Foot binding assembly

A binding for securing a boot to a snowboard, said binding comprising:

• a base portion adapted to be secured to the snowboard;
• a heel support carried by said base portion;
• an ankle and toe securement assembly comprising a pair of laterally spaced support arms pivotally mounted on opposed sides of said base portion of said binding, a toe cover pivotally mounted on and spanning said support arm and an ankle cover carried by and spanning said support arms, said securement assembly being movable with respect to said base portion between an open position wherein a boot can be readily inserted into and removed from said binding and a closed position wherein said assembly bears against portions of a boot inserted into said binding and cooperates with said base and heel portions to encase the boot within the binding, said closed position including a plurality of selected pivotal positions of said securement assembly relative to said base portion;
• and
• a pair of locking assemblies, each of said locking assemblies comprising a a first portion and a second portion, said first portions being carried by laterally opposed portion of said securement assembly and said second portions being carried by laterally opposed portions of said base portion, said first and second portions of each of said locking assemblies cooperating to maintain said securement assembly in said closed position upon said securement assembly being pivoted to said closed position, thereby securing and supporting the boot within the binding, and a release mechanism operable to interrupt the cooperation of said first and second portions such that said securement assembly can be pivoted to said open position.

A binding for securing a boot to a snowboard, said binding comprising:

• a base portion adapted to be secured to the snowboard;
• a heel support carried by said base portion;
• ankle and toe securement assembly comprising a pair of laterally spaced support arms pivotally mounted an opposed sides of said base portion of said binding, a toe cover pivotally mounted on and spanning said support arms and an ankle cover carried by and spanning said support arms, said securement assembly being movable with respect to said base portion between an open position wherein a boot can be readily inserted into and removed from said binding and a closed position wherein said assembly bears against portions of a boot inserted into said binding and cooperates with said base and heel portions to encase the boot within the binding, said closed position including a plurality of selected pivotal positions of said securement assembly relative to said base portion;
• and
• a releasable locking mechanism including a pair of locking assemblies, each of said locking assemblies comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first portions being carried by laterally opposed portions of said securement assembly and said second portions being carried by laterally opposed portions of said base portion, said first and second portions of each of said locking assemblies cooperating to maintain said securement assembly in said closed position upon said securement assembly being pivoted to said closed position and a release member operable to interrupt the cooperation of said first and second portions such that said securement assembly can be pivoted to said open position.

A binding for securing a boot to a snowboard, said binding comprising:

• a base portion adapted to be secured to the snowboard and defining upstanding lateral wall portions;
• a heel support carried by said base portion;
• an ankle and toe securement assembly comprising a pair of lateral support arms, a toe cover and an ankle cover, said support arms defining forward and portions and rearward end portions, said arms being pivotally mounted at said forward end portions thereof on said lateral side walls of said base portion, said toe cover being pivotally mounted on and spanning said support arms proximate said forward end portions thereof and said ankle cover being mounted on and spanning said support arms proximate said rearward end portions thereof, whereby said securement is movable between an open position wherein a boot can be readily inserted into and removed from said binding and a closed position wherein said assembly bears against portions of a boot inserted into said binding and cooperates with said base and heel support portions to encase the boot within the binding;
• a releasable locking mechanism for maintaining said securement assembly in said closed position, said mechanism comprising a pair of upstanding arcuate locking arms, one of said arms being carried by each of said lateral side walls of said base portion, and a pair of locking members, one of said members being carried by each of said rearward end portions of said support arms, said locking members being in arcuate alignment with said locking arms whereby as said securement assembly is pivotally moved to said closed position, said locking members engage said locking arms and retain said securement assembly in said closed position, said closed position including a plurality of selected pivotal positions of said securement assembly relative to said base portion;
• and
• a pair of release members, one of said release members being pivotally mounted on each of said rearward end portions of said support arms and operable to release the engagement of a locking member with a locking arm whereby said securement assembly can be pivoted from said closed position to said open position.

A binding for securing a boot to a snowboard, said binding comprising:

• a base portion adapted to be secured to the snowboard;
• a heel support carried by said base portion;
• an ankle and toe securement assembly comprising a pair of laterally spaced support arms pivotally mounted on opposed sides of said base portion of said binding, a toe cover pivotally mounted on and spanning said support arms and an ankle cover carried by and spanning said support arms, said securement assembly being movable with respect to said base portion between an open position wherein a boot can be readily inserted into and removed from said binding and a closed position wherein said assembly bears against portions of a boot inserted into said binding and cooperates with said base and heel portions to encase the boot within the binding, said closed position including a plurality of selected pivotal positions of said securement assembly relative to said base portion;
• a releasable locking mechanism for maintaining said securement assembly in said closed position, said mechanism comprising a first pair of ratchet members carried by opposed portions of said base portion of said binding and defining thereon a first plurality of ratchet teeth, and a second pair of ratchet members carried by said laterally spaced support arms and defining thereon a second plurality of ratchet teeth, said second ratchet members being in arcuate alignment with said first ratchet members whereby as said securement assembly is moved to said closed position, said teeth on said second plurality of ratchet members engage said teeth on said first plurality of ratchet members so as to allow unidirectional pivotal movement of said securement assembly toward said closed position and to retain and support arms in place relative to said base portion to maintain said securement assembly in said closed position;
• and
• a pair of release members, one of said release members being pivotally mounted on each of said lateral support arms and operable to separate said first plurality of ratchet teeth from said second plurality of ratchet teeth whereby said securement assembly can be pivoted from said closed position to said open position.

A footwear frame for securing an item of footwear about a wearer's foot and ankle, said frame comprising:

• a base portion;
• a heel support portion carried by said base portion;
• an ankle and toe securement assembly pivotally mounted with respect to said base portion and movable between an open position wherein a wearer's foot can be readily inserted into and removed from said frame and a closed position wherein said assembly bears against portions of a foot and ankle inserted into said frame and with said base and heel support portions encasing the foot within the frame, said closed position including a plurality of selected pivotal positions of said securement assembly relative to said base portion;
• and a pair of locking assemblies, each of said locking assemblies comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first portions being carried by laterally opposed portions of said securement assembly and said second portions being carried by laterally opposed portions of said base portion, said first and second portions of each of said locking assemblies cooperating to maintain said securement assembly in said closed position upon said securement assembly being pivoted to said closed position, thereby securing and supporting the boot within the binding, and a release member operable to interrupt the cooperation of said first and second portions such that said securement assembly can be pivoted to said open position.

A snowboard binding having:

• a binding plate adapted for attachment to a snowboard, to receive a shoe or boot of a user;
• a back support secured to the binding plate at a rear portion thereof;
• and
• means for attaching the shoe or boot to the binding plate, including at least one flexible strap element adapted to fit over the shoe or boot of the user,
• wherein said shoe or boot attaching means comprises:
• a pivotable element pivotably coupled to the snowboard at a forward portion of the binding plate;
• and
• means for securely positioning the pivotable element in selected pivoted positions with respect to the binding plate;
• wherein said at least one flexible strap clement is secured to the pivotable element;
• wherein the binding plate defines two sides;
• and
• wherein said means for securely positioning the pivotable element in selected pivoted positions comprises an adjustable locking assembly located on both sides of the binding plate, each adjustable locking assembly including interlocking portions, one of said portions being associated with said pivotable element and another of said portions being operatively coupled to said binding plate on each side thereof, for locking said pivotable element in different pivoted positions.