US20040232657A1

US20040232657A1 - Center mounted snowboard binding

Info

Publication number: US20040232657A1
Application number: US10/440,733
Authority: US
Inventors: John Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-05-19
Filing date: 2003-05-19
Publication date: 2004-11-25

Abstract

A snowboard binding consists of a platform (11) approximately one-third of the length of a snowboard and the same width of a snowboard. The top surface of the platform accommodates today's convention snowboard bindings on its top surface at its two ends (10). The platform sits above the snowboard and has means for attachment to approximately the center of the snowboard.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to snowboard bindings used in winter snow sports. Snowboard bindings are devices which secure the snowboarder's feet to the snowboard.

2. Description of Prior Art

a. How does a Snowboard Turn?

There are two ways for a snowboard to turn: steering and carving. By steering, we simply swivel our feet and pivot the snowboard on snow to turn. In other word, turning by skidding on snow. Carving is to utilize the shape of the snowboard to turn. Carving is often preferred because you are using your equipment to do the turn instead of having your feet to muscle a turn. A curved turn is explained in the following paragraph.

The shape of a snowboard is like a very fat ski, lengthwise, it is widest at both ends and narrowest at the center (FIG. 1). Each side of the snowboard is the shape of a smooth parabolic profile known as the side cut. When the snowboard is set on its side (termed, set on its edge) against the ski slope, only points “A” and “B” will touch the snow because the middle of the snowboard, point “C” is narrower (FIG. 1). If we now put sufficient weight on about the middle portion of the snowboard, (“D” in FIG. 2), the snowboard will bend and the entire side of the snowboard will touch the snow imprinting a smooth arc which the snowboard turns along, this is so called a craved turn. (FIG. 2)

b. Prior Art

Today's snowboard riding stance is as shown in FIG. 3. The snowboard bindings are located on each side of the middle of the snowboard, one for each foot. The distance between the two bindings is approximately the shoulder width of the snowboard rider, or approximately one-third of the length of the snowboard. (FIG. 4)

As the weight of the snowboarder is now concentrated over two locations on the snowboard, when setting the snowboard on its edge, the portion of snowboard between the bindings will not bent. This lead to imprinting a flat bottom “U” shape curve on the snow (FIG. 4) and not a smooth arc as shown in FIG. 2 required for carving. In other words, pure carving cannot be achieved with today's snowboard binding setup.

Also, since the location of today's snowboarding bindings divide the board in approximately 3 portions, ⅓ from the tip of the snowboard to the first binding, ⅓ between the two bindings and ⅓ from the second binding to the tail end of the snowboard, when the snowboarder puts 100 percent of his weight on either one of his foot, only the front or tail end of the snowboard will bend and only ⅓ of the side cut of the snowboard is used for carving. (FIG. 6)

OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES

The objective of this invention is to:

(a) Provide a better carving turns and tighter turns for snowboards and retains the conventional snowboarder's stance. Carving is better because of the ability to imprint a smooth arc on the snow. Turns can be tighter because more edging is possible because the present invented binding sits up higher on the snowboard.

(b) Accommodate snowboarders with big feet. (FIG. 9)

(c) Provide adjustment for snowboard's longitudinal flex pattern. (FIG. 10 c)

(d) Provide for damping and a smoother ride.

In addition to the above, when the snowboarder puts all his weight on either of his foot, the binding of this invention will bend (FIG. 7) approximately half of the length of the snowboard bends to assist to turn. This is much more than using ⅓ of the length of the board to turn with today's binding setup. (FIG. 5)

DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows the typical shape of a snowboard and the frontal view of a snowboard when set on an edge against a slope. [0017]
FIG. 2 shows how a snowboard may be bent with weight at the center of the snowboard. [0018]
FIG. 3 shows the typical stance of a snowboarder on a snowboard. [0019]
FIG. 4 shows how a snowboard bends with today's binding system. [0020]
FIG. 5 show the concept of this invention. [0021]
FIG. 6 shows, with today's binding setup, how the snowboard bends when 100% of weight is put on one foot. [0022]
FIG. 7 shows, with this invention, how the snowboard bends when 100% of weight is put on one foot. [0023]
FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show how the present invention accommodates snowboarders with big feet. [0024]
FIGS. 10[0025] a to 10 c show the various configurations of the present invention.
FIG. 11 to FIG. 12 how a typical embodiment of this invention.[0026]

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

[0027] 10 location where today's conventional snowboard bindings are mounted.
[0028] 11 the present invention.
[0029] 12 snowboard
[0030] 13 wings
[0031] 14 bolts
[0032] 15 hole
[0033] 16 means of attaching the present invention to the snowboard with built-in damping mechanism.
[0034] 17 means to adjust the flex pattern of the snowboard.

SUMMARY

A snowboard binding comprises a platform approximately one third the length of a snowboard with means to accommodate today's snowboard bindings on the upper surface and means of attachment to approximately the center of the snowboard from the lower surface. [0035]

DESCRIPTION

A typical embodiment of a snowboard binding of the present invention is shown in FIG. 13. The snowboard binding composed of a plate ([0036] 11) approximately one-third the length of a snowboard (12) and approximately the same width as the snowboard. The plate has wings (13) on each side of the plate bent downward at approximately at right angles. FIG. 11. The wings are bolted (14) to the side wall (15) of the snowboard at approximately the middle of the snowboard (12). FIG. 12.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

Accordingly, the reader will see that the present invention allows the snowboarder to fully utilize the side cut of the snowboard to carve turn; to allow for more edging for tighter turns; to accommodate snowboard riders with bigger feet; and allows for adjustment of the snowboard flex. [0037]
Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather then by examples given. [0038]

Claims

I claim:

1. A snowboard binding comprising a metal, or composite material plate that accommodates the mounting of conventional snowboarding bindings on its top surface towards its ends and with means of attachment to the approximately the center of a snowboard from its bottom surface.

2. The snowboard binding of claim 1 wherein said plate is approximately the same width as a snowboard and approximately one-third of the length of the snowboard.

3. The snowboard binding of claim 1 wherein said plate has two wings at approximately the center of the plate bending downwards to accommodate attachment to the side wall (15) of a snowboard at approximately the center of the snowboard. (FIG. 13)

4. The snowboard binding of claim 1 wherein said plate has extensions from approximately middle of the bottom surface for attachment to approximately the center top surface of a snowboard. (FIG. 10b)

5. The snowboard binding of claim 4 wherein said extensions from provides means to absorb impact. (16) FIG. 10b.

6. The snowboard binding of claim 1 has means along the longitudinal axis at the bottom surface to control the flex pattern of the snowboard. (17) FIG. 10c