US20040201202A1

US20040201202A1 - Binding for snow board

Info

Publication number: US20040201202A1
Application number: US10/817,936
Authority: US
Inventors: Atsushi Sato; Fusatoshi Sumida
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Carmate Mfg Co Ltd
Priority date: 2003-04-08
Filing date: 2004-04-06
Publication date: 2004-10-14
Also published as: JP2004305462A

Abstract

A binding for a snow board includes a spacer which is provided integrally or together with a base plate and has a plurality of recesses. Fitting members which have larger hardness than the spacer are mounted in the recesses. The fitting members may be different in hardness from one another.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a binding for a snow board, and more particularly, to the binding for the snow board capable of changing its hardness and an amount of flexure.

A conventional binding for the snow board is disclosed in JP-A-11-226171.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the conventional binding for the snow board, in which

numeral

1 represents a base plate fixed to a main body (not shown) of a snow board, 2 represents a high back connected to the above described base plate 1 so as to come into contact with a back face of a boot, 3 represents an ankle strap provided on the base plate 1 for the purpose of tightening a crest of the boot, 4 represents a toe strap provided on the base plate 1 for the purpose of tightening a toe of the boot, 5 represents a buckle for tightening a belt, and 6 represents a mounting hole provided in a center part of the base plate 1 for the purpose of fixing the base plate 1 to the main body of the snow board.

When a user would like to buy the above described conventional binding in a shop, it has been difficult to correctly judge an amount of deformation in the base plate of the binding while it is used, specifically, feelings such as flexible or not flexible, and soft or hard. Moreover, it has been difficult to find the amount of deformation favorable to the user until the binding is actually used, unless the user has gained his own experience to some extent. In case where the user has bought the binding which is unfavorable to his taste in the beginning, he must keep on using the binding with patience, or must buy another binding.

Moreover, in case where the bindings having different amounts of deformation are required according to respective purposes for sliding, it has been necessary to prepare a plurality of bindings, which leads to such a drawback that a considerable cost may be incurred.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to eliminate those drawbacks as described above.

The object can be achieved by a binding for a snow board according to the present invention comprising: a spacer, provided together with abase plate, including a fitting portion; and a fitting member fitted to the fitting portion.

Further, it is more preferable that the fitting member is harder than the spacer.

Further, it is more preferable that a plurality of fitting members are fitted to the spacer, and hardnesses of the respective fitting members are different form one another.

Further, the spacer may be applied to a back face of the base plate.

Further, the spacer may be disposed interposed between a back face of the base plate and a main body of the snow board.

Moreover, the object can be achieved by a binding for a snow board comprising: a base plate including a fitting portion on its back face; and a fitting member fitted to the fitting portion.

Further, it is more preferable that the fitting member is harder than the base plate.

Further, it is more preferable that a plurality of fitting members are fitted to the base plate, and hardnesses of the respective fitting members are different form one another.

Moreover, the object can be achieved by a spacer, disposed between a main body of a snow board and a base plate of a binding, comprising a fitting portion for mounting a fitting member therein.

Furthermore, the object can be achieved by a fitting member for being mounted in a fitting portion, wherein the fitting portion is arranged in one of a base plate of a binding for a snow board and a spacer disposed between the base plate and a main body of the snow board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a back face of a binding for a snow board in a first embodiment according to the invention. [0017]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a back face of a binding for a snow board in a second embodiment according to the invention. [0018]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a binding for a snow board in a third embodiment according to the invention. [0019]
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a part of the binding for the snow board which is shown in FIG. 3. [0020]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional binding for a snow board.[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Now, several embodiments of the invention will be described referring to the drawings. [0022]
(First Embodiment) [0023]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a back face of a binding for a snow board in a first embodiment of the invention. In this invention, one or more sheets of [0024] spacer 8 in a plate-like shape formed of elastic material such as sponge, urethane resin, and having a hole 7 in a center part corresponding to a mounting hole 6 in a base plate 1 is applied to a back face of the base plate 1, or alternatively, interposed between the back face of the base plate 1 and a main body of the snow board (not shown).
The above described [0025] spacer 8 has a number of recesses 9, 10 of two types, for example, in a form of bottomed or bottomless elongated groove which are provided radially toward a center of the hole 7. Fitting members 11, 12 having lengths and thicknesses respectively corresponding to the recesses 9, 10 and formed of harder material than the spacer 8, for example, nylon resin or the like are selectively fitted into these recesses 9, 10.
Due to the above described structure of the binding for the snow board in the first embodiment of the invention, those parts of the [0026] base plate 1 corresponding to the parts to which the fitting members 11, 12 are fitted will be increased in hardness in a compressing direction. As the results, the spacer 8 in the parts to which the fitting members 11, 12 are fitted will be prevented from being crushed when compressed, and an amount of deformation of the binding when a force is applied to the spacer 8 in a desired direction can be optionally adjusted. It is to be noted that directions of the recesses 9, 10 may be optionally selected.
(Second Embodiment) [0027]
FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the binding for the snow board according to this invention. In this embodiment, [0028] recesses 13 in a form of hole are provided in place of the recesses in the above described first embodiment.
In the above described second embodiment of this invention, provided that all the [0029] recesses 13 have the same diameter, it is advantageously possible to prepare only one type of fitting members 14 which have the same outer diameter.
It is to be noted that the thicknesses of the above described fitting [0030] members 11, 12, 14 in this invention may be made larger than depths of the recesses 9, 10, 13 respectively. Moreover, the above described spacer 8 may be divided into right and left parts, or may be divided into right, left, front and back parts, and further, may be fastened to the base plate 1 by screws.
(Third Embodiment) [0031]
FIGS. 3 and 4 show a third embodiment of the binding for the snow board according to the invention. In this embodiment, instead of using the above described [0032] spacer 8, the base plate 1 is provided on its back face with a plurality of recesses 15. One or a plurality of fitting members 17 formed of sponge, rubber, elastomer resin, hard resin etc. and having, on its front face, protuberances 16 in a size and shape fittable in the recesses 15 at positions corresponding to the recesses are employed. Back faces of these fitting members 17 are brought into contact with the main body of the snow board.
In this third embodiment, a [0033] ring 18 having a hole 7 corresponding to the mounting hole 6 in the above described base plate 1 may be employed according to necessity.
In case where a plurality of the [0034] fitting members 17 are used, they can be made different in hardness from one another. Moreover, they may be extended radially toward the center of the hole 7 as shown in FIG. 3, or alternatively, may be divided into pieces like a jigsaw puzzle. Further, it is possible to provide the protuberances 16 in place of the recesses 15 on the base plate 1, and to provide the recesses 15 in the fitting members 17.
In any of the above described embodiments, the [0035] fitting members 11, 12, 14, 17 which are different in hardness from one another can be made different in color, symbol, pattern, and shape. Thus, it will be easy to identify them.
As described above, according to the binding for the snow board of the invention, there will be a remarkable advantage that the amount of deformation and feeling of the base plate of the binding while it is used can be optionally adjusted, by individually changing the hardness of the binding in a desired vertical or lateral direction. [0036]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A binding for a snow board comprising:

a spacer, provided together with a base plate, including a fitting portion; and

a fitting member fitted to the fitting portion.

2. The binding for a snow board according to claim 1, wherein the fitting member is harder than the spacer.

3. The binding for a snow board according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of fitting members are fitted to the spacer, and hardnesses of the respective fitting members are different form one another.

4. The binding for a snow board according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is applied to a back face of the base plate.

5. The binding for a snow board according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is disposed interposed between a back face of the base plate and a main body of the snow board.

6. The binding for a snow board according to claim 1, wherein a hardness of the spacer is adjusted by selecting the number of the fitting members fitted to the fitting portions, or by fitting no fitting member to the fitting portion.

7. A binding for a snow board comprising:

a base plate including a fitting portion on its back face; and

a fitting member fitted to the fitting portion.

8. The binding for a snow board according to claim 7, wherein the fitting member is harder than the base plate.

9. The binding for a snow board according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of fitting members are fitted to the base plate, and hardnesses of the respective fitting members are different form one another.

10. The binding for a snow board according to claim 7, wherein a hardness of the base plate is adjusted by selecting the number of the fitting members fitted to the fitting portions, or by fitting no fitting member to the fitting portion.

11. A spacer, disposed between a main body of a snow board and a base plate of a binding, comprising a fitting portion for mounting a fitting member therein.

12. A fitting member for being mounted in a fitting portion, wherein the fitting portion is arranged in one of a base plate of a binding for a snow board and a spacer disposed between the base plate and a main body of the snow board.