Abstract:
A binding to retain a boot on a gliding or rolling apparatus, such as a snowboard, ski, or roller skate. The binding includes a linkage that connects first and second flanges. The linkage includes a first band attached to the first flange, and a tightening device attached to the second flange. An abutment of the binding is fixed to the first band toward a free end of the band, so as to be located on the other side of the tightening device with respect to a fastening end of the band, thus preventing a separation of the first band and of the tightening device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/835,638, filed on Apr. 17, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,020 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated-by-reference thereto in its entirety and the priority of which is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §120. 
     This application also claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of French Patent Application No. 00.05262, filed Apr. 18, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of bindings adapted to retain a boot on a gliding or rolling apparatus, such as a ski, a snowboard, a roller skate, or the like. 
     2. Description of Background and Relevant Information 
     Generally speaking, when a user wears flexible boots to operate the apparatus, whether it be a ski, snowboard, or roller skate, e.g., each boot is retained by a binding provided with one or more linkages, such as one or more straps with buckles. 
     To be able to put on or remove the boot, i.e., to affix the boot to the binding, or to remove it therefrom, each linkage can be opened or closed. Moreover, the length of the linkage can be adjusted. 
     In general, a linkage includes two bands each attached on a respective side of the binding, as well as a device for tightening the linkage. A manual action on a button, buckle, lever or other member of the device enables the linkage to be opened. 
     Closing the linkage requires the user to adjust the position of a band with respect to the tightening device, then to introduce the band into the device, and then to reduce the length of the linkage, in particular by means of a lever for driving the band located on the device. To do this, the user generally needs to bend his/her body and lower limbs, and to use both hands. 
     Therefore, closing the linkage can be an arduous task and a waste of time for the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention in particular is to make it easier and quicker to fit a binding provided with linkages. 
     To this end, a binding adapted to retain a boot on a gliding or rolling apparatus, according to the invention, includes a first lateral flange, a second lateral flange, and at least one linkage connecting the first flange to the second flange, the linkage including a first band that extends from one fastening end to one free end, the fastening end being attached to the first flange, the linkage further including a tightening device attached to the second flange, the tightening device making it possible to adjust the length of the linkage by retaining a portion of the first band in a removable fashion. 
     An abutment of the binding according to the invention is fixed to the first band toward the free end of the band, so as to be located on the other side of the tightening device with respect to the fastening end of the band, thus preventing a separation of the first band and of the tightening device. 
     As a result, the user does not have to adjust the position of the band with respect to the tightening device, then to introduce the band into the device. He/She must only adjust the length of the linkage, which can be done with only one hand. 
     Advantageously, the result is that closing the linkage is easy and quick. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the description that follows, with reference to the annexed drawings showing, by way of non-limiting examples, how the invention can be embodied, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a binding, in a case where a boot is retained, according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  schematically shows a view of a linkage of the binding, in a case where the length of the linkage is reduced; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-section taken along the line III—III of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 2 , in a case where the length of the linkage is substantial; 
         FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , in a case where the boot is not retained; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial view of the first band of a linkage of the binding, according to a second embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a partial view of the first band of a linkage of the binding, according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The examples described hereinafter correspond to an application in the field of snowboards. 
     According to the first example, as seen in  FIG. 1 , a binding  1  retains a boot  2  on a board  3 . 
     In a known manner, the binding  1  includes a base  4  on which a first lateral flange  5  and a second lateral flange  6  are attached, the flanges  5 ,  6  being transversely spaced apart and connected by an arch  7 . 
     The base  4  extends, along a longitudinal direction L of the binding  1 , between a front end  8  and a rear end  9  of the base. 
     Affixing the binding  1  to the board  3  is done by a means shown in the form of a disc  10 . 
     A rear support element  11 , provided to retain the rear of the user&#39;s lower leg, is attached on the binding  1 , for example, by means of a journal axis  12  on the flanges  5 ,  6 . 
     The binding  1  also includes a front linkage  13  and a rear linkage  14 , each shown in a position for retaining the boot  2  in  FIG. 1 . 
     For reasons of convenience and for facilitating an understanding of the invention, only one of the linkages is described hereinafter in more detail. 
     For example, the front linkage  13  includes in particular a first band  15 , a second band  16 , and a tightening device  17  making it possible to adjust the length of the linkage. 
     The first band  15  is attached to the first flange  5 , by a means shown in the form of a journal axis  18 . By analogy, the second band  16  is attached to the second flange  6 , by a means shown in the form of a journal member positioned along axis  19 . 
     The connection of the first band  15  to the second band  16  is done by a tightening device  17  which, to this end, includes in particular a drive lever  20  and a button  21  for releasing the first band  15 . 
     As the tightening device  17  is fixed to the second band  16 , by any suitable means, the lever  20  and button  21  make it possible to adjust the length of the linkage  13  by displacing one band with respect to the other. 
     The structure and functioning of the linkages are explained hereinafter in more detail by means of  FIGS. 2–4 . 
     The front linkage  13  is schematically shown in  FIG. 2 , in a top view, in a case where its length is reduced. This means that the first  15  and second  16  bands are superimposed over a substantial distance. 
     The first band  15  extends between a fastening end  22  and a free end  23 . An opening  24 , provided in the fastening end  22 , enables the passage of a fastening means or fastener, such as a rivet or other journal connection, to provide the journal member at axis  18 . 
     By analogy, the second band  16  extends between a fastening end  25  and a free end  26 . An opening  27 , provided in the fastening end  25 , enables the passage of a fastening means or fastener, such as a rivet or other journal connection, to provide the journal member at axis  19 . 
     Also, as shown in the drawings,  FIG. 2  in particular, between the opening  24  of the fastening end of the first band  16  and the opening  27  of the fastening end  25  of the second band, the first and second bands  15 ,  16  extend along a straight line III—III prior to assembly to the lateral flanges  5 ,  6 . Stated another way, between their respective pairs of ends  22 ,  23  and  25 ,  26 , the first and second bands  15 ,  16 , before or after attachment to the lateral flanges  5 ,  6 , extend along a common median plane, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 3  discloses the internal structure of the linkage  13 . 
     The first band  15  is obtained in the form of a rack, whose teeth  28  and core  29  preferably form a unitary piece. 
     The tightening device  17  has a passage  30  for guiding the band  15 . The passage  30  is formed in particular by two wings  31 ,  32  connected by a bridge  33 . A pawl  34  is journaled between the wings along an axis  35 . The pawl  34  has a retaining end  36 , provided to oppose a lengthening of the linkage  13  by engagement of the retaining end  36  with an abutment formed by a tooth  28 , and an end forming a release button  21  to allow disengagement of the retaining end  36  with the abutting tooth. The end  36  is constantly biased toward the bridge  33  by an elastic means, not shown, such as a spring. 
     The drive lever  20  is journaled between the wings  31 ,  32  along an axis  37 . It has at least one tooth  38  for driving the first band  15  in a shortening direction of the linkage  13 . 
     An elastic member or mechanism (not shown for sake of simplicity), such as a spring, constantly biases the lever  20  such that the teeth  38  move away from the bridge  33 . 
     The tightening device  17  is fixed to the second band  16 , for example, by means of a rivet having an axis  39 . 
     According to the invention, an abutment  40  is fixed to the first band  15 , so as to enable an extension of the linkage to a maximum length, and to prevent a separation of the first band  15  and of the tightening device  17 . 
     Preferably, the abutment  40  is fixed to the free end  23  of the band  15 , for example, by a nesting of the band  15  in a cutout  41  of the abutment  40 , combined to a retaining element shown in the form of a rivet  42  that extends through the band  15  and the cutout  41 . 
     Complementarily, the abutment  40  is guided along the second band  16 , by a guide shown in the form of a screw  43  which extends through a longitudinal slot  44  of the second band  16 . 
     The screw  43  is screwed into the abutment  40 . The screw  43  has a head whose diameter is greater than the width of the slot  44 . 
     As a result, the two bands of a same linkage slide parallel to one another when the linkage is extended or shortened. 
     When the linkage has a maximum length, as is the case in  FIG. 4 , the abutment  40  is in support on the wings  31 ,  32 , of the tightening device  17 . 
     Indeed, the abutment  40  cannot pass in the passage  30 , because its width is greater than the distance that separates the wings  31 ,  32 . As a result, the bands cannot separate. 
     When the user wishes to shorten the linkage, he/she only needs, for example, to act on the drive lever  20 . 
     This structure of the linkage enables the user to remove the boot, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Each of the linkages  13 ,  14  is lengthened by a manual action from the user, so as to leave a space between the boot and the linkage. When each space is large enough, the boot can be removed from the binding. Given that the straps of the linkages are journalled on the flanges  5 ,  6  of the binding  1 , it is possible to tilt the linkages  13 ,  14  toward the front of the binding. In the case of the front linkage  13 , the tilting is done rotationally along the axes  18 ,  19 . After tilting, such as shown by the front linkage  13  in  FIG. 5 , the linkages are positioned to extend substantially along a plane parallel to the base  4 , that is, along a plane positioned substantially 0° relative to the plane of the upper surface of the base. 
     Advantageously, the result is that the operations of putting on and removing the boot are made easier, because nothing hinders the movement of the boot into the binding or movement of the boot from the binding. As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the two bands  15 ,  16  of the linkage  13  extend longitudinally along a common plane, the plane intersecting with the fasteners that fasten the linkage to the lateral flanges  5 ,  6 , so that the linkage  13  can assume a flat unrestrained position so that the rider&#39;s boot can be readily inserted into, or removed from, the binding. 
     Preferably, the length of each of the front  13  and rear  14  linkages is such that when it is tilted toward the front of the binding  1 , it goes around the front end of the boot  2 , if the latter is in position on the base  4  and in contact with the arch  7 . 
     For example, the front linkage  13  can have a maximum length between about 25 centimeters and 50 centimeters, and the rear linkage  14  can have a maximum length between about 45 centimeters and 85 centimeters. 
     These lengths enable the linkages to go around the boot in the plane of the sole. As a result, the linkages do not create any hindrance when the boot is put on or removed. 
     The other embodiments of the invention are presented hereinafter. 
     For reasons of convenience, only the differences with respect to the first example will be shown. 
     According to the second example, as seen in  FIG. 6 , an abutment  60  is fixed to the first band  61  of a linkage toward the free end  62  of the band  61 . The abutment  60  and the first band  61  are shown in the form of a unitary piece. The binding of the abutment  60  to the band  61  is a broad expression meaning that the abutment and the band are affixed to one another. 
     The abutment  60  projects with respect to an outer surface  63  of the band, the outer surface  63  facing away from the base of the binding and the boot, whereas the opposite, inner, surface faces toward the boot, i.e., toward the base of the binding. The abutment  60  is shown in the form of a wedge whose surface  64 , substantially perpendicular to the surface  63 , is turned toward the rack  65  of the band  61  and facing longitudinally of the band toward the tightening device. The surface  64  takes support on the pawl to avoid an opening of the linkage, because the surface  64  is higher than the teeth of the rack  65 . 
     The band  61  preferably has a longitudinal slot  66 . 
     According to the third example, as seen in  FIG. 7 , an abutment  70  is fixed to the first band  71  of a linkage toward the free end  72  of the band  71 . The abutment  70  and the first band  71  are shown in the form of a unitary piece. 
     The abutment  70  is shaped like an arrow head, i.e., it has a longitudinally tapered shape, narrowing to the free end of the band  71 , the shape including includes two lateral teeth  73 ,  74  separated at least partially by a slot  75 , which is open at the free end of the band. 
     The teeth  73 ,  74  prevent an opening of the linkage by taking support on the wings of the tightening device. 
     The slot  75  enables the teeth  73 ,  74  to come close together, under the action of an external force, for the mounting or dismounting of the linkage. A hole  76 , at the end of the slot  75 , prevents the appearance of incipient fractures in the first band  71 . 
     The band  71  preferably has a longitudinal slot  77 . 
     The invention is not limited to the examples described hereinabove, and it includes all of the technical equivalents that fall within the scope of the claims that follow. 
     In particular, the abutment  40  could be obtained in a different manner. As seen in  FIG. 5  in the case of the rear linkage  14 , the abutment is obtained in the form of a guide  45  fixed to the free end  46  of a first band  47 . The guide is large enough to play its role of an abutment; but at the same time, it enables the guiding of the free end along a second band  48  of the rear linkage  14 . In this case, the second band  48  has a continuous width. 
     The device for tightening the first band could have a different structure. Supplemental layers can be added to the linkage, in particular to ensure functions of protection and ease of use. 
     Furthermore, a linkage could include only one band and one tightening device. In this case, the tightening device is attached directly to a flange of the binding. 
     Conversely, a linkage could include more than two bands. 
     Still, the binding may not include the base, the flanges being in this case directly affixed to the board. 
     Finally, although the examples have been described for an application in the field of snowboards, the binding according to the invention can be used in other fields such as skis, snowshoes, or the like.