Splitboard binding apparatus

Abstract

A boot attachment system is provided for a split board, wherein the boot attachment provides two alternative attachment configurations. The first configuration provides a ‘ride mode’ in which the rider's boots are attached across the two halves of the split board allowing the joined board halves to be used as a complete snowboard for riding downhill. The second configuration provides a ‘ski mode’ in which the rider's boots are attached one on each half of the split board. This system allows the halves of the board to be used in a similar manner to traditional skis. This system is particularly useful when travelling uphill or on terrain that is insufficiently steep for the board configuration to be useable.

1 . A boot attachment system, comprising:
 a first attachment portion including a boot binding, the boot binding having a heel end, a toe end and a substantially planar base configured to receive the sole of a boot; and   a second attachment portion configured to attach to at least one surface, the second attachment portion including a first clampable member and a second clampable member; and   wherein the first attachment portion includes a clamp portion configured to grip at least the first clampable member and the second clampable member of the second attachment portion.   
     
     
         2 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein, the first clampable member and a second clampable member can be separated from one another when not being clamped by the clamp portion. 
     
     
         3 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein, the first clampable member is configured to attach to a first half of a split board. 
     
     
         4 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second clampable member is configured to attach to a second half of a split board. 
     
     
         5 . The boot attachment system as claimed  claim 1  wherein clamping of the first attachment portion to the first clampable member and the second clampable member rigidly fixes the position of the first clampable member and the second clampable member with respect to the first attachment portion. 
     
     
         6 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first clampable member includes a first angled surface on a first end. 
     
     
         7 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the first clampable member includes a second angled surface positioned on an opposite second end of the first clampable member to the first clampable member. 
     
     
         8 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the first angled surface and the second angled surface redirect a portion of an applied clamping force by substantially 90 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second clampable member includes a third angled surface on a first end. 
     
     
         10 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a portion of the clamping force applied by the clamp portion is redirected so as to force the first clampable member into the first attachment portion. 
     
     
         11 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first clampable member includes a recess or slot configured to receive a protrusion or tab. 
     
     
         12 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the second clampable member includes a protrusion or tab, on an opposite end to the first end, configured to engage within the recess or slot in the first clampable member. 
     
     
         13 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the first clampable member recess or slot and the second clampable member protrusion or tab are configured to engage so as to prevent shearing movement between the first clampable member and the second clampable member. 
     
     
         14 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the clamp portion includes engagement regions configured to engage with each of the first angled surface, second angled surface, and the third angled surface. 
     
     
         15 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the engagement regions include at least one engaging portion configured to engage with a respective angled surface on the first or second clampable members. 
     
     
         16 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the engaging portions include a surface which is sloped in the opposite direction to the slope of the angled surface with which it is configured to engage. 
     
     
         17 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the slope of the engaging portions function in combination with the first angled surface, second angled surface and third angled surface to pull the second attachment portion towards the first attachment portion when clamped. 
     
     
         18 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the clamping motion of the clamp portion is along a line substantially from the toe end to the heel end of the boot binding. 
     
     
         19 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second attachment portion includes at least one curved attachment region. 
     
     
         20 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the first clampable member and second clampable member include curved attachment regions. 
     
     
         21 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the first clampable member curved attachment region provides an axis of rotation which is at, or near, the first clampable member recess or slot. 
     
     
         22 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the second clampable member curved attachment region provides an axis of rotation which is at, or near, the second clampable member protrusion or tab. 
     
     
         23 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the boot binding substantially planar base includes a recess in the lower surface thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes a third attachment portion, the third attachment portion including:
 a bracket having a flat base configured to attach to the least one surface; and   a toe block pivotally attached to the bracket,   wherein the toe block pivotable attachment with the bracket provides rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the flat base of the bracket, and wherein the toe block includes a clampable region configured to be clamped by at least a portion of the first attachment portion clamp portion.   
     
     
         25 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 24  wherein the pivotable attachment is positioned above the base of the bracket. 
     
     
         26 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 24  wherein the toe block includes a recessed slot configured to receive a toe end of the boot binding and a clamp receiving portion configured to be clamped by the engagement region configured to engage with the first angled surface. 
     
     
         27 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 24  wherein the third attachment portion is configured to allow the first attachment portion to be pivotally connected to the at least one surface. 
     
     
         28 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 24  wherein the pivotable attachment is configured to allow the heel end of the boot binding to be rotated substantially about the toe end of the boot binding when the boot binding is clamped to the third attachment portion. 
     
     
         29 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the clamping portion includes at least one moveable engaging portion. 
     
     
         30 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the clamping portion includes a lever. 
     
     
         31 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the lever is adjustably connected to the at least one moveable engaging portion so as to provide an adjustable clamping force. 
     
     
         32 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the at least one moveable engaging portion is moved by movement of the lever. 
     
     
         33 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the at least one moveable engaging portion is configured to engage with the first clampable member first angled surface. 
     
     
         34 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 29  wherein engagement of the at least one moveable engaging portion into engagement with the first clampable member angled surface results in the first attachment portion sliding and engaging the engaging the second attachment portion and the third attachment portion with the second angled surface and the third angled surface respectively. 
     
     
         35 . The boot attachment system as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the at least one moveable engaging portion is configured to engage with the third attachment portion receiving portion. 
     
     
         36 . A latching device for use with a split board, the latching device, comprising:
 a first base plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, whereby a first flat headed pin protrudes from the upper surface of the first base plate and a beam is pivotably attached to the upper surface of the first base plate so as to be rotatable about an axis projecting orthogonally from the upper surface of the first base plate; and   a second base plate having an upper surface and a lower surface whereby a second flat headed pin projects from the upper surface of the second base plate and a camming pin is rotatably attached at one end to the upper surface of the second base plate and is fixed to a lever at the other end,   wherein the beam includes a first ‘T’ shaped slot configured to receive the first flat headed pin, a second ‘T’ shaped slot configured to receive the second flat headed pin and an aperture configured to receive the camming pin.   
     
     
         37 . A method of interconnecting a first object having a, substantially flat edge with a second object having a substantially flat edge by way of a latching device, the latching device including a first base plate attached to the first object adjacent the substantially flat edge thereof and having an upper surface and a lower surface, whereby a first flat headed pin protrudes from the upper surface of the first base plate and a beam is pivotably attached to the upper surface of the first base plate so as to be rotatable about an axis projecting orthogonally from the upper surface of the first base plate and a second base plate attached to the second object adjacent the substantially flat edge thereof and having an upper surface and a lower surface whereby a second flat headed pin projects from the upper surface of the second base plate and a camming pin is rotatably attached at one end to the upper surface of the second base plate and is fixed to a lever at the other end wherein the beam includes a first ‘T’ shaped slot configured to receive the first flat headed pin, a second ‘T’ shaped slot configured to receive the second flat headed pin and an aperture configured to receive the camming pin, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) positioning the substantially flat edge of the first object adjacent the substantially flat edge of the second object; 
 b) aligning the first base plate and the second base plate; 
 rotating the beam so as to locate the first flat headed pin in the first shaped slot, the second flat headed pin in the second ‘T’ shaped slot and the camming pin in the aperture; and 
 d) rotating the lever to cam the camming pin in the aperture, 
 whereby rotating the lever locks the beam in position, locking the first object and second object together. 
 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the first object and the second object are left and right halves of a split board. 
     
     
         39 . A split board assembly, including:
 a boot attachment system as broadly described above, and   a split board having a left half and a right half,   wherein the first clampable member of the second attachment portion is attached to the left half of the split board and the second clampable member of the second attachment portion is attached to the right half of the split board; and   wherein clamping of the first attachment portion to the first clampable member and the second clampable member rigidly fixes the position of the left half and the right half of the split board relative to the first attachment portion, and   wherein clamping of the first clampable member and the second clampable member provides at least a portion of the structural integrity of the joined left and right halves of the split board.   
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . (canceled)