IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0650271
(2000-08-28)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Laughlin, James
- Dodge, David J.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
20 인용 특허 :
88 |
초록
▼
A snowboard binding mechanism for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard includes at least one moveable engagement member having an open position and at least one closed position. When in the closed position, the engagement member is biased toward the open position. As a result, when a snowboard b
A snowboard binding mechanism for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard includes at least one moveable engagement member having an open position and at least one closed position. When in the closed position, the engagement member is biased toward the open position. As a result, when a snowboard boot is not disposed in the binding mechanism, the binding mechanism automatically moves to the open position. The engagement member may also function to compensate for snow, ice or debris accumulated beneath the boot. A single handle may be operatively connected to the engagement members to facilitate ease of removal of the snowboard boot from the binding by simply requiring actuation of the single handle to unlock the binding. A separate foot pedal may be operably coupled to the engagement member and is also employed to unlock the binding. The binding mechanism may also include a cocking feature that unlocks the binding mechanism without also causing the engagement members to move to open positions. A non-metallic heel hoop may be adjustably mounted to the base of a binding for movement in a forward and rearward direction relative to the base. The heel hoop is mounted at a location on the base such that no portion of the heel hoop extends forward of the engagement member. The heel hoop may also include a base portion that is adapted to at least partially underlie the sole of the boot when the boot is held within the binding.
대표청구항
▼
A snowboard binding mechanism for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard includes at least one moveable engagement member having an open position and at least one closed position. When in the closed position, the engagement member is biased toward the open position. As a result, when a snowboard b
A snowboard binding mechanism for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard includes at least one moveable engagement member having an open position and at least one closed position. When in the closed position, the engagement member is biased toward the open position. As a result, when a snowboard boot is not disposed in the binding mechanism, the binding mechanism automatically moves to the open position. The engagement member may also function to compensate for snow, ice or debris accumulated beneath the boot. A single handle may be operatively connected to the engagement members to facilitate ease of removal of the snowboard boot from the binding by simply requiring actuation of the single handle to unlock the binding. A separate foot pedal may be operably coupled to the engagement member and is also employed to unlock the binding. The binding mechanism may also include a cocking feature that unlocks the binding mechanism without also causing the engagement members to move to open positions. A non-metallic heel hoop may be adjustably mounted to the base of a binding for movement in a forward and rearward direction relative to the base. The heel hoop is mounted at a location on the base such that no portion of the heel hoop extends forward of the engagement member. The heel hoop may also include a base portion that is adapted to at least partially underlie the sole of the boot when the boot is held within the binding. is in said latched position. 5. A snowboard binding according to claim 1, wherein said stop member includes a front flange extending upwardly to form said front stop surface. 6. A snowboard binding according to claim 1, wherein said front binding arrangement further includes a release lever coupled to a mounting portion of said front claw to move said front claw between said latched position and said release position. 7. A snowboard binding according to claim 2, wherein said rear stop surface is located behind said front claw. 8. A snowboard binding according to claim 4, wherein said front catch engaging surface is a non-planar surface adapted to mate with a surface of the front catch. 9. A snowboard binding according to claim 5, wherein said front flange includes an abutment surface arranged to selectively contact said front claw to limit rotational movement of said front claw. 10. A snowboard binding according to claim 7, wherein said stop member includes a rear guide surface that extends upwardly and rearwardly from said rear stop surface to guide the front catch into said front catch receiving area. 11. A snowboard boot comprising: an upper portion including a foot section and a leg section extending upwardly from said foot section; a sole portion fixedly coupled to said foot section of said upper portion, said sole portion having a toe section, a mid section and a heel section with a forward to rearward longitudinal axis extending between said toe section and said heel section; at least one rear catch located at said heel section of said sole portion; and a front catch coupled to said toe section of said sole portion, said front catch having a pair of leg portions extending downwardly from said toe section of said sole portion and a tongue portion extending laterally between said leg portions of said front catch, said tongue portion of said front catch having a non-planar lower surface with a front end and a rear end, said rear end of said lower surface being spaced further from said sole portion than said front end of said lower surface. 12. The snowboard boot according to claim 11, wherein said tongue portion of said front catch has a forward to rearward dimension that is larger than forward to rearward dimensions of said leg portions of said front catch. 13. The snowboard boot according to claim 11, wherein said tongue portion has a main section and a rear section projecting rearwardly from said main section with a smaller cross-sectional shape than said main section. 14. The snowboard boot according to claim 11, wherein said tongue portion includes a claw engaging surface facing substantially toward said sole portion and substantially in an opposite direction from said lower surface. 15. The snowboard boot according to claim 11, wherein said front catch further includes a mounting plate extending between said leg portions of said front catch, with said mounting plate contacting an interior surface of said sole portion. 16. The snowboard boot according to claim 11, wherein said tongue portion includes an angled rear end surface extending from said rear end of said lower surface. 17. The snowboard boot according to claim 11, wherein said at least one rear catch includes first and second rear catches located at first and second lateral sides of said heel section of said sole portion. 18. The snowboard boot according to claim 12, wherein said tongue portion has a main section extending between said leg portions and a rear section projecting rearwardly beyond said leg portions with a smaller cross-sectional shape than said main section. 19. The snowboard boot according to claim 14, wherein said claw engaging surface is a non-planar surface adapted to mate with a surface of a front claw of a binding. 20. The snowboard boot according to claim 17, wherein said first and second rear catches include a plurality of first and second notches that ex tend in a longitudinal direction of said sole portion. 21. A snowboard binding system comprising: a snowboard binding including a base member having a front portion, a rear portion and a binding longitudinal axis extending between said front and rear portions, a rear binding arrangement coupled to said rear portion of said base member, and a front binding arrangement coupled to said front portion of said base member, said front binding arrangement including a front claw and a stop member that form a front catch receiving area, said front claw being pivotally coupled to said front portion of said base member to move between a release position and a latched position, said stop member being coupled to said front portion of said base member adjacent said front claw; and a snowboard boot configured to be releasably coupled to said snowboard binding, said snowboard boot including an upper portion including a foot section and a leg section extending upwardly from said foot section, a sole portion fixedly coupled to said foot section of said upper portion, said sole portion having a toe section, a mid section and a heel section with a forward to rearward longitudinal axis extending between said toe section and said heel section, at least one rear catch located at said heel section of said sole portion, said at least one rear catch being configured to be releasably coupled to said rear binding arrangement, and a front catch coupled to said toe section of said sole portion, said front catch being configured to be releasably coupled to said front binding arrangement via said front claw, said front claw, said stop member and said front catch being arranged and configured to prevent said front catch of said boot from moving said front claw from said latched position to said release position when said front catch is located in said front catch receiving area. 22. The snowboard binding system according to claim 21, wherein said stop member has a front stop surface facing in a rearward direction that is arranged to selectively contact said front catch when said front catch is located in said front catch receiving area. 23. The snowboard binding system according to claim 21, wherein said front claw has a non-planar front catch engaging surface that mates with a non-planar claw engaging surface of said front catch when said front catch is located in said front catch receiving area and said front claw is in said latched position. 24. The snowboard binding system according to claim 21, wherein said front binding arrangement further includes a release lever coupled to a mounting portion of said front claw to move said front claw between said latched position and said release position. 25. The snowboard binding system according to claim 21, wherein said at least one rear catch includes first and second rear catches located at first and second lateral sides of said heel section of said sole portion. 26. The snowboard binding system according to claim 22, wherein said stop member includes a rear stop surface facing in a forward direction that is substantially opposite to said rearward direction, said rear stop surface being arranged to selectively contact said front catch when said front catch is located in said front catch receiving area. 27. The snowboard binding system according to claim 22, wherein said front catch has a non-planar lower surface that at least partially contacts said stop member to prevent downward movement of said front catch relative to said binding when said front catch is located in said front catch receiving area. 28. The snowboard binding system according to claim 22, wherein said stop member includes a front flange portion extending upwardly to form said front stop surface. 29. The snowboard binding system according to claim 26, wherein said front catch has a pair of leg portions extending downwardly from said toe section of said sole portion and a tongue portion ex tending laterally between said leg portions, said tongue portion being arranged between said front and rear stop surfaces of said stop member when said tongue portion is located in said front catch receiving area. 30. The snowboard binding system according to claim 26, wherein said stop member includes a rear guide surface that extends upwardly and rearwardly from said rear stop surface to guide said front catch into said front catch receiving area. 31. The snowboard binding system according to claim 26, wherein said front catch includes a rear guide surface that extends upwardly and rearwardly to guide said front catch into said front catch receiving area. 32. The snowboard binding system according to claim 28, wherein said front flange portion includes an abutment arranged to selectively contact said front claw to limit rotational movement of said front claw. 33. The snowboard binding system according to claim 29, wherein said front claw has a non-planar front catch engaging surface that mates with a non-planar claw engaging surface of said tongue portion when said tongue portion is arranged in said front catch receiving area and said front claw is in said latched position. 34. The snowboard binding system according to claim 32, wherein said tongue portion of said front catch has a forward to rearward dimension that is larger than forward to rearward dimensions of said leg portions of said front catch. 35. The snowboard binding system according to claim 33, wherein said front catch engaging surface faces substantially downward toward said front catch receiving area and said front claw engaging surface faces substantially in a direction opposite said front catch engaging surface when said tongue portion is. arranged in said front catch receiving area and said front claw is in said engaged position. 36. The snowboard binding system according to claim 34, wherein said tongue portion has a main section extending between said leg portions and a rear section projecting rearwardly beyond said leg portions with a smaller cross-sectional shape than said main section. ent with the snowboard boot when the snowboard boot is stepped into the binding. 3. The step-in snowboard binding of claim 2, wherein the first strapless engagement member is movable between a closed position wherein it secures the snowboard boot to the binding and an open position wherein it does not secure the snowboard boot to the binding; and wherein the binding further comprises a first locking assembly adapted to lock the first strapless engagement member in the closed position, wherein the first locking assembly has an open state and a closed state respectively corresponding to the open and closed positions of the first strapless engagement member, the first locking assembly being arranged to lock the first strapless engagement member in the closed position when the locking assembly is in the closed state, the first locking assembly being constructed and arranged such that, when the boot is secured to the binding, forces acting through the boot on the first engagement member that tend to move the first engagement member toward the open position act to maintain the locking assembly in the closed state. 4. The step-in snowboard binding of claim 2, wherein a position of the heel hoop is adjustable relative to the first and second strapless engagement members to accommodate different sizes of the snowboard boot. 5. The snowboard binding of claim 1, in combination with the snowboard boot. 6. A step-in snowboard binding for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard, comprising: a base having a base surface adapted to be substantially parallel to a sole of the snowboard boot when the boot is secured in the binding; at least one strapless engagement member, moveably mounted to the base, adapted to engage the snowboard boot; and a high-back leg support mounted to the base in at least two positions having different rotational orientations about an axis that is substantially normal to the base surface. 7. A step-in snowboard binding for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard, comprising: a base adapted to receive the snowboard boot; at least one strapless engagement member that is mounted to the base and adapted to engage at least one lateral side of the snowboard boot at a section not forward of an in-step area of the snowboard boot; and a heel hoop adapted to receive a heel of the snowboard boot, the heel hoop being adjustably mounted to the base to enable adjustment of a distance separating the heel hoop and the at least one strapless engagement member in a length direction of the binding to enable the binding to accommodate different sizes of the snowboard boot. 8. The step-in snowboard binding of claim 7, wherein the at least one strapless engagement member includes a first strapless engagement member, moveably mounted to the base, adapted to engage a first lateral side of the snowboard boot at a section not forward of the in-step area and a second strapless engagement member, mounted to the base opposite the first strapless engagement member and adapted to engage a second side of the snowboard boot at a section not forward of the in-step area; wherein each of the first and second strapless engagement members is arranged to engage a mid-section of the snowboard boot rearward of a ball area and forward of a heel area; wherein the first strapless engagement member is mounted to the base for rotation about a first axis that extends substantially in a toe-to-heel direction of the binding and the second strapless engagement member is mounted to the base for rotation about a second axis that extends substantially in the toe-to-heel direction of the binding; wherein the binding further includes a first trigger coupled to the first strapless engagement member and adapted to draw first strapless engagement member into engagement with the snowboard boot when the snowboard boot is stepped into the binding; and wherein the binding further includes a second trigger coupled to the second strapless engagement mem ber and adapted to draw the second strapless engagement member into engagement with the snowboard boot when the snowboard boot is stepped into the binding. 9. The step-in snowboard binding of claim 8, wherein the first strapless engagement member is movable between a closed position wherein it secures the snowboard boot to the binding and an open position wherein it does not secure the snowboard boot to the binding; and wherein the binding further comprises a first locking assembly adapted to lock the first strapless engagement member in the closed position, wherein the first locking assembly has an open state and a closed state respectively corresponding to the open and closed positions of the first strapless engagement member, the first locking assembly being arranged to lock the first strapless engagement member in the closed position when the locking assembly is in the closed state, the first locking assembly being constructed and arranged such that, when the boot is secured to the binding, forces acting through the boot on the first engagement member that tend to move the first engagement member toward the open position act to maintain the locking assembly in the closed state. 10. The step-in snowboard binding of claim 8, further including a high-back leg support supported by the heel hoop, wherein the base includes a base surface adapted to be substantially parallel to a sole of the snowboard boot when the boot is secured in the binding, and wherein the binding is constructed and arranged to enable the high-back leg support to be mounted to the base in at least two positions having different rotational orientations about an axis that is substantially normal to the base surface. 11. The step-in snowboard binding of claim 7, in combination with the snowboard boot. 12. A snowboard boot binding for securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard, comprising: a base adapted to receive the snowboard boot; a first engagement member mounted to the base for movement between a first open position and a first closed position, the first engagement member being adapted to engage a first lateral side of the snowboard boot when in the first closed position; a first locking assembly having a first open state and a first closed state respectively corresponding to the first open position and the first closed position of the first engagement member, the first locking assembly being arranged to lock the first engagement member in the first closed position when the first locking assembly is in the first closed state, the first locking assembly being constructed and arranged such that, when the boot is secured to the binding, forces acting through the boot on the first engagement member that tend to move the first engagement member from the first closed position toward the first open position act to maintain the first locking assembly in the closed state; a second engagement member mounted to the base for movement between a second open position and a second closed position, the second engagement member being adapted to engage a second lateral side of the snowboard boot when in the second closed position; and a second locking assembly having a second open state and a second closed state respectively corresponding to the second open position and the second closed position of the second engagement member, the second locking assembly being arranged to lock the second engagement member in the second closed position when the second locking assembly is in the second closed state, the second locking assembly being constructed and arranged such that, when the boot is secured to the binding, forces acting through the boot on the second engagement member that tend to move the second engagement member from the second closed position toward the second open position act to maintain the second locking assembly in the closed state. 13. The snowboard binding of claim 12, further comprising: a first trigger mechanically coupled to the first engagem
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