Snowboard tether device

Abstract

A snowboard tether device comprising a base and a dome. The base is affixed to a snowboard and comprises two finger grips, a thumb grip and a receiving area with a steel plate. The dome comprises a top part, a bottom part, a shaft, a spool with a cable and a spring, and an underside with one or more magnets. When the shaft is in a locked position, the toothed section of the shaft is engaged with both the tooth receiving area of the spool and the tooth receiving area of the bottom part of the dome. When the shaft is in an unlocked position, the toothed section of the shaft is engaged with the tooth receiving area of the bottom part of the dome but is not engaged with the tooth receiving area of the spool.

1 . A snowboard tether device comprising a base and a dome;
 wherein the base is affixed to a snowboard;   wherein the base comprises two finger grips, a thumb grip and a receiving area for the dome;   wherein the receiving area comprises a steel plate;   wherein the dome comprises a top part, a bottom part, a shaft and a spool;   wherein the bottom part of the dome comprises an underside with one or more magnets;   wherein the shaft extends vertically through the top and bottom parts of the dome and through the center of the spool;   wherein a spring is wound around one part of the spool and a cable is wound around another part of the spool;   wherein one end of the spring is fixedly attached to the shaft and another end of the spring is fixedly attached to the spool;   wherein one end of the cable is fixedly attached to the spool and another end of the cable is attached to the base;   wherein when the dome is pulled away from the base, thereby extending the cable, the spool is rotated in one direction, thereby creating tension in the spring;   wherein the shaft comprises a toothed section;   wherein the spool and the bottom part of the dome each comprises a tooth receiving area;   wherein when the shaft is in a locked position, the toothed section of the shaft is engaged with both the tooth receiving area of the spool and the tooth receiving area of the bottom part of the dome;   wherein when the shaft is in an unlocked position, the toothed section of the shaft is engaged with the tooth receiving area of the bottom part of the dome but is not engaged with the tooth receiving area of the spool;   wherein when the shaft is in a locked position, the spool does not rotate, and the length of cable from the dome to the base is fixed; and   wherein when the shaft is in an unlocked position, the spool is allowed to rotate in a direction that relieves the tension created in the spring, thereby retracting the cable and pulling the dome to the receiving area of the base.   
   
   
       2 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises two circular recesses;
 wherein the top part of the dome comprises a ceiling and two fingers that extend downward from the ceiling of the dome;   wherein each finger comprises a knob; and   wherein the knobs fit into the circular recesses in the shaft to maintain the shaft in a locked or unlocked position.   
   
   
       3 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein the toothed section of the shaft has a height and the tooth receiving area of the bottom part of the dome has a height; and
 wherein the height of the toothed section of the shaft is roughly equal to the height of the tooth receiving area of the bottom part of the dome.   
   
   
       4 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein the cable exits the dome via an aperture in the dome;
 wherein the cable enters the base via an aperture in the base; and   wherein when the dome is situated on top of the receiving area of the base, the apertures in the dome and in the base are horizontally aligned.   
   
   
       5 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 4 , wherein the aperture in the base is situated between the two finger grips. 
   
   
       6 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving area has a surface area and the underside of the bottom part of the dome has a surface area; and
 wherein the surface area of the receiving area on the base is less than the surface area on the underside of the dome.   
   
   
       7 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein when the cable is extended, the magnets on the underside of the dome are coupled to a steel token in a pocket of a snowboarder. 
   
   
       8 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein when the cable is extended, the magnets on the underside of the dome are coupled to a steel plate inside a fabric patch on an article of clothing worn by a snowboarder. 
   
   
       9 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein when the cable is extended, the magnets on the underside of the dome are coupled to a steel ring of a clothing clip. 
   
   
       10 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein the underside of the dome comprises a recess and the magnets on the underside of the dome surround the recess;
 wherein the clothing clip comprises a hub surrounded by a steel ring; and   wherein the hub of the clothing clip fits into the recess on the underside of the dome.   
   
   
       11 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 9 , wherein the clothing clip comprises a top plate and a bottom plate;
 wherein a piece of clothing is placed between the top plate and the bottom plate; and   wherein the bottom plate comprises a plurality of ridges to facilitate adherence of the clip to the piece of clothing.   
   
   
       12 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein the base is comprised of thermoplastic elastomer. 
   
   
       13 . The snowboard tether device of  claim 1 , wherein the dome is comprised of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.