Snowboard binding

The invention relates to a snowboard binding having two retaining brackets (6, 106) which are pivotably mounted on a base plate (2) or on parts (5, 105) displaceable longitudinally on the base plate (2), and which, when the binding is performing a retaining function, engage over the front and the rear sole borders of a boot (102), the binding being closed automatically when the boot (102) is inserted. The aim of the invention is to keep the friction between the boot (102) and the binding, and therefore the boot-insertion force to be applied, relatively low and, by means of an advantageous configuration of a locking system (10), to ensure a high securing force. This is achieved according to the invention in that an actuating element (11) is acted upon by a step-on element (7) which can be pivoted on a basic body (5) about a second axis (19), and in that a locking slide (8) is arranged in the base member (5), which locking body bears on the actuating element (11) and, after overcoming a dead center position, latches the actuating element (11).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a snowboard binding that allows pivoting while 
releasably locking a boot to a snowboard. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In the case of a known snowboard binding, as is disclosed in DE-OS 41 06 
401, the pivot bracket engaging over the front sole border is articulated 
on a sliding part guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner on a 
retaining rail. The pivot bracket engaging over the rear sole border is 
pivotably articulated on a step-on element. Said step-on element is 
articulated on a sliding part fitted in a longitudinally displaceable 
manner on the retaining rail about a pivot pin located transversely with 
respect to said retaining rail. Arranged on the retaining rail is part of 
the locking mechanism into which a further part, provided on the step-on 
element, of the locking mechanism engages. When the boot is inserted into 
the binding, first of all the toe of the boot is fitted, with its front 
sole border, into the front pivot bracket, and then the step-on element is 
pivoted, by means of the sole of the boot, in the direction of the upper 
side of the snowboard until the two parts of the locking mechanism come 
into engagement with one another. 
During the pivoting, the step-on element slides on the sole of the boot, 
which, in the case of VIBRAM soles having pronounced profiles and are used 
for snowboard boots, is possible only with increased outlay in terms of 
force or, in extreme cases, is not possible at all. A further disadvantage 
of this snowboard binding lies in the configuration of the locking 
mechanism. When using a snowboard, it is necessary, in certain situations, 
to remove a boot from the binding and to place the boot in the snow, 
beside the snowboard. During this process, snow or ice adheres to the sole 
of the boot and it is only possible to insert the boot back into the 
snowboard binding once the sole of the boot has been carefully cleaned. 
In the case of a further commercially available snowboard binding, the 
retaining bracket which engages over the front sole border is pivotably 
articulated on a basic body. Said basic body may, for its part, be screwed 
fixedly in various positions on a base plate. The retaining bracket which 
engages over the rear sole border is articulated on two plates which, for 
their part, are pivotably mounted on a basic body, which may likewise be 
screwed fixedly in various positions on the base plate. The pin connecting 
the two plates is configured as a crankshaft. A rod which is acted upon by 
a spring and is mounted in the basic body engages on said pin and, 
together with a section of the crankshaft, forms a toggle lever, which 
constitutes the first part of a two-part latching system. The second part 
of the latching system is also arranged in said basic body. When the boot 
is inserted into the snowboard binding, a tread plate, which is mounted 
such that it can be pivoted about a separate pin, is pivoted in the 
direction of the upper side of the snowboard, and the two parts of the 
latching system are actuated at the same time. The toggle lever is forced 
over the dead center and, by the force of the spring, is pivoted further 
into its retaining position and retained there. The arrangement of the 
latching systems has a disadvantageous effect on this binding. A 
sufficiently large securing force cannot be achieved with this system. 
This is because, when a layer of snow has collected on the boot, the 
toggle lever cannot pivot into its maximum retaining position and full 
closure of the binding is no longer possible. The vertical loading which 
occurs during skiing reduces the securing forces further and the boot 
executes an undesired vertical pumping movement. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned 
disadvantages and to provide a snowboard binding which, in the case of 
comparatively low boot-insertion forces being applied, ensures a high 
securing force for the boot. 
This object is achieved according to the invention by the configuration of 
the snowboard binding in accordance with the defining part of claim 1. 
When the boot is inserted into the binding, the step-on element and 
actuating element are pivoted in the direction of the upper side of the 
snowboard. Since the step-on element bears on the actuating element in the 
boot-insertion phase and, as the boot is inserted, the step-on element 
moves in a rolling manner on two inwardly oriented protrusions which are 
arranged on the plates and belong to the actuating element, said step-on 
element moving the actuating element into a latching position by means of 
a locking slide, it is the case that, when the boot is inserted into the 
binding, the friction between boot and binding, and therefore the 
boot-insertion force to be applied, are kept relatively low and, by means 
of the interaction of locking slide and actuating element, a high securing 
force is ensured. 
A further configuration ensures as compact a construction of the snowboard 
binding as possible. A particularly favorable configuration of the 
snowboard binding is defined by modifying the arrangement of the first 
pivot pin and the second pin. 
The features of another embodiment achieve an optimum relationship between 
the boot-insertion force and securing force and straightforward opening of 
the binding. 
Further features permit a space-saving construction of the binding. 
Further features make it possible to arrange the locking system beneath the 
boot, this being advantageous in design terms. 
A further embodiment provides elasticity with the insertion of the boot and 
compensation for a layer of snow. Another configuration prevents undesired 
excessive turning of the actuating element. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
In FIG. 1, the toe part 101 and heel part 1 of a snowboard binding, also 
called a below binding, are guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner 
on a base plate 2 by means of two spindles 3, 103. The base plate 2 itself 
is fastened on the upper side 4a of a snowboard 4 by suitable fastening 
means (not shown), preferably by screws. The method of longitudinal 
adjustment is previously known and hence does not constitute the subject 
matter of the invention and thus is not described in any more detail. 
The toe part 101, has a basic body 105 and a retaining bracket 106 which is 
pivotably mounted in said basic body 105 and, when a ski boot or snowboard 
boot 102, which is only schematically indicated in some of the figures, is 
inserted, engages over the front sole border of said boot 102 in a known 
manner. For the purpose of length adaptation, the retaining bracket 106 
may be inserted into various bores 105a in the basic body 105. 
Furthermore, the retaining bracket 106 is forced in the direction of the 
center of the sole of the boot by a spring (not shown). Furthermore, the 
basic body 105 is provided with transverse bores 105b for the insertion of 
pins (not shown) which delimit the pivoting of the retaining bracket 106. 
An actuating element 11 is pivotably articulated on the base member 5 of 
the heel part 1, on the section remote from the center of the sole of the 
boot. The actuating element 11 has two upwardly projecting plates 12a and 
12b which are located in the region of the outer sides of the boot 102 and 
are connected fixedly to one another by a locking piece 16 via the first 
pivot pin 14. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the two plates 12a, 12b are 
arranged outside the base member 5, whereas the locking piece 16 is 
arranged between side walls 5a, 5b of the base member 5. The retaining 
bracket 6 which engages over the rear sole border of the boot 102 is 
pivotably articulated on the plates 12a, 12b of the actuating element 11. 
For the purpose of opening the binding, at least one of the two plates 
12a, 12b has an actuating extension 15. The retaining bracket 6 is forced 
in the direction of the center of the sole of the boot by a spring (not 
shown) and, in the open state is supported on two shoulders 13a, 13b which 
are arranged on the plates 12a, 12b of the actuating element 11. A locking 
member 16 is arranged between the plates 12a, 12b and is connected by a 
pin 17, whereby the latter is guided in two circular slotted holes 5'a, 
5'b constructed in the sidewalls 5a, 5b of the base member 5, and limits 
the pivoting movement of the actuating element 11 in upward and downward 
directions. Furthermore a step-on element 7 is pivotally hinged about a 
second pin 19 on the base member 5 and loads or act on in the open state 
of the snowboard binding two projections 13c, 13d arranged on the plates 
12a, 12b of the actuating element 11. A delimiting pin 17 is fitted on the 
plates 12a, 12b and through a locking piece 16, which pin 17 is guided in 
two slots 5'a, 5'b which are in the form of arcs of a circle in the side 
walls 5a, 5b of the base member 5 and delimits the pivot movement of the 
actuating element 11 to its top and bottom extent. 
Furthermore, a locking slide 8 is arranged in a longitudinally, 
displaceable manner in the base member 5. The locking slide 8 is acted 
upon by a spring 9, which is supported on a wall 5c which faces the center 
of the sole of the boot and belongs to the base member 5. On the side 
facing the locking piece, the locking slide 8 is provided with a control 
surface 8a, 8b which has two straight pieces 8a, 8b which--as seen in the 
plane of the drawing--intersect at a salient point 8c and enclose an angle 
with one another, an obtuse angle .alpha. in the present exemplary 
embodiment. The locking slide 8 is in contact, via its control surface 8a, 
8b, with a control surface 16a, 16b of the locking piece 16, various 
sections of the two control surfaces being in operative connection with 
one another in the individual phases during insertion and removal of the 
boot. The control surface 16a, 16b of the locking piece 16 likewise 
comprises two straight sections 16a, 16b which--as seen in the plane of 
the drawing--intersect at a salient point 16c and enclose an angle with 
one another, an obtuse angle .beta. in the present exemplary embodiment, 
the upper section 16a exhibiting a rounded extension 16d. 
When the snowboard binding is in the open state (cf. FIG. 4), the step-on 
element 7 bears, over its full surface area, on the protrusions 13c, 13d 
of the plates of the actuating element 11. In this position, the locking 
slide 8 presses, with its salient point 8c, on the section 16b of the 
control surface 16a, 16b of the locking piece 16. Consequently, the 
actuating element 11 and, via the protrusions arranged on the plates 12a, 
12b, the retaining bracket 6 articulated thereon are pivoted away from the 
center of the sole of the boot until the delimiting pin 17 and the 
associated slots 5'a, 5'b, in the form of arcs of a circle, delimit this 
pivoting movement. 
When a boot 102 is placed onto the step-on element 7, the latter presses, 
with its underside, on the protrusions 13c, 13d of the two plates 12a, 12b 
and pivots the actuating element 11 in the direction of the upper side of 
the snowboard 4a. In this arrangement, the locking slide 8 is displaced 
rearwards, counter to the force of the spring 9, while the locking piece 
16 slides, with the lower section 16b of its control surface 16a, 16b, 
along the salient point 8c of the locking slide 8 until the dead center of 
the locking system 10 has been reached (cf. FIG. 5). 
Once the dead center position of the locking system 10 has been overcome, 
by pressing the step-on element further downwards, the step-on element 7 
is disengaged from the plates 12a, 12b. The control surface 16a, 16b and 
the extension 16d of the locking piece 16 are acted upon by the control 
surface 8a, 8b of the locking slide 8, and the actuating element 11 is 
pivoted further in the direction of the upper side of the snowboard 4a, 
the retaining bracket 6 engaging over the rear sole border and thus 
retaining the boot 102 in the binding. In the case of a clean standard 
snowboard-boot sole, the locking slide 8 presses the actuating element 11 
in the direction of the upper side of the snowboard 4a until the 
delimiting pin 17 assumes its bottom stop position in the slots 5'a, 5'b, 
of the two side walls 5a, 5b. The snowboard binding is now located in the 
maximum retaining position (cf. FIGS. 1 and 3). 
FIG. 6 shows a snowboard binding according to the invention with the boot 
102 inserted, said boot having a layer of snow 18 beneath the sole of the 
boot. In this arrangement, it is no longer possible for the actuating 
element 11 to pivot downwards into the maximum retaining position, and the 
locking side 8 moves the locking piece 16 into a position Corresponding to 
the layer of snow 18 which is to be compensated for. 
In order to open the snowboard binding, the actuating extension 15 is 
pivoted away from the upper side of the snowboard 4a until the locking 
slide 8 and the locking piece 16 have overcome the dead center position. 
The binding reaches the (open) state shown in FIG. 4 and is thus ready for 
the boot to be inserted once again. 
The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment represented in 
the drawing and described above. On the contrary, various modifications of 
said exemplary embodiment are possible without leaving the scope of the 
invention. For example, the embodiment in which the boot-insertion 
mechanism is assigned to the region of the toes of the user should also 
come under the protection of the invention. The inclinations of the 
control surfaces of locking slide and locking piece may also differ from 
the form which has been represented and described, as a result of which 
the boot-insertion force to be overcome and the retaining force may be 
chosen freely by the designer. Furthermore, an embodiment in which a soft 
binding can be inserted via a sole plate formed by the soft binding itself 
or in which a sole plate which can be connected to the soft binding by 
known means can be inserted into the binding according to the invention 
should also come under the protection of the invention, without leaving 
the scope of protection.