Water ski semi-rigid binding system

Abstract

A semi-rigid binding system includes a toe defining an interior toe pocket with top and bottom exterior surfaces, a heel opposite the toe with top and bottom exterior surfaces and rigid sidewalls opposite to one another which connect the toe to the heel. A top edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel together define a top opening of the binding and a bottom edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel together define a bottom opening of the binding. As such, the top opening and the bottom opening and an interior surface of the rigid sidewalls form a hollow channel through the semi-rigid binding absent a body sole between the bottom surfaces of the toe pocket and the heel pocket, and the bottom edge of the rigid sidewalls each angle inwardly towards one another.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A water ski semi-rigid binding comprising:
 a toe defining an interior toe pocket with top and bottom exterior surfaces;   a heel opposite the toe; and,   rigid sidewalls opposite one another and connecting the toe to the heel, a portion of the rigid sidewalls proximate to the heel upwardly sloping to form an upper cuff;   wherein a top edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel define a top opening of the binding;   wherein a bottom edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel define a bottom opening of the binding,   wherein the top opening and the bottom opening and an interior surface of the rigid sidewalls form a hollow channel through the semi-rigid binding absent a body sole between the bottom surfaces of the toe pocket and the heel pocket; and   wherein the bottom edge of the rigid sidewalls each angle inwardly towards one another.   
     
     
         2 . The water ski semi-rigid binding of  claim 1 , further comprising an ankle collar fixed to the upper cuff and upwardly extending beyond the top edge of the heel and rigid sidewalls. 
     
     
         3 . The water ski semi-rigid binding of  claim 1 , further comprising a protruding lip at an exterior rear surface of the heel. 
     
     
         4 . A water ski semi-rigid binding system comprising:
 a toe receiver adapted for fixation to a top surface of a water ski;   a toggleable heel release assembly adapted for fixation to the top surface of the water ski, the toggleable heel release comprising dual states of locked and released; and,   a semi-rigid binding comprising:
 a toe defining an interior toe pocket with top and bottom exterior surfaces; 
 a heel opposite the toe; and, 
 rigid sidewalls opposite one another and connecting the toe to the heel, a portion of the rigid sidewalls proximate to the heel upwardly sloping to form an upper cuff; 
 wherein a top edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel define a top opening of the binding; 
 wherein a bottom edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel define a bottom opening of the binding, 
 wherein the top opening and the bottom opening and an interior surface of the rigid sidewalls form a hollow channel through the semi-rigid binding absent a body sole between the bottom surfaces of the toe pocket and the heel pocket; and 
 wherein the bottom edge of the rigid sidewalls each angle inwardly towards one another. 
   
     
     
         5 . The water ski semi-rigid binding of  claim 4 , further comprising an ankle collar fixed to the upper cuff and upwardly extending beyond the top edge of the heel and rigid sidewalls. 
     
     
         6 . The water ski semi-rigid binding of  claim 4 , further comprising a protruding lip at an exterior rear surface of the heel. 
     
     
         7 . A water ski comprising:
 a ski with a top surface defining a flat form and a bottom surface defining a concave form;   releasable semi-rigid binding system comprising:
 a toe receiver adapted for fixation to the top surface of the water ski; 
 a toggleable heel release assembly adapted for fixation to the top surface of the water ski, the toggleable heel release comprising dual states of locked and released; and, 
 a semi-rigid binding comprising:
 a toe defining an interior toe pocket with top and bottom exterior surfaces; 
 a heel opposite the toe; and, 
 rigid sidewalls opposite one another and connecting the toe to the heel, a portion of the rigid sidewalls proximate to the heel upwardly sloping to form an upper cuff; 
 wherein a top edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel define a top opening of the binding; 
 wherein a bottom edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel define a bottom opening of the binding, 
 wherein the top opening and the bottom opening and an interior surface of the rigid sidewalls form a hollow channel through the semi-rigid binding absent a body sole between the bottom surfaces of the toe pocket and the heel pocket; and 
 wherein the bottom edge of the rigid sidewalls each angle inwardly towards one another, 
 
 wherein the toe receiver receives the toe of the binding, and 
 wherein the toggleable heal release binds the heel of the binding to the top surface of the water ski when in a locked one of the dual states. 
   
     
     
         8 . The water ski of  claim 7 , further comprising an ankle collar fixed to the upper cuff and upwardly extending beyond the top edge of the heel and rigid sidewalls. 
     
     
         9 . The water ski of  claim 7 , further comprising a protruding lip at an exterior rear surface of the heel. 
     
     
         10 . The water ski of  claim 7 , further comprising a fixed semi-rigid binding system secured to the ski in a non-releasable state rearwardly from the releasable semi-rigid binding system. 
     
     
         11 . The water ski of  claim 10 , wherein the fixed semi-rigid binding system comprises:
 a flat plate with mounting screw holes defined therethrough and adapted to receive screws securing a bottom surface of the flat plate to the top surface of the ski; and,   a rigid boot shell extending from a top surface of the flat plate and comprising:
 a pocketless toe stop; 
 a heel opposite the pocketless toe stop; and, 
 rigid sidewalls opposite one another and connecting the pocketless toe stop to the heel, a portion of the rigid sidewalls intermediate to the pocketless toe stop and heel of the rigid boot shell upwardly sloping towards one another form a middle cuff, 
 wherein a top edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel define a top opening of the rigid boot shell; 
 wherein a bottom edge of the rigid sidewalls, the toe and the heel define a bottom opening of the binding, 
 wherein the top opening and the bottom opening and an interior surface of the rigid sidewalls of the rigid boot shell form a hollow channel through the rigid boot shell absent a body sole of the rigid boot shell.