Abstract:
A snowboard boot binding rotation system provides for detent notches that may be adjusted in rotational separation by the relative rotation of two co-rotating disks. Adjustment of the location of the lock engaging these notches and adjustment in the separation between the notches allows complete adjustment of the user&#39;s stance for snowboarding and skateboarding. A pawl mechanism allows for a hard-lock and soft-lock to be used in the snowboarding stance and skateboarding stance, respectively, for convenience of use by not requiring the boot to be removed from the binding to make the stance angle adjustments.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/620,947 filed Oct. 21, 2004 hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates generally to snowboard boot binding systems, and specifically to a binding system allowing the foot to be easily rotated between a snowboarding and skateboarding position preset to any of a variety of stance angles.  
         [0003]     Traditional skis are designed so that each foot of the skier, within its own boot, is firmly fastened to a ski oriented along the center line of the ski.  
         [0004]     Unlike skis, a snowboard is used by fastening both feet attached through boots fitting within boot bindings to a single board. The snowboard is ridden in a standing position facing sideways with the feet positioned transversely across the snowboard. One foot is fixed near the front of the board (nose) and the other fixed near the back of the board (tail).  
         [0005]     A number of different binding systems exist for holding the user&#39;s booted feet in position on the board. Generally, these bindings can be attached to the board at different angles to allow the user to adjust the angle or stance that the user prefers for snowboarding. When the user is not snowboarding, but when moving on level areas, for example, through chair lift lines, the customary practice is for the snowboarder to remove his or her back foot from its binding leaving a front foot fixed to the binding in transverse position pushing with the free foot in a scooter—type fashion. This mode of movement will be called “skateboarding” to distinguish it from “snowboarding” in which the user is gliding under the force of gravity down a slope. During skateboarding, the angle of the front binding places the user&#39;s foot at an awkward angle that may be uncomfortable or promote injury.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,430 issued Aug. 15, 2000, hereby incorporated by reference and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, describes a snowboard boot binding that allows the user to quickly shift his or her foot between a snowboarding angle and a skateboarding angle. This particular invention provides two detent positions, one providing a “hard-lock” for use while snowboarding, which requires manual activation of a lock lever, and the other providing a “soft-lock” for use while skateboarding, that does not require manual activation of a lock lever, but allows the binding to be moved by applying force on the binding by the user&#39;s foot. In this invention, the user&#39;s foot is held securely for downhill snowboarding, can be released for skateboarding by movement of the lever, and then quickly returned to the snowboarding position by applying appropriate force to the binding.  
         [0007]     While this system provides a simple and intuitive, rapid shifting between skateboarding and snowboarding modes, the predetermined hard-lock and soft-lock detent positions provide a fixed angular separation that may not be right for every user. While the angle of the binding as mounted on the snowboard may be readily changed during installation, it is not conveniently adjustable, for example, on the slope.  
         [0008]     One possible solution to this problem is to provide for a large number of detent positions so that the rotation of the binding is essentially continuous and adjustable on the slope. This approach, however, has a significant disadvantage in that multiple detent positions make it difficult to flexibly implement a hard and soft detent. Further, multiple detents require that the snowboarder carefully select the appropriate detent position each time the snowboard mode is changed significantly reducing the convenience and fluidity with which the binding may be used. Carelessness in selecting among multiple detents may undesirably change the user&#39;s stance angle between snowboarding runs.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention provides a rotating binding that allows customizable adjustment of the angle between the hard and soft detent positions with the convenience described above. Generally, this adjustability is provided by use of two selector plates, each supporting one detent, the plates being rotatable with respect to each other and then locked to rotate together. Rotation of a base plate forming another component of the detent allows complete flexibility for the user to choose their stance angle for snowboarding as well as the desired angle for skateboarding, and locking in the snowboarder&#39;s selected angle for automatic operation thereafter.  
         [0010]     Specifically then, the present invention provides a binding rotation system for a snowboard having a base assembly attachable to the top of the snowboard at a location of a binding. A first selection plate rotates with respect to the base plate about an axis perpendicular to the top of the snowboard. A second selection plate rotates with respect to the base plate about the axis and is releasably attached to the first selection plate at a predetermined angle with respect to the first selection plate. A detent operates between the base assembly and the first selection plate to define a first rotative detent position and operates between the base plate and the second selection plate to define a second rotative detent position. The predetermined angle between the first and second selection plates determines the angular separation between the first and second detent positions.  
         [0011]     Thus, it is an object of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide for the convenience of limited detent positions with the flexibility of adjusting the angle between detent positions desired by the user, so as to provide automatic positioning thereafter.  
         [0012]     The detent may provide a manually operated release lever releasing an engagement of the detent, and the first rotative detent position may provide a soft-lock in which the first and second plates may be rotated relative to together in relation to the plate  38  by rotational pressure only on the binding by the user&#39;s foot. The second rotative detent position provides a hard-lock in which the first and second plates may be further rotated together only by activation of the lever of the detent.  
         [0013]     It is thus another object of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide for the convenience of hard- and soft-locking in a device that allows the user the convenience of precise and automatic control of a desired stance angle, and alternately the skateboarding stance angle.  
         [0014]     The detent may provide a spring pawl provided rotatively asymmetric disengagement forces producing hard-lock in one rotative direction, and soft-lock in another rotative direction. The first and second selection plates may include stops preventing rotation in different directions to produce the hard-lock and soft-lock.  
         [0015]     Thus, it is another object of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a simple method of implementing hard- and soft-locks in a system in which the detent positions may be readily changed.  
         [0016]     The spring-loaded pawl may be inverted to change the rotative direction of the hard- and soft-locks.  
         [0017]     Thus, it is another object of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow the binding to be used both in the “regular” and “goofy” stances, being positions in which the user faces different transverse directions during snowboarding.  
         [0018]     The second selection plate may be releasably attachable to the first selection plate through interengaging rotatively periodic teeth providing a plurality of discrete predetermined angles.  
         [0019]     Thus, it is another object of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide for a positive locking of the plates together without jeopardizing the ability to control relative angles.  
         [0020]     At least one set of teeth may be radially disengagable.  
         [0021]     It is thus another object of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow adjustment of the relative rotation of the plates with respect to each other when they are assembled and a person&#39;s foot is in the binding by preventing the need for axial separation of the plates.  
         [0022]     A lock may lock radial disengagement of the teeth in engagement and may, for example, be a coin operable machine screw.  
         [0023]     Thus, it is an object of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow for adjustment of stance angle without the benefit of a workshop or tools while on the slope.  
         [0024]     A means for engaging or disengaging the radially disengagable teeth may be accessible when the binding rotation system is fully assembled with the user&#39;s foot in the binding.  
         [0025]     Thus, it is another object of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow for both intuitive setting of the stance angle and for adjustment of the stance angle on the slopes.  
         [0026]     A graduated scale may be on one of the first and second selection plates indicating the angular separation between the first and second detent positions.  
         [0027]     Thus, it is another object of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a method of reading and recording a desired selected stance angle to aid in adjustment and setting.  
         [0028]     A connector may attach the base assembly to the top of the snowboard at a predetermined angle about the axis with respect to the connector.  
         [0029]     Thus, it is another object of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow for simple angular adjustment of the base plate so that both the snowboarding stance and skateboarding stance may be independently adjustable.  
         [0030]     The connector and base assembly may have rotatively periodic interengaging teeth providing a plurality of discrete predetermined angles between the base assembly and the connector.  
         [0031]     Thus, it is an object of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide for robust attachment of the base assembly to the snowboard that nevertheless allows for a fine degree of rotative adjustment.  
         [0032]     The rotatively periodic interengaging teeth may be axially disengaged by lifting the base assembly.  
         [0033]     Thus, it is another object of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow for simple adjustment of the angle of the base assembly.  
         [0034]     The second selection plate may be releasably attachable to the first selection plate at set ranges of predetermined angles with respect to the first selection plate. The first set of predetermined angles provides the first and second rotative detent positions, and the second set provides a third rotative detent position mirror symmetric with any first rotative detent position, and a fourth rotative detent position mirror symmetric with any second rotative detent position.  
         [0035]     Thus, it is an object of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow a single binding rotational system to work for both “regular” and “goofy” users.  
         [0036]     These particular objects and advantages may apply to only some embodiments falling within the claims and thus do not define the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0037]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a snowboard showing regular mountings of the bindings, the front binding mounted on the system of the present invention and positioned for skateboarding;  
         [0038]      FIG. 2  is a figure similar to that of  FIG. 1  showing both bindings positioned for snowboarding in the “goofy” orientation;  
         [0039]      FIG. 3  is a perspective, exploded view of the principle components of the binding rotational system of  FIGS. 1 and 2  as mounted above the surface of the snowboard;  
         [0040]      FIG. 4  is a detailed plan view of a lower portion of the swivel connector of  FIG. 3  as interlocks to a base plate;  
         [0041]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view in fragment of the base plate of  FIG. 3  with the stance-selector plate shown in phantom above it also showing regular and inverted “goofy” positionings of the detent pawl;  
         [0042]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the base plate and the stance-selector plate in two different configurations allowing for “regular” and “goofy” use.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0043]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a snowboard  10  has a top surface  12  extending between a nose  14  of the snowboard  10  and a tail  16  where a direction of normal travel  18  of the snowboard is in the direction of the nose  14 .  
         [0044]     Two bindings  20  may be attached to the top surface  12 , a first binding  20   a  attached to the binding rotational system  22  of the present invention to swivel between a skateboarding orientation  24  shown in solid lines along skateboarding angle  27 , and a regular snowboarding orientation  26  shown in dotted lines along snowboarding angle  28 . In the skateboarding orientation  24 , the front of the foot faces the nose  14 , while in the snowboarding configuration, the front of the foot extends along a snowboarding angle  28  extending generally along a transverse axis  29 . The rear binding  20   b  extends along the transverse axis  29  at a fixed stance angle according to conventional technique.  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a snowboard  10  may also be used in so-called “goofy” mode in which the front of the bindings  20   a  and  20   b  and hence the foot orientation extends along the transverse axis  29  to the left as viewed in  FIG. 2  rather than the right as viewed in  FIG. 1 . The present invention provides swivel mounting for both regular and goofy stances.  
         [0046]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the binding rotational system  22  of the present invention provides a swivel connector  30  that may be attached to the top surface  12  of the snowboard  10  and that provides an upper swivel section and lower swivel section that freely rotate with respect to each other about a vertical axis perpendicular to the top surface  12  of the snowboard  10 . Radially outwardly extending teeth  112  on the upper swivel section of the swivel connector  30  are received by corresponding radially inwardly extending teeth  42  of a central bore  40  of a base plate  38  so as to lock the two together preventing rotation or lifting of the base plate  38  when the swivel connector  30  is attached to the snowboard  10 . Radially outwardly extending teeth  119  on the upper swivel section of the swivel connector  30  are received by corresponding inwardly extending teeth in a central bore  114  in the upper surface of a skateboard plate  62 . The root of the teeth  119  also engage a lip  111  of a bore  114  in the upper surface of the skateboard plate  62  retaining the skateboard plate  62  toward the snowboard  10  when the swivel connector  30  is attached to the snowboard  10 .  
         [0047]     The top of the swivel connector  30  includes four threaded holes  32  for attaching a binding  108  (shown in fragment) to the top of the swivel connector  30  and four access holes  34  providing access to series of recessed mounting holes  36   a  and  36   b  to be described below, that are used (with bolts) to attach the swivel connector  30  to the snow snowboard  10 .  
         [0048]     Referring momentarily to  FIG. 4 , the recessed mounting holes  36   a  and  36   b  together provide standard bolt hole patterns  31  for different snowboards  10  having different threaded hole spacing patterns. Recessed holes  36   a  allow use of either a four bolt patterns or use of three hole patterns found in the base simply by rotating the upper swivel portion of the swivel connector  30  so as to expose the desired bolt hole pattern  
         [0049]     The base plate  38  is a circular disk approximately nine and a quarter inches in diameter with a single lateral protrusion for mounting the lock  45  on vertical mounting pegs, rising from the eighth of an inch high base. As noted above, the base plate  38  includes a central bore  40  having inwardly extending teeth  42  sized to engage the outwardly extending teeth of the tooth portion  112  so as to lock the base plate  38  to the top surface  12  of the snowboard together as a single fixed unit. The lock  45  has a lock lever  46  is attached to the periphery of the base plate  38  as will be described below.  
         [0050]     Referring again to  FIG. 4 , the interengagement of teeth  42  and teeth  112  allow the base plate  38  to be positioned at a variety of rotational angles with respect to the lower portion of the swivel connector  20 . Because the base plate  38  is immovably mounted on the snowboard it controls the location of the lock  45 . As will be described, this fixed position allows a stance selector plates  50  and skate plate  62  to rotate their respective notches  54  and  64  into a lock position with pawl  86  to achieve a hard-lock position of the snowboarding stance angle  28  as will be understood from the description below.  
         [0051]     Stance-selector plate  50  is of comparable dimensions to base plate  38 , but includes regular and goofy hard-lock notches  54   a  and  54   b  and wider regular and goofy clearance notches  56   a  and  56   b,  the latter centered approximately forty-five degrees from corresponding notches  54   a  and  54   b.  Each of these notches  54  is in the periphery of the stance-selector plate  50 .  
         [0052]     Generally, one of notches  54   a  and  54   b  may engage with the lock  45  to define the hard-lock angular position of stance-selector plate  50  with respect to base plate  38  for the snowboarding stance angle  28 .  
         [0053]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a partial ring gear  58  extends from the upper surface of the stance-selector plate  50  having upwardly extending teeth  60 . Slots  59  extending through the partial ring gear  58  allow a t-nut  61  to slide along the slots  59 , the t-nut  61  fitting below the stance-selector plate  50  and exposing a threaded nut opening through the slot  59  accessible from above the stance-selector plate  50 .  
         [0054]     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , a skateboard plate  62  has dimensions similar to that of base plate  38  and stance-selector plate  50 , but includes soft-lock goofy notches  64   b  and soft lock regular notches  64   a  flanked by clearance notches  66   a  and  66   b,  each comparably spaced to the notches  54  and  56  on ride stance-selector plate  50 . Skateboard plate  62  likewise has a central bore  68  fitting about a cylindrical axle portion of the swivel connector  30  to turn co-axially with the swivel connector  30 .  
         [0055]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the undersurface of the skateboard plate  62  has a partial ring gear  70  having downwardly extending teeth  72  that may engage the upwardly extending teeth  60  of the ring gear  58  when skateboard plate  62  is placed on top of Ride stance-selector plate  50 . The interengagement of teeth  60  and  72  allow the relative positions of stance-selector plate  50  and skateboard plate  62  to be locked in any of a variety of rotative positions to rotate jointly with the upper portion of the swivel connector  30 .  
         [0056]     The relative positions of stance-selector plate  50  and skateboard plate  62  define the separation between the soft lock notches  64  and the hard lock notches  54  (for either regular or goofy stance), and thus allow adjustment of the separation of the snowboarding and skating stance angles. One of the notches  66  in the stance-selector plate  50  overlaps a notch  54  so as to prevent interference of notch  54  by the skateboard plate  62 , and likewise one of the notches  56  in the stance-selector plate  50  overlaps a notch  64  in the skateboard plate  62  so as to prevent interference of notch  64  by the stance-selector plate  50 .  
         [0057]     The particular angle of relative rotation between stance-selector plate  50  and skateboard plate  62  may be read off of a scale  74  printed on a flange  76  between notches  54  and  56  of the stance-selector plate  50  where it is exposed at one edge of notch  66   a  or  66   b.    
         [0058]     Ring gear  70  may flex upward slightly to disengage with ring gear  58  allowing easy adjustment of the relative positioning of the stance-selector plate  50  and skateboard plate  62 . The ring gear  70  may then be engaged with ring gear  58  by tightening an adjustment screw  80  exposed at the top of the skateboard plate  62  and visible in  FIG. 3 . The adjustment screw  80  fits through slot  59  in the stance-selector plate  50  to engage the t-nut  61 . The screw  80  is accessible even when the binding is in place to allow simple adjustment on the slope or the like through a coin which will engage with the slot of screw  80 .  
         [0059]     Referring still to  FIG. 5 , the lock  45  provides a lever  46  attached to a pawl  86  which may engage notches  54   a  or  64   a  (e.g., for regular stance) to cause the co-rotation of the stance-selector plate  50  and skateboard plate  62  to stop at those positions as the pawl  86  engages those notches  54   a  or  64   a.  The pawl  86  is spring loaded by spring  88  and pivots about an offset pivot  90  so that the pawl  86  is self-disengaging with clockwise rotation  92  of the notches  54   a  or  64   a,  but self-engaging with counterclockwise rotation  94  of the notches  54   a  or  64   a.  That is, sufficient force in a clockwise direction (absent the stops to be described) will cause the pawl  86  to rise up a slope side of the notches  54  or  64   a  to disengage from them by compressing the spring  88  and rotating about the pivot  90  whereas with counterclockwise rotation, the forces are such as to further engage the pawl  86  with the notch  54   a  or  64   a.    
         [0060]     A hard stop at notch  54   a  is provided by providing a mechanical stop  100  extending upward between notches  54   a  and  54   b  that prevents further clockwise rotation when the pawl  86  is engaged with notch  54   a  despite the natural self-disengaging mode of the lever  46 . Similarly, a stop  102  is placed between notches  64   a  and  64   b.  The pawl  86  may be a split pawl, one level engaging the stance-selector plate  50  and the other engaging the skateboard plate  62  and having a stop engaging, non-retractable member positioned therebetween the levels to engage the stops  100  and  102 . Accordingly hard stop or soft stop locations may be created at selected of the notches  54   a  and  64   b  with notch  54   a  providing a hard stop and notch  64   a  providing a soft stop.  
         [0061]     A hard stop means that the pawl cannot be disengaged from the hard stop at notch  54   a  without manual movement of the lever  46 , whereas when the pawl is engaged with the soft stop location of notch  64   a  sufficient force in torque is on the stance-selector plate  50 , and skateboard plate  62  will disengage the pawl from the notch allowing the plates to freely move with the swivel connector  30 .  
         [0062]     It will be understood that relative rotation of the skateboard plate  62  with respect to the stance-selector plate  50  allows adjustment of the separation distance in angle  106  between hard stop and soft stop locations, and thus the ability to move the base plate  38  together with the ability to adjust the relative positioning of the stance-selector plate  50  with respect to the skateboard plate  62 , allows complete freedom of adjustment of both the hard- and soft-lock positions of snowboarding and skateboarding at angles  28  and  27  per  FIG. 1 .  
         [0063]     Referring again to  FIG. 3 , the upper surface of the skateboard plate  62  may have the binding  108  (shown in fragment) that may be attached to the swivel connector  30  to retain the two together against the top surface  12  of the snowboard  10  with the plates  38 ,  50  and  62  captured there between. The attachment is such as to allow free movement of the stance-selector plate  50  and skateboard plate  62  when released from the lock  45 .  
         [0064]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the present invention provides for symmetry of stance-selector plate  50  and skateboard plate  62  with mirror symmetric notches  54   b  and  56   b  serving for the goofy stance on stance-selector plate  50  and mirror symmetric notches  54   a  and  56   a  serving for regular stance. A first orientation of skateboard plate  62  with notch  64   a  to the right and notch  66   a  to the top, provide for the combination of the detent positions for regular stance whereas when the notches  64   b  and  64   b  are positioned to the left and top, respectively, detents are provided for goofy stance.  
         [0065]     Referring also to  FIG. 5 , the lever  46 , spring  88 , and pivot  90  as held in a cartridge held within the lock  45  may be flipped to positions shown in  FIG. 4  as lever  46 ′, spring  88 ′, and pivot  90 ′ as to provide for a goofy lock  45  shown in  FIG. 6  or a regular lock  45  also shown in  FIG. 6  reversing the hard and lock functions with respect to rotational directions as is required.  
         [0066]     It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein, but include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims.