Snowboard binding and snowboard

Abstract

The invention concerns a snowboard binding (1) comprising a snowboard anchor element (2) and a boot anchor element (3); at least one pivot mechanism (4) pivotally coupling the snowboard anchor element (2) and the boot anchor element (3) to allow pivoting of the boot anchor element (3) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (2). It also concerns a snowboard adapted for this binding.

Claims

1. A snowboard binding (1) comprising: a snowboard anchor element (2) and a boot anchor element (3); at least one pivot mechanism (4) pivotally coupling the snowboard anchor element (2) and the boot anchor element (3) to allow pivoting of the boot anchor element (3) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (2), wherein the at least one pivot mechanism comprises a pivot axis (X) allowing rotation of the boot anchor element (3) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (2) and the pivot axis (X) is arranged within the width of the binding.

2. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein said at least one pivot mechanism comprises at least one pivot (19, 20) and/or at least one sliding guide (22a, 22b).

3. The snowboard binding of claim 2, wherein said at least one sliding guide (22a, 22b) has a complementary shape with at least one protruding element (21a, 21b).

4. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein said at least one pivot mechanism pivotally couples the snowboard anchor element (2) and the boot anchor element (3) at their respective front (10, 12) and/or rear portions (11, 13).

5. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis (X) is arranged at a distance from a bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2).

6. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis (X) is arranged close to the rider's ankle height and along the direction of the rider's foot.

7. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis (X) is parallel or slightly inclined with respect to the bottom of the binding, the pivot axis (X) is parallel or slightly inclined with respect to the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2), in the direction the foot is pointing.

8. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis (X) passes through the front and/or rear portions (10, 11; 12, 13) of at least one of, or both, the snowboard anchor element (2) and the boot anchor element (3).

9. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein the at least one pivot mechanism comprises at least one pivot (19) arranged substantially at the front portion (12) of the snowboard anchor element, said pivot passing through at least one hole formed on the front portion (12) of the snowboard anchor element (2), and/or at least one pivot (20) arranged substantially at the rear portion (13) of the snowboard anchor element, said pivot passing through at least one hole formed on the rear portion (13) of the of the snowboard anchor element (2).

10. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein the at least one pivot mechanism comprises at least a pivot (19) arranged substantially at the front portion (10) of the boot anchor element (3), said pivot passing through at least one hole formed on the front portion (10) of the boot anchor element (3) and/or at least a pivot (20) arranged substantially at the rear portion (11) of the boot anchor element (3), said pivot passing through at least one hole formed on the rear portion (11) of the boot anchor element (3).

11. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein said at least one pivot mechanism comprises one pivot (20) and at least one sliding guide (22b).

12. The snowboard binding of claim 11, wherein said one pivot (20) is arranged substantially at the rear portion (13) of the snowboard anchor element (2), said pivot passes through at least one hole formed on the rear portion (13) of the snowboard anchor element (2), and said at least one sliding guide (22b) interacts with an at least one protruding element (21b), transversally protruding from the outer surface of the bottom plate (7) of the boot anchor element (3), to allow a pivot coupling between the boot anchor element (3) and the snowboard anchor element (2).

13. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis (X) is arranged within the width of the rider's foot.

14. The snowboard binding of claim 1, wherein said at least one pivot mechanism comprises at least two pivots (19, 20) suspending the boot anchor element (2) at its front and, respectively, rear portions (10, 11) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (3).

15. A snowboard (26) for attaching a binding, characterised by being formed as a board having a shape with a length and width such to allow the fixing of a pair of said binding on its upper surface (27) wherein said upper surface and a lower surface of the snowboard terminate in a tip (28) and/or a tail (29), said tip (28) and/or said tail (29) being bent upwards at an angle (a) comprised between 30° and 80° with respect to the upper surface (27) of the snowboard, wherein said bent tip or tail allows a rider to stably ride on said bent tip or tail while the board is at angles more than 30° with respect to a ground.

16. The snowboard of claim 15, wherein the length (L1) of said bent tip (28) and/or said bent tail (29) is comprised between 50 mm and 800 mm.

17. The snowboard of claim 15, wherein the ratio between length (L1) of each of said bent tip (28) and/or of said bent tail (29) with respect to the entire length (L) of the snowboard base (26) is comprised between 1/20th and ⅓.

18. The snowboard of claim 15 for attaching a binding comprising a snowboard anchor element (2) and a boot anchor element (3), and at least one pivot mechanism (4) pivotally coupling the snowboard anchor element (2) and the boot anchor element (3) to allow pivoting of the boot anchor element (3) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (2).

19. The snowboard of claim 15, including the snowboard binding of claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The structure and characteristics of the snowboard binding of the present invention will be more apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment thereof given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic perspective view of a possible embodiment of the snowboard binding according to the present invention wherein the boot anchor plate is not pivoted with respect to the snowboard anchor element;

(3) FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic perspective view of a possible embodiment of the snowboard binding according to the present invention wherein the boot anchor plate is pivoted with respect to the snowboard anchor element;

(4) FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective rear view of a possible embodiment of the snowboard binding according to the present invention;

(5) FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic perspective rear views of a possible embodiment of the snowboard binding of showing the binding from the bottom wall of the snowboard anchor element;

(6) FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a possible embodiment of the snowboard biding according to the present invention equipped with the binding straps and rear backing;

(7) FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a possible embodiment of the snowboard binding according to an aspect of the present invention showing the bottom plate of the boot anchor element equipped with the binding straps and rear backing;

(8) FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a further possible embodiment of the snowboard binding according to the present invention showing a snowboard binding equipped with binding straps and rear backing and having open extremities at the respective front portions of the boot anchor element and the snowboard anchor element;

(9) FIGS. 11 and 12 are a partial top view of the snowboard binding shown in FIG. 10 without the binding straps and rear backing;

(10) FIG. 13 shows the snowboard binding shown in FIG. 10 illustrating a cooperation of the element transversally protruding from the outer surface of the bottom plate of the boot anchor element with the corresponding sliding guides of the snowboard anchor element;

(11) FIG. 14 is a partial bottom view of the snowboard binding shown in FIG. 10 exposing the outer surface of the bottom plate of the snowboard anchor element;

(12) FIG. 15 shows the snowboard binding shown in FIG. 10 without the binding straps and rear backing wherein the boot anchor element is inclined to show the inner surface of the bottom plate of the snowboard anchor element;

(13) FIG. 16 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the snowboard binding shown in FIG. 10;

(14) FIGS. 17 and 18 are schematic views of the snowboard of the present invention;

(15) FIG. 19 shows the binding according to the invention and the snowboard according to the invention in a possible stable riding position;

(16) FIG. 20 shows a rider using the binding according to the invention and the snowboard according to the invention in a possible stable riding position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(17) Described herein is a snowboard binding configured to secure a rider to a snowboard, which allows the rider to transfer torques and forces from his or her legs to the snowboard in order to control the snowboard and/or to provide comfortable riding stances. In addition, the snowboard binding of the present invention is configured to allow a snowboarder to transfer a variety of his or her leg/foot movements to the snowboard for the generation of a range of varying torque forces to the snowboard thereby providing a snowboarder with greater flexibility of his or her body with respect to the board.

(18) Accordingly, the snowboard binding of the present invention provides a mobility relative to the board and allows the rider to adjust his or her foot position relative to the snowboard because the binding is configured to pivot relative to the snowboard. This allows the rider to assume a comfortable riding stance.

(19) FIGS. 1-9 show a possible embodiment of the snowboard binding of the present invention. The illustrated snowboard binding (1) (also referred to herein as the binding) comprises a snowboard anchor element (2), a boot anchor element (3) and two pivots (19, 20).

(20) The snowboard anchor element (2) is pivotally connected to the boot anchor element (3) by means of the pivot mechanisms comprising two pivots or pivot (rotational) joints (19, 20). This arrangement of the binding (1) allows pivoting or tilting of the boot anchor element (3) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (2), as for example shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 9.

(21) In particular, the snowboard anchor element (2) and the boot anchor element (3) are pivotally connected at their respective front and rear portions (10, 11, 12, 13) by means of the two pivots, i.e., two pivoting joints used as pivot mechanisms.

(22) In particular, the illustrated snowboard binding (1) comprises a pivot mechanism including two pivots (19, 20). The pivot axis of said mechanism passes through holes in the respective front portions (10, 12) of the snowboard anchor element (2) and boot anchor element (3) as well as through holes in the respective rear portions (11, 13) of the snowboard anchor element (2) and boot anchor element (3).

(23) This arrangement of the two pivots (19, 20) in the snowboard binding of the present invention allow suspension of the boot anchor element (3) at two pivot points (19, 20), i.e. at its front (10, 12) and rear portions (11, 13) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (2).

(24) According to a possible embodiment, as for example shown in the attached figures, the snowboard anchor element (2) comprises a bottom plate (14) and two side walls (15) in the longitudinal direction of the snowboard anchor element (12). The boot anchor element (3) is formed by a bottom plate (7), side walls (6) and a heel holder (6).

(25) The bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2) has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface refers to the surface that faces toward the bottom plate (7) of the boot anchor element (3), while the outer surface of the bottom plate (14) indicates the surface that faces toward the snowboard once the snowboard binding is attached thereto.

(26) The bottom plate (7) of the boot anchor element (3) has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface indicates the surface on which the user's boot will rest, while the outer surface indicates the surface of the bottom plate (7) that faces toward the inner surface of the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2).

(27) According to an embodiment, as for example shown in the illustrated embodiment, the pivot (20), and thus also its rotation axis X, passes through a hole formed in the rear portion (11) of the boot anchor element (3) thus the snowboard binding (1) has a pivot (20) which is located at the height, or close to the height, of the ankle of the rider with a horizontal axis of rotation in the direction of the foot is pointing.

(28) Both the snowboard anchor element (2) and the boot anchor element (3) are made preferably from a strong plastic or light metal and comprise recesses in order to reduce the weight of the binding.

(29) The two pivot mechanisms (4), including two pivots (19, 20), comprise a pivot axis (X) allowing rotation or tilting of the boot anchor element (3) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (2). The pivot or rotation axis (X) is arranged at a distance from the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard element (2) that allows the tilting/swinging, preferably a free tilting/swinging, of the boot anchor element (3) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (2), preferably above the edge of the side walls (15) of the snowboard anchor plate (2).

(30) In the embodiment shown in the FIGS. 1-9, the pivot axis (X) connects the through holes formed on the front and rear portions (10, 11, 12, 13) of the respective snowboard anchor element (2) and boot anchor element (3).

(31) The illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1-9 shows that each pivot mechanism (4) is formed by a pivot comprising a shaft or pin and a nut. Other types of pivots are equally suitable for obtaining the same result. One or more bearing(s), preferably ball bearing(s), can be provided at the pivot.

(32) The shaft is inserted into the respective through-holes formed on the front and rear portions (10, 12, 11, 13) of both the snowboard anchor element (2) and boot anchor element (3) and obtaining thereby two pivoting points, i.e., pivots (19, 20), one connecting the respective front portions (10, 12) and another connecting the respective rear portions (11, 13) of the snowboard anchor element (2) and boot anchor element (3) as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The shafts are fixed by nuts in the two pivoting points (19, 20).

(33) The pivot axis (X) is preferably parallel but may be slightly inclined with respect to the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2). The inclination of the pivot axis with respect to the bottom plate of the snowboard anchor element may be up to 5° but is preferred to be less than 3°.

(34) Since the snowboarder is supported by the pivoting boot anchor element (3), which is pivotally joined at its front and rear portions (10, 11) to the respective front and rear portions (12, 13) of the snowboard anchor element (2), the rotational freedom provided by the two rotational joints, i.e., pivots, allows the snowboarder to generate new flexibility that enhances the snowboarder's ability to achieve new body positions and perform new tricks. In addition, this pivoting arrangement of the snowboard binding of the present invention, thus providing a swivelling/tilting of the rider's foot, is less tiring and less stressful on the legs over a long day of riding as well as while sitting on ski lifts.

(35) In the illustrated embodiment, both the snowboard anchor element (2) and the boot anchor element (3) have a substantially cage-like shape or are substantially shell-shaped. Accordingly, the snowboard and boot anchor elements (2, 3) have an open work structure having a hollow or concave shape.

(36) FIGS. 2-5 show the snowboard binding (1) wherein the outer surface of the bottom plate (7) of the boot anchor element (3), which is facing toward the inner surface of the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2), is provided with two transversally protruding elements (21a, 21b) that can be engaged respectively with a sliding guide (22a, 22b) provided transversally on the inner surface of the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2). Advantageously, each of the sliding guides (22a, 22b) has a complementary shape with the respective protruding element (21a, 21b) and is arranged transversally on the inner surface of the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2) in a manner that each protruding element (21a, 21b) can slide in the respective sliding guide (22a, 22b) during pivoting of the boot anchor element (2) around the pivot axis (X).

(37) According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9, the sliding guide (22a, 22b), formed on the inner surface of the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (3), has the shape of a channel, i.e. it has a bottom wall and two side walls which form a cavity wherein the protruding element (21a, 21b) of the boot anchor element (2) can freely slide due to its complementary shape. Thereby the sliding guide (22a, 22b) controls the direction of the movement of the boot anchor element (2) with respect to the snowboard anchor element (3).

(38) The snowboard binding of the present invention is mounted to the snowboard (not illustrated) by means of using mechanical fasteners, such as bolts, screws, etc. In detail, according to an embodiment, the snowboard anchor element (2) is fastened to the snowboard by means of an angle set plate (16) provided with holes or slots (17) through which screws or bolts are driven into the snowboard, as is standard practice.

(39) According to an embodiment, as for example illustrated in the figures, the angle set plate (16) is connected to the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor plate (2) by means of elastic elements (18), e.g., by springs. In the illustrated embodiment, FIGS. 1-9 show the snowboard binding wherein the angle set plate (16) is accommodated in the plane of the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2). This arrangement of the snowboard binding (1) of the present invention allows a limited rotation of the snowboard binding (1) about a vertical axis passing through the centre point of the angle set plate (16). This kind of rotation of the snowboard binding also contributes to further enhancement of the snowboarder's comfort during riding.

(40) Advantageously, in order to better exploit the above-said rotation of the snowboard anchor plate (2), the vertical axis of the angle set plate (16) may pass through the middle of the rider's foot accommodated in the boot anchor element (3).

(41) FIGS. 1-7 illustrate some connecting apertures (8, 9) on the boot anchor element (3), particularly on the heel holder (5) and on the side walls (6). These apertures serve for inserting fastening means or binding straps (23) for the boot and rear backing (24) into the boot anchor element (3) as for example shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Any fastening means can be used in addition or in place of binding straps, such as binding, laces, clips, etc.

(42) A further embodiment is illustrated for example in FIGS. 10-16, wherein the snowboard binding comprises one pivot (20) and two sliding guides (21a, 22b) operating as pivot mechanisms.

(43) Said one pivot (20) passes through at least one hole formed on the rear portion (13) of the snowboard anchor element (2) and on the rear portion (11) of the boot anchor element (3) to allow a pivot coupling between the boot anchor element (3) and the snowboard anchor element (2).

(44) Said sliding guides (21a, 21b) are provided transversally on the inner surface of the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2). Each of said sliding guides cooperates with a corresponding element (22a, 22b) transversally protruding from the outer surface of the bottom plate (7) of the boot anchor element (3) in order to allow lateral sliding movement, along a curved surface (thus providing a pivot couplings about the pivot axis X) of the boot anchor element (3) over the snowboard anchor element (2).

(45) In the embodiment represented in FIGS. 10-16 one of said two guides (22a) is arranged on the rear portion (13) of the inner surface of the bottom wall (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2) and, accordingly, the corresponding element (21a) transversally protruding from the outer surface of the bottom wall (7) of the boot anchor element (3) is located at the rear portion (11) of said boot anchor element (3) in a manner that said transversally protruding element (21a) of the boot anchor element (3) is allowed to slide in said sliding guide (22a) and provide thereby a pivoting movement of the snowboard binding around the pivot axis (X).

(46) As shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, according to an embodiment, the other sliding guide (22b) is provided at the front portion (12) of the inner surface of the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2) and, accordingly, the corresponding elements (21b) transversally protruding from the outer surface of the bottom plate (7) of the boot anchor element (3) are located at the front portion (10) of the boot anchor element (3). Analogously to the transversally protruding element (22a), also the other transversally protruding element (21b) is arranged in such a manner to be able to cooperate with the corresponding sliding guide (22b) and to provide a pivoting movement to the snowboard binding around the pivot axis (X).

(47) Each of said protruding elements (21a, 21b) has a shape complementary to the shape of the corresponding sliding guide (22a, 22b).

(48) FIGS. 10, 13, 14 and 16 show the snowboard binding according to said further embodiment, which is equipped with binding straps (23) and rear backing (24).

(49) FIGS. 11 and 12 show a partial top view of the snowboard binding of FIG. 10 without binding straps (23) and rear backing (24), wherein the internal surface of the bottom plate of the boot anchor element (3) is exposed. FIGS. 11 and 12 show that the substantially cage-like shape or substantially shell shape of both the snowboard anchor element (2) and the boot anchor element (3) is open at their front portions (10, 12) where the sliding guide (21b) is located. This “open” shape of the front portion (25, 30) of the bottom plate (7, 14) of both the boot anchor element (3) and the snowboard anchor element (2) allows to adapt the snowboard binding to different sizes of boots.

(50) Furthermore, FIGS. 11, 12 and 15 show the internal surface of the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2) of the binding according to this further embodiment, wherein the bottom plate (14) of the snowboard anchor element (2) is provided with an angle set plate (16) which is connected to the snowboard anchor element (2) by means of an elastomer material.

(51) A further aspect of the present invention is a snowboard (26) which is particularly suitable for the snowboard binding of the present invention in order to further improve fun and entertainment of the rider.

(52) The snowboard (26) of the present invention is shown in a perspective view in FIG. 17 and has a longitudinal shape with a length and width such to allow the fixing of a pair of said snowboard binding, preferably snowboard binding of the present invention, on its longitudinal upper surface (27).

(53) Said longitudinal upper surface (27) of the snowboard (26) terminates in a tip (28) and a tail (29), which are upwards bent at an angle α comprised between 30° and 80° with respect to said upper longitudinal surface (27) of the snowboard (26). FIG. 18 shows the high grade of bending of the tip and tail with respect to the upper surface of the snowboard.

(54) It has to be noted that the wording “longitudinal upper surface terminates in a tip (28) and/or a tail (29)” is used herein to indicate that the snowboard base comprises a tip and/or a tail that can be made in one piece with the snowboard base or can be a separate portion that is constrained to the snowboard base.

(55) As already mentioned above, it is possible for only the tip or only the tail to be bent upwards, while the other side may resemble a traditional snowboard.

(56) In particular, it has to be noted that even if in FIG. 17-18 a snowboard having both a bent tip (28) and a bent tail (29) is shown, according to the invention are also possible embodiments wherein the snowboard has only a bent tip and only a bent tail having bending angle and lengths disclosed herein.

(57) With the tilting of the binding and the bent sections on the tip and tail of the board, the rider is able to ride stably on the tip or tail of the board while the board is at extreme angles (more than 30°) respect to the ground.

(58) FIG. 19 shows the binding according to the invention and the snowboard according to the invention in a possible use position wherein the rider is able to ride stably on the tail (29) of the board. Also FIG. 20 shows a rider using the binding according to the invention and the snowboard according to the invention having only a bent tail 29 according to the invention and a standard tip in a possible ride position wherein the rider is able to ride stably on the tail (29) of the board.

(59) In view of above, the snowboard according to the invention, preferably combined with the binding according to the invention, allows to reach riding positions that cannot be reach with known snowboard.

(60) For example, with standard snow board it is not possible to reach riding position, as the one shown in FIG. 19 and in FIG. 20, wherein the snowboard is stably riding on the bent tail portion while the board is at extreme angles (more than 30°) respect to the ground.

(61) Additionally, the combination with the binding according to the invention also allows that in the riding position on the tail or on the tip of the snowboard the bottom of the rider's foot reduce their inclination with respect to the ground (e.g. they can be arranged parallel or closely parallel with respect to the ground) due to the pivot (rotation) of the boot anchor portion with respect to the snowboard anchor element about the pivot (rotation axis) X of the binding.

(62) The ratio between the length L1 of each of said bent tip (28) and bent tail (29) with respect to the entire length (L) of the snowboard (26), that is corresponding to the length of the flat portion of the snowboard base, is comprised between 1/20 and ⅓. The advantages of the bindings described herein are numerous. The tilting action provided by the snowboard binding introduces a wide range of flexibility that enhances comfort of the rider during riding as well as while sitting on the ski lift. The flexibility allows also for a greater range of snowboarding tricks.

(63) According to different possible embodiments of the invention, the bent tip (28) and/or the bent tail (29) has a flat portion but it may also comprise a continual curve and in general a curved surface. In the case of a curve, or curved shape, the length L1 of the bent tip and/or bent tail portion is measured by a straight line (laying on a longitudinal cross-section plane of the snowboard), the straight line extending between the two extremities of the bent tail and the bent tip, (i.e. extending between the end of the snowboard flat base from which the tail and/or the tip is extending and the end of the bent tail and/or the bent tip).

(64) The binding for snowboard according to the present invention has standardised mounting system, therefore, it is compatible with the majority of boards. However, it may also be adapted to attach to boards with other mounting systems. Furthermore, the binding of the present invention does not require specific boots to ride.