Touring snowboard boot binding

Abstract

A snowboard boot binding directly securing a user in selective modes to a split ski board device for traversing over snow and ice covered terrain. The snowboard boot binding includes a boot mounting base with multiple direct locking features within the base interacting with mating interfaces on a split ski board touring binding interfaces. An axle axis system is disclosed which is connected to the binding boot base offset or adjacent the boot bed articulating the binding in a walking tour motion on the split ski board touring device. Transition positions including, a first touring free heel walk position over separated ski sections, a second locked heel ride position over joined ski sections, and a third position wherein the mounting base is not coupled to the split ski board during mode transition.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A multiple positional binding for coupling a user's snowboard boot to a split ski board touring device, the split ski board touring device configured to traverse over snow and ice covered terrain, the binding comprising:
 a mounting base having a portion of a boot sole to rest directly upon, the mounting base comprising a first mounting element adjacent the boot bed front portion and said first mounting element of the mounting base touches at least a portion of an axle, and, a second mounting element rearward portion of the mounting base behind the first mounting element;   a first mounting feature engageable with the first mounting element, wherein the first mounting feature is operable to detachably couple the mounting base to a first binding interface on the split ski board touring device and wherein the mounting base is rotatable about the first mounting feature when the first mounting feature is engaged with the first mounting element; and   the second mounting feature rearward the first mounting feature is operable to detachably couple the mounting base to a second mounting element on the ski touring device;   wherein the mounting base is selectively coupleable to the ski touring device in a plurality of modes comprising
 a free heel mode, wherein the first mounting feature is coupled to the first binding interface and engaged with the first mounting element and the second mounting feature is detached from the second binding interface and disengaged from the second mounting element, and, wherein the mounting base is pivotable about the first mounting feature and, wherein the first mounting feature is in the form of a pivot axle wherein a section of the pivot axle is held in the axle retainer part of the mounting base adjacent the boot bed or foot bed of the mounting base in the free heel tour mode, and, 
 a locked heel mode, wherein at least the second mounting feature restricts pivoting walking movement of the mounting base, and 
 a transition mode, wherein at least one of the first and second mounting features are decoupled from ski touring device, and, 
 a boot bed quick release object,
 wherein at least one aperture, hole, or, window in the snowboard binding boot bed mounting base allows at least one quick release object to pass selectively there through with the boot sole mounted directly over top positioning the quick release object between a portion of the boot sole and a portion of the split ski board touring device. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The multiple positional binding of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting base is adjacent to two configurable ski sections configurable between a ride mode and a tour mode, the ride mode maintaining the two ski sections in a locked parallel configuration wherein the two ski sections are in close proximity to one another forming a single general sliding surface establishing the ride mode; and,
 a touring mode wherein the two ski sections are unlocked from ride mode to allow the two ski sections increased parallel distance from each ski section allowing space between the ski sections establishing the touring mode, and, allowing the snowboard boot binding base pivotal walking motion.   
     
     
         3 . The multiple positional binding of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting base holding the snowboard boot directly comprises at least one opening in the mounting base surface area to engage at least one of two available configurable ski section interfaces with the mounting base realeasably mountable thereon in a ride position of the positional binding over at least one of the two configurable ski sections. 
     
     
         4 . The multiple positional binding of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting feature comprises a first axle for touring mode and a second mounting feature coupling the second mounting feature directly to the mounting base, and a third mounting feature coupling a third mounting feature directly to the mounting base wherein the third mounting feature is a separate structure then the second mounting feature to secure the positional binding to the ski touring device in a removably coupled manner. 
     
     
         5 . The multiple positional binding of  claim 1 , where in the mounting base has at least one axle retainer protruding forward off of the front portion of the mounting base in the toe region, wherein, the at least one protruding projection holds the at least one axle wherein the projection is touching the at least one axle and holding the axle and pivotal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the mounting base. 
     
     
         6 . The multiple positional binding of  claim 5 , wherein the protruding axle retainer of the mounting base touches the at least one axle from the axle bottom side with the boot sole directly adjacent the axle top side with no mounting base material there between and a portion of the boot sole directly adjacent a portion of the axle. 
     
     
         7 . The multiple positional binding of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting feature and at least the second or a third mounting feature utilize a quick release locking mechanism that is selected from the group consisting of a cotter pin, a c-clip, a threaded screw, a bolt, a hinge, a bend in the axle end, a pin, a spring loaded mechanism, a lever, an axle, a snapping mechanism, a latch, a protrusion, a lip, a wall, a rail, at least one curved feature that is mateably engaged with the first pin, a two pointed pin system with both points pointed in the same direction to selectively lock the mounting base to the ski touring device, or a detent. 
     
     
         8 . The multiple positional binding of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting element comprises a touring mode with an axle to rotate the mounting base over a configurable ski, and,
 the axle is held in at least two mounting base axle retainers offset the mounting base holding either side of the axle, and, a gap between the two axle retainers, wherein the gap has no mounting base material in the center region or longitudinal axis area of the mounting base and the axle maintaining a bridge position between the axle retainers while in a touring mode wherein the gap faces boot tread directly or other material.   
     
     
         9 . The multiple positional binding of  claim 1 , a touring snowboard boot binding comprising;
 a mounting base to mount the snowboard boot thereto, said mounting base with a touring mode offering free heel travel, and,   said mounting base with a locked heel mode for a riding or sliding mode, and,   at least two projections facing the same direction which work with the mounting base to manually removably couple the mounting base to a configurable ski device in a manually moving manner, and,   said projections are connected to a quick release mechanism, and,   wherein the snowboard boot binding is adjacent to at least two configurable ski sections, and, wherein the boot binding is mounted adjacent at least two configurable ski sections wherein the two ski sections can disconnect a first travel mode to form a second travel mode of the first and at least second ski configurable sections.   
     
     
         10 . A split ski board device comprising at least two configurable ski sections supporting a snowboard boot mounting base directly, device comprising;
 the at least two configurable ski sections configurable between a ride mode and a tour mode, the ride mode maintaining the at least two ski sections in a locked parallel configuration wherein the at least two ski sections are in close proximity to one another forming a single general sliding surface with the mounting base in a locked heel mode establishing the ride mode, and,   a touring mode wherein the at least two skis sections are unlocked from ride mode to allow the at least two skis sections increased parallel distance from each other allowing space between the two skis establishing the touring mode, and, allowing the boot mounting base a pivotal walking motion tour mode, and,   the mounting base front portion having at least one axle retainer adjacent or part of the mounting base boot bed and holding the axle transverse to the longitudinal axis of the mounting base and wherein the axle retainer holding the axle axis has at least one structure holding on at least one area of the transverse span of the axle surface at an axle width greater than ⅛ inch touching the at least one area of the axle span.   wherein a boot is removably coupled directly to the mounting base.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the mounting base portion retaining or touching the axle is mated or adjacent to the axle in mating, adjasent, or touching shapes from a group consisting of at least one of the following; curved, square, asymmetric, symmetric, boot tread, flat, textured, projected, or any form forming a mating, adjasent, or touching surface for a pin or axle and the axle allows the mounting base a walking touring mode. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , A split ski board device comprising two configurable ski sections supporting a snowboard boot mounting base, device comprising;
 two configurable ski sections configurable between a ride mode and a tour mode, ride mode maintaining the two skis sections in a locked parallel configuration wherein the ski sections are in close proximity to one another forming a single general sliding surface establishing the ride mode;   and, a touring mode wherein the two skis sections are unlocked from the ride mode to allow the two ski sections increased parallel distance from each ski section allowing space between them establishing the touring mode, and, allowing the snowboard boot base pivotal walking motion while the two ski sections are selectively separated, and,   a quick release locking mechanism object which passes up and down through the top or bottom side of mounting base boot bed allowing a portion of the locking mechanism to move down through the upside boot sole facing top portion of the snowboard boot mounting base or sideways through the side of the snowboard boot mounting base; and,   a touring axle at a position transverse to the longitudinal axis of the mounting base to provide a free heel walking mode, and, wherein at least one portion of the mounting base has an aperture, hole, or window adjacent a mounted boot sole.   
     
     
         13 . Device of  claim 17 , a snowboard boot sole faces a portion of a locking mechanism directly when the at least one quick release object is inserted through the boot bed or top portion of the mounting base. 
     
     
         14 . Device of  claim 11 , wherein the mounting base has at least one axle retainer adjacent the mounting base boot bed wherein the axle retainer holding the axle axis has at least one wall running transverse to the longitudinal axis of the mounting base and wherein the transverse wall is parallel the touring axis, and wherein the at least one wall is holding on at least one area of the transverse span of the axle. 
     
     
         15 . Device of  claim 11 , wherein the touring mode of the mounting base is independently locked and unlocked from the riding mode heel lock and unlock with two separate locking mechanisms or movements engaging the mounting base. 
     
     
         16 . A snowboard boot touring binding device comprising,
 a mounting base for supporting the boot directly to the said mounting base, and, the said boot is mounted adjacent to two ski sections and the said two ski sections configurable to selectively join each other forming a uniform sliding surface with the boot mounting base mounted above the selectively joined two ski sections, and, to selectively separate the two ski sections creating a space between the two separated ski sections, and, while the two ski sections are separated the mounting base may articulate in a walking touring motion, and, wherein the walking touring motion is provided by at least one axle placed above at least one surface on the top side of the mounting base adjacent the boot bed or boot sole, and,   wherein a portion of the top side of the mounting base surface area has a saddle or cradle facing upward an adjacent mounted boot sole with which the axle is adjacently mounted, and, said axle while adjacently mounting the saddle cradle like structure provides articulation of the mounting base about the axle providing a walking touring motion while removably coupled to a touring mode.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein at least one quick release mechanism moves through an aperture, window or hole in mounting base areas from the group of positions consisting of at least one of; the top of the mounting base, side of the mounting base, back of the mounting base, front of the mounting base, middle of the mounting base, the periphery of the mounting base, bottom of the mounting base, or the center of the mounting base. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the quick release mechanism is from the group consisting of at least one mechanism including a lever, pin, spring loaded mechanism, a bolt, a mating structure, a latch, a dual pin structure, a detent, and the like. 
     
     
         19 . A split ski board device comprising at least two configurable ski sections adjacent a boot mounting base directly, device comprising;
 the at least two configurable ski sections configurable between a ride mode and a tour mode, ride mode maintaining the at least two ski sections in a locked parallel configuration wherein the two ski sections are in close proximity to one another forming a single general sliding surface establishing the ride mode;   and, a ski section unlock mode wherein the at least two skis sections are unlocked from ride mode to allow the at least two skis sections changed distance from each other allowing space between them establishing a new position ski section mode, and,   the mounting base holding a boot directly and having at least one axle retainer on a portion of the mounting base in the toe region and directly adjacent the mounting base boot bed, and the axle maintaining a touring pivot walking mode of the mounting base on the ski section ski board touring device, wherein, the axle in the axle retainer holds the axle transverse to the longitudinal axis of the mounted boot.   wherein a boot is removably coupled directly to the mounting base, and,   wherein the mounting base which directly supports the boot is removable coupled to the ski section ski board device.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the mounting base is from a group consisting of a boot, a boot sole, boot tread, a boot base, or a boot mounting base for a boot or foot to rest directly upon. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein there is a locked heel mode in the ride mode.