Abstract:
A snowboard binding system has a boot and a binding configured to be releasably coupled together. The boot has an upper potion, a sole portion, a front catch and at least one rear catch. The binding includes a base member, a rear binding arrangement and a front binding member. The base member has a front portion and a rear portion. The rear binding arrangement is coupled to the rear portion to selectively engage the rear catch. The front binding member includes a front claw and a release lever. The front claw is movably coupled to the front portion of the base member. The release lever is coupled to the front claw to move therewith between a release position and a latched position. An indexing mechanism is arranged to selectively retain the front claw and the release lever in the release position and the latched position.
Abstract:
A snowboard binding system has a boot and a binding configured to be releasably coupled together. The boot has an upper potion, a sole portion, a front catch and at least one rear catch. The binding includes a base member, a rear binding arrangement and a front binding member. The base member has a front portion and a rear portion. The rear binding arrangement is coupled to the rear portion to selectively engage at least one rear catch. The rear catch has a concave abutment surface. The rear binding arrangement has a movable tooth portion with a convexly shaped latching surface designed to selectively engage the abutment surface to couple the boot to the binding. The abutment surface and the latching surface are configured to reduce flexing of the binding when the boot is deflected relative to the binding.
Abstract:
The bicycle pedal includes a pedal shaft, a pedal body and an abrasive sheet coupled to a shoe engagement surface to enhance engagement of the pedal with a shoe. The pedal body is rotatably coupled to the second end of the pedal shaft. The shoe engagement surface preferably includes a recess with first and second curvatures. The first curvature has a first radius and the second curvature has a second radius larger than the first radius. The abrasive sheet is preferably coupled within the recess. Frictional characteristics are improved by a method including the steps of forming a pedal body with a recess and coupling an abrasive sheet in the recess of the pedal body. The abrasive sheet is positioned to resist peeling of the abrasive sheet from the pedal body. The pedal body can be formed of one or more pieces.
Abstract:
A snowboard binding system includes a binding and a boot configured to be releasably coupled together. The snowboard binding includes a base member, a rear binding arrangement, and a front binding arrangement. The snowboard boot includes an upper portion, a sole portion, at least one rear catch and a front catch. The sole portion has a toe section, a mid section and a heel section. The rear catch is located at the heel section of the sole portion. The front catch is coupled to the toe section and has a pair of leg portions extending downwardly from the toe section of the sole portion, and a tongue portion extending laterally between the leg portions. The toe section has a pair of front catch guide surfaces located forwardly and laterally of the front catch to guide the front catch toward the front binding arrangement.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a highback support which is pivotally mounted to a support member. A lever mechanism fixed to a backside of the highback support includes a lever which selectively engages a portion of the support member and provides mechanical advantage for setting and releasing the highback support between a support position and a release position. In the support position, the highback support is positioned to engage the back of a snowboard boot to provide a rigid surface against which a snowboard rider can lean for steering. In the release position, the highback support is free to pivot making it possible for the snowboard rider to walk easily.
Abstract:
A snowboard boot includes a sole region, an upper outer layer extending from the sole region to an instep region, and a foot support disposed inside the upper outer layer. The foot support includes a right foot support and a left foot support. The right foot support is disposed inside the upper outer layer of the boot on a right side thereof and extends from the sole region toward the instep region. The right foot support includes a right foot tightening structure disposed in close proximity to the instep region. The left foot support is disposed inside the upper outer layer of the boot on a left side thereof and extends from the sole region toward the instep region. The left foot support includes a left foot tightening structure disposed in close proximity to the instep region. If desired, an insulating layer may be disposed between the upper outer layer and the right and left foot supports. The outer layer may include its own foot tightening structure for tightening the upper outer layer independently of the foot support.
Abstract:
A snowboard boot includes a toe portion, a heel portion and a leg portion. The heel portion and the leg portion are coupled so that the leg portion is capable of inclination in a longitudinal direction relative to the heel portion, and/or the heel portion and the leg portion are coupled so that the leg portion is capable of inclination in a lateral direction relative to the heel portion. In a more specific embodiment, a rigid heel overlap member is coupled to the heel portion, and a rigid leg overlap member is coupled to the leg portion. The heel overlap member and the leg overlap member overlap in a longitudinal direction. The heel overlap member and the leg overlap member are capable of relative movement in a vertical direction and/or rotation around a longitudinal axis. If desired, the heel overlap member and the leg overlap may interface through an arcuate or approximately spherical surface to facilitate relative movement in the desired directions. A position fixing means may be provided for fixing the vertical and/or rotational position of the leg overlap member relative to the heel overlap member.
Abstract:
A back support for a snowboard boot includes a heel portion and an upper portion. The heel portion includes a left heel side portion, a right heel side portion, and a heel curved portion that curves as it connects the left heel side portion and the right heel side portion. The upper portion is coupled to the heel portion above the heel portion, and a rear portion of an upper end of the upper portion is formed as a flexible portion. The rear portion of the upper end of the upper portion may be rendered flexible by its shape and/or combination of materials.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a light and strong cycling shoe sole. A shoe according to the present invention includes a core, fibrous layers surrounding the core to reinforce the core, and a resin for integrating the fibrous layers and core.
Abstract:
A structure for securing a cleat to a cycling shoe includes a shoe bottom defining a recess in an upper surface thereof, and at least one slot extending through a bottom surface of the recess and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shoe; a plate accommodate in the recess and having a fore and aft length at least half a length of the slot; a sleeve-like guide element attached to an offset position of the plate; a washer fitted in an opening defined in the cleat; and a screw extending through the washer from below for engaging the guide element. The guide element is offset to such an extent that an end of the plate is out of contact with an end wall of the recess when the guide element contacts an end of the slot lying in the direction in which the guide element is offset. The plate in this structure has a length equal to or greater than a half length of the slot, which results in a reduced extent of the slot exposed to the ground to restrict small stones, nails and the like entering the shoe. Further, since the connecting point of the plate is offset, the cleat may be fixed to any selected position over an entire range of the slot by reversing the direction of the plate.