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[0001] This invention relates to a boot and binding rotation apparatus that is compatible for use in sky, ground, water, ice, and ski board sports and related “extreme” sports and, more preferably with boards, skis, and related items including, for example, skydiving boards, water, and snow skis and boards, wakeboards, skateboards, surf boards, and sail boards, and skate board-type devices adapted for use on ice surfaces.
[0002] Various snow and water sports have in recent years seen the increased use of a variety of skis and runners that have taken the form of a single board, which is used much like the skateboard and the surfboard and sailboard used in water sports. In the most common applications, the sports enthusiast and board rider uses one or both feet to control a single board while traversing the medium of choice, including snow, water, air, and earth. The traditional skateboard has been modified into a snowboard, a wakeboard, a board capable of traversing downhill in loose earth, sand, gravel, and grass, and even into a skydiving board. In the past, skateboarders, surfers, and sailboarders (hereafter referred to collectively as “boarders”) have used boards that included a non-slip, top surface that facilitated control of the board instead of foot retainers, shoes, boots, and bindings, which are commonly used in, for example, higher-speed alpine and slalom skiing sports. Boarders usually control their boards by shifting and leaning their feet to adjust the center of gravity forward, aft, and side-to-side on the board during travel.
[0003] In recent years, the various types of sporting boards have become more sophisticated and have experienced increased use of control and safety enhancing devices adapted to refine the control capability and to protect against injuries due to “wipe-outs” or spills. Such devices have included releasable and non-releaseable foot retainers, boots, shoes, and bindings, and related apparatuses. There has been a substantial debate over whether releasability or non-releasability is the safest method and both sides have proffered reasonable and meritorious positions.
[0004] With the increased use of improved safety and control devices, boarders have experienced tremendous growth in the number of opportunities and applications for board-type sports activities. Activities that were previously viewed by many as “extreme” sports, have now become more accessible to the average board sports enthusiast. For example, common board sports now include use of various types of boards not only in the traditional skate, water, and ski activities, but also in skydiving and wakeboarding, and in non-conventional metropolitan derivative sports using modified skateboards that are adapted for use with icy surfaces and to slide along hand railings, down stairs, along the top edges of walls and other suburban landscaping accouterments.
[0005] Many attempts have been made in the past to improve the state of the art in the field of such recreational board sports and various related so-called extreme sports. However, such prior attempts have failed to overcome many shortcomings, which affect the ease of use and convenience, maneuverability, and reconfigurability of the various types of board devices. Additionally, most attempts fall short of addressing the need for improved safety and control devices, while others are often entirely incompatible for use with the off-the-shelf and readily available boarding equipment. In the example of skateboards, snowboards, wakeboards, and skydiving boards, control and safety retaining devices have been incorporated which allow that boarding enthusiast to mount their feet to the board with their toe-to-heel adjustably oriented generally from between a forward-to-aft to a side-to-side position. While the many benefits of improved safety and control devices are desirable to most boarding enthusiasts, in each of the noted applications and situations, failure prone, cumbersome, and expensive retainer and binding mechanisms are generally unjustifiable.
[0006] In two examples, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,520,406 and 5,890,730 to Anderson et al., a snowboard binding is disclosed that is limited to a device that includes, among other elements, a binding including a snowboard mounted frame frictionally mated thereto with a frictional gasket. Anderson purports to teach rotational adjustability of the frame in a geometric plane parallel to the plane of the board by loosening of the mounting bolts. Anderson et al. also recognize the importance of reducing the amount of snow and ice that collect in the binding so as to improve operability during use. A snowboard binding is also disclosed by Jenni in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,594, which is restricted to a binding that includes many limitations including a mounting disk that is bolted to a snowboard to secure the binding base plate. Like the Anderson et al. binding, the Jenni base plate may be rotated in a geometric plane generally parallel to the board by loosening the bolts of the mounting disk.
[0007] A snowboard binding that includes a spinning disk mounted binding that is frictionally engaged by a tension wire is described by Grindl in U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,139. Grindl's device is limited to a binding that can be operated in either a free-spinning mode or a fixed position mode. In both modes, Grindl's device appears to be especially susceptible to the type of snow and ice buildup expressly contemplated by Anderson et al.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,419 to Knapschafer discloses a rotational binding for a free style snowboard that is limited to a snowboard binding having a toe foot and base plates and cooperating heel base and foot plates that purport to enable rotation of a user's foot along an axis from the toe to the heel and in a geometric plane that is generally orthogonal to the plane of the board.
[0009] Each of the prior art apparatuses of record herein discloses one or more devices that incorporate significant shortcomings. Specifically, what has been expressly recognized as being a needed and useful feature is a binding that enables adjustability so that the boarder can fine tune and optimize a stance that maximizes comfort and control, and which can be adjusted. Also, prior references have recognized the need to minimize the impact of snow and ice buildup on the operability of the device during use. This need also exists in non-now sports where salt, dirt, dust, and debris can similarly reduce the effectiveness of the board safety and control components. Moreover, while a wide variety of bindings and related equipment has been discussed in the prior art, few successful attempts have demonstrated compatibility with the myriad devices commercially available to consumers.
[0010] What has been needed but heretofore unavailable, is an apparatus that not only easily accommodates a wide variety of board sporting equipment, but which can also be adapted without undue burden to facilitate improved control of various types of boards in a variety of sporting activities in an economical feasible and easy to install and use manner. Moreover, the preferred apparatus should be easily adapted to perform well with any of the aforementioned activities and in all of the board configuration described above and contemplated herein.
[0011] The present invention meets these and other needs without adding any complexity, inefficiencies, or significant costs to procurement and use of widely available boarding equipment and related components such as and including those mentioned above. The various embodiments, modifications, and variations of the present invention disclosed herein are readily adapted for ease of manufacture, low fabrication costs, and immediate compatibility with both the boarding equipment presently in use and the various activities engaged in by the board sports enthusiasts.
[0012] In its most general sense the present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art in any of a number of generally effective configurations. In one of the preferred embodiments this invention includes a boot and binding rotation device that is compatible for use in sky, ground, water, ice, and ski board-type sporting activities and related “extreme” sports. The apparatus is preferably used with boards, skis, and similar sporting equipment such as, for purposes of illustration but not limitation, snow and ski boards, skydiving boards, water and wakeboards, surfboards, sailboards, and skateboards and similar devices adapted for use on ice surfaces.
[0013] The preferred boot and binding rotation device includes a base plate that has a stance adjust key assemblage and a ring mount flange. The base plate is preferably adapted to receive a hole pattern for mounting to the sporting equipment or device. A retainer ring is also incorporated that is mounted about or to the base plate and which is formed with a retainer race surface about an interior annulus or circumference. A rotator disk is rotatably captured against the base plate by the retainer ring and preferably includes a stance adjuster receiver and a rotator race surface. The rotator and retainer race surfaces are cooperatively configured and arranged to form a circumfluent raceway substantially in the form of a bevel or scarf or half lap butt splice rotating joint.
[0014] The rotator disk is further sized and adapted to substantially cover and protect the base plate from the elements and specifically from the buildup of dust, dirt, grime, debris, salt, snow, and ice. The disk is also adapted to receive or to include a footgear mounting hole pattern that can be selected for compatibility with and mounting of a wide range of commercially available foot gear such as foot retainers, boots, bindings, and the like.
[0015] Preferably, the receiver releasably captures a stance adjuster, which can be a quick-release-type pin, that is adapted to engage the stance adjust key assemblage to relatively and adjustably fix the rotator disk relative to the base plate.
[0016] The present invention also contemplates an embodiment and variations of the preceding embodiments that preferably include a stance adjuster that is releasably captured by the receiver, and which is adapted to releasably or fixedly engage the stance adjust key assemblage, which adjustably fixes the rotator disk about and relative to the base plate. More preferably, in this variation, the stance adjuster is selected to be a quick-release, quick-engage shear-type pin that cooperates with the stance adjust key assemblage, which assemblage is formed from a hole pattern of one or more holes that are sized to receive the pin. In other variations and modifications of the preferred embodiments, an actuator lanyard may be attached to the stance adjuster via a ring attached to the stance adjuster.
[0017] In yet other preferred embodiments, a device is possible that is also adapted to incorporate at least one rotator post carried from the rotator disk, as well as at least one rotator stop mounted to the retainer ring. The post and stop are preferably arranged to engage one another to thereby limit the range of motion or rotation of the disk. In a variation of any of the preceding embodiments and alternatives, the at least one rotator stop may be mounted to the retainer ring to limit the range of rotation of the disk by being adapted to engage either the aforementioned stance adjuster, or alternatively, the toe or heel or another portion of footgear that is mounted to the boot and binding rotation device. In yet other modifications, the at least one rotator stop may be mounted to the footgear and adapted to engage a post or cooperative stop mounted to the board.
[0018] The present invention also contemplates variations and modifications to the previously described embodiments wherein the raceway includes retainer and rotator race surfaces that are configured to form a scarf splice rotating joint, which may take the form of cooperatively formed beveled surfaces and the like. In alternative arrangements, the retainer and rotator race surfaces may be designed to form a half lap butt splice rotating joint, or any of a number of comparably suitable raceway and joint configurations.
[0019] These variations, modifications, and alterations of the various preferred embodiments may be used either alone or in combination with one another as will become more readily apparent to those with skill in the art with reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying figures and drawings.
[0020] Without limiting the scope of the present invention as claimed below and referring now to the drawings and figures, wherein like reference numerals across the several drawings, figures, and views refer to identical, corresponding, or equivalent elements, features, and parts:
[0021]
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[0031] The boot and binding rotation apparatus of the instant invention enables a significant advance in the state of the art of ground, air, water, snow, and ice sporting activity boards that are adapted for a wide range of activities enjoyed by enthusiasts. The preferred embodiments and described and contemplated modifications of the boot and binding rotation apparatus accomplish this by new and novel components and arrangements of elements that are configured in unique and unobvious ways and which demonstrate previously unavailable capabilities.
[0032] With reference now to the accompanying figures and specifically to
[0033] The boot and binding rotation device
[0034] The stance adjust key assemblage
[0035] Preferably, the base plate
[0036] The base plate
[0037] With continued reference to the previously identified figures and reference also now to
[0038] The ring
[0039] As can be understood with reference now also to
[0040] As illustrated with continuing reference to the preceding figures and next also to
[0041] Being made of similar materials as that of the base plate
[0042] The rotator disk
[0043] The rotator disk
[0044] The rotator disk
[0045] Suitable types of such additional mounting plates include, for purposes of illustration but not limitation, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,558,355; 5,713,594; and 5,890,730; which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Moreover, added degrees of freedom of rotation can be incorporated into the apparatus of the present invention by incorporation of additional rotational elements configured to rotate in degrees of rotational freedom that are different from those already described. One such device compatible for use with the present invention includes, for purposes of example but not limitation, U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,419, which is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0046] Preferably, as can be comprehended with reference also to
[0047] The present invention
[0048] In yet other preferred embodiments, a device
[0049] In a modification of any of the preceding embodiments and variations, the at least one rotator stop
[0050] Although not reflected in the figures, but which can be understood with reference thereto, the apparatus
[0051] Numerous alternatives, alterations, modifications, and variations of the preferred embodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art and they are all contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the instant invention. For example, although specific embodiments have been described in detail, those with skill in the art will understand that the preceding embodiments and variations can be modified to incorporate various types of substitute and/or additional materials, relative arrangement of elements, and dimensional configurations for compatibility with the wide variety of boards and related sporting activities, and with compatible equipment that is readily available to board sport enthusiasts. As a further example, although what appears to be either a snowboard or skateboard “S” is depicted in the various figures, the various elements, components, and alternatives also reflected therein are readily compatible for use with each of the previously described sporting activities including skydiving, ground, water, snow, and ice sports for which boarders, riders, and enthusiasts employ skis, and wakeboards, skateboards, surfboards, and sailboards, and skate board-type devices adapted for use on ice surfaces.
[0052] Accordingly, even though only few embodiments, alternatives, and variations of the present invention are described herein, it is to be understood that the practice of such additional modifications and variations and the equivalents thereof, are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.