A SNOWBOARD BINDING

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a snowboard binding of the type including the features mentioned in the preamble of the main claim.

Background art

[0002] Bindings that include those features are known, for example, from US 5,816,603, or from the applicant's current production.

[0003] These known bindings comprise a discoidal retaining element which is provided with slotted holes and which is accommodated in a partially embedded manner in a discoidal opening formed in a cradle which is in turn to accommodate the snowboard boot. The boot is then secured in the cradle by means of bands and straps. A typical requirement of snowboarders is to be able to vary both the orientation and the relative position of the cradle on the flat portion of the board. In order to do this, the screws that hold the retaining element of the cradle are loosened and the cradle is moved by rotating it relative to the board or by engaging the screws in holes which are in a different position on the flat portion. At this stage, it is particularly easy to lose one or more of the cradle securing screws with the risk of irretrievably jeopardising the day's sport unless spare screws are available. In addition, the handling of the screws is impeded by the winter clothing normally worn for snowboarding, in particular by the gloves, which makes the adjusting operation even more complicated.

[0004] A snowboard binding according to the prior art is also known from US patent application n. 2003/0047913, while US patent n. 5042829 discloses a screw holding device suitable to be used only once, prior to the engagement of a binding to a ski.

Disclosure of the invention

[0005] The technical problem underlying the present invention is to provide a binding in the case of which the operations for adjusting the binding relative to the board are particularly easy, even under difficult conditions and with clothing which is the source of possible obstruction.

[0006] Within the scope of this task, an object of the invention is to eliminate the risk of losing the screws and the consequent necessity to have spare screws available.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to use for those purposes arrangements and equipment already provided on snowboards.

[0008] This technical problem is solved and these objects are achieved with a snowboard binding produced in accordance with the claims, which follow.

Brief description of the drawings

[0009] The features and the advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a partial diagrammatic view of a snowboard with an associated binding;
• Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a detail of the binding of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a top view of a detail of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a sectioned view taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 3;
• Figures 5 and 6 are bottom views of two possible embodiments of the detail of Figure 3.

Best modes for carrying out the invention

[0010] In Figure 1, T indicates a snowboard provided with a pair of bindings 1 (only one of which is shown) for boots of the so-called "soft" type. Each binding 1 comprises a cradle 2 whose central portion has an opening 3 suitable for accommodating a discoidal retaining member 4 by means of which the cradle is held and locked, but with the option of adjustable angular positioning as desired in the manner described hereinafter, on the flat portion 5 of the snowboard T. In its turn, the retaining member is held on the flat portion 5 by means of screws 7 which are engaged in corresponding holes 8 in the snowboard, with the option of a first adjustment stemming from the longitudinal movement of the entire binding, which is achieved by disengaging the screws 7 from the holes 8 in order to engage them in different holes 8, and with the option of a second adjustment which is achieved by loosening the screws 7 in order to cause the retaining member to slide transversely to the longitudinal axis of the board owing to the provision of slotted through-holes 10 in the retaining member, through which holes the screws 7 extend. The binding is subject to a third possible adjustment for angular orientation with respect to the board T by rotating the cradle 2 relative to the retaining member. All three of these adjustments are conventional and can be combined with one another as desired. Common to all of the adjustments is also the fact that, in order to effect any of them, it is necessary at least to loosen the screws 7 if not actually to disengage them from the holes 8.

[0011] The screws 7 are provided with a threaded cylindrical shank 11 having a widened head 12 at one end and a control key 13 (typically a transverse notch or a cross notch) in the head 12. A washer 14 complementing the head 12 is preferably interposed between the head 12 and the slotted holes 10 in the retaining member 4. The screws 7 are engaged in such a manner that they pass with the shank 11 but not with the heads 12 (and/or the washers 14) through the slotted holes 10 in order to hold and lock the retaining member on the flat portion once the screws have been tightened.

[0012] According to the invention, the retaining member 4 is provided with loss-preventing holding means for the screws 7 in order to keep the latter attached to the retaining member regardless of whether or not they are engaged in the holes 8 in the flat portion. The loss-preventing holding means comprise a discoidal plate-like element 15 superposed on the retaining member 4 and held thereon by means of an adhesive interface 16 applied to the lower, connecting surface. The plate-like element 15 has means for access to the control keys 13 of the screws 7 in order to permit access to the control key without having to remove the loss-preventing means.

[0013] The access means are constituted by slotted openings 18 in the plate-like element which have dimensions such as to permit access to the control keys of the screws but not such as to enable the heads 12 to pass through, with the result that the heads are sandwiched between the retaining member and the holding means.

[0014] The plate-like element is formed from a resilient plastics material, such as thermoformed EVA, and is shaped, at the surface remote from the retaining member, with circumferential projections and beads 19 as a snow-scraping device for snowboard boots. Thus, it is not necessary to provide the board with a separate snow-scraping member or, in other words, the snow-scraping member assumes this double functionality. Finally, it should be mentioned that the adhesive interface is limited to the regions of the plate-like element that are not subject to the superposition of the washers 14, or non-adhesive windows 20 are provided in the adhesive interface. These windows may be limited to the adjustment region of the heads 12 and washers 14, as indicated in Figure 5, or they may extend as an elongation of one another, as indicated in Figure 6.

Claims

1. A snowboard binding comprising a retaining member (4) which can be secured to a flat portion (5) of a snowboard (T) in order to hold locked on the flat portion a cradle (2) which accommodates a snowboard boot, and screws (7) which secure the retaining member to the flat portion and which can be loosened in order to permit the orientation of the cradle relative to the flat portion, the screws having respective control keys (13) which are accessible on the retaining member in order to loosen and tighten the screws, characterized in that it comprises loss-preventing holding means including a plate-like element (15) superposed on the retaining member (4) and held thereon, in order to keep the screws attached to the retaining member regardless of whether or not they are engaged in the flat portion.

2. A binding according to claim 1, the loss-preventing holding means having means (18) for access to the control keys (13) of the screws (7) in order to permit access to the control key of the screws without removing the loss-preventing means.

3. A binding according to claim 2, wherein the screws have heads (12) widened with respect to a shank (11) and are engaged in such a manner that they pass with the shank but not with the heads through respective openings (10) in the retaining member (4) in order to hold and lock the retaining member on the flat portion, the means for access to the control keys of the screws including openings (18) in the plate-like element which are suitable for permitting access to the control keys of the screws but not for enabling the heads to pass through, with the result that the heads are sandwiched between the retaining member and the loss-preventing holding means.

4. A binding according to claim 3, wherein both the retaining member and the plate-like element are discoidal.

5. A binding according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the plate-like element is shaped, on the surface remote from the retaining member, as a snow-scraping device (19) for snowboard boots.

6. A binding according to one or more of claims 3 to 5, wherein the retaining member and the plate-like element are attached to one another with adhesive connection (16).

7. A binding according to one or more of claims 3 to 6, wherein the plate-like element is formed from a resilient plastics material.

8. A binding according to claim 7, wherein the plastics material is thermoformed EVA.

9. A binding according to one or more of claims 3 to 8, wherein the openings (10; 18) in the retaining member and in the plate-like element are slot-shaped.

10. As a sub-component of the binding (1) of one or more of the preceding claims, a plate-like element (15) which is provided with securing means for securing it, with at least partial superposition, to the retaining member (4) of the snowboard binding and which is provided with openings (18) for access to the control keys (13) of the securing screws (7) of the retaining member.

11. The sub-component of claim 10, wherein the securing means comprise an adhesive film (16).

12. The sub-component of claim 10 or 11, which is shaped, on the surface remote from the retaining member, as a snow-scraping device (19) for snowboard boots.

Ansprüche

1. Snowboardbindung, umfassend ein Halteelement (4), das an einem flachen Teil (5) eines Snowboard (T) befestigt werden kann, um eine Schale (2), die einen Snowboardschuh aufnimmt, auf dem flachen Teil verriegelt festzuhalten, und Schrauben (7), die das Halteelement an dem flachen Teil befestigen und die gelöst werden können, um die Orientierung der Schale relativ zu dem flachen Teil zu erlauben, wobei die Schrauben entsprechende Steuerungsmittel (18) aufweisen, die auf dem Halteelement zugänglich sind, um die Schrauben zu lösen und festzuziehen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie ein Verlust-verhinderndes Festhaltemittel umfasst, das ein plattenartiges Element (15) enthält, das das Halteelement (4) überlagert und darauf festgehalten wird, um die Schrauben an dem Halteelement angebracht zu halten, ungeachtet dessen, ob sie in den flachen Teil eingreifen oder nicht.

2. Bindung nach Anspruch 1, wobei das Verlust-verhindernde Festhaltemittel Mittel (18) für den Zugang zu den Steuerungsmitteln (13) der Schrauben (7) aufweist, um den Zugang zu den Steuerungsmitteln der Schrauben zu erlauben, ohne das Verlust-verhindernde Mittel zu entfernen.

3. Bindung nach Anspruch 2, wobei die Schrauben bezüglich eines Schafts (11) erweiterte Köpfe (12) aufweisen und auf eine Weise eingreifen, dass sie mit dem Schaft aber nicht mit den Köpfen durch entsprechende Öffnungen (10) in dem Halteelement (4) hindurch treten, um das Halteelement auf dem flachen Teil festzuhalten und zu verriegeln, wobei das Mittel für den Zugang zu den Steuerungsmitteln der Schrauben Öffnungen (18) in dem plattenartigen Element enthält, die geeignet sind, den Zugang zu den Steuerungsmitteln der Schrauben zu erlauben, aber nicht den Köpfen zu ermöglichen, hindurch zu treten, mit dem Ergebnis, dass die Köpfe zwischen dem Halteelement und dem Verlust-verhindernden Festhaltemittel eingekeilt sind.

4. Bindung nach Anspruch 3, wobei das Halteelement und das plattenartige Element scheibenförmig sind.

5. Bindung nach Anspruch 3 oder 4, wobei das plattenartige Element auf der von dem Halteelement entfernten Oberfläche als eine Schneekratzeinrichtung (19) für Snowboardschuhe geformt ist.

6. Bindung nach einem oder mehreren der Ansprüche 3 bis 5, wobei das Halteelement und das plattenartige Element mit einer Klebeverbindung (16) aneinander gebunden sind.

7. Bindung nach einem oder mehreren der Ansprüche 3 bis 6, wobei das plattenartige Element aus einem nachgiebigen Kunststoffmaterial gebildet ist.

8. Bindung nach Anspruch 7, wobei das Kunststoffmaterial thermoverformtes EVA ist.

9. Bindung nach einem oder mehreren der Ansprüche 3 bis 8, wobei die Öffnungen (10; 18) in dem Halteelement und in dem plattenartigen Element schlitzförmig sind.

10. Als Subkomponente der Bindung (1) nach einem oder mehreren der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, ein plattenartiges Element (15), das mit Befestigungsmitteln versehen ist, um es mit zumindest teilweiser Überlagerung an dem Halteelement (4) der Snowboardbindung zu befestigen, und das mit Öffnungen für den Zugang zu den Steuerungsmitteln (13) der Befestigungsschrauben (7) des Halteelements versehen ist.

11. Subkomponente nach Anspruch 10, wobei das Befestigungsmittel eine Klebefolie (16) umfasst.

12. Subkomponente nach Anspruch 10 oder 11, die auf der von dem Halteelement entfernten Oberfläche als eine Schneekratzeinrichtung (19) für Snowboardschuhe geformt ist.

Revendications

1. Une fixation de snowboard comprenant une pièce de retenu (4) qui peut être fixée à une partie plate (5) d'un snowboard (T) afin de maintenir verrouillé sur la partie plate un berceau (2) qui s'adapte à une botte de snowboard, et des vis (7) qui fixent la pièce de retenu à la partie plate et qui peuvent être desserrées afin de permettre l'orientation du berceau relative à la partie plate, les vis ayant des empreintes (13) respectives qui sont accessibles sur la pièce de retenu afin de desserrer et serrer les vis, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend des moyens de maintien de prévention de perte incluant un élément de type plaque superposé (15) sur la pièce de retenu (4) et maintenu dessus, afin de garder les vis attachées à la pièce de retenu, qu'elles soient engagées ou non sur la partie plate.

2. Une fixation selon la revendication 1, les moyens de maintien de prévention de perte ayant des moyens (18) pour accéder aux empreintes (13) des vis (7) afin de permettre l'accès aux empreintes des vis sans enlever les moyens de prévention de perte.

3. Une fixation selon la revendication 2, dans laquelle les vis ont des têtes (12) élargies par rapport à une tige (11) et sont engagées d'une manière telle qu'elles passent avec la lige mais pas avec la tête à travers des ouvertures (10) respectives dans la pièce de retenu (4) afin de maintenir et verrouiller la pièce de retenu sur la partie plate, les moyens pour accéder aux empreintes des vis incluant des ouvertures (18) dans l'élément de type plaque qui sont adaptées pour permettre l'accès aux empreintes des vis mais pas pour permettre aux têtes de passer à travers, avec pour résultat que les têtes sont prises en sandwich entre la pièce de retenu et les moyens de maintien de prévention de perte.

4. Une fixation selon la revendication 3, dans laqueuse la pièce de retenu et l'élément de type plaque sont tous les deux discoïdaux.

5. Une fixation selon la revendication 3 ou 4, dans laquelle l'élément de type plaque a la forme, sur la surface distante de la pièce de retenu, d'un dispositif de grattage de neige (19) pour bottes de snowboard.

6. Une fixation selon l'une ou plus des revendications 3 à 5, dans laquelle la pièce de retenu et l'élément de type plaque sont attachés l'un à l'autre avec une connexion adhésive (16).

7. Une fixation selon l'une ou plus des revendications 3 à 6, dans laquelle l'élément de type plaque est formé à partir d'un matériau plastique élastique.

8. Une fixation selon la revendication 7, dans laquelle le matériau plastique est de l'EVA thermoformé.

9. Une fixation selon l'une ou plus des revendications 3 à 8, dans laquelle les ouvertures (10, 18) dans la pièce de retenu et dans l'élément de type plaque sont de forme rainurée.

10. En tant que sous-composant de la fixation (1) de l'une ou plus des revendications précédentes, un élément de type plaque (15) qui est fourni avec des moyens de fixation pour le fixer, avec au moins une superposition partielle, à la pièce de retenu (4) de la fixation de snowboard et qui est fourni avec des ouvertures (18) pour accéder aux empreintes (13) des vis de fixation (7) de la pièce de retenu.

11. Le sous-composant de la revendication 10, dans lequel les moyens de fixation comprennent un film adhésif (16).

12. Le sous-composant de la revendication 10 ou 11, qui a la forme,sur la surface distante de la pièce de retenu, d'un dispositif de grattage de neige (19) pour bottes de snowboard.

Drawing