Abstract:
A snowboard binding and braking system and accompanying apparatuses which afford the user enhanced balance, control and snowboard braking ability. The system includes a foot securing member, in conjunction with a braking system. The instant apparatus also includes a brake control actuator and a braking arm to prevent the board from sliding away.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This applications claims priority to and takes the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/748,607 filed on Jan. 3, 2013, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to devices that allow a user to glide over snow, and more particularly to recreational use snowboards. Specifically, the present invention relates to snowboards with a foot securing system and a mechanical braking system to prevent runaway boards. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     When it snows, and especially if school is closed, many people in the neighborhood flock to a local hill or park to take their children sledding. A variety of devices can be used to glide down a hill or embankment, providing a thrilling experience to the rider. The devices vary from wooden and plastic sliders, sleds with rails, blow up snow tubes, and skateboard-type boards called snowskates. These devices generally do not have any kind of binding to secure the rider. 
     The sled, slider or tube rider typically lies flat or sits on the device though the more adventurous may try to stand. The snowskate rider stands on the device. Riders may also use alpine skis and snowboards, which also are ridden standing up. Alpine skis and snowboards differ from the other devices in that they have devices to hold the rider to the skis or board. 
     Alpine skis and snowboards require the rider to wear large and heavy boots, which are secured to the ski or board with a complicated binding mechanism. There are some slip-on type bindings found on some snowboards, which are like slider slippers, where a user may slide their foot under a strap, but are also clumsy and do not allow the user to release easily when stopping or in a fall, nor do they arrest the board. The binding of the foot to the skis or board enables the user to turn and brake by tilting the device sideways, so that the lateral edge of the device digs into the snow, creating friction, resulting in a turn or stop. Without this binding, a skier or snowboarder would be less able to effectively turn and stop, unable to remain on the board during use and while going over jumps and other obstacles, and unable to have the device stop on its own if the rider were to fall off, absent a separate arresting device. However, the binding and braking mechanisms of alpine skis and snowboards are complicated and impractical for light recreational use, and thus these skis and snowboards are generally not used on smaller hills outside of alpine resorts. 
     As specialized boots and complicated binding mechanisms are also impractical for recreational sleds, sliders, tubes and snowskates, often the only means of initiating turns and stops on such a device is for the rider to lean on one or the other lateral edge. Without such specialized boots and binding mechanisms, another way of arresting the movement of the board must be found, or the board will continue to move without the rider, potentially becoming runaway or causing harm to property and/or persons. Thus, the typical sled, slider, tube, or snowskate lacks any real means of easily securing a rider to the device, in addition to a braking system that prevents a runaway device should the user disengage or fall from it. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant apparatus and system, as illustrated herein, is clearly not anticipated, rendered obvious, or even present in any of the prior art mechanisms, either alone or in any combination thereof. A snowboard binding system that secures the rider to the board, and additionally brakes the board from travelling on its own. Thus the several embodiments of the instant apparatus are illustrated herein. 
     It is therefore an object of the present system, in one example, to quickly secure the foot of a rider to a snowboard. 
     It is another object of the invention, in one example, to provide a braking mechanism for a snowboard that prevents the snowboard from gliding away when not in use. 
     It is a further object of the invention, in one example, to simultaneously secure the foot of a rider to a snowboard while releasing the braking mechanism. 
     It is another object of the invention, to provide a binding system that allows for an individual user of the board to remain on the board during use and while going over jumps and other obstacles. 
     It is another object of the invention, to provide a binding system that works in conjunction with the forces supplied by an individual user&#39;s front foot and a brake control actuator. 
     It is another object of the invention, to provide a binding system that requires a user only to secure one foot on the board, and allows the rear foot to remain secure until the user of the system releases the brake control actuator or in a fall, allows the user to freely release. 
     It is another object of the invention in an alternative embodiment to provide a binding system that enables a user to easily switch between regular and goofy foot riding by means of sliding the binding back and forth on an interchangeable riding system. 
     It is another object of the invention in an alternative embodiment to provide a binding system with a pair of braking mechanisms for a snowboard that prevents the snowboard from gliding away when not in use. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a binding and braking system that includes a side cut on either side of the board for greater control by a user and to improve the overall riding experience. 
     The invention results, in one example, from the realization that the dual problems of binding a foot to and providing a brake once the user disengages from the board for a light use recreational snowboard are solved by a binding/braking mechanism that simultaneously secures the rider&#39;s feet while releasing a brake. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the binding and braking system in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects are described herein and these aspects are indicative of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be practiced and all aspects and equivalents thereof are intended to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a top side perspective view of one embodiment of the instant system, wherein a snowboard binding and braking system includes a board having a pair of support ribs and a brake mechanism base supporting a braking system. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side perspective view of one embodiment of the instant system further illustrating the binding system and the braking system. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a back side perspective view of the binding system and braking system, including a user-controlled braking arm connected to a spring-loaded hinge. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top perspective view of one embodiment of the instant system, including a middle cavity, along with a brake control actuator connected to the binding system. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a side view of one embodiment of the instant system including the brake control actuator connected to a foot securing member to secure a user&#39;s foot in place on the board. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the instant system in use, wherein a user&#39;s rear foot is positioned on the board and secured by the foot securing member, and a user&#39;s front foot near the middle of the board and on top of the brake control actuator. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an exploded view of the binding system and the braking system of the instant invention, wherein the braking arm is in a non-engaged position on a distal end of the spring-loaded hinge mechanism. 
         FIGS. 8A-8B  illustrate a side and top view respectively of one embodiment of the instant system highlighting a three-point system of forces that enable a user of the system to maintain contact with the board during use both while riding on a surface and/or while in the air. 
         FIGS. 9A-9B  illustrate a pair of top views of an alternate embodiment of the instant system, wherein the binding system includes an interchangeable riding system to allow a user to easily switch riding styles. 
         FIGS. 10A-10C  illustrate exploded views of an alternate embodiment of the binding system having the interchangeable riding system in combination with the brake control member and the foot securing member. 
         FIGS. 11A-11B  illustrate exploded views of an alternate embodiment of the braking system of the instant invention, wherein the braking system includes a pair of braking arms attached to the spring-loaded hinge via a braking arm securing member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1-7  illustrate one embodiment of a snowboard binding and braking system, wherein a board  10  includes a top surface  12  and a bottom surface  14 . In one embodiment, the bottom surface  14  of the board  10  may be coated with a material that reduces friction, enabling the board  10  to glide freely along a snowy surface. Preferably, the board  10  comprises a nose section  16  and a tail section  18 , wherein each section  16 ,  18  may be curved slightly upwards to prevent the board  10  from submarining under the snow and also to better traverse any loose objects such as stones or branches. Additionally, the tail section  18  includes a middle cavity  20  that spans from the tail section  18  to approximately slightly less than the middle of the board  10 , thereby creating a left section  36  and a right section  38 . Furthermore, the board  10  includes a pair of wooden support ribs  40 ,  42  that preferably span from near the middle of the board  10  towards near the end of the tail section  18 . A brake mechanism base  82  is located on top of the pair of wooden support ribs  40 ,  42  near the tail section  18  of the board  10 , and preferably spans across the board from the left section  36  to the right section  38 . In one embodiment, the brake mechanism base  82  may leave an open space underneath and act as a foot rest for a user&#39;s rear foot, which foot would be secured by a binding mechanism. The wooden support ribs  40 ,  42  provide a raised surface for the attachment of a braking system  30 . Furthermore, a plurality of gripping mechanisms  64  may be included on the front ends of the wooden support ribs  40 ,  42  and the brake mechanism base  82  to prevent a user&#39;s feet from slipping off the board  10  depending on conditions. 
     In one embodiment, the braking system  30  is attached to the brake mechanism base  82 ; in particular the braking system  30  includes a spring-loaded hinge  22 , wherein the spring-loaded hinge  22  is mounted in a way that during non-use, a distal end  23  of the hinge  22  is parallel with the top surface  12  of the board  10 . The braking system  30  further includes a braking arm  24  attached to the bottom of the distal end  23  of the spring-loaded hinge  22 . During use of the instant invention, when the hinge  22  is at rest and parallel with the top surface  12 , the braking arm member  24  extends downwardly through the middle cavity  20  and in a perpendicular direction with respect to the orientation of the board  10 , thereby coming into contact with the snowy surface below and arresting movement of the board  10 . In one embodiment, the braking arm member  24  may be released by having a user engage a brake control member  26 , which is attached to a top side of the spring-loaded hinge  22 , thus causing the braking arm  24  to angle up through the middle cavity  20  and into a parallel direction with respect to the orientation of the board  10  thereby allowing the board  10  to glide freely. 
     The braking system  30  also features a means for quickly binding a user&#39;s foot to the board  10  while simultaneously releasing the braking arm  24 , without any need for a specialized boot or shoe. The board  10  also includes a foot securing member  28 , wherein the foot securing member  28  preferably clips into either the left section  36  or right section  38  of the tail section  18  of board  10 , (depending on the rider&#39;s stance) through a pair of eye bolts  32  located on each end of the tail section  18 . In this embodiment, one end of the foot securing member  28  is affixed to the brake control member  26 , so that when the brake control member  26  is engaged, the foot securing member  28  moves with it. The braking system  30  may also be constructed in a manner that allows the rider to modulate the brake control member  26 , allowing the user to easily disengage from the board  10  and once disengaged, the board  10  will cease movement by the braking arm  24  making contact with the ground or surface. In alternate embodiments, the position of the braking system  30  could be moved longitudinally along the board  10  to more comfortably accommodate a rider&#39;s stance. In this particular configuration, the spring-loaded hinge  22  at rest causes braking arm  24  to extend through the middle cavity  20  and past the bottom surface  14 . The braking arm  24  comes into contact with the substrate below, preventing the board member  10  from sliding away. If the spring-loaded hinge  22  is pulled open by pulling brake control member  26 , the braking arm  24  is no longer in contact with the substrate below, and the board  10  can freely move. 
     Additionally, a rider&#39;s foot may be lightly secured with a foot support member  62 , in this embodiment, a five inch section of flexible vinyl tubing. Preferably, the foot support member  62  is fastened to a proximal end  21  of the spring-loaded hinge  22  at one end, with the other end of the foot support member  62  fastened to a proximal end  53  of the brake mechanism base  82  such that the foot support member runs longitudinally across the brake mechanism base  82 . The foot support member should fit within the arch of the rider&#39;s shoe or boot, preventing the rider&#39;s foot from moving towards either edge of the board member  10 . 
     The instant invention further includes a brake control actuator  88 , wherein the brake control actuator  88  is secured to a distal end  31  of the foot securing member  28 , in this embodiment a five foot strand of nylon rope. The brake control actuator  88  extends from the distal end  31  of the foot securing member  28  through a first aperture  15  in the nose section  16  of the board member  10 , and returns back through a second aperture  13 . The rider of the board  10  may then grip the brake control actuator  88  threaded through the second aperture  13  and pull it upwards, tightening the foot securing member  28  against the top of the rider&#39;s shoe or boot. 
     In one embodiment of the instant invention, a user may be secured to the board  10  by engaging the brake control actuator  88 ; in another embodiment, the user&#39;s foot may be snapped or secured into place; however the user still would need the brake control actuator  88  from the user&#39;s arm to function. Additionally, the brake control actuator  88  at the nose section  16  of board  10  is preferably counteracted by the pushing down of the front foot of the user, and the two forces are even with the force of the back foot. In yet another embodiment, the brake control actuator  88  may act alone to hold a user&#39;s foot in place, or the user&#39;s foot may be secured separately while the brake control actuator  88  acts as the trigger, or the brake control actuator  88  could act in conjunction with the foot securing member  28 . 
     Therefore, in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, a user pulling the brake control actuator  88  simultaneously tightens the foot securing member  28  around the user&#39;s boot, and in turn lifts the braking arm  24  up so that the board  10  may freely glide along a surface. Conversely, by releasing the brake control actuator  88 , tension is relieved on the spring-loaded hinge  22 , which simultaneously loosens the foot securing member  28  and places the braking arm  24  in contact with the substrate below the board  10  to apply an arresting action once the user removes themselves or falls away from the board and binding system. 
     In the preferred operation of the instant invention, a user of the board  10  first slides his foot underneath the foot securing member  28  and brake control member  26 . Next, the user engages the brake control actuator  88  and thereby pulls foot securing member  28  down over the top of the user&#39;s foot and snaps it in place on the board, simultaneously releasing the braking arm  24 . In alternate embodiments, the brake control member  26  may be secured to the board in a variety of ways, including clipping or tying it to the board surface. The safely secured rider of the board  10  may now glide down a hill or other embankment. When the rider reaches the bottom of the hill, he or she may release the brake control member  26  through relieving tension on the brake control actuator  88 , and then remove his or her foot; through this action the braking arm  24  is also released, preventing the board from gliding away. 
       FIGS. 8A-8B  illustrate one embodiment of the three-point system of the instant invention to allow for the user to maintain contact with the board  10  during use on the ground and while the board  10  is in the air after going over an obstacle allowing the board  10  to leave the ground. In particular, when a user engages the braking system by placing the foot securing member  28  and brake control member  26  over the user&#39;s rear foot, and the user grabs the brake control actuator  88 , the user is now easily able to maintain contact with the board  10  during use. Therefore, with the brake control actuator  88  engaged, the foot securing member  28  and brake control member  26  act to hold the user&#39;s rear foot onto the board  10 ; additional leverage may be created by the user placing their front foot on one end of the brake control actuator to more strongly secure the user&#39;s rear foot with the foot securing member  28  and the brake control member  26 . Therefore, in this embodiment, the user of the board  10  remains fixed to the board  10  while either on a surface or while in the air after going over a jump, as the board  10  remains balanced and flat allowing for a smooth and controlled landing. 
       FIGS. 9A-10C  illustrate an alternate embodiment of the instant invention, wherein the board  10  includes the pair of wooden support ribs  40  and  42  near the middle of the board  10  that extend towards the tail section  18  across the board  10  from the left section  36  to the right section  38  at the tail section  18 . In this embodiment, the brake mechanism base  82  (see  FIG. 1 ) is not required as the spring-loaded hinge  22  is directly attached to the wooden support members  40  and  42  at the tail section  18  of the board  10 . Furthermore, an interchangeable riding system  100  is shown in place of the pair of eye bolts  32  (see  FIG. 1 ), wherein the interchangeable riding system  100  comprises a pair of cylindrical members  102  extending upwardly from the tail section  18  of the board  10  and connected by a support member  104 . Additionally, in this embodiment, the foot securing member  28  is slidably attached to the support member  104  thereby enabling a user of the board  10  to switch between riding styles without needing to unclip the foot securing member  28  from the eye bolts  32  as shown in previous embodiments. Moreover, in this embodiment the board  10  may include a slight side cut  106  such that the width near the middle section of the board  10  is less than the width of the board near the tip  16  and tail  18  sections to improve the riding experience. 
       FIGS. 11A-11B  illustrate yet another alternate embodiment of the instant invention, wherein a braking arm securing member  108  is attached to the distal end  23  (see  FIG. 5 ) of the spring-loaded hinge  22  and extends outwardly along the tail section  18  of the board  10 . In this embodiment, a pair of braking arms  110  located on either end of the braking arm securing member  108  extend downwardly from the braking arm securing member  108  to arrest the movement of the board  10  when engaged. 
     In conclusion, herein is presented a snowboard binding and braking system for securing a user of the system to the board in conjunction with the forces of the user&#39;s front foot and the brake control actuator. The invention is illustrated by example in the drawing figures, and throughout the written description. It should be understood that numerous variations are possible, while adhering to the inventive concept. Such variations are contemplated as being a part of the present invention.