Snowboard binding

A binding apparatus for securing a boot having a rearward portion and a forward portion to a snowboard having a longitudinal axis, the boot having a forward attachment member beneath the forward portion and a rearward attachment member beneath the rearward portion, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a rigid binding frame for attachment to the snowboard, said frame having a longitudinal axis generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard when attached thereto;
• (b) a first jaw secured to said frame and projecting upwardly therefrom for grasping at least one of the forward attachment member and the rearward attachment member, said first jaw being movably attached to said frame for movement with respect to said frame and said boot, said first jaw being disposed substantially along said longitudinal axis of said frame such that said first jaw is disposed beneath the boot when engaged therewith;
• (c) a second jaw secured to said frame and projecting upwardly therefrom in a location spaced from said first jaw substantially along said longitudinal axis of said frame for grasping the other of the forward attachment member and the rearward attachment member;
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• (d) a first release mechanism coupled to said first jaw for moving at least a portion of said first jaw away from at least one of the forward attachment member and the rearward attachment member to release the boot from said first jaw, wherein said frame includes a binding plate coupled to said first and second jaws, said binding plate having a surface on which at least a portion of the boot rests and wherein said first release mechanism is manually operable, said first release mechanism including a lever extending to the side of said frame to be positioned adjacent the side of the boot when secured to said jaws, said lever being connected to said first jaw for moving said first jaw away from at least one of the attachment members, said jaws not releasing the attachment members unless said lever is manually moved.

A binding apparatus for securing a boot having a rearward portion and a forward portion to a snowboard having a longitudinal axis, the boot having a forward attachment member beneath the forward portion and a rearward attachment member beneath the rearward portion, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a rigid binding frame for attachment to the snowboard, said frame having a longitudinal axis generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard when attached thereto;
• (b) a first jaw secured to said frame and projecting upwardly therefrom for grasping at least one of the forward attachment member and the rearward attachment member, said first jaw being movably attached to said frame for movement with respect to said frame and said boot, said first jaw being disposed substantially along said longitudinal axis of said frame such that said first jaw is disposed beneath the boot when engaged therewith;
• (c) a second jaw secured to said frame and projecting upwardly therefrom in a location spaced from said first jaw substantially along said longitudinal axis of said frame for grasping the other of the forward attachment member and the rearward attachment member, wherein said second jaw is fixed and does not move relative to said frame during release of the boot, the movement of said first jaw allowing both the first and the second attachment members to be released from said first and second jaws;
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• (d) a first release mechanism coupled to said first jaw for moving at least a portion of said first jaw away from at least one of the forward attachment member and the rearward attachment member to release the boot from said first jaw.

A binding apparatus for securing a boot having a rearward portion and a forward portion to a snowboard having a longitudinal axis, the boot having a forward attachment member beneath the forward portion and a rearward attachment member beneath the rearward portion, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a rigid binding frame for attachment to the snowboard, said frame having a longitudinal axis generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard when attached thereto;
• (b) a first jaw secured to said frame and projecting upwardly therefrom for grasping at least one of the forward attachment member and the rearward attachment member, said first jaw being movably attached to said frame for movement with respect to said frame and said boot, said first jaw being disposed substantially along said longitudinal axis of said frame such that said first jaw is disposed beneath the boot when engaged therewith;
• (c) a second jaw secured to said frame and projecting upwardly therefrom in a location spaced from said first jaw substantially along said longitudinal axis of said frame for grasping the other of the forward attachment member and the rearward attachment member;
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• (d) a first release mechanism coupled to said first jaw for moving at least a portion of said first jaw away from at least one of the forward attachment member and the rearward attachment member to release the boot from said first jaw, wherein said first release mechanism comprises a slide member attached to said first jaw and a lever pivotally attached to said slide member, movement of said lever causing sliding motion of said slide member and moving said first jaw.

A binding apparatus for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard, the snowboard boot having an attachment member secured to the bottom of the boot, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a frame securable to the snowboard, said frame having a longitudinal axis, said frame being adapted to be secured to the snowboard with said longitudinal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard;
• (b) a movable jaw attached to said frame substantially along said longitudinal axis and extending upwardly therefrom, said movable jaw being engageable with the attachment member of the boot;
• (c) a jaw movement mechanism attached to said frame and coupled to said movable jaw, said mechanism including a rigid arm disposed to the side of the frame so as to be positioned near the side of the boot when the boot is secured by the jaw, movement of said arm causing said jaw to move;
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• (d) a second jaw attached to said frame adjacent the movable jaw, said movable jaw abutting said second jaw when in a closed position.

A snowboard binding apparatus comprising:

• (a) a boot, including a sole with a recess therein, said boot including a first attachment member secured near the longitudinal axis thereof, said first attachment member projecting downwardly from within said recess of said sole and being disposed beneath said sole;
• (b) a frame securable to a snowboard;
• (c) a movable jaw attached to and projecting upwardly from said frame, said movable jaw being positioned to engage said first attachment member of said boot within said recess of said sole of said boot, said movable jaw being disposed beneath said sole when engaging said first attachment member;
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• (d) a jaw movement mechanism attached to said frame and coupled to said movable jaw, said jaw movement mechanism including a release arm extending to the side of said frame and to the side of the boot when said boot is engaged by the movable jaw, wherein said boot sole further comprises flex pads secured on the sides of the first attachment member, said flex pads being compressible and resilient to allow the boot to pivot side to side about said first attachment member when engaged by the movable jaw, said flex pads extending lower than said first attachment member.

A snowboard binding apparatus comprising:

• (a) a boot, including a sole with a recess therein, said boot including a first attachment member secured near the longitudinal axis thereof, said first attachment member projecting downwardly from within said recess of said sole and being disposed beneath said sole;
• (b) a frame securable to a snowboard;
• (c) a movable jaw attached to and projecting upwardly from said frame, said movable jaw being positioned to engage said first attachment member of said boot within said recess of said sole of said boot, said movable jaw being disposed beneath said sole when engaging said first attachment member;
• (d) a jaw movement mechanism attached to said frame and coupled to said movable jaw, said jaw movement mechanism including a release arm extending to the side of said frame and to the side of the boot when said boot is engaged by the movable jaw;
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• (e) a second attachment member secured to said sole of said boot and a second jaw attached to said frame and engageable with said second attachment member, said first attachment member being disposed beneath a generally rearward portion of said boot and said second attachment member disposed beneath a generally forward portion of said boot substantially along said longitudinal axis of said boot, said first and second attachment members projecting downwardly from beneath said sole, and said first and second jaws being disposed beneath said sole when engaged with said first and second attachment member.

A snowboard binding apparatus comprising:

• (a) a boot, including a sole having a first attachment member secured near the longitudinal axis thereof and a second attachment member secured to said sole of said boot;
• (b) a frame securable to a snowboard;
• (c) a first movable jaw attached to said frame positioned to engage said first attachment member of said boot;
• (d) a second jaw attached to said frame and engagable with said second attachment member, said first attachment member being disposed beneath a generally rearward portion of said boot and said second attachment member disposed beneath a generally forward portion of said boot, wherein said first attachment member comprises a first rod extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sole of said boot;
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• (e) a jaw movement mechanism attached to said frame and coupled to said movable jaw, said jaw movement mechanism including a release arm extending to the side of the frame and to the side of the boot when the boot is engaged by the movable jaw.

A snowboard binding apparatus comprising:

• (a) a boot, including a sole having a first attachment member secured near the longitudinal axis thereof and a second attachment member secured to said sole of said boot wherein said second attachment member comprises a rod extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said sole of said boot, said sole including a forward recess within which said rod is held above the lowermost portion of said sole;
• (b) a frame securable to a snowboard;
• (c) a movable jaw attached to said frame positioned to engage said first attachment member of said boot;
• (d) a second jaw attached to said frame and engagable with said second attachment member, said second jaw being fixed relative to said frame, said first attachment member being disposed beneath a generally rearward portion of said boot and said second attachment member disposed beneath a generally forward portion of said boot, wherein said second jaw comprises a hook, said second attachment member being engagable beneath said hook, and
• (e) a jaw movement mechanism attached to said frame and coupled to said movable jaw, said jaw movement mechanism including a release arm extending to the side of the frame and to the side of the boot when the boot is engaged by the movable jaw.

A snowboard binding for securing a snowboard boot having a forward attach element beneath a forward end of the boot and a rearward attach element beneath a rearward end of the boot, the binding comprising:

• (a) a frame securable to a snowboard, said frame having a longitudinal axis, wherein said frame comprises at least one attachment plate securable to a snowboard in a plurality of angular orientations relative to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard, wherein said frame further comprises two rails attached to said attachment plate, said rails being spaced from each other for receiving the sole of the boot between them, said rails having forward ends and rearward ends;
• (b) forward coupling means secured to said frame substantially along said longitudinal axis, said forward coupling means projecting upwardly from said frame and being engageable with the forward attach element of the boot;
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• (c) rearward coupling means secured to said frame substantially along said longitudinal axis, said rearward coupling means projecting upwardly from said frame and being engageable with the rearward attach element of the boot, said rearward coupling means including a release arm extending from the side of the frame such that said arm projects adjacent the side of the boot when the boot is engaged by said rearward coupling means.

A snowboard binding for securing a snowboard boot having a forward attach element beneath a forward end of the boot and a rearward attach element beneath a rearward end of the boot, the binding comprising:

• (a) a frame securable to a snowboard, said frame including at least one attachment plate securable to a snowboard in a plurality of angular orientations relative to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard, and two rails attached to said attachment plate, said rails being spaced from each other for receiving the sole of the boot between them, said rails having forward ends and rearward ends, said frame further comprises a forward bridge attached between the forward ends of said rails and a rearward bridge attached between the rearward ends of said rails;
• (b) forward coupling means secured to said frame, said forward coupling means being engagable with the forward attach element of the boot;
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• (c) rearward coupling means secured to said frame, said rearward coupling means being engagable with the rearward attach element of the boot, said rearward coupling means including a release arm extending from the side of the frame such that said arm projects adjacent the side of the boot when the boot is engaged by said rearward coupling means, wherein said forward bridge secures said forward coupling means and said rearward bridge secures said rearward coupling means, and said rearward coupling means comprise a movable jaw disposed near the center of said rearward bridge.

A snowboard binding apparatus comprising:

• (a) a boot including a sole having a first substantially horizontal rod attached thereto, said rod being spaced from said sole and extending in the same general direction as the longitudinal axis of said sole;
• (b) a frame securable to a snowboard;
• (c) a movable jaw attached to and projecting upwardly from said frame, said movable jaw being positioned to engage said first rod;
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• (d) a jaw movement mechanism attached to said frame and attached to said movable jaw, said jaw movement mechanism including a release arm extending to the side of said frame and to the side of said boot when said boot is engaged by the movable jaw.