Boot for snowboarding and the like

An improved boot for snowboarding. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a generally resilient upper boot portion mounted to a generally rigid lower boot portion. The lower boot portion extends substantially upwardly from the sole, over the foot, and ends proximate to the tarsal bone of the lower ankle. A calf support member is mounted at the heel of the boot and relatively perpendicular thereto. A lip extends from the toe and heel of the boot lower portion. Upon cooperation of the lip with plate bindings on a snowboard, the boot is releasably secured thereto.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to footwear and more particularly to a boot assembly 
for securing a snowboarder's foot to a snowboard or the like and a method 
of assembling the same. 
A snowboard is a single board, akin to a surfboard, that is used to slide 
down a snow covered slope without the need for skis or ski poles, but with 
greater agility and control. 
To maneuver a snowboard, it is desireable that snowboarders be able to bend 
their ankles forward and from side to side, much in the same way surfers 
bend their ankles to maneuver a surfboard. Lateral and forward ankle 
movements are relatively important for both freestyle (acrobatic) and 
freeriding (all-terrain) snowboarding. 
Conventional boots used for snowboarding, like ski boots, comprise a "hard 
boot" or hard plastic molded boot shell that restricts movement of the 
snowboarder's ankles. This hard shell construction is relatively 
convenient in allowing the snowboarder to use plate bindings for quick 
release of the boot from the snowboard. However, by restricting ankle 
movement, maneuverability of the snowboard is limited. 
Other boots known as "soft boots" are constructed of a soft, flexible 
material such as leather, and are typically retrofitted to the snowboard 
by highback bindings. With highback bindings, two or three buckles must be 
opened to remove the boot from the snowboard, whereas with plate bindings 
only one buckle must be opened. Although this construction allows the 
ankle to move relatively freely and thus facilitates maneuverability, 
highback bindings have been found less convenient than the "hard boot" 
construction. 
The present invention provides an improved boot for snowboarding which 
comprises a generally rigid lower boot portion and a generally resilient 
upper boot portion. The lower boot portion extends substantially upwardly 
from the sole and over the foot, ending proximate to the tarsal bone of 
the lower ankle. A calf support member is mounted at the heel of the boot 
and relatively perpendicular thereto. A lip extends from the toe and heel 
of the boot lower portion. Upon cooperation of the lip with plate bindings 
on a snowboard, the boot is releasably secured thereto. 
The present invention is further directed to a method of assembling a boot, 
which comprises the steps of mounting a generally resilient upper boot 
portion to a generally rigid lower boot portion, the lower boot portion 
extending substantially upwardly from the sole, over the foot, and ending 
proximate to the tarsal bone of the lower ankle; and mounting a calf 
support member at the heel of the boot relatively perpendicular thereto. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide simple, 
durable, economical and comfortable footwear for snowboarding which 
provides both improved snowboard maneuverability and the convenience of 
plate bindings.

Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become 
apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments. 
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate generally an improved boot 10 for snowboarding in 
accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The boot comprises a 
generally rigid lower boot shell or portion 20 and a generally resilient 
upper boot portion 30. The lower boot portion extends substantially 
upwardly from sole 21 of the shell and over the foot of a snowboarder, 
ending proximate to the tarsal bone of the lower ankle. It has been found 
that a lower boot portion approximately 1.5 inches high provides for 
complete mobility of the snowboarder's ankle. 
A calf support member 22 is mounted, e.g., by rivets, at the heel of the 
boot and relatively perpendicular thereto. A lip 23, 24 extends from the 
toe 25 and heel 26 of the boot lower portion. Upon cooperation of the lip 
with plate bindings 40 on a snowboard 50, the boot is releasably secured 
thereto. 
The snowboard, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, is a 
relatively rigid, smooth and flat strip 51 having the general shape of a 
tongue depressor, as best seen in FIG. 5. Plate bindings 40 are mounted in 
pairs to upper surface 52 of the snowboard in proximity to its center. 
Each binding is oriented such that, upon cooperation with a boot, the 
snowboarder's feet are oriented sideways (or perpendicular) relative to 
the snowboard length. 
Each plate binding 40 comprises a relatively rectangular frame 41 rotatably 
mounted face-to-face with upper surface 52. Bails 42, 43 are pivotally 
mounted to the frame using suitable fasteners, e.g., rivets or a nut and 
bolt arrangement. One bail 42 is mounted at the toe end of the rectangle 
and the other bail 43 at the heel end of the rectangle. An L-shaped brace 
bar 44 is pivotally mounted to the toe bail. 
The boot is placed lengthwise within the frame, fitting the heel of the 
boot in bail 43 and the boot toe in bail 42. Toe bail 42 is then folded 
over the front end of the boot, and the forward end of the brace bar is 
pressed in toe lip 23 of the boot. Next, the aft of the brace bar is 
pressed downwardly, and snapped over the front of the boot, as shown in 
FIG. 1. In this manner, the boot is releasably secured to the snowboard. 
For example, the plate binding is rotatably mounted to the snowboard upper 
surface by a rotatable disk 53 fastened at its center to the snowboard. 
The binding is thereby rotatable about a vertical axis perpendicular to 
upper surface 52. A generally circular raised portion 54 on the snowboard 
is adapted to receive the disk and is relatively flush therewith. The disk 
fits inside a like shaped though slightly larger diameter recess 55 in the 
raised portion. In this manner, the disk (and plate binding) are raised a 
selected distance off the snowboard upper surface to facilitate rotation 
or pivotal movement of the plate binding and the boot over and generally 
parallel to the snowboard upper surface. 
As shown in FIGS. 1-4, calf support member 22 comprises relatively stiff 
spoiler, preferably constructed of a strong, light-weight material, e.g., 
nylon or other polymeric material. The member has a generally flat profile 
for accommodating lateral movements of the snowboarder's ankle (and leg). 
Calf facing portions 27 of the member mount a shock absorbing material, 
preferably at points of contact between the snowboarder's calf and the 
member. Suitable materials include foam padding and Spenco.RTM. Gel. 
The member has an arcuate shape of sufficient radius to fi securely around 
the boot heel. At each end of the arc are firs holes 60, 61 for receiving 
suitable fasteners 62, 63. In this manner, the member is attached at the 
heel to opposing sides of the boot lower portion. Preferably, the member 
is constructed of a relatively strong, stiff and light-weight material 
such as Aluminum or nylon. 
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a rotatable shin 
strap 32 is mounted at the upper end of the calf support member, as best 
seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. This feature provides increased support during 
turns and other maneuvers of the snowboard. 
In another embodiment of the present invention, a highback support seat 
member 29 is mounted to the heel of the boot lower portion on opposing 
sides by suitable fasteners 31, e.g., rivets. The seat member has a 
generally U-shape. The calf support member preferably rests directly on 
top of the seat member for adding support, strength and rigidity to the 
boot lower portion. 
The snowboarder's foot and heel are held down within the boot by an ankle 
strap 64. The strap extends over and across the forefoot from one seat 
member fastener 31 to the other. Ar adjustment device such as a ratchet 
buckle system 46 is used to tighten down the strap over the foot in order 
to prevent the foot from lifting out of the boot. 
In another alternative embodiment of the present invention an additional 
ratchet buckle strap 47 is used to secure the foot inside the boot. As 
shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the strap is positioned generally about the toe of 
the boot lower portion, and secured at each side of the sole 21. In this 
manner, additional support is provided to prevent the foot from lifting 
out of the boot. A dial 48 at the boot rear allows variation i tightening 
of the strap and removal of the boot without undoing the buckle straps. 
Alternatively, an internal tongue system 33 may be used instead to prevent 
the foot from lifting out of the boot. As best seen in FIG. 8, the system 
includes a thin, flexible plastic tongue 34 that curves from the forefoot 
(beneath the adjacent boot lower portion) to a selected distance up the 
front of the ankle, e.g., approximately two inches. A relatively thin 
cable 35, e.g., of steel, wraps over the tongue and about the rear of the 
boot, threading through a channel 45 along the highback support, for 
holding the tongue down against liner 39. Tension of the cable is varied 
by movement of a dial or buckle on the calf support member (or rear of the 
highback support). 
A forward lean adjustment member 38 is formed at the bottom rear 28 of the 
calf support member, proximate to but below the snowboarder's ankle. 
To adjust the range of forward lean allowed by the boot, the calf support 
member is provided with three holes and the adjustment member is provided 
with a pair of second holes. This permits mounting of the adjustment 
member in four different combinations and/or orientations. The first is 
with the support member right-side-up in the top two holes of the lean 
member. The second is also with the support member right-side-up but in 
the bottom two holes of the forward lean member. The third is with the 
support member up-side-down in the top two holes of the lean member. The 
fourth and final possibility is with the support member up-side-down, but 
in the bottom two holes of the lean member. 
Although the present invention is shown and described as having a specified 
number of holes in the calf support and lean adjustment members, it is 
understood by those skilled in the art that any number of holes or means 
for adjusting forward lean could be utilized, giving consideration to the 
purpose for which the present invention is intended. 
It is preferred that the boot be lined by a material which provides comfort 
and insulation, while allowing the foot to remain securely in the boot. 
Air-filled bladder type liners and padded neoprene liners, for example, 
have been found suitable for this purpose. 
A traditional tongue and lacing system is used to tighten the boot about 
the foot and leg. The tongue runs up the front of the boot upper portion 
and is preferably lined with a resilient material such as foam padding or 
Spenco.RTM. Gel for added support and comfort. Alternatively, as shown in 
FIG. 5, the tongue and lacing system are on one or both sides of the boot 
upper portion, for improved comfort. In addition to laces, zippers and 
hook loop fasteners VELCRO.RTM. have also been found suitable. 
The upper and lower boot portions are joined along their continuous lower 
36 and upper 37 edges, respectively, by any suitable method, for example, 
by stitching or glue. The lower and upper edges are suitably configured 
for cooperation with one another such that a water-tight seal is formed 
therebetween for adequate insulation and support. 
Preferred materials for constructing the lower portion include a rigid 
plastic and for the boot upper portion include leather or nylon. However, 
it is understood by those skilled in the art that any material or 
combination of materials could be used, giving consideration to the 
intended purpose of the present invention. 
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the boot is 
assembled by mounting the upper boot portion to the lower boot portion 
along their respective upper and lower edges, the lower boot portion 
extending substantially upwardly from the sole and over the foot, and 
ending proximate to the tarsal bone of the lower ankle. Next, the calf 
support member is mounted relatively perpendicular to the heel of the 
boot. 
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, the ankle 
strap, e.g., ratchet buckle system, is then extended over and across the 
forefoot and fastened to each side of the sole. An additional strap, e.g., 
ratchet buckle system, is positioned generally about the toe of the boot 
lower portion, and also secured to each side of the sole. 
This novel boot construction provides the best of both worlds. In 
particular, the flexible boot upper portion advantageously permits the 
snowboarder's ankles to bend forward and from side to side, for ease of 
snowboard maneuverability and comfort. The relatively rigid boot lower 
portion facilitates use of plate bindings for ready securement (or 
detachment) of the boot to the snowboard. 
Since from the foregoing the construction and advantages of the invention 
may be readily understood, further explanation it believed to be 
unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to 
those skilled in the art after consideration of the foregoing 
specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended that the 
invention be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but 
all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall 
within the scope of the appended claims.