Wakeboard binding plate assembly and method of use

Abstract

A wakeboard binding plate assembly includes a binding plate and binding chassis that allows for a light weight and low cost attachment of a boot assembly to the wakeboard. The binding plate includes toothed segments on a side that are adapted to engage toothed segments in a bottom surface of the binding chassis of a boot assembly. The angular position of boot assembly with respect to the binding plate is determined, and the binding plate is fitted to the binding chassis so that the angular position is attained, with the teeth of the plate and chassis engaged to maintain the desired angular orientation. The plate has slots and the chassis has openings, and fasteners extend through the slots and into the openings to attach the plate to the chassis. The plate is equipped with ears that facilitate attachment to the wakeboard.

1 . A wakeboard binding plate assembly comprising: 
 a) a binding chassis having at least one first irregular surface on a bottom surface thereof;    b) a binding plate having at least one second irregular surface adapted to engage the first irregular surface and means for attaching the binding plate to a wakeboard; and    c) means for mounting the binding plate to the binding chassis in different angular orientations.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first irregular surface comprises a toothed ring or a plurality of toothed segments mounted to an underside of the chassis.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second irregular surface further comprises a plurality of arcuate toothed segments on an upper surface of the binding plate.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the means for mounting the binding plate includes a plurality of first openings in the binding chassis, a plurality of second openings in the binding plate, and fasteners to extend through the second openings and into the first openings, the second openings configured so that the first openings remain visible through the second openings for receiving the fasteners regardless of angular orientation of the binding plate with respect to the binding chassis.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each tooth represents a two degree change in angulation.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein each tooth represents a two degree change in angulation.  
   
   
       8 . A method of securing a binding chassis to a binding plate in a given angular orientation for use with a wakeboard comprising: 
 a) providing a binding chassis with at least one first irregular surface on an underside thereof;    b) providing a binding plate with at least one second irregular surface on an upper side thereof;    c) selecting an angulation between the binding plate and binding chassis, and mating the at least one second irregular surface of the binding plate with the at least one first irregular surface of the binding chassis; and    d) securing the binding plate to the binding chassis with the selected angulation.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising attaching the binding plate to a wakeboard.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one first and second irregular surfaces are one of a plurality of toothed segments or a toothed ring.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one first and second irregular surfaces are one of a plurality of toothed segments or a toothed ring.  
   
   
       12 . In a wakeboard binding having a boot assembly with a binding chassis and a binding plate to secure the boot assembly to the wakeboard, the improvement comprising using the binding plate assembly of  claim 1  to secure the boot assembly to the wakeboard.