Snowboards

Abstract

Snowboards are provided that consolidate and redirect a portion of the weight and forces of the rider to the optimal locations (near the edges and near the longitudinal center of the board), providing excellent turning and control and providing impact absorption when landing from a jump. In some implementations, an adjustable spring suspension system allows custom optimization of both the turning and ride characteristics of the snowboard.

1 . A snowboard comprising:
 a snowboard body, having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface being constructed to slide on snow, the snowboard body having a width of at least 9 inches and a length of at least 4 feet; and
 mounted on the upper surface of the snowboard body, a boot binding mounting and suspension system comprising a generally horizontal mounting platform defining two boot/binding mounting locations each for attachment to different boot bindings such that a pair of snowboarder's boots can be secured to the mounting platform each within the two boot/binding mounting locations during use, the boot binding mounting and suspension system being fixedly attached to a longitudinally central location of the snowboard body in a cantilevered manner that maintains a clearance distance between the mounting platform and the snowboard body in the area under each of the two boot/binding mounting locations, each boot/binding mounting location being on opposite sides of the longitudinally central location. 
   
   
   
       2 . The snowboard of  claim 1  wherein the platform is mounted on the snowboard body at a location within 2 inches of a midpoint of the snowboard body. 
   
   
       3 . The snowboard of  claim 1  further comprising a pair of boot bindings affixed directly to the platform, the pair of boot binding being adapted to receive and secure a pair of snowboarder's boots to the mounting platform such that each of the snowboarder's boots are positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinally central location. 
   
   
       4 . The snowboard of  claim 3  wherein the bootbindings are pivotally mounted to allow them to cant about an axis generally parallel to the long axis of a snowboarder's boot during use. 
   
   
       5 . The snowboard of  claim 1  wherein the clearance distance is sufficiently large so as to allow the snowboard body to curve up or down into an arc while the mounting platform remains essentially flat. 
   
   
       6 . The snowboard of  claim 5  wherein the clearance distance is between 0.75 inches and 3 inches. 
   
   
       7 . The snowboard of  claim 5  wherein the clearance distance is between 1.2 inches and 1.5 inches. 
   
   
       8 . The snowboard of  claim 1  wherein the platform is resilient allowing the platform to bend so as to ease impact when landing. 
   
   
       9 . The snowboard of  claim 1  wherein the platform includes an upward camber. 
   
   
       10 . The snowboard of  claim 1  wherein the platform is mounted on the snowboard body by one or more suspension beams. 
   
   
       11 . The snowboard of  claim 10  wherein the platform comprises two portions. 
   
   
       12 . The snowboard of  claim 1  further comprising a pitch control system configured to allow opposite ends of the snowboard body to arc upward in unison unimpeded, but inhibits non-uniform movements or movements in opposite directions of the ends. 
   
   
       13 . The snowboard of  claim 1  further comprising a spring suspension system. 
   
   
       14 . The snowboard of  claim 13  where the spring suspension system applies a portion of the weight of the rider to the snowboard body at one or more distinct points in addition to the points where the platform is attached to the snowboard body. 
   
   
       15 . The snowboard of  claim 13  where the spring suspension system applies a portion of the weight of the rider to the snowboard body at one or more distinct points located in the central longitudinal fifth of the snowboard body. 
   
   
       16 . The snowboard of  claim 13  where the spring suspension system applies a portion of the weight of the rider to the snowboard body at one or more distinct points located longitudinally a distance from the longitudinal center of the snowboard equal to from 10% to 30% of the full longitudinal length of the snowboard body. 
   
   
       17 . The snowboard of  claim 13  where the spring suspension system applies a portion of the weight of the rider to the snowboard body at one or more distinct points located longitudinally a distance from the longitudinal center of the snowboard equal to from 30% to 50% of the full longitudinal length of the snowboard body.