Binding system for recreational board

A binding system for retaining a rider's foot atop a recreational board, the binding system comprising:

• a base rigidly mountable to the recreational board;
• and
• a foot-retainer for retaining the rider's foot in generally fixed relation thereto, the foot-retainer moveably coupled to the base at a pair of movement joints for motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• the base comprising:
• a base plate shaped to abut against a rider-support surface of the recreational board on a lower surface thereof, shaped to receive a bottom of the rider's foot on an opposed upper surface thereof and shaped to extend longitudinally between a front stand-off flange and a rear stand-off flange, the front stand-off flange shaped to locate a corresponding front movement joint at a front joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate and the rear stand-off flange shaped to locate a corresponding rear movement joint at a rear joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate;
• wherein the front and rear movement joints respectively comprise front and rear pivot couplings and wherein the foot-retainer is pivotally coupled to the base for pivotal motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• wherein the foot-retainer comprises a front rail and a rear rail longitudinally spaced apart from one another for receiving the rider's foot therebetween;
• and
• wherein the foot-retainer comprises:
• a high-back located on the heel-side of the binding and extending between and upwardly from the front and rear rails, the high-back comprising a concave surface shaped to accommodate a heel of the rider's foot;
• and
• a strapping system extending longitudinally between one or more of:
• the front and rear rails and front and rear portions of the high back, the strapping system adjustable to a first configuration where the rider's foot is retained under the strapping system and against the concave surface of the high back so as to be generally fixed in relation to the foot-retainer and to a second configuration wherein the rider's foot is insertable into and removable from the foot-retainer.

A binding system for retaining a rider's foot atop a recreational board, the binding system comprising:

• a base rigidly mountable to the recreational board;
• and
• a foot-retainer for retaining the rider's foot in generally fixed relation thereto, the foot-retainer moveably coupled to the base at a pair of movement joints for motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• the base comprising:
• a base plate shaped to abut against a rider-support surface of the recreational board on a lower surface thereof, shaped to receive a bottom of the rider's foot on an opposed upper surface thereof and shaped to extend longitudinally between a front stand-off flange and a rear stand-off flange, the front stand-off flange shaped to locate a corresponding front movement joint at a front joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate and the rear stand-off flange shaped to locate a corresponding rear movement joint at a rear joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate;
• wherein the front and rear movement joints respectively comprise front and rear pivot couplings and wherein the foot-retainer is pivotally coupled to the base for pivotal motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• wherein the foot-retainer comprises a front rail and a rear rail longitudinally spaced apart from one another for receiving the rider's foot therebetween;
• and
• wherein the front rail and the rear rail are rigidly connected to one another only by a heel cup which extends longitudinally between the front and rear rails on a heel side of the binding, the heel cup comprising a concave surface shaped to accommodate a portion of a heel of the rider's foot.

A binding system for retaining a rider's foot atop a recreational board, the binding system comprising:

• a base rigidly mountable to the recreational board;
• and
• a foot-retainer for retaining the rider's foot in generally fixed relation thereto, the foot-retainer moveably coupled to the base at a pair of movement joints for motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• the base comprising:
• a base plate shaped to abut against a rider-support surface of the recreational board on a lower surface thereof, shaped to receive a bottom of the rider's foot on an opposed upper surface thereof and shaped to extend longitudinally between a front stand-off flange and a rear stand-off flange, the front stand-off flange shaped to locate a corresponding front movement joint at a front joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate and the rear stand-off flange shaped to locate a corresponding rear movement joint at a rear joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate;
• wherein the front and rear movement joints respectively comprise front and rear pivot couplings and wherein the foot-retainer is pivotally coupled to the base for pivotal motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• wherein the foot-retainer comprises a front rail and a rear rail longitudinally spaced apart from one another for receiving the rider's foot therebetween;
• and
• wherein each of the front and rear rails comprises:
• a central portion spaced upwardly apart from a lowermost portion of the foot-retainer;
• a toe-side leg which extends downwardly from the central portion on a toe side thereof;
• and a heel-side leg which extends downwardly from the central portion on a heel side thereof.

A binding system for retaining a rider's foot atop a recreational board, the binding system comprising:

• a base rigidly mountable to the recreational board;
• and
• a foot-retainer for retaining the rider's foot in generally fixed relation thereto, the foot-retainer moveably coupled to the base at a pair of movement joints for motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• the base comprising:
• a base plate shaped to abut against a rider-support surface of the recreational board on a lower surface thereof, shaped to receive a bottom of the rider's foot on an opposed upper surface thereof and shaped to extend longitudinally between a front stand-off flange and a rear stand-off flange, the front stand-off flange shaped to locate a corresponding front movement joint at a front joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate and the rear stand-off flange shaped to locate a corresponding rear movement joint at a rear joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate;
• wherein the front and rear movement joints respectively comprise front and rear pivot couplings and wherein the foot-retainer is pivotally coupled to the base for pivotal motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• wherein the foot-retainer comprises a front rail and a rear rail longitudinally spaced apart from one another for receiving the rider's foot therebetween;
• wherein the front stand-off flange is pivotally mounted to the front rail by the front pivot coupling, the front rail and the front stand-off flange shaped to locate the front pivot coupling at a front pivot location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate;
• and wherein the rear stand-off flange is pivotally mounted to the rear rail by the rear pivot coupling, the rear rail and the rear stand-off flange shaped to locate the rear pivot coupling at a rear pivot location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate;
• and
• wherein the front and rear rails each comprise a concave lower edge and wherein the binding system comprises one or more deformable pads located between one or more lowermost portions of the front and rear rails and the recreational board.

A recreational board comprising:

• a pair of bindings mounted atop a rider-support surface of the board, each binding comprising:
• a base rigidly mounted atop the rider-support surface of the recreational board;
• and
• a foot-retainer for retaining a rider's foot in generally fixed relation thereto, the foot-retainer moveably coupled to the base at a pair of movement joints for motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• the base comprising:
• a base plate shaped to abut against the rider support surface of the board on a lower surface thereof, shaped to receive a bottom of the rider's foot on an opposed upper surface thereof and to extend longitudinally between a front standoff flange and a rear standoff flange, the front standoff flange shaped to locate a corresponding front movement joint at a front joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate and the rear standoff flange shaped to locate a corresponding rear movement joint at a rear joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate;
• wherein, for each binding, the front and rear movement joints each comprise one or more deformable bushings and wherein portions of the one or more bushings deform to facilitate motion of the foot-retainer relative to the base.

A kit comprising:

• a longitudinally elongated recreational board;
• and
• a pair of bindings mountable atop a rider-support surface of the board, each binding comprising:
• a base rigidly mountable atop the rider-support surface of the recreational board;
• and
• a foot-retainer for retaining a rider's foot in generally fixed relation thereto, the foot-retainer moveably coupleable to the base at a pair of movement joints for motion of the foot-retainer and the rider's foot relative to the base and the recreational board;
• the base comprising:
• a base plate shaped to abut against the rider-support surface of the recreational board on a lower surface thereof, shaped to receive a bottom of the rider's foot on an upper surface thereof and shaped to extend longitudinally between a front standoff flange and a rear standoff flange, the front standoff flange shaped to locate a corresponding front movement joint at a front joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate and a rear standoff flange shaped to locate a corresponding rear movement joint at a rear joint location spaced upwardly apart from the foot-receiving upper surface of the base plate;
• wherein, for each binding, the front and rear movement joints each comprise one or more deformable bushings and wherein portions of the one or more bushings deform to facilitate motion of the foot-retainer relative to the base.