EP1093338B1 - Dual-action buckle - Google Patents

Abstract

A dual action buckle (20) which employs a cable tightening action and a strap tensioning action to tighten two separate portions of a boot, notably a snowboard boot (10). Thus, the boot (10) may be tightened around the foot and/or particular functionalities of the boot (10) may be engaged to a preset condition with one simple buckle closing action. During rest periods when the applied tightening and/or functionalities are not needed, they may be deactivated with one simple buckle opening action, giving relief to the foot, greater ease of walking, etc. The invention includes a primary lever (26), a secondary lever (32) pivotally connected to the primary lever (26) and a pulley (42). The pulley (42) acts to double the cable retraction action of the secondary lever (32). This allows the dual action buckle (20) to be made much smaller than would otherwise be the case.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The co-pending United States application Serial Number 08/788,775 filed January 24,1997 and entitled "Snowboard Boot Ankle Support Device", Jeff Waldo Sand and Erik Andersoninventors.

The co-pending international patent application number PCT/US98/00336 filedJanuary 15, 1998 and entitled "Improved Snowboard Boot Ankle Support Assembly", Jeff WaldoSand and Ted Barber inventors.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to a securing device for a sport boot, and particularlyto a securing device for a soft-type snowboard boot having an integrated highback support forsetting the forward lean of the boot and a strap for securing the user's foot in the boot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Several types of sport boots require a rear support structure which acts to provideresistance to the leg or foot in certain desired directions, thus allowing a more effective transferof forces from the body to the attached sports equipment such as a snowboard, an in-line skate ora ski. When the user is resting, however, the resistance provided by the boot may causediscomfort.

In the case of soft-type snowboard boots adapted for use with a step-in binding system,the highback support, which is critical for controlling a snowboard, may be integrated within theconstruction of this type of boot. When the rider leans back against the highback, the toe is pulledupwards, thus tipping the board onto its heelside edge. However, the angle of the highback thatis required to provide adequate control while snowboarding (typically in the range of 10-30degrees) also makes walking uncomfortable and difficult.

Also, it is necessary to firmly hold the foot in the boot so that the forces employed bythe user are effectively transmitted through the boot structure into the sport equipment so as to givethe user a fine degree of control over his/her equipment. One of the devices employed in thisregard is an instep strap, which closes over the top of the foot just below the ankle and helps keepthe user's foot firmly located in the boot during maneuvering actions. However, the degree of tightening necessary to sufficiently secure the foot can be uncomfortable when walking or duringnon-active periods.

Due to the possible discomfort, it is desirable to be able to (1) release both the rearsupport structure (i.e., the highback) and the instep strap during walking or periods of rest andthen (2) reapply the desired settings quickly and efficiently when needed. We have found that thesimplest way to achieve this is to employ a single mechanism which both tightens and locks theinstep strap and pulls the highback into position.

U.S. Patent 4,706,393 issued to Marxer discloses a dual functionality buckle whichretracts two cables that tighten two separate sections of the boot (in this case, across the metatarsaland at the instep). However, this device is limited in the amount of cable which is retracted whenthe buckle is closed, and therefore this device would have to be substantially larger (that is, thedistance from the buckle fulcrum axis to the cable fulcrum axis would have to be much longer) inorder to retract sufficient cable to engage and completely disengage an integral high back on asport boot. Secondly, this device pulls the two cables in the same direction, and it would bedifficult to employ this design for the discussed application as the two tensioning directions (i.e.,one tensioning direction for the instep strap and one tensional direction for the high back) arepositioned at widely separated angles to each other. Third, the Marxer design has no provision forclosing the buckle without employing the tensioning actions. Thus, the buckle must remain openin order for the tensioning to be deactivated, thereby exposing the buckle to possible damage fromstriking other objects while walking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a dual action buckle for a sport boot which employsboth a cable tightening action and a strap tensioning action to tighten two separate portions of thesport boot. Thus, the boot may be tightened around the foot and/or particular functionalities of theboot may be engaged to a preset condition with one simple buckle fastening action. During restperiods when the applied tightening and/or functionalities are not needed, they may be deactivatedwith one simple buckle unfastening action, giving relief to the foot, for greater ease in walking,resting, etc. The dual action buckle of the present invention includes a cable tightening mechanismhaving a lever and a pulley. The pulley acts to double the cable retraction action of the lever. Thisallows the mechanism to be made much smaller than would otherwise be the case.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the dual-action buckle is adaptedto provide tensioning/untensioning to the instep strap and highback support of a soft-type snowboard boot. It is understood that the dual action buckle of the present invention may also beincorporated into other types of sport boots, including but not limited to ski boots, in-line skateboots, and snow shoes.

Methods and apparatus which incorporate the features described above and which areeffective to function as described above constitute specific objects of this invention.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which by way ofillustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof andwhat are now considered to be the best modes contemplated for applying these principles. Otherembodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used andstructural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from thepresent invention and the purview of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING VIEWS

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a soft-type snowboard boot having an internalhighback reinforcement and which is shown equipped with the dual action buckle of the presentinvention.

Fig. 1A is a side elevation view similar to Fig.1 in partial cut away exposing theinternal highback support that lays beneath the exterior boot upper.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the dual action buckle in a fully open position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the dual action buckle in a partially closed position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the dual action buckle in the fully closed position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the dual action buckle in a fully open position showingthe secondary lever raised upward from the surface of the frame to permit disengagement fromthe cable (not shown).

Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2 and illustrating an alternate embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example, not byway of limitation of the principles of the invention. This description will clearly enable one skilledin the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations,variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what we presently believe is the bestmode of carrying out the invention.

Thesport boot 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 1A consists, in a manner understood by thoseexperienced in the art, of an upper 12 having anintegral highback 14 with acable housing 16fixedly mounted thereto, through which passes acable 18. Thehighback 14 is disposed internallyof the visible outer boot portion or upper 12 and thecable housing 16 andcable 18 for tensioningthehigh back 14 are also preferably routed internally of theboot exterior 12. The path of thecable18 though (i.e., underneath the exterior portion of upper 12) theboot 10 is shown in phantom.Although not shown, one end of thecable 18 is fixedly attached to one side of the boot upper 12(preferably the medial or instep side of the boot opposite the buckle mechanism 20 ) and entersa dualaction buckle mechanism 20 on the other side of theboot 10 such as the lateral side of theboot as shown. Also on theboot 10 is an instep strap 22 (see Figs. 2-5), which attaches at one endto a conventional adjustable receptor (not shown) and at the other to the dualaction bucklemechanism 20 mentioned above by an instepstrap tensioning member 23. Closure of thebucklemechanism 20 both draws thecable 18 into itself pulling thehighback 14 forward into a ridingposition (i.e., in a direction towards thetoe cap portion 24 of the boot 10), and simultaneouslytightens theinstep strap 22 to firmly hold the rider's foot against the boot sole.

As is best seen in Figs. 2-5, the dualaction buckle mechanism 20 of the presentinvention comprises aprimary lever arm 26 pivotally mounted on aframe 28 by an axle orcrosspin 30. Asecondary lever arm 32 is pivotally mounted to theprimary lever 26, also using an axleorcross pin 34, the centerline of which is a distance L1 from the centerline of thefirst axle 30.The opposite orfree end 36 of thesecondary lever 32 is able to slide along theupper surface 38of theframe 28, whichend 36 is normally held against theupper surface 38 of theframe 28 bymeans of a biasing spring 40 (see Fig. 5). Thehighback tensioning cable 18 travels downwardfrom thehighback 14, crosses beneath thebuckle frame 28 and is directed through a passagewayorhole 29 formed in theframe 28, around apulley 42 then across the top or upper slidingsurface38 of theframe 28, crossing the path of thesliding end 36 of thesecondary lever 32, and finallyterminates into acylindrical slug 44 which is pivotally held in aclip 46 formed in the other sideof frame 28 (i.e., on the side of the frame opposite the pulley 42). Thefree end 36 ofsecondarylever 32 has a leading edge that is formed into a shovellingflange 48 which acts to engage andpick up thecable 18 and bring it towards the farend 49 of theframe 28. The shovellingflange 48is formed in such a way to cradle thecable 18 like a pulley wheel and thereby permit thecable 18to slide along the cradle surface of the shovellingflange 48.

By closing theprimary lever 26, theshovelling flange 48 offree end 36 of thesecondary lever 32 over which thecable 18 slides is forced away from thepivoting axis 30 of theprimary lever 26, thus drawing into the mechanism a length of cable approximately equal to twicethe distance travelled by theend 36 of thesecondary lever 32. Thesecondary lever 32 may bedisengaged from thecable 18, so that thebuckle 20 may be closed without activating the forwardlean function of the boot (i.e., without tensioning the highback reinforcement). Thebuckle 20 isopened and closed by moving the primary lever as indicated by directional arrow A.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, theframe 28 is securedto the boot upper 12 by means of aprimary rivet 50. It is understood that theframe 28 may alsobe removably or fixedly secured to the boot upper in other ways customary to the snowboard bootindustry. In addition, theframe 28 may be formed integral with portions of the boot uppermaterial. This is especially advantageous in the case where portions of the boot upper areconstructed from strong thermoformable plastic materials.

The instepstrap tensioning member 23 has one end pivotally connected to theprimarylever 26 atpivot axis 34 and has asecondary rivet 23a or similar fastener connection at its otherend. Theinstep strap 22, in turn, is attached to thesecondary rivet 23a. As noted above, theopposite end of theinstep strap 22 is held in a receptor (not shown) on the opposite side of theboot10. When theprimary lever 26 is closed, this member (i.e., instep strap 22) is tensioned, and thetension vector in the preferred embodiment passes between the centerline of theprimary rivet 50and theframe 28, thus ensuring an over-center condition which holds thebuckle 20 closed againsttheboot 10.

As is best seen in Figs. 3 and 5, there is a spring loadedhook member 52 attached atthe free end of theprimary lever 26 which engages atab 54 formed on thefar end 49 of theframe28. In use, thehook member 52 is biased by its spring to lock theprimary lever 26 closed againsttheframe 28. When the buckle is closed acam surface 53 formed into the end of thehook member52 slides on thetab 54, opening thehook member 52 until it engages thetab 54. This actionpositively locks theprimary lever 26 closed against theframe 28. Afinger tab 56 formed into thehook member 52 is provided to allow thehook member 52 to be unlocked from theframe 28.Lifting upwards on thistab 56 counters the closing force of the spring loadedhook member 52 andpulls the hook member away from engagement with thetab 54 while also pulling upwards on theprimary lever 26, thus opening thebuckle 20. The opening and closing motion of the springloadedhook member 52 is indicated by directional arrow B.

Fig. 6 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention, wherein the free end of theprimary lever 26 is formed withrigid hook end 58 that includes a nub orprojection 60. Thenub60 is effective to overlap and engage thetab 54 when theprimary lever 26 is moved into the fullyclosed position. The locking engagement of thenub 60 with thetab 54 is overcome by a moderatelevel of upward pulling or prying force applied by the user to therigid hook end 58 of theprimarylever 26.

While the embodiments shown and described herein illustrate a dual action buckle forreleasably tensioning an instep strap and a highback portion of a soft-type snowboard boot, itshould be understood that the dual action buckle could be adapted to provide simultaneouslyreleasable tensioning to other portions of the snowboard boot,as well as other types of sport bootsin general, such as in-line skate boots, ski boots, snow shoes, etc. Further, while the flexibletensioning members disclosed and particularly described herein include an instep strap and a cable,other flexible tensioning members and/or tightening force transfer members may be use with goodresults, including but not limited to wire, rope, etc. We therefore wish our invention to be definedby the scope of the appended claims and in view of thespecification if need be.

Claims (11)

1. A dual action buckle for releasably tightening two portions of a sport boot including astrap oriented along a first axis of the sport boot and a tensioning cable (18) oriented along a secondaxis of the sport boot, wherein said second axis is nonparallel to said first axis, said bucklecomprising:

   a) a buckle framel (28) adapted to be attached to an upper portion of said sport boot,said buckle frame including a generally planar upper surface bounded by opposed first andsecond end portions and opposed first and second side portions;

   b) a primary lever (26) including a fulcrum end pivotally connected to said first end ofsaid buckle frame to define a first pivot axis, said primary lever being movable between an openposition and a closed position;

   c) said primary lever further including a second pivot axis spaced from and parallelto said first pivot axis and pivotally connecting a strap member to said primary lever, said strapmember for tensioning a first portion of said sport boot;

   d) a secondary lever (32) having a fulcrum end pivotally connected to said second pivotaxis of said primary lever and a free end adapted to slide in a lengthwise direction along saidupper surface of said buckle frame as said primary lever is moved between said open and closedpositions; and

   e) a tensioning cable (18) for tensioning a second portion of said sport boot, saidtensioning cable having a terminal end retained along one of said side portions of said buckleframe and a cable portion oriented across said buckle frame upper surface and in front of saidsecondary lever free end (36) such that movement of said primary lever into said closed positionsimultaneously tightens the strap member (22) connected to said first sport boot portion and movessaid secondary lever free end into tensioning engagement with said tensioning cable to tightensaid second sport boot portion.
2. A dual action buckle according to claim 1, wherein:

   a) said frame includes a pulley (42) around which the cable is directed; and

   b) said pulley being effective to provide a mechanical advantage to the dual actionbuckle by doubling the cable retraction action of said secondary lever.
3. A dual action buckle according to any of claims 1 to 2, wherein said frame includes ahole (29) through which the cable is routed to pass underneath said upper surface of said buckleframe in one direction.
4. A dual action buckle according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said free end (36) of saidsecondary lever (32) is formed as a shoveling flange for engaging the cable that is directed across theupper sliding surface of said frame.
5. A dual action buckle according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said secondary lever (32)may be disengaged from the cable thus allowing the buckle to be closed without retracting thecable.
6. A dual action buckle according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said first pivot axis (30) ispositioned at a sufficient offset distance relative to said second pivot (34) axis so that when saidbuckle is in a closed position, a tension vector imparted at said second pivot axis passes belowsaid first pivot axis to create an over center condition which acts to urge said primary levertoward said frame and hold the buckle closed.
7. A dual action buckle according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein a spring loaded hookmembers (52) is provided to said primary lever in order to lock it closed to a tab (54) formed in saidframe.
8. A dual action buckle according to claim 7, wherein said spring loaded hook member (52)comprises a cam face adapted to slide on said tab (54) and thus move away from said tab when saidprimary lever is moved towards said frame.
9. A dual action buckle according to any one of claim 7 to 8, wherein said spring loadedhook member further includes a finger tab (56) which allows said hook to be disengaged fromlocking engagement with said tab of said frame.
10. A dual action buckle according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein said strap memberincludes a tensioning arm and a ratcheting strap.
11. A dual action buckle according to claim 10, wherein said tensioning arm and saidratcheting strap are removably attached to one another.

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