Abstract:
An angularly adjustable snowboard binding mount and method of adjusting such which utilizes a position altering plate which is fixedly mounted onto a snowboard. A baseplate is mounted on the position altering plate and is pivotally movable from a locked position to an unlocked position with the unlocked position being substantially ninety degrees from the locked position. The locked position locates the longitudinal axis of the boot binding substantially at ninety degrees relative to the longitudinal center axis of the snowboard. The unlocked position locates the longitudinal axis of the boot binding substantially in alignment with the longitudinal center axis of the snowboard. In the second embodiment of this invention, the boot binding is mounted on an adjustment plate which is mounted in conjunction with the baseplate. The position of the adjustment plate can be adjusted relative to the baseplate so as to accommodate to different initial mounting positions of the boot binding relative to the snowboard according to the desires of different riders.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1) Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to boot binding mounts for snowboards and more particularly to a boot binding mount which allows for the mounting position of the boot binding to be adjusted prior to riding of the snowboard and during riding of the snowboard permits the boot binding to be moved to a different position on the snowboard when the rider is not riding the snowboard but yet moving on snow. 
     2) Description of the Prior Art 
     Snowboarding is a recreational sport that uses a single elongated board to move on the snow rather than the two skis of the sport of skiing when the rider is travelling down an inclined snow covered terrain. The snowboard rider stands on the snowboard so that the rider&#39;s feet are positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis of the snowboard which happens also to be the direction of travel. This is a desirable position because the snowboarder is then permitted to maneuver the snowboard by rolling his or her feet back between the heels and balls of his or her feet which changes the impression within the snow and causes the snowboard to turn. The feet of the snowboarder are each mounted within a binding with this binding in turn being mounted on a binding mount that is mounted on the snowboard. 
     Snowboarders often desire to modify the transverse position of the bindings relative to the snowboard. More advanced snowboarders generally prefer an angle of approximately ninety degrees relative to the longitudinal center axis of the snowboard where beginning snowboarders prefer a forwardly facing angle of about ten to fifteen degrees which results in the binding being positioned seventy-five to eighty degrees relative to the longitudinal center axis of the snowboard. In the past, this adjustment has been accomplished by unbolting and repositioning of the entire binding. Normally, there are several bolts that are used to mount the binding to the snowboard. Each of these bolts have to be disengaged and the binding readjusted and then the bolts reengaged. This is a cumbersome and time consuming procedure. 
     At the present time, the vast majority of snowboard usage is by means of renting the snowboards. During the rental procedure, the rental operator is almost always required to adjust the particular angular position of the bindings according to the skilled rider. Therefore, the rental operator has no choice but to deal with the cumbersome and time consuming procedure of adjusting the bindings. Also, when the snowboarder is using of the snowboard out on the mountain, at times the snowboarder may want to change the angular position of his or her feet to accommodate to different snow conditions or to accommodate to different snowboarding styles, such as slalom racing, downhill cruising, freestyle acrobatics or jumping. If the snowboard rider wants to change the initially established position of the bindings relative to the snowboard, the snowboard rider has to carry with him or her appropriate tools such as possibly a screwdriver and a wrench in order to remove the mount, adjust its position, and then reinstall the mount. It would be desirable to utilize some form of a quick and easy adjustment that would eliminate this time consuming and cumbersome procedure. 
     Also, when the snowboarder is not riding of the snowboard but still wishes to maneuver himself or herself over terrain to negotiate lift lines and to get in and out of lift chairs, the fact that the snowboarder is mounted crosswise on the snowboard makes such movements difficult. Normally, the snowboarder disengages the rear foot leaving the forward foot still mounted within the snowboard. As a result, there is an unnatural walking type of movement that results that causes the snowboarder&#39;s leg to assume an unnatural position causing stress and strain on the entire leg including the vulnerable ankle and knee joint due to the snowboard being mounted at a transverse angle to the rider&#39;s foot. However, snowboarder&#39;s of the past have found this procedure to be inconvenient and time consuming. Therefore, it would be desirable to design a mechanism that could disengage and permit the binding of the forward foot on the snowboard to be pivoted so that the longitudinal axis of the binding is in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the board rather than transverse to the board during the time that the snowboarder is maneuvering to and from ski lifts and other times when the snowboard is not being ridden. 
     Additionally, the prior art type of snowboard boot binding system locates the snowboard in a transverse position when the snowboarder is riding on a chairlift. On a typical chairlift, two, three or four riders sit side-by-side facing the direction travel of the chairlift. Since the front foot is still mounted on the binding, the snowboard extends at a transverse angle to this direction of travel thus interfering with other users of the chairlift as well as inducing an undesirable torque on the rider&#39;s leg caused by the weight of the snowboard. The user of a chairlift may be on the chairlift for as many as ten to fifteen minutes. This transverse location of the snowboard results in a rather uncomfortable position for this period of time as well as creating a possible injury due to the unnatural position of the snowboard rider. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An angularly adjustable snowboard binding mount which has a first embodiment that includes a position altering plate which is fixedly mounted to the snowboard. Mounted in conjunction with the position altering plate is a baseplate. A boot binding is to be fixedly mounted onto the baseplate. A spring biased locking mechanism is to be engageable with a notch formed in the position altering plate to lock the baseplate to the position altering plate. Movement of the locking mechanism to a disconnected position will permit the baseplate to pivot relative to the position altering plate which means that the boot binding, instead of being pointed in a transverse direction relative to the snowboard, is now pointing in a longitudinal direction relative to the snowboard. In the second embodiment of the invention, there is mounted an adjustment plate between the baseplate and the position altering plate. A locking pawl is connectable between the baseplate and the adjustment plate. The adjustment plate, which carries the boot binding, is to be adjustable relative to the baseplate with this adjustment to occur when the position altering plate is fixed relative to the baseplate. This second adjustment is to vary the mounted position of the boot binding on the snowboard to assume an angle between seventy-five degrees and ninety degrees. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to construct an angularly adjustable snowboard binding mount which will permit a boot binding to be pivoted from a transverse position on the snowboard to a longitudinally aligned position on the snowboard which will permit the snowboard to be moved in alignment with the direction of travel during the time that the snowboard rider is moving to chairlifts. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct an angularly adjustable snowboard binding mount which will permit for a quick and easy adjustment of the initial mounting position of the boot binding on the snowboard which will eliminate the unbolting and repositioning procedure of a conventional mounting arrangement for a boot binding on a snowboard. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a typical snowboard showing the first embodiment of this invention being mounted to engage with the forward boot binding when mounted on the snowboard; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the first embodiment of angularly adjustable snowboard binding mount of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of angularly adjustable snowboard binding mount of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing a boot binding mounted in conjunction with the second embodiment of angularly adjustable snowboard binding mount of the present invention where the boot binding is located in a transverse position relative to the longitudinal center axis of the snowboard; 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the boot binding being moved to a longitudinally oriented position relative to the longitudinal center axis of the snowboard; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded isometric view showing the different parts utilized in conjunction with the first embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded isometric view showing the different parts within the second embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view through the first embodiment of this invention taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view through the second embodiment of this invention taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  10 — 10  of FIG. 8 showing the locking mechanism in the locked position; 
     FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but showing the locking mechanism in the unlocked position and the snowboard binding mount moved to be substantially in a longitudinally oriented position; 
     FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  12 — 12  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  13 — 13  of FIG. 9; and 
     FIG. 14 is a view of the undersurface of the mounting ring that is used in the second embodiment of this invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a conventional snowboard  20  which has an upper surface  22  and a bottom surface  24 . The snowboard  20  has a front edge  26  and a rear edge  28 . A boot binding  30 , shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is to be utilized for securing of the front foot, that is the foot that is closest to the front edge  26 , onto the snowboard  20 . The securing mechanism for the boot binding  30  is the first embodiment  32  of this invention. Snowboard  20  has a longitudinal center axis  34 . The boot binding  30  has a longitudinal axis  36 . 
     The first embodiment  32  includes a circular shaped baseplate  38 . Baseplate  38  includes a center hole  40 . Surrounding the center hole  40  is a first annular chamber  42 . Surrounding the annular chamber  42  is a second annular chamber  44 . It is to be noted that the second annular chamber  44  is raised slightly from the first annual chamber  42  which is also raised slightly from the center hole  40 . Mounted within the first annular chamber  42  is a ring  46  with the upper surface of this ring  46  defining the bottom wall of the second annular chamber  44 . The ring  46  includes a cutout  48 . Mounted on the baseplate  38  is a pin  50 . The pin  50  is located within the cutout  48 . 
     Formed within the ring  46  are a plurality of evenly spaced apart threaded holes  52 . There are eight in number of the threaded holes  52 . A locking member  54  is mounted within the cutout  48 . The locking member  54  has an elongated slot  56 . Attached to the locking member  54  is a pull ring  58 . The pin  50  is to be located within the slot  56 . Also located within the slot  56  is a coil spring  60 . One end of the coil spring  60  abuts against the pin  50  and the opposite end of the coil spring  60  abuts against the outer end of the slot  56 . The locking member  54  has an outer end  62 . The locking member  54  is mounted within a hole  122  formed within the baseplate  38  with the pull ring  58  being located within notched out area  124  of the baseplate  38 . 
     A position altering plate  64 , which is circular shaped, is mounted within the first annular chamber  42 . The position altering plate  64  has a notch  66  formed in its peripheral edge. The position altering plate  64  also has four evenly spaced apart holes  68  within which is to be mounted screw fasteners  70  with it being understood that there is a separate fastener  70  for each hole  68 . The fasteners  70  are used to fixedly mount the position altering plate  64  onto the upper surface  22  of the snowboard  20 . It is to be understood that the snowboard  20  also includes a series of holes  72  which are to be used to mount a boot binding, which is not shown, for the rear foot of the rider. The first embodiment  32  is intended to be used only with the front foot and is not intended to be used with the rear foot since when the rider is not riding the snowboard  20  but is traversing terrain between chairlifts, the rider&#39;s rear foot is normally disengaged from the binding on the snowboard  20 . Therefore, the mount of embodiment  32  is not needed. The position altering plate  64  also has a pin  74  mounted thereon. 
     A disc shaped coupling plate  76  is to be matingly located within second annular chamber  44 . The coupling plate  76  has four in number of holes  78 , four in number of threaded holes  80  and eight in number of holes  82 . The holes  82  are located directly adjacent the peripheral edge of the coupling plate  76 . Each of the holes  82  are to connect with a fastener  84  with each fastener  84  to be secured to a hole  52 . This means that the coupling plate  76  is fixedly secured to the baseplate  38 . The holes  78  are merely for the purpose of providing access to each fastener  70  with each hole  78  to be alignable with a fastener  70  which will be for the purpose of mounting the first embodiment  32  of this invention to the upper surface  22  of the snowboard  20 . The head of a conventional screwdriver is to be conducted through a hole  78  and is to connect with the head of fastener  70 . The holes  80  are used for mounting of the boot binding  30  onto the coupling plate  76 . Appropriate fasteners (not shown) are to be used. 
     The operation of the first embodiment  32  of this invention is as follows: When the snowboard rider (not shown) wishes to use the snowboard  20  to travel downhill, the rider will place his or her left foot within the binding  30 . The straps  86  and  88  of the binding  30  are utilized to fixedly secure the binding  30  to the snowboard boot (not shown). Most individuals locate themselves on the snowboard  20  so that the rider faces the right edge  90  of the snowboard  20 . Formed within the undersurface of the coupling plate  76  is an arcuate groove  92 . The pin  74  is located within the arcuate groove  92 . With the locking member  54  engaged with the notch  66  (locking position), the snowboard rider will be facing the right edge  90  of the snowboard and pin  74  is located at end  97  of groove  92 . Now let it be assumed that the rider wishes to move his or herself along the terrain toward a chairlift. When doing so, it would be desirable to have the longitudinal center axis  34  of the snowboard  20  to align with the direction of travel (unlocking position). In order to achieve this, the rider is to manually grasp pull ring  58  and pull such outwardly compressing of spring  60  until the locking member  54  disengages from the notch  66 . This will then permit the boot binding  30  and the baseplate  38  to be manually pivoted, with direction of arrow  99 , relative to the position altering plate  64  with the direction of pivoting only being permitted by the arcuate groove  92  in the counterclockwise direction. The pivoting is to occur until the longitudinal center axis of the snowboard  28  is in alignment with the direction of travel and in alignment with the longitudinal axis  36  of the boot binding  30  which is the unlocking position. The pin  74  is now located at the opposite end  95  of the arcuate groove  92 . Walking movement of the rider and dragging the snowboard  20  is then permitted. This position of the snowboard is maintained while on the chairlift until the rider is about ready to exit the chairlift. When the rider is ready to exit the chairlift to proceed downhill on the snowboard  20 , the rider will swivel the boot binding  30  in a clockwise direction until the locking member  54  reengages with the notch  66  which is the locking position. It is to be noted that the locking member  54  does not engage with a notch when in the unlocking position. This is important so the rider does not need to disengage the locking member  54  prior to movement to the locking position. If a rider was trying to unlock the locking member  54  and then pivot such prior to exiting of the chairlift, such would be difficult and potentially injury prone to the rider and others. The rider then exits the chairlift and merely places his or her foot against the snowboard  20  and is now able to maneuver the snowboard  20  in the normal manner to get away from the chairlift so as to not be struck by the moving chair or be struck by subsequent riders. Normal usage of the snowboard  20  is then to occur with the rider first securing his or her trailing foot to the snowboard  20 . 
     Sometimes, a rider may desire to be located on the snowboard  20  facing the left edge  94 . This is frequently referred to as a “goofy” mounting. In such an instance, there is provided within the undersurface of the coupling plate  76  a second arcuate groove  96 . It is to be noted that, in referring particularly to FIG. 10, that there is shown both arcuate grooves  92  and  96 . Actually, within FIG. 10, the arcuate grooves  92  and  96  would not be shown as FIG. 10 shows the upper surface of the position altering plate  64  and does not even show the coupling plate  76 . However, for explanation purposes, the position of the arcuate grooves  92  and  96  have been included. When utilizing of the “goofy” mounting, the coupling plate  76  is to be disengaged from the baseplate  38  and turned one-hundred and eighty degrees. This will then locate the pin  74  directly adjacent end  98  of the groove  96  and the fasteners  84  are then resecured to the baseplate  38 . This engaging of the locking member  54  from the notch  66  will then permit the baseplate  38  to pivot clockwise, and when the pin  74  is located at end  100  of the arcuate groove  96 , the longitudinal axis  36  of the binding  30  will be in substantial alignment with the longitudinal center axis  34  of the snowboard  20 . It is to be noted that the “goofy” mounting arrangement locates the rider&#39;s right foot as the forward foot and the regular mounting arrangement locates the left foot as the forward foot. 
     Referring particular to the second embodiment  102  of this invention, which is shown in FIGS. 3,  4 ,  5 ,  7 ,  9  and  13 , similar numbers have been used to refer to similar parts. The primary difference in structure has to do with instead of using the coupling plate  76 , there is utilized an adjustment plate  104  and a mounting ring  106 . The adjustment plate  104  includes four in number of holes  108  which are for the same purpose as holes  78 . The adjustment plate  104  also includes four in number of holes  110  which are to be used for securing of the boot binding  30  to the adjustment plate  104 . Holes  108  and holes  110  are located within the center plateau  105  of plate  104 . The adjustment plate  104  has a gear tooth peripheral edge  112  which is formed within an annular ledge  113  which is at a lower level from plateau  105  producing annular wall  109 . The adjustment plate  104  and the mounting ring  106  are to be located within the second annular chamber  44  in a close fitting manner with the mounting ring  106  covering of the peripheral portion of the adjustment plate  104  in the area of the gear tooth peripheral edge  112 . Fasteners  114  are to be used to securely mount the boot binding  30  to the holes  110 . Ring  106  includes a series (eight in number) of holes  111  which are each to receive a fastener  84 . The fasteners  84  then threadably secure with threaded holes  52 . Mounting ring  106  has an enlarged center hole  107 . Plateau  105  closely fits within center hole  107  with annular wall  109  abutting against the surface of hole  107 . Annular ledge  113  closely fits within annular chamber  115  of ring  106 . 
     The gear tooth peripheral edge  112  is to be engageable with a locking pawl  116 . Locking pawl  116  is mounted within a hole  118  formed within the baseplate  39  with this hole  118  being located within notched out area  120  of the baseplate  39 . The locking pawl  116  has a toothed forward edge  126  which is to be engageable with the gear toothed peripheral edge  112 . The locking pawl  116  includes an elongated slot  128  within which is located a coil spring  130 . The coil spring  130  abuts against the forward end of the slot  128  that is located closest to the toothed forward edge  126  and then abuts against a pin  132  which is integrally mounted onto the mounting ring  106 . As a result, the locking pawl  116  is continuously biased toward engagement with the adjustment plate  104 . A pull ring  134  is fixedly attached to the locking pawl  116  and is to be used to manually disengage the locking pawl  116  from the gear toothed peripheral edge  112 . This disengagement will permit the boot binding  30  to be manually pivoted relative to the position altering plate  64  and the snowboard  20 . Generally, more advanced snowboard riders want to have the longitudinal axis  36  located just about perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis  34  of the snowboard  20 . However, less advanced riders generally prefer to have the boot binding  30  canted in a forwardly direction, such as depicted in FIG. 4 of the drawings. The arrow  136  is pointed toward the front edge  26  of the snowboard  20 . This canting of the binding will normally be no more than fifteen degrees, which is shown as angle A in FIG.  4 . Once the desired position of the boot binding  30  for the particular rider has been established, the pull ring  134  is released which will cause the coil spring  130  to move the locking pawl  116  so that the tooth forward edge  126  will reengage with the gear toothed peripheral edge  112 . This now locks in position the adjustment plate  104  relative to the baseplate  38 . 
     Formed within the bottom surface of the adjustment plate  104  are arcuate grooves  138  and  140 . The grooves  138  and  140  function in the same manner and for the same reason as the grooves  92  and  96  respectively. The grooves  138  and  140  are for the purpose for pivoting of the baseplate  38  almost ninety degrees so that the longitudinal axis  36  of the boot binding  30  is to align with the longitudinal center axis  34  of the snowboard  20 . 
     Each time the locking pawl  116  is disengaged from the gear toothed peripheral edge  112  and the adjustment plate  104  is pivoted an amount equal to the distance between the teeth of the gear toothed peripheral edge  112 , the total amount of pivoting will be three degrees. This means that the total number of teeth in the gear toothed peripheral edge  112  is one hundred twenty teeth. However, it is to be considered to be within the scope of this invention that this number of teeth could be increased or decreased. However, the three degree of movement is a desirable number because this will give the snowboard rider the right to change the position from ninety degrees to eighty-seven degrees, to eighty-four degrees, to eighty-one degrees, to seventy-eight degrees and then to seventy-five degrees. It is not very likely that any snowboard rider would want to go lower than about seventy-five degrees. Although the gear toothed periphery edge  112  is shown to be entirely around the periphery of the adjustment plate  104 , it is really only necessary to have gear teeth within thirty degrees of the three hundred and sixty degree periphery of the adjustment plate  104 . The thirty degrees could be divided between a fifteen degree segment for the regular position of the rider facing the right edge  90  of the snowboard and another fifteen degree segment for when the rider faces the left edge  94  of the snowboard  20 , which is known as the “goofy” position.