Abstract:
A lift plate or lift plate apparatus is provided in conjunction with a binding or boot of a wakeboard. The lift plate apparatus can be separately mounted onto the wakeboard, or alternately incorporated directly into a binding boot sole, and functions in use to elevate the person&#39;s foot relative to the wakeboard, and thereby permit the wakeboard to ride deeper in the water. In addition, the lift plate apparatus provides improved so-called edging of the wakeboard for improved turning maneuvers.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to a lift or lift plate apparatus for use with a wakeboard binding or boot. The lift plate permits the wakeboard to ride deeper in the water and further to accommodate quick and easy so-called edging of the wakeboard to execute turns, thereby providing additionally improved stability in curvilinear and straight-line wakeboarding. 
         [0002]    Wakeboards are generally known in the art, and comprise a single board upon which a rider stands and is pulled by a boat so that the board skims or rides upon the surface of the water behind the boat. In general, the wakeboard is about 3-5 feet long, and is shaped with upturned ends and a somewhat wider middle. The rider stands on the wakeboard by means of a pair of bindings such as boot-like structures adapted to receive the rider&#39;s feet in a relatively fixed, spaced-apart stance. Minimal angular adjustment of the boot-like structures is permitted for rider preference and comfort. The boot-like structures can be open-toed, or close-toed, and/or custom fitted to the individual rider. 
         [0003]    In the past, the boot-like structure, or binding, has been designed for a supporting the rider&#39;s feet at a fixed and relatively small height above the surface of the wakeboard. As a result, the rider has had a limited ability to place the wakeboard on “edge” in the course of a turning maneuver. That is, the ability of the rider to “edge” the wakeboard has been controlled by the height of the rider&#39;s feet above the surface of the wakeboard. Indeed, in the past, there has been no capability to vary the height of the boot-like binding structure above the surface of the wakeboard to correspondingly improve the ability of the rider to place the board on “edge” in the course of a turning maneuver. 
         [0004]    The present invention comprises an improved lift plate or lift plate apparatus for use with a wakeboard binding or boot, wherein the lift plate permits the wakeboard to ride deeper in the water and further to accommodate quick and easy so-called edging of the wakeboard to execute turns. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with the invention, a lift plate or lift plate apparatus is provided for use with a binding or boot on a wakeboard to permit the wakeboard to ride deeper in the water and further to accommodate relatively quick and easy so-called edging of the wakeboard in the course of a turning maneuver, thereby providing a significant improvement in stability in curvilinear (turning) and straight-line wakeboarding. The lift plate height enhances the ability to angulate the wakeboard edge more deeply into the water. 
         [0006]    In the preferred form, the lift plate apparatus comprises a lift plate of selected height mounted on the wakeboard between each wakeboard boot and the board. The lift plate includes at least two openings for passage of screws or the like to secure the binding to the lift plate onto the wakeboard. The openings can be oblong or elongated with an arcuate shape, if desired, to permit mounting onto the wakeboard within a range of selected different angular orientations. Alternatively, if desired, the lift plate can be directly incorporated into the sole of each wakeboard boot. 
         [0007]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a fragmented perspective view illustrating a wakeboard rider on a wakeboard, wherein the wakeboard is equipped with the improved boot or binding lift plate or lift plate apparatus, in accordance with one preferred form of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a fragmented perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the wakeboard with the improved boot or binding lift plate in one position of adjustment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a further enlarged and fragmented perspective view showing one of the boots in association with a lift plate, in accordance with the preferred form of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a fragmented perspective view showing the boot association with the underlying lift plate and a portion of the wakeboard; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the lift plate of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a vertical sectional view taken generally on the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a fragmented plan view of the lift plate or lift plate apparatus of  FIGS. 4-6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a fragmented perspective view similar to  FIG. 2 , but illustrating one preferred alternative form of the invention wherein the lift plate or lift plate apparatus is incorporated into the boot sole; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a fragmented plan view similar to  FIG. 7 , but illustrating a further preferred alternative form of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    As shown in the exemplary drawings, a lift plate or lift plate apparatus is referred to generally in  FIG. 1  by the reference numeral  10 . As shown, the lift plate  10  is provided on a wakeboard  18  or the like for use by the rider  14  to execute so-called “edge” turns more easily, and to ride deeper in the water  16 . 
         [0019]    Wakeboarding is generally known in the art wherein a rider  14  ( FIG. 1 ) stands upon a wakeboard  18  and is towed through the water  16  at a sufficiently high rate of speed by a boat (not shown). The rider  14  is coupled to the boat by means of a tow rope  20  including a releasable handle  22  held by the rider  14 . In accordance with the invention, the lift plate or lift plate apparatus is provided to elevate the rider  14  with respect to the underlying wakeboard  18  by the thickness of the lift plate or lift plate apparatus  10  to permit the rider  14  to place the wakeboard  18  on “edge” in the course of executing a relatively sharp turn or the like. In addition, the lift plate  10  enables the rider  14  to ride the wakeboard  18  with the wakeboard disposed deeper in the water  16  for improved wakeboard control. 
         [0020]    The lift plate  10  of the present invention comprises a skeletal framework including a perimeter  24  ( FIG. 4 ) with suitable reinforcing struts  26 . A pair of wing segments  28  protrude from opposite sides of each lift plate  10 , wherein each of the wing segments  28  includes a pair of screw-receiving ports  30  and  32 . If desired, each lift plate  10  can be mounted onto the upper surface of the underlying wakeboard  18  by means of a pair of screws  34  ( FIGS. 3-4 ) passed downwardly through the screw ports  32  and suitably fastened into the wakeboard  18  by means of a corresponding pair of threaded receptacles  25  or the like. 
         [0021]    In addition, each boot or boot binding  36  for receiving and supporting the left and right foot of the rider  14  is attached to an upper surface of the associated lift plate  10  by means of the same pair of screws  34  passed downwardly through screw ports  33  formed in the boot or boot binding  36  and further through the associated screw ports  32  into the receptacles  25  formed in the wakeboard  18 . Importantly, as shown best in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  7 , the screws  34  protrude downwardly through the ports  32  which have an increasing arcuate dimension from the medial or laterally inboard side of each foot to the lateral or outboard side of each foot, to accommodate a degree of circumferential adjustment of the specific position of each rider foot extending laterally across the wakeboard  18 , for improved rider comfort. Indeed, in the exemplary drawings as shown, the arcuate dimension of the screw ports  32  accommodate angular adjustment of the rider&#39;s foot to an angle on the order of about + or −45 degrees from a straight lateral position on the wakeboard  18 , for a total angular adjustment of about  90  degrees. Similar arcuate adjustment is provided by the arcuate shape of the other pair of screw ports  30 , if provided. Alternately, if desired, some binding designs would align the openings  33  in the boot  36  with the lift plate ports  30  and thereby connect to the wakeboard  18 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 6  illustrates a multi-ply construction for each lift plate  10 , wherein the lift plate  10  comprises three plies  44 ,  46  and  48  of a noncompressible material. A more preferred lift plate  10  can be constructed from a single homogenous layer or ply, such as a noncompressible or semicompressible material of a metal or plastic or carbon fiber composition or the like. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate alternative preferred forms of the invention. More specifically, in the alternative form depicted in  FIG. 8 , the lift plate or lift plate apparatus  10 ′ is constructed directly into the boot or boot sole during manufacture of the boot  36 ′. The lift plate or lift plate apparatus  10 ′ is similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , but the boot  36 ′ with the lift plate or lift plate apparatus  10 ′ incorporated into the sole thereof is attached directly to the wakeboard  18 ′ by passing screws  34 ′ downwardly through a pair of screw ports  32 ′ formed respectively at the laterally opposed sides thereof. These screw ports  32 ′ accommodate respective passage of a corresponding pair of screws  34 ′ downwardly therethrough into anchored relation into receptacles (not shown in  FIG. 8 ) within the wakeboard  18 ′. In this regard, the screw ports  32 ′ are unthreaded and at least partially arcuate in shape to permit angular adjustment of the boots  36 ′ through an angle such as on the order of about + or −45 degrees, for a total angular adjustment capability of about 90 degrees, for enhanced rider comfort. The sole of the boot  36 ′ is, of course, thicker by incorporating the lift plate directly into the boot. 
         [0024]      FIG. 9  shows a modified lift plate or lift plate apparatus  10 ″ wherein the lift plate apparatus is generally similar to the lift plate or lift plate apparatus  10  shown and described in  FIGS. 1-7 , but has a somewhat different shape. As shown, the modified lift plate apparatus  10 ″ has a periphery  24 ″ with a single internal reinforcing strut  26 ″, in combination with laterally opposed wings  28 ″ each formed with a single screw port  32 ″ formed therein, wherein the screw ports  32 ″ are somewhat arcuate in shape to accommodate downward passage of a corresponding pair of screws  34 ″ fastened into wakeboard receptacles (not shown in  FIG. 9 ). The arcuate screw ports  32 ″ permit the associated screws  34 ″ to be tightened while permitting angular adjustment of the associated boots for enhanced rider comfort. 
         [0025]    A variety of further modifications and improvements in and to the lift plate or lift plate apparatus of the present invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. By way of limited example, persons skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate that the description of the invention and the accompanying drawings shows the wakeboard boots with an open toe design, it will nevertheless be understood that the invention is equally applicable to closed toe wakeboard boots. Accordingly, no limitation on the invention is intended by way of the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, except as set forth in the appended claims.