Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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"DUAL-ACTION BUCKLE"
SPECIFICATION
The co-pending United States application Serial Number 08/788,775 filed
January 24,
1997 and entitled "Snowboard Boot Ankle Support Device", Jeff Waldo Sand and
Erik Anderson
inventors, is incorporated by reference in this application.
s The co-pending international patent application number PCT/US98/00336 filed
January 15, 1998 and entitled "Improved Snowboard Boot Ankle Support
Assembly", Jeff Waldo
Sand and Ted Barber inventors, is also incorporated by reference in this
application.
The invention relates generally to a securing device for a sport boot, and
particularly
to to a securing device for a soft-type snowboard boot having an integrated
highback support for
setting the forward lean of the boot and a strap for securing the user's foot
in the boot.
Several types of sport boots require a rear support structure which acts to
provide
resistance to the leg or foot in certain desired directions, thus allowing a
more effective transfer
is of forces from the body to the attached sports equipment such as a
snowboard, an in-line skate or
a ski. When the user is resting, however, the resistance provided by the boot
may cause
discomfort.
In the case of soft-type snowboard boots adapted for use with a step-in
binding system,
the highback support, which is critical for controlling a snowboard, may be
integrated within the
zo construction of this type of boot. When the rider leans back against the
highback, the toe is pulled
upwards, thus tipping the board onto its heelside edge. However, the angle of
the highback that
is required to provide adequate control while snowboarding {typically in the
range of 10-30
degrees) also makes walking uncomfortable and difficult.
Also, it is necessary to firmly hold the foot in the boot so that the forces
employed by
zs the user are effectively transmitted through the boot structure into the
sport equipment so as to give
the user a fine degree of control over his/her equipment. One of the devices
employed in this
regard is an instep strap, which closes over the top of the foot just below
the ankle and helps keep
the user's foot firmly located in the boot during maneuvering actions.
However, the degree of
i
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tightening necessary to sufficiently secure the foot can be uncomfortable when
walking or during
non-active periods.
Due to the possible discomfort, it is desirable to be able to (1) release both
the rear
support structure (i.e., the highback) and the instep strap during walking ar
periods of rest and
s then (2) reapply the desired settings quickly and efficiently when needed.
We have found that the
simplest way to achieve this is to employ a single mechanism which both
tightens and locks the
instep strap and pulls the highback into position.
U.S. Patent 4,706,393 issued to Marxer discloses a dual functionality buckle
which
retracts two cables that tighten two separate sections of the boot (in this
case, across the metatarsal
to and at the instep): However, this device is limited in the amount of cable
which is retracted when
the buckle is closed, and therefore this device would have to be substantially
larger (that is, the
distance from the buckle fulcrum axis to the cable fulcrum axis would have to
be much longer) in
order to retract sufficient cable to engage and completely disengage an
integral high back on a
sport boot. Secondly, this device pulls the two cables in the same direction,
and it would be
is difficult to employ this design for the discussed application as the two
tensioning directions (i.e.,
one tensioning direction for the instep strap and one tensional direction for
the high back) are
positioned at widely separated angles to each other. Third, the Marxer design
has no provision for
closing the buckle without employing the tensioning actions. Thus, the buckle
must remain open
in order for the tensioning to be deactivated, thereby exposing the buckle to
possible damage from
2o striking other objects while walking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a dual action buckle for a sport boot which
employs
both a cable tightening action and a strap tensioning action to tighten two
separate portions of the
sport boot. Thus, the boot may be tightened around the foot and/or particular
functionalities of the
2s boot may be engaged to a preset condition with one simple buckle fastening
action. During rest
periods when the applied tightening and/or functionalities are not needed,
they may be deactivated
with one simple buckle unfastening action, giving relief to the foot, for
greater ease in walking,
resting, etc. The dual action buckle of the present invention includes a cable
tightening mechanism
having a lever and a pulley. The pulley acts to double the cable retraction
action of the lever. This
3o allows the mechanism to be made much smaller than would otherwise be the
case.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the dual-action buckle is
adapted
to provide tensioning/untensioning to the instep strap and highback support of
a soft-type
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snowboard boot. It is understood that the dual action buckle of the present
invention may also be
incorporated into other types of sport boots, including but not limited to ski
boots, in-line skate
boots, and snow shoes.
Methods and apparatus which incorporate the features described above and which
are
s effective to function as described above constitute specific objects of this
invention.
Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the
following
description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which
by way of
illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the
principles thereof and
what are now considered to be the best modes contemplated for applying these
principles. Other
to embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles
may be used and
structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without
departing from the
present invention and the purview of the appended claims.
FIEF DES RiPTION OF DRAWING VIEWS
Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a soft-type snowboard boot having an
internal
~ s highback reinforcement and which is shown equipped with the dual action
buckle of the present
invention.
Fig. lA is a side elevation view similar to Fig.l in partial cut away exposing
the
internal highback support that lays beneath the exterior boot upper.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the dual action buckle in a fully open
position.
2o Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the dual action buckle in a partially
closed position.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the dual action buckle in the fully closed
position.
Fig. S is a perspective view of the dual action buckle in a fully open
position showing
the secondary lever raised upward from the surface of the frame to permit
disengagement from
the cable (not shown).
2s Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2 and illustrating an
alternate embodiment
of the present invention.
The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of
example, not by
way of limitation of the principles of the invention. This description will
clearly enable one skilled
3o in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several
embodiments, adaptations,
variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what we
presently believe is the best
mode of carrying out the invention.
3
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The sport boot 10 shown in Figs. 1 and lA consists, in a manner understood by
those
experienced in the art, of an upper 12 having an integral highback 14 with a
cable housing 16
fixedly mounted thereto, through which passes a cable 18. The highback 14 is
disposed internally
of the visible outer boot portion or upper 12 and the cable housing 16 and
cable 18 for tensioning
s the high back 14 are also preferably routed internally of the boot exterior
12. The path of the cable
18 though (i.e., underneath the exterior portion of upper 12) the boot 10 is
shown in phantom.
Although not shown, one end of the cable 18 is fixedly attached to one side of
the boot upper 12
(preferably the medial or instep side of the boot opposite the buckle
mechanism 20 ) and enters
a dual action buckle mechanism 20 on the other side of the boot 10 such as the
lateral side of the
to boot as shown. Also on the boot I O is an instep strap 22 (see Figs. 2-5),
which attaches at one end
to a conventional adjustable receptor (not shown) and at the other to the dual
action buckle
mechanism 20 mentioned above by an instep strap tensioning member 23. Closure
of the buckle
mechanism 20 both draws the cable 18 into itself pulling the highback 14
forward into a riding
position (i.e., in a direction towards the toe cap portion 24 of the boot I0),
and simultaneously
t s tightens the instep strap 22 to firmly hold the rider's foot against the
boot sole.
As is best seen in Figs. 2-5, the dual action buckle mechanism 20 of the
present
invention comprises a primary lever arm 26 pivotally mounted on a frame 28 by
an axle or cross
pin 30. A secondary lever arm 32 is pivotally mounted to the primary lever 26,
also using an axle
or cross pin 34, the centerline of which is a distance L1 from the centerline
of the first axle 30.
2o The opposite or free end 36 of the secondary lever 32 is able to slide
along the upper surface 38
of the frame 28, which end 36 is normally held against the upper surface 38 of
the frame 28 by
means of a biasing spring 40 (see Fig. 5). The highback tensioning cable 18
travels downward
from the highback 14, crosses beneath the buckle frame 28 and is directed
through a passageway
or hole 29 formed in the frame 28, around a pulley 42 then across the top or
upper sliding surface
2s 38 of the frame 28, crossing the path of the sliding end 36 of the
secondary lever 32, and finally
terminates into a cylindrical slug 44 which is pivotally held in a clip 46
formed in the other side
of frame 28 (i.e., on the side of the frame opposite the pulley 42). The free
end 36 of secondary
lever 32 has a leading edge that is formed into a shovelling flange 48 which
acts to engage and
pick up the cable 18 and bring it towards the far end 49 of the frame 28. The
shovelling flange 48
3o is formed in such a way to cradle the cable 18 like a pulley wheel and
thereby permit the cable 18
to slide along the cradle surface of the shovelling flange 48.
By closing the primary lever 26, the shovelling flange 48 of free end 36 of
the
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secondary lever 32 over which the cable 18 slides is forced away from the
pivoting axis 30 of the
primary lever 26, thus drawing into the mechanism a length of cable
approximately equal to twice
the distance travelled by the end 36 of the secondary lever 32. The secondary
lever 32 may be
disengaged from the cable 18, so that the buckle 20 may be closed without
activating the forward
lean function of the boot (i.e., without tensioning the highback
reinforcement). The buckle 20 is
opened and closed by moving the primary sever as indicated by directional
arrow A.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frame 28 is
secured
to the boot upper 12 by means of a primary rivet 50. It is understood that the
frame 28 may also
be removably or fixedly secured to the boot upper in other ways customary to
the snowboard boot
to industry. In addition, the frame 28 may be formed integral with portions of
the boot upper
material. This is especially advantageous in the case where portions of the
boot upper are
constructed from strong therlnoformable plastic materials.
The instep strap tensioning member 23 has one end pivotally connected to the
primary
lever 26 at pivot axis 34 and has a secondary rivet 23a or similar fastener
connection at its other
is end. The instep strap 22, in turn, is attached to the secondary rivet 23a.
As noted above, the
opposite end of the instep strap 22 is held in a receptor (not shown) on the
opposite side of the boot
10. When the primary lever 26 is closed, this member (i.e., instep strap 22)
is tensioned, and the
tension vector in the preferred embodiment passes between the centerline of
the primary rivet 50
and the frame 28, thus ensuring an over-center condition which holds the
buckle 20 closed against
2o the boot 10.
As is best seen in Figs. 3 and 5, there is a spring loaded hook member 52
attached at
the free end of the primary lever 26 which engages a tab 54 formed on the far
end 49 of the frame
28. In use, the hook member 52 is biased by its spring to lock the primary
lever 26 closed against
the frame 28. When the buckle is closed a cam surface 53 formed into the end
of the hook member
2s 52 slides on the tab 54, opening the hook member 52 until it engages the
tab 54. This action
positively locks the primary lever 26 closed against the frame 28. A forger
tab 56 formed into the
hook member 52 is provided to allow the hook member 52 to be unlocked from the
frame 28.
Lifting upwards on this tab 56 counters the closing force of the spring loaded
hook member 52 and
pulls the hook member away from engagement with the tab 54 while also pulling
upwards on the
3o primary lever 26, thus opening the buckle 20. The opening and closing
motion of the spring
loaded hook member 52 is indicated by directional arrow B.
Fig. 6 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention, wherein the free
end of the
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primary lever 26 is formed with rigid hook end 58 that includes a nub or
projection 60. The nub
60 is effective to overlap and engage the tab 54 when the primary lever 26 is
moved into the fully
closed position. The locking engagement of the nub 60 with the tab 54 is
overcome by a moderate
level of upward pulling or prying force applied by the user to the rigid hook
end 58 of the primary
lever 26.
It should be understood that various modifications within the scope of this
invention
can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the
spirit thereof. For
example, while the embodiments shown and described herein illustrate a dual
action buckle for
releasably tensioning an instep strap and a highback portion of a soft-type
snowboard boot, it
io should be understood that the dual action buckle could be adapted to
provide simultaneously
releasable tensioning to other portions of the snowboard bootas well as other
types of sport boots
in general, such as in-Iine skate boots, ski boots, snow shoes, etc. Further,
while the flexible
tensioning members disclosed and particularly described herein include an
instep strap and a cable,
other flexible tensioning members and/or tightening force transfer members may
be use with good
t s results, including but not limited to wire, rope, etc. We therefore wish
our invention to be defined
by the scope of the appended claims as broadly as the prior art will permit,
and in view of the
specification if need be.
