Safety Binding for a Snowboard

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety binding ( 1 ) for a snowboard, particularly a safety binding to be attached in pairs to a snowboard. The invention solves the problem of reducing force peaks on the lower extremities of the athlete, which, for example, in the event of a fall exceed a force value which can be set, and in this event also enabling a three-dimensional rotation of the lower extremities. This is achieved in that a lower binding part ( 2 ), which can be fixed to the snowboard, and an upper binding part ( 3 ), which can be fixed to the shoe, are disposed on mutually facing support surfaces in a sliding manner, wherein the support surfaces are designed as the surface elements of two spherical caps, the common center of curvature of which is located above the lower binding part. The safety binding comprises at least one elastic connecting element ( 5 ), which is engaged in both binding parts and dimensioned such that it generates a physiologically allowed restoring force during the deformation thereof as a result of a displacement of the upper binding part out the normal position.

1 . A safety binding for a mounting pairwise on a snowboard, comprising:
 a) a lower binding part ( 2 ) affixable on the snowboard and an upper binding part ( 3 ) affixable to a shoe, wherein
 the lower and upper binding parts have contact surfaces sliding against each other, with the opposite contact surfaces of the respective other binding part being supported on the contact surfaces, 
 the contact surfaces of the two lower and upper binding part ( 2 ;  3 ) are formed as surface elements of two universal ball joints having a common curvature center located above the upper binding part ( 3 ), 
   b) at least one snap-in locking device which locks the position of the upper binding part ( 3 ) relative to the lower binding part ( 2 ) in a predeterminable normal position, as long as the actuating forces acting on the snap-in locking device are less than a predeterminable threshold value,   c) at least one elastic connecting element ( 5 ) in engagement with the two binding parts ( 2 ;  3 ) and dimensioned so as to generate a physiologically permissible restoring force during its deformation caused by a displacement of the upper binding part ( 3 ) from the normal position,   d) limit stops ( 6 ) arranged on the binding parts ( 2 ;  3 ), with the limit stops ( 6 ) limiting, when the snap-in locking device is actuated, the movement range of the two binding parts relative to each other to a range compatible with the anatomical conditions.   
     
     
         2 . The safety binding according to  claim 1 , wherein the common curvature center of the contact surfaces of the binding parts is located approximately at the height of the knee joint of the athlete standing on the piece of sporting equipment. 
     
     
         3 . The safety binding according to  claim 1 , wherein the snap-in locking device has at least one movable locking element arranged on a binding part ( 2 ;  3 ), and wherein the movable locking element is in engagement with a corresponding counter catch ( 4   a ) arranged on the other binding part by way of an adjustable spring force. 
     
     
         4 . The safety binding according to  claim 1 , wherein the snap-in locking device is manually actuated. 
     
     
         5 . The safety binding according to  claim 1 , wherein—in a top view—limit stops ( 6 ), which encompass with a hook shape the respective other binding part, are arranged in the forward region of the lower binding part ( 2 ) and in rearward region of the upper binding part ( 3 ).