WO2000050130A1 - Sport board binding system - Google Patents

Abstract

A sport board (100) wherein a skiboard (102) (i.e., a runner which rides through water, snow, or another medium) has a binding (110) rotatably mounted thereon. The binding, which receives the user's foot or the user's boot/shoe, allows the user to stand and ride on the skiboard as it travels through the medium. The binding (110) is rotationally biased towards a datum position with respect to the skiboard, with the datum position being the standard riding position at which the binding is to be ordinarily fixed during riding. If the skiboard collides with an object, or strong rotational force is otherwise generated between the binding (110) and skiboard, the binding may rotate with respect to the skiboard, but the binding and skiboard will be biased back into the datum position when the force is relieved.

Description

SPORT BOARD BINDING SYSTEM

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority under 35 USC § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional

Patent Application 60/121,829 filed 26 February 1999, the entirety of which is

incorporated by reference herein.

Field of the Invention

This disclosure concerns an invention relating generally to systems for binding

users' feet (or their shoes or boots) to sport boards, i.e. , to wakeboards, snowboards,

surfboards, water skis, snow skis, and similar apparata. The invention is related

more specifically to binding systems which are intended to increase comfort and/or

binding performance.

Background of the Invention

Sport boards are sporting goods such as wakeboards, snowboards, and the like

upon which a user stands as the board moves through some medium (e.g., water or

snow). As an example, wakeboarding — a sport which is experiencing rapidly-

increasing popularity, and has grown at an average rate of 36.9 % from 1991 to 1998

~ utilizes a broad skiboard which somewhat resembles an oversized water ski. The

user stands atop footpads on the skiboard in a stance peφendicular to the direction of

motion, and holds a line which is pulled by a boat across the water. Current wakeboard bindings use basically the same concepts as water-ski bindings: bindings

resembling an open-toed shoe provide adequate support for normal nonrotational displacement of the foot, though the binding offers no torque regulation in the

horizontal plane of the board. The bindings allow the foot to release in the event of a significant upward force. However, leg injuries are still quite common, with

approximately half of all wakeboarders experiencing leg injury at one time or another. Injuries may be more common owing to the larger board, which consequently

transfers greater force to the user's legs; the duck-footed stance used by the rider;

and the ability to ride in either a forward or backward direction (a move called a

"fakie"). While detailed accident statistics are not available for wakeboarding, they

are available for snowboarding, which shares with wakeboarding all of the foregoing

injury factors. Studies show that ankle injuries account for almost 17% of snowboarding injuries; knee injuries account for approximately 16% of snowboarding

injuries; and 11 % consist of other leg and body related injuries. The common mode of injury is the forcing of the ankle into dorsiflexion and inversion (toe-up sideways

roll of the ankle), which often occurs during a landing from a jump or other aerial maneuver.

Summary of the Invention

The invention, which is defined by the claims set out at the end of this

disclosure, is directed to a sport board wherein a skiboard (i.e. , a runner which rides

through water, snow, or another medium) has a binding rotatably mounted thereon.

The binding, which receives the user's foot or the user's boot/shoe, allows the user to stand and ride on the skiboard as it travels through the medium. Biasing means

rotationally bias the binding towards a datum position with respect to the skiboard,

with the datum position being the standard riding position at which the binding is to

be ordinarily fixed during riding. If the skiboard collides with an object, or strong

rotational force is otherwise generated between the binding and skiboard, the binding

may rotate with respect to the skiboard, but the biasing means will bias the binding

and skiboard back into the datum position. Preferably, the sport board also

incoφorates one or more engagement members which releasably retain the binding

and skiboard against rotation until some threshold level of torsion is generated

between the binding and skiboard, at which point the engagement member(s) will

release and allow the binding and skiboard to rotate against the force of the biasing

means.

In particularly preferred versions of the sport board, the runner includes a base

plate having a protruding axle about which the binding is rotatably mounted. A

compressible member, e.g. , an elastomeric member or spring, is inteφosed between

the binding and the base plate of the skiboard to bias them into the datum position.

The compressible member may be situated within the axle (as in FIGS. 1 and 2) or

outside it (as in FIGS. 3 and 4), but in either case is preferably maintained within a depression defined in one of the binding and the skiboard so as to generally shield the

compressible member from exposure; for example, the compressible member is

situated within a depression in the skiboard (more specifically, its axle) in FIGS. 1

and 2, and within a depression in the bottom of the binding in FIGS. 3 and 4. The other of the binding and the skiboard may then include a member (e.g. , one or more pins) which protrudes into the depression to engage the compressible member between

the binding and skiboard. Preferably, one of the binding and skiboard engages

opposing ends of the compressible member while the other engages the middle of the

compressible member, so that when the binding rotates with respect to the skiboard,

the compressible member is simultaneously placed in both tension and compression.

In such an arrangement, one or more engagement members may then be

provided on the binding to releasably engage detents defined on the axle of the

skiboard, thereby releasably restrai-αing the binding and skiboard against rotational

motion. The engagement member may be biased by a spring having adjustable

tension so that the engaging force between the binding and skiboard may be varied.

The sport board offers the potential for better performance and increased

comfort during wakeboarding, snowboarding, and similar sporting activities in that

during a situation where high torsional forces are transferred from the skiboard to the

rider, the engagement member(s) (if present) can release and allow the binding to turn

about the binding means. When this occurs, the elastic/damping action of the binding

means will absorb at least some of the energy that would otherwise be transferred to

the ankle, fibula, tibia and knee. Further, while it is possible to incoφorate a

"breakaway" action into the sport board wherein the skiboard would release from the

user in the event of significant force, it is believed that the sport board diminishes the

need for such a breakaway action. The sport board might therefore also reduce those injuries that occur from the rider' s board striking the rider after breakaway, which has

the potential to cause serious injury.

Further advantages, features, and objects of the invention will be apparent

from the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the

associated drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a bottom exploded perspective view of a first preferred embodiment

of the sport board.

FIG. 2 is a top exploded perspective view of components 108 (the pivot disk)

and 112 (the compressible members) of the sport board of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom exploded perspective view of a second preferred

embodiment of the sport board (shown without a runner situated beneath its base plate

208).

FIG. 4 is a top exploded perspective view of a second preferred embodiment

of the sport board of FIG. 3. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a first preferred version of the

sport board is designated generally by the reference numeral 100. The sport board

100 may be characterized as being primarily constructed of three subassemblies: a

skiboard 102 (which includes an elongated runner 104, a base plate 106, a pivot disk 108, and certain other components to be discussed at greater length later); a binding

110 which is rotatably mounted to the ski board 102 so that they may rotate in parallel

planes (or substantially parallel planes) with respect to each other; and a pair of

compressible members 112 inteφosed between the skiboard 102 and binding 110, and

which serve as a biasing means for rotationally biasing the binding 110 towards a

datum position with respect to the skiboard 102. Each of these components will now be discussed at greater length in turn.

The runner 104 of the skiboard 102 is the portion that makes primary contact

with the media through which the sport board 100 rides (e.g., water or snow), and

it may therefore have a variety of configurations with its length, width, height,

contour, and materials being chosen to provide the desired interaction with the

medium. Thus, the board may be configured as a wakeboard, a snowboard, a

surfboard, or other forms of boards which are presently known or are yet to be

developed. It is emphasized that the terms " sport board" , " skiboard" , and the like are

not meant to connote that wooden materials must necessarily be used, since synthetic,

metal, composite, or other materials may be appropriate. The base plate 106 - including its pivot disk 108 - functions to rotatably affix the binding 110 to the runner 104. The base plate 106 is preferably formed of

aluminum or some other strong, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant material, and is

most preferably formed of a 1 /8-inch thick aluminum plate having an oval circumference, and bearing a pattern of runner attachment holes 114 to accommodate

fasteners (not shown) for attachment to the runner 104. The base plate 106 also

includes a pivot disk insertion aperture 116 through which a base portion 118 of the

pivot disk 108 is inserted, thereby fixing the pivot disk 108 against translation within

the plane of the base plate 106. The base plate 106 also includes pivot disk

attachment holes 120 spaced about the perimeter of the pivot disk insertion aperture

116 to accommodate the insertion of fasteners 122, which are then received in the

pivot disk 108 at holes 124 defined therein. It is noted that the base portion 118 of

the pivot disk 108 may itself include attachment holes 126 (also visible in FIG. 2)

whereby fasteners (not shown) may be inserted through the pivot disk base portion

118 into the runner 104.

Referring to FIG. 2, wherein the pivot disk 108 and the compressible

members 112 are shown from the top, it is seen that the pivot disk 108 has an inner

circumferential wall 128 surrounding an annular pivot disk depression 130, with the

wall 128 being spaced from an outer circumferential wall 132 (which is also visible

in FIG. 1). A pivot aperture 134 is defined at the center of the disk depression 130,

and the aperture 134 is surrounded by a raised annular land 136. At opposing sides

of the disk depression 130 and spaced slightly radially inwardly from the inner circumferential wall 128, a pair of skiboard pins 138 rise from the base portion 118

of the pivot disk 108 into the disk depression 130. As will be described at greater

length later, the compressible members 112 are mounted on these skiboard pins 138

to anchor them to the pivot disk 108 within the disk depression 130.

Referring back to FIG. 1 and looking to the binding 110, it is noted that when

the sport board 100 is placed in use, it is intended that the user' s foot be placed on the

top of the binding 110 (the top not being visible in the Figures). Thus, the top of the

binding 110 is preferably substantially flat, or is otherwise contoured to comfortably

receive the user's foot, or is configured to accommodate the sole of a shoe/boot

(which may be bound to the binding 110 by any appropriate binding means). The

bottom 140 of the binding 110 is shown as having a "honeycomb" configuration, with

a series of raised flanges 142 being defined across its surface to define cells 144,

providing the binding 110 with greater strength.

As is also best seen from FIG. 1 and as detailed below, above the pivot disk

108 of the ski board 102, the binding 110 includes structure which is rotatably

received within the pivot disk 108 (thereby allowing the binding 110 to rotate with

respect to the skiboard 102). First, a binding pivot aperture 146 is coaxially defined

above the base plate pivot aperture 134 (FIG. 2) , whereby cooperating pivot fasteners

148 and 150 (148 preferably being a nut and 150 preferably being a Chicago bolt)

may be inserted through these apertures 146 and 134 to rotatably affix the binding 110

to the base plate 106. Second, spaced radially outwardly from the pivot aperture 146, a cylindrical

binding inner circumferential wall 152 (shown partially cut away in the foreground)

descends to be received within the disk depression 130 of the pivot disk 108. When

the binding inner circumferential wall 152 is received within the pivot disk depression

130 in this manner, it is situated radially inwardly from the pivot disk inner

circumferential wall 128 (shown in FIG. 2) so that the compressible members 112

may rest between the binding inner circumferential wall 152 and the pivot disk inner

circumferential wall 128.

Third, a cylindrical binding outer circumferential wall 154 (also shown

partially cut away in the foreground in FIG. 1) also descends from the binding bottom

140, and is concentrically spaced radially outwardly from both the pivot aperture 146

and the binding inner circumferential wall 152. When the binding 110 is installed

upon the pivot disk 108, the binding outer circumferential wall 154 is received

between the pivot disk inner circumferential wall 128 (FIG. 2) and the pivot disk

outer circumferential wall 132.

As can be partially seen in FIG. 1, two pairs of binding pins 156 descend

from the binding bottom 140. The pairs are situated at opposing sides of the binding

110, with each pair being spaced slightly inwardly from the binding outer

circumferential wall 154. As will be described later, when the binding 110 is

installed on the skiboard 102, these binding pins 156 descend within the disk

depression 130 of the pivot disk 108 to engage the compressible members 112. At opposing ends of the length of the binding 110, coaxial bores (not shown)

extend through the plane of the binding 110 from opposing points on its outer

perimeter to open upon its interior at points spaced slightly away from the binding

outer circumferential wall 154. These bores accommodate engagement members 158

which rotationally restrain the binding 110 with respect to the skiboard 102 (more

particularly to its pivot disk 108) . Since the structure and function of the engagement

members 158 is more easily understood once the interaction of the binding 110 and

skiboard 102 is explained, the engagement members will be discussed at greater

length later in this document.

The compressible members 112 are formed of a resiliently extensible and

compressible elastic substance, e.g., rubber. As best seen in FIG. 2, the

compressible members 112 each extend between opposing member ends 160, and each

has an intermediate portion 162 situated between its member ends 160. The

intermediate portions 162 of the compressible members 112 have skiboard pin

apertures 164 whereby each skiboard pin 138 may engage the intermediate portion

162 of the compressible member 112 in question. Additionally, the compressible

member ends 160 each have a binding pin aperture 166 defined therein to allow each

end 160 to be engaged to one of the binding pins 156.

Cavities 168 are then defined in the compressible members 112 between their

intermediate portions 162 and each of their member ends 160, and serve to modify

the elastic properties of the compressible members 112. While two cavities 168 are shown in each compressible member 112, it should be understood that if different

elastic properties are desired, more cavities could be formed between their

intermediate portions 162 and their ends 160, or alternatively the cavities 168 could

be deleted. It is believed that apart from modifying the elastic (i.e. , energy-storing)

characteristics of the compressible members 112, the cavities 168 may also serve to

provide damping behavior (i.e. , energy dissipation characteristics) to the compressible

members 112, thereby enhancing their shock-absorbing behavior.

When the binding 110 is engaged to the skiboard 102 (or more particularly the

pivot disk 108 of its base plate 106) by the fasteners 148 and 150, the compressible

members 112 are situated within the disk depression 130 of the pivot disk 108

between the pivot disk inner circumferential wall 128 and the binding inner

circumferential wall 152. The compressible members 112 are mounted between the

binding 110 and the pivot disk 108 with their member ends 160 mounted to the

binding 110 at the binding pins 156, and with their intermediate portions 162 affixed

to the base portion 118 of the pivot disk 108 at the skiboard pins 138. The binding

110 is therefore rotatably mounted to the skiboard 102 with the compressible members

112 rotationally biasing the binding 110 towards the datum position with respect to

the skiboard 102 (this datum position being the position wherein each of the sides of

the compressible members 112 are in an equal state of extension/compression, that is,

each of the member ends 160 is equally spaced from its intermediate portion 162).

It is noted that the illustrated arrangement — wherein the compressible members 112

have one portion placed in tension and the other portion placed in compression when rotation occurs - is particularly preferable since it is believed to extend the life of the

compressible members 112, and additionally provide superior elastic/damping

properties. However, it is also possible to utilize compressible members which are

placed only in tension or only in compression.

As previously noted, engagement members 158 are situated in bores (not

shown) in the binding 110 which open at locations facing the binding outer

circumferential wall 154. While the engagement members 158 may take a variety of forms, the preferred form of the engagement members 158 is as illustrated in FIG.

1: for each engagement member 158, a ball 170 is first inserted into its bore, and a

spring 172 is inserted into the bore behind the ball 170. A cylindrical cup 174

receives the end of the spring 172 opposite the ball 170 to serve as a guide coaxially

aligning the helix of the spring 172 along the central axis of the ball 170. A threaded

plug 176 is then inserted into the bore behind the cup 174. The end of the plug 176 (not shown) may have a slot wherein the tip of flat-headed screwdriver may be

inserted, or a cruciform slot wherein the head of a Phillips screwdriver may be

inserted, to allow the location of the plug 176 within the bore to be adjusted. The end

of the bore adjacent the binding outer circumferential wall 154 has a reduced diameter

so that the ball 170 can partially fit through, but cannot escape the bore.

As a result of this arrangement, when the plug 176 of each engagement

member 158 is threaded through its bore to push its cup 174 toward the binding outer

circumferential wall 154 — and toward the pivot disk outer circumferential wall 132, if the pivot disk 108 is installed — its ball 170 will be spring-biased to protrude from

the bore, and against the pivot disk outer circumferential wall 132. The opposite

sides of the pivot disk outer circumferential wall 132 preferably have detents 178

defined therein for receiving the balls 170 of the two engagement members 158.

Owing to the pressure in the springs 172 of the engagement members 158, when the

balls 170 engage the detents 178, they will lock the binding 110 into position with

respect to the skiboard 102 unless the binding 110 is twisted with sufficient force that

the force of the springs 172 is defeated, pushing the balls 170 rearwardly into their

bores so that the balls 170 ride against the pivot disk outer circumferential wall 132

outside the detents 178. The detents 178 are situated at positions such that the

engagement members 158 engage the binding 110 when it is located in the datum

position with respect to the runner 104.

It is further noted that the pivot disk outer circumferential wall 132 — which

essentially serves as an axle within the binding 110 — may have certain preferable

characteristics, and may be located in certain preferable locations, to further enhance

the performance of the sport board 110. First, it is noted that if the binding 110 is

considered to extend between a binding front end 180 (which rests adjacent to the

user' s toes) and a binding rear end 182 (which rests adjacent to a user' s heel) , the axle

132 (and more generally the axis of rotation between the binding 110 and the skiboard

102) is preferably located nearer to the binding rear end 182 than to the binding front

end 180. Second, it is preferred that the axle 132 preferably have a diameter of 1 inch or more, since greater diameter will allow for more durable engagement between

the engagement members 170 and the detents 178 defined in the axle 132.

In operation, the user affixes his/her foot to the binding 110 of the sport board

100 and rides the sport board 100 in his/her selected media, e.g. , water or snow. If

the skiboard 102 collides with an object or is otherwise twisted to such an extent that the threshold force of the engagement member 158 is defeated, the user's leg (and the

binding 110) will rotate with respect to the skiboard 102 until the torsional force of

such twisting is counteracted by the compressible members 112. When the torsional

force is relieved, the compressible members 112 will bias the skiboard 102 back into

the datum position with respect to the binding 110 and the user's leg, at which point

the engagement members 158 will re-engage the detents 178 in the skiboard 102.

Thus, the engagement members 158 prevent rotation of the binding 110 with respect

to the skiboard 102 until some desired level of twisting force is generated, while the

compressible members 112 then absorb this force and rotationally bias the binding 110 and skiboard 102 into the datum position.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, a second preferred version

of the sport board is designated by reference numeral 200. As with the sport board

100, the sport board 200 may also be characterized as being primarily constructed of

three subassemblies: a skiboard 202 (shown without a runner), a binding 204, and

a compressible member 206 inteφosed between the skiboard 202 and foot board 208 for rotationally biasing the binding 204 towards the datum position with respect to the

skiboard 202.

The skiboard 202 includes several components, most notably a base plate 208

and a pivot disk 212; as noted above, a runner is not shown (a runner not being

regarded as an essential subassembly of the skiboard 202 insofar as the invention is

concerned). The base plate 208 includes a series of attachment holes 214 to

accommodate fasteners (not shown) for attachment to the runner 210, and another

series of attachment holes 216 to receive fasteners (also not shown) for attachment to

the pivot disk 212. The pivot disk 212, which serves as an axle whereupon the

binding 204 rotates, has a cylindrical circumferential surface 218 which is

complementarily received within an engagement ring 220. The engagement ring 220

is affixed to the pivot disk 212 by fasteners and/or adhesives (not shown), and it has

one or more detents 222 defined on its outer surface; as will be discussed in greater

detail later in this document, the detents 222 are releasably engaged by an engagement

member 224. Above the circumferential surface 218 of the pivot disk 212, a pivot

disk top cap 226 of greater diameter than the circumferential surface 218 is provided.

As a result, if the pivot disk 212 is inserted through the pivot disk insertion aperture

228 of the binding 204 and engaged to the base plate 208, the base plate 208 will be

held in adjacent coplanar relationship with the binding 204.

The compressible member 206, which is partially visible in both FIGS.3 and

4, extends between two opposing member ends 232 having binding pin apertures 234 defined therein. The compressible member 206 also has an intermediate portion 236 situated between the member ends 232, with the intermediate portion 236 having a

skiboard pin aperture 238 defined therein. Between the intermediate portion 236 and

the member ends 232, cavities 240 are defined in the compressible member 206 to

modify its elastic properties.

On the base plate 208, a skiboard pin 242 extends from the base plate 208 at

a location spaced from the outer surface of the engagement ring 220 when the pivot

disk 212 is affixed to the base plate 208. The skiboard pin 242 (FIG. 4) is received

within the skiboard pin aperture 238 of the compressible member 206. Similarly,

from the bottom of the binding 204, a pair of spaced binding pins 244 (FIG. 3) extend downwardly to be received within the skiboard pin apertures 238 of the

compressible member 206. Thus, when the binding 204 is installed on the skiboard

202 by the pivot disk 212, the compressible member 206 is engaged between the

binding 204 and skiboard 202 within the hollow interior of the binding 204, thereby

rotationally biasing the binding 204 into a datum position with respect to the skiboard

202. As in the sport board 100, the datum position corresponds to the position

wherein the opposing halves of the length of the compressible member 206 are in equilibrium.

The engagement member 224 is then provided to releasably engage the binding

204 to the skiboard 202 when the binding 204 is in the datum position with respect

to the skiboard 202. The engagement member 224 is configured similarly to the engagement member 170 of the sport board 100, and has a ball 246 biased by a spring

248 against the circumferential surface 218 of the pivot disk 212 (more specifically,

the engagement ring 220) . A threaded plug 250 engages the ball 246 and spring 248

within a bore (not shown) to allow the pressure in the spring 248 to be adjusted. The

detent 222 on the outer surface of the engagement ring 220 maintains the binding 204

in a fixed position with respect to the skiboard 202 unless the binding 204 is rotated

with such force that the ball 246 defeats the force of the spring 248, allowing the ball

246 to escape from the detent 222.

It is understood that the various preferred embodiments are shown and

described above to illustrate different possible features of the invention and the

varying ways in which these features may be combined. Apart from combining the

different features of the above embodiments in varying ways, other modifications are

also considered to be within the scope of the invention. Following is an exemplary

list of such modifications.

First, it is emphasized that the binding may assume a very wide variety of

forms beyond those previously described. The binding may be the sole of a shoe/boot

for receiving a user's foot or may otherwise include straps, heel/toe apertures, or

other fixtures for attachment to a user' s foot or shoe/boot. It is preferred that the

binding include binding means for affixing a shoe/boot to the binding so that a user

is free to choose his/her own preferred gear for receiving his/her feet on the sport

board; such binding means may include straps or buckles extending from the binding for attachment to a shoe/boot; buttons, pegs, or other male members which are

received within corresponding female apertures on the shoe/boot (or binding);

releasable latches or other "breakaway" structures similar to those found on downhill

skis, whereby the structures release the user's shoe/boot when a threshold level of

disconnection force is generated (e.g., during collision); or other binding means common to the sporting industry.

Second, while elastomeric compressible members were described as being the

preferred form of biasing means for rotationally biasing the binding with respect to

the skiboard, it is emphasized that the biasing means may take the form of a wide

variety of resiliently compressible components and materials having either linear or

nonlinear elastic characteristics. As examples, the biasing means may be a torsion

spring situated between the binding and skiboard, or a helical spring engaging the

binding and skiboard, and having its length extend and compress about at least a portion of the arc of rotation. Rather than being a classical spring, the biasing means

could take the form of elastomeric members, or pneumatic cylinders, chambers, or

bladders, which provide a biasing force.

Third, it is also emphasized that the engagement members used to releasably engage the binding with respect to the skiboard may assume a wide variety of

different configurations. Pins or other engaging structures may be used instead of

balls, though balls are particularly preferred owing to their ability to roll against the

outer surfaces of the axles about which the base plates rotate. Further, a wide variety of springs or other biasing means may be used to bias the balls or other structures into

engagement with the skiboard. It should also be understood that while the

engagement members were shown and described above as engaging the axle of the

skiboard, the engagement means could instead engage a different portion of the

skiboard; all that is required by the engagement member (if included) is that it be

able to releasably restrain the binding from rotational motion with respect to the

skiboard. Further, it should be understood that while the engagement members are

shown riding on the binding and engaging the skiboard, the engagement members

could instead ride on the skiboard and engage the binding.

Finally, it should be understood that the sport board may be manufactured and

sold as a unit, or as a kit whereby pre-existing sport boards may be modified by users

to conform with the sport board that is the focus of this document. As an example,

a kit might be provided whereby a user might remove the footpad from a pre-existing

sport board and install the components illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 in its place.

The invention is not intended to be limited to the preferred embodiments

described above, but rather is intended to be limited only by the claims set out below.

Thus, the invention encompasses all alternate embodiments that fall literally or

equivalently within the scope of these claims. It is understood that in the claims,

means plus function clauses are intended to encompass the structures described above

as performing their recited function, and also both structural equivalents and

equivalent structures. As an example, though a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents insofar as a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure parts together whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the context of fastening parts, a nail and

a screw are equivalent structures.

Claims

ClaimsWhat is claimed is:

1. A sport board comprising:

a. a skiboard,

b. a binding rotatably mounted to the skiboard, the binding being rotationally biased towards a datum position with respect to the

skiboard.

2. The sport board of claim 1 wherein the skiboard includes:

a. an elongated runner,

b. a base plate to which the binding is rotatably mounted, the base plate

being affixed to the runner.

3. The sport board of claim 1 wherein the binding is rotationally biased by a

compressible member inteφosed between the binding and the skiboard.

4. The sport board of claim 3 wherein the compressible member is situated

within a depression defined in one of the binding and the skiboard, and

wherein the other of the binding and the skiboard includes a member

protruding into the depression to bear against the compressible member.

5. The sport board of claim 4 wherein the depression is formed as an arcuate

slot.

6. The sport board of claim 3 wherein the compressible member includes:

a. opposing member ends engaged by one of the binding and the skiboard, and

b. an intermediate portion situated between the opposing member ends,

the intermediate portion being engaged by the other of the binding and

the skiboard.

7. The sport board of claim 6 wherein the compressible member includes

apertures defined therein, into which at least one of the binding and skiboard

extends to effect engagement.

8. The sport board of claim 6 wherein the compressible member includes

apertures defined therein, at least some of the apertures being situated between

the intermediate portion and member ends at which the compressible member is engaged.

9. The sport board of claim 1 further comprising at least one engagement

member biased to resiliently engage the binding to the skiboard when the binding and skiboard are in the datum position.

10. The sport board of claim 1 wherein:

a. one of the binding and the skiboard has a axle protruding therefrom,

and

b. the other of the binding and the skiboard:

(1) is rotatably mounted upon the axle, and

(2) includes an engagement member resiliently biased to engage

the axle,

whereby the engagement member releasably engages the axle to resist rotation between the binding and skiboard.

11. The sport board of claim 10 wherein the engagement member is resiliently biased by a spring having adjustable biasing force.

12. The sport board of claim 1 wherein:

a. the skiboard bears a protruding axle whereupon the binding is rotatably

mounted, and

b. the binding includes an engagement member resiliently biased to

engage the axle.

13. The sport board of claim 12 wherein the axle includes a detent wherein the

engagement member may be received.

14. The sport board of claim 12 wherein the engagement member is biased to

engage the axle by a spring, and wherein the spring's biasing force is

adjustable.

15. The sport board of claim 14 further comprising a screw which is rotatable to

engage the spring and thereby adjust its biasing force.

16. The sport board of claim 1 wherein:

a. the binding extends between a front foot end and a rear foot end,

b. the binding is rotatably mounted to the skiboard about an axis of

rotation located nearer to the rear foot end than the front foot end.

17. The sport board of claim 1 wherein:

a. one of the binding and the skiboard has a axle protruding therefrom,

the axle being at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, and

b . the other of the binding and the skiboard is rotatably mounted upon the

axle.

18. A sport board comprising:

a. a skiboard,

b. a binding rotatably mounted to the skiboard;

c. biasing means rotationally biasing the binding towards a datum

position with respect to the skiboard.

19. The sport board of claim 18 further comprising at least one engagement

member biased to resiliently engage the binding to the skiboard when the

binding and skiboard are in the datum position.

20. The sport board of claim 19 wherein:

a. one of the binding and the skiboard has an axle protruding therefrom; b. the other of the binding and the skiboard:

c. is rotatably mounted on the axle, and

d. bears the engagement member, which is biased to resiliently

engage the axle.