US 4,973,073 AGranted

Snowboard binding

OwnerMark A. Raines, Gregory A. Deeneyinventors

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Abstract

A step-in binding for snowboards secures a rider's foot such that it can only be manually released. Ridge-entrapping members on the snowboard define opposed pockets. The pockets receive oppositely extending longitudinal ridges that are a part of a boot or harness apparatus which attaches to the rider's foot. A spring-loaded latch, operable by a camming mechanism as a rider is stepping in, engages and secures one of the ridges.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An apparatus for binding a snowboard rider's foot to a snowboard having a riding surface and a longitudinal snowboard axis, the rider's foot having a longitudinal foot axis, the apparatus comprising:

a boot worn by a rider on the rider's foot to be bound to the snowboard, the boot including a substantially planar sole portion having a first lateral sole edge and an opposing second lateral sole edge, wherein the first lateral sole edge has a longitudinally extending first binding ridge projecting outwardly from said first lateral sole edge and substantially parallel to the sole portion, and the second lateral sole edge has a longitudinally extending second binding ridge substantially parallel to the first binding ridge and projecting outwardly from said second lateral sole edge and substantially parallel to the sole portion;
and
a binding mounted on the riding surface of the snowboard for attaching the boot to the riding surface such that the boot remains attached to the riding surface until the rider manually releases the boot from the binding, the binding interlockingly engaging the first and second binding ridges, the binding including a first ridge-entrapping member defining a fixed first socket extending substantially transversely to the snowboard axis having an opening dimensioned to allow the first binding ridge to be inserted in a direction substantially parallel to the riding surface into the first socket so as to interlockingly engage the first binding ridge when attaching the boot to the riding surface, and a second ridge-entrapping member defining a second socket extending substantially transversely to the snowboard axis substantially parallel to the first socket, the first and second sockets lying in a plane substantially parallel to the riding surface, and the second socket spaced laterally apart from the first socket so as to permit the second binding ridge to be interlocking engaged in the second socket after the first binding ridge has been interlockingly engaged in the first socket, the second ridge-entrapping member including a base portion, an axle substantially parallel to the first socket mounted tot he base portion, a hooking lip pivotally mounted to the base portion via the axle such that the hooking lip is pivotable in a direction away from the firs ridge-entrapping member from a latched position to an open position allowing insertion of the second binding ridge into and removal of the second binding ridge from the second socket in a substantially vertical direction whenever the first binding ridge is interlockingly engaged in the first socket, and biasing means operably engaged with the hooking lip and base portion, the biasing means urging the hooking lip to return to the latched position.

An apparatus for binding a snowboard rider's booted foot to a snowboard having a riding surface and a longitudinal snowboard axis, the rider's booted foot having a longitudinal foot axis, the apparatus comprising:

a boot harness including means for securing the harness to the boot and a substantially planar sole portion having a first lateral sole edge and an opposing second lateral sole edge, wherein the first lateral sole edge has a longitudinally extending first binding ridge projecting outwardly from said first lateral sole edge and substantially parallel to the sole portion, and the second lateral sole edge has a longitudinally extending second binding ridge substantially parallel to the first binding ridge and projecting outwardly from said second lateral sole edge and substantially parallel to the sole portion;
and
a binding mounted on the riding surface of the snowboard for attached the boot harness to the riding surface such that the boot harness remains attached to the riding surface until the rider manually releases the boot harness from the binding, the binding interlockingly engaging the first and second binding ridges, the binding including a first ridge-entrapping member defining a fixed first socket extending substantially transversely to the snowboard axis having an opening dimensioned to allow the first binding ridge to be inserted, in a direction substantially parallel to the riding surface into the first socket so as to interlockingly engage the first binding ridge when attaching the boot harness to the riding surface, and a second ridge-entrapping member defining a second socket extending substantially transversely to the snowboard axis substantially parallel to the first socket, the first and second sockets lying in a plane substantially parallel to the riding surface, and the second socket spaced laterally apart from the first socket so as to permit the second binding ridge to be interlockingly engaged in the second socket after the first binding ridge has been interlockingly engaged in the first socket, the second ridge-entrapping member including a base portion, an axle substantially parallel to the first socket mounted to the base portion, a hooking lip pivotally mounted to the base portion via the axle such that the hooking lip is pivotable in a direction away from the first ridge-entrapping member from a latched position to an open position allowing insertion of the second binding ridge into and removal of the second binding ridge from the second socket in a substantially vertical direction whenever the first binding ridge is interlocking engaged in the first socket, and biasing means operably engaged with the hooking lip and base portion, the biasing means urging the hooking lip to return to the latched position.

A snowboarding apparatus comprising:

a snowboard having a front portion, a rear portion, a riding surface, and a longitudinal snowboard axis;
foot mounting means adapted to be worn by a snowboard rider on a foot of the rider to be bound to the riding surface said foot mounting means including a substantially planar sole portion having a first lateral sole edge, an opposing second lateral sole edge, and a longitudinal foot axis, wherein the first lateral sole edge has a longitudinally extending first binding ridge projecting outwardly from said first lateral sole edge and substantially parallel to the sole portion, and the second lateral sole edge has a longitudinally extending second binding ridge substantially parallel to the first binding ridge and projecting outwardly from said second lateral sole edge and substantially parallel to the sole portion;
and
a binding mounted on the riding surface of the snowboard for attaching said foot mounting means to the riding surface such that said foot mounting means remains attached to the riding surface until the rider manually releases the foot mounting means from the binding, the binding interlockingly engaging the first and second binding ridges, the binding including a first ridge-entrapping member defining a fixed first socket extending substancially transversely to the snowboard axis having an opening dimensioned to allow the first binding ridge to be inserted in a direction substantially parallel to the riding surface into the first socket so as to interlockingly engage the first binding ridge when attaching said foot mounting means to the riding surface, and a second ridge-entrapping member defining a second socket extending substantially transversely to the snowboard axis substantially parallel to the first socket, the first and second sockets lying in a plane substantially parallel to the riding surface, and the second socket spaced laterally apart from the first socket so as to permit the second binding ridge to be interlockingly engaged in the second socket after the first binding ridge has been interlockingly engaged in the first socket, the second ridge-entrapping member including a base portion, an axle substantially parallel to the first socket mounted to the base portion, a hooking lip pivotally mounted to the base portion via the axle such that the hooking lip is pivotable in a direction away from the first ridge-entrapping member from a latched position to an open position allowing insertion of the second binding ridge into and removal of the second binding ridge from the second socket in a substantially vertical direction whenever the first binding ridge is interlockingly engaged in the first socket, and biasing means operably engaged with the hooking lip and base portion, the biasing means urging the hooking lip to return to the latched position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An apparatus for binding a snowboard rider's foot to a snowboard having a riding surface and a longitudinal snowboard axis, the rider's foot having a longitudinal foot axis, the apparatus comprising:

a boot worn by a rider on the rider's foot to be bound to the snowboard, the boot including a substantially planar sole portion having a first lateral sole edge and an opposing second lateral sole edge, wherein the first lateral sole edge has a longitudinally extending first binding ridge projecting outwardly from said first lateral sole edge and substantially parallel to the sole portion, and the second lateral sole edge has a longitudinally extending second binding ridge substantially parallel to the first binding ridge and projecting outwardly from said second lateral sole edge and substantially parallel to the sole portion;
and
a binding mounted on the riding surface of the snowboard for attaching the boot to the riding surface such that the boot remains attached to the riding surface until the rider manually releases the boot from the binding, the binding interlockingly engaging the first and second binding ridges, the binding including a first ridge-entrapping member defining a fixed first socket extending substantially transversely to the snowboard axis having an opening dimensioned to allow the first binding ridge to be inserted in a direction substantially parallel to the riding surface into the first socket so as to interlockingly engage the first binding ridge when attaching the boot to the riding surface, and a second ridge-entrapping member defining a second socket extending substantially transversely to the snowboard axis substantially parallel to the first socket, the first and second sockets lying in a plane substantially parallel to the riding surface, and the second socket spaced laterally apart from the first socket so as to permit the second binding ridge to be interlocking engaged in the second socket after the first binding ridge has been interlockingly engaged in the first socket, the second ridge-entrapping member including a base portion, an axle substantially parallel to the first socket mounted tot he base portion, a hooking lip pivotally mounted to the base portion via the axle such that the hooking lip is pivotable in a direction away from the firs ridge-entrapping member from a latched position to an open position allowing insertion of the second binding ridge into and removal of the second binding ridge from the second socket in a substantially vertical direction whenever the first binding ridge is interlockingly engaged in the first socket, and biasing means operably engaged with the hooking lip and base portion, the biasing means urging the hooking lip to return to the latched position.