Abstract:
A ski boot binding for snowboards includes a base ( 4 ) to which a back piece ( 10 ) is pivotally mounted. The back piece ( 10 ) extends upward from the base and supports the user&#39;s ankle. The degree to which the back piece flexes affects an amount of support which it provides to the user&#39;s ankle. A reinforcement ( 22 ) is mounted on a central part of a rear face ( 19 ) of the back piece. The reinforcement is adjustably mounted for vertical movement relative to the back piece to adjust the flexibility of the back piece, hence the amount of rearward ankle support.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention concerns a ski binding particularly adapted for snowboards.  
           [0002]    For the practice of snowboarding, the user utilizes ski boots with relatively flexible bindings. Known bindings include a base plate and a back piece for receiving the aforementioned ski boot. Moreover, the boots are supported on the base plate by adjustable bindings.  
           [0003]    As is known, the back piece is connected to articulate toward the front of the base plate but is blocked against pivoting toward the rear by a system of abutments that assure the snowboarder of sufficiently flexible back support for optimal snowboarding.  
           [0004]    Actually, a known back support element does not permit the user to conduct an optimal snowboarding run because the binding is not adaptable for some commonly used ski boots.  
           [0005]    The present invention is an improvement that allows the utilization of a rear attachment that is ideal for any style of commonly used ski boot.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    Thus, the binding of the ski boot on the snowboard according to the present invention is of a type contemplating a base plate on which a rear attachment piece is mounted which extends upward and is designed to serve as a rear support for the ankle of the ski boot. The rear support includes on a central part a reinforcement that is vertically adjustable relative to the ankle support. The ankle support is advantageously mounted to pivot on the base around a transverse axis.  
           [0007]    According to a complementary characteristic, the reinforcement is an independent piece from the ankle support; its length is larger than its width while the aforementioned length is half as large as a height of the central part of the ankle support that is flexibly placed near the rear of the ski boot.  
           [0008]    According to another characteristic, the means for adjusting the vertical position of the reinforcement includes at least a screw/release system for mounting the reinforcement on the rear support piece and to a lesser degree an oblong hole or opening for the adjustable displacement of the vertical reinforcement along the back piece or ankle support.  
           [0009]    According to a preferred embodiment, the rear ankle support piece includes along a plane of vertical symmetry two open slots arranged one above the other while the vertical reinforcement includes two holes again arranged one above the other, each of the holes being designed to receive a connection member with a flange to prevent rotation.  
           [0010]    In addition, the guide means are designed for vertical displacement of the reinforcement relative to the back ankle support as well as means for indexing the position of the reinforcement, which means includes a succession of cooperating teeth or ridges.  
           [0011]    According to another characteristic, the lower end of the reinforcement includes a stop adapted to come to rest against an upper edge of the back arch independent of the base plate.  
           [0012]    According to another characteristic of the invention, the back ankle support includes on a central portion of its back, a reinforcement that is movable from near the bottom to the top and vice versa. Moving the reinforcement piece improves the rigidity and the prevention of bending or flexation of the back of the back ankle support in order to assure the user better ankle support when practicing snowboarding, enabling him to have better control of his trajectory.  
           [0013]    It is to be understood that the reinforcement is a complementary piece which improves the rigidity and limits flexing or bending of the back piece thereby allowing the user to insure better ankle support when practicing snowboarding and adjusting its position to enable the user to personalize this thus ensuring that the user has better control of his trajectory.  
           [0014]    Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description along with the appended drawings which are given by way of example only and are not limiting. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a top view of a snowboard with two bindings for ski boots of the user.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a side view of the binding according to the invention in combination with a ski boot.  
         [0018]    FIGS.  3 - 14  are views illustrative of a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the binding without the ski boot.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIGS. 4 and 5 are side and rear views, respectively, of the back piece equipped with the adjustable reinforcement.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view through section A-A of FIGS. 4 and 5.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view through section B-B of FIGS. 4 and 5.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a side, expanded view of the back piece and the reinforcement.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 9 is a rear view of the back piece alone.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 10 is a front view of the back piece alone.  
         [0026]    FIGS.  11 - 14  are illustrations of the reinforcement alone.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 is a rear view.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 is a front view.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view through section C-C of FIG. 11.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view through section D-D of FIG. 11.  
         [0031]    FIGS.  15 - 20  illustrate alternate embodiments of the back piece and its adjustable mounting plate.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIGS. 15, 16,  17 ,  18 ,  19 , and  20  are rear views and corresponding FIGS. 15 a ,  16   a ,  17   a ,  18   a ,  19   a , and  20   a  are cross-sectional views through section D-D of the corresponding preceding Figures.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 21 is a schematic rear view of an alternate embodiment.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIGS. 22 and 23 are similar views to FIGS. 4 and 5 which show another alternate embodiment.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 24 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating another embodiment of a means for mounting a ski boot. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]    A snowboard is shown with two bindings  2   a ,  2   b , also called mountings for keeping on the upper surface the two boots of the user. The two bindings are mounted on the upper surface across the snowboard with their plane of symmetry P disposed on the bias relative to an axis XX′ along the board as is shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0037]    Below is described the ski boot bindings  2   a ,  2   b , that are designated under the common reference number  2 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 1 is a side lateral view showing the binding  2  according to the invention that includes a base plate  4  that gives support extending horizontally from a front end  5  to a back end  6  at which a back piece  10  is mounted on the base plate.  
         [0039]    The base plate  4  limits lateral displacement to each side by lateral sides  7   a ,  7   b , including a left lateral side  7   a  and a right lateral side  7   b . Each of the sides is advantageously made up by a vertical wall designed to retain the boot against lateral movement and to support retention means  16 ,  17 . The two lateral sides are connected by an arcuate back  8 . It is to be understood that at the rear, a back piece  10  is found, which back piece extends toward the top HA and is pivotally disposed on the lateral sides  7   a ,  7   b  on a transverse axis  9 .  
         [0040]    The ski boot  11  of the user has a relatively supple ankle support section  12  that extends upward from the bottom part  13  which extends from a front end  14  to a rear end  15  where a heel disposed toward the rear AR against the arcuate back  8 .  
         [0041]    The ski boot  11  according to the illustrated embodiment, is retained on the base plate  4  by a front retention mechanism  16  which holds the front of the ski boot and by a rear retention mechanism  17  which holds the ski boot at the top of the foot. The front holding mechanism  16  and the rear holding mechanism  17  preferably include an adjustment means for adapting their dimensions to the size of the ski boot. Of course, all other means of retention for the ski boot are also contemplated, others than those with flexible adjustable straps like, for example, without straps and notably of the type of automatic mounting and demounting mechanism known as “step in” such as are illustrated schematically in FIG. 24 and like, for example, those described in prior published French Patent No. 2,742,997. It will be noted that the rear piece  10  is designed to serve as a support piece at the back of the ankle support section  12  of the boot. To this end, the rear support piece  10  extends towards the top HA for holding the back  18  of the ankle section  12 . The back piece  10  is advantageously formed with a central part  19  extending laterally between two lateral or horizontal parts  20   a ,  20   b , one a left horizontal part  20   a  and one a right horizontal part  20   b . The back piece  10  is articulated or pivoted relative to the base by lower ends  200   a ,  200   b  of each of the lateral sides  20   a ,  20   b  of the rear support piece  10  that is understood each of these has a hole  100  which receives, for example, a rivet  21  for attachment and pivoting. The rear piece  10  pivots relative to the base plate in a forward direction R 1  and can, in the absence of a boot, be, for example, pivoted completely flat for transport.  
         [0042]    Of course, it is important for the back ankle support piece to pivot on the base, but pivoting on the base by any other means of articulation is also contemplated like, for example, a resilient, deformable binding.  
         [0043]    According to another characteristic of the invention, the ankle support includes on its central wall part  19  a reinforcement  22  which extends from the bottom to the top and conversely. It will be understood that by reinforcing the whole piece, the rigidity is improved and the resistance to the ankle support pieces deflecting rearward, insures the user of better ankle support while snowboarding while allows the user better control of his trajectory. The reinforcement  22  is, according to the invention, adjustable in vertical position relative to the ankle support piece. For this purpose, the aforementioned reinforcement is an independent, separate part from the ankle support  10  and is fixed in place by a means for adjusting and locking its vertical position. This means permits the user to adjust the vertical position of the reinforcement to a selected position relative to the ankle support piece  10  and to lock it in the selected position.  
         [0044]    The locking and adjusting means includes at least a nut and screw or bolt system  23 ,  24  designed to lock the reinforcement  22  on the ankle support piece  10  and at least one oblong hole or adjusting window  25   a ,  25   b  which permits the reinforcement to be moved vertically relative to the ankle support. Additionally, the framework of the invention includes other locking means such as, for example, those which do not require tools and in particular, a cam system or the like.  
         [0045]    Thus, the ankle support piece  10  includes a vertical plane of symmetry P, the two windows  25   a ,  25   b  being disposed one above the other while the vertical reinforcement  22  includes two holes  26   a ,  26   b  disposed one above the other. Each of the holes  26   a ,  26   b  is designed to hold a screw or bolt  23  while each of the windows  25   a ,  25   b  is designed to hold a nut  24  that includes a flange or collet  26  to prevent rotation.  
         [0046]    The reinforcement is a piece made out of plastic whose length L 1  is longer than its width L 2  while the length L 1  is at least as high as half of the height L 3  of the central wall part  19  of the ankle support piece  10  which is disposed near the back of the boot.  
         [0047]    The invention&#39;s binding, in addition, includes a means to guide the vertical displacement of the reinforcement  22  relative to the ankle support piece  11 . To this end, the ankle support piece  10  includes along the back of its central wall part  19 , a rectangular vertical guide projection  27 . While the reinforcement  22  includes a corresponding groove  29  which extends vertically and is designed to receive the aforementioned guidance projection. Thus, the reinforcement can be moved vertically by a vertical sliding motion along the guide track.  
         [0048]    A means of indexing the position of the reinforcement includes a succession of cooperating teeth or detents. Thus, on the lower part of the guide track of the ankle support piece  10  are disposed a succession of teeth or detents designed to cooperate with the corresponding teeth  31  arranged at the bottom of the groove  29  of the reinforcement  22 .  
         [0049]    In addition, the exterior cross-section of the reinforcement  22  can take various forms and can be constant or changing in form or dimension.  
         [0050]    According to one preferred embodiment which is illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 4, 5,  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14 , the cross-section of the reinforcement varies by gradually decreasing in width L 2  and thickness L 4  toward the top.  
         [0051]    In addition, the reinforcement section  22  is advantageously trapezoidal in shape.  
         [0052]    According to another preferred embodiment, the reinforcement  22  is curved and the center of curvature of the curve extends along an inner face INT.  
         [0053]    Of course, the reinforcement can have a rectangular or square section, even cylindrical. The dimensions can be constant or variable like those illustrated respectively in FIGS. 15, 16,  17 ,  18 ,  19 , and  20 .  
         [0054]    According to an alternate embodiment of FIGS. 15 and 15 a , the shape of the reinforcement is square.  
         [0055]    According to an alternate embodiment of FIGS. 16 and 16 a , the shape of the reinforcement is rectangular.  
         [0056]    According to an alternate embodiment of FIGS. 17 and 17 a , the shape of the reinforcement is semi-cylindrical.  
         [0057]    According to another alternate embodiment of FIGS. 18 and 18 a , the shape of the reinforcement is square and its dimensions are progressively smaller toward the top.  
         [0058]    According to an alternate embodiment of FIGS. 19 and 19 a , the shape of the reinforcement is rectangular and the dimensions are progressively smaller toward the top.  
         [0059]    According to the alternate embodiment of FIGS. 20 and 20 a , the cross-section of the reinforcement is semi-circular and the dimensions get progressively smaller toward the top.  
         [0060]    In addition, a general plane of symmetry P 1  of the reinforcement can be in the general plane of symmetry P of the ankle support piece  10  such as shown in FIGS.  15 - 20 . But, it can be different such as the alternative shown in FIG. 21.  
         [0061]    According to this alternative embodiment, the general symmetry plane P 1  of the reinforcement converges with the general symmetry plane P of the ankle support which can diverge toward the top and towards an inside face INT of the boot.  
         [0062]    It is to be understood that due to the possibility of sliding motion of the reinforcement on the ankle support and the locking means, it is possible to readjust the reinforcement against the ankle support piece  10  either toward the top F 1  or toward the bottom F 2  to allow the user to adapt the stiffness of his needed ankle support.  
         [0063]    In addition, the lower end  32  of the reinforcement defines a stop designed to rest against and be supported by an upper edge  33  of the rear arch  8 . This stop system is designed to pivot towards the back of the ankle support which allows the user to have good rearward flexibility of the ankle support portion  12  of the boot. The position of the reinforcement being adjustable, the user can modify the angular position of his ankle support piece.  
         [0064]    The reinforcement  22  can be of an identical or different material than that of the ankle support piece.  
         [0065]    [0065]FIGS. 22 and 23 show another alternate embodiment in which the reinforcement is a small rail of composite material in an adjustable vertical position. It can be fixed to the ankle support by its ends while the remainder of its length can slide.  
         [0066]    [0066]FIG. 24 shows another means for attachment to the ski boot of a type in which the binding for the ski boot on the base  4  is not achieved by straps  16 ,  17  as described before, but a central device  160  like, for example, that described in prior French Patent No. 2,742,997. Thus, the back binding piece  10  is mounted on its own base  4 ′ different from the base  4  of the ski boot binding.  
         [0067]    Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of example, but also includes all of the equivalent technologies and combinations thereof.  
         [0068]    Having thus described the preferred embodiment, the invention is now claimed to be: