Snowboard brake

Abstract

A braking device ( 10, 50, 203 ) for a board includes a brake base ( 16,52 ) and a braking arm ( 56 ) which is mountable to the base and movable relative thereto between a retracted position and a braking position. The device further includes a biasing spring ( 72 ) to bias the braking arm into its braking position, and a locking mechanism ( 13,90,206 ) operative to releasably lock the braking arm in its retracted position.

1 . A braking device for a board, comprising a brake base incorporating a mounting surface which is operative to be mounted to the board, and a braking arm which is mountable to the base and movable relative thereto between a retracted position and a braking position where the braking arm extends below the mounting surface, biasing means operative to bias the braking arm to move the arm to its braking position, and a locking mechanism operative to releasably lock the braking arm in its retracted position.  
   
   
       2 . A braking device according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is operative to release the braking arm from its retracted position in response to the application of a force to the locking mechanism in a predetermined direction.  
   
   
       3 . A braking device according to  claim 2 , wherein the locking mechanism incorporates a locking pin which is movable between an engaged position where it locks the braking arm in the retracted position, to a disengaged position where it releases the braking arm from the brake base.  
   
   
       4 . A braking device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a coupling to couple a leash to the braking device, and wherein the device is configured so that the locking mechanism is operative to be released on tensioning of the leash to impart a predetermined force on the coupling.  
   
   
       5 . A braking device according to  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined force on the coupling to release the locking mechanism is in a predetermined direction.  
   
   
       6 . A braking device according to  claim 4 , wherein the device is arranged so that on application of the tension to the leash to release the locking mechanism, the leash disconnects from the base of the braking device.  
   
   
       7 . A braking device according to claims wherein the locking mechanism incorporates a locking pin which is movable between an engaged position where it locks the braking arm in its retracted position, to a disengaged position where it releases the braking arm from the brake base and separates from the brake base, and wherein the coupling is disposed on the locking pin.  
   
   
       8 . A braking device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator associated with the locking mechanism and operative to be activated to cause the locking mechanism to release the braking arm from its retracted position.  
   
   
       9 . A braking device according to  claim 8 , where the actuator is in the form of a leash that is coupled to the locking mechanism and is operative to be activated by tensioning of the leash.  
   
   
       10 . A braking device according to  claim 8 , wherein the actuator incorporates a cable and is activated by movement of the cable along its longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       11 . A braking device according to  claim 10 , wherein one end of the cable is coupled to the locking mechanism and the other end is coupled to an activation device operative to impart longitudinal movement to the cable to activate the actuator.  
   
   
       12 . A braking device according to  claim 1 , wherein the activation device is locatable with a binding on the board.  
   
   
       13 . A braking device according to any preceding  claim 1 , wherein the braking arm is arranged to move about an axis in movement between its retracted position and braking position.  
   
   
       14 . A braking device according to  claim 13 , wherein the mounting surface is generally planar and the axis is parallel to the mounting surface.  
   
   
       15 . A braking device according to  claim 1  wherein the braking arm rotates through greater than 180° between the retracted position and the braking position.  
   
   
       16 . A braking device according to  claim 1  wherein the base is shaped as a channel and includes a mounting portion which incorporates the mounting surface, and a pair of upstanding flanges, wherein when in the retracted position, the braking arm is operative to nest within the flanges.  
   
   
       17 . A braking device according to  claim 16 , wherein the base is constructed from two interlocking components.  
   
   
       18 . A braking device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second locking mechanism operative to releaseably lock the braking arm in its braking position.  
   
   
       19 . A braking device according to  claim 18 , wherein the second locking mechanism is operable in response to the movement of the braking arm towards the braking position to lock the braking arm in its braking position.  
   
   
       20 . A braking device according to  claim 19 , wherein the second locking mechanism comprises a first locking element located on the braking arm and a second locking element located on the base, at least one of the elements being moveable to move the elements into an engaged position to lock the braking arm in its braking position.  
   
   
       21 . A braking device according to  claim 19 , wherein the braking arm is arranged to move about an axis in movement between its retracted position and braking position and the braking arm moves along the axis on movement of the braking arm to the braking position, and when said axial movement causes the first and second locking elements to move into the engaged position.  
   
   
       22 . A braking device according to  claim 18 , wherein the second locking mechanism is a dog clutch.  
   
   
       23 . A braking device according to  claim 1  wherein the biasing means is a torsional spring.  
   
   
       24 . A braking device according to  claim 23 , wherein the biasing means is located within a cowling forming part of the brake base.  
   
   
       25 . A snowboard having an upper and lower surface and opposite side surfaces interconnecting the upper and lower surfaces, the snowboard also incorporating a braking device according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       26 . A snowboard according to  claim 25 , wherein the braking device is arranged adjacent one of the edges of the snowboard and when activated, the braking arm protrudes over the edge and downwardly below the lower surface of the board.  
   
   
       27 . A snowboard according to either  claim 25  , wherein the braking device is located on the upper surface intermediate front and rear bindings of the snowboard.  
   
   
       28 . A snowboard according to  claim 27 , wherein the braking device is located adjacent the front binding.  
   
   
       29 . A snowboard according to claims  25  further comprising a coupling to couple the braking device to one of the bindings, and wherein the device is configured so that the locking mechanism is operative to be released on release of the binding to which the braking device is connected.  
   
   
       30 . A snowboard according to any one of  claim 29 , wherein the braking device further comprises an actuator associated with the locking mechanism and operative to be activated to cause the locking mechanism to release the braking arm from its retracted position, the actuator including an activation device located in at least one of the bindings to activate the actuator.  
   
   
       31 . A snowboard according to  claim 30 , wherein the binding is a strap-in binding and the activation device is operative to activate the actuator on release of a strap on at least one binding.  
   
   
       32 . A braking arm for use with a snowboard braking device comprising a blade connected at a proximal end and projecting radially from a hub, an edge portion of the blade provided with gripping elements, an aperture located at the distal end of the blade for receipt of a locking pin.  
   
   
       33 . A braking arm according to  claim 32 , wherein the gripping elements are serrations formed in the edge of the blade.  
   
   
       34 . A braking arm according to  claim 32 , wherein the hub includes at least one spline for engaging a biasing means.  
   
   
       35 . A braking arm according to  claim 32 , wherein a portion of the hub forms part of a dog clutch.  
   
   
       36 . A method of applying a brake to a board, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a braking device on the board, the device having a braking arm which is movable from a retracted position to a braking position, and which is releasably locked in its retracted position;    interconnecting a leash between the braking device and a user of the board;    releasing the braking arm from its retracted position by tensioning of the leash.    
   
   
       37 . A method according to  claim 36 , further comprising the steps of disengaging the leash from the board on releasing of the braking arm.  
   
   
       38 . A method of applying a brake to a board having at least one foot binding, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a braking device on the board, the device having a braking arm which is movable from a retracted position to a braking position, and which is releasably locked in its retracted position;    providing an actuator operative to be activated to cause the locking mechanism to release the braking arm from its retracted position; and releasing the braking arm from its retracted position by activating the actuator by releasing a foot from the at least one foot binding.