An apparatus for automatically adjusting tension on retention member to hold multiple objects together. Examples include using retention apparatus to obtain optimal fit and use of a human wearable item such as article of footwear. Sensors may be used to sense changes in movement of the article of footwear, of the person wearing it, or of a third object such as a vehicle carrying the person. A retention member may surround at least a portion of the objects, and an actuator may be included that automatically rotates a rotating member such as a gear or pulley that may be coupled to the retention member. The rotating member may be configured to automatically adjust tension on the retention member many times per second based on control signals from control logic responsive to the sensors.

The present invention relates to a set of coupling assemblies comprising a right coupling assembly and a left coupling assembly being configured to be mounted on aboard for board sports and to receive respectively a right boot and a left boot, wherein the right and left coupling assembly comprise an inner receiving unit and outer receiving unit, wherein each inner receiving unit comprises a locking arm which is pivotable about a main inner pivot axis from a locked position to a released position and vice versa, wherein each inner receiving unit comprises a pull mechanism comprising:—at least one elongate interlink member which extends between the two inner receiving units, and—a link pull member configured to engage the boot or the inner boot coupling part and to receive a pull force from the boot or boot coupling part when the boot or boot coupling part is no longer held by the coupling assembly and moves away from the coupling assembly, and to be pulled over a pull distance by said boot or by the boot coupling part, wherein the pull mechanism is configured to transfer the pull force and the pull distance to the at least one elongate interlink member, and to convert the pull distance in an interlink pull distance of the elongate interlink member, and wherein said interlink pull distance pivots the locking arm of the other coupling assembly from the locking position to the released position, thereby releasing the other boot.

Provided herein are various embodiments for a boot for releasable engagement with a binding having a downwardly facing ledge and a toe strap. The boot preferably contains a sole, a toe portion, and a heel portion. The boot preferably also contains a heel retaining device extending rearwardly from the heel portion of the boot and having an upwardly facing engagement surface at the top of the device which engages with the downwardly facing ledge of the binding to prevent vertical movement of the boot relative to the binding while allowing forward horizontal movement of the boot relative to the binding.

A reconfigurable wakesurf binding apparatus and system is provided. In certain embodiments, the wakesurf binding may comprise a top surface of a wakesurf board having a longitudinal axis, a first pair of female threaded inserts in the top surface aligned along a first axis angularly offset from the longitudinal axis of the wakesurf board by a first offset angle, a first strap having a first end comprising a first matrix of holes therethrough, a second end comprising a second matrix of holes therethrough, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the first strap is configured to be removably interconnected with the first pair of female threaded inserts with its longitudinal axis at an angle offset from the first axis, a second pair of female threaded inserts in the top surface aligned along the longitudinal axis of the wakesurf board, and a second strap having a first end comprising a first matrix of holes therethrough, a second end comprising a second matrix of holes therethrough, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the second strap is configured to be removably interconnected with the second pair of female threaded inserts with its longitudinal axis at an angle offset from the longitudinal axis of the wakesurf board.

An apparatus for automatically adjusting tension on retention member to hold multiple objects together. Examples include using retention apparatus to obtain optimal fit and use of a human wearable item such as article of footwear. Sensors may be used to sense changes in movement of the article of footwear, of the person wearing it, or of a third object such as a vehicle carrying the person. A retention member may surround at least a portion of the objects, and an actuator may be included that automatically rotates a rotating member such as a gear or pulley that may be coupled to the retention member. The rotating member may be configured to automatically adjust tension on the retention member many times per second based on control signals from control logic responsive to the sensors.

The present invention relates to a set of coupling assemblies comprising a right coupling assembly and a left coupling assembly being configured to be mounted on aboard for board sports and to receive respectively a right boot and a left boot, wherein the right and left coupling assembly comprise an inner receiving unit and outer receiving unit, wherein each inner receiving unit comprises a locking arm which is pivotable about a main inner pivot axis from a locked position to a released position and vice versa, wherein each inner receiving unit comprises a pull mechanism comprising:—at least one elongate interlink member which extends between the two inner receiving units, and—a link pull member configured to engage the boot or the inner boot coupling part and to receive a pull force from the boot or boot coupling part when the boot or boot coupling part is no longer held by the coupling assembly and moves away from the coupling assembly, and to be pulled over a pull distance by said boot or by the boot coupling part, wherein the pull mechanism is configured to transfer the pull force and the pull distance to the at least one elongate interlink member, and to convert the pull distance in an interlink pull distance of the elongate interlink member, and wherein said interlink pull distance pivots the locking arm of the other coupling assembly from the locking position to the released position, thereby releasing the other boot.

An apparatus for automatically adjusting tension on retention member to hold multiple objects together. Examples include using retention apparatus to obtain optimal fit and use of a human wearable item such as article of footwear. Sensors may be used to sense changes in movement of the article of footwear, of the person wearing it, or of a third object such as a vehicle carrying the person. A retention member may surround at least a portion of the objects, and an actuator may be included that automatically rotates a rotating member such as a gear or pulley that may be coupled to the retention member. The rotating member may be configured to automatically adjust tension on the retention member many times per second based on control signals from control logic responsive to the sensors.

The present invention relates to a set of coupling assemblies comprising a right coupling assembly and a left coupling assembly being configured to be mounted on aboard for board sports and to receive respectively a right boot and a left boot, wherein the right and left coupling assembly comprise an inner receiving unit and outer receiving unit, wherein each inner receiving unit comprises a locking arm which is pivotable about a main inner pivot axis from a locked position to a released position and vice versa, wherein each inner receiving unit comprises a pull mechanism comprising:—at least one elongate interlink member which extends between the two inner receiving units, and—a link pull member configured to engage the boot or the inner boot coupling part and to receive a pull force from the boot or boot coupling part when the boot or boot coupling part is no longer held by the coupling assembly and moves away from the coupling assembly, and to be pulled over a pull distance by said boot or by the boot coupling part, wherein the pull mechanism is configured to transfer the pull force and the pull distance to the at least one elongate interlink member, and to convert the pull distance in an interlink pull distance of the elongate interlink member, and wherein said interlink pull distance pivots the locking arm of the other coupling assembly from the locking position to the released position, thereby releasing the other boot.

A release mechanism is provided for releasably connecting a strap to sports equipment. The strap is secured at a first end to the sports equipment and at a second end to the release mechanism. The release mechanism has a fastening part releasably connected to an engagement element. The engagement element interacts with a fastening part bail element that is pivotable about a pivot axle between a release position and an engaged position with the engagement element. The bail element can be secured in the engaged position by a securing element. The securing element and bail element are secured to the fastening part such that the distance between the pivot axle of the bail element and the securing element changes when a tensile load is applied to the bail element. The securing element releases the bail element when a defined release tensile force is exerted on the bail element.

An apparatus for automatically adjusting tension on retention member to hold multiple objects together. Examples include using retention apparatus to obtain optimal fit and use of a human wearable item such as article of footwear. Sensors may be used to sense changes in movement of the article of footwear, of the person wearing it, or of a third object such as a vehicle carrying the person. A retention member may surround at least a portion of the objects, and an actuator may be included that automatically rotates a rotating member such as a gear or pulley that may be coupled to the retention member. The rotating member may be configured to automatically adjust tension on the retention member many times per second based on control signals from control logic responsive to the sensors.