Snowboard boot binding mechanism

Abstract

A snowboard boot binding mechanism includes a base member having a recessed channel. A first plate is slidably attached to the base member. A first pair of engagement rods are fixedly attached to the first plate. Each of the first pair of engagement rods has a head disposed at an axial end of the rod for selectively engaging and locking a first bar attached to a first side of the snowboard boot. A second plate is fixedly attached to the base member. A second pair of engagement rods are fixedly attached to the second plate. Each of the second pair of engagement rods have a head disposed at an axial end of the rod for engaging and locking a second bar attached to a second side of the snowboard boot which is disposed opposite to the first side.

1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a snowboard boot having an upper portion and a sole, the sole having a heel-to-toe direction and a side-to-side direction; and    a binding engagement member supported within the sole and having a portion thereof extending in the heel-to-toe direction which is engageable with a snowboard binding to secure the snowboard boot to a snowboard.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the binding engagement member includes a first section which extends along a first side of the snowboard boot.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus recited in  claim 2 , wherein the portion of the binding engagement member further includes a second section which extends along a second side of the snowboard boot.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus recited in  claim 3 , wherein the binding engagement member is a single unitary member including both the first and second sections.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , in combination with the snowboard binding.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the snowboard boot includes a first side and a second side that each extends between a toe portion and a heel portion of the boot, at least one of the first and second sides having a recess therein, wherein a portion of the binding engagement member is exposed by the recess.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus recited in  claim 6 , wherein the recess is located in the sole.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus recited in  claim 6 , wherein the section of the binding engagement member extends along a bottom portion of the recess.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus recited in  claim 8 , wherein at least an upper surface of the section is disposed within the recess and is engageable with the snowboard binding.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the snowboard boot includes a first side and a second side that extend between a toe portion and a heel portion, the first side having a first recess therein and the second side having a second recess therein, wherein the portion of the binding engagement member includes a first section which extends along the first recess and a second section which extends along the second recess.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus recited in  claim 10 , wherein the first and second recesses are located in the sole.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in combination with the snowboard binding.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the binding engagement member is a bar.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the snowboard boot has an in-step portion and the binding engagement member is positioned therealong.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the binding engagement member forms a stiffener that stiffens the sole, and that does not extend forward of an instep area of the sole so as to not impact flexibility of the sole forward of the instep area.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a snowboard boot having an upper portion and a sole, the snowboard boot having a ball region and a heel region, the snowboard boot including first and second recesses respectively disposed on first and second lateral sides of the snowboard boot, each of the first and second recesses being disposed between the ball and heel regions of the snowboard boot;    a first binding engagement member, embedded in the sole of the snowboard boot, having a portion thereof that is exposed by the first recess and is engageable with a snowboard binding to secure the snowboard boot to a snowboard; and    a second binding engagement member, embedded in the sole of the snowboard boot, having a portion thereof that is exposed by the second recess and is engageable with the snowboard binding to secure the snowboard boot to the snowboard.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus recited in  claim 16 , wherein the first and second engagement members are part of a single unitary member.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus recited in  claim 17 , wherein the single unitary member is a bar.