Patent Publication Number: US-11376486-B2

Title: Mechanism for adjusting the orientation of bindings on a snowboard

Description:
FIELD 
     The subject of the invention is a device for setting the orientation of a boot binding on a snowboard. 
     It applies to the technical field of systems for setting the orientation of the bindings of the boot in relation to the snowboard, the adjustment is made about a vertical axis of rotation. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Snowboards are fitted with bindings to hold the user&#39;s two boots in an angular position, that is to say at an angle to the general plane of symmetry of the board. Each user has the possibility of setting the angular position of his bindings, and therefore of his boots, permanently or temporarily. 
     Also, the board is generally mounted with devices for setting the orientation of the boot bindings. Patent documents FR2876041 (Rossignol), U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,087 (Agid Toy) or US 2011/0254239 (Jung) disclose examples of such adjustment devices. In these patent documents, manual locking members ensure the immobilization of the binding at an adjustable immobilization angle. In addition to a relatively complex design of the adjustment device, the locking members can only be manipulated when the boot is out of said binding. The user must therefore systematically remove the boots from the bindings to adjust the orientation of his bindings. In addition, the immobilization angle is generally reduced to about ten degrees. 
     Snowboarders, especially beginners, generally have great difficulty using a drag lift (surface ski lift). In fact, this type of ski lift is designed for users who ride with their hips facing the slope. However, in snowboarding, the hips are perpendicular to the slope. 
     Such inconveniences also occur when using chairlifts (aerial ski lifts). If the snowboarder keeps his two feet in his bindings, he must sit sideways, his pelvis being noticeably perpendicular to the seat so that his board is oriented in the axis of the slope so as not to disturb other users seated next to him. If he unstraps his back foot out of the binding, he can sit properly in the seat, but his front foot has to be twisted so that his board is facing the slope. These two postures are particularly uncomfortable. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention aims to remedy this state of affairs. In particular, an objective of the invention is to simplify the adjustment of the orientation of the bindings of a snowboard. 
     Another objective of the invention is to propose a device for setting the orientation of a snowboard binding which is of simple and inexpensive design. 
     Yet another objective of the invention is to provide an adjustment device whose usage makes it easier to use the ski lifts. 
     The solution proposed by the invention is a device for setting the orientation of a boot binding on a snowboard, which comprises:
         a disk intended to be fixed to the board, the binding being mounted in free rotation in relation to said plate, about a vertical axis of rotation,   at least one locking member mounted, adjustable between:
           a locked position where it immobilizes the binding in relation to the disk, and   an unlocked position where it allows the rotation of the binding around the axis of rotation for an angular adjustment of said binding in relation to the snowboard,   
           the movement of the locking member between the locked position and the unlocked position is ensured by an actuator,   the actuator is controlled remotely,   the locking member and the actuator are installed in the disk so that:
           said actuator can be actuated when the boot is retained in the binding and,   said locking member is movable by said actuator when the boot is retained in said binding.   
               

     The user can therefore remotely control the movement of the locking member to adjust the orientation of his binding, without having to take off or unstrap his boot. Said locking member can indeed be manipulated automatically, even when the boot is retained in the binding. 
     Other advantageous features of the invention are listed below. Each of these characteristics can be considered alone or in combination with the remarkable characteristics defined above, and be the subject, if necessary, of one or more divisional patent applications:
         Advantageously, the device further comprises a ring mounted in adjustable rotation in relation to the disk, around the axis of rotation, said ring is gripped to the binding so that the rotation of said binding causes the rotation of said ring; in the locked position, the locking member ensures the immobilization of the ring in relation to the disk; and in the unlocked position, the locking member allows the rotation of the ring around the axis of rotation and an angular adjustment of the binding in relation to the board.   Advantageously, the locking member is in the form of retractable teeth installed in the disk which, in the locked position, cooperate with complementary teeth present on the ring.   Advantageously, the transmitter is in the form of a remote control integrated in a bracelet adapted to be worn by the user.   Advantageously, the signal emitted by the transmitter is a Bluetooth signal or a radio frequency signal.   In an alternative embodiment, the transmitter is integrated into a smart phone, the signal emitted by said phone can be a Bluetooth signal or a radio frequency signal.       

     Another aspect of the invention relates to a snowboard fitted with a pair of boot bindings, a front binding arranged at the front of the board and a rear binding arranged at the rear of said board, the front binding and/or the rear binding is equipped with a setting device conforming to one of the preceding characteristics. 
     Preferably, the angle of orientation of the front binding is adjustable so that the vertical plane of symmetry of said binding coincides with the vertical plane of general symmetry of said board. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear better upon reading the description of a preferred embodiment which will follow, with reference to the appended drawings, produced by way of indicative and non-limiting examples and in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a setting device according to the invention installed in a binding; 
         FIG. 2  shows different components of a setting device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a ring used in a setting device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows an arrangement made in a binding to receive the ring in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows the assembly of a disk and a ring; 
         FIG. 6  shows the locking member mounted in a disk and various components of its actuation mechanism, the locking member in  FIG. 6  is in the locked position; 
         FIG. 7  shows the locking member in the unlocked position; 
         FIG. 8  shows the locking member in the unlocked position; 
         FIG. 9  shows a snowboard provided with a setting device installed in the front binding, the binding is in a first angled position; 
         FIG. 10  shows the board of  FIG. 9  where the front attachment is in a second angled position, corresponding to when the user uses a ski lift; 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of a setting device according to the invention, in an alternative embodiment, the locking member being in the unlocked position; 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-section view along A-A of the device of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  shows the setting device of  FIG. 11  with the locking member in the locked position; and 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-section view along B-B of the device of  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the snowboard  1  has conventionally: a base  10 , a nose  11  and a tail  12 . The board  1  has a vertical plane of general symmetry P 1 . 
     A front binding  21  and a rear binding  22  are secured to the board  1 , on the upper surface of the base  10 . These bindings  21  and  22  are adapted to receive the front boot and the rear boot, respectively, of the user. They are of the classic type, strap, rear entry or hardboot. In  FIG. 1 , the strap binding  21  is provided with: a rear part  210  (“spoiler” or “highback”) on which the boot is pressed against at the calf of the snowboarder; a baseplate  211  on which the boot is placed; one or more straps  212  covering the boot and allowing the foot to be held in the binding. 
     The bindings  21 ,  22  are installed so that their respective general plane of symmetry P 21 , P 22  is at an angle relative to the vertical plane of general symmetry P 1  of the board  1 . The plane of symmetry P 21  of the front binding  21  can form with the plane of symmetry P 1  of board  1 , an angle “a” open towards the nose  11  and between 5° and 15° for example. The plane of symmetry P 22  of the rear binding  22  can also form with the plane of symmetry P 1  of the board  1 , an angle “b” open towards the nose  11  and for example between −15° and 15°. These angles of orientation “a” and “b” depend on the level and the practice of the snowboarder (freestyle, all mountain, freeride, . . . ). 
     The device making it possible to automatically adjust the orientation of the bindings will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 8 . 
     A disk  30  is fixed to the board  1 , on the upper face of the base  10 . In the appended figures, this disk  30  in the form of a disc whose diameter is for example between 50 mm and 100 mm and whose thickness is for example between 5 mm and 15 mm. The disk  30  is preferably obtained by molding or plastic injection. A good compromise in terms of cost/resistance is obtained by using a polyamide of type PA.6 reinforced with 30% glass fiber during injection. However, other materials can be used, such as steel or carbon fiber composite materials. 
     The disk  30  is secured to the base  10  by means of fixing screws  310  which are screwed into threads made in said base  10 . 
     A ring  40  is mounted around the disk  30 , being mounted so as to be able to rotate in relation to said disk  30 , along a vertical axis of rotation X-X. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ring  40  has external teeth  400 , formed on a lower face of said ring  40 . These external teeth  400  are adapted to engage in complementary teeth  2110  produced in an arrangement  2111  of the baseplate  211  ( FIG. 4 ). Thus, when the ring  40  is installed in this arrangement, the teeth  400  and  2110  are engaged so that the rotation of said ring  40  causes the rotation of the fastener  21  for an angular setting of said fastener  21  relative to the board  1 . The ring  40  also has internal teeth  410  which extend radially on the internal side wall of said ring  40 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 , when the ring  40  and the disk  30  are assembled, they form a cylindrical assembly E which fits into the arrangement  2111  of the base plate  211 . When the assembly E is mounted in the arrangement  2111 , the fixing screws used to secure the disk  30  to the base  10  are inserted through threads  3100  made in said base  10 . 
     To block the rotation of the ring  40  relative to the disk  30 , at least one locking member is provided. In  FIGS. 6 to 8 , this locking member is in the form of retractable teeth  5  installed in the disk  30 . These teeth  5  are movable between a locked position  15  where they project radially outwards from of the disk  30  ( FIG. 6 ), and an unlocked position where they retract towards the interior of said disk  30  ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ). In  FIGS. 6 to 8 , a single set of teeth  5  is illustrated. However, it is possible to envisage several sets of teeth  5  (for example two or more), arranged anywhere on the axis of symmetry of the disk  30 . 
     In the locked position, these teeth  5  engage with the internal teeth  410  of the ring  40  so that said ring  40  is immobilized in relation to the disk  30 . As a result, the binding  21  is immobilized in relation to the board  1 . 
     In the unlocked position, the teeth  5  and  410  are disengaged so that the ring  40  can rotate freely around the axis of rotation X-X. As a result, the binding  21  can be adjusted angularly in relation to the board  1 . 
     The movement of teeth  5  between the locked position and the unlocked position is ensured by an actuator which can be controlled remotely. This actuator is integrated in the assembly E, and more particularly in the disk  30 , so that it can be actuated even when the boot C is retained in the binding  21 . This actuator comprises an electric motor  50  powered by one or several batteries  500  or rechargeable batteries (for example via a USB cable). The motor  50  rotates, via a reduction device  51 , a screw. A nut  52 , integral with the teeth  5 , is engaged with this screw  51  so that a rotation in one direction or the other of said screw  51  causes a shift towards the front (i.e., towards the locked position) or towards the back (i.e., towards the unlocked position) of said nut  52  and therefore of said teeth  5 . 
     In the alternative embodiment of  FIGS. 11 to 14 , two sets of teeth  5  are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of symmetry of the disk  30 . These teeth  5  are engaged with a cam  510  mounted movable in rotation on an axis  5100 . The electric motor  50  ensures the rotation of the cam  510  about the axis  5100 . The teeth  5  are in direct contact with the profile of the cam  510 , said profile is configured so that the rotation of said cam  510  causes said teeth  5  to shift from the unlocked position ( FIGS. 11 and 12 ) to the locked position ( FIGS. 13 and 14 ). The teeth&#39;s  5  return from the locked position to the unlocked position is ensured by one or more return springs  511  engaged with each of said teeth  5 . In the unlocked position, the teeth  5  project radially outside a surface  300  of the disk  30  ( FIG. 12 ), and in the unlocked position they retract inside said surface  300  ( FIG. 14 ). A combination of seals  512  seal the disk  30  and the electrical and electronic elements inserted therein. 
     Compared to the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 6 to 8 , this alternative embodiment makes it possible to use only one motor  50  to move a pair of 30 teeth  5 . There is thus a gain in space in the disk  30 , which allows the use of a more powerful battery  500 , giving more autonomy to the device. In addition, it is now the cam  510  (and no longer the axis of the motor  50 ) which collects the radial forces induced by the teeth  5  when they are engaged with the internal teeth  410  of the ring  40  so that a torque (for example exerted by the user&#39;s foot) is generated around the axis of rotation X-X of the binding  21 . 
     Whatever the embodiment, the actuator, and more particularly the motor  50 , is controlled in response to the reception of a command signal sent from a transmitter. This command signal is received by a receiver  53  installed in the disk  30 , said receiver  53  is part of the electronics adapted to control the rotation of the motor  50  in one direction or the other. According to the command signal received by the receiver  53 , the motor  50  is thus actuated to move the teeth  5  towards the locked position or towards the unlocked position. 
     In  FIG. 2 , the transmitter is in the form of a remote control  6  integrated in a bracelet adapted to be worn by the snowboarder. To simplify the design, this remote control  6  transmits radio frequency or Bluetooth signals and includes a button  61  for the emission of a teeth locking signal  5  and another button  62  for the emission of an unlocking signal  20  of said teeth  5 . According to an alternative embodiment, provisions can be made for the transmitter to be integrated into a smartphone and for the signals to be transmitted by Bluetooth or by radio frequencies. Whatever solution is chosen for the transmitter, it is obvious that the receiver  53  is adapted to the format of the control signals transmitted. 
     The mounting of the adjustment device is as follows: the user has his board  1 , his binding  21 , and the assembly E formed by the disk  30  and the ring  40  separately. The user positions the binding  21  on the base  10  and adjusts the angular adjustment of said binding  21 . Once the orientation angle “a” has been adjusted, the user positions the assembly E in the arrangement  2111  produced in the baseplate  211  of the binding  21  so that the external teeth  400  of the ring  40  come into contact with the teeth  2110  of said arrangement. The user then fixes the bindings  21  by securing the disk  30  on the base  10 . There is therefore a setting device which is fixed to the board  1  by a system of extreme simplicity. 
     The user can adjust the orientation of his binding  21  even when his boot C is retained therein. To do this, the user activates the transmitter  6  to generate a command signal making it possible to pass the teeth  5  from the locked position to the unlocked position and release the rotation of the ring  40 . By rotating his foot, the user can then modify the angular position of the ring  40  and of the binding  21 . Once the angular position has been chosen, the user activates the transmitter  6  to generate a second command signal making it possible to pass the teeth  5  from the unlocked position to the locked position and block the rotation of the ring  40 . It is therefore a very rapid setting device and very simple to use. The electronics integrated in the disk  30  can also include a timer adjusted to automatically return the teeth  5  from the unlocked position to the locked position, at the end of a determined time, which avoids having to transmit the second command signal. 
     In  FIG. 9 , only the front binding  21  is equipped with the setting device. The rear binding  22  is itself provided with a conventional angle setting device, for example of the type described in patent documents FR2876041 (Rossignol) or US 2011/0254239 (Jung) mentioned above. However, this rear binding  22  can also be equipped with a setting device according to the invention. In this  FIG. 9 , the bindings  21 ,  22  are oriented for the practice of snowboarding, when the user descends a slope. 
     In  FIG. 10 , the user has used the adjustment device to adjust the orientation angle “a” of his front binding  21 , so that the vertical plane of symmetry P 21  of said binding coincides with the vertical plane of general symmetry P 1  of the board  1 . By taking off his rear foot, the user finds himself with the front foot in the axis of the board  1 . The user can then take a drag lift (surface ski lift) and climb with the hips facing the slope. In the case of a chairlift (aerial ski lift), the user can also sit properly in the seat, his board  1  facing the slope and his front foot in the axis of his board  1 . The user is therefore in a very comfortable position when using any ski lift. 
     The arrangement of the various elements and/or methods and/or steps of the invention, in the embodiments described above, should not be understood as requiring such an arrangement in all implementations. The technical characteristics described only in relation to one embodiment can be used in other embodiments. In any event, it will be understood that various modifications can be made to these elements and/or methods and/or stages, without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular:
         The locking member  5  is not necessarily in the form of teeth, but may be in the form of one or more indexing fingers adapted to be inserted in a slot of complementary shape arranged on the inner side of the ring  40 .   The ring  40  is not necessarily attached but can be directly integrated into the binding  21 . It can in particular be shaped at the level of the arrangement  2111  produced in the base plate  211  of the binding  21 , and for example obtained during the molding of said plate  211 .   The actuator can be in the form of an electric actuator or a rack-and-pinion engaged with the locking member  5 .