Interface for engaging a snowboard boot to a binding

A system for mounting a rider to a snowboard, the system comprising:

• a snowboard binding to be mounted to the snowboard, the snowboard binding including at least one forward strapless engagement member;
• a snowboard boot to receive a foot of the rider, the snowboard boot including at least one strapless mating feature adapted to engage with the at least one forward strapless engagement member on the binding to hold down a toe end of the boot during riding;
• and
• an interface having at least one strap adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard boot, the interface further including at least one mating feature adapted to be releasably engaged by the snowboard binding, the at least one mating feature including at least one engagement pin that extends outwardly from medial and lateral sides of the interface and is circular in cross-section,
• at least one of the at least one forward strapless engagement member on the binding and the at least one strapless mating feature on the snowboard boot being an active engagement component that is automatically movable between an engagement position and a release position in response to the rider stepping into and out of the binding.

An interface for engaging a snowboard boot to a snowboard binding, the interface comprising:

• a body having at least one mating feature adapted to be releasably engaged by the snowboard binding, the at least one mating feature including at least one engagement pin that extends outwardly from medial and lateral sides of the interface and is circular in cross-section;
• the body further including a pair of sidewalls adapted to extend upwardly along medial and lateral sides of the snowboard boot, wherein each of the pair of sidewalls is sufficiently rigid to resist wrapping around the snowboard boot when the interface is mounted to the snowboard boot and subjected to forces exerted by the snowboard boot during riding;
• the body further including a base that is adapted to pass under the sole of the snowboard boot and a pair of trusses that extends between the base and the pair of sidewalls to increase resistance of the pair of sidewalls to bending;
• and
• at least one strap, mounted to the pair of sidewalls of the body, adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard boot.

A system for mounting a rider to a snowboard, the system comprising:

• a snowboard boot to receive a foot of the rider, the snowboard boot including a sole having a recess;
• a snowboard binding to be mounted to the snowboard;
• and
• an interface having;
• a body including a base that is adapted to pass under the sole of the snowboard boot, the base having a non-planar contoured upper surface that is adapted to fit within the recess in the sole of the snowboard boot;
• at least one mating feature that is supported by the body and is adapted to be releasably engaged by the snowboard binding;
• and
• at least one strap that is supported by the body and is adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard boot;
• wherein the recess has a bottom-facing non-planar contoured surface that corresponds to the non-planar contoured upper surface of the interface to enable the sole of the boot to roll laterally relative to the interface while automatically maintaining alignment between the interface and the recess during riding.

A system for mounting a rider to a snowboard, the system comprising:

• a snowboard boot to receive a foot of the rider, the snowboard boot including a sole having a recess with a bottom-facing non-planar contoured surface;
• a snowboard binding to be mounted to the snowboard;
• and
• an interface having;
• a body including a base that is adapted to pass under the sole of the snowboard boot, the base having a non-planar contoured upper surface that is adapted to fit within the recess in the sole of the snowboard boot, the bottom-facing non-planar contoured surface of the recess and the non-planar contoured upper surface of the base being configured with complimentary mating features that are adapted to prevent shifting of the interface relative to the sole of the snowboard boot in a side-to-side direction during riding;
• at least one mating feature that is supported by the body and is adapted to be releasably engaged by the snowboard binding;
• and
• at least one strap that is supported by the body and is adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard boot.

A system for mounting a rider to a snowboard, the system comprising:

• a snowboard boot to receive a foot of the rider, the snowboard boot including a toe portion, an arch portion rearward of the toe portion and a heel portion rearward of the arch portion;
• a snowboard binding to be mounted to the snowboard;
• and
• an interface having at least one strap adapted to mount the interface to the snowboard boot, the interface further including at least one mating feature adapted to be releasably engaged by the snowboard binding, the at least one mating feature including at least one engagement pin that extends outwardly from medial and lateral sides of the interface and is circular in cross-section, the interface being constructed and arranged to be mounted to the heel portion of the snowboard boot.