binding. The engagement system can be
reversed so that the pair of spaced members are on the boot and the
cleat is on the binding.
Inventors: |
Maravetz, Paul T.; (Stowe,
VT) ; Phillips, Frank; (Richmond, VT) ; Dodge,
David J.; (Williston, VT) ; Perry, David L.;
(Essex Junction, VT) ; Reid, Joshua S.; (Stowe,
VT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOLF GREENFIELD & SACKS, PC
FEDERAL RESERVE PLAZA
600 ATLANTIC AVENUE
BOSTON
MA
02210-2211
US
|
Family ID: |
27488931 |
Appl. No.: |
10/392204 |
Filed: |
March 20, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10392204 |
Mar 20, 2003 |
|
|
|
09062255 |
Apr 17, 1998 |
|
|
|
6557884 |
|
|
|
|
09062255 |
Apr 17, 1998 |
|
|
|
08887530 |
Jul 3, 1997 |
|
|
|
6394484 |
|
|
|
|
60044715 |
Apr 18, 1997 |
|
|
|
60044716 |
Apr 18, 1997 |
|
|
|
60051703 |
Jul 3, 1997 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/624 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 5/0474 20130101;
A63C 10/10 20130101; A43B 5/0423 20130101; A63C 10/18 20130101;
A43B 5/0403 20130101; A63C 10/24 20130101; A63C 10/285 20130101;
A43B 5/046 20130101; A63C 10/04 20130101; A43B 5/0456 20130101;
A43B 5/0401 20130101; A63C 10/145 20130101; A63C 10/103 20130101;
A63C 10/106 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/624 |
International
Class: |
A63C 009/16 |
Claims
1. A system for mounting a rider to a snowboard, the system
comprising: a snowboard boot having a sole including a heel area,
an arch area and a toe area; a snowboard binding; a first
engagement member; and a second engagement member; wherein one of
the first and second engagement members is mounted to the sole of
the snowboard boot forward of the arch area and the other of the
first and second engagement members is mounted to the binding;
wherein the first engagement is adapted to mate with the second
engagement member to releasably engage the snowboard boot to the
binding; and wherein the first engagement member is an active
engagement member that is movable between a first state wherein the
first engagement member does not engage the second engagement
member and a second state wherein the first engagement member
engages the second engagement member to inhibit lifting of the toe
area of the boot from the binding during riding, and wherein the
active engagement member is automatically movable, in response to
the rider stepping out of the binding, from the second state to the
first state.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the active engagement member is
further automatically movable, in response to the rider stepping
into the binding, from the first state to the second state, wherein
the second engagement member is a cleat having a base mounted to
one of the snowboard boot and the binding, wherein the cleat
further includes medial and lateral sides, and wherein at least one
of the medial and lateral sides tapers inwardly from a wider
base-end portion of the cleat adjacent the base to a narrower
free-end portion of the cleat away from the base.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first engagement member
includes a pair of spaced apart engagement members, and wherein the
cleat further includes medial and lateral shelves disposed adjacent
the wider base-end portion of the cleat, each of the shelves being
adapted to receive one of the pair of spaced apart engagement
members.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one of the medial
and lateral sides of the cleat is adapted to spread apart the pair
of spaced apart engagement members as the snowboard boot steps into
engagement with the binding.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the medial
and lateral sides of the cleat is adapted to spread apart the pair
of spaced apart engagement members as one of the cleat and the pair
of spaced apart engagement members is brought straight down on top
of the other.
6. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the medial and
lateral shelves includes an outer base-facing lip that is adapted
to retain the corresponding one of the pair of spaced apart
engagement members on the shelf.
7. The system of claim 3, wherein the second engagement member
includes means for automatically spreading the pair of spaced apart
engagement members apart to release the cleat in response to the
snowboard boot stepping out of engagement with the binding.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second
engagement members is adapted to underlie a toe area of the
snowboard boot, and wherein the second engagement member includes
means for resisting release from the pair of spaced apart
engagement members in response to a lifting force generated at the
toe area of the snowboard boot.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the active engagement member is
further automatically movable, in response to the rider stepping
into the binding, from the first state to the second state, wherein
the second engagement member is a wedge-shaped cleat having a base
mounted to one of the snowboard boot and the binding, and wherein
the wedge-shaped cleat has medial and lateral sides that each
tapers inwardly from a wider base-end portion of the cleat adjacent
the base to a narrower free-end portion of the cleat away from the
base.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first engagement member
includes a pair of spaced apart engagement members, and wherein the
cleat further includes medial and lateral shelves disposed adjacent
the wider base-end portion of the cleat, each of the shelves being
adapted to receive one of the pair of spaced apart engagement
members.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the medial and lateral
sides of the cleat is adapted to spread the pair of spaced apart
engagement members apart as the snowboard boot steps into
engagement with the binding.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the medial and lateral
sides of the cleat is adapted to spread apart the pair of spaced
apart engagement members as one of the cleat and the pair of spaced
apart engagement members is brought straight down on top of the
other.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the medial and
lateral shelves includes an outer base-facing lip that is adapted
to retain the corresponding one of the pair of spaced apart
engagement members on the shelf.
14. The system of claim 9, wherein the medial and lateral sides of
the wedge-shaped cleat each further tapers along a length of the
cleat from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein the first engagement member is
mounted to the binding and the second engagement member is mounted
to the snowboard boot.
16. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the medial
and lateral sides of the cleat is adapted to spread apart the pair
of spaced apart engagement members as the snowboard boot is stepped
into engagement with the binding.
17. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the pair of
spaced apart engagement members is biased for movement toward the
other.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the pair of spaced
apart engagement members is loop-shaped.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first engagement member
further includes at least one stop adapted to inhibit migration of
the second engagement member when engaged with the pair of spaced
apart engagement members.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein each of the pair of spaced
apart engagement members is loop-shaped, and wherein the at least
one stop has a height that is less than a height of at least one of
the pair of spaced apart loop-shaped engagement members, so that
the one of the pair of loop-shaped engagement members can flex over
a top of the stop.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein each of the loop-shaped
engagement members includes a loop having a length extending in a
heel-to-toe direction, and wherein the at least one stop has a
dimension extending in the heel-to-toe direction that is less than
the length of the loop, so that the loop can flex about the
stop.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the pair of spaced apart
engagement members is spaced apart by a distance, wherein the wider
base-end portion of the cleat is wider than the distance, and
wherein the narrower free-end portion of the cleat is narrower than
the distance.
23. The system of claim 21, wherein the medial and lateral sides of
the wedge-shaped cleat each further tapers along a length of the
cleat from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat, and wherein the wider toe-end
portion of the cleat is wider than the distance and the narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat is narrower than the distance.
24. The system of claim 2, wherein the medial and lateral sides of
the wedge-shaped cleat each further tapers along a length of the
cleat from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat.
25. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the pair of
spaced apart engagement members is biased for movement toward the
other.
26. The system of claim 10, wherein the medial and lateral sides of
the wedge-shaped cleat each further tapers along a length of the
cleat from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat.
27. The system of claim 3, wherein the pair of spaced apart
engagement members is spaced apart by a distance, wherein the wider
base-end portion of the cleat is wider than the distance, and
wherein the narrower free-end portion of the cleat is narrower than
the distance.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the medial and lateral sides of
the wedge-shaped cleat each further tapers along a length of the
cleat from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat, and wherein the wider toe-end
portion of the cleat is wider than the distance and the narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat is narrower than the distance.
29. The system of claim 3, wherein the medial and lateral sides of
the wedge-shaped cleat each further tapers along a length of the
cleat from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat, and wherein the wider toe-end
portion of the cleat is wider than the distance and the narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat is narrower than the distance.
30. The system of claim 1, wherein the second engagement member
includes means for automatically moving the active engagement
member from its first state to its second state in response to the
rider stepping into the binding.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first engagement member
includes a pair of spaced apart engagement members, and wherein the
second engagement member includes means for automatically spreading
the pair of spaced apart engagement members apart to release the
second engagement member in response to the snowboard boot being
stepped out of engagement with the binding.
32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first and second engagement
members each is adapted to underlie the toe area of the snowboard
boot, and wherein the second engagement member includes means for
resisting release from the pair of spaced apart engagement members
in response to a lifting force generated at the toe area of the
snowboard boot.
33. A snowboard boot adapted for use with a binding to mount the
snowboard boot to a snowboard, the binding including a pair of
spaced apart engagement members, the snowboard boot comprising: a
sole; and a cleat having a base that is supported by the sole, the
cleat being adapted to be releasably engaged by the pair of spaced
apart engagement members, the cleat including medial and lateral
sides, wherein at least one of the medial and lateral sides tapers
inwardly from a wider base-end portion of the cleat adjacent the
base to a narrower free-end portion of the cleat away from the
base, the at least one of the medial and lateral sides being
adapted to separate the pair of spaced apart engagement members
when the snowboard boot steps into the binding.
34. The snowboard boot of claim 33, wherein the cleat further
includes medial and lateral shelves disposed adjacent the wider
base-end portion of the cleat, each of the shelves being adapted to
receive one of the pair of spaced apart engagement members.
35. The snowboard boot of claim 33, wherein the sole includes a
heel area, an arch area and a toe area, and wherein the cleat is
mounted to the sole of the snowboard boot forward of the arch
area.
36. The snowboard boot of claim 33, wherein the at least one of the
medial and lateral sides of the cleat is adapted to spread apart
the pair of spaced apart engagement members as the cleat is brought
straight down on top of the pair of spaced apart engagement
members.
37. The snowboard boot of claim 34, wherein at least one of the
medial and lateral shelves includes an outer base-facing lip that
is adapted to retain the corresponding one of the pair of spaced
apart engagement members on the shelf.
38. The snowboard boot of claim 33, wherein the cleat includes
means for automatically spreading the pair of spaced apart
engagement members apart to release the cleat in response to the
snowboard boot stepping out of engagement with the binding.
39. The snowboard boot of claim 38, wherein the cleat underlies a
toe area of the snowboard boot, and wherein the cleat further
includes means for resisting release from the pair of spaced apart
engagement members in response to a lifting force generated at the
toe area of the snowboard boot.
40. The snowboard boot of claim 33, wherein the cleat is
wedge-shaped, and wherein the wedge-shaped cleat has medial and
lateral sides that each tapers inwardly from the wider base-end
portion of the cleat to the narrower free-end portion of the
cleat.
41. The snowboard boot of claim 40, wherein each of the medial and
lateral sides of the cleat is adapted to spread the pair of spaced
apart engagement members apart as the snowboard boot steps into the
binding.
42. The snowboard boot of claim 41, wherein each of the medial and
lateral sides of the cleat is adapted to spread apart the pair of
spaced apart engagement members as the cleat is brought straight
down on top of the pair of spaced apart engagement members.
43. The snowboard boot of claim 40, wherein the cleat further
includes medial and lateral shelves disposed adjacent the wider
base-end portion of the cleat, each of the shelves being adapted to
receive one of the pair of spaced apart engagement members, and
wherein at least one of the medial and lateral shelves includes an
outer base-facing lip that is adapted to retain the corresponding
one of the pair of spaced apart engagement members on the
shelf.
44. The snowboard boot of claim 33, wherein the at least one of the
medial and lateral sides of the cleat further tapers along a length
of the cleat from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a
narrower heel-end portion of the cleat.
45. The snowboard boot of claim 33, wherein the pair of spaced
apart engagement members is spaced apart by a distance, and wherein
the wider base-end portion of the cleat is wider than the distance,
and wherein the narrower free-end portion of the cleat is narrower
than the distance.
46. The snowboard boot of claim 45, wherein the pair of spaced
apart engagement members is spaced apart by a distance, wherein the
cleat further tapers along a length of the cleat from a wider
toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower heel-end portion of the
cleat, and wherein the wider toe-end portion of the cleat is wider
than the distance and the narrower heel-end portion of the cleat is
narrower than the distance.
47. The snowboard boot of claim 35, wherein the cleat underlies a
toe area of the snowboard boot.
48. The snowboard boot of claim 33, wherein the cleat further
tapers along a length of the cleat from a wider toe-end portion of
the cleat to a narrower heel-end portion of the cleat, and wherein
the wider toe-end portion of the cleat is wider than the distance
and the narrower heel-end portion of the cleat is narrower than the
distance.
49. The snowboard boot of claim 34, wherein the cleat further
includes medial and lateral shelves disposed adjacent the wider
base-end portion of the cleat, each of the shelves being adapted to
receive one of the pair of spaced apart engagement members.
50. The snowboard boot of claim 40, wherein the medial and lateral
sides of the cleat each further tapers along a length of the cleat
from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower heel-end
portion of the cleat.
51. A snowboard boot adapted for use with a binding to mount the
snowboard boot to a snowboard, the binding including a first
engagement member, the snowboard boot comprising: a sole; and a
second engagement member supported by the sole, the second
engagement member including engagement means for releasably
engaging the first engagement member, the engagement means
including means for automatically disengaging from the first
engagement member in response to the snowboard boot stepping out of
engagement with the binding.
52. The snowboard boot of claim 51, wherein the second engagement
member further includes means for automatically engaging the first
engagement member in response to the snowboard boot stepping into
the binding, and wherein the second engagement member underlies a
toe area of the snowboard boot.
53. The snowboard boot of claim 52, wherein the engagement means
further includes means for resisting release from the first
engagement member in response to a lifting force generated at the
toe area of the snowboard boot.
54. A snowboard binding to mount a snowboard boot to a snowboard,
the snowboard boot including a first engagement member, the
snowboard binding comprising: a base; and a second engagement
member, mounted to the base, that is adapted to mate with the first
engagement member to releasably engage the snowboard boot to the
binding, the second engagement member being an active engagement
member that is movable between a first state wherein the second
engagement member does not engage the first engagement member and a
second state wherein the second engagement member engages the first
engagement member to inhibit lifting of the boot from the binding
during riding, and wherein the active engagement member is
automatically movable, in response to the rider stepping out of the
binding, from the second state to the first state.
55. The snowboard binding of claim 54, wherein the active
engagement member is further automatically movable, in response to
the rider stepping into the binding, from the first state to the
second state, wherein the first engagement member includes a cleat
having a base mounted to a sole of the snowboard boot and medial
and lateral sides, and wherein the second engagement member
includes a pair of spaced apart engagement members each adapted to
engage one of the medial and lateral sides of the cleat.
56. The snowboard binding of claim 55, wherein the pair of spaced
apart engagement members is adapted to be spread apart as the
snowboard boot steps into engagement with the binding.
57. The snowboard binding of claim 55, wherein each of the pair of
spaced apart engagement members extends in a substantially
heel-to-toe direction along a length of the binding.
58. The snowboard binding of claim 55, wherein the second
engagement member is adapted to underlie a toe area of the
snowboard boot, and wherein the second engagement member includes
means for resisting release of the cleat from the pair of spaced
apart engagement members in response to a lifting force generated
at the toe area of the snowboard boot.
59. The snowboard binding of claim 55, wherein at least one of the
pair of spaced apart engagement members is biased for movement
toward the other.
60. The snowboard binding of claim 55, wherein each of the pair of
spaced apart engagement members is loop-shaped.
61. The snowboard binding of claim 55, wherein the second
engagement member further includes at least one stop adapted to
inhibit migration of the cleat when engaged with the pair of spaced
apart engagement members.
62. The snowboard binding of claim 61, wherein each of the pair of
spaced apart engagement members is loop-shaped, and wherein the at
least one stop has a height that is less than a height of at least
one of the pair of spaced apart loop-shaped engagement members, so
that the one of the pair of loop-shaped engagement members can flex
over a top of the stop.
63. The snowboard binding of claim 62, wherein each of the
loop-shaped engagement members includes a loop having a length
extending in a heel-to-toe direction, and wherein the at least one
stop has a dimension extending in the heel-to-toe direction that is
less than the length of the loop, so that the loop can flex about
the stop.
64. The snowboard binding of claim 55, wherein the cleat has a
wider base-end portion and a narrower free-end portion, and wherein
the pair of spaced apart engagement members is spaced apart by a
distance that is greater than the narrower free-end portion of the
cleat and smaller than the wider base-end portion of the cleat.
65. The snowboard binding of claim 64, wherein each of the medial
and lateral sides of the cleat further tapers along a length of the
cleat from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower
heel-end portion of the cleat, and wherein the pair of spaced apart
engagement members is spaced apart by a distance that is greater
than the narrower heel-end portion of the cleat and smaller than
the wider toe-end portion of the cleat.
66. The snowboard binding of claim 55, wherein each of the pair of
spaced apart engagement members is biased for movement toward the
other.
67. The snowboard binding of claim 66, wherein each of the pair of
spaced apart engagement members is loop-shaped.
68. The snowboard binding of claim 54, wherein the first engagement
member is disposed to underlie a toe area of the snowboard
boot.
69. The snowboard binding of claim 64, wherein each of the pair of
spaced apart engagement members is loop-shaped.
70. The snowboard binding of claim 69, wherein at least one of the
pair of spaced apart engagement members is biased for movement
toward the other.
71. The snowboard binding of claim 65, wherein each of the pair of
spaced apart engagement members is loop-shaped.
72. The snowboard binding of claim 71, wherein at least one of the
pair of spaced apart engagement members is biased for movement
toward the other.
73. The snowboard binding of claim 55, wherein each of the medial
and lateral sides of the cleat tapers along a length of the cleat
from a wider toe-end portion of the cleat to a narrower heel-end
portion of the cleat, and wherein the pair of spaced apart
engagement members is spaced apart by a distance that is greater
than the narrower heel-end portion of the cleat and smaller than
the wider toe-end portion of the cleat.
74. A method of interfacing a first engagement member on a
snowboard boot with a second engagement member on a snowboard
binding that is engageable with the first engagement member to
mount the snowboard boot to a snowboard, wherein at least one of
the first and second engagement members is an active engagement
member that is moveable between an open position and a closed
position, the method comprising a step of: (A) stepping the
snowboard boot out of the snowboard binding so that the active
engagement member automatically moves from the closed position to
the open position without operating a lever on the snowboard boot
or the snowboard binding, so that the first engagement member is
disengaged from the second engagement member.
75. The method of claim 74, further comprising a step of: (B)
stepping the snowboard boot into the snowboard binding so that the
active engagement member automatically moves between the open and
closed positions without operating a lever on the snowboard boot or
the snowboard binding, so that the first engagement member engages
with the second engagement member.
76. The method of claim 74, wherein the step (B) includes a step of
stepping the snowboard boot into the snowboard binding so that the
first engagement member is brought substantially straight down on
top of the second engagement member.
77. The method of claim 74, wherein the snowboard boot includes a
sole having a heel area, an arch area and a toe area, wherein the
first engagement member is mounted on the toe area of the sole, and
wherein the step (A) includes a step of stepping the snowboard boot
out of the snowboard binding by first lifting the heel area of the
sole away from the snowboard binding and pivoting the snowboard
boot forward about the toe area of the sole.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of provisional
applications serial Nos. 60/044,715 and 60/044,716 filed Apr. 18,
1997, of provisional application serial No. 60/051,703 filed Jul.
3, 1997, and of regular application Ser. No. 08/887,530, filed Jul.
3, 1997.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention is directed generally to the filed
boots and bindings for gliding sports, and more particularly, to
the field of snowboard boots and bindings.
[0003] Description of the Related Art
[0004] Specially configured boards for gliding along a terrain are
known, such as snowboards, snow skis, water skis, wake boards, surf
boards and the like. For purposes of this patent, "gliding board"
will refer generally to any of the foregoing boards as well as to
other board-type devices which allow a rider to traverse a surface.
For ease of understanding, however, and without limiting the scope
of the invention, the inventive boot, binding and interface systems
for a gliding board to which this patent is addressed is discussed
below particularly in connection with a snowboard. However, it
should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited in
this respect, and that the aspects of the present invention
described below can be used in association with other types of
gliding boards.
[0005] Conventional snowboard binding systems used with soft
snowboard boots are one of two general types. A first type, known
as a tray binding, typically includes a rigid high-back piece
against which the heel of the boot is placed, and one or more
straps that secure the boot to the binding. Such bindings can be
somewhat inconvenient to use because after each run, the rider must
unbuckle each strap of the rear binding to release the boot when
getting on the chairlift, and must re-buckle each strap before the
next run. To address those convenience concerns, a second type of
binding known as a step-in binding has been developed that
typically does not employ straps, but rather includes one or more
strapless engagement members into which the rider can step to lock
the boot into the binding. Some of these systems include a handle
or lever that must be actuated to move one of the engagement
members into and out of engagement with the snowboard boot, and
therefore, are not automatically actuated by the rider stepping
into the binding. Furthermore, most step-in systems include a metal
engagement member on the binding and a corresponding metal
engagement member on the boot, such that when the boot is engaged
with the binding, it is held rigidly into the binding by the
metal-to-metal engagement interface.
[0006] Many riders are unhappy with conventional step-in bindings
for two reasons. First, most step-in bindings do not have the feel
of a conventional tray binding when riding. In particular, the
straps in conventional tray bindings allow the rider's foot to roll
laterally when riding, which is a characteristic desired by many
riders. In contrast, the rigid metal-to-metal interface employed in
most step-in systems between the boot and binding does not allow
for any foot roll, which results in a ride having a feel that many
riders find to be unacceptable. A second problem with most step-in
systems is that the boot includes a rigid sole, making the boot
very uncomfortable to walk in. In addition, many step-in systems
include a relatively large metal plate attached to the sole of the
boot for interfacing with the binding, which further reduces the
comfort of the boot when walking.
[0007] In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present
invention to provide an improved system for engaging a snowboard
boot to a snowboard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] One embodiment of the invention is directed to a system for
mounting a rider to a snowboard. The system comprises a snowboard
boot to receive a foot of the rider, the snowboard boot including
an outer sole having a heel area, an arch area and a toe area; a
snowboard binding to be mounted to the snowboard; and an interface
having at least one mating feature adapted to be releasably engaged
by the snowboard binding, the interface further including at least
one strap adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard boot. The
outer sole of the snowboard boot includes a recess rearward of the
arch area that is adapted to receive the interface so that the
interface does not protrude below the outer sole when the interface
is mounted to the snowboard boot.
[0009] Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an
interface for use in a system for mounting a rider to a snowboard,
the system comprising a snowboard binding to be mounted to the
snowboard, a snowboard boot, and the interface. The interface
comprises a body having at least one mating feature adapted to be
releasably engaged by the snowboard binding, the body further
including a base that is adapted to pass under the sole of the
snowboard boot, the base having a non-planar contoured upper
surface that is adapted to fit within a recess in a sole of the
snowboard boot; and at least one strap, supported by the body,
adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard boot.
[0010] A further embodiment of the invention is directed to a
system for mounting a rider to a snowboard. The system comprises a
snowboard boot to receive a foot of the rider; a snowboard binding
to be mounted to the snowboard; and an interface having at least
one strap adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard boot, the
interface further including at least one mating feature adapted to
be releasably engaged by the snowboard binding, the at least one
mating feature including at least one engagement pin that extends
outwardly from medial and lateral sides of the interface and is
circular in cross-section.
[0011] A further embodiment of the invention is directed to an
interface for engaging a snowboard boot to a snowboard binding. The
interface comprises a body having at least one mating feature
adapted to be releasably engaged by the snowboard binding, the at
least one mating feature including at least one engagement pin that
extends outwardly from medial and lateral sides of the interface
and is circular in cross-section; and at least one strap, supported
by the body, adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard
boot.
[0012] Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a system
for mounting a rider to a snowboard. The system comprises a
snowboard boot to receive a foot of the rider, the snowboard boot
including a sole having a recess; a snowboard binding to be mounted
to the snowboard; and an interface. The interface has a body
including a base that is adapted to pass under the sole of the
snowboard boot, the base having a non-planar contoured upper
surface that is adapted to fit within the recess in the sole of the
snowboard boot; at least one mating feature that is supported by
the body and is adapted to be releasably engaged by the snowboard
binding; and at least one strap that is supported by the body and
is adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard boot.
[0013] A further embodiment of the invention is directed to a
snowboard binding to mount a snowboard boot to a snowboard, the
snowboard binding comprising a base having a toe end and a heel
end; and a guide, supported by the base, that is adapted to guide
the snowboard boot back toward the heel end of the base when the
snowboard boot is stepped into the binding.
[0014] Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a
snowboard binding comprising a baseplate; a heel hoop mounted to
the baseplate, the heel hoop being hinged for rotation relative to
the baseplate about a first axis; and a high-back supported by the
heel hoop.
[0015] A further embodiment of the invention is directed a
snowboard binding to mount a snowboard boot to a snowboard, the
snowboard boot including at least one pin extending from medial and
lateral sides thereof. The snowboard binding comprises a base
having medial and lateral sides; a pair of engagement cams each
mounted to one of the medial and lateral sides of the base for
rotation between a closed position to engage the at least one pin
and an open position to release the at least one pin; at least one
lever that is adapted to move the pair of engagement cams from the
closed position to the open position; and a cocking mechanism that
is adapted to maintain the pair of engagement cams in the open
position upon release of the at least one lever.
[0016] A further embodiment of the present invention is directed to
a system for mounting a rider to a snowboard. The system comprises
a snowboard boot having a sole including a heel area, an arch area
and a toe area; a snowboard binding; a first engagement member; and
a second engagement member; wherein one of the first and second
engagement members is mounted to the sole of the snowboard boot
forward of the arch area and the other of the first and second
engagement members is mounted to the binding; wherein the first
engagement is adapted to mate with the second engagement member to
releasably engage the snowboard boot to the binding; and wherein
the first engagement member is an active engagement member that is
movable between a first state wherein the first engagement member
does not engage the second engagement member and a second state
wherein the first engagement member engages the second engagement
member to inhibit lifting of the toe area of the boot from the
binding during riding, and wherein the active engagement member is
automatically movable, in response to the rider stepping out of the
binding, from the second state to the first state.
[0017] Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a
snowboard boot adapted for use with a binding to mount the
snowboard boot to a snowboard, the binding including a pair of
spaced apart engagement members. The snowboard boot comprises a
sole; and a cleat having a base that is supported by the sole, the
cleat being adapted to be releasably engaged by the pair of spaced
apart engagement members, the cleat including medial and lateral
sides, wherein at least one of the medial and lateral sides tapers
inwardly from a wider base-end portion of the cleat adjacent the
base to a narrower free-end portion of the cleat away from the
base, the at least one of the medial and lateral sides being
adapted to separate the pair of spaced apart engagement members
when the snowboard boot steps into the binding.
[0018] Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a
snowboard boot adapted for use with a binding to mount the
snowboard boot to a snowboard, the binding including a first
engagement member. The snowboard boot comprises a sole; and a
second engagement member supported by the sole, the second
engagement member including engagement means for releasably
engaging the first engagement member, the engagement means
including means for automatically disengaging from the first
engagement member in response to the snowboard boot stepping out of
engagement with the binding.
[0019] A further embodiment of the invention is directed to a
snowboard binding to mount a snowboard boot to a snowboard, the
snowboard boot including a first engagement member. The snowboard
binding comprises a base; and a second engagement member, mounted
to the base, that is adapted to mate with the first engagement
member to releasably engage the snowboard boot to the binding, the
second engagement member being an active engagement member that is
movable between a first state wherein the second engagement member
does not engage the first engagement member and a second state
wherein the second engagement member engages the first engagement
member to inhibit lifting of the boot from the binding during
riding, and wherein the active engagement member is automatically
movable, in response to the rider stepping out of the binding, from
the second state to the first state.
[0020] Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method
of interfacing a first engagement member on a snowboard boot with a
second engagement member on a snowboard binding that is engageable
with the first engagement member to mount the snowboard boot to a
snowboard, wherein at least one of the first and second engagement
members is an active engagement member that is moveable between an
open position and a closed position. The method comprises a step of
stepping the snowboard boot out of the snowboard binding so that
the active engagement member automatically moves from the closed
position to the open position without operating a lever on the
snowboard boot or the snowboard binding, so that the first
engagement member is disengaged from the second engagement
member.
[0021] A further embodiment of the invention is directed to a
snowboard boot for use in a system for mounting a rider to a
snowboard, the system comprising a snowboard binding to be mounted
to the snowboard and an interface having at least one mating
feature adapted to be releasably engaged by the snowboard binding,
the interface including at least one strap adapted to releasably
mount the interface to the snowboard boot. The snowboard boot
comprises a boot upper; and a sole including a heel area, an arch
area and a toe area, the sole further including a recess, disposed
rearwardly of the arch area, that is adapted to receive the
interface so that the interface does not protrude below the sole
when the interface is mounted to the snowboard boot.
[0022] A further embodiment of the invention is directed to a
snowboard boot for use in a system for mounting a rider to a
snowboard, the system comprising a snowboard binding to be mounted
to the snowboard and an interface including at least one mating
feature adapted to be releasably engaged by the snowboard binding,
the interface further including a base that is adapted to pass
under the sole of the snowboard boot, the base having a non-planar
contoured upper surface, the interface further including at least
one strap that is adapted to releasably mount the interface to the
snowboard boot. The snowboard boot comprises a boot upper; and a
sole including a recess periphery that defines a recess adapted to
receive the interface, the recess periphery including at least one
bottom-facing non-planar contoured surface that is adapted to mate
with the non-planar contoured upper surface of the interface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one illustrative embodiment
of an interface for engaging a snowboard boot to a binding;
[0024] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the interface of
FIG. 1 and a binding compatible therewith;
[0025] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an alternate
embodiment of an interface according to the present invention, as
well as one illustrative embodiment of a binding in accordance with
the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a top view of the binding of FIG. 3;
[0027] FIG. 5 is cross-sectional view, taking along line 5-5 of
FIG. 4, of the binding of FIG. 4 engaging the interface of FIG.
3;
[0028] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken along
line 6-6 of FIG. 5, of the binding and interface of FIG. 3;
[0029] FIG. 7 is a detailed side view, taken along line 7-7 of FIG.
6, showing the rear locking mechanism of the binding of FIG. 3;
[0030] FIG. 8 is a detailed cross-sectional view, taken along line
8-8 of FIG. 7, of the rear locking mechanism of the binding of FIG.
3;
[0031] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional schematic side view of the
interface and the binding of FIG. 3;
[0032] FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of the rear locking
mechanism of the binding of FIG. 3 with the interface stepping into
the binding;
[0033] FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of the rear locking
mechanism of the binding of FIG. 3 with the interface stepping
further into but not yet locked by the rear locking mechanism of
the binding;
[0034] FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of the rear locking
mechanism of the binding of FIG. 3 with the interface engaged
thereby, but not yet fully seated therein;
[0035] FIG. 13 is a schematic representation of the rear locking
mechanism of the binding of FIG. 3 with the interface substantially
fully seated therein;
[0036] FIG. 14 is a schematic representation of the rear locking
mechanism of the binding of FIG. 3 in the release position;
[0037] FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of an alternate
embodiment of an interface, binding and boot according to the
present invention;
[0038] FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of the lateral side of
the boot of FIG. 15 with the interface attached thereto;
[0039] FIG. 17 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken along
line 17-17 of FIG. 16, illustrating the engagement between the
interface and boot sole of FIG. 15.
[0040] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional detailed view, taken along line
18-18 in FIG. 17, of the alignment between the interface and the
boot of FIG. 15;
[0041] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional detailed view of the engagement
between the interface and boot taken along line 19-19 of FIG.
17;
[0042] FIG. 20 is a partial side elevational view of the rear
locking mechanism of the binding of FIG. 15 taken along line 20-20
of FIG. 15;
[0043] FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional plan view of the rear locking
mechanism taken along line 21-21 of FIG. 20;
[0044] FIG. 22 is a partially broken away side view of the rear
locking mechanism taken along line 22-22 of FIG. 21;
[0045] FIG. 23 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 22, but showing
the open position of the locking mechanism in solid lines and a
partially open position in phantom lines;
[0046] FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective detailed view of the
forward engagement mechanisms on the boot and binding of FIG.
15;
[0047] FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 25-25 of
FIG. 24, showing the toe hook mechanism of the boot and binding of
FIG. 15;
[0048] FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 25, but
with the toe-hook on the boot fully engaged with the engagement
mechanism on the binding;
[0049] FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional plan view of the forward
engagement mechanism taken along line 27-27 of FIG. 26;
[0050] FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional side view of the forward
engagement mechanism taken along line 28-28 of FIG. 26;
[0051] FIG. 29 is a schematic side view of the toe hook of FIG. 15
releasing from the toe hook mechanism;
[0052] FIG. 30 is a schematic cross-sectional front view of the toe
hook releasing from the latching mechanism;
[0053] FIG. 31 is a bottom plan view of the toe hook mechanism of
FIG. 15;
[0054] FIG. 32 is a side schematic representation of an alternate
embodiment of an active toe hook locking mechanism;
[0055] FIG. 33 is a side schematic representation of the boot
stepping into the toe hook locking mechanism of FIG. 32;
[0056] FIG. 34 is a bottom schematic representation of a boot
including an engagement member for a toe hook locking
mechanism;
[0057] FIG. 35 is cross-sectional view, taken along line 35-35 of
FIG. 34;
[0058] FIG. 36 is a bottom schematic representation of an alternate
boot with an engagement member for engaging with a toe hook locking
mechanism;
[0059] FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 37-37 of
FIG. 36;
[0060] FIG. 38 is a partially broken away perspective
representation of a binding including a sculpted toe hook;
[0061] FIG. 39 is a bottom schematic representation of a boot
including an engagement feature for mating with the sculpted toe
hook of FIG. 38;
[0062] FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 40-40 of
FIG. 39;
[0063] FIG. 41 is a bottom schematic representation of a boot
including an engagement member for engaging with a toe hook locking
mechanism, and a plug covering the engagement member;
[0064] FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view showing a snowboard boot
with a patch covering a recess in which an engagement member for a
toe hook latching mechanism can be installed;
[0065] FIG. 43 is a schematic representation of an alternate
implementation of an engagement member compatible with a sculpted
toe hook such as the one shown in FIG. 38;
[0066] FIG. 44 is a bottom perspective view of the engagement
member of FIG. 43 mounted to the sole of a snowboard boot;
[0067] FIG. 45 is a side schematic representation of an alternate
embodiment of an active toe hook in the open position; and
[0068] FIG. 46 is a side schematic representation of the active
locking mechanism of FIG. 45 in the closed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0069] One aspect of the present invention is directed to an
improved step-in binding. Another aspect of the invention is
directed to an interface system for interfacing a snowboard boot to
a binding. Although these two aspects of the present invention are
advantageously employed together in accordance with several
illustrative embodiments of the invention, the present invention is
not limited in this respect, as each of these aspects of the
present invention can also be employed separately. For example, the
binding aspect of the present invention can be employed to directly
engage a snowboard boot, rather than engaging a snowboard boot
through the use of a separate interface. Similarly, the interface
aspects of the present invention can be employed with numerous
types of bindings, and are not limited to use with the illustrative
embodiments disclosed herein.
[0070] One illustrative embodiment of an interface 1 in accordance
with the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-2. The
interface 1 includes a body 3 and at least one strap 5 that is
arranged to be disposed about the ankle area of the snowboard boot
7, which is shown schematically in FIGS. 1-2. In the embodiment
shown in FIGS. 1-2, the strap 5 includes a ratchet-type buckle 9 to
enable adjustment of the strap. However, it should be appreciated
that the present invention is not limited to the use of any
particular type of strap, as numerous other strap arrangements can
be employed. As will be appreciated from the description below, the
strap performs the function of attaching the interface 1 to the
snowboard boot 7 in a manner that enables the sole of the snowboard
boot 7 to roll relative to the interface during riding. Thus, as
used herein, the term strap is intended to indicate any structure
that passes over the boot upper and performs this attachment
function, including web-like structures, bails, etc.
[0071] The body 3 of the interface will typically include one or
more mating features adapted to engage with a corresponding
strapless engagement member on a step-in binding. As stated above,
the interface aspect of the present invention is not limited to use
with any particular binding, and therefore, is not limited to the
use of any particular engagement features for engaging with a
binding. In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-2, the
interface 3 is provided with a pair of recesses 11 formed on each
lateral side of the binding in accordance with the teachings of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/584,053, which is incorporated
herein by reference. It should be appreciated that alternate
arrangements are possible to accomplish engagement between the
interface 3 and the binding, such as with a single recess provided
on one side of the interface with a pair on the other, or with a
single recess provided on each side of the binding. In accordance
with one embodiment of the invention, the interface body 3 is
formed of molded plastic, such that engagement between the
interface and the binding does not involve metal-to-metal contact,
resulting in a more forgiving engagement between the interface and
the binding. However, as is discussed in more detail below, the
flexibility of the engagement between the interface body 3 and the
binding is less significant that in a conventional step-in binding
system, because the interface body 3 is not rigidly attached to the
boot 7. Rather, the boot is locked into engagement with the
interface primarily via the ankle strap 5. The attachment through
the ankle strap 5 allows the rider's foot (e.g., the sole of the
boot 7) to roll when riding, providing a feel similar to
conventional tray bindings that many riders find to be
desirable.
[0072] When the rider desires to disengage the back boot from the
binding when advancing along the slope or in the lift line, the
rider can simply pop the interface 1 out of engagement with the
binding. When used in conjunction with a step-in binding, this
disengagement is extremely convenient. When it is desired to
re-engage the back boot, the rider can simply step into the step-in
binding, which thereafter engages the interface 1, thereby securing
the rider's boot 7 to the snowboard. In this manner, the interface
aspect of the present invention provides the rider with the
convenience of a step-in system, while simultaneously providing the
riding characteristics of a conventional tray binding. In addition,
if the rider desires to disengage from the bindings for a more
prolonged period of time, for example to have lunch, the rider can
simply undo the ankle straps 5 to release the boots while leaving
the interfaces 1 engaged with the binding. In this respect, the
rider can walk around unencumbered by the interface. In addition,
because the boot 7 itself does not include any rigid metal members
for direct engagement with the binding, the sole of the boot 7 can
be flexible, providing the comfort of a conventional soft boot.
[0073] It should be appreciated that it is significantly more
convenient for the rider to pop the back boot out of the binding
with the interface 1 attached thereto than with some known systems
wherein the entire binding can be popped off of the board. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,088 discloses a rear binding that can
be popped of the board to allow the rider to advance the board
along the snow to negotiate a lift line. However, using that
system, the rider has the entire binding attached to the back boot
which is much less convenient than the interface 1. For example,
the binding in the known system has a high-back attached thereto,
resulting in the boot having a structure attached thereto that is
not nearly as low profile as the interface 1 according to one
illustrative embodiment of the invention. In addition, in the known
system, the structure attached to the rider's boot includes
complete toe and heel attachment mechanisms for binding the rider's
foot to the board. In contrast, the interface 1 of the present
invention does not extend forward of the ball area of the foot,
again resulting in a more low profile structure attached to the
rider's boot.
[0074] The present invention contemplates a number of alternative
ways in which the interface can engage with the sole 13 of the
boot. In one embodiment of the invention not shown, the body 3 of
the interface has a flat surface adapted to engage with the sole 13
of the boot, so that the interface 1 can be used with any snowboard
boot. This feature of the present invention is advantageous in that
through the use of such a universal interface 1, any boot 7 can be
made compatible with a step-in binding, simply by employing an
interface 1 that is compatible with the step-in binding. In this
manner, a rider can use a boot alone with a tray binding, or the
same boot can be used with any of a plurality of different step-in
bindings by simply employing an interface compatible with the
desired step-in binding.
[0075] In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-2, the
body 3 of the interface includes a toe hook 15 that is adapted to
engage with a recess (not shown) in the sole 13 of the boot. The
recess can be implemented in any of a number of ways. For example,
one possible implementation is shown in U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 08/887,530, which is incorporated herein by reference, and
is directed to an opening in the sole that is defined by a hollowed
out cavity including a rear-facing mouth that is adapted to receive
the toe hook 15. A support member or shank can be provided to
prevent the sole from sinking in the area above the cavity, and to
reinforce the lower wall of the cavity that engages with the bottom
surface of the toe hook 15. It should be appreciated that the
present invention is not limited to any particular toe hook
arrangement, as numerous other implementations are possible to
inhibit lifting of the toe portion of the boot 7 from the interface
1, and consequently from the surface of the snowboard.
[0076] As discussed in more detail below, in other embodiments of
the present invention, a toe hook or other mating feature can be
provided directly on the base of the binding for engaging with the
boot 7, rather than being provided on the interface 1. Furthermore,
it should be appreciated that the arrangement of the toe hook and a
corresponding cavity or engagement member can be reversed, such
that the hook can be on the snowboard boot 7, with its mating
feature on the interface 1 or the base of the binding. Finally, it
should further be appreciated that it is not entirely necessary to
prevent lifting of the toe of the boot, such that a snowboard boot,
binding and interface system can be provided with no engagement
between the boot 7 and the snowboard other than the strap 5 of the
interface.
[0077] As discussed above, the aspect of the present invention
directed to the interface 1 is not limited to any particular
step-in binding. However, an illustrative example of a binding
suitable for use with the particular implementation of the
interface shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2. The binding
includes a baseplate 17 and a hold-down disc 19 that is adapted to
mount the baseplate to a snowboard 21. The hold-down disc includes
holes for receiving a plurality of screws 23 to mount the hold-down
disc to the snowboard. Mounted to the baseplate 17 is a pair of
moveable engagement members 24, each including a pair of spaced
apart engagement lobes 26 that are adapted to mate with the
recesses 11 in the interface 1. Each moveable engagement member
further includes a trigger 28 that is adapted to be stepped upon by
the interface 1 to cause the engagement lobes 26 to move into
engagement with the recesses 11. The interface 1 can optionally
include a pair of lower recesses 31 adapted to receive the triggers
28. The moveable engagement members 24 each is further coupled to a
handle 33 that can be used to move the engagement member from its
closed to an open position.
[0078] The binding shown in FIG. 2 further includes a high-back 35
that is mounted to a pair of lateral sidewalls 37 of the baseplate
17. In the implementation shown in the drawings, the attachment of
the high-back to the sidewalls is accomplished via a screw 39 and
nut 41, each of which is received in a slot 43 formed in the
corresponding sidewalls 37, to enable rotational adjustment of the
high-back about an axis substantially normal to the baseplate
17.
[0079] The particular binding shown in FIG. 2 is described in
greater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/780,721,
which is incorporated herein by reference. An alternate binding
that can be employed with the particular interface 1 shown in FIG.
1 is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/655,021,
which is also incorporated herein by reference.
[0080] As discussed above, the present invention is not limited to
any particular binding or mating features on the interface 1 for
engagement therewith. In addition, another aspect of the present
invention is directed to a unique step-in binding. In accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention, the unique step-in
binding is used in conjunction with a corresponding interface to
form a system for mounting a snowboard boot to a snowboard.
[0081] An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in
FIGS. 3-6. This embodiment of the present invention includes an
alternate implementation of an interface 51 for interfacing the
snowboard boot 7 to a binding, as well as a binding 53 compatible
therewith. As with the embodiment of the interface shown in FIG. 1,
the interface 51 includes a body 55 and a single adjustable ankle
strap 57. The ankle strap 57 can be implemented in any of a number
of ways, and the present invention is not limited to any particular
implementation.
[0082] In contrast to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2, the embodiment
of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3-6 does not include any
feature mounted on the interface 51 for holding down the toe of the
boot 7 during riding. Rather, in this embodiment of the invention,
corresponding strapless mating features are provided on the boot
and the binding 53 for inhibiting toe lift during riding. In the
particular embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-6, the toe-end engagement
between the boot 7 and the binding is accomplished via a pin 59
that is embedded in the sole of the boot and a forward engagement
member 61 mounted on the binding. As is discussed in more detail
below, these engagement and mating features can be reversed between
the boot and the binding, and the toe-end engagement between the
boot and the binding can be accomplished in any number of other
ways. The present invention is not limited to the particular
arrangement shown in FIGS. 3-6.
[0083] It should be appreciated that when the interface 51 is
engaged within the binding 53 during riding, a principle force
generated on the interface 51 will be a lifting force generated by
the boot 7 on the strap 57, which force will be transmitted to the
body 55 of the interface through the components of the strap 57
attached thereto. To inhibit rotation of the interface 51 relative
to the sole of the boot 7, the interface 51 is provided with a heel
counter 63. In the particular embodiment shown in the drawings, the
interface 51 is formed from a substantially rigid material (e.g.,
aluminum, glass-filled nylon, polycarbonate, thermoplastic
polyurethane), and the heel counter 63 is formed from a relatively
flexible material (e.g., leather, nylon, canvas, surlyn or a
flexible plastic). However, it should be appreciated that the
present invention is not limited in this respect, and that the heel
counter 63 and the body 55 of the interface can be formed (e.g., by
injection molding) as a single integral piece from the same
material, with either the same or varying degrees of stiffness.
[0084] In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, the
particular dimensions and configuration of the interface 51 are
selected to optimize performance. As discussed above, one of the
advantages of using the interface 51 is that the engagement of the
boot 7 via the strap 57 enables lateral roll of the sole of the
boot 7 relative to the interface 51. Thus, the upstanding sidewalls
65 of the interface are preferably provided to have a height (e.g.,
not to exceed approximately three inches) that is sufficiently low
to terminate below the ankle bone, so that the upstanding sidewalls
65 do not inhibit bending of the rider's ankle from side-to-side.
It should be appreciated that the sidewalls of the interface 1 of
FIG. 1, as well as other alternate embodiments of the present
invention, can be sized to achieve the same result. Second, the
heel counter 63 is preferably provided to be relatively thin and to
have a low profile so as to fit comfortably between the heel of the
boot 7 and the high-back 67 on the binding 53. Third, the heel
counter 63 is arranged to form an angle A (FIG. 3) relative to the
sidewalls 65 of the interface 51 so that the lifting force on the
strap 57 can be resisted by the heel counter 63 without requiring
that the heel counter 63 be relatively stiff or strong. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the angle A is preferably less
than ninety degrees.
[0085] In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS.
3-6, the interface 51 is arranged to fit on any snowboard boot, and
is not integrated into any particular geometry in the sole of the
snowboard boot. As discussed below, in alternate embodiments of the
invention, the snowboard boot and the interface have particular
mating geometries so that the interface is integrated into the sole
of the boot.
[0086] A number of soft snowboard boots for use with step-in
bindings include a heel strap mounted directly thereto to inhibit
lifting of the rider's foot inside the boot. However, the holding
down of the rider's foot with a strap (e.g., 5 in FIG. 1 or 57 in
FIG. 3) mounted to the boot via the interface provides a number of
advantages over mounting a strap directly to the soft snowboard
boot. In this respect, when an ankle strap is mounted directly to
the boot and is tightened down by the rider, the strap provides
tension across the entire width of the foot between the two areas
wherein the strap is attached. This is in contrast to the ankle
straps used in a conventional tray binding, wherein the straps are
attached to the sidewalls of the binding, and only engage the
rider's boot from substantially above the ankle area. Thus, as
compared to a strap mounted directly to the boot, an ankle strap in
a tray binding applies force substantially only in the downward
direction to inhibit heel lift, but yet does not wrap around the
foot, and therefore does not inhibit foot roll. As discussed above,
as tray bindings have been the performance standard for years for
use with soft snowboard boots, it is desirable to provide a step-in
system that maintains the feel of a tray binding. Thus, in
accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present
invention, the sidewalls 65 of the interface 51 (as well as the
sidewalls of the interface 1 in FIG. 1) are provided from a
substantially rigid material so that they do not collapse around
the rider's foot when the strap 57 is tightened down. When the
sidewalls of the interface are substantially rigid, the ankle strap
57 does not collapse around the entire width of the boot 7, but
rather applies substantially only downward pressure to the top of
the heel area, while still enabling foot roll in much the same
manner as the ankle strap in a tray binding. Also, by not
collapsing around the side of the boot 7, the sidewalls 65 enable
some space for the sliding portion 69 of the strap to advance over
the top surface of the boot 7 when the strap 57 is tightened. As
discussed below, in one embodiment of the invention, a truss can be
provided between the bottom surface 71 of the interface and each of
the sidewalls 65 to provide the additional rigidity desired to
resist collapsing.
[0087] In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS.
3-6, the interface 51 includes an engagement pin 73 that projects
from each lateral side of the interface for engagement with a
locking mechanism on the binding 53. Although a single engagement
pin is shown in the drawings, it should be appreciated that
separate pins can be used for the medial and lateral sides of the
binding. As discussed above, the present invention is not limited
to any particular mating features for engaging the interface 51 to
the binding 53. However, the use of the engagement pin 73 that is
circular in cross-section is advantageous in that it provides a
relatively small surface area on the interface 51 for engaging with
the binding, which facilitates minimizing the overall size of the
interface 51. Minimizing the size of the interface 51 is
advantageous because, as discussed above, there are times when the
rider will pop at least the back boot out of the binding 53 with
the interface attached thereto, so that it is desirable to minimize
the structure attached to the sole of the boot 7 in those
circumstances. Thus, in accordance with the embodiment of the
present invention shown in FIGS. 3-6, an interface 51 is provided
that advantageously has a small overall size, and that has a
forward edge that terminates rearwardly of a midline of the
snowboard boot, so that the interface does not underlie any portion
of the snowboard boot forward of the boot's midline.
[0088] It should be appreciated that the engagement pin 73 will be
subjected to significant lifting forces during riding. Thus, in
accordance with one illustrative embodiment, the engagement pin 73
is formed from a relatively strong material (e.g., stainless steel,
hardened steel, hardened aluminum, etc.) to withstand the
significant lifting forces.
[0089] The illustrative binding 53 shown in FIGS. 3-14 has a number
of advantageous features that will become apparent from the
description below. However, the aspect of the present invention
relating to the interface for interfacing a snowboard boot to a
binding is not limited to use with this or any other particular
binding arrangement. Furthermore, the aspect of the present
invention relating to the binding shown in FIGS. 3-14 is not
limited to use with an interface 51, as the boot 7 can be provided
with an engagement pin 73 mounted directly thereto for mating with
the binding 53.
[0090] The illustrative implementation of the binding 53 includes a
baseplate 75 and a hold-down disc 77 for mounting the baseplate to
the snowboard 21 in a plurality of rotational positions. The
baseplate 75 includes a heel hoop 79 to which the high-back 67 is
mounted via a pair of screws 81. Although not shown in the
drawings, the screws 81 can be passed through a pair of elongated
slots in the heel hoop 79 to enable the high-back 67 to be rotated
about an axis substantially normal to the snowboard 21 in
accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,170. Although
the provision of a rotatable high-back and a separate hold-down
disc for mounting the baseplate 75 to the snowboard are
advantageous, it should be appreciated that the present invention
is not limited to a binding that includes these features.
[0091] The illustrative embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-14 includes a
strapless forward engagement member 61 for engaging a forward
section of the rider's boot to prevent it from lifting from the
baseplate when riding. As discussed above, the strapless forward
engagement member can be implemented in any of a number of ways and
the present invention is not limited to the particular
implementations shown in the drawings, which are provided merely
for illustrative purposes.
[0092] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5, the strapless forward
engagement member 61 includes a hook 83 for engaging a mating
feature (e.g., the pin 59) that is disposed in the sole of the boot
in any of a number of ways as described below. The strapless
forward engagement member 61 can be formed from hardened steel,
aluminum, or some other rigid material such as glass filled nylon,
or possibly even a non-reinforced plastic such as rubber or
polyurethane. When formed from metal, the engagement member can be
formed by casting or bending the metal piece to form the hook 83,
leaving sufficient room for the bar or other mating feature in the
boot sole to be disposed under the hook 83. When formed from a
plastic material, the member 61 can be molded using any of a
variety of suitable techniques such as injection molding. The
forward engagement member 61 can be attached to the base plate 75
via a set of screws 85 and T-nuts 87, or any other technique that
would provide a sufficiently strong engagement to resist the
lifting forces applied to the forward engagement member when
riding. Alternatively, the forward engagement member 61 can be
molded integrally with the base plate 75. In the embodiment of the
invention shown in the figures, the hook 83 defines an opening that
faces toward the front of the binding, such that the rider draws
the forward portion of the boot backward when stepping into the
binding to engage with the forward engagement member 61. As
discussed below, in other embodiments of the invention, the hook
can alternatively be disposed facing rearwardly.
[0093] In one embodiment of the invention, the base plate 75 is
provided with a plurality of holes 89 that are adapted to receive
the screws 85 for mounting the forward engagement member 61 in a
number of different positions along the length of the base plate to
accommodate different boot sizes. The mating member on the boot can
be fixed thereto so that it is not adjustable by the rider, thereby
reducing the possibility of misalignment when the strapless
engagement member 61 is set in the appropriate set of holes 89 for
the corresponding boot size. Alternatively, in another embodiment
of the invention, the mating member on the boot can be releasably
attached thereto to enable the rider to adjust the position of the
mating member on the sole.
[0094] The optimal positioning of the strapless forward engagement
member 61 along the length of the base plate 75 is impacted by a
number of factors. First, the engagement member 61 should be
positioned on the base plate so that it will engage and lock down
the corresponding mating member on the boot when the rider's heel
is securely inserted in the back of the binding. In general, the
further forward the mating member (e.g., bar 59 in FIG. 3) is
disposed on the boot, the easier it is for the rider to engage it
with the forward engagement member 61 when stepping into the
binding. In view of the fact that the toe of the boot may overhang
the toe edge of the binding, it is desirable to mount the mating
member on the boot such that it does not extend beyond the length
of the boot in the toe area. The mating member can be disposed on
the boot as close as one cm from the most forward edge of the
rubber outer sole of the boot using mounting techniques such as
those described below. However, in one embodiment of the invention,
the placement of the mating member on the boot is measured forward
from the heel end of the boot, so that boots of at least two
different sizes can have the mating member disposed in the same
location relative to the binding. Thus, in at least one of its
adjustment positions provided by the plurality of holes 89 in the
base plate 75, the strapless forward engagement member 61 can be
used to receive boots of at least two different sizes. The forward
engagement member 61 can be disposed as far rearwardly as the
center line that marks the midway point between the toe and heel
along the length of the boot, while effectively holding the toe end
of the boot, and in one embodiment of the invention for a size nine
boot, is disposed approximately four cms from the forward toe edge
of the boot's outer sole.
[0095] As mentioned above, the position of the forward engagement
member 61 along the length of the base plate 75 can be adjusted
using the plurality of holes 89 to accommodate boots of different
sizes. The toe of the boot will typically extend some distance
beyond the forward edge 91 of the base plate for some boot sizes.
Thus, the forward engagement member 61 can be positioned all the
way up to the forward edge 91 of the base plate, and may even
overhang and extend beyond the edge 91, without extending beyond
the toe edge of the boot. In addition, the holes 89 can extend
rearwardly as far as is desired to accommodate positioning of the
engagement member 61 so that it will underlie the boot mating
member (e.g., 59 in FIG. 3), which may be disposed as far back as
the midway point along the length of the boot. In the embodiment
shown in the figures, the plurality of holes 89 extends only as far
back as the opening 95 in the base plate that is adapted to
accommodate the hold-down disc 77, because as discussed briefly
above, the rotational orientation of the base plate 75 can be
adjusted with respect to the hold-down disc 77, which would result
in an offsetting of any of the plurality of holes 89 extending
across the hold-down disc 77.
[0096] The positioning of the strapless forward engagement member
61 across the width of the base plate 75, as well as the
positioning of the corresponding mating member across the width of
the boot sole, impacts the performance of the system. In
particular, when these elements are respectively disposed along the
center line midway across the width of the binding and boot, foot
roll (defined herein as a rolling of the boot sole relative to the
base plate 75) will be achieved in both the medial and lateral
directions. Offsetting the mating member in the boot and the
portion (e.g., hook 83) of the strapless engagement member that is
adapted to engage it toward the lateral side of the boot will
reduce foot roll toward the medial side of the boot. Conversely,
offsetting these members toward the medial side of the boot will
reduce foot roll toward the lateral side of the boot. Thus, the
position of the forward engagement member 61 and the corresponding
mating member on the boot can be adjusted to control and achieve
the desired direction of foot roll. In addition, in one
illustrative embodiment of the invention (not shown), two separate
strapless engagement members are employed across the width of the
base plate 12, to separately control the amount of foot roll in the
medial and lateral directions.
[0097] In one embodiment of the invention, the opening of the
strapless forward engagement member 61 is arranged to be in-line
with the direction of motion of the boot sole mating member as the
rider steps into the binding, to thereby facilitate engagement
between the boot and binding. In this embodiment of the invention,
the forward engagement member 61 is mounted in an asymmetric
fashion, such that the opening defined by the engagement member is
offset slightly from the central axis along the length of the boot,
with the hook opening facing slightly toward the medial side of the
binding.
[0098] As discussed above, in the embodiment of the invention shown
in FIGS. 3-5, the hook 83 of the strapless forward engagement
member 61 faces the front of the binding. However, in an alternate
embodiment of the invention, the open portion of the engagement
member faces the rear of the binding. Different advantages can be
achieved with each of these alternate embodiments.
[0099] In the rear-facing embodiment, the rider's boot is securely
locked between the rear portion of the binding, including the
high-back 67, and the strapless forward engagement member 61. As
the rider steps into the binding, pressure exerted on the boot by
the high-back 67 and the engagement between the mating feature on
the boot sole and the forward engagement member 61 causes the boot
to be tightly seated therebetween. Thus, when the rider steps into
the binding, it is clear when the boot engages the forward
engagement member and is secured to the binding thereby. In
addition, the heel of the boot is advantageously seated firmly
against the rear portion of the binding.
[0100] In contrast to the rear-facing embodiment, when the forward
engagement member 61 faces the front of the binding as shown in
FIGS. 3-5, the binding is relatively easier to step into and out of
than in the above-described rear-facing embodiment, because the
boot is not wedged between the high-back 67 and the forward
engagement member 61. However, the front-facing embodiment does not
provide the same wedging action wherein the boot is positively
locked between the high-back 67 and the forward engagement member
61, and does not provide the same confirmation that the boot is
engaged by the strapless forward engagement member 61.
[0101] As should be appreciated from the foregoing, the present
invention is not limited to either a forward or rear-facing
strapless engagement member, and contemplates the use of both
embodiments, each of which provides particular advantages.
[0102] As discussed above, the direction of foot roll achieved with
the binding of the present invention can be controlled by varying
the placement of the strapless forward engagement member 61
relative to the central axis of the binding. Another characteristic
of the system that affects the amount of foot roll is the width of
the hook portion 83 (FIG. 4) of the strapless engagement member. In
particular, a relatively wide hook portion 83 can be used to
control and limit the amount of foot roll experienced with the
binding, whereas a relatively narrow hook portion 83 will have less
impact on restricting the amount of foot roll. A range of
acceptable widths for the hook portion 83 of the forward engagement
member in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the
invention is from five mm to three cm, with one particular
embodiment employing a width of 1.5 cm.
[0103] It should be appreciated that the width of the hook portion
83 of the forward engagement member also impacts the ease of
insertion of the corresponding mating member (e.g., bar 59 in FIG.
3) in the boot sole. In particular, the narrower the hook portion
83, the easier it is to insert the boot sole mating member. Thus,
to facilitate insertion of the boot sole mating member in the
strapless engagement member, in one embodiment of the invention
shown in FIGS. 3-5, the hook portion 83 narrows as it extends
outwardly to a point 93 (FIG. 4). Thus, at the thinnest outward
point 93 that defines the mouth of the opening, it is relatively
easy to slip the mating feature on the boot sole under the hook
portion 83. As the boot sole member is drawn into further
engagement with the hook portion 83, the engagement tightens up as
more of the boot sole mating feature is engaged by the widening
hook portion 83. In one embodiment of the invention, the hook
portion 83 has a width of approximately five mm at the outward
portion 93, and widens to approximately three cm at its widest
point.
[0104] Ease of insertion of the boot sole mating member into the
strapless engagement member is also facilitated in one embodiment
of the invention by providing some lift to the entrance portion 93
of the hook, as shown in FIGS. 3-5. Thus, the opening formed by the
hook portion 83 is largest at the mouth of the opening to
facilitate insertion of the boot sole mating member, and then
tapers to a smaller opening size.
[0105] The other relevant dimension of the forward engagement
member is the depth D (FIG. 4) of the hook portion 83. The
shallower the hook portion 83, the easier it is for the rider to
fully engage the boot with the forward engagement member. However,
the hook portion 83 should have sufficient depth to engage the
corresponding mating member on the boot sole through a range of
positions that accounts for all possible positions and forward lean
adjustments for the high-back 67. In one embodiment of the
invention, the hook portion 83 has a depth D within a range of 1-5
cm, and in one particular embodiment the depth is equal to
approximately two cm.
[0106] In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the
binding 53 further includes a pair of pads 96 that are mounted to
the baseplate 75 on both sides of the forward engagement member 61.
The pads 96 perform several functions. First, the pads distribute
any downward compression force generated by the toe end of the boot
on the binding to minimize the likelihood of a pressure point being
created by the forward engagement member 61. This is advantageous
because it is desirable to prevent the rider from feeling the
forward engagement member 61 underlying the sole of the boot.
Second, by varying the stiffness of the pads 96 on one or both
sides of the binding, an additional control can be provided over
the amount and direction of foot roll that the boot 7 will
experience in the binding. It should be appreciated that the pads
96 can alternatively be provided on the boot rather than the
binding. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that although the
pads 96 provide the above-described advantages, they are not
necessary and can be eliminated from other embodiments of the
present invention.
[0107] One illustrative embodiment of a rear locking mechanism for
releasably engaging the engagement pin 73 will now be described
making reference to FIGS. 3-14. Although the illustrative locking
arrangement provides a number of advantages as discussed below, it
should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited in
this respect, and that numerous other locking arrangements for
engaging with the engagement pin 73 are possible.
[0108] The rear locking mechanism includes a pair of biased
engagement cams 97, one each disposed on the medial and lateral
sides of the binding 53, rotatably mounted to the sidewalls 101 of
the baseplate 75. The cams 97 are biased via springs 99 for
rotation toward the forward edge 91 (FIG. 3) of the baseplate 75.
Thus, from the cross-sectional side view of FIG. 5, the cam 97 is
biased for rotation in the counterclockwise direction. Mounted to
the baseplate sidewall 101 on each side of the binding is also a
guide 103 that is adapted to guide the engagement pin 73 into
engagement with the corresponding engagement cam 97. The guide 103
includes a rearward-facing ramp surface 105 (FIGS. 9-10) that is
inclined rearwardly toward the heel end of the binding, and that
facilitates engagement between the pin 73 (FIG. 3) and the
engagement cam 97 as the rider steps into the binding 53 as shown
in FIGS. 9-13. As the rider steps into the binding, the guide 203
draws the pin 73 back along a rearwardly extending path toward the
heel end of the binding.
[0109] As shown in FIG. 9, the rider can simply step into the
binding by aligning the strapless forward engagement member 61 with
the corresponding mating feature (e.g., bar 59) in the boot and
stepping downward so that the engagement pin 73 is guided by the
ramp 105 into contact with the engagement cam 97. To receive the
engagement pin 73, the rear engagement mechanism can simply be in
its closed or at rest position, and need not be cocked into an open
position, because when in the closed position, the cam 97
intersects the rearwardly extending path along which the pin 73
travels. As the rider steps into the binding, engagement between
the pin 73 and a trigger surface 98 of the cam 97 causes the cam to
rotate in the clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 10, thereby
enabling the engagement pin 73 to continue to move down the
rearward-facing ramp surface 105. As shown in FIGS. 11-12, as the
engagement pin 73 reaches the bottom 107 of the rearward-facing
ramp surface 105, the engagement pin 73 clears the forward edge 118
of the cam 97, enabling the biased cam to rotate in the
counterclockwise direction in FIG. 13 to capture the engagement pin
73 under the engagement cam 97.
[0110] It should be appreciated that the rearwardly-extending ramp
surface 105 is advantageous because movement of the engagement pin
73 along the ramp causes the rider's boot to be drawn rearwardly
into the binding as the rider steps in, thereby causing the rear
portion of the boot to advantageously be seated firmly against the
heel hoop 79 and high-back 67, thereby increasing the force
transmission between the highback and the boot. Although the
feature of the illustrative embodiment relating to the drawing
backward of the boot is advantageous, it should be understood that
the present invention is not limited in this respect, and that
other geometries for the rear surface of the guide 103 are possible
for guiding the engagement pin 73 into the locked position shown in
FIG. 13.
[0111] In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings,
the engagement cam 97 includes a scalloped surface 109 that engages
with the engagement pin 73 when the binding is in the locked
position shown in FIG. 13. The purpose of the scalloped surface 109
is to provide frictional engagement between the engagement cam 97
and the engagement pin 73 when the binding is locked. However, it
should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to
this particular surface geometry, as the cam can be provided with a
smooth engaging surface that does not include any feature to
increase the frictional engagement with the locking pin, or
alternatively, can employ a different surface configuration to
achieve the same purpose as the scalloped surface 109.
[0112] As shown in the drawings, the baseplate 75 includes a raised
lip 111 that, together with the rear facing surface of the guide
103, forms a recess 113 for receiving the engagement pin 73 when
the binding is in the locked position. In the embodiment of the
invention shown in the drawings, the engagement cam 97 is
configured so that the recess 113 gets progressively smaller as the
cam rotates in the clockwise direction of FIGS. 9-13, i.e., the
radius of the engagement cam 97 increases when moving along the
scalloped surface 109 in the clockwise direction in FIGS. 10-13.
Thus, the binding can accommodate an accumulation of snow on the
surface of the baseplate 75 or within the recess 113 by providing
various locking positions that provide differing amounts of
clearance between the cam 97 and the bottom 115 of the recess
113.
[0113] In the embodiment shown in the drawings, each of the
engagement cams 97 has an associated lever 117 that can be
manipulated to place the rear locking mechanism into a release
position as shown in FIG. 14 to release the engagement pin 73. In
the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3-14, the lever 117
is mounted to the cam 97 in a direct drive fashion, so that
rotation of the lever 117 causes a corresponding and identical
amount of rotation of the cam 97. The rider can release the
engagement pin 73 from the rear locking mechanism by rotating the
levers 117 (and consequently the cam 97) clockwise to the open
position shown in FIG. 14, lifting the heel of the boot upwardly so
that the engagement pin 73 clears the forward edge 118 of the cam
97, and then releasing the levers 117. Although the embodiments
shown in FIGS. 3-14 includes two separate levers, it should be
appreciated that the present invention is not limited in this
respect, and that a linkage mechanism can be provided so that the
two cams 97 can be manipulated via a single lever. Furthermore, in
the embodiment shown in the figures, the cam includes a lip 119
that blocks the exit passage of the engagement pin 73 when the
lever 117 is rotated to the release position shown in FIG. 14. In
an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a mechanism can
be provided to retain the lever 117 and cam 97 in the open position
of FIG. 14. When such a mechanism is employed, the levers can
initially be cocked to the open position, and then can be released
prior to the rider stepping out of the binding. As the rider steps
out of the binding, engagement between the engagement pin 73 and
the lip 119 causes a disengagement with the cocking mechanism,
thereby enabling the cam 97 and lever 117 to rotate to the closed
position of FIG. 9. This is advantageous because the locking
mechanism automatically returns to a state wherein the rider can
simply step into the binding to cause the engagement pin 73 to be
engaged by the engagement cam 97, without requiring any further
manipulation of the lever 117. The cocking mechanism can
implemented in any of a number of ways, one illustrative example of
which is described below in connection with an alternate embodiment
of the present invention.
[0114] It should be appreciated that the nature of the locking
mechanism of FIGS. 3-14, particularly when provided with a cocking
mechanism, provides a number of advantages. First, the rider need
not hold the lever 117 in the release position (FIG. 14) while
stepping out of the binding. Thus, the rider can first manipulate
the lever to the release position, and can thereafter stand up to a
more comfortable position prior to stepping the engagement pin 73
out of engagement with the rear locking mechanism. This feature
enables the locking mechanism to be moved from a closed or armed
position to an open or disarmed position without requiring any
movement from the engagement pin 73 or the rider's boot. Thus, the
rider can simply maintain the engagement pin 73 within the rear
locking mechanism in the position shown in FIG. 14. Thereafter, the
rider can choose to step out of the binding at his or her
convenience, or can choose to re-arm the locking mechanism by
rotating the lever 117 (counterclockwise in FIG. 14) and
consequently the engagement cam 97 back into the locked
position.
[0115] As discussed above, in one illustrative embodiment of the
invention, each engagement cam 97 is directly driven by a lever
117, and is biased into the closed position of FIG. 9. The manner
in which the engagement cam 97 is mounted to the lever 117 and is
biased to the closed position can be implemented in any of a number
of ways, with the present invention not being limited to any
particular implementation. One illustrative arrangement is shown in
FIGS. 6-8. The lever 117 and cam 97 each is mounted to a shaft 121
(FIG. 8) that passes through a bushing 122 fixed in the sidewall
101 of the baseplate. The lever 117 is mounted to the shaft 121 via
set screw 123, and the engagement cam 97 is mounted via a screw
124. A biasing spring 99 is wrapped around the shaft 121 at 125, is
fixed at one end 127 within the lever 117 and is fixed at the other
end to the wall 101 of the baseplate via an anchor 129.
[0116] It should be appreciated that some mechanism should be
provided for limiting the rotation of the engagement cam 97 and
lever 117 once in the fully closed position. This can be
accomplished in any number of ways, and the present invention is
not limited to any particular implementation. For example, a stop
can be provided on the outside of the binding sidewall 101 to limit
the rotation of the lever 117, on the inside of the sidewall 101 to
limit the rotation of the engagement cam 97, or a stop can be
provided to directly limit the rotation of the shaft 121.
[0117] An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in
connection with FIGS. 15-31. This embodiment of the present
invention is similar in many respects to the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 3-14. However, a number of modifications are made including
modifications to all three system components, i.e., the boot 217,
the interface 201 and the binding 301.
[0118] As shown in FIGS. 15-19, in this embodiment, an interface
201 is provided that is similar in many respects to the interface
51 described in connection with FIGS. 3-5. As with that embodiment
described above, the interface 201 includes an engagement rod 203
for engaging with the binding, and an adjustable strap 57 for
attaching the interface to a snowboard boot 217. Unlike the
embodiment described above in connection with FIGS. 3-5, the heel
counter 205 and the body 207 of the interface are formed (e.g., by
injection molding) as a single integral piece of rigid material,
such as glass-filled nylon, polycarbonate, aluminum, TPU or some
other appropriate material. Each side of the interface is provided
with a slot 209 for receiving the end of the strap 57 attached
thereto, and includes a plurality of holes 211 adapted to receive a
fastener 212 to mount the strap thereto.
[0119] As discussed above, it is desirable to provide the interface
201 to be sufficiently rigid such that the sidewalls of the
interface do not collapse about the boot when the strap 57 is
tightened down over the top of the boot, and when the interface is
subjected to forces exerted thereon by the boot during riding. To
provide additional rigidity, the embodiment of the interface 201
shown in FIGS. 15-17 includes a pair of trusses 213 provided at the
intersections between the sidewalls 214 and the base 215 of the
interface. Although the trusses 213 are advantageous in that they
increase the rigidity of the interface, it should be appreciated
that the present invention is not limited in this respect, and that
the trusses need not be provided in other embodiments of the
present invention.
[0120] In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 15-19, the
boot 217 is provided with a number of features to enable the
interface 201 to be integrated into the boot in a manner that
minimizes the profile of the boot and interface combination. First,
the rear heel section of the boot 217 includes a recess or ledge
219 that is adapted to accommodate the heel counter 205. As
discussed above, this is advantageous to minimize the profile of
the heel counter when the boot and interface combination steps into
a binding having a heel hoop (e.g., 303 in FIG. 15) and/or a
high-back. Second, the boot 217 also includes a sole recess 221
that is adapted to receive the base portion 215 of the interface.
In accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the invention,
the recess 221 is constructed and arranged so that when the
interface 201 is engaged with the boot and the strap 57 is
tightened, the interface 201 is pulled upward into the recess 221
so that it is not disposed below the bottom surface 223 of the boot
outer sole 225, such that the engagement with the interface 201
does not alter the feel of the boot sole when walking.
[0121] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15-19, the sole recess 221
is disposed under the heel area of the boot 217 and extends fully
across the sole of the boot 217 from the medial to the lateral
side. The recess 221 has a substantially half-cylindrical shape to
receive the base 215 of the interface 201, and is free of any
engagement member that is adapted to be directly engaged by the
binding 301. Rather, the recess 221 is adapted to receive the
interface 201, and the interface 201 is in turn adapted to be
directly engaged by the binding 301. It should be appreciated that
the aspect of the present invention directed to the use of a sole
recess to receive the interface is not limited to any particular
configuration or location for the sole recess. However, in one
embodiment of the present invention, the sole recess 221 is
disposed rearwardly of the arch area of the boot. This is
advantageous in that placement of the interface 201 near the heel
of the boot 217 facilitates minimizing the size of the interface
201, because the interface can resist the lifting force on the
strap 57 with a heel counter 205 that is less stiff and strong than
would be required if the interface were attached to a more forward
location along the sole of the boot 217.
[0122] As discussed above, the sole of the snowboard boot 217 may
roll laterally relative to the interface 201 during riding. In
addition, forces generated on the boot during riding may tend to
shift the boot 217 both laterally and in the heel-to-toe direction
relative to the interface 201. In accordance with one embodiment of
the present invention, the base 215 of the interface 201 and the
recess 221 are provided with a pair of complimentary mating
features that are adapted to automatically maintain a desired
alignment between the interface 201 and the recess 221 during
riding. This alignment can be accomplished in any of a number of
ways, and the present invention is not limited to any particular
implementation.
[0123] In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS.
15-19, automatic alignment between the interface 201 and the sole
recess 221 is achieved by providing the upper surface of the base
215 of the interface with a non-planar contoured surface, and the
recess 221 with a corresponding bottom-facing non-planar contoured
surface adapted to mate therewith. The contoured surfaces enable
the sole of the boot 217 to roll laterally relative to the
interface 201, but automatically maintain alignment in the
heel-to-toe direction between the interface 201 and the recess 221
during riding. In addition, the medial and lateral sides of the
recess 211 are flared upwardly at 239 to accommodate the trusses
213 in the interface. Engagement between the trusses 213 and the
flared sidewalls 239 helps to automatically register alignment
between the interface and the boot, preventing shifting of the
interface from side to side, as well as rotation of the interface
within the recess 221.
[0124] The recess 221 can be provided in the boot 217 in any of a
number of ways and the present invention is not limited to any
particular implementation, including the illustrative
implementation shown in the drawings. In the illustrative
embodiment shown in the drawings, the boot is provided with a shank
227 that is embedded in the sole 220 of the boot 217. The shank can
be formed from a number of materials (e.g., nylon, surlyn, TPU) and
should be sufficiently flexible so as to not noticeably stiffen the
sole of the boot 217. In this respect, traditional soft snowboard
boots have a flexible sole that riders have become accustomed to
and that provide significantly greater comfort when walking than a
stiff-soled boot.
[0125] The shank 227 shown in the illustrative embodiment
represented in the drawings performs two functions. First, it
assists in the formation of the recess 221. Second, the shank 227
also forms a platform for mounting a strapless engagement member
under the toe area of the boot for engagement with the binding in a
manner discussed in greater detail below. The shank 227 can be
incorporated into the boot 217 in any of a number of ways. For
example, many soft snowboard boots include a two-layered sole 220,
with an inner or mid sole 229 (FIG. 17) formed from a cushioning
material (e.g., EVA) and an outer sole 235 formed from rubber. In
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the shank
227 is disposed between these two sole layers. The EVA layer 229
can be provided with a recess that is adapted to conform to the
upper shank portion 233 (FIG. 15) that defines the recess 221. The
shank can be glued to both the EVA layer 229 and the rubber outer
sole 225 and this sole assembly 220 can be attached to a leather
boot upper 234. As shown in FIG. 16, the rubber outer sole 225
includes a forward sole section 235 and a heel sole section 237
that are separated via the portion 233 of the shank that defines
the recess 221. In accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, the outer sole includes a web piece 231 (FIG. 17) that
extends between the front and heel sole sections 235 and 237, and
extends through the recess 221 defined by the shank 227. The web
piece 231 provides a number of advantages. First, it enables the
outer sole 225 to be formed from a single piece, rather than
separate front and heel sections 235 and 237. Second, by
controlling the thickness and stiffness of the web 231, the
friction and stiffness between the interface 201 and the boot 217
can be controlled. Finally, the web 231 also covers the surface of
the shank 227 that defines the recess 221 to increase the
durability of the shank.
[0126] As discussed below, it is desirable to integrate the
interface 201 into the sole 220 of the boot 217 to minimize the
profile of the boot and interface combination, and to minimize the
impact on the rider when walking. In one illustrative embodiment of
the invention, the recess 221 and interface are arranged so that
the bottom surface 238 (FIG. 17) of the interface does not extend
below the bottom surface of either the front or heel sections 235,
237 of the outer sole 225. In an alternate embodiment of the
invention, the bottom surface 238 is provided with a tread or
rubber sole that sits flush with the lower portion of the boot
outer sole 225 so that the interface 201 cannot be felt by the
rider when walking.
[0127] As discussed above, in the embodiment of the invention shown
in the drawings, the shank 227 is provided with a pair of upwardly
extending flared sidewalls 239 in the area that defines the
sidewalls of the recess 221. As mentioned previously, the purpose
of the upwardly flared sidewalls 239 is to accommodate the trusses
213 in the interface, and to help register alignment between the
interface and the boot.
[0128] As discussed above, the present invention is not limited to
providing a customized geometry for engaging the interface with the
boot, as other embodiments are directed to the use of an interface
with any boot, requiring no customized geometry on the boot for
receiving the interface.
[0129] Although not shown in the figures, the binding 301 can
include a high-back mounted to the heel hoop 303. The heel hoop 303
can include a pair of slots or spaced holes to enable rotation of
the high-back in the same manner as described in connection with
the high-back 35 in the embodiment of FIG. 2. The feature of a
highback rotatable relative to an axis substantially normal to the
baseplate of the binding is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat.
No. 5,356,170. The high-back disclosed in that patent includes a
pair of arms that extend downwardly from the heel hoop
substantially parallel to the sidewalls of the baseplate. Thus, the
slots to which the high-back are pivotally mounted extend
substantially parallel to one another, facilitating the folding
down of the high-back toward the baseplate to minimize the profile
of the binding for transportation or storage. In contrast, the
binding 301 disclosed in FIG. 15, like the binding 53 in FIG. 3,
includes an engagement mechanism that extends along the lateral
sides of the binding, making it more difficult to mount a high-back
to the baseplate with arms extending along the lateral sides of the
binding. Thus, the high-back 67 (FIG. 3) and a high-back (not
shown) for the binding of FIG. 15 are mounted higher on the heel
hoop (e.g., heel hoop 303 in FIG. 15) than the highback in the '170
patent, and are mounted for rotation about slots that may not
extend parallel to one another along the sides of the
baseplate.
[0130] It should be appreciated that when the slots to which the
high-back is mounted do not extend parallel to one another along
the lateral sides of the binding, difficulty is encountered in
folding the high-back down to reduce the profile of the binding for
storage or transportation. Thus, in the embodiment of the invention
illustrated in FIG. 15, the binding 301 is provided with a hinged
heel hoop 303 that is mounted to the sidewalls 307 of the baseplate
for rotation about pivot points 309. In this manner, rotation of
the high-back about an axis substantially normal to the baseplate
309 can be accomplished via movement of the high-back within slots
or spaced holes in the heel hoop 303, while rotation of the
high-back forwardly into a non-use position can be accomplished by
rotating the entire heel hoop 303 forwardly about the pivot points
309 (which define an axis of rotation that is different than the
axis about which the high-back rotates relative to the heel hoop).
It should be appreciated that although rotating the high-back down
into a non-use position relative to the heel hoop 303 is difficult
when using non-parallel slots in the heel hoop, a smaller range of
rotation of the high-back forward can be achieved with little
difficulty, thereby enabling the forward lean of the high-back to
be adjusted relative to the heel hoop 303. It should also be
appreciated that the high-back and the heel hoop 303 can be
provided with substantially the same radius of curvature to
facilitate rotation of the high-back within the heel hoop 303 about
an axis substantially normal to the baseplate 305.
[0131] It should be appreciated that in contrast to the binding
disclosed in the '170 patent, the mounting of the high-back in the
binding of FIG. 15 without the use of the relatively long arms
employed in the '170 patent results in a greater moment being
generated on the portion on the binding (i.e., the heel hoop 303)
to which the highback is attached. Thus, in one embodiment of the
present invention, the binding 301 is formed of relatively strong
material (e.g., aluminum) to resist this greater moment.
[0132] Although described in connection with the particular
bindings of FIGS. 3 and 15, it should be appreciated that the
hinged heel hoop aspect of the present invention can also be
employed in connection with other binding designs. Furthermore,
although this feature provides the advantages described above, it
should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited in
this respect, and that alternate binding designs are contemplated
that do not employ a hinged heel hoop.
[0133] The rear locking mechanism in the binding of FIG. 15 is
similar in many respects to that disclosed in the embodiment of
FIGS. 3-14, but with additional features, e.g., a single lever 311
and a mechanism for maintaining the rear locking mechanism in a
cocked open position. The binding 301 includes a guide 313 that
includes a rearwardly extending ramp surface 315 that is similar to
the ramped surface 105 (FIG. 9) in the embodiment of the invention
described above in connection with FIGS. 3-14. As with the ramped
surface 105, the ramped surface 315 provides the advantageous
feature of drawing the rider's heel into engagement with the heel
hoop 303 of the binding when the rider steps into the binding 301.
Furthermore, the binding 301 also includes a pair of engagement
cams 317 that are adapted to releasably engage the engagement pin
203 on the interface 201 to lock the heel of the rider's boot 217
into the binding. As with the cam 97 in the embodiment of FIGS.
3-14, the cam 317 can include a scalloped surface 319 to facilitate
engagement with the engagement pin 203, although the scalloped
surface is not necessary to practice the present invention.
[0134] Like the embodiment of FIGS. 3-14, the engagement cam 317 is
biased via a spring 321 (FIG. 20) for rotation (counterclockwise in
FIG. 20) into the locked position for engaging with the engagement
pin 203. However, unlike the spring 99 (FIG. 7) in the embodiment
described above, the spring 321 is arranged to minimize the width
of the binding. In this respect, as shown in FIG. 21, the spring
321 is disposed between the inner and outer walls 307a and 307b of
the baseplate sidewalls 307. It should be appreciated that it is
desirable to minimize the width of the binding 301. Therefore, as
shown in FIG. 20, the spring 321 is wound in a manner that
increases the vertical distance over which the spring extends, but
not the width across the binding. The spring can obviously be fixed
at its ends in any of a number of ways. In the embodiment shown in
the drawings, a first end 323 of the spring is attached about a
D-shaped shaft 325 to which the engagement cam 317 is mounted in a
manner described below. A second end 327 of the spring is wrapped
about a ball plunger 329 that is also further described below.
[0135] As discussed above, in one embodiment of the present
invention, a mechanism is provided to maintain the cam 317 in the
cocked or release position shown in FIG. 23, so that the rider can
initially manipulate the lever in the direction shown by the arrow
R in FIG. 23 to place the heel locking mechanism in the open
position, can release the lever 311, and can thereafter step out of
the heel engaging mechanism whenever convenient. This type of
cocking mechanism can obviously be implemented in a number of
different ways, and the present invention is not limited to any
particular implementation. However, one illustrative implementation
is shown in FIGS. 20-23, and includes a ball plunger 329 mounted in
the baseplate housing 307. A corresponding detent 331 (FIGS. 20 and
22) is provided on the engagement cam 317 and is adapted to mate
with the ball plunger 329 when the cam is moved, via lever 311 and
a linking mechanism described below, into the cocked release
position shown in FIG. 23. When the lever 311 is moved into this
release position, the corresponding rotation of the engagement cam
317 brings the detent 331 into alignment with the ball plunger 329,
thereby automatically engaging the cam 317 with the plunger 329.
Thus, when the lever 311 is released, the engagement cam 317 stays
in the cocked position shown in FIG. 23. The engagement cam 317
further includes a lip 333 (FIG. 23) that is adapted to cover an
opening 335 between the cam and the rearward-facing ramp surface
315 when the cam 317 is in the cocked release position, so that the
lip 333 intersects the path long which the engagement pin 203 will
pass when stepping out of the binding. Thus, when the rider lifts
the heel of the boot out of engagement with the rear latching
mechanism, the engagement pin 203 will contact the lip 333, causing
the cam to rotate in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 23, and
thereby disengaging the detent 331 from the ball plunger 329. This
feature of the illustrative embodiment is advantageous in that when
the rider exits from the binding, the rear locking mechanism is
automatically returned to the position shown in FIG. 22 and is
ready to be stepped into again. If no mechanism was provided for
automatically disengaging the detent 331 and the ball plunger 329
upon exit of the engagement pin 203 from the rear locking
mechanism, the rider would need to manually manipulate the lever
311 to reset the binding into the locked position.
[0136] Although the cocking and release mechanism described above
is advantageous, it should be understood that the present invention
is not limited to the particular illustrative implementation shown
in the drawings, or even to the use of a cocking and release
mechanism.
[0137] As mentioned above, in one illustrative embodiment of the
present invention, a linkage assembly is provided that links
together the engagement cams 317 on both the medial and lateral
sides of the binding, so that a single lever 311 can be employed to
manipulate both cams. This can be accomplished in any of a number
of ways, and the present invention is not limited to any particular
implementation. However, the illustrative embodiment shown in FIGS.
20-23 takes into account a number of design considerations, and
provides a particularly advantageous implementation. A first design
consideration is to develop a low profile linkage assembly that
does not cause a substantial increase in the thickness of the
baseplate 305. In this regard, it should be appreciated that in
view of the fact that each of the engagement cams 317 is pivotally
mounted to the baseplate about a shaft 325 that is mounted at a
height above the top surface 337 of the baseplate, a direct drive
linkage assembly cannot be employed because the rider's boot will
be disposed in the area about which a direct shaft would extend
between the two cams 317. Thus, it is desirable to provide a
linkage assembly that bridges the gap between the two engagement
cams 317 in a manner that does not substantially increase the
profile of the binding 301.
[0138] A second design consideration for the linkage assembly
relates to the degree of rotation that each of the engagement cams
317 undergoes when moving from the locked position of FIG. 20 to
the open or release position of FIG. 23. In this respect, each cam
undergoes a range of rotation through approximately 115.degree.. It
is desirable to provide a linkage mechanism that does not require
that the rider rotate the lever 311 through as great a degree range
to move the heel locking mechanism into the released position. A
related consideration is that there are some segments of the range
of movement for the engagement cam 317 wherein greater torque is
desired to be imparted to the cam 317, e.g., when initially moving
the cam from the locked position of FIG. 20 wherein it engages the
pin 203 and when seating the ball plunger 329 into the detent
331.
[0139] One illustrative implementation of a linkage assembly that
balances these design considerations in an advantageous manner is
shown in FIGS. 20-23. The linkage assembly includes a substantially
U-shaped connecting rod 341 having an elongated section 341a that
passes underneath the upper surface 337 of the baseplate 305 and
upstanding sections 341b disposed on both the medial and lateral
sides of the binding. At least one of the upstanding sections 341b
is attached on one side of the binding to the lever 311, for
example via a set screw 343. It should be appreciated that the
binding 301 can be provided with a pair of levers 311, one on each
side of the binding, although manipulation of only one of the two
levers is necessary in view of the linkage assembly. Alternatively,
the handle 311 can be replaced on one side of the binding via a
link that couples the connecting rod 341 with the remainder of the
linkage assembly discussed below.
[0140] The remainder of the linkage assembly on each side of the
binding includes two additional components, i.e., an L-shaped link
345 and an apostrophe-shaped cam 347. The apostrophe-shaped cam 347
is directly mounted to the same shaft 325 as the engagement cam 317
that is adapted to engage the engagement pin 203 on the interface.
Thus, rotation of the apostrophe-shaped cam 347 causes direct
corresponding rotation of the engagement cam 317. The shaft 325 is
received through a bushing 326 mounted in the outer housing wall
307a.
[0141] The lever 311, or a corresponding link that replaces it on
one side of the binding, pivots about a pivot axis defined by the
elongated section 341a of the connection rod. The L-shaped link is
attached to the lever 311 via a pin 351, which can be attached to
the lever in any number of ways, for example via the use of a
socket 353 (FIG. 21). The remainder of the L-shaped link 345 is
free floating, and is not rigidly fixed to any other component of
the linkage assembly. However, the L-shaped cam does include a nub
355 that is adapted to be received in a track 357 within the outer
housing wall 307b, or a cover plate 367 described below. Engagement
between the track 357 and the nub 355 merely maintains the L-shaped
cam in the proper orientation for bearing on the apostrophe-shaped
cam 347 through the entire pivoting range for the lever 311. It
should be appreciated that the orientation of the L-shaped cam 345
can be maintained in numerous other ways, and that the present
invention is not limited to the particular implementation shown in
the drawings.
[0142] The manner in which the engagement between the L-shaped link
345 and the apostrophe-shaped cam 347 achieves the above-described
goals of varying the amount of torque and rotation imparted to the
engagement cam 317 will now be described. When the heel locking
mechanism is in the locked position shown in FIGS. 20 and 22, the
cam 317 is in engagement with the engagement pin 203 of the
interface. Thus, to open the latching mechanism, a relatively high
moment arm is initially desired to overcome the frictional
engagement between the cam 317 and the engagement pin 203. The
illustrative embodiment of the linkage assembly accomplishes this
result because when the latching mechanism is in this closed
position, rotation of the lever 311 in the counterclockwise
direction of FIG. 22 is translated to a pushing force F (FIG. 22)
generated by the heel end 361 of the L-shaped link 345 on the tip
363 of the apostrophe-shaped cam 347. Since the tip 363 of the
apostrophe-shaped cam 347 is disposed a relatively large distance
from the shaft 325 about which the cams 347 and 317 rotate, a
relatively high moment arm is generated through actuation of the
lever 311, thereby assisting in initially disengaging the cam 317
from the engagement pin 203.
[0143] As discussed above, after the engagement between the cam 317
and the engagement pin 203 is initially broken, it is desirable to
reduce the moment arm generated on the shaft 325 to achieve a
higher rate of rotation for each increment of rotation of the lever
311. The manner in which this is achieved in the illustrative
implementation of the linkage mechanism is shown in FIG. 23. In
FIG. 23, the lever 311 and L-shaped link 345 are shown in phantom
at a transition point, wherein engagement between the L-shaped link
and the apostrophe-shaped cam is switching from the heel end 361 of
the L-shaped link to the toe end adjacent the nub 355. As shown in
FIG. 23, this switching of the engagement corresponds to a
significantly smaller moment arm about the shaft 325 as the toe end
of the L-shaped link that takes over the action of pushing the
apostrophe-shaped cam acts on a portion of the apostrophe-shaped
cam 347 that is closer to its pivot axis 325. Thus, less rotation
of the lever 311 is required to achieve the desired greater
rotation of the apostrophe-shaped cam 347 and the engagement cam
317 directly driven thereby.
[0144] As discussed above, it is desirable to increase the moment
generated on the apostrophe-shaped cam 347 as it nears its fully
open position of FIG. 23 to assist in setting the spring ball 329
in the detent 331. This is achieved in the illustrative embodiment
of the linkage assembly via the arrangement of the lever 311 and
the L-shaped link 345, and through the use of toggle joint
principles. It should be appreciated that two line segments can be
drawn from the point wherein the pin 351 attaches the L-shaped link
345 to the lever 311. A first segment passes through the pivot
point of the lever defined by the elongated section 341a of the
connection rod, and a second passes through the nub 355 at the toe
end of the L-shaped link. It should be appreciated that according
to toggle joint principles, as these two line segments begin to
straighten out such that the angle between them approaches zero,
the amount of torque generated on the apostrophe-shaped cam 347
through its engagement at the toe edge of the L-shaped link 345
greatly increases, becoming a multiple of the torque exerted by the
lever 311. Thus, although the distance from the rotation axis 325
does not increase for the point at which the torque is applied to
the apostrophe-shaped cam 347, the moment generated on the
apostrophe-shaped cam 347 greatly increases with the applied
torque. This increase in torque begins when the angle between the
two line segments approaches approximately 7.degree., achieves a
significant multiple when the angle approaches 3.degree..
[0145] In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention
described in connection with FIGS. 20-23, both sides of the heel
locking mechanism are substantially identical, such that each side
is provided with a spring 321 that biases its corresponding
engagement cam 317 into the closed position, and each side includes
the spring ball 329 and detent 331 arrangement for maintaining the
locking mechanism in the open position. It should be appreciated
that the present invention is not limited in this respect, and that
these components of the locking mechanism can be provided on only
one side of the binding, along with a linkage assembly that
constrains both cams to have the same rotational orientation, such
that rotation of one of the engagement cams 317 necessarily causes
an identical amount of rotation for the other cam 317. However, the
aspect of the present invention wherein the engagement cams 317 are
independently biased is advantageous. In particular, the engagement
cams 317, like the cams 97 discussed above in connection with the
embodiment of FIGS. 3-14, have a geometry that provides the locking
mechanism with a self-tightening feature in the event that an
accumulation of snow develops under the sole of the boot or the
engagement pin 203. By employing independently active engagement
cams 317, the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS.
15-21 enables both sides of the binding to be locked independently,
even if an accumulation of snow is present on one side of the
binding and not the other. If the engagement cams 317 were directly
mounted to one another and constrained to have the same rate of
rotation, if an accumulation of snow developed under the engagement
pin 203 on only one side of the binding, both engagement cams 317
would not rotate to their fully closed position, resulting in an
undesirable loose connection on the side of the binding without the
accumulation of snow. In contrast, the illustrative embodiment of
the present invention shown in the drawings advantageously securely
engages the engagement pin 203 on both sides of the binding, even
if doing so requires independent positioning of the engagement cams
317.
[0146] In the illustrative embodiments shown in the drawings, the
baseplate sidewalls 307 include a slot 366 (FIG. 15) that enables
the pin 351 (FIG. 21) that interconnects the lever 311 and the
L-shaped link 345 to move through the required range of motion as
the lever 311 is moved between the closed and open positions. As
discussed above, a similar slot or opening 357 (FIG. 21) can also
be provided in the sidewall 307 to accommodate the nub 355 at the
toe end of the L-shaped link 345. In the illustrative embodiment
shown, a cover plate 367 is provided and includes the slot 357 on
its interior surface. The sidewall 307 of the baseplate can simply
be cut away in this area to enable access between the nub 355 and
the slot 357. However, it should be appreciated that this aspect of
the locking mechanism can be implemented in numerous other ways.
For example, the lever 311 can simply be provided in an opening
between the inner and outer sidewalls 307a and 307b of the
baseplate, such that the slot 366 in the outer sidewall 307b would
not be necessary. In addition, the slot 357 for receiving the nub
355 can be provided directly in the sidewall 307 of the baseplate.
A cover can optionally be provided to overlie the slot, or the slot
can be left exposed to the side of the binding. The present
invention is not limited to any particular implementation in this
regard.
[0147] As shown in FIGS. 20 and 22, the engagement pin 203 is
constrained in the locked position not only by the engagement cam
317, but also by the rear surface 371 of the guide 313, and a rear
retaining tab 373 extending upwardly from the bottom surface 337 of
the baseplate. As shown in FIGS. 20 and 22, when in the fully
locked position, a space 375 is provided between the bottom of the
engagement pin 203 and the bottom of the channel that receives it.
This space is advantageous in that if the rider lands a jump or a
compression force is otherwise applied in the heel area of the
boot, the engagement pin 203 can be forced deeper into the channel
375 as the sole of the boot compresses. Therefore, the engagement
pin 203 will not dig into the heel of the rider and create an
uncomfortable pressure point. The scalloped surface 319 of the cam
317 is arranged to rotate further in the clockwise direction of
FIG. 20 if the engagement pin 203 drops into the channel 375, but
will not further tighten down the engagement of the engagement pin
203.
[0148] As with the embodiment of FIGS. 3-14 described above, it
should be appreciated that some mechanism should be provided for
limiting the rotation of the engagement cams 317 and the lever 311
once the binding is in fully closed position. This can be
accomplished in any number of ways, and the present invention is
not limited to any particular implementation. For example, a stop
can be provided on the outside of the binding housing 307a to limit
the rotation of the lever 311, on the inside of the housing 307b to
limit the rotation of the engagement cams 317 or the
apostrophe-shaped cams 347, or a stop can be provided to directly
limit the rotation of the shaft 325. In one embodiment of the
invention, the rotation stop is provided by engagement between the
shaft of the spring ball plunger 329 and the slot 348 in the
apostrophe shaped cam 347 that receives the plunger 329.
[0149] The illustrative embodiment of the present invention shown
in FIG. 15 also includes an alternate strapless forward engagement
system for holding down the toe-end of the boot. In the embodiment
of the invention shown in the figures, the strapless forward
engagement system is disposed forward of the arch area of the boot
217, and underlies a toe area of the boot 217. As shown in FIG. 15,
the shank 227 includes a forward section 401 that is reinforced by
a plurality of ribs 403 to receive a hook 405 for engagement with a
corresponding engagement mechanism 407 mounted on the baseplate
305. The hook 405 can be mounted to the shank 227 in any of a
number of ways, including through the use of a pair of screws 409
and nuts 410 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 25.
[0150] The illustrative toe hook and active locking mechanism of
FIG. 15 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 24-31. This arrangement
achieves the primary design objectives of being easy to step into
and out of. As is described in greater detail below, the toe
engagement mechanism can be stepped into by simply stepping the toe
portion of the boot straight down into the engagement mechanism on
the binding. This stepping in automatically (i.e., without
requiring that the rider manipulate a lever or take any action
other than stepping the boot into the binding) causes the active
locking mechanism to move between an open position and a closed
position wherein the active locking mechanism automatically engages
the toe hook. After the mechanism is engaged, no amount of lifting
force generated on the toe end of the boot will result in
disengagement. However, when the rider desires to step out of the
binding, all that is required is that the rider first lift the heel
of the boot out of engagement with the rear engagement mechanism,
and then simply roll the boot forward and lift the toe end out of
engagement with the locking mechanism. This stepping out action
automatically (i.e., without requiring that the rider manipulate a
lever or take any action other than stepping the boot out of the
binding) causes the active locking mechanism to move from the
closed position to the open position wherein the active locking
mechanism automatically disengages the toe hook. Thus, this toe
locking mechanism is advantageous in that it is easy to get into
and out of and does not require that a lever or any actuation
mechanism be manipulated to lock or release the mechanism.
[0151] As shown in FIG. 25, the outer sole 225 of the boot is
provided with a recess 411 to expose the toe hook 405. It should be
appreciated that the recess can be any shape. The recess 411 can be
confined solely to the area of the boot surrounding the toe hook
405, and need not extend to the outer surface of the outer sole 225
either on the lateral sides of the boot or toward the front of the
boot. However, the present invention is not limited in this
respect, as the recess 411 can have any geometry that exposes the
toe hook 405. The toe hook forms a cleat that extends downwardly
from a base 421 (FIG. 24) mounted to the sole of the boot. As used
herein, the reference to a base is intended to merely indicate a
portion of the cleat that is mounted to the sole of the boot (or
the binding if the locking mechanism is reversed as discussed
below), and is not limited to any particular mounting structure.
The cleat portion of the toe hook 405 is wedge-shaped and includes
a pair of camming sections 413 that taper along the medial and
lateral sides of the cleat from a wider base-end (i.e., top in FIG.
30) portion 418 to a narrower free-end (i.e., bottom in FIG. 30)
portion 415.
[0152] The locking mechanism on the baseplate 305 includes a pair
of spaced apart loops 417, biased for movement toward each other,
that are respectively adapted to engage with the two lateral sides
of the toe hook 405. As shown in FIG. 25, the toe hook 405 is
engaged with the locking mechanism 407 by the rider simply stepping
down into the binding with the toe hook 405 aligned with the
locking mechanism 407. The wider base-end portion 418 of the cleat
portion of the toe hook 405 is wider than the spacing between the
biased loops 417, while the narrower free-end portion 415 is
narrower than this spacing. Thus, as the toe hook 405 is brought
down into engagement with the locking mechanism, the cammed
surfaces 413 automatically spread the biased loops 417 apart in the
direction shown by the arrows B in FIG. 25. As shown in FIG. 25,
the toe hook 405 includes a pair of upwardly facing shelves or hook
portions 419 on each lateral side thereof. Once the toe hook is
advanced sufficiently down into engagement with the locking
mechanism so that biased loops clear the top of the hooks 419, the
biased loops move inwardly to capture the hook portions 419 as
shown in FIG. 26, thereby locking the toe portion of the boot to
the baseplate 305. In this respect, as shown in FIG. 25, hook
portions 419 are curved toward the base 421 (upwardly in FIG. 30)
at the outer side edges. Therefore, a lifting force generated on
the toe hook 405 actually acts to seat the biased loops 417 deeper
into the hook portions 419, rather than acting to cause a release
of the locking mechanism.
[0153] The toe hook 405 is provided with a geometry that
facilitates disengagement with the locking mechanism 407 by the
rider simply lifting the heel of the boot away from the surface of
the baseplate 305. This geometry is shown in FIGS. 28-31. The toe
hook extends downwardly from a base 421 (FIG. 24) to a lowest tip
415. A cleat portion of the toe hook 405 tapers from its toe edge
425 to the bottom tip 415. The cleat further tapers from its heel
edge 427 to the tip 415, giving the cleat a wedge or V-shaped
appearance in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 28. Finally,
the cleat also tapers from a greatest width at its toe edge 425 to
a thinnest width at its heel edge 427 as best shown in FIG. 31.
[0154] As a result of the tapering in the width of the cleat from
its front 425 to its rear 427, disengagement of the toe hook 405
from the locking mechanism is easily achieved by the rider simply
lifting the heel edge of the boot and rolling the foot forward in
the direction of arrow C as shown in FIG. 29. The rear edge 427 of
the cleat has a width that is less than the spacing between the
biased loops 417 when they are in the locked position shown in FIG.
26, whereas the front edge 425 of the cleat has a greater width
than the biased loops when in this locked position. Thus, when the
heel of the boot is lifted as shown in FIG. 29, the rearward
portion of the tapered side edges 429 of the cleat wedge between
the biased loops 417. As the heel of the boot is continually lifted
and rolled forward, the tapered sides 429 of the cleat wedge the
biased loops 417 apart, enabling the hook portions 419 (FIG. 26) of
the toe hook to be disengaged from the biased loops as shown in
FIG. 30.
[0155] Three characteristics of the toe hook 405 and latching
mechanism 407 contribute to the mechanism resisting release as a
result of lifting forces generated on the toe section of the boot
during riding, while facilitating easy release by lifting the heel
of the boot. First, the above-described geometry of the hook
portions 419 that act to seat the biased loops 417 deeper in
response to a lifting force. Second, as shown in FIG. 31, the cleat
portion of the toe hook 405 is wedged facing the back of the boot,
but not the front, so that the above-described wedging action would
not take place in response to a lifting force generated at the toe
end of the boot. Third, the front edge 425 of the cleat terminates
at the widest point of the wedging surfaces 429, thereby
facilitating full release of the hook portions 419 from the biased
loops 417 that have been spread apart by the wedged surfaces 429.
Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, since the heel end of the
boot will be locked into engagement with the rear latching
mechanism of the binding while riding, it will not be possible for
the boot sole to achieve anything approaching the angle shown in
FIG. 29 while pivoting back on the heel end of the boot. Therefore,
although not desirable, the cleat could potentially be provided
with a taper also extending to the forward section of the boot and
still resist release upon a lifting force at the toe end. In this
respect, although some wedging action might begin in response to a
lifting force at the toe, the sole of the boot should not be able
to attain the angle necessary to cause separation of the biased
loops 417 and a release of the toe hook mechanism.
[0156] It should be appreciated that the toe hook 405 and the
biased loops 417 will be used to resist lifting forces generated on
the toe end of the boot during riding and should be formed from
materials that are sufficiently strong to withstand these forces.
These components can be formed from any of a number of different
materials, such as stainless steel or hardened steel.
Alternatively, the toe hook 405 could be molded from a suitable
material (e.g., glass-filled nylon, polycarbonate, TPU, etc.).
[0157] It should further be appreciated that it is desirable for
the toe hook 405 to not provide any pressure point or area of
discomfort for the rider when walking. Thus, in one embodiment of
the invention, the toe hook 405 is sized so that it does not
protrude below the outer boot sole.
[0158] Although the particular geometry of the illustrative
embodiment shown in the figures provides the advantages described
above, it should be appreciated that the present invention is not
limited in this respect, and that other implementations are
possible.
[0159] The biased loops 417 can be implemented in any of a number
of ways, and the present invention is not limited to any particular
implementation, including the one shown in the drawings which is
provided merely for illustrative purposes. Each biased loop 417 in
the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawings is implemented
via a spring coiled at front 431 and rear 433 sections of the
engagement mechanism in 407, and each extends in the heel-to-toe
direction along the binding 301(FIG. 15). The springs can be
provided in a housing 435 including top and bottom sections 435t
and 435b attached by a plurality of screws 437. The entire housing
can then be attached to the baseplate 305 via an additional set of
screws 439. To provide increased resistance to lifting forces, the
housing 435 can be formed from a strong material, such as aluminum,
stainless steel or hardened steel. Alternatively, the components of
the engagement mechanism 407 can be attached directly to the
baseplate 305, without the use of the housing 435.
[0160] It should be appreciated that during riding, lateral forces
may be exerted on the snowboard boot 217 that may cause the toe end
to shift laterally from side-to-side. To inhibit such lateral
migration from causing an inadvertent disengagement of the toe hook
405 from the engagement mechanism 407, in one embodiment of the
present invention, the engagement mechanism is provided with a pair
of blocks 451, one disposed outside and adjacent each of the biased
loops 417. The blocks 451 are formed of substantially rigid
material and are sufficiently strong to resist lateral movement of
the toe hook 405 after it is engaged with the biased loops 417. The
blocks 451 are spaced sufficiently far apart to enable the widest
surface 425 (FIG. 31) of the toe hook to be disposed therebetween,
but are sufficiently close so as to prevent enough lateral
migration of the toe hook 405 to cause either of the hook portions
419 (FIG. 26) to become disengaged from its corresponding biased
loop 417. In addition, as shown in FIG. 25, the blocks 451 are
sized and arranged so that the biased loops 417 can flex over and
around them when spread apart by the toe hook cleat entering or
exiting the engagement mechanism 407. For example, the blocks 451
have a length in the heel-to-toe direction that is less than a
length of the biased loops 417.
[0161] It should be appreciated that the latching mechanism 407 is
not limited to using the pair of blocks 451, as the same function
can be accomplished in other ways. For example, only one biased
loop 417 and accompanying block 451 could be provided, along with a
rigid loop on the opposing side. Furthermore, the arrangements of
the toe hook 405 on the boot and the engagement mechanism 407 on
the binding can obviously be reversed, such that the baseplate 305
of the binding can be provided with a toe hook such as 405, and the
snowboard boot can be provided an engagement mechanism such as
407.
[0162] As discussed above, the present invention is not limited to
any particular engagement mechanism for engaging the toe-end of the
binding. A number of alternate strapless engagement members will
now be discussed below.
[0163] An alternate embodiment of the strapless engagement member
is disclosed in FIG. 32. In this embodiment of the invention, the
forward engagement member 501 includes a hook portion 502 that is
similar in many respects to the hook 61 discussed in the embodiment
of FIG. 3, but is oriented so that it faces the heel section of the
binding. As discussed above, this embodiment provides the
advantageous feature that the boot is firmly seated between the
high-back (e.g., 67 in FIG. 3) and the engagement member 501.
However, it should be understood that in view of the heel hoop and
high-back disposed at the heel of the binding, it may be difficult
for the rider to place the heel of the boot down flush against the
base plate 17, and then slide the boot forward so that the mating
feature disposed on the sole can engage with the engagement member
501. In fact, when the boot is seated back against the high-back
67, the mating feature in the boot sole should be fully engaged
with the hook 502, without having to be moved forward, as this
corresponds to the position of the boot in the binding when riding.
Thus, the embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG. 32 provides
a rear-facing engagement member 501 that is biased to facilitate
engagement with the boot.
[0164] As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 32, the biased
engagement member 501 is mounted to the base plate 17 via a hinge
pin 503 that is embedded in the base plate 17 in any of a number of
ways, examples of which are discussed below.
[0165] The binding includes a spring 505 that biases the engagement
member 501 for rotation upwardly about the axis defined by hinge
pin 503. Thus, when stepping into the binding, the rider angles the
boot in the manner shown in FIG. 33, such that the toe portion is
lower than the heel portion. The biasing spring 505 causes the
engagement member 501 to be angled upwardly in a position that
facilitates entry of the mating feature 507 on the boot sole (which
can be implemented in any number of ways as discussed below) under
the hook 503. The rider can then bring the boot heel down into
engagement with the rear portion of the binding, overcoming the
force of the spring 505. As shown in the cross-sectional view of
FIG. 32, the base plate 17 may include a recessed portion 509
underlying the bottom portion of the engagement member 501, such
that when the rider has stepped into the binding, a top surface
501T of the engagement member disposed below the hook 502 lies
flush with a top surface 17T of the base plate. In addition, the
engagement member 501 may include a stop 511 that is adapted to
engage with base plate 17 to limit rotation of the engagement
member 501.
[0166] As mentioned above, the biased engagement member 501 can be
mounted to the base plate for rotation in any of a number of ways.
The present invention is not limited to any particular
implementation. For example, the hinge pin 503 can be implemented
with a rivet that is embedded in the base plate. Alternatively, the
hinge pin 503 can be molded into the base plate 17, and the
engagement member 501 can be provided with a slot for allowing it
to be snapped onto the hinge pin 503.
[0167] Several illustrative implementations of the mating member on
the boot for engaging with the strapless forward engagement member
on the binding will now be described. It should be understood that
the mating member can have any of a number of configurations and
can be attached to the boot in numerous ways. The present invention
is not limited to the particular implementations discussed below,
which are provided merely for illustrative purposes.
[0168] A first illustrative embodiment for the mating feature on
the boot is shown in FIGS. 34-35. FIG. 34 is a bottom view of a
boot sole 513 that includes a mating member 515 that is disposed in
an opening or recess 517 in the sole. In this embodiment of the
invention, the mating member 515 is a steel bar that is circular in
cross-section. The bar 515 can be embedded in the outer sole 525 of
the boot (which may be rubber or any other suitable material) by
disposing the bar 515 in a mold and then injecting the material for
the outer sole 525 into the mold around the bar 515. In one
embodiment of the invention, the recess 517 is sized to have a
width that is approximately equal to that of the forward engagement
member 61 (FIG. 3) with which it is designed to mate, with some
slight clearance provided for an accumulation of snow. Thus,
engagement between the front engagement member 61 and sidewalls 519
of the boot recess advantageously prevents the front of the boot
from shifting from side-to-side when riding.
[0169] FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 35-35 of
FIG. 34. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 35, a
support member or shank 521 is disposed in the sole of the boot
above the recess 517. The support member 521 stiffens the sole in
the area above the recess, so that the sole does not sink down into
the recess 517 under the rider's weight. The shank 521 can be in
the form of an insole extending across the entire sole of the boot
from the heel to toe. The shank can for example, be formed from
nylon at a thickness of approximately 2 mm, which is not
sufficiently stiff to impact the ability of the rider to walk in
the boot, but which achieves the desired goal of preventing the
sole in the area above the recess from sinking. Alternatively, the
shank can extend across the full boot sole and have a reduced
thickness in areas other than that above the recess 517, or can
just be provided in that area.
[0170] Although the support member 521 provides the advantage
discussed above, it is not necessary to practice the invention.
Other techniques for ensuring that the sole does not sink down into
the recess 517 can also be employed. For example, as is discussed
more fully below, the strapless forward engagement member can be
provided with a geometry that matches that of the recess 517, such
that the upper portion of the forward engagement member can sit
flush against the top of the recess 517, thereby supporting the
boot sole in the area above the recess and preventing it from
sinking into the recess when riding. The provision of a strapless
engagement member having a geometry matching that of the recess 517
obviously provides no support for the recess 517 when the rider is
not engaged in the binding and is walking about. However, support
is much less critical at this time, because the forces generated on
the recess 517 when walking are not nearly as great as those
experienced when riding. Thus, the rigidity of the thinned out
outer sole region 523 in the area above the recess should be
sufficient to prevent the sole from sinking into the recess when
walking. In this respect, the outer sole can be thinned in the
region 523 to approximately one mm, whereas the remainder of the
outer sole 525 will have a more normal thickness ranging anywhere
from 2-16 mm.
[0171] An alternate embodiment of the mating feature in the boot
sole is shown in FIGS. 36-37, wherein a flat bar 527 is attached to
the sole of the boot in the recess 517. As shown in the
cross-sectional view of FIG. 37 (taken along line 37-37 of FIG.
36), this embodiment of the invention also employs a shank 521 in
the sole of the boot to provide the stiffening feature discussed
above. However, unlike the embodiment of FIGS. 34-35, the bar that
forms the mating member 527 is not embedded in the sole, but
rather, is attached to the shank 521 via a pair of screws and
T-nuts 529. As should be appreciated from the two embodiments
described above, the mating feature attached to the sole of the
boot need not have any particular shape. It can be a bar that is
round in cross-section, a flat strip, or any other shape that
enables the mating feature to engage with a corresponding strapless
engagement member on the binding to hold down the forward portion
of the boot when riding. For example, the mating feature need not
be in the shape of a single bar, and can include two or more hooks
for engaging with a corresponding strapless engagement member on
the binding. Alternatively, the arrangement can be reversed so that
the strapless engagement member on the binding can be a bar, and
the mating feature on the boot can be in the form of a rear or
forward facing hook. The present invention is not limited to any
specific implementation.
[0172] As seen from the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 35 and 37,
in one illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the mating
feature attached to the sole of the boot does not extend below the
outer boot sole 525, and therefore does not impact the feel of the
boot when the rider walks. It should be appreciated that in
general, the lower the mating member extends, the easier it is for
the rider to engage with the strapless engagement member on the
binding. Thus, for the embodiments of the present invention wherein
the mating member is implemented as a metal piece, it is desired to
have the mating member extend just slightly above the bottom of the
outer sole 525, such that the metal piece does not touch the ground
when the rider walks. However, as discussed below, the mating
member need not be formed from a metal piece, and can alternatively
be formed from any of the materials discussed above as being
suitable for use in forming the strapless forward engagement
member, e.g., glass filled nylon, rubber or polyurethane. When
formed from a non-metallic material, the mating feature on the boot
sole can extend down to the point where it is flush with the bottom
surface of the outer sole, such that it extends as low as possible
to facilitate engagement with the binding without being noticeable
to the rider when walking.
[0173] An alternate arrangement of a strapless engagement member
for mounting to the binding and a corresponding mating feature in
the boot sole is described making reference to FIGS. 38-40. FIG. 38
is a partial schematic view of the base plate 17 showing a
strapless engagement member 531 that is in the form of a sculpted
toe hook. The toe hook 531 can be formed integrally with the base
plate 17 in a single injection molding process and positioned in
the same manner as the strapless members discussed above.
Alternatively, the toe hook 531 can be formed separately from the
base plate 17 to enable adjustment in the position of the toe hook
531 along the length of the binding, in much the same manner as the
other embodiments discussed above.
[0174] FIGS. 39-40 illustrate a boot sole 513 that includes a
mating feature 533 that is adapted to engage with the sculpted toe
hook 531 of FIG. 38. In this embodiment of the invention, a support
member 535 is disposed within the outer boot sole 525 (as shown in
the cross-sectional view of FIG. 40, which is taken along line
40-40 of FIG. 39) and is not exposed by a recess in the outer boot
sole 525. Rather, the mating feature 533 includes an opening in the
sole defined by a hollowed out cavity 537, including a rear-facing
mouth 539, that is adapted to receive the sculpted toe hook 531.
The support member 535 is disposed below the cavity 537 and is
adapted to support the outer sole 525 below the area wherein it is
engaged by the sculpted toe hook 531. In addition, the boot sole
may include a support member or shank 521 to prevent the sole from
sinking in the area above the cavity 537 in much the same manner as
the embodiments described above.
[0175] It should be understood that the support member 535 can be
disposed within the outer boot sole 525 in the same manner as that
described above in connection with the bar 515 in FIGS. 34-35. For
example, the support member 535 can be disposed in a mold for
forming the outer boot sole 525 and be embedded therein when the
outer sole material 525 is injected into the mold about the support
member 535.
[0176] In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, the
dimensions of the cavity 537 are selected to match those of the
sculpted toe hook 531, such that when the toe hook is inserted into
the cavity, the toe hook substantially fills the cavity, allowing
some slight clearance for an accumulation of snow. In this manner,
when the rider steps onto the binding and engages the toe hook 531
within the cavity 537, the toe hook supports the upper surface of
the cavity to prevent it from sinking under the weight of the
rider. Thus, in this embodiment of the invention, the shank 521 can
optionally be eliminated.
[0177] FIGS. 43-44 illustrate an alternate embodiment of a boot
sole mating feature 541 for engagement with a toe hook such as hook
531 shown in FIG. 38. The mating feature 541 is disposed within a
recess 543 disposed in the boot sole 513, so that the mating
feature 541 does not extend below the bottom of the boot sole 513,
and therefore, does not impact the feel of the boot when the rider
walks. The mating feature 541 is attached to the bottom of the boot
sole via a fastener, such as a screw 545 that passes through an
opening 546 in the mating feature and is received in a T-nut (not
shown) in the boot sole. The mating feature 541 also includes a
pair of tabs 547 that are adapted to be received in recessed
portions (not shown) in the boot sole recess 543. The tabs 547
serve to prevent the mating feature 541 from rotating about the
screw 545 during riding.
[0178] The mating feature 541 has a recessed top surface 549 that,
when the mating feature 541 is attached to the boot sole recess
543, defines a cavity between the recessed surface 549 and a
portion of the sole that defines the boot sole recess 543. The
cavity has an opening 551 and is configured to receive a toe hook
(such as the hook 531 shown in FIG. 38) in much the same manner as
the cavity 537 (FIGS. 39-40) described above.
[0179] The mating feature 541 shown in FIGS. 43-44 is advantageous
in that it is detachable from the boot sole 513. Although attached
to the boot sole via a single screw 545 in the embodiment shown in
the figures, it should be understood that the invention is not
limited in this respect. The detachable mating feature 541 can
alternatively be attached to the boot sole with multiple screws, or
with any of a number of other types of fasteners.
[0180] It should be understood that in addition to holding down the
front portion of the boot, the toe strap in conventional strap
bindings also provides downward pressure on the toes of the rider,
providing a feel that many riders have become accustomed to. Thus,
in one embodiment of the present invention, some mechanism is
provided for providing comparable toe pressure in conjunction with
the bindings of the present invention, which eliminate the use of
the toe strap. This mechanism can, for example, include a boot that
employs a dual lace system, with one set of laces controlling the
manner in which the boot is tightened above the toe area, and the
other set of laces controlling the tightening of the remainder of
the boot. In this manner, the rider can tighten down the lacing in
the toe area more than the remainder of the boot, to provide the
desired toe pressure. Alternatively, a buckle and strap can be
provided along the boot overlying the toe area, and can be used to
tighten down the boot over the toes, thereby providing the desired
toe pressure. It should be understood that the present invention is
not limited to either of these particular implementations, or even
to the providing of some mechanism to increase toe pressure.
[0181] As should be appreciated from the foregoing, the various
illustrative embodiments of the boot in accordance with the present
invention do not employ a large metal plate that is attached to the
boot sole as in many conventional strapless bindings, and are as
comfortable to walk in as traditional boots employed with strap
bindings. In this respect, the above-described boots in accordance
with the present invention can be used not only with a binding
having a strapless forward engagement member or engagement
interface in accordance with the present invention, but can also be
used in conjunction with a conventional strap binding.
[0182] In accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the
invention shown in FIG. 41, the boot includes a plug 553 that
covers the boot recess and binding mating feature (e.g., recess 517
and rod 515 in the embodiment of FIGS. 34-35), so that those
features of the boot are not exposed to snow, dirt, and the like
when the boot is to be employed with a strap binding. In the
illustrative example shown in FIG. 41, the plug 553 is shown in
connection with a boot of the type shown in FIGS. 34-35, with the
rod 515 being shown in phantom as it is covered by the plug 553. It
should be understood that any of the other embodiments of a boot in
accordance with the present invention can also include a plug such
as 553.
[0183] The plug 553 can be formed from the same material (e.g.,
rubber) as the outer sole of the boot, and can be formed integrally
therewith. The border 555 of the plug 553 can be provided with a
reduced thickness, thereby facilitating removal of the plug when
the rider desires to expose the mating member (e.g., the rod 515 in
FIG. 34) for use with a binding having a strapless engagement
member in accordance with the present invention. The border 555 is
provided with a thickness (e.g., 0.5-1 mm) that is relatively thin
in comparison to the portion of the outer sole 525 that surrounds
the border and the remainder of the patch 553. Thus, the border 555
will tear relatively easily so that the rider can remove the patch
553 by simply grasping it with a pair of pliers and pulling to
separate the patch along the border 555, or by carefully using a
knife or other sharp instrument to cut the patch at the border. The
patch 553 can be provided with a visual indicator identifying the
border 555 to facilitate removal of the patch.
[0184] In contrast with the embodiment of FIG. 41, wherein the boot
is provided with the mating feature (e.g., 515) underlying the
patch, in another illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in
FIG. 42, the mating feature is not disposed under the patch 553.
Rather, removal of the patch 553 reveals a mounting feature that is
adapted to mount the mating feature within the boot recess. In the
illustrative example shown in FIG. 42, the mounting feature
includes a pair of T-nuts 529 as discussed above in connection with
the embodiment of FIG. 37. Thus, when the plug 553 is removed, the
rider can insert the mating member (e.g., the bar 527 in the
embodiment of FIGS. 36-37) into the boot recess, and attach the
mating member to the exposed mounting feature. For example, the bar
527 can be attached to the T-nuts 529 with a pair of screws in the
manner described above in connection with FIGS. 36-37. Thus, when
the boot shown in FIG. 42 is used in connection with a strap
binding, the boot advantageously does not have the mating member
attached thereto. Rather, it is only after the rider decides to
employ the boot with a binding including a strapless engagement
member that the patch 553 is removed, and the mating member is
attached to the boot sole.
[0185] It should be understood that the particular mounting
features 529 shown in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 42 are
provided merely for illustrative purposes. Other arrangements are
possible. For example a single T-nut 529 can be employed, as well
as any other mounting feature compatible with a similar or
different type of mating feature. In this respect, the rider can
use a single pair of boots to adapt with a strap binding and with
multiple types of bindings having different strapless engagement
members by switching between different mating features to be
compatible with the different types of strapless engagement
members.
[0186] In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 42, the
mounting features 529 are arranged to accommodate the mounting of
the mating feature in a single position. However, it should be
appreciated that the boot can be provided with multiple mounting
features that are arranged to mount the mating feature in two or
more spaced locations, thereby providing the rider with some
control over the precise positioning of the mating feature.
[0187] In the embodiments described above, it is contemplated that
the patch 553 would be disposable, and not reattachable to the boot
sole, such that once the rider decides to switch from a boot having
a conventional sole for operation with a strap binding to one that
is adapted to mate with a binding including a strapless engagement
member, the patch would not be reattached. However, in another
embodiment of the invention, it is contemplated that the patch 553
be reattachable to the boot sole after its removal. This can be
done in any number of ways. For example, the patch can include a
pair of screw holes adapted to receive screws for engagement into
the mounting feature in the sole that receives the binding
engagement member (e.g., T-nuts 529 shown in FIG. 42) to releasably
engage the patch to the boot sole. Alternatively, the inner surface
of the patch can include a pair of protrusions that are sized to
fit within the T-nuts 529, such that the patch can be press-fitted
into engagement therewith. In addition, the boot sole can be
provided with a dedicated mounting feature, separate from that
employed to mount the binding mating feature, to mount the
reattachable patch to the sole. Thus, a reattachable patch can be
used to cover not only the opening in the sole of the boot, but
also the binding mating feature mounted therein. These particular
implementations are provided merely for illustrative purposes, and
it should be understood that the present invention is not limited
to these or any other particular implementation of a reattachable
patch.
[0188] An alternate embodiment of the strapless engagement member
is disclosed in FIGS. 45-46. In this embodiment of the invention,
the strapless engagement member 571 includes a hook portion 573
that is similar in many respects to the hook embodiments of the
invention discussed above. However, in the embodiment of the
invention shown in FIGS. 45-46, the engagement member 571 is active
(i.e., has a movable portion), so that the opening 575 between the
hook portion 573 and a top surface 17T of the base plate 17 can be
altered from a larger opening size when the strapless engagement
member is in the open position shown in FIG. 45, to a smaller size
when the engagement member 571 is in the closed position shown in
FIG. 46. Thus, the strapless engagement member 571 has an open
position wherein it is relatively easy for the rider to engage and
disengage, and a closed position wherein the hook portion 573
snugly engages the boot mating feature 576 (which can be
implemented in any of a number of ways as discussed above) to
tightly hold down the boot when riding.
[0189] The active strapless engagement member 571 can be
implemented in any of a number of ways, and the present invention
is not limited to the particular implementation shown in FIGS.
45-46, which is provided merely for illustrative purposes. In the
particular implementation shown in the figures, the strapless
engagement member 571 is biased upwardly via a biasing element
(e.g., a spring) 577. A cam 579 is mounted to the baseplate 17 for
rotation about a pivot axis defined by a rod 581 extending across
the baseplate 17. A lever 583 is attached to one end of the rod 581
and can be used by the rider to rotate the shaft 581, and
consequently the cam 579 attached thereto. When the lever is
rotated downwardly from the open position shown in FIG. 45 to the
closed position shown in FIG. 46, the engagement between the cam
579 and the engagement member 571 causes the hook portion 573 to be
pulled downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 46, wherein the
boot mating feature 576 is tightly held between the hook portion
573 and the top surface 17T of the baseplate. To open the strapless
engagement member at the end of a ride, the lever 583 is simply
rotated in the reverse direction to the position shown in FIG.
45.
[0190] As mentioned above, the concept of the present invention
related to the active strapless engagement member for actively
engaging the boot mating feature is not limited to the particular
implementation shown in the figures, as numerous other
implementations are possible. All that is necessary is that some
portion of the strapless engagement member be moveable between an
open position that facilitates engagement with the boot mating
feature, and a closed position wherein the boot mating feature is
firmly held down.
[0191] Although the particular mating features of the boot and the
patch disclosed for use therewith have been described above for use
in connection with the types of bindings disclosed in this
application, it should be understood that these aspects of the
present invention are also not so limited, and that these features
of the present invention can be employed with other types of
bindings.
[0192] As mentioned above, the strapless forward engagement member
in accordance with the present invention can be implemented in any
number of ways. Although the illustrative embodiments of the
invention shown in the drawings each employs a strapless engagement
member in the form of a hook, the present invention is not limited
to these or any other particular implementations. Any arrangement
that enables the boot to be held down while still experiencing
lateral foot roll can be employed, including arrangements that do
not employ a hook on either the boot or binding.
[0193] As discussed above, some embodiments of the present
invention are directed to a binding system including a rear
engagement mechanism for holding down the heel of the snowboard
boot, and an active forward engagement mechanism for holding down
the toe end of the boot. Each of the rear and forward engagement
mechanisms may include a lever to move the engagement mechanism
between its open and closed positions. In accordance with one
illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a binding is
provided with active rear and forward engagement mechanisms that
are linked to a single lever for manipulating both engagement
mechanisms.
[0194] The above-described aspects of the present invention
relating to step-in snowboard bindings are advantageous because
they provide for convenient entry into and exit from the binding.
However, in one embodiment of the present invention, any of the
above-described step-in bindings can also be provided with
apertures (e.g., in the sidewalls of the baseplate) similar to
those provided in conventional tray bindings to enable one or more
straps to be mounted to the binding so that the binding can be used
in the same manner as a tray binding. For example, the binding 301
of FIG. 15 can be employed without the interface 201, such that the
rear latching mechanism would not be employed to hold down the heel
of the boot. Rather, an ankle strap could be mounted to the
sidewall 307 to serve this purpose. Similar, engagement mechanism
407 could be replaced by a toe strap. This feature of the present
invention provides the rider with the option of converting the
binding 301 into a tray binding. It should be appreciated that this
aspect of the present invention is not limited to use with the
bindings described herein, and can be employed with any step-in or
other binding that does not employ straps to engage the boot to the
binding.
[0195] It should be appreciated that different aspects of the
present invention are directed to all aspects of a snowboard boot
and binding system, including aspects directed to a unique step-in
binding, unique boot configurations, a unique interface system for
interfacing a snowboard boot to a binding, aspects relating to a
rear binding latching mechanism, and aspects relating to numerous
strapless forward engagement systems for engaging a snowboard boot
to a binding or interface. Although numerous of these aspects of
the present invention are advantageously employed together in
accordance with the illustrative embodiments of the invention shown
in the drawings, the present invention is not limited in this
respect, as each of these aspects of the present invention can also
be employed separately. For example, the binding aspects of the
present invention can be employed to directly engage a snowboard
boot, rather than engaging a snowboard boot through the use of a
separate interface, and can be employed separately. For example,
any of the rear latching aspects of the present invention can be
employed with any of the forward latching aspects of the invention,
or any other forward latching mechanism. Likewise, any of the
forward latching aspects of the invention can be employed with any
type of rear latching mechansim, including some not disclosed
herein. Similarly, the interface aspects of the present invention
can be employed with numerous types of bindings, and are not
limited to use with the illustrative embodiments disclosed
herein.
[0196] Having just described several illustrative embodiments of
the invention, various alterations, modifications and improvements
will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations,
modifications and improvements are intended to be in the spirit and
scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is
by way of example only and is not intended as limiting. The
invention is limited only as defined in the following claims and
the equivalence thereto.
* * * * *