Patent ID: 6694645
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: A43C,A63C

Abstract:
A lace binding for a snowshoe, comprising:a footbed adapted to be connected to a snowshoe, a tongue piece spaced above the footbed and configured to fit over and generally conform to the top of a user's shoe or boot, generally from toe to arch, the tongue piece having a front end connected in a flexible hinge connection to the footbed, a series of lace eyes at left and right sides of the tongue piece and arranged serially from front to back along each side, and a corresponding series of lace eyes connected to the footbed, a lace at each side of the binding, passing through lace eyes of the tongue piece and lace eyes connected to the footbed generally in alternating relationship, and being connected to the tongue piece and footbed such that when the laces are pulled rearwardly at the back of the binding, at left and right sides, the laces will draw the tounge piece down toward the footbed, firmly engaging the top of the user's boot, a heel strap positioned to extend generally horizontally around the back of the user's boot in a U configuration, with a slip-through locking buckle at left and right sides at the rear of the binding, and the buckles being connected to the lacing at left and right at the rear of the binding, such that when the heel strap is pulled tight at left and right via the slip-through locking buckles, this is effective to pull the lacing back at both sides, simultaneously drawing the tongue piece down into firm engagement with the boot, and wherein the buckles are connected to the lacing by a loop-through connection, the lace at each of left and right sides at the rear of the binding having an end fixed to the tongue piece, thereby providing 2:1 lace drawing movement as compared to movement of the buckles.