Splitboard Bindings

• US 20120256395A1
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spark R&D Ip Holdings, Llc
• Original Assignee: William J Ritter
• Inventors: Ritter, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,022,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/623
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 10/20 in longitudinal or lateral direction relative to the board
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 10/28 characterised by auxiliary devices or arrangements on the bindings
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/06 enabling conversion into another device
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/03 Mono skis; Snowboards
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/033 Devices for enabling the use of a normal ski as mono-ski, e.g. platforms fixed on the ski for supporting the ski boots side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 9/006 with a climbing wedge
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 9/02 Non-self-releasing bindings with swivel sole-plate or swivel parts, i.e. Ellefsen-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 9/20 Non-self-releasing bindings with special sole edge holders instead of toe-straps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

Splitboard boot bindings for backcountry splitboarding. Each of a pair of soft-boot bindings is provided with an integral boot binding lower that conjoins the two halves of a splitboard without the additional weight or height of an adaptor mounting plate, upper binding baseplate or “tray”, and extra fasteners of the prior art. The boot binding lower is formed as a box girder and provides improved torsional stiffness for splitboard riding. When subjected to a torque applied by the rider, the bottom mediolateral edges of the box girders are configured to contactingly engage the top face of the splitboard, thereby dynamically coupling the rider'"'"'s boot sole and the board via a single rigid structure. In a preferred embodiment, the web or “spacer” members of the box girder are characterized by an aspect ratio or contour height that is varied from heel to toe.

Claims

1. A pair of splitboard boot bindings, each boot binding for securing a rider'"'"'s boot to a splitboard, the splitboard having a pair of conjoinable ski members, the ski members defining a snowboard riding configuration when conjoined together and defining a ski touring configuration when used separately, each boot binding for engaging an elastically deformable snowboard mounting block assembly affixed crosswise to the top face of the splitboard in snowboard riding configuration and for engaging a ski mounting assembly affixed to one of the ski members in ski touring configuration, each boot binding of said pair comprising:

a box girder having a top surface, a bottom surface having outside mediolateral edges, a medial web member with a lateral face and a medial face dimensionally separated by a lateral-to-medial width, a lateral web member with a lateral face and a medial face dimensionally separated by a lateral-to-medial width, a heel end and a toe end;

wherein,

a) said top surface is proportioned for contactingly receiving an applied torque from the sole of the rider'"'"'s boot;

b) said bottom surface comprises parallel inside flange edges forming an underside channel for receiving and flangedly interlocking said box girder to the snowboard mounting block assembly, said outside mediolateral edges of said bottom surface for dynamically transmitting the applied torque to the top face of the splitboard;

c) said medial and lateral web members join said top surface to said bottom surface, forming a rigid mechanical linkage therebetween;

d) said medial and lateral web members each comprise a pivot hole defined on a transverse pivot axis proximate to said toe end, said pivot holes for receiving a toe pivot pin;

e) said underside channel is configured to engage the snowboard mounting block assembly with a clearance (C₁) between said bottom surface of said box girder and the top face of the splitboard when flangedly interlocked thereto, wherein the clearance (C₁) is configured so that,

i) in the absence of an applied torque, said bottom surface and the top face are separated by the clearance (C₁), thereby aiding the rider in sliding said boot bindings on and off the mounting block assemblies; and

ii) in the presence of an applied torque from the sole of the rider'"'"'s boot, wherein said torque may be clockwise or counterclockwise, an outside mediolateral edge of said box girder is enabled to contact the top face so as to define a fulcrum (F*) and a lever arm (L₁) equal to the distance between the fulcrum and the inside flange edge where deformation of the elastically deformable mounting blocks is greatest.

2. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 1, wherein said clearance is configured to be dynamically reduced to zero at said contacting outside mediolateral edge according to the rider'"'"'s control and direction.

3. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 1, wherein said top surface is a surface of a top plate of said box girder.

4. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 1, wherein said bottom surface is a surface of a bottom plate of said box girder, said bottom surface having said outside mediolateral edges and said underside channel formed therein.

5. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 1, wherein said medial and lateral web members have a maximum width proximate to said toe end and a minimum width posteriorly disposed therefrom.

6. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 5, wherein said maximal width is configured to increase the lever arm (L₁).

7. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 1, wherein said transverse pivot axis is proximate to said toe end.

8. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 1, wherein said box girder is a monolithic box girder or a sandwich box girder, and further wherein said box girder comprises, disposed within the lateral-to-medial width of said web member or members, a honeycomb structure, a truss structure, a composite structure, a standoff structure, or a combination thereof.

9. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 1, wherein said snowboard mounting block assemblies are comprised of stiff but elastically deformable solid members having outside flanges disposed thereon.

10. A boot bindings kit, which comprises said pair of boot bindings of claim 1 and a pair of snowboard mounting block assemblies.

11. The boot bindings kit of claim 10, further comprising a pair of toe pivot mounting cradles and a pair of insertable toe pivot pins.

12. The boot bindings kit of claim 10, further comprising a pair of crampons or a pair of climbing bars.

19. A method for controlling a splitboard ride, which comprises:

a) mounting a pair of boot binding of claim 1 on a splitboard, and

b) while riding said splitboard, dynamically contacting said outside mediolateral edges against said top face of said splitboard to control said splitboard ride.

13. A pair of splitboard boot bindings, each boot binding for securing a rider'"'"'s boot to a splitboard, the splitboard having a pair of conjoinable ski members, the ski members when conjoined together defining a snowboard riding configuration and when used separately defining a ski touring configuration, each boot binding for engaging a snowboard mounting block assembly affixed crosswise to the top face of the splitboard in snowboard riding configuration and for engaging a ski mounting assembly affixed to one of the ski members in ski touring configuration, each boot binding of said pair comprising:

a toe pivot pin for securing a boot binding baseplate to a toe pivot cradle, said toe pivot pin having an axle arm and a side arm, wherein said axle arm is joined to said side arm by an elbow, said axle arm is configured as an axle to hingedly affix said boot binding to said toe pivot cradle, and said side arm is dimensioned to be rotated on said axle so as to be secured between the boot and a toe strap affixing the boot to said baseplate.

14. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 13, wherein said toe pivot pin is a universal toe pivot pin for use with a right or a left boot binding of said pair.

15. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 13, wherein said side arm is configured with a double elbow.

16. The pair of splitboard boot bindings of claim 13, wherein said axle arm is journalled for insertion into sleeve bearings in said toe pivot cradle.

17. A kit for use with a pair of splitboard boot bindings, which comprises two universal toe pivot pins of claim 14 and a pair of toe pivot cradles.

18. A kit for use with a pair of splitboard boot bindings, which comprises a pair of toe pivot pins of claim 15 and a pair of toe pivot cradles, and wherein said pair of toe pivot pins includes a toe pivot pin for use with a right foot and a toe pivot pin for use with a left foot.

20. A method for promoting splitboarding, which comprises:

a) supplying a splitboard mounting block assembly to a rider, said splitboard mounting block assembly for mounting on the top face of a splitboard, wherein said splitboard mounting block assembly comprises at least one elastically deformable solid member having mediolateral flange edges;

b) supplying a pair of boot bindings to a rider, each boot binding of said pair comprising a box girder having i) a top surface with mediolateral edges, wherein said top surface is configured for contactingly supporting said rider'"'"'s boot sole and said mediolateral edges are configured with means for securing said rider'"'"'s boot sole thereto, ii) a bottom surface, said bottom surface having outside mediolateral edges and parallel internal flange edges defining an underside channel configured to be slidingly engaged on said mediolateral flange edges of said splitboard mounting block assembly, said internal flange edges defining a clearance (C₁) between said bottom surface and the top surface of the splitboard;

c) configuring said boot bindings to dynamically form a first fulcrum by contacting a medial outside mediolateral edge to said top face of said splitboard in response to a clockwise torque applied by the rider and to dynamically form a second fulcrum contacting a lateral outside mediolateral edge to said top face of said splitboard in response to a counterclockwise torque applied by the rider, thereby mechanically coupling the boot bindings and the splitboard when a torque is applied by the rider;

d) optionally configuring said boot bindings with a maximum bottom surface width proximate to said toe end and a minimum bottom surface width posteriorly disposed therefrom; and

,

e) controlling the splitboard by footedly applying a torque to said top surface.