Abstract:
A foot strap and recreational sports board that allows the user to easily tension a foot strap over the top of his or her foot. The foot strap, attached to the board, includes a strap, a cable, and a cable adjuster. The strap has separate first and second sides connected by the cable cinched and uncinched together as the cable is tightened and loosened by the cable adjuster with which it is engaged. A single cable adjuster and cable can be employed to simultaneously adjust two straps, both attached to the sports board. A pull may be included to facilitate exercise of the cable adjuster.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
   Applicant claims priority from provisional application Ser. Nos. 60/515,305 and 60/552,218 and prior nonprovisional application filed Nov. 26, 2004 and assigned Ser. No. 10/903,491. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to foot securement straps for sports boards and, more specifically, to adjustment mechanisms for sports board bindings. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A typical foot strap binding for a kite board or windsurf board is constructed of a webbing strap or a molded strap with a soft pad or cushion as an enclosure to hold a person&#39;s foot securely without digging in or otherwise causing pain or discomfort. The size of the strap can be adjusted by removing the strap mounting screws, readjusting the overall length and position of the strap and re-attaching the strap to the board using different board attachment positions. 
   Adjustment on the strap binding is difficult to do or impractical when the board is in use. This process usually must be done on land with hand tools. Quick adjustments or fine tuning are not possible. Each time the user needs to make an adjustment, he or she must stop, or go to shore (water sports) to properly make this adjustment. A typical problem occurs when a user changes his or her foot volume by adding a water boot or shoe. Also if riders with different foot volumes use the same foot strap such as for boards used by an instruction school where several riders use the same board or in a rental scenario—they would need to make this volume adjustment. The most common problem of a typical foot strap is the need to keep the binding loose somewhat to get the foot in and out of the binding easily. The user is not able to quickly tighten beyond what is typical for entry/exit for good performance hold, but still quickly and easily release when needed. 
   Some foot straps are secured with hook-and-loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro™). However, the user must still be on land to properly adjust because the Velcro strap must be completely disengaged to reset the straps. Furthermore, Velcro tends to decrease in effectiveness when used in a dirty environment such as may be found on a beach or shore. Small changes due to riding the board may lose an effective hold over time. 
   Attempts have been made to solve these problems, but attempts to solve these problems do not achieve the ease of use or the effective tightening desired. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a foot strap assembly for board sports such as water sports that allows the user to easily tension a foot strap over the top of his or her foot. The foot strap device includes a strap, a cable, and an cable adjuster. The strap has separate first and second sides connected by the cable. The cable is tightened and loosened by the cable adjuster with which it is engaged. For these purposes, the cable is representative of all tension members, including but not limited to cables, laces, ropes, strings, cords, etc., all of which are deemed to be included in the use of the term “cable.” 
   A pad is secured between the strap first side and the foot of the user. An enclosure sheath is also preferably positioned over at least a portion of the cable and the strap with the cable adjuster having access through the sheath. The pad is preferably made of EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate), but may alternatively be any soft, durable, resilient pad. 
   The cable adjuster includes a rotatable reel about which the cable winds in adjusting tension in the cable. A first guide is secured to the first side of the strap and a second guide is secured to the strap second side, which channels the cable between the strap sides and into a loop to and from the cable adjuster. 
   The cable adjuster may also include a pull cord with a handle, which pull cord is coupled to rotate the reel. 
   The second side of the strap slides into a sleeve that is typically secured to the pad though equivalently it could be secured to the first side of the strap with a same affect. For these purposes, description of one configuration is deemed to include the other. Tensioning of the cable with the cable adjuster pulls the first and second strap sides together as the second side telescopes into (or out of when the tension is released on the cable) which moves the pad along the enclosure. Of necessity then the strap first and second sides overlap as the second side telescopes into the sleeve attached to the pad. For purposes herein, we refer to all manner of the strap bodies sliding together as mutually telescoping, or similar term, but such reference is deemed to include all such other ways of doing so in addition to telescoping. In practice then, the cable is tensioned to bring the straps together which shortens the effective length of the strap. In doing so, the strap maintains a continuous enclosure arched over the board together with the board under the strap into which the user&#39;s foot may be inserted. As the effective length of the strap is adjusted to resize the enclosure by tensioning or releasing tension of the cable between the sides of the strap, the enclosure maintains an uninterrupted cover over the foot comfortable to the user&#39;s foot. 
   Employment of the strap also permits positioning of the cable adjuster between strap first and second sides at any convenient position, including remote from the strap or to either a medial or a lateral side of the strap. Thus, in one embodiment, the strap is secured to the sports board and the cable adjuster is also secured to the sports board instead of to the strap. In this embodiment, a first strap secures a first foot of the user and a second strap secures a second foot of the user. With the cable coupled through the cable adjuster and between the first and the second straps, the cable adjuster selectively tightens or loosens the tension on both the first and second straps simultaneously. For all purposes herein, the term sports board refers to and includes all recreational boards on which a user rides while standing on the board, including as illustrative but not limited to snowboards, kite-boards, windsurf boards, ocean surf boards, and the like. 
   The strap is preferably constructed of a molded plastic material. Alternatively, strap is constructed of metal, composites, or other material that can bear tensile forces. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the binding of the present invention mounted on a kite-board with a user&#39;s foot held therein. 
       FIG. 2  is perspective view of the strap, including separate first and second strap sides, a pad and a sleeve into which the second strap side telescopes. 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the binding/board combination showing two bindings on a board for both of a users feet. 
       FIG. 4A  is a front view of the binding of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4B  is a top view of the present invention with the cable adjuster mounted on the strap first side, showing the strap first side longer than the strap second side and extending substantially over the enclosure. 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the binding mounted on the board consistent with  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of the bindings of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 7  exploded perspective view of the tightening components of the binding of the present invention, including a pull strap. 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the prior art from which the binding tightening components of  FIG. 7  were derived. 
       FIG. 9  is a side cross-sectional view of the prior art illustrated also in  FIG. 8   
       FIG. 10  is a side cross-sectional view of the ratcheting mechanism of the prior art incorporated into the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a side view of side cross-sectional view of the cable adjuster shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the pull reel and mechanism supporting the pull, incorporated into the cable adjuster of  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 13  is a front view of the pull of  FIG. 12 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   As seen in  FIG. 1 , the invention comprises a sports board  10  and a strap  14  arched over the board forming an open ended enclosure  15  for securing a foot F of a user to the sports board during use. As in normal practice, the foot F simply slips under the enclosure  15  until the foot F is snug between the strap  14  and the sports board  10 . As shown, the board  10  is a kite board. However, it should be understood that the strap and cable adjuster of the present invention may be used with other sports boards that are used to secure the foot of the user to the deck of the board, such as windsurf boards, surfboards, or mountain boards. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the strap  14  includes a strap first side  26  with a strap first side proximal end  28  attached to the board  10  and a strap first side distal end  29  above the board  10 . A strap second side  32  includes a strap second side proximal end  32  also attached to the board  10  spaced apart from attachment of the strap first side proximal end  28  to the board  10 . The strap second side  32  also has a strap second side distal end  31  above the board  10  and below the strap first side distal end  29  such that the two distal ends  29 ,  31  overlap. A pad  34  is provided with a pad proximal end  36  mounted with the strap first side proximal end  28  attached together to the board  10  with the pad configured to extend under the board  10 . A sleeve  38  is secured to the pad top  40  into which is slidably received strap second side distal end  31  in overlap with strap first side  26 . It should be understood that the sleeve  38  may equivalently be attached to the strap first end distal end  29  with like effect and function as well as and other equivalent configurations. Description and reference to one is deemed to include all others. 
   A cable guide  42  on strap first and second sides  26 ,  32  slidably engage a cable  44  between said distal ends  29 ,  31 . Tensioning the cable  44  pulls the strap first and second distal ends closer  29 ,  31  into further overlap as the strap second side distal end  31  slides into the sleeve  38 . Typically, to allow full adjustment, the cable guide  42 ′ on the strap second side  32  is spaced apart from its distal end  31 , even near its proximal end to allow the substantial portion of the strap second side  32  to slide into sleeve  38 . The cable guide  42 ″ on the strap first side  26  is typically on or near its distal end  29  to provide nearest proximity to the other cable guide  42 ′. Typically, the cable guide  42  on each side includes a channel to guide the cable  42  from one strap side back toward the other strap side. Thus, the cable guide  42  functionally has a U-shape configuration. The cable adjuster  50  may be anchored to either strap side or even to the board  10 . 
   The pad  34  is of length shorter than strap first and second sides  26 ,  32  together so when they are pulled closer together into further overlap by the cable  44  between them, the pad  34  moves further under the strap second side  32 . In normal configuration, the strap second side distal end  31  is partially within the sleeve  34  and the strap second side  32  is partially under the strap first side  26  such that when the cable  44  is tensioned bringing the strap first and second sides  26 ,  32  together into further overlap, the strap second end  31  simply slides further into the sleeve  34  and the pad  34  moves toward the strap second side proximal end  31 . The pad  34  though shorter than the strap first and second sides  26 ,  32  together is nevertheless of length to bridge the top  46  of the enclosure  15  such that in use the foot is always snug between the pad  34  and the board  10 . A sheath  110  wraps the pad and straps sides through which the cable adjuster  50  extends for access, which is useful in maintaining the strap sides  26 ,  32  and pad  34  aligned and together. 
   A cable adjuster  50  intercepts the cable  44  to adjust tension in the cable  44 . Cable adjuster  50  is used to tighten the bridge  15  by reducing its effective length about the foot F and for release of tension on the foot F as desired. The cable adjuster  50  includes a rotatable reel  52  around which the cable winds. As the reel  52  rotates in a first rotation the cable  44  routed around the reel  52  tightens between the strap first and second sides  26 ,  32 . Similarly, as the reel  52  rotates in a counter direction, the cable  44  loosens. 
   In an alternate embodiment the cable adjuster  50  may be used to tighten two straps  14 ′,  14 ″ simultaneously, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . In this embodiment, the cable adjuster  50  is secured to the board  10  intermediate the two straps  14 ′,  14 ″. The cable  44  is looped through cable guides  42  on each strap  14 ′,  14 ″. That is, for each strap  14 , the cable passes through the cable guide  42 ′ on one strap end and then through the cable guide  42 ″ on the other strap end and back to the other strap where it is similarly guided and then back to the cable adjuster  50  forming a continuous loop of the cable between the two straps intercepted by the cable adjuster  50  such that tensioning of the cable  44  by the cable adjuster  42  draws the two strap sides of each of the two straps together simultaneously. 
   Turning now to  FIG. 5  through  FIG. 11 , the details of the cable adjuster  50  will be described.  FIGS. 6 ,  7 , and  8  represent prior art upon which this invention builds in part, as is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,558 B1 by Hammerslag, which is included herein by reference. Cable adjuster  50  includes the reel  52 , a housing  58 , and gear assembly  60 . Reel  52  holds a portion of cable  44  wound thereabout. The reel  52  is secured to and rotates about a reel shaft  62  through the reel axis  64 . Drive gear  70  is secured to and rotates with a central shaft  72 , which extends out of the housing  58  to a knob  74 . Transfer gear  76 , intermediate the drive gear  70  and a reel gear  78  that is secured to and rotates with the reel shaft  62 , rotates on transfer gear shaft  79  and has a smaller gear  66  and a larger gear  68 . The smaller gear  66  is configured to engage the reel gear  78  and the larger gear  68  is configured to engage drive gear  70  with the result that a mechanical advantage obtains between the knob  74  and the reel  52 . 
   Secured to the central shaft  72  alongside the drive gear  70  is a reel ratchet sprocket  82  and a reel pawl  84  that engages and disengages from the sprocket  82  by turn of a release lever  86  outside of the housing  58 , which lever  86  is mechanically linked to the reel pawl  84 . In an engage position of the lever  86 , the reel pawl  84  is moved to engage the reel ratchet sprocket  82  and the central shaft  72 , in which case the reel ratchet sprocket  82  is allowed to rotate with the central shaft  72  in a wind rotation wherein the cable  44  winds on the reel  42  while the reel pawl  84  sliding over the sprocket  82  without engaging it but while also preventing the reel ratchet sprocket  82  from counter-rotating by the reel pawl  84  engaging the reel ratchet sprocket  82  in normal ratchet operation. With the reel pawl  84  turned to disengage position, it does not engage the reel ratchet sprocket  82  and the reel  52  is released to rotate freely with the result that tension in the cable  44  is relaxed. 
   It may be advantageous to provide rotation of the central shaft  72  quicker than provided with the knob  74 . In which case, a pull  90  is provided. The pull  90  comprises a pull housing  92 , a body  94  connected to and rotating with the central shaft  72 , the body  94  comprising a coil spring  96  around a body tube  98 , with one end connected to the body  94  and another end connected to the reel housing  58  or pull housing  92 . The body  94  further comprises a spool  100  and a cord  102  connected between the spool  100  and a handle  101  external of the housing  92 , which cord  102  wraps around the spool  100 . Internal to the body tube  98  is a pull sprocket  104  and a pull pawl  105  pivoting at the tube  98  with the pull pawl  105  disposed to engage the pull sprocket  104  when the cord  102  is pulled against the bias of coil spring  96  and to release or disengage from the pull sprocket  104 , sliding over the pull sprocket  104  when the cord  102  is relaxed such that as the cord  102  is pulled by the handle  101  the pull pawl  105  engages the pull sprocket  104  which in turn rotates the central shaft  72  and the drive gear  70  such that the cable  44  is wound on the reel  42 . When the cord  102  is relaxed, it is withdrawn around spool  100  under action of the spring bias of coil spring  96  while the central shaft  72  does not rotate by action of the cord  102  as the reel pawl  84  engages the reel ratchet sprocket  82 .