Snowboard binding

In a snowboard binding of the type comprising a base having front and rear ends, a heel support extending from the rear end of the base, an instep support coupled to the base and a toe support mounted to the front end of the base, the improvement comprising:

• a heel pad mounted to the rear end of the base;
• adjustable means for securing the heel pad to the base over a range of front-to-rear positions;
• and
• a dampened energy-absorber associated with the heel pad, whereby impact loads exerted by a heel of a snowboard boot can be at least partially absorbed by said dampened energy absorber.

In a snowboard binding of the type comprising a base having front and rear ends, a heel support extending from the rear end of the base, an instep support coupled to the base and a toe support mounted to the front end of the base, the improvement comprising:

• said heel support comprising left and right mounting arms, each mounting arm comprising lateral surfaces and upper and lower edges;
• said base comprising a base plate and left and right side flanges extending upwardly from the base plate;
• said right and left side flanges each having an arm channel formed therein, said arm channels housing said right and left mounting arms;
• said arm channels defined in part by lateral support surfaces of each side flange adjacent to the lateral surfaces of the mounting arms;
• said arm channels defined in part by upper and lower support surfaces adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the mounting arms so that said channels circumscribe the mounting arms, the upper and lower support surfaces being generally parallel surfaces extending downwardly towards the base and forwardly towards the front end of the base;
• and
• a mounting element biasing the lateral support surfaces against the lateral surfaces of each mounting arm to secure the mounting arms within the arm channels of the side flanges.

In a snowboard binding of the type comprising a base having front and rear ends, a heel support extending from the rear end of the base, an instep support coupled to the base and a toe support mounted to the front end of the base, the improvement comprising:

• said heel support comprising left and right mounting arms, each mounting arm comprising lateral surfaces and upper and lower edges;
• said base comprising a base plate and left and right side flanges extending upwardly from the base plate;
• said right and left side flanges each having an arm channel formed therein, said arm channels housing said right and left mounting arms;
• said arm channels defined in part by lateral support surfaces of each side flange adjacent to the lateral surfaces of the mounting arms;
• a mounting element biasing the lateral support surfaces against the lateral surfaces of each mounting arm to secure the mounting arms within the arm channels of the side flanges;
• each said mounting arm comprising first and second spaced-apart mounting bores with one said mounting element passing through each said mounting bore;
• said side flanges each having first and second mounting holes, said mounting bores being alignable with the mounting holes so a rearward force on the heel support is resisted at each side flange by:
• the interengagement of the side flange, the mounting arm and mounting elements, and
• the interengagement of the upper and lower support surfaces with the upper and lower edges of the mounting arm.

In a snowboard binding of the type comprising a base having front and rear ends, a heel support extending from the rear end of the base, an instep support coupled to the base and a toe support mounted to the front end of the base, the improvement comprising:

• a toe ramp mounted to the front end of the base;
• the toe ramp having a contoured upper surface with an upwardly-extending front portion shaped for engagement with a front end of a sole of a snowboard boot for improved performance;
• and
• means for adjustably securing the toe ramp to the base over a range of side-to-side positions.

In a snowboard binding of the type comprising a base having front and rear ends, a heel support extending from the rear end of the base, an instep support coupled to the base and a toe support mounted to the front end of the base, the improvement comprising:

• a toe ramp mounted to the front end of the base;
• the toe ramp having a contoured upper surface with an upwardly-extending front portion shaped for engagement with a front end of a sole of a snowboard boot for improved performance;
• and
• said toe ramp comprising an energy-absorber.

In a snowboard binding of the type comprising a base having front and rear ends, a heel support extending from the rear end of the base, an instep support coupled to the base and a toe support mounted to the front end of the base, the improvement comprising:

• a heel pad mounted to the rear end of the base;
• and
• a dampened energy-absorber associated with the heel pad, the dampened energy-absorber comprising an air pocket formed between the heel pad and the base;
• whereby impact loads exerted by a heel of a snowboard boot can be at least partially absorbed by said dampened energy absorber.