Binding for snowboard, kitesurf or wakeboard, with a highback that is rotatably controlled by a lever used as a boot ramp

A binding for a snowboard, a kitesurf or a wakeboard, including a base, a highback that is movable around a first axis of rotation mounted on the base and a lever, of which a power lever arm controls, rotatably relative to the base, a resistance lever arm that cooperates with the highback to move it around the first axis of rotation between an open position and a closed position. The lever pivots around a second axis of rotation mounted on a bow of the base and in opposition to a toe strap relative to the first axis of rotation so that the power lever arm can be used as a ramp in counterforce against a stopper of the toe strap to move the highback between the open position and the closed position.

FIELD

The invention relates to a binding for a snowboard, a kitesurf or a wakeboard, in particular comprising a base, a highback that is movable around a first axis of rotation mounted on the base and a lever, of which a power lever arm controls, rotatably relative to the base, a resistance lever arm that cooperates with the highback to move it around the first axis of rotation between an open position and a closed position.

BACKGROUND

A binding for snowboard of that kind is known from the document EP 824 942. The lever is mounted around the same first axis of rotation as the highback, while the power lever arm is split to make it possible to pass the heel of the user's boot through it to press a traverse bar. This way, the two power lever arms and the traverse bar are used as a pedal that the boot presses against the mounting base in the closed position.

The document WO 2020/020797 discloses a binding for a snowboard that includes a base, a highback that is movable around a first axis of rotation mounted on the base and a lever that cooperates with the highback to move it around the first axis of rotation. A connecting rod hinges the lever around a second axis of rotation that is mounted on the base and in the same position opposite to the first axis of rotation as a stopper of the base. In this arrangement, said lever is used as a pedal that, once again, the user's boot presses against the mounting base or against the snowboard itself in the closed position.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,403 discloses a binding for snowboard including a base and a lever, in which a lever arm rotatably controls an opposite lever arm around a second axis of rotation. The lever has notches to use as a ratchet system and lock a shoe that specially has an axis at the buttress to cooperate with the notches. When there is a highback, the second axis of rotation is mounted on the highback itself. In this case, the ratchet lock lever pivots independently from any rotation of the highback.

These documents show a prior art, where the power lever arm is used as a pedal with restricted rotation in close position by the mounting base or by the snowboard itself. An example has a lever without this restriction, but that is used as a ratchet lock independently from any rotation of the highback, on which the lever is mounted.

SUMMARY

One of the goals of the invention is thus to change the type of binding for snowboards as described above, considering the rotation of the power lever arm, and then considering its efficiency when putting on shoes, when it controls the resistance lever arm to move the highback from the open position to the closed position. In addition, the invention shall have to apply to kitesurfs or wakeboards.

To do so, the invention relates to a binding for snowboard according to the introductive statement, characterized in that the lever pivots around a second axis of rotation that is mounted on an arch of the base and in opposition to a toe strap relative to the first axis of rotation, so that the power lever arm can be used as a ramp in counterforce against a stopper of the toe strap, when it controls the resistance lever arm, to move the highback between the open position and the closed position.

When putting on a binding according to the invention, the tip of a user's boot or inner shoe is received by the stopper of the toe strap, while the user delivers a force on the power lever arm closest to the heel of the boot by positioning the second axis of rotation opposite to the stopper in relation to the first axis of rotation. During the swivelling of the lever around the second axis of rotation, the user's boot moves along the power lever arm that is used as a sliding ramp or possibly as a bearing in counterforce relative to the stopper with the toe strap. The power lever arm converts this force into a rotation of the highback, while the rotation of said arm is not restricted by a mounting base or by the snowboard itself. In addition, the function of the power lever arm as a ramp avoids compacting snow between the snowboard or the mounting base and a pedal of the highback.

In the closed position, the power lever arm is locked in rotation in the direction that moves the highback to the open position by the buttress of the user's boot or inner shoe, wherein the tip of the boot or inner shoe is engaged with the toe strap. In reverse rotation, the power lever arm is locked by the arch of the base. To allow locking in both opposite directions against boots or inner shoes of any size, the toe strap has known clamping devices able to change the shoe size of the binding, as defined between the stopper of the toe strap and the arch of the base.

This yields an improved efficiency of the binding according to the invention when putting on, in comparison with the state of the art as previously described.

In an embodiment, the power lever arm can include bearing parts to make the ramp function easier.

In another embodiment, the stopper at the end of the boot can include a tip mounted around an axis of rotation that is mounted on the toe strap to angle itself when putting on and off the shoe.

In another embodiment, the second axis of rotation can be mounted on a first end and on a second end of the bow of the base with an opening between them to reduce the weight of the binding.

The resistance lever arm and the highback may cooperate through a first connecting part and a second connecting part that are fixed to the highback, wherein the resistance lever arm is engaged with the second connecting part through an opening.

The second connecting part is preferably reversibly attached to the first connecting part in the open position and in the closed position of the highback and is detached from the first connecting part in a storage position of the highback. It may also be inserted into the opening of the resistance lever arm in the open position and in the closed position of the highback and may be removed from the opening of the resistance lever arm in the storage position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following presentation, please note that a same item has the same reference on all figures.

A binding for a snowboard, a kitesurf or a wakeboard according to the invention includes a base1and a highback3movable around a first axis of rotation A1that is mounted on the base1. A lever5including a power lever arm5aand a resistance lever arm5bis also rotatably movable in reference to the base. The resistance lever arm5bcooperates with the highback3to move it around the first axis of rotation A1between an open position and a closed position when it is rotatably controlled by the power lever arm5a.

As previously exposed, the lever5pivots around a second axis of rotation A2that is mounted on a bow10that is raised up a mounting base4of the base1and that is in opposition to a toe strap7relative to the first axis of rotation A1. This arrangement allows the use of the power lever arm5aas a ramp while putting on and off the shoe between the open position and the closed position, in counterforce against a stopper of the toe strap7.

TheFIG.1shows a first embodiment of the invention, where the power lever arm5aacts as a sliding ramp in counterforce against a stopper for the tip of a boot or inner shoe, including two branches9a,9bof the toe strap7that are separated by a notch9c. The toe strap7has a known clamping device17. It should be noted that the notch can be changed for a deformable structure, either plain or made of meshes.

TheFIGS.2to4show how the invention works.

When putting a shoe on, onFIG.2, a user's boot or inner shoe2is received by the two branches9a,9bof the topper of the toe strap7, while the user's heel exerts a force onto the power lever arm5a. OnFIG.3, during the swiveling of the lever5around the second axis of rotation A2against the elastic return means, the user's boot or inner shoe2moves along the power lever arm5athat is used as a sliding ramp in counterforce relative to the stopper of the toe strap7. The power lever arm5arotatably controls the resistance lever arm5bto make it move the highback3. As described later, the resistance lever arm5band the highback3cooperate through a first connecting part13and a second connecting part11or12that are fixed to the highback3, wherein the resistance lever arm5bis engaged with the second connecting part11or12through an opening5dinside the resistance lever arm5b.

In the closed position, onFIG.4, the power lever arm5ais locked in rotation in the direction that moves the highback3to the open position by the buttress of the user's boot or inner shoe2, wherein the tip of the boot or inner shoe is engaged with the stopper of the toe strap7. In reverse rotation, the power lever arm5ais locked by the bow10of the base1. An ankle strap19that is mounted on the base1and that includes a known clamping device21makes it possible to lock the boot or the inner shoe2in the closed position.

When putting a shoe off, the user unlocks the closed position by unclamping the ankle strap19, then lifts their heel while the tip of the boot or inner shoe2is engaged with the stopper of the toe strap7. Here again, the lever arm5ais used as a ramp for putting off. The elastic return means follows the movement of the user's heel and controls the highback3into the open position thanks to the resistance lever arm5bwith cooperation with the second connecting part11. At the end of the rotation, the resistance lever arm5bis locked by the arch10.

In the embodiment of the invention according to theFIG.5, the power lever arm5aincludes bearing parts5cto make the ramp function easier when putting on and off the shoe.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated by theFIG.6is different from the previous one in that the stopper includes a tip15mounted around an axis of rotation A3mounted on the toe strap7. This arrangement makes it possible to angle the stopper according to the position of the boot or inner shoe when putting on or off. It improves the comfort of the user and the efficiency of the locking of the power lever arm5ain the closed position by the counterforce of the boot or inner shoe. The tip15can be a part attached to the toe strap7by the axis of rotation A3and designed to mate the tip of the boots or of the inner shoes.

The embodiments of the invention illustrated by theFIGS.7to9are different from the previous one in that the toe strap7and the base1include mutual rotation locking means6,8that allow the toe strap7different adjustment positions to improve, once again, the efficiency of the counterforce by the stopper9,15in reference to the power lever arm5a. Locking means include, for example, notches8and reciprocal ribs6, while the toe strap7is provided with elastic pressuring means18,20to engage into a recess22of a socket24in the base. The embodiment of the invention according to theFIG.10is different from the previous ones in that the second axis of rotation A2is mounted on a first end10aand a second end10bof the base1, wherein there is an opening23between them.

TheFIG.10also provides a detailed description of the cooperation means between the highback3and the resistance lever arm5bimplemented in these embodiments.

The first connecting part13is secured against the highback3and includes two stiffeners13a,13b. The second connecting part11includes a tab11ato attach reversibly to the first connecting part13in the open position and in the closed position of the highback3, and can be detached from the first connecting part13in a storage position. In the example ofFIG.10, the two stiffeners13a,13bof the first connecting part13create a recess where a rod11bis to be inserted, which is carried by the second connecting part11and is used as a reversible means of attachment.

When putting on the shoe, the resistance lever arm5bengages with the stiffeners13a,13bof the first connecting part13to move the highback3into the closed position. When putting off the shoe, the resistance lever arm5btransmits to the highback3the force from the elastic return means16through the second connecting part11that is reversibly attached to the first connecting part13.

The first and second connecting parts11and13described above create a connecting loop, where the second connecting part stretches out through the opening5din the resistance lever arm5bto close in on the first connecting part13thanks to the reversible means of attachment11b. Opening the connecting loop makes it possible to turn down the highback3around the first axis of rotation A1in a storage position.

FIGS.11to14, the second connecting part12is inserted into the opening5dof the resistance lever arm5b, in the open position and in the closed position of the highback3and is removed from the opening5dof the resistance lever arm5bin a storage position of the highback3. The second connecting part12is shaped as a clockwise or anti-clockwise bent hook.

According to a fifth embodiment, it is particularly expected to fix an elastic deformation part14, for example in the shape of a blade, to the first connecting part13, preferably between its stiffeners13aand13b, to determine, as perFIG.14, the open position by pressing a stop5eon the resistance lever arm5b. The elastic deformation of said part14allows the highback3to adopt an over-opening position that is determined by a compression of said part between the first connecting part13and the stop5eon the resistance lever arm5b. This arrangement advantageously reduces the encumbrance of the binding in the open position while making putting on easier from the over-opening position. The user get the over-opening position by pressing the highback3while not pressing the power lever arm5aof the lever5yet.

Remember that the power lever arm is locked by the arch of the base and not by the mounting base. In the case of a snowboard, this result is particularly beneficial, considering that the possible presence of snow between the boot and the base may hinder the rotation of the power lever arm, hence hinder the complete closing of the binding. In case of water applications, the result is also beneficial in case of accidental obstruction.