Patent Publication Number: US-6910707-B1

Title: Rotatable snowboard boot binding anchor apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO PRIOR OR PARENT APPLICATIONS 
   There are no prior or parent applications to which the instant application relates. 
   FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
   There is no federally sponsored research and development to which the instant invention relates. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The instant invention is one of such devices as serves to anchor snowboard boot bindings to snowboards. 
   2. Prior Art 
   The art set forth in the accompanying Informational Art Statement does not anticipate the instant invention. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   1. A Brief Description of the Invention: 
   The instant invention consists of a base disc component that is anchored via anchoring holes centrally located therein to a snowboard. There is a hollowed out center portion of this base disc into which is fitted a pair of latch plates each having a configuration akin to the arc of a circle and each having a plurality of holes in each. Positionally adjacent to and just above the base disc is a rotatable two-tier top plate equipped with a spring loaded pull-pin component. The circumference of the top plate is less than that of the base disc component. A top locking ring fits flush about the top plate and the top locking ring with a top locking ring circumference being equal to the circumference of the base disc component, is affixed to the base disc component by way of a plurality of peripherally placed screws inserted through peripherally placed holes in the top locking ring and similar holes in the base disc component with such screws being fitted to nuts below the base disc component. Mounting holes in the center of the top plate facilitate mounting, via hollowed out internally threaded mounting insert units press fitted to such holes, of a snowboard boot binding unit to the top plate. The pull-pin fits into any one of the holes in either one of the latch plates. A pull-strap component is attached at one end thereof to elastic looping affixable to a ring affixed to the pull-pin and is attached at another end portion thereof to a prong-strap attached to a circular sheath fitted to the leg of a snowboarder. By pulling upwards on the pull-strap, a snowboarder can thereby release the pull-pin component from its position in a latch plate hole and in so do doing, then rotate the position of his or her foot fast within a snowboot in a binding through an angle either while walking about at the base of a slope or while snowboarding down a slope in and within packed down snow, then soft powder, then packed down snow and so forth. Such pulling upwards affects removal of the pin from one of the holes in one of the latch plates. Releasing tension on the strap after rotating a foot through an angle causes the pull-pin to fit back into a different latch plate hole thereby fixing the foot at an angle away from the previously fixed foot position. 
   2. Objects of the Invention: 
   Snowboarders at the base of a slope perambulating about to get i.e., to a lift line or to a warming hut but equipped with most currently available boot binding anchoring devices affixed to the snowboards are required to release their back feet from their boards and then propel themselves forward with their front feet locked at the same angles with reference to the fronts of the boards as when such snowboarders would have been previously snowboarding down a slope. Consequently, as is the case with respect to most of the current art regarding the anchoring of front foot and boot bindings to a snowboard, virtually all of such persons are accordingly required to awkwardly propel themselves forward at the base of a slope by way of pushing off with their back feet while, as was noted above, their front feet remain positioned at the angle such front feet would have been positioned at while such persons would have been snowboarding down the slope with reference to the longitudinal central axes of symmetry of such boards. The instant invention permits, by way of a pulling upward on the pull-strap component of the invention, a board user to then rotate a front foot through an angle so that the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of the front foot would then be parallel to the longitudinal central axes of symmetry of the board and that of the propelling back foot as well through propulsion at the base of a slope. This feature makes it much easier for board users to perambulate about at the base of a slope without having to otherwise endure undue stress to be placed upon their knees and ankles. Moreover, the pull-pin and pull-strap features of the invention readily enable users to rotate their front feet through angles also when descending such a slope in order to instantly accommodate maximally appropriate interaction with soft powder, then packed down snow, etc., all found on the slope. Moreover, the latch plates positioned as they are within the body of the base disc permit rotation of the front foot through an angle from a “left” sided position or from a “right” sided position. Hence, whether snowboarders descend slopes facing left or facing right as initially anchored to their boards, the instant invention remains truly viable for all them in respect of the foregoing. Finally, and most importantly, by virtue of the pluralities of centrally placed circularly and elliptically shaped holes in the base disc and top plate components of the instant invention, the instant invention can readily function vis-à-vis virtually all various types of snowboards and boot bindings, and; uniquely serve to ensure that a snowboarder&#39;s first or front foot is always centered above the center point in and within either triangularly or rectangularly positioned anchoring holes on any snowboard or anchoring pegs on any boot binding unit. This centering assurance serves to guarantee that, whenever a snowboarder seeks to angulate his or her front foot off to the side and out of alignment with the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of the board, that person&#39;s toe will never be more off the board than that person&#39;s heel and vice versa. In this way maximal board control from vantage points of both utility and safety is ensured whenever a user seeks to manipulate through either packed down snow or soft powder while riding down a slope. 
   In conclusion, for all of the foregoing reasons, the instant invention is truly new, useful and unique. 

   
     A DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     1.  FIG. 1  is a cutaway view of the top locking ring top plate and base disc components of the instant invention. 
     2.  FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the rotatable two-tier top plate fitted within the top locking ring of the instant invention. 
     3.  FIG. 3  is a lateral plan view of the instant invention. 
     4.  FIG. 4  is a frontal plan view of the instant invention. 
     5.  FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view from a lateral side of the instant invention. 
     6.  FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the base disc component of the instant invention. 
     7.  FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the top locking ring, rotatable two-tier top plate and base disc components of the instant invention. 
     8.  FIG. 8  is an isolated bottom plan view of the rotatable two-tier top plate components and mounting insert component of the instant invention. 
     9.  FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of the spring loaded pull-pin component of the instant invention. 
     10.  FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of the spring loaded pull-pin component of the instant invention under tension. 
     11.  FIG. 11  is a view of what is seen in  FIG. 10  but rotated through an angle of 90°. 
     12.  FIG. 12  is a view of one of the equivalent latching plate components of the instant invention. 
     13A.  FIG. 13A  illustrates insertion of an elastic base loop portion of a pull-strap into the ring portion of the pull-pin component of the instant invention. 
     13B.  FIG. 13B  illustrates the manner of commencement of tying the elastic base loop portion of the pull-strap to the ring portion of the pull-pin component. 
     13C.  FIG. 13C  illustrates a fully tied base loop to the ring portion of the pull-pin component. 
     14.  FIG. 14  illustrates the manner in which a pull strap is ultimately affixed via a prong-strap to a circular thigh sheath. 
     15.  FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view of the top locking ring. 
     16.  FIG. 16  is an exploded view of a snowboard and boot binding unit in apposition to the instant invention. 
   

   A DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The instant invention, a rotatable snowboard boot binding anchor apparatus is shown in exploded view in  FIG. 16 . In  FIG. 16 , one notes a snowboard A to which the invention is anchorable and a snow boot binding B which is anchorable to the invention as well. One assembles the invention to a snowboard by way of affixing the base disc component  1  of the invention shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  7  to a snowboard A in the following manner. Base disc component  1  is characterized by the presence of base disc anchoring holes  7  and elliptically shaped base disc anchoring holes  7 A which enable a person to screw base disc component  1  down fast to any and all varieties of snowboard A, some of which have four rectangularly separated holes for receipt of a boot binding B anchoring unit and some of which have only 3 triangularly separated holes for receipt of such a unit. Elliptically shaped anchoring holes  7 A facilitate anchoring to those boards A containing anchoring holes positioned further apart within some of such boards A than others. Such holes also facilitate, as earlier noted above, assurance of the centering of a snowboarder&#39;s front foot upon the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of the board and upon a point within equal distance from all four or all three anchoring holes within the board in use, whichever type of board, to wit, one with four or one with three of such holes, such as may have been of particular preference to the snowboarder utilizing it. Base disc component  1  is also characterized by the presence of base disc ribbing  3  and peripheral disc screw holes  2  together with base disc reservoirs  4  seen in  FIGS. 1 and 7 . Latch plates  5  marked by the presence of latch plate holes  6  are depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 12 . Rotatable two-tier top plate  8  rests atop component  1  as can be seen with resort to  FIG. 5  and appreciated with resort to  FIG. 1 . Top plate  8  has therein, centrally positioned as per  FIG. 8  a multiplicity of top plate mounting holes  9  and elliptically shaped top plate anchoring holes  9 A which serve to receive mounting insert units  34  which are affixable to the screw pegs of boot binding units B. Mounting insert units  34  that are hollowed out and internally threaded are press fit into top plate mounting holes  9  and  9 A and the hexagonally shaped head portions of mounting insert units  34  fit within holes  9  and  9 A which are recessed and amenable to taut receipt of such hexagonally shaped head portions to thereby make for enhanced stability of the anchoring and ultimate affixation of a boot binding unit B to rotatable two-tier top plate  8 . Holes  9  and  9 A fitted each with a mounting insert unit  34  all serve to accommodate boot binding units B that are designed with either three triangularly positioned threaded screw pegs, or four rectangularly positioned threaded screw pegs with holes  9 A serving to moreover accommodate those units B with such threaded screw pegs variably positioned from one another. Elliptically shaped holes  9 A by way of providing means to adjust positioning of mounting inserts  34  like holes  7 A mentioned above all serve to facilitate the symmetrical centering earlier noted as respects optimally symmetrical overhanging of toes and a heel over a board when a foot is turned sidewise at an angle to the lie of the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of the board. This very unique feature of the instant invention facilitates such true foot centering upon all variant forms of snowboard regardless of the type of boot binding unit utilized and this feature perhaps more than any other serves to enhance the uniqueness and true utility of the instant invention. Access hole  10  within rotatable two-tier top plate  8  shown also in  FIG. 8  serves to make it very convenient to anchor a fully assembled rotatable snowboard boot binding apparatus via base disc anchoring holes  7  and/or  7 A to a snowboard A without a need to first disassemble the apparatus. Rotatable two-tier top plate  8  rests atop base disc component  1  and is held within top locking ring  27  all as is seen in  FIG. 1 . The apparatus is held together by way of peripheral disc screws  29  passed through peripherally located screw holes  28  shown in  FIG. 1  and then again in  FIG. 15  and peripheral base disc screw holes  2  and received by nut units  30  all as can be appreciated with resort to  FIGS. 2 ,  6  and  7 . A height difference  35  as between top plate  8  and top locking ring  27  upon full assembly of the apparatus is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . This height differential  35  provides a measure of clearance as respects mounted boot binding units B with reference to the outer perimeter of the apparatus during the course of rotation of top plate  8  during use of the apparatus fully mounted to a snowboard A to thereby provide for freer rotatability of the two-tier top plate  8 . Also, base disc ribbing  3  seen in  FIG. 1  fits within top locking ring reservoirs  31  seen in  FIG. 15  to make for greatly enhanced stability of the apparatus upon full assembly to a snowboard A and boot binding unit B and in use by a person. Concentric ribbing  33  in the bottom side of top plate  8  as seen in  FIG. 8  fits into concentric inner walling  36  within the topside of base disc component  1  as seen in  FIG. 7  upon full assembly of the apparatus for use. This feature serves to greatly stabilize rotation of top plate  8  within top locking ring  27  about base disc component  1  during use of the fully assembled apparatus mounted to a snowboard A. Outer ribbing  32  in the bottom side of rotatable two-tier top plate  8  as seen in  FIG. 8  serves to firmly hold latch plates  5  in place atop specially configured arcs of latch plate ribbing  37  within base disc component  1  as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 7  and below ribbing  32  upon full assembly of the apparatus for use and in use mounted to a snowboard A. Specially configured latch plate ribbing  37  is characterized by shelving  38  jutting medially inward from the inner wallings of ribbing  37  into the reservoir space between the wallings so as to thereby enable each of latch plates  5  to rest securely thereupon within the inner perimeters of such ribbing  37  upon such full assembly of the apparatus. All of the foregoing features serve to promote safety as well as efficacy of use of the apparatus mounted to a snowboard A. Moreover, such ribbing especially ribbing  32  greatly enhances shear strength of the apparatus so as to greatly militate against any possibility of sidewise breakage during use.  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11  depict one of the very unique and distinguishing features of the apparatus. Pull-pin housing  12  being a part of top plate  8  houses spring  13  located about pull-pin  14  also therein which pull-pin  14  juts out of a hole in the top surface of housing  12  and to which there is affixed a pull-pin ring  15 . Affixed to ring  15  is a pull-strap elastic loop  16 . Loop  16  is elastic rather than static, a safety feature to facilitate against inadvertent pull-pin  14  release by a person atop a snowboard A equipped with the apparatus.  FIGS. 13A ,  13 B and  13 C and  14  serve to illustrate the manner in which the apparatus anchored to a board A and binding unit B is also tethered to a person fitted to binding unit B atop a board A. A first end  17  of pull-strap  18  is affixed to elastic loop  16  per  FIG. 13A . A second end thereof  19  is affixed to locking socket means  20 . Circular sheath  21  via sheath locking means  22  is held about the thigh of a person. Prong-strap  24  is affixed at a second end  26  thereof to sheath  21  and affixed to a first end  25  thereof is locking prongs means  23 . Full affixation of the apparatus to a person is accomplished by locking sheath  21  via means  22  about a person&#39;s thigh and then locking prong-strap  24  via means  23  inserted into means  20  to pull-strap  18 . When a person using the apparatus is about to walk about at the base of a slope, that person simply pulls on strap  18  that places tension on loop  16  to thereby via ring  15  lift pin  14  within housing  12  from a rest position within hole  11  shown in  FIG. 8  and one of latch plate holes  6  to a position above the level of latch plate  5  thereby enabling that person to rotate that person&#39;s front foot within binding unit B via rotatable two-tier top plate  8  through an angle such that that foot is then pointed along the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of snowboard A rather than at an angle away from the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of snowboard A such as would be the case during use of the apparatus while riding snowboard A down a slope. In this way when a person releases his or her back foot from the snowboard A at the bottom of the slope to propel himself or herself about on the way to or from perhaps a coffee shop or perhaps back to a lift line, it becomes much easier and relatively safer for that person to so get about when that person&#39;s front foot is pointing straight ahead along the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of snowboard A rather than remaining at an angle to this axis of snowboard A while so moving about. Stabilization of the front foot in such a position now along the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of snowboard A is accomplished by releasing tension on pull-strap  18  thereof, thereby causing pull-pin  14  to drop back into a different latch plate hole  6  and hole  11  once again subsequent to the rotation of two-tier top plate  8  through the angle desired so as to then effectuate such stabilized front foot positioning within boot binding unit B affixed to top plate  8  now along the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of snowboard A. One might ask, why not just remove both feet from snowboard A and boot binding B instead of just one foot while getting around at the base of a slope. The answer to such a question would be that the leashing feature of the apparatus combining sheath  21 , prong-strap  24  and pull-strap  18  with loop  16  and ring  15  is meant to also serve to eliminate the possibility of a runaway snowboard event subsequent to a fall during use on a slope. Also, it is much more convenient for a snowboarder to be able to skate, as it were, as noted above, about the base of a slope rather than to be required to instead carry a snowboard A about while so perambulating about the base of a slope. In addition to the foregoing features of the apparatus, pull-pin  14  can be released to facilitate rotation of a person&#39;s front foot through an angle perforce of rotation of two-tier top plate  8  as noted above indeed during use of the apparatus while proceeding down a slope. Release of pin  14  and reinsertion of pin  14  just subject to desired rotation, enables a person using the apparatus coming down a slope to adjust for varying snow conditions on the slope, to wit, conditions varying from hard packed or semi-icy snow to relatively deep soft powdery snow. For example, a person will ride with his or her front foot aligned with the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of snowboard A to facilitate toe-heel maneuvering over packed powder and then ride with his or her front foot aligned virtually perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of snowboard A to facilitate side to side rocking and a pushing of soft dry powder under snowboard A on that portion of a slope marked by the presence of such dry powdery snow. The unique feature of ready pull-pin  14  release capability, top plate  8  rotation and ready reinsertability of pull-pin  14  all during use on a slope in and of itself renders the apparatus extremely convenient and useful. This feature of the invention is markedly unique. Also, the reason for equipping the apparatus with two latch plates  5  as shown above is so that boot binding units B can be either initially affixed pointing leftwardly atop a snowboard A as is the case with most people who prefer to ride a snowboard A left foot forward or instead initially affixed pointing rightwardly atop a snowboard A as is the case with some people who prefer to ride a snowboard A with right foot forward depending upon a person&#39;s particular preferences in terms of how he or she would want to stand atop and ride such a snowboard A during use coming down a slope. In such respects, rotation of top plate  8  upon release of pull-pin  14  for persons riding left foot forward would be from left back to center, center being the line coterminus with the longitudinal central axis of symmetry of snowboard A or would be from right back to such center as would be the case for persons riding right foot forward. It should also be noted that latch plates  5  can be customized to have only i.e.,  3  or so latch plate holes  6  within them so as to enable adjustment to only those specific holes as a particular snowboarder may want therein. The pull-pin  14 , pull-ring  15 , elastic loop  16  and pull strap  18  combination forming an integral aspect of the apparatus serves to make possible two-tier top plate  8  rotation during use, a feature indeed unique to the apparatus alone, since, a person atop a snowboard A equipped with the apparatus fully assembled thereto as noted above can effectuate top plate  8  rotation simply by pulling up and then releasing pull-strap  18  post rotation as opposed to having to, as would be the case with any other device anywhere similar to the apparatus while affixed to a snowboard A; otherwise, somehow be able to bend and curl down to pull a release pin in a direction parallel to the lie of the snowboard A in order to achieve desired rotation of foot position upon the board during use, an obviously impossible undertaking. 
   In conclusion, respectfully submitted, for the reasons cited above, the instant invention as described above is not merely new useful and unique but is indeed veritably revolutionary in the art of snowboard boot binding anchoring devices.