Snowboard boot

• US 5,802,741 A
• Filed: 09/27/1993
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: K 2 Corporation, K2 Corporation (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: K2 Corporation (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Meibock, Antonin A., Svensson, John E., Turner, Brent H.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAYOAN, BETHANNE CAROLINE
• Application Number:
  US08/127,584
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 36/115, 36/55, 36/117.2, 36/117.1, 36/117.3, 36/118.2, 36/118.4, 36/45
• US Class Current: 36/117.3
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0401 Snowboard boots
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0403 Adaptations for soles or accessories with soles for snowboard bindings
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0421 located underneath the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0466 Adjustment of the side inclination of the boot leg; Canting
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1625 made from materials with different rigidities
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/165 with ventilation means in the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1666 characterised by the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1691 characterised by the higher part of the upper, e.g. surrounding the ankle, by the quarter or cuff
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/28 Adapting the inner sole or the side of the upper of the shoe to the sole of the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/067 with adjustable position of the foot plate or shoe relative to the chassis
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/068 Production or mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/42 Details of chassis of ice or roller skates, of decks of skateboards

Abstract

A boot is disclosed for use with a snowboard having binding means for attachment to the boot. The boot includes a base, a highback, and an upper. The base includes a binding receiving plate for attaching the boot to the binding means on the snowboard. The base also has toe and heel ends. The base is formed with a toecap at the toe end and as a heel counter at the heel end. Tread projects from the bottom of the base for traction when the boot is not attached to the snowboard. The highback extends upwardly from the heel counter of the base. The highback provides aft support to the user. The upper is fixedly attached to the base and is arranged and configured to receive the foot and ankle of the user. The upper has a rearward side adjacent the highback. The upper is more flexible than the base and the highback. A base strap is connected to opposing sides of the base and extends across a portion of the upper.

Claims

1. A boot for use with a snowboard, the boot comprising:

(a) a semirigid base having means for attachment to the snowboard, said base providing a walking surface for the user when the boot is detached from the snowboard;

(b) a nonrigid upper attached to said base, said upper being adapted to receive and surround the foot and ankle of a user, said upper being formed of a flexible and pliable material, said upper having a front, a back, and two lateral sides; and

(c) a support member attached to and extending upwardly from said base, said support member being disposed adjacent at least a portion of the back of said upper.

2. The boot of claim 1, wherein said support member is constructed of a material with greater rigidity than said upper, said support member providing aft support to said upper.

3. The boot of claim 2, wherein the walking surface of said base comprises a tread portion extending downwardly, away from the foot of the user.

4. The boot of claim 3, wherein said tread portion is flexible such that said tread portion allows limited pivotal movement of said base about the attachment means of said base to the snowboard, thus permitting movement of said boot when coupled to the snowboard.

5. The boot of claim 2, wherein said semi-rigid base is sufficiently flexible such that it allows limited pivotal movement of said base about the attachment means to the snowboard when coupled to the snowboard.

6. The boot of claim 2, wherein said support member comprises a plastic material and includes a strap for securing said support member securely around a portion of said upper.

7. The boot of claim 6, wherein said upper is at least partially constructed of leather.

8. The boot of claim 6, wherein said upper is at least partially constructed of a synthetic mesh material.

9. The boot of claim 2, wherein said base includes a heel counter and wherein said support member extends from said heel counter.

10. The boot of claim 9, wherein said base further includes a toe portion extending at least partially around the sides of the ball of the foot of the user.

11. The boot of claim 9, wherein said support member is pivotally attached to said heel counter.

12. The boot of claim 11, wherein said support member includes a upper stop extending from the back of the support member and wherein said heel counter includes a lower stop extending from the back of the heel counter adjacent the upper stop, said stops being arranged and configured for abutment with each other to limit the aft pivotal movement of the support member relative to the base.

13. The boot of claim 11, further including stop means coupled to said base and to the support member for limiting the aft pivotal movement of the support member relative to the base.

14. The boot of claim 9, further comprising a strap extending from one side of said base over a portion of said upper to the opposing side of said base.

15. The boot of claim 14, wherein said strap includes an adjustable buckle on one end for tightening the strap over a portion of the upper to secure the user'"'"'s foot.

16. The boot of claim 14, further comprising a strap attached to said support member and extending around at least a portion of said upper for securing said upper to said support member.

17. The boot of claim 9, wherein said heel counter is adapted to cup the heel of the user by extending upwardly from said base around the rear and sides of the heel of the user.

18. The boot of claim 17, wherein the base also includes a tread portion projecting downwardly, away from the foot of the user and attachment means attached to said base for attachment of the boot to a snowboard.

19. The boot of claim 18, wherein the attachment means are positioned within at least one recessed portion of the bottom of the base, the tread portion extending below the attachment means such that the tread portion contacts the ground before the attachment means when the boot is not attached to the snowboard.

20. The boot of claim 19, wherein said base includes a first recessed portion generally beneath the ball of the foot of the user and a second recessed portion generally beneath the heel of the foot of the user, the recessed portions mounting the attachment means.

21. The boot of claim 17, wherein the support means extends upwardly from the rear of the heel counter along the back of the upper, the top of the support member being higher than the ankle of the user.

22. The boot of claim 9, wherein said support member includes attachment means for securing said support member to said upper to provide additional support to said upper and to the ankle of the user.

23. The boot of claim 1, wherein said support member comprises:

a highback extending upwardly from a heel end of said base to provide aft support to the user'"'"'s foot and ankle.

24. The boot of claim 23, further including a base strap connected to opposing sides of said base and extending across a portion of said upper, said base strap being adjustable.

25. The boot of claim 23, further including a highback strap connected to opposing sides of said highback and extending around a portion of said upper.

26. The boot of claim 23, further including a highback strap connected to opposing sides of said highback and extending around a portion of said upper.

27. The boot of claim 23, wherein said base includes a heel counter extending upwardly from the heel end and wherein said highback is pivotally connected to the heel counter.

28. The boot of claim 27, further including stop means connected to the heel counter and to the highback for limiting the aft pivotal movement of said highback relative to the heel counter.

29. The boot of claim 23, wherein said base and said highback are at least partially formed of a rigid plastic material and wherein said upper is formed of a flexible material.

30. A boot for use with a snowboard, the boot comprising:

(a) a base having means for attachment to the snowboard, said base providing a walking surface for the user when the boot is detached from the snowboard;

(b) a nonrigid upper attached to said base, said upper being adapted to receive and surround the foot and ankle of a user, said upper being formed of a flexible and pliable material, said upper having a front, a back, and two lateral sides; and

(c) a support member attached to and extending upwardly from said base, said support member being disposed adjacent at least a portion of the back of said upper.