Virtual forward lean snowboard binding

Abstract

A snowboard binding ( 100 ) is disclosed having a base plate ( 102 ) with a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls ( 104 ), a heel loop ( 112 ) attached to the base plate, and a highback ( 120 ). The highback is attached to the heel loop such that the highback is pivotable about a virtual axis that is disposed away from the base plate and away from the highback. The virtual axis is preferably coaxial with the ankle's rotational axis for dorsiflexion. In an embodiment of the invention the highback includes arcuate slots ( 126 ) through which a bolt ( 132 ) and curved nut plate ( 130 ) attach the highback to the heel loop. The arcuate slot is preferably a circular arc centered on the desired virtual axis. In an embodiment of the invention, the heel loop intermediate portion ( 116 ) is curved about a transverse axis, and the heel portion ( 124 ) of the highback is similarly curved to generally nest with the heel loop.

1 . A binding comprising: 
 a base plate adapted to be attached to a snowboard, the base plate having a pair of oppositely-disposed sidewalls; and    a highback pivotably attached to the base plate;    wherein the highback pivots about a virtual axis disposed away from the highback and away from the base plate.    
   
   
       2 . The binding of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual axis is approximately aligned with a rider's ankle joint axis for rotation in dorsiflexion.  
   
   
       3 . The binding of  claim 1 , wherein the highback is pivotably attached to the base plate through a heel loop that extends between the highback and the base plate.  
   
   
       4 . The binding of  claim 3 , wherein the heel hoop is adjustably attached to the oppositely disposed sidewalls of the base plate.  
   
   
       5 . The binding of  claim 4 , wherein the highback comprises oppositely disposed wing portions, and an intermediate heel portion, each wing portion being attached to the heel hoop with attachment hardware extending through a curved slot in the wing portion such that the highback is constrained to pivot about the virtual axis.  
   
   
       6 . The binding of  claim 5 , wherein the curved slot in each wing portion is disposed in an inwardly-facing curved channel and wherein the attachment hardware comprises a nut plate having a curved portion disposed in the curved channel and a bolt that extends through the curved slot and threadably engages the nut plate.  
   
   
       7 . The binding of  claim 6 , wherein the curved channel in each of the wing portions defines a first set of teeth, and the nut plate defines a second set of teeth, wherein the second set of teeth lockably engage the first set of teeth.  
   
   
       8 . The binding of  claim 5 , wherein the highback intermediate heel portion is curved, and the heel loop includes an intermediate portion that is also curved to nest with the curved heel portion of the highback during pivoting.  
   
   
       9 . The binding of  claim 5 , further comprising a toe strap that is attached to the base plate, and an instep strap that is attached to the heel loop.  
   
   
       10 . The binding of  claim 5 , wherein the heel loop is formed from stainless steel.  
   
   
       11 . The binding of  claim 5 , wherein the highback attaches to the heel loop through a pair of oppositely disposed elongate apertures such that the position of the highback with respect to the heel loop can be selectively adjusted.  
   
   
       12 . The binding of  claim 5 , wherein the highback further comprises a blocking member adjustably mounted to a back side of the highback, the blocking member positioned to abut the heel loop to selectively establish a maximum forward lean angle of the highback.  
   
   
       13 . A binding comprising: 
 a base plate adapted to be attached to a snowboard, the base plate having a first sidewall and a second sidewall;    a heel loop having a first end attached to the first sidewall and a second end attached to the second sidewall;    a highback having a lower portion defining a first wing portion, a second wing portion, and a heel portion disposed between the first and second wing portions, and wherein each of the first and second wing portions includes a curved slot defining a circular arc having a radius of curvature that is centered on a transverse axis disposed above the first and second sidewalls;    wherein the highback is attached to the heel loop through the curved slots in the first and second wing portions such that the highback is pivotable about the transverse axis.    
   
   
       14 . The binding of  claim 13 , wherein the transverse axis is approximately aligned with a rider's ankle joint axis for rotation in dorsiflexion.  
   
   
       15 . The binding of  claim 13 , wherein the heel loop is slidably attached to the first and second sidewalls through elongate slots such that the position of the heel loop is adjustable.  
   
   
       16 . The binding of  claim 13 , wherein each of the curved slots is disposed in an inwardly-facing curved channel, the binding further comprising a nut plate having a curved portion that is sized to fit in the curved channel and a bolt that extends through an aperture in the heel loop and threadably engages the nut plate thereby pivotably attaching the highback to the heel loop.  
   
   
       17 . The binding of  claim 16 , wherein each curved channel defines a plurality of teeth and each nut plate defines a second plurality of teeth that engage the teeth in the curved channel.  
   
   
       18 . The binding of  claim 15 , wherein the highback heel portion is curved and the heel loop includes an intermediate portion that is curved to nest with the curved heel portion of the highback.  
   
   
       19 . The binding of  claim 13 , further comprising a toe strap that is pivotably attached to the base plate sidewalls, and an instep strap that is pivotably attached to the heel loop.  
   
   
       20 . The binding of  claim 13 , wherein the heel loop is formed from stainless steel.  
   
   
       21 . The binding of  claim 13 , wherein the highback further comprises a blocking member adjustably mounted to a back side of the highback, the blocking member positioned to abut the heel loop to selectively establish a maximum forward lean angle of the highback.  
   
   
       22 . The binding of  claim 21 , wherein the blocking member includes a locking release lever to facilitate adjustment of the blocking member.  
   
   
       23 . The binding of  claim 22 , wherein the blocking member is disposed in a channel formed on a back of the highback.  
   
   
       24 . The binding of  claim 23 , wherein the channel formed on the back of the highback includes a plurality of teeth and the blocking member includes a plurality of teeth adapted to engage the teeth on the back of the highback.