WO 97/26052 PCT/US97/00657
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QUICK RELEASE BINDING
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s BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
6 FIELD OF THE INVENTTON
This invention relates to the art of removably
8 attaching at least one boot worn by a user to a snow
9 gliding device or wake boarding device and more
particularlly providing quick on and off attachment of the
11 boot of the user to t:he binding mounted on the snow gliding
12 device by means of a single latchable lever. The lever .is
13 configured to provide' a mechanical advantage to allow the
14 closure of straps over the boot whereby the straps secure
the boot within the binding. With the mechanical advantage
16 the lever may be closed with one hand, even if the hand is
17 gloved.
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19 Description of the Prior Art
The art of binding a boot to a snow gliding
21 device has a long hiatory and many variations. As the snow
22 gliding device evolv<ad from cross country skis to downhill
23 skis to snowboards, the bindings have evolved to
2a accommodate each device, each change in boot technology and
the demands in performance, ease of use and safety. The
26 teaching herein of a pivoting locking bar with a mechanical
27 advantage may also be used for the binding of a wake
2B gliding device.
29 Disengagement and reengagement of at least one
boot with the snowboard is required to utilize a lift. The
31 board usually remains attached to one foot while the other
32 foot is disengaged to ease the boarding and dismount from a
33 chair lift.
34 Currently there are over 300 different
configurations of a binding into which the user places a
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1 boot for secure attachment to a snowboard. There are also
2 ~ numerous configurations_of a binding for a wakeboard. Most
3 of the bindings can be lumped into a group referred to as
4 "standard bindings" consisting of a foot bed attachable
directly to the snowboard or wake board and at least a toe
6 strap and an instep strap to secure the user's boot within
7 the foot bed. Each time the user wishes to remove a boot
8 from the binding, all straps must be uncoupled. Upon
9 wishing to remount the board, the user must reengage the
1o straps and adjust the tension to secure the boot within the
11 foot bed of the binding.
12 The current art teaches the use of straps with
13 buckles. Some of the buckles incorporate ratchets whereby
14 the strap, having a tooth textured surface, may be drawn
tight through the buckle by pumping the ratchet. Releasing
16 the strap to catch a lift and then reengaging the strap
17 after disembarking the lift may be difficult with heavy
18 gloves and build-up of ice on the boot, strap or buckle.
19 When the snow is deep, it is sometimes difficult to locate
2o the ratchet.
21 Should the strap become disengaged from the
22 buckle, it is most difficult to reengage it under the usual
23 conditions of cold, wet environment of snow boarding.
24 Solutions to eliminate the straps have taught the
use of a steel plate mounted to the board and engageable by
26 a step in connector mounted to the sole of the user's boot.
27 This type of boot requires a stiff sole and reduces the
28 maneuverability of the boot. The step in connector of the
29 boot or plate on the board may become packed with ice so
3D that the connector fails to completely engage the connector
31 to the plate Further, because the user must step into and
32 lock this device, if the board is resting on soft snow, the
33 force to lock in this mounting tends to drive the board
34 into the snow without engagement of the connector onto the
plate .
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1 A proposed solution to the problem is attempted
2 in U.S. patent 5,143,396 ('396). This solution teaches the
3 use of a huge, heavy, special built cradle for the boot.
4 '396 further teaches the use of two specially fabricated
straps which only adjust by removing the strap end engaged
s remote from the closing bar and reengaging the special
7 strap at the next set of holes until hopefully, by
8 experimentation, a snug fit over the boot is achieved when
9 the bar is closed. '396 attempts to teach the use of a
latch device (page 5, line 40 '(how this occurs is to be
11 described)'. Unfortunately '396 does not describe how the
12 handle 86 and fastening means 36 function. The only
13 teaching is that pressing down on the handle 86 will
14 release the bar. According to this teaching, this release
may then occur at some time not desired by the user.
16 Further, according to this teaching the "hinged" portion of
17 the bar is at one end and the handle 86 is at the other end
18 with the straps mounted between the "hinged" end and the
19 handle 86. No mechanical advantage is taught or even
suggested by '396 to ease the engagement of the handle 86
21 with the fastening means 36. Only direct pressure to force
22 the straps over the boot, which may be enlarged with ice,
23 snow, and moisture, is utilized by '396.
24 '396 does not teach or suggest that it may be
adapted to any other binding than its own specially built
26 binding with the inherent limitation as to the kind of boot
27 which functions with that binding.
28 Thus, there has long been a need for an
29 arrangement which allows the user to easily engage and
disengage a boot to a snow board or wake board device.
31 It is desired that the arrangement allow a full
32 range of adjustment of the tension of the straps to
33 accommodate the user's boot.
34 It is further desired that the strap tension
adjustment be required only initially and not again
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1 especially after disengagement and reengagement of the boot
2 to the board.
3 It is further desired that the arrangement be
4 able to be activated and deactivated by a user even wearing
thick gloves in a cold environment. It is preferred that
6 the engagement or disengagement be accomplished, without
7 requiring great strength. It is desired that this be one
8 easy stroke like movement yet be securely engaged so as to
9 not inadvertently disengage.
1o It is further desired that the arrangement
11 engagement not be adversely affected by a build up of ice
12 on the boot, binding, straps or board.
13 It is further desired that the engagement not
14 require strong pressure which would drive the board into
soft snow.
16 It is desired that a simple latching or
17 unlatching movement engage and disengage the arrangement
18 holding the boot to the binding.
19 It is desired that this movement be accomplished
with the placement of a simple bar which can be engaged
21 even if the user is wearing thick gloves.
22 It is further desired that the closing
23 incorporate a mechani~~al advantage to reduce the force
24 required to engage t:he latch within a catch.
It is further desired that the arrangement adapt
26 to the users boot, soft or hard, without requiring any
27 special connector to be mounted to th.e boot.
28 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
2a Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide
3o a binding arrangement which addresses these aims.
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According to the present invention there is provided a
2Q
~,ir;ciing arrangement that includes a front clip and a rear clip
22 mountable to the user's binding. A spanning bar is
23 engageble with the straps, spans the straps and is pulled
24 taut by a closing lever which snaps into place with the
ease of closing a door latch. The closing lever is
26 attached to the spanning bar at a preselected position to
27 provide a mechanical advantage and may be locked into place
28 within the rear clip. When latched and unlocked, the rear
29 clip is designed for quick release of the closing lever.
Upon release, the closing lever is positioned for quick
31 reengagement within the front and rear clips.
32 In the preferred enbodiment, the application of a
33 spanning bar to span the straps and the mounting of an end
34 of each strap to they spanning bar provides a quick securing
of the user's boot under the straps and a quick release of
36 the boot when the spanning bar is disengaged. The clips
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1 being mountable to the existing binding of the user allows
2 the present invention to adapt to the boot, board, and
3 binding owned by the user, be the boot soft or hard,
4 without requiring any special clips to be attached to the
boot or board.
B BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
7 The above and other embodiments of the present
8 invention may be more fully understood from the following
9 detailed description, taken together with the accompanying
drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to
't1 similar elements throughout, and in which:
12 Figure 1 is a plane side view of a boot engaged
13 in a standard binding by the invention;
14. Figure 2 is a top view of the spanning bar and
closing lever in the latched position, not mounted on the
16 binding;
17 Figure 3 is side view of the spanning bar and
18 closing lever in the latched position, not mounted on the
19 binding;
20Figure 4 is a front end view of the front clip
21mounted to the binding;
22Figure 5 is a side view of the front clip mounted
23to the binding;
24Figure 6 is a top view of the front clip mounted
26to the binding;
26Figure 7 is a front end view of the rear clip;
27Figure 8 is a bottom view of the rear clip
28mounted to the binding;
29Figure 9 is a side view of another embodiment of
30the rear clip;
31Figure 10 is a back view of another embodiment of
32the rear clip; and,
33Figure 11 is a top view bottom view of another
34embodiment of the rear clip.
35DESCRIPTION O F A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
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1 -Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows the
2 boot of the user engaged in a standard binding by the
3 latchable, releasable arrangement according to the
4 invention.
The overall function of the invention herein is
6 best understood from Figure 1. The boot of the user is
~ 7 held within a binding device by a set of straps. The
8 straps are initially adjusted for the desired level of
9 snugness after the closing lever 10 is engaged within the
front clip 30 and the rear clip 20. This action lowers the
11 spanning bar 11 into position. To extricate the boot from
12 the binding, the user presses on the upper portion of clip
13 20 to release the closing lever 10. This allows the
14 disengagement of the closing lever 10from the front clip
30 as well allowing the spanning bar 11 to move. As the
16 ends of the set of straps are attached to the spanning bar
17 11, the tension on the straps to hold the boot within the
18 binding is released thereby allowing the boot to be
19 extracted from the binding.
Most straps either come with or may be fitted
21 with buckles which have a ratchet adjustment for tightening
22 the strap. After the straps are mounted with one end on
23 the binding and the other end on the spanning bar 11, after
24 initially engaging the closing lever 10 into the clips, the
straps may be adjusted by operating the ratchet thereby
26 drawing the strap into and through the buckle to achieve a
27 comfortably snug configuration.
28 As the straps are released sufficiently to allow
29 the boot to be removed, the straps are likewise
sufficiently loose to allow the boot to be reinserted.
31 Thus, upon engaging the closing lever 10 within the front
32 clip 30 and then the rear clip 20, the spanning bar 11 re-
33 initiates the preset tension of the straps to hold the boot
34 within the binding. No further adjustment should be
necessary.
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-In the prior art, 'C.he user had to release the
2 buckles on the straps in order to remove the boot from the
3 binding. To remount the boot to the binding, the user had
4 to reengage the straps into the buckles and adjust the
tension to the desired level. This required two hands and
6 may require the removal of any gloves in order to
7 accomplish the function.
8 Figure 1 illustrates that the spanning bar 11 is
9 attached to the closing lever 10 at a preselected position
between the straps. Further, the closing lever 10 is
11 fabricated with a wing tip 19 within which is selected the
12 point to attach the spanning bar 11 to the closing lever
'i3 10. These positions are selected to give at least a five
14 to one mechanical advantage to the engagement of the boot
within the straps. The front clip 30 acts as a fulcrum so
16 that for every five inches of travel of the end of the
17 closing lever 10 remote from the front clip 30, the
18 spanning bar 1l is moved down one inch.
79 With the present invention, at the mechanical
advantage provided, the insertion, locking, initial
21 adjustment, release, re-insertion, and re-locking may be
22 accomplished with only one hand and that hand may be
23 protected with a glove.
24 The units are fabricated of a preselected
material, chosen to be light weight, strong and able to
26 function in a cold, wet environment. A light weight
27 urethane is used in the preferred embodiment for the
28 closing bar 10 and rear clip 20 latch. Both of these items
29 may be strengthened by containing a reinforcement bar of
metal or wound carbon filament. The spanning bar 11 may be
31 fabricated of aluminum due to its light weight and strength
32 characteristics.
33 A fourth element may be added. As the release of
34 the closing lever 10 and spanning bar 11 may result in the
contact of these items with the upper surface of the board,
36 this contact point may become worn, pitted, or damaged. A
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1 protective pad may be mounted on the board in a position to
2 protecta preselected, limited surface area of the board
3 from contact with these items.
4 Note that when the closing lever 10 is detached
from the rear latch 20, the bit of shock cord 18 connecting
8 the closing lever 10 and spanning bar 11 holds the closing
7 lever 10 in a vertical position for easy location and
8 ,reengagement with the clips 30 and 20 by the user.
9 There are only three main items comprising this
invention. The items are designed to be attached to any
11 off the shelf, standard binding, and allow the adjustment
12 of the tension of the unit to be adjusted for containment
13 of the user's shoes into the binding. No special binding
14 or shoes are required. As there are over 300 different
bindings and an equal number of soft shoes and hard boots,
16 the object of this invention to be universally adaptable to
17 whatever equipment is currently owned by the user is met.
18 The three units are designed to be usable on
19 either the right or the left side of the binding. The
location, right, left, inside, or outside is a user
21 preference.
22 The standard binding owned by the user is assumed
23 to be mountable on the user's board. The individual units
24 taught herein are mounted directly to the user's binding.
Every effort was made to make the mounting holes or slots
26 compatible with as many pre-drilled holes on the bindings
27 as possible. However, there may be some bindings which
28 require drilling to establish new mounting holes or enlarge
29 existing mounting holes to allow attachment of the units.
3o The front clip 30 is shaped to guide one end of
31 the closing lever 10 into position, the rear clip 20 holds
32 the closing lever 10 latched and capable of immediate
33 release. The movement of the closing lever 10 lowers the
34 spanning bar 11 to tighten the straps. As discussed above,
the configuration and attachment of the spanning bar 11 and
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1 closing liver 10 provides a mechanical advantage to the
2 closing function.
3 The individual units and their function are shown
in Figures 2 through 8 with another embodiment of the rear
clip shown in Figures 9, 10 and.ll wherein:
6 Figures 2 and 3 depict the arrangement of the
7 spanning bar 11 and closing lever generally designated 10.
8 The closing lever 10 is unitarily fabricated of a generally
9 tubular body 8 portion and a wing tip 19 portion. The
tubular body 8 is of a diameter to be engageble with the
11 front clip 30. The tubular body 8 may be generally
12 straight but may be fabricated with a slight curved shaped
'i3 to conform to the general rounded shape of the binding.
14 The spanning bar 11 and closing lever 10 are pivotally
joined, at preselected position to provide a preselected
16 mechanical advantage, by a bolt 12 and lock nut 14. They
17 are spaced apart with a washer 13 to be freely rotatable
18 around the axis of the bolt 12. One end of the shock cord
19 18 may be retained by the front strap mount 16 attaching
the front strap to the spanning bar 11. The wing tip 19
2Z accepts the other end of the shock cord 18 to be retained
22 therein by a knot. When unlatched, the short shock cord 18
23 pulls the closing lever 10 into a vertical position, making
24 the closing lever 10 easy for the user to locate. The
remote ends of the spanning bar 11 contain front strap
26 mounts 16 and rear strap mounts 17 to which at least two of
27 the standard binding straps are attached by one end after
28 removal of these ends from the standard binding. The other
29 end of each strap remains mounted to the standard binding.
3o As the closing lever 10 is put in place, it pulls the
31 spanning bar 11 down toward the binding, with a preselected
32 mechanical advantage, thereby tightening the straps
33 attached to the spanning bar 11 over the user's boot.
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34 The end of the tubular body 8 is formed with a
niche 9 which is engageble with the front clip 30 and acts
36 as fulcrum point to exert pressure on the spanning bar 11
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1 and straps for latching the end of the closing lever 10
2 remote from the niche 9 into the rear clip 20 thereby
3 securing the boot into the binding.
q. The closing lever 10 may need to be bent or
fabricated in a curve to accommodate the curvature, front
6 to back, of some standard bindings in order to allow the
7 closing lever 10 to engage both the frontclip 30 and rear
8 clip 20.
g The spanning bar 11 may have a plurality of holes
7 drilled to remove material to make the bar 11 lighter.
11 The location and number of holes are preselected to not
12 degrade the structural integrity of the spanning bar 11.
13 Figures 4, 5 and 6 show the detail of the front
14 clip generally designated 30. The front clip 30 is
fabricated of a generally box shaped niche locking bar
16 support 35 in which is mounted a niche locking bar 32. The
97 locking bar 32 is located to allow the tubular body 8 to be
18 inserted within the bar support 35 in a position whereby
19 the niche 9 engages the niche locking bar 32. An
adjustment slot 31 is fabricated in the side of the front
2~ clip 30 to allow the front clip 30 to be mounted on the
22 binding by means of a bolt and lock nut 33 and the niche
23 locking bar 32. The length and placement of the adjustment
24 slot 31 is selected to be compatible with most predrilled
holes in standard bindings. The slot 31 is elongated to
26 allow adjustment in the positioning of the front bracket to
27 accommodate shorter or longer standard bindings.
2g Figures 7 and 8 show the detail of the rear clip
29 generally designated 101. This rear latch arrangement 101
is assembled of a rear latch support 102 on which is
31 pivotally mounted a rear latch 104 by means of the rear
32 latch mounting bolt 109 and a lock nut 108. A rear latch
33 spring 103 is incorporated within the rear latch 104 and
34 mounted on the rear latch mounting bolt 109 to urge the
rear latch 104 to a closed position over the closing lever
36 10. The rear latch mounting bracket may be mounted to the
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1 binding with a single rear latch support mounting bolt 106.
2' To prevent twisting, a.lock washer 107 may be mounted on
3 the bolt 106, secured to the binding by lock nut 112. A
4 further aid to prevent twisting is to use a rear latch
mounting bracket 105 which wraps around the rear latch
s support 102. The mounting bracket 105 is fabricated of
7 plastic to better engage the locking washer 107. The
8 mounting of the rear latch arrangement 101 is with the
9 latch 104 hook toward the binding. The hook 104 is formed
1o with a sloping face 110 which pushes back the hook 104
11 against the spring 103 while the closing lever 10 is pushed
12 down the sloping face 110 to allow the closing lever 10 to
13 be engaged within the rear latch arrangement 101 when the
14 spring 103 urges the rear latch 104 closed over the closing
lever 10.
16 Another embodiment of the rear latch generally
17 designated 20 is illustrated in Figures 9, 10 and 11. The
Z8 rear latch 20 is fabricated of a generally box shaped latch
19 support 24 within which the latch 23 is spring 25 loaded by
2o assembling the latch 23 and spring 25 within the latch
21 support 24 with a spring mount bolt 27. The spring
22 mounting allows the latch 23 to move rearward toward the
23 rear bracket 21 when the closing lever 10 is pushed down
24 the sloping face 26 until the closing lever 10 is engaged
within the latch 23. Simple pressure by the user on the
28 sloping face 26 moves the latch 23 rearward enough to
27 release the closing lever 10 from the latch 23.
28 The spring mount bolt 27 also mounts the latch
29. support 24 to the rear bracket 21 with a lack nut to allow
vertical positioning of the latch 23 . The rear bracket 21
31 is formed with an adjustment slot 22 to accommodate
32 mounting of the rear bracket 21 to the user's binding by
33 any available predrilled holes formed in the binding.
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34 As the usefulness of this invention becomes
apparent, some binding manufacturers may form the front and
36 rear of the binding to accept the front clip 30 and rear
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DOCKET PAAPP~ ~3S3 PAGE
ht b this invention withou~~~~~ ~d~
1 clip 20 as taug y
2 rear bracket 21. ~~S 2 0 MAR 1998
g The latch 23 may accommodate the mounting of a
4 safety lock 28 with mounting screw 29. Once the closing
lever 10 is engaged within the latch 23, the safety lock 28
s may be turned vertical to securely hold the closing lever
7 10 within the latch 23 until the safety lock 28 is rotated
8 to a position to allow the disengagement of the closing
9 lever 10 from the latch 23. This safety lock 28
1o arrangement avoids any uncontrolled or accidental release
11 of the user's boot from the binding should the face 26 be
12 inadvertently pushed rearward enough to disengage the
13 closing lever 10 from the latch 23.
In another embodiment not shown, a cable release
may be incorporated whereby one end of the cable is
attached to the face 26 of the latch, the other end of the
t7 cable being accessible for the user to pull thereby moving
~s the face 26 of the latch to a position to release the
1a closing lever 10 from the latch.
2o Since certain changes may be made in the above
21 apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention
22 herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained
23 in the above description, as shown in the accompanying
24 drawings, shall be interpreted in an illustrative, and not
a limiting sense.
AMEND~D SH~~fi
