Patent Publication Number: US-8540271-B2

Title: Snowshoe binding

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to snowshoe binding technology and more particularly, to a snowshoe binding, which quick fastening of the snowshoe to the snowboard and unfastening of the snowshoe from the snowboard. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional snowshoe binding  6 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , uses ratchets  63  to adjustably locking respective toothed strips  62  to toe and upper straps  61 , thereby securing the snowshoe. When going to separate the snowshoe from the snowshoe binding  6 , it is necessary to loosen the ratchets  63  and then to pull the toothed strips  62  apart from the toe and upper straps  61 . When fastening the snowshoe, the user must insert the toothed strips  62  through the respective ratchets  63  at the toe and upper straps  61 . As the user wears heavy clothes and gloves when snowboarding, it is inconvenient to fasten or unfasten this design of snowshoe binding. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a snowshoe binding, which is easy to operate, facilitating quick snowshoe mounting and dismounting. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a snowshoe binding comprises a base plate having opposing first and second lateral sides and a locating block located on the second lateral side and defining an inverted T-shaped retaining hole, a flat connection block defining therein a bottom accommodation chamber adapted for accommodating the locating block, a plurality of binding strap each having a first end connected to the first lateral side of the base plate and a second end coupled to the flat connection block, and a locking device adapted for detachably locking the flat connection block to the locating block. 
     Further, the locking device comprises a male buckle mounted in the flat connection block for hooking up with the locating block at the base plate, a press member coupled to the male buckle and operable to move the male buckle from the engaged position to a disengaged position for allowing separation of the flat connection block from the locating block, and a spring member set between the male buckle and the press member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of a part of a snowshoe binding in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the flat connection block disconnected from the locating block. 
         FIG. 3  is an oblique side elevation of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  corresponds to  FIG. 3 , illustrating the flat connection block disconnected from the locating block. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a part of the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the male buckle locked to the inverted T-shaped hole of the locating block. 
         FIG. 6  corresponds to  FIG. 5 , illustrating the springy arms of the male buckle squeezed and the outwardly protruding hooked portions moved toward each other. 
         FIG. 7  corresponds to  FIG. 6 , illustrating the outwardly protruding hooked portions of the male buckle disengaged from the inverted T-shaped hole of the locating block. 
         FIG. 8  is an extended out view of a part of a snowshoe binding in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an elevational assembly view of the snowshoe binding in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is an extended out view of a part of a snowshoe binding in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is an elevational assembly view of the snowshoe binding in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is an oblique elevation of a snowshoe binding according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 13  corresponds to  FIG. 12 , illustrating the toothed strips separated from the ratchets at the toe and upper straps. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a snowshoe binding in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a base plate  1 , a flat connection block  2 , two binding straps (one toe strap and one upper strap)  11  each having one end fixedly connected to one lateral side of the base plate  1  and an opposite end adjustably coupled to the flat connection block  2  by an adjustment buckle  111 , a locating block  12  fixedly located on the other lateral side of the base plate  1 , and a locking device for detachably locking the flat connection block  2  to the locating block  12 . 
     The flat connection block  2  defines a bottom accommodation chamber  21  for receiving the locating block  12 . The locating block  12  comprises an inverted T-shaped retaining hole  13  located on the top side thereof and two beveled guide edges  14  disposed at two opposite lateral sides of the top entrance of the inverted T-shaped retaining hole  13  and sloping downwardly toward the center of the inverted T-shaped retaining hole  13 . The aforesaid locking device comprises a press member  4 , a male buckle  3 , and a spring member  5  set between the press member  4  and the male buckle  3 . The male buckle  3  is fixedly mounted in the bottom accommodation chamber  21  of the flat connection block  2  at the top side, comprising two coupling blocks  33  connected together, two hook blocks  34  respectively located on the bottom sides of the two coupling blocks  33 , two springy arms  31  respectively downwardly extended from the bottom sides of the upper hook blocks  34  in a parallel manner and respectively terminating in an outwardly protruding hooked portion  32  for hooking up with the inverted T-shaped retaining hole  13  to lock the flat connection block  2  to the locating block  12 , and two beveled guide edges  341  respectively downwardly extended from the bottom edges of the hook blocks  34  along the respective outer lateral sides of the springy arms  31 . The outwardly protruding hooked portion  32  has a beveled guide face  321  disposed at an outer side and fitting the beveled guide edges  14  of the locating block  12 . By means of attaching the respective beveled guide faces  321  to the respective beveled guide edges  14 , the outwardly protruding hooked portions  32  of the male buckle  3  can easily and positively be forced into engagement with the inverted T-shaped retaining hole  13  of the locating block  12 . The press member  4  comprises two coupling arms  41  downwardly extended from the bottom side thereof in a substantially parallel manner and respectively terminating in a respective inwardly protruding hook block  42  that has a beveled bottom actuation edge  421 . The spring member  5  is set between the bottom side of the press member  4  and the top side of the junction between the coupling blocks  33  of the male buckle  3 . During installation, attach the beveled bottom actuation edges  421  of the inwardly protruding hook blocks  42  of the press member  4  to the respective outer lateral sides of the coupling blocks  33 , and then impart a downward pressure to the press member  4  to force the inwardly protruding hook blocks  42  into engagement with the respective bottom edges of the hook blocks  34 . Thus, the press member  4  is coupled to the male buckle  3 . When continuously force down the press member  4  relative to the male buckle  3 , the beveled bottom actuation edges  421  of the inwardly protruding hook block  42  will be moved downwardly along the beveled guide edges  341  of the hook blocks  34  to squeeze the two springy arms  31  toward each other (see  FIG. 6 ), causing relative movement between the beveled edges  35  of the two springy arms  31  and moving the outwardly protruding hooked portions  32  of the male buckle  3  from the engaged position shown in  FIG. 5  to the disengaged position shown in  FIG. 7 . When the outwardly protruding hooked portions  32  of the male buckle  3  are kept in the disengaged position, the user can move the male buckle  3  in and out of the inverted T-shaped retaining hole  13  of the locating block  12  to lock the flat connection block  2  to the locating block  12 , or to unlock the flat connection block  2  from the locating block  12 . 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate a snowshoe binding in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the two binding straps  11  each have one end thereof fixedly connected to a side plate  15  that is hinged to one lateral side of the base plate  1  by a hinge  16 , and an opposite end thereof coupled to the flat connection block  2 . 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate a snowshoe binding in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. This third embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid second embodiment with the exception that the side plate  15  is fixedly connected to one lateral side of the base plate  1 ; the two binding straps  11  each have one end thereof connected to the side plate  15  by a hinge  17 , and an opposite end thereof coupled to the flat connection block  2 . 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.