Patent ID: 6419242
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: A63C

Abstract:
A snowboard system, comprising:a snowboard having a top face, opposite front and back ends, and a pair of sides extending between said front and back ends of said snowboard; a rear foot binding being coupled to said top face of said snowboard towards said back end of said snowboard, said rear foot binding being adapted for receiving a rearwards positioned foot of a user standing on said snowboard to hold the rearwards positioned foot to said snowboard; a generally semi-conical front foot shield being coupled to said top face of said snowboard between said front end of said snowboard and said rear foot binding; said front foot shield having arcuate outer and inner faces, a pair of lower edges, said pair of lower edges each having substantially straight forward portions that extend forwardly and converge together to form a generally pointed front tip said front end of said snowboard for directing snow coming over said front end of said snowboard toward said sides of said snowboard and away from a user's foot when the foot is positioned behind said front foot shield; wherein said forward portions of said lower edges form an angle of approximately 50 degrees therebetween; said upper and inner faces each having a generally semi-circular transverse cross section; said inner face of said front foot shield defining a cavity, said front foot shield having a generally inverted U-shaped back edge defining a back opening into said cavity; said cavity of said front foot shield being adapted for receiving therein a forwards foot of a user standing on said snowboard such that a forwards leg of the user upwardly extends through said back opening of said front foot shield; one of said lower edges of said front foot shield being positioned adjacent one of said sides of said snowboard at said back edge of said front foot shield; the other of said lower edges of said front foot shield being positioned adjacent the other of said sides of said snowboard at said back edge of said front foot shield; said back edge of said front foot shield having an upper region spaced above said top face of said snowboard; said outer face of said front foot shield defining a front slope extending between said front tip and said upper region of said back edge of said front foot shield; said front slope being extended at an angle to said top face of said snowboard between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees; said lower edges of said front foot shield converging together at said front tip of said front foot shield; said inner face of said of said front foot shield having a generally V-shaped inner flange extending into said cavity along said lower edges of said front foot shield; said inner flange of said front foot shield being coupled to said top face of said snowboard to couple said front foot shield to said top face of said snowboard; wherein a plurality of snap fasteners detachably couples said inner flange of said front foot shield to said top face of said snowboard; at least one of said snap fasteners being positioned adjacent said front tip of said front foot shield; a first pair of said snap fasteners being positioned along a first of said lower edges of said front foot shield adjacent said back edge of said front foot shield; a second pair of said snap fasteners being positioned along a second of said lower edges of said front foot shield adjacent said back edge of said front foot shield; each of said snap fasteners comprising a pair of complementary portions detachably attached to one another; one of said complementary portions of each snap fastener being provided on said inner flange of said front foot shield; the other of said complementary portions of each snap fastener being provided on said top face of said snowboard; said front foot shield having a pair of generally triangular side portions outwardly extending from said back edge of said front foot shield; a first of said side portions being positioned adjacent said first lower edge of said front foot shield, a second of said side portions being positioned adjacent said second lower edge of said front foot shield; said side portions of said front foot shield tapering in a downwardly direction extending towards said back end of said snowboard; said first pair of snap fasteners being positioned adjacent said first side portion of said front foot shield, said second pair of snap fasteners being positioned adjacent said second side portion of said front foot shield; wherein one of said side portions has an arcuate heel cutout adjacent the adjacent said lower edge of said front foot shield, said heel cutout being adapted for permitting the user to extend a portion of a heel of the forwardly positioned foot therein; a flexible tubular gaiter upwardly extending from said back edge of said front foot shield; said gaiter being adapted for extending around the forwardly positioned leg of the user; said gaiter having annular top and bottom edges, said bottom edge of said gaiter being coupled to said back edge of said front foot shield; said gaiter having a sleeve extending therearound adjacent said top edge of said gaiter, a flexible elongate cinch cord being extended through said sleeve of said gaiter such that pulling on said cinch cord cinches said top edge of said gaiter from a relaxed condition to a constricted condition for reducing an effective perimeter size of said top edge of said gaiter and constricting of the top edge of said gaiter around the forwardly positioned leg of the user; said gaiter having an elastic band extending therearound adjacent said top edge of said gaiter, said elastic band being adapted for constricting said top edge of said gaiter around the forwardly positioned leg of the user; said gaiter having a rearwards longitudinal slit extending between said top and bottom edges of said gaiter, said longitudinal slit of said gaiter generally facing towards said back end of said snowboard; and said gaiter having a fastener closing said longitudinal slit of said gaiter.