Boot binding coupling for snow boards

Abstract

A coupling for releasably mounting a boot with boot binding to a turntable which is adjustably secured to a snowboard. The boot binding includes a plurality of extending lock pins each with a shoe releasably locking into arcuate slots in the turntable. The boot binding is quickly directed to the coupling with a set of guide pins protruding from the boot binding, which pods also serve as improved traction devices when the boot binding is disengaged from the turntable. Also extending from the boot binding plate is a latch pin held under spring bias which when aligned in a hold position, fits into one of several latch pin holes in the turntable. To release the plates from hold position, the latch pin is pulled from the latch pin hole by a flexible hand extension release device hand operated from a standing position and the plates are rotated to disengage the shoes from the arcuate slots.

Having described the invention, which is claimed is: 
     
       1. In combination with a snowboard having a plurality of threaded screw holes, a releasable snowboard boot binding coupling comprising: a circular turntable ring with a center hole, the turntable ring having a plurality of arcuate mounting slots on a circular arc concentric with the center hole, each of the slots having a first large slot opening on one end thereof,   a boot binding plate having a plurality of lock pins extending downwardly from the boot binding plate and located opposite the arcuate mounting slots of the turntable ring, each lock pin having a flange secured to the binding plate, a shoe sized to fit into and through a respective one of the turntable arcuate slot large openings, and a narrowing waist between the flange and the shoe sized such that upon partial rotation of the boot binding plate, the narrowing waist of the lock pin slidably passes into the turntable ring arcuate slot,   a spacer plate secured to the turntable to separate the turntable from the snowboard,   means to adjustably secure the turntable with the spacer plate to the snowboard, and   latching mans for releasably latching the turntable ring to the boot binding plate with the boot binding plate lock pin held in the turntable arcuate slot.   
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means to adjustably secure the turntable .Iadd.ring .Iaddend.with spacer plate to the snowboard comprises .[.a turntable with a center hole and having.]. an inner annular journal surface on the turntable .Iadd.ring .Iaddend.about the center hole,   a circular mounting plate having an annular raceway formed by a circumferential flat on the plate edge matching the journal surface of the turntable .Iadd.ring .Iaddend.such that the mounting plate fills the turntable .Iadd.ring .Iaddend.center hole with its annular raceway overlapping the turntable journal surface allowing the turntable .Iadd.ring .Iaddend.to rotate under the mounting plate when loosely mounted, .Iadd.and .Iaddend.   means to tightly and removably secure the mounting plate to the snowboard.   
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the means to tightly and removably secure the mounting plate to the snowboard comprises .Iadd.a set of mounting holes in the mounting plate, .Iaddend.   .[.a spacer plate having.]. a set of mounting holes .Iadd.in the spacer plate .Iaddend.matching the threaded holes .[.of.]. .Iadd.in .Iaddend.the snowboard .Iadd.and matching the mounting holes in the mounting plate.Iaddend.,   a plurality of screws passing through aligned mounting holes .[.of.]. .Iadd.in .Iaddend.the mounting plate and .Iadd.the spacer plate, .Iaddend.into the threaded holes in the snowboard.Iadd., .Iaddend.with the mounting plate on the turntable ring with its raceway over the journal surface.   
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means for latching the turntable ring to the boot binding plate comprises .[.a circular turntable ring with.]. a latch pin hole .Iadd.in the circular turntable ring.Iaddend., and a release latch pin unit with a latch pin under bias.Iadd., .Iaddend.sized and located to releasably fit into the latch pin hole.   
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the release latch pin unit comprises a right cylindrical shell housing with a first concentric hole in one end and an open second opposite end defining a cylindrical cavity therein,   .[.a.]. .Iadd.and the .Iaddend.latch pin further comprising a rod extending out of the housing first concentric hole, and   a head on the rod inside, but extending out of, the housing .Iadd.and .Iaddend.slidably fitting in the housing,     a spring extending within the cylinder cavity and around the latch pin rod maintaining the latch pin head under a bias, .Iadd.and .Iaddend.   a keeper ring in the rod end extending out of the cylinder and sized larger than the cylinder first hole.   
     
     
       6. The invention of claim 4 wherein the circular turntable ring further comprises a plurality of latch pin holes offset for adjustment of angular orientation of the boot binding plate on the turntable ring. 
     
     
       7. The releasable snowboard boot binding coupling in combination with a snowboard of claim 1 in further combination with an adapter plate between the snowboard and the first circular plate, means to secure the adapter plate to the snowboard, and means to secure the releasable snowboard boot binding to the adapter plate. 
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the means to removably secure the adapter plate to the snowboard comprises .[.an adapter plate with.]. a plurality of mounting holes .Iadd.in said adapter plate and .Iaddend.aligned with two or more snowboard threaded holes, and   a plurality of screws passing through .[.aligned.]. mounting holes .[.of.]. .Iadd.in .Iaddend.the adapter plate and into the threaded holes in the snowboard.Iadd., .Iaddend.with the adapter plate set on the snowboard.   
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means to adjustably secure the turntable .Iadd.ring .Iaddend.with spacer plate to the snowboard comprises .[.a turntable ring further comprising.]. a second plurality of arcuate slots on a concentric arc .Iadd.in the turntable ring.Iaddend., and   screws passing through the second arcuate slots into threaded holes in the snowboard, allowing .[.the turntable.]. angular rotation .Iadd.of the turn table ring lengthwise .Iaddend.through .[.its slot lengths.]. .Iadd.said slots .Iaddend.when loosely mounted and affixing the turntable to the snowboard when securely tightened.   
     
     
       10. The invention of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of guide pins on a circular arc on the boot binding plate outside of the lock pins and the turntable and extending from the boot binding plate a distance greater than the lock pins extend.   
     
     
       11. The invention of claim 1 further comprising a second large opening on the end of the arcuate slot opposite the first large opening. 
     
     
       12. The invention of claim 1 further comprising means for releasing the latching means. 
     
     
       13. The invention of claim 12 wherein the means for releasing the latching means comprises a strap with a buckle on each end for attachment to a keeper ring and to the user within easy reach of the user's arm. 
     
     
       14. The invention of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of guide pins on a circular arc on the boot binding plate outside of the lock pins and the turntable, extending slightly further from the plate than do the lock pins. .Iadd. 
     
     
       15.  An assembly for securing a boot to a snowboard, comprising: a boot plate for attachment to the boot, the boot plate including a plurality of lugs, each lug rigidly attached at one end to the boot plate, each lug including an enlarged shoe at its distal end and a narrow waist between the boot plate and the shoe,   a turntable for attachment to an upper side of the snowboard, the turntable including a plurality of integrally formed arcuate guide rails arranged on a circular arc concentric with a center axis of the turntable,   a central portion of each guide rail being defined by a flange, to create an opening at one end of the guide rail, the flange being spaced above a bottom surface of the turntable, so that when the turntable secured to the snowboard, the flanges are spaced above the upper surface of the snowboard,   the lugs being arranged on the boot plate opposite the arcuate guide rails of the turntable such that the shoe of each lugs can be inserted into an opening and the boot plate can be selectively rotated within a range of angular positions, with the flanges overlapping the shoes in a manner capable of carrying forces perpendicular to the snowboard, in order to prevent the boot from lifting off the turntable,   and latch means for releasably latching the lugs to the turntable at a selected angular position. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the latch means includes a spring biased lock pin, the spring biased lock pin being secured to the boot plate. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the turntable includes holes or detents adapted to receive the latch pin and secure the boot plate at a selected position. .Iaddend..Iadd.18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the latch means further includes a strap secured to the latch pin, to facilitate displacing the latch pin from a hole or detent. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the turntable includes an outer band portion that encloses the arcuate guide rails to create arcuate slots, and further comprising a plurality of guide pins secured to the boot plate and arranged on a circular arc larger than the circular arc of the turntable slots yet concentric with the turntable center axis, the outer peripheral edge of the outer band portion adapted to engage the guide pins, in order   
     
     
        to align the lugs opposite the openings. .Iaddend..Iadd.20.  The assembly of claim 19, wherein the guide pins extend from the boot plate a distance sufficient to engage the upper surface of the snowboard when the boot plate and turntable are secured to the snowboard. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the latch means includes a latch pin and a plurality of holes or detents, the holes or detents being located in the outer band portion of the turntable. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the turntable includes an outer band portion that encloses the arcuate guide rails to create arcuate slots, and wherein the central portion of each slot is defined by a pair of opposed flanges, to create a large slot opening at one end of the slot and a narrow central slot portion for receiving the narrow waist of a lug. .Iaddend..Iadd.23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the size of each large slot opening is slightly greater than the size of a shoe, and the narrow central slot portion of each slot is slightly wider than the narrow waist of a lug. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. The assembly of claim 22, wherein each pair of opposed flanges create a large slot opening at each end of a slot, both large slot openings of each slot adapted to receive a shoe. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the turntable includes a center opening, and further comprising a mounting plate adapted to overlay the center opening and a portion of the turntable defining the center opening, and means to tightly and removably secure the mounting plate to the snowboard with the turntable sandwiched between the mounting plate and the snowboard, whereby the turntable can rotate under the mounting plate when the mounting plate is loosely secured to the snowboard. .Iaddend..Iadd.26. The assembly of claim 15, wherein a central region of the turntable is thicker than the area proximate to the flanges, the thicker central region providing means 
     
     
        to space the flanges above the snowboard. .Iaddend..Iadd.27.  In combination with a snowboard, a releasable boot to snowboard coupling comprising: a turntable with a center axis, the turntable having a plurality of integrally formed arcuate guide rails on a circular arc concentric with the center axis, each of the guide rails defining a large opening on one end thereof,   a boot plate having a plurality of lock rigidly attached at one end to the boot plate, the lock lugs extending downwardly from the boot plate and located opposite the arcuate guide rails of the turntable, each lock lug having a shoe sized to fit into and through a selected one of the turntable large openings, and a narrowing waist between the boot plate and the shoe sized such that upon partial rotation of the boot plate, the narrowing waist of the lock lug slidably passes along the turntable arcuate guide rail and the shoe engages with the arcuate guide rail,   a spacer portion to separate the turntable from the snowboard,   means to secure the turntable and spacer to the snowboard, and   latching means for releasably latching the turntable to the boot plate with the boot plate lock lug held against the turntable arcuate guide rail. .Iaddend..Iadd.28. An assembly for securing a boot to a snowboard, the assembly comprising:   a turntable adapted to be secured to the snowboard;   a boot plate rotatably mounted on the turntable, the boot plate adapted to be selectively rotated on the turntable to a desired angular position;   a latch mechanism movable between a first position where the latch mechanism prevents rotation of the boot plate on the turntable, and a second position wherein the boot plate is free to rotate; and   a strap attached at one end to the latch mechanism and at its other end adapted to be secured to a snowboarder's body whereby pull on the strap displaces the latch mechanism from its first position to its second position, allowing the boot plate to rotate,   wherein the boot plate is releasably mounted to the turntable, by lugs rigidly attached to one of the boot plate and turntable and arcuate guide rails integrally formed on the other, the guide rails having portions engageable with said lugs at selected rotational angles of positions of the boot plate relative to the turntable for preventing removal of boot   
     
     
        plate from the turntable. .Iaddend..Iadd.29.  The assembly of claim 28, wherein the latch mechanism includes a spring biased latch pin which is spring biased into the first position. .Iaddend.