초록 ▼

Apparatus 10 for a pivotal element 20 communicating between the base plate of the binding 24 and the top of the snowboard 16 that is secured in a fixed position when riding and can be selectively released for skating and while on a lift where the snowboard would hang downward from the user's boot in

Apparatus 10 for a pivotal element 20 communicating between the base plate of the binding 24 and the top of the snowboard 16 that is secured in a fixed position when riding and can be selectively released for skating and while on a lift where the snowboard would hang downward from the user's boot in a substantially parallel relation therewith.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. An apparatus for providing a pivoting member for attachment of a binding to the top surface of a snowboard, comprising: a) a bottom plate having top and bottom surfaces and a peripheral edge, wherein said bottom plate is adapted for mounting onto the top surface of the snowboard so that

I claim: 1. An apparatus for providing a pivoting member for attachment of a binding to the top surface of a snowboard, comprising: a) a bottom plate having top and bottom surfaces and a peripheral edge, wherein said bottom plate is adapted for mounting onto the top surface of the snowboard so that said bottom surface of said bottom plate is contiguous to the top surface of the snowboard; b) a top plate having top and bottom surfaces and a peripheral edge, wherein said top plate is adapted for rotatable connection to said bottom plate so that said bottom surface of said top plate is oriented toward said top surface of said bottom plate, wherein said top plate is adapted for having the binding of the snowboard connected thereto; c) a pivot disk having top and bottom surfaces and a peripheral edge, wherein said pivot disk is adapted for rotatable mounting between said top surface of said bottom plate and said bottom surface of said top plate wherein said top plate is connected to said pivot disk, so that said pivot disk and said top plate rotate together so that a foot of a user is perpendicular to the snowboard in a first foot position and parallel to the snowboard in a second foot position; and, d) means for locking said top plate whereby the top plate can be locked in said first or said second position and then released from said first or said second position and rotated to the other position; e) a top ring being disposed on said top surface of said peripheral edge of said pivot disk, said ring having top and bottom surfaces, wherein an overhang portion of said top ring extends beyond said peripheral edge of said pivot disk so that a bottom surface of said overhang portion is contiguous to said top portion of said peripheral edge of said bottom plate, wherein said overhang portion of said top ring is fastened to said peripheral edge of said bottom plate so that said top ring and said pivot disk are secured to said bottom plate; f) wherein said bottom plate has a centrally disposed shaft extending away from said top surface thereof toward said top plate, wherein said shaft has central female threads for receiving a mating male threaded fastener, wherein said shaft forms a race for a set of ball bearings, wherein said peripheral edge of said bottom plate forms a side wall extending upwards around said bottom plate, said side wall extending toward said top plate and having a top end thereon, wherein said bottom plate has a plurality of first holes therein, wherein fasteners extend through said first holes into the top surface of the snowboard so that said bottom plate is attached to the snowboard; g) wherein said peripheral edge of said top plate forms a side wall extending downwardly around said top plate, said side wall extending toward said bottom plate and having a bottom end thereon, wherein said top plate has a central second hole therein, wherein a threaded fastener extends through said second hole into said female threads of said shaft on said bottom plate so that said top plate is rotatably connected to said bottom plate, wherein said top plate has a plurality of third holes therein, wherein fasteners extend through said third holes into said top surface of said pivot disk so that said top plate is attached to said pivot disk. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising ball bearings being centrally disposed on said pivot disk so that said shaft on said bottom plate serves as the race for said ball bearings so that said pivot disk is rotatably disposed on said shaft of said bottom plate, wherein said peripheral edge of said disk has a recess thereon so that said top ring is slidingly disposed within said recess to permit the pivot disk to be secured to the bottom plate. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for locking said top plate, comprises: a) a first U-shaped housing disposed partially around the outside surface of said top plate, said first housing having a plurality of horizontal pin apertures therein, each of said pin apertures having a magnetized pin slidably disposed therein having a spring thereon each said pin so as to bias each said pin inwardly into said pin aperture; b) said side wall of said top plate having a plurality of first horizontal apertures therein so that each said first aperture may receive one said pin therein when said first aperture is co-aligned with said pin aperture; c) said sidewall of said bottom plate having a plurality of second horizontal apertures therein so that each said second aperture may receive one said pin therein when said first aperture is co-aligned with said pin aperture so that said bottom plate is locked to said top plate when said pins co-align with and extend through said first and second apertures; and, d) a second U-shaped housing disposed in a horizontally sliding relationship with said first U-shaped housing so that said second U-shaped housing can slide toward said first U-shaped housing in a first position and away from said first U-shaped housing in a second position, wherein said second U-shaped housing is spring-loaded to be biased toward said first position, wherein said second U-shaped housing comprises a magnetized member having an opposite magnetic polarity to said magnetized pins, so that said pins are repelled into said first and second apertures when said second U-shaped housing is moved to said first position and said pins are spring-biased back into said pin apertures when said second U-shaped housing is moved to said second position to permit the top plate to be locked into a first or second position. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said means for locking said top plate further comprises at least one pivot stop nub disposed on said top surface of said bottom plate for mating to at least one mating pivot stop nub recess disposed on said bottom surface of said pivot disk to permit the top plate to be locked in a first or second position. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said means for locking said top plate further comprises a locking mechanism pivotally fastened to the exterior of said top plate, said locking mechanism having at least one post extending through an aperture in said bottom plate and into said pivot plate, said locking mechanism having a spring disposed thereon to permit the top plate to be locked. 6. An apparatus for providing a pivoting member for attachment of a binding to the top surface of a snowboard, comprising: a) a bottom plate having top and bottom surfaces and a peripheral edge, wherein said bottom plate is adapted for mounting onto the top surface of the snowboard so that said bottom surface of said bottom plate is contiguous to the top surface of the snowboard; b) a top plate having top and bottom surfaces and a peripheral edge, wherein said top plate is adapted for rotatable connection to said bottom plate so that said bottom surface of said top plate is oriented toward said top surface of said bottom plate, wherein said top plate is adapted for having the binding of the snowboard connected thereto; c) means for locking said top plate whereby the top plate can be locked in a first top plate position or a second top plate position and then released from said first or said second position and rotated to the other position; d) wherein said bottom plate has a centrally disposed shaft extending away from said top surface thereof toward said top plate, wherein said shaft has central female threads for receiving a mating male threaded fastener, wherein said shaft forms a race for a set of ball bearings, wherein said peripheral edge of said bottom plate forms a side wall extending upwardly around said bottom plate, said side wall extending toward said top plate and having a top end thereon, wherein said bottom plate has a plurality of first holes therein, wherein fasteners extend through said first holes into the top surface of the snowboard so that said bottom plate is attached to the snowboard; and wherein said peripheral edge of said top plate forms a side wall extending downwardly around said top plate, said side wall extending toward said bottom plate and having a bottom end thereon, wherein said top plate has a central second hole therein, wherein a threaded fastener extends through said second hole into said female threads of said shaft on said bottom plate so that said top plate is rotatably connected to said bottom plate. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising first ball bearings being centrally disposed on said shaft, wherein said bottom plate serves as a race for said first ball bearings so that said top plate is rotatably disposed on said shaft of said bottom plate. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second set of ball bearings disposed between said shaft and said peripheral edge of said bottom plate, wherein said second ball bearings roll in a race disposed in said top surface of said bottom plates, wherein said second ball bearings are captured in said race by said bottom surface of said top plate, wherein said second ball bearings provide support between said top plate and said bottom plate. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said means for locking said top plate, comprises: a) a first U-shaped housing disposed partially around the outside surface of said top plate, said first housing having a plurality of horizontal pin apertures therein, each of said pin apertures having a magnetized pin slidably disposed therein having a spring thereon each said pin so as to bias each said pin inwardly into said pin aperture; b) said side wall of said top plate having a plurality of first horizontal apertures therein so that each said first aperture may receive one said pin therein when said first aperture is co-aligned with said pin aperture; c) said sidewall of said bottom plate having a plurality of second horizontal apertures therein so that each said second aperture may receive one said pin therein when said first aperture is co-aligned with said pin aperture so that said bottom plate is locked to said top plate when said pins co-align with and extend through said first and second apertures; and, d) a second U-shaped housing disposed in a horizontally sliding relationship with said first U-shaped housing so that said second U-shaped housing can slide toward said first U-shaped housing in a first position and away from said first U-shaped housing in a second position, wherein said second U-shaped housing is spring-loaded to be biased toward said first position, wherein said second U-shaped housing comprises a magnetized member having an opposite magnetic polarity to said magnetized pins, so that said pins are repelled into said first and second apertures when said second U-shaped housing is moved to said first position and said pins are spring-biased back into said pin apertures when said second U-shaped housing is moved to said second position to permit the top plate to be locked into a first or second position. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said means for locking said top plate further comprises at least one pivot stop nub disposed on said top surface of said bottom plate for mating to at least one mating pivot stop nub recess disposed on said bottom surface of said pivot disk to permit the top plate to be locked in first top plate position or said second top plate position.