Releasable binding for snowboards

A releasable foot binding for a snowboard includes a ring secured to a snowboard, a block rotatably mounted on the ring, and boot-engaging plugs at each end of the block.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a releasable binding for snowboards. Present 
snowboards do not employ releasable bindings; instead, the rider's feet 
are strapped into the bindings, the straps having buckles or clips thereon 
with the bindings themselves being secured to the snowboard with screws. 
The result is that the rider's feet are not released from the board when 
the rider falls or when undue stress is placed on the rider's feet by 
other means, with the result that legs have been twisted and broken. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a releasable binding for snowboards which 
releases both side to side and up and down, so that in the event of a 
fall, for example, the snowboard is released from the rider's feet and no 
injury is sustained by the rider. 
The binding of the present invention can be adjusted to vary the release or 
breakout point of the binding and also the binding is adjustable so that 
the rider's feet can be set at any desired angle to the snowboard itself.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a snowboard 2 has a ring 4 secured thereto by 
the screws 6, a friction block 8 is mounted for rotation on the ring 4 and 
is prevented from lifting off the ring 4 by means of a rotational block 10 
secured to one end of the friction block 8 by the screws 12, with the 
other end of the friction block 8 being secured by the rotational block 14 
which latter is secured to the friction block 8 by the screws 16. The 
rotational block 14 may be locked to the ring 4 by means of the clamp 
shown in FIG. 8, which is composed of the bolt 18 in a counterbore in the 
rotational block 14, the bolt having the wing nut 20 thereon. 
A pair of interface plugs 22 and 24 are mounted at opposite ends of the 
friction block 8 in the cutout portions 26 and 28 respectively. The 
interface plugs 22 and 24 are secured in the cutout portions 26 and 28 by 
means of the bolt 30 which threads into a slidable sleeve 32. The sleeve 
has a hook portion 34 on the end thereof which engages with a spring 36, 
which spring 36 in turn engages with the retaining wire 38, the ends of 
which are bent over as shown at 40 to secure the interface plug 24 to the 
spring 36, sleeve 32 and bolt 30. 
Rail portions 42 are provided at each end of the friction block 8 so that 
the interface plugs 22 and 24 may move outwardly, i.e. away from each 
other as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in order to insert a boot into the 
binding or release a boot from the binding. The tension of the spring 36 
may be varied by turning the bolt 30 by inserting an Allen wrench into the 
recess 44, and the degree of tension may be read from the scale 46 shown 
on the friction block 8 in FIG. 1. 
Also shown in FIG. 1 is a release lever 47 which is pivotally mounted on 
the screw 48 and abuts against the interface plug 24 at 50. When the 
release lever 46 is biased against the interface plug 24 to push the plug 
outwardly, a boot retained by the plugs 22 and 24 will be released. 
Referring to FIG. 2, a boot 52 is shown including the calf support 54, the 
boot base 56, and the boot pivot 58. The boot pivot 58 has two stops, one 
for forward lean and one for rear lean. This assists in walking and 
prevents one from overextending one's ankle in a fall. It is basically a 
one-size-fits-all ski boot shell in which one can wear any shoe or boot. 
The boot 52 is provided with the Velcro closure straps 60 or may be 
provided with buckles on straps if desired. 
The toe interface plate 62 is secured to the front or toe of the boot 52 by 
means of screws which pass through the holes 64, while the heel interface 
plate 66 is secured to the rear or heel of the boot 52 by screws which 
pass through the holes 68. Both of the toe and heel interface plates are 
bevelled as shown at 69 and 70 respectively. The toe interface plate 62 
has less radius 72 contacting the interface plug 24 than does the heel 
interface plate 66 contacting the interface plug 22, as shown at 74. The 
result is that the toe interface plate 62 releases before the heel does 
because there is less leverage out on one's toes. Inasmuch as the heel has 
more leverage, the heel interface plate 66 has more radius as shown at 74. 
The ease of release of the interface plugs 22 and 24 may be varied by 
varying the angle of the groove in the plug which engages the interface 
plate 62 or 66. As shown in FIG. 5, an easier up-down release is provided 
if both portions of the groove 76 are 45 degrees, as shown at 78 and 80. A 
more difficult up-down release is provided if the upper portion of the 
groove 76 is 15 degrees, as shown at 82, and the lower portion of the 
groove is 45 degrees, as shown at 84, in FIG. 6. 
FIG. 7 shows another variation of the interface plug 22 or 24 in which the 
upper portion of the groove 76 has an angle of 30 degrees, as shown at 86, 
and the lower portion of the groove has 45 degrees, as shown at 88. The 
difficulty of release of this embodiment is intermediate that of the 
embodiments shown at FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 7 also shows a bore 90 and 
counterbore 92 for receiving the bolt 30 which passes through the 
interface plug 22. The interface plug 24 is similarly bored but without a 
counterbore inasmuch as only the wire 38 passes therethrough and no 
counterbore is necessary, as is required to receive the head of the bolt 
30. 
In operation, when one steps into the binding with the boot 52 secured to 
one's foot, the toe interface plate 62 and heel interface plate 66 push 
outwardly on the interface plugs 22 and 24, which plugs slide on the rail 
portions 42 in the apertures 26 and 28 in the friction block 8. The 
interface plugs 22 and 24 are biased against the toe interface plate 62, 
and heel interface plates 66 by means of a spring 36, the tension on which 
can be adjusted by turning the bolt 30. 
The position of the friction block 8 on the ring 4 can be adjusted by 
rotating the friction block 8 on the ring 4, together with the rotational 
blocks 10 and 14, as desired and locking it in place by means of the bolt 
18 and wing nut 20 shown in FIG. 8. Thus, the rider's foot may be 
positioned at any angle as desired relative to the snowboard 2. Manual 
release of the boot 52 and the binding may be effected by manipulating the 
lever 46 which pivots about the screw 48 and may be employed to force the 
interface plug 24 outwardly thereby releasing the toe interface plate 62 
from the toe interface plug 24. 
Whereas the invention has been described specifically in connection with a 
binding for only one foot, it is to be understood that two bindings are 
used on a snowboard, with the result that both of the rider's feet may be 
positioned at any angle with respect to each other and to the snowboard 
itself by rotating the friction block 8 on the ring 4. Further, inasmuch 
as the binding is symmetrical, one may step into the binding in either 
direction. 
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications may 
be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from 
the spirit thereof and the invention includes all such modifications.