Snowboard binding system

A snowboard step-in binding system, comprising:

• a boot engaging plate for attachment to the top surface of a snowboard, said boot engaging plate having at least two engaging members engagable to opposite sides of a snowboarder's boot such that said boot, once engaged by said engaging members, is secured to the plate, said two engaging members being movable between an engaging position and a disengaging position, whereby pressure by said boot towards said boot engaging plate when the snowboarder's boot is stepped downwardly onto said binding system is sufficient to move said engaging members to said engaging position, said engaging members operatively associated with a spring that urges at least one of said engaging members into said engaging position upon downward movement of the boot into a properly secured arrangement within said binding system;
• a disengaging member operatively associated with at least one of said engaging members to move said at least one of said engaging member from the engaging position to the disengaging position, said disengaging member being capable of manipulation by a snowboarder's hand;
• and
• an engagement indicator which indicates to a snowboarder that the boot is secured to said binding system in the properly secured arrangement, an indication of a properly secured arrangement by the engagement indicator being one of the appearance or the disappearance of a colored surface movably associated with said binding system and indicating the movement of said at least one of said two engaging members into said engaging position.

A snowboard binding for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard, the binding having an open and a closed position, the binding comprising:

• a first active boot engaging member mounted to a base adapted to engage a first lateral side of a snowboard boot when the binding is in the closed position;
• a second active boot engaging member mounted to a base adapted to engage a second lateral side of the snowboard boot when the binding is in the closed position;
• a locking assembly including a locking member mechanically coupled to one of said first and second engaging members, said locking member having an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration respectively corresponding to the open and closed positions of the binding;
• at least one tensioning member operatively associated with at least one of said first and second engaging members to urge at least one of said first engaging member or second engaging member into an engaging position, said first and second engaging members being movable between said engaging position and a disengaging position corresponding to said closed and open positions respectively of the binding, whereby pressure by said boot towards said base when the snowboarder's boot is stepped downwardly into said binding is sufficient to move said engaging members into a properly secured arrangement within said binding;
• and
• an engagement indicator which indicates to a snowboarder that the snowboard boot is secured to said binding in a properly secured arrangement, an indication of a properly secured arrangement comprising a colored visual signal that either appears or disappears when said first and second engaging members are in said engaging position, said colored visual signal presented upon the movement of either of said engaging members into said closed position.

A snowboard binding for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard, the binding having an open and a closed position, the binding comprising:

• a base adapted to receive a snowboard boot;
• a first active boot engaging member mounted to the base and adapted to engage a first lateral side of a snowboard boot when the binding is in the closed position;
• a second active boot engaging member mounted to the base and adapted to engage a second lateral side of the snowboard boot when the binding is in the closed position;
• at least one tensioning member operatively associated with at least one of said first and second engaging members, said first and second engaging members being movable between an engaging position and a disengaging position corresponding to said closed and open positions respectively of the binding, whereby pressure by said boot towards said base when the snowboarder's boot is stepped downwardly into said binding is sufficient to move said first and second engaging members into a properly secured arrangement within said binding, at least one of said first and second engaging members being associated with a spring which urges said members into said closed position;
• an engagement indicator which indicates to a snowboarder that the snowboard boot is secured to said binding in a properly secured arrangement, an indication of a properly secured arrangement comprising a colored visual signal that either appears or disappears when said binding is in said closed position, said colored visual signal movable with respect to said base;
• and
• at least one static element operatively associated with said binding to prevent movement of a snowboarder's boot when in said closed position.

A snowboard step-in binding system, comprising:

• a boot engaging plate for attachment to the top surface of a snowboard, said boot engaging plate having at least two engaging assemblies engagable to opposite sides of a snowboarder's boot such that said boot, once engaged by said engaging assemblies, is secured to the plate, at least one of said two engaging assemblies being movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, whereby pressure by said boot towards said boot engaging plate when the snowboarder's boot is stepped downwardly onto said binding system is sufficient to move said at least one of said two engaging assemblies to said engaged position, said at least one of said engaging assemblies being urged to extend toward said boot and into a locking engaging position upon downward movement of the boot into a properly secured arrangement within said binding system;
• a disengaging member operatively associated with at least one of said engaging assemblies to move said at least one of said engaging assemblies from the engaged position to the disengaged position;
• and
• an engagement indicator which indicates to a snowboarder that the boot is secured to said binding system in the properly secured arrangement, an indication of a properly secured arrangement comprising the movement of a visual verification member having a color associated therewith, the display of such color indicating that at least one of said engaging assemblies is either in said engaged position or in said disengaged position.