Boot binding

Abstract

A boot including a binding mechanism ( 60 ) for attachment to a motive device such as a snowboard ( 195 ), the motive device including a body and anchor means such as an array of bolts ( 50 ) attached to an upper surface of the body, the anchor means including at least one decent such as a bolt head ( 53 ) spaced from the body and having an underside surface ( 54 ), the boot including a base ( 7 ) having a footbed ( 4 ) on which a user's foot may directly or indirectly rest and a sole member ( 6 ) spaced from the footbed and lying substantially in a plane. The sole member includes one or more openings ( 9 ) to one or more recesses or cavities ( 8 ) in the base; the boot is engageable to the anchor means by engagement means ( 112 ) on or preferably in the base; and the engagement means includes reciprocating means such as slider ( 95 ) operable to toggle between: a non-engaged position whereby there is non-engagement between the anchor means and the engagement means; and an engaged position whereby the base is releasably locked onto the motive device.

1 . A boot for use in an adjustable boot binding arrangement for attaching said boot directly to fixed anchor means on a motive device, said boot including a base including an underside member and an upper support panel on which a wearer's foot directly or indirectly rests, said upper support panel spaced from said underside member and said anchor means including at least one upper detent portion spaced from the upper surface of said motive device, wherein:
 said base includes at least one recess or cavity for receiving said upper detent portion;   said recess or cavity is able to receive said upper detent portion through said underside member;   said boot includes engagement means to releasably secure said detent portion in said recess or cavity;   said engagement means is actuatable to engage or release said detent portion by the wearer of said boot by actuating means located on the outer surface of said boot; and   said detent portion is releasable in said recess or cavity from said engagement means to permit readjustment of the orientation of said boot relative to said motive device.   
   
   
       2 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein said motive device is a snowboard. 
   
   
       3 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein said engagement means includes reciprocating means operable to toggle between a non-engaged position whereby there is non-engagement between said anchor means and said engagement means and an engaged position whereby said anchor means and said engagement means are fixedly engaged. 
   
   
       4 . A boot according to  claim 3 , wherein said reciprocating means includes a slidable member. 
   
   
       5 . A boot according to  claim 4 , wherein said slidable member is movable within a region substantially parallel to the plane of said upper support panel between said non-engaged position and said engaged position in which said anchor underside surface abuts said base. 
   
   
       6 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein said anchor means consists of at least one threaded bolt. 
   
   
       7 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein said anchor means comprises at least three bolts having at least three corresponding bolt heads, each bolt head including said detent portion. 
   
   
       8 . A boot according to  claim 4 , wherein said base is a modular structure including separately formed components contained in a base casing forming a modular unit, said base casing including a casing top providing said upper support panel and said underside member. 
   
   
       9 . A boot according to  claim 5 , wherein said slidable member is interposed between said casing top and said underside member. 
   
   
       10 . A boot according to  claim 3 , wherein said reciprocating means includes cam and/or ramp means. 
   
   
       11 . A boot according to  claim 8 , wherein said slidable member and said base casing include complementary and opposed cam and/or ramp means adapted to cooperate with each other to raise or lower said engagement means. 
   
   
       12 . A boot according to  claim 11 , wherein said actuation means is operably connected to said slidable member at least partially housed within said base casing to cause, on actuation, said slidable member to slide relative to said base casing to raise said engagement means into said engaged position. 
   
   
       13 . A boot according to  claim 4 , wherein said reciprocating means includes a rack and pinion arrangement to cause said slidable member to move relative to said base. 
   
   
       14 . A boot according to  claim 13 , wherein said actuation means includes a rotatable member operable by a user in said non-engaged or said engaged position. 
   
   
       15 . A boot according to  claim 14 , wherein said actuation means includes a rack and pinion arrangement to cause a slider member to move relative to said boot on actuation of said rotatable member. 
   
   
       16 . A boot for use in an adjustable boot binding arrangement for attaching the boot directly to a fixed anchor on a snowboard, the boot comprising a base having an underside member and an upper support panel on which a wearer's foot directly or indirectly rests, the upper support panel spaced from the underside member and the anchor including at least one upper detent portion spaced from the upper surface of the snowboard, wherein:
 the base includes at least one recess or cavity for receiving the upper detent portion;   the recess or cavity is able to receive the upper detent portion through the underside member;   the boot includes an engagement member to releasably secure the detent portion in the recess or cavity;   the engagement member is actuatable to engage or release the detent portion by the wearer of the boot by an actuator located on the boot's outer surface; and   the detent portion is releasable in the recess or cavity from the engagement member to permit readjustment of the orientation of the boot relative to the snowboard.   
   
   
       17 . The boot of  claim 16 , wherein the engagement member includes reciprocating means operable to toggle between a non-engaged position so that there is non-engagement between the anchor and the engagement member and an engaged position so that the anchor and the engagement member are fixedly engaged. 
   
   
       18 . The boot of  claim 17 , wherein the reciprocating means includes a slidable member movable within a region substantially parallel to the plane of the upper support panel between the non-engaged and engaged positions in which the anchor underside surface abuts the base. 
   
   
       19 . The boot of  claim 2 , wherein the anchor means consists of at least one threaded bolt. 
   
   
       20 . The boot of  claim 2 , wherein the anchor means comprises at least three bolts having at least three corresponding bolt heads, each bolt head including the detent portion.