GB2431884A

GB2431884A - Adjustable mounting for a snowboard binding

Info

Publication number: GB2431884A
Application number: GB0522135A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard William Hillman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-10-31
Filing date: 2005-10-31
Publication date: 2007-05-09
Also published as: GB0522135D0

Abstract

An adjustable mounting allowing rotational movement of a rider's forward foot when secured to a sports board, such as a snowboard, preferably comprises a scooting plate (4, fig. 4) secured to the board (S, fig. 1), a riding plate 3 secured to the scooting plate, and a binding plate (1, fig. 2) rotationally moveable with respect to the scooting and riding plates. The binding plate may comprise the bottom of a boot binding (B, fig. 1), and may include means, e.g. a vertically moveable fastener (2, fig. 5a), for selectively engaging apertures 3a, (4c, fig. 4) provided on the riding and scooting plates, with (i) upward movement of the fastener (see fig. 5b) allowing the binding plate to rotate between a riding position in which the foot lies transverse to the longitudinal axis of the board and a scooting position in which the foot is in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the board, and (ii) downward movement of the fastener (see fig. 5a) into the riding or scooting plate aperture securing the binding plate in the riding or scooting position respectively. The adjustable mounting allows the rider to selectively dispose the front foot in a normal, transverse position when snowboarding, or in a longitudinal, scooting position when propelling the snowboard on the flat in the manner of a scooter or skateboard.

Description

1 2431884

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BOARD RIDING OR THE LIKE

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to board riding or the like and is more particularly concerned with the manner in which the rider's feet are secured or held to a snowboard or other board.

A snowboard' is the general term used for a board used by a rider to slide down a snow slope, whilst in a standing position on the board. However, similar boards, or other boards arranged to operate in a similar manner may be utilised to slide or roll down artificial slopes or natural slopes of other materials such as grass. Such boards usually provide for each of the rider's feet to be secured or held to the board at a particular pre-selectable angle generally transverse to the board to enable the rider to use his weight in order to steer the board. However, it tends to be problematic that once the snowboard or the like has been ridden down the slope, the rider may then need to walk a distance with the board e.g. along a flat horizontal surface off the slope, perhaps to return to the top of the slope again for another ride. In order to provide for such a facility, the straps of the binding of the rearward foot on the board are generally easily releasable to allow the rear foot to be released from the board and used to scoot' the snowboard, with the forward foot remaining in the same fixed position on the board that is a utilised when riding the board. However, the position of the forward foot during riding the board tends to be an unnatural or uncomfortable position of the foot relative to the snowboard when the rider is' scooting' the board.

During scooting, the forward foot is secured or held to the board and the rearward foot maintains intermittent pushing contact with the ground to push the snowboard along the ground in the maimer of a scooter. Thus, the unnatural position of the forward foot relative to the board during scooting may lead to more awkward handling of the board than need be the case or even to injury such as a twisted or broken ankle.

It is an object of the present invention to at least alleviate the aforementioned, or other, problem associated with snowboards or other boards.

According to the present invention there is provided an adjustable mounting for securing a rider's forward foot on a board, in use, such as a snowboard, said adjustable mounting allowing the forward foot to be held in a first, selected position on the board during riding and, after riding, allowing the forward foot to be adjustable or movable to a second selected position on the board for scooting.

Further according to the present invention there is provide the combination of a board and adjustable mounting as set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph.

Advantageously, by the present invention, once a rider has completed a ride on the board, the rearward foot can be released from the board and the forward foot moved to a more comfortable position on the board, which position may be fixed relative to the board during scooting.

Preferably, the forward foot is pivotable between the riding and scoot positions in the

adjustable mounting.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the adjustable mounting includes a first plate (scoot plate) that may be secured to the board and a second plate (ride plate) that may be secured at an angle (preferably adjustable) to the board and scoot plate. Said adjustable mounting may include a third plate (binding plate) selectively movable with the forward foot between a fixed ride position and a fixed scoot position.

The binding plate may be a flat bottom part of( usually an integral part of) a foot binding utilised for binding or fastening a foot releasably to a board (the riders boot is usually introduced into the binding and attached thereto by straps of the binding).

The binding plate may be provided with releasable fastening means for example a toggle or latch member to fasten the binding plate to the ride plate in the ride position and to the scoot plate in the scoot position. The toggle or latch member may be mounted in an upstanding tube on the binding plate and/or may be spring-loaded and/or provided with a handle. The ride plate may be provided with an aperture that receives the toggle in the ride position and/or a second (preferably arc shaped) aperture that receives the toggle in a scoot position.

Preferably, the lower surface of the binding plate and upper surface of the ride plate are of low friction material.

Any suitable means may be provided for locking/releasing the binding plate to/from the ride plate in the ride and scoot positions. Such means may be electromechanical or the toggle could be activated by pulling a wire connected thereto.

The board may be a snowboard.

An embodiment of the adjustable mounting for a board in accordance with the present invention, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following, simplified, somewhat diagrammatic drawings in which:-FIGURE 1 shows a view of one end of a known snowboard and known forward foot binding for a snow boot; FIGURE 2 shows an adjustable mounting binding plate of a foot binding in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 3 shows a ride plate of the adjustable mounting in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 4 shows a scoot plate of the adjustable mounting accordance with the present invention, and FIGURES 5a and 5b show two vertical, partial, sectional views of the adjustable mounting comprising assembled binding plate, ride plate and scoot plate, the sectional view being taken through a toggle tube on the binding plate.

Referring to FIG URE I of the drawings, a snowboard S of a type known per se has four, front, equidistantly displaced, threaded binding holes hi arranged in a square array which, in use, receive screws (not shown) that pass through mounting holes b in binding plate bi of a known, front, foot binding B in a known manner. It is to be appreciated that the foot binding B is fixable in one of a number of a pre-selected angular positions relative to a snowboard S. prior to use by the rider, by the screws that pass through the mounting holes. Thus, the front binding B will be arranged generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard S or at a selected angle thereto depending upon the preferences of the rider. Whilst a selected angle may be readily preset prior to riding, this angle remains fixed whilst the rider is using the board S. Additionally, a rear foot binding (not shown) of similar form to front foot binding B is provided at a suitably spaced location on snowboard S and fixed thereto by four, rear threaded binding holes (not shown) in a similar manner to the front foot binding.

Once again, the rear foot binding position may be pre-selected relative to the snowboard in a transverse orientation before securely fixing the binding in that position prior to riding on the board.

It is to be appreciated that, in use, each foot binding will receive an associated snow boot of a rider secured thereto by binding straps b2 and b3 in known manner.

If the rider has finished sliding or riding down a snow slope on the board S and is, for example, on flat ground he will want to scoot' the board, in such a scenario, the rider is able to undo the straps b2, b3 of the rear foot binding so that the rear foot can be used to push against the ground to scoot the snowboard,with the front foot remaining firmly fixed in the front binding B at the same angle used for riding.

However, disadvantageously, the angle in which the front foot lies during scooting may be uncomfortable and strained leading to discomfort and possible injury for the rider.

The present invention provides an adjustable mounting for the position of the front foot to be moved from the riding position to a second position on the board for scooting. During scooting the front foot may be arranged generally in line with the axis of the snowboard S. Accordingly, FIGURE 2 shows a binding plate I of an adjustable mounting 1, 3, 4 (see FIGURES 2 to 5) in accordance with the present invention, the binding plate being of generally known form but having a generally upstanding, cylindrical toggle tube I a (see FIGURE 5a) arranged to one side thereof. The toggle tube 1 a carries a (preferably spring-loaded) rod 2 having a handle or grip 2a at an upper end thereof.

The binding plate 1 is of similar peripheral shape to a ride plate 3 shown in FIGURE 3, which in use, underlies the binding plate and has a side aperture 3a corresponding in cross-sectional dimensions to the toggle tube I a. In use, in the riding position, the aperture 3a is retained in axial alignment with toggle tube la by means of rod 2 (see FIGURE 5a).

A scoot plate 4 of generally circular or elliptical form (see FIGURE 4), in use, underlies the ride plate 3 and is fixable relative to the snowboard S by four screws (not shown) being passed through holes 4a and into threaded binding holes hi on the snowboard. The underside of the scoot plate 4 is suitably textured or prepared to grip firmly onto the upper surface of the snowboard S. In use, in the riding and scoot positions, the axis 4b of the scoot plate will be arranged parallel to or along the axis of the snowboard (with the nose pointing to the front of the snowboard S) and an aperture or scoot hole 4c formed on one side of the scoot plate 4 will be in alignment with rod 2, arcuate aperture c on rider plate 3 and toggle tube la, in the scoot position.

FIGURE 5a shows this scenario with reduced diameter, pointed end portion 2b of rod 2 being urged into scoot hole 4c.

The four screws pass through associated arc shaped apertures 3b,3c,3d,3e that surround central hole 3f and pass through associated holes 4a of the scoot plate and into threaded binding holes hi of the snowboard S. The arc shaped apertures 3b-3d allow the rider plate 3 (and thus the binding and foot) to be preset at a chosen generally transverse angle to the snowboard.

The upper surface of ride plate 3 and lower surface of the binding plate B are rendered smooth or as frictionless as possible to allow the binding plate and foot to pivot between riding and scoot positions relative to the ride plate 3 and scoot plate 4.

In the riding position, the scoot plate 4 and ride plate 3 will be fixed with aperture Ia of binding plate I pointing to the front of snowboard S. Binding plate I will be locked to the ride plate by rod 2 extending into aperture 3a with apertures 1 a and 3a being coaxially arranged.

After riding, when it is desired to select the scoot position, handle piece 2a (which in use extends about the height of the rider's calf) can be lifted against the spring loading (which could be provided by a helical coiled compression spring in gap g around upper reduced rod portion rod 2c) to free the binding plate 1 relative to rider plate 3 allowing pivotal movement (in the direction of arrow A in FIGURE 2) to the locked scoot position as shown in FIGURE 5a.

Rod 2 is provided with pointed end 2b to ride on ride plate 3 (see FIGURE 5b) during movement to arcuate slot c and riding over the scoot plate 4 to seat in scoot hole 4c to lock the binding plate I and the forward foot in the scoot position (with the forward foot along the axis of the snow board S). The binding plate I can be moved from the scoot position by lifting rod 2 out of the scoot hole 4c.

Thus, advantageously, the forward foot can rest in a more natural position in alignment with the axis of the snowboard during scooting.

It is a simple matter to move the forward foot once again to a riding position by applying the reverse process i.e. by lifting the handle piece 2 and reversing the angular movement of the forward foot to the riding position and then releasing the handle piece.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of tenrnnology and that a specific term may be replaced or supplemented by an equivalent or generic term. Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions relating to the snowboard or adjustable mounting might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may include the plural and vice versa. Additionally, any range mentioned herein for any parameter or variable shall be taken to include a disclosure of any derivable sub-range within that range or of any particular value of the variable or parameter arranged within, or at an end of, the range or sub-range.

Claims

CLAIMS

I. An adjustable mounting for securing a rider's forward foot on a board, in use, such as a snowboard, said adjustable mounting allowing the forward foot to be held in a first, selected position on the board during riding and, after riding, allowing the forward foot to be adjustable or movable to a second selected position on the board for scooting.

2. A mounting as claimed in claim I in which, in use, the forward foot is pivotable between the riding and scoot positions.

3. A mounting as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a first plate S. * * S * (scoot plate) that can be secured to the board and a second plate (ride plate) that can:* s;:.

be secured at an angle to the board and first plate. * S

5S5555

S *.. * S S...

4. A mounting as claimed in claim 3 in which said angle is adjustable. S... * S... S...

S S

5. A mounting as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 including a third plate (binding plate) selectively movable with the forward foot between a fixed ride position and a fixed scoot position.

6. A mounting as claimed in claim 5 in which the third plate is a flat bottom part of a foot binding utilised for binding or fastening a foot releasably to a board.

7. A mounting as claimed in claim 6 in which the flat bottom part of the foot binding is an integral part.

8. A mounting as claimed in claim 5, 6, or 7 in which the third plate is provided with releasable fastening means to fasten the third plate to the second plate in the ride position and to the first plate in the scoot position 9. A mounting as claimed in claim 8 in which the fastening means as a toggle or latch member.

10. A mounting as claimed in claim 9 in which the toggle or latch member is mounted in an upstanding tube on the third plate. * * S * ** * S.. * * .

Ii. A mounting as claimed in claim 9 or 10 in which the toggle or latch member is * S *S.SS* spring-loaded. :* ***. *.SS S...

12. A mounting as claimed in any of the claims 9 to 11 in which the toggle or latch member is provided with a handle.

13. A mounting as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12 in which the second plate is provided with an aperture that receives the toggle in the ride position.

14. A mounting as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13 in which the second plate is provided with a second aperture that receives the toggle in a scoot position.

15. A mounting as claimed in claim 14 in which the second aperture is arc-shaped.

16. A mounting as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 15 in which the lower surface of the third plate and upper surface of the second plate are of low friction materiaL 17. A mounting as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 16 in which the releasable fastening means is electromechanical.

18. A mounting as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 16 in which the toggle could be activated by pulling a wire connected thereto.

19. A mounting substantially as herein described with reference to the FIGURES of S. S the accompanying drawings. * .

*.S...

20. The combination of a board and adjustable mounting as claimed in any one of the:**. S...

preceding claims. * S S... *5.S * * . *5 S

21. The combination as claimed in claim 20 in which the board is a snowboard.