Pivoting magnetic binding system for sports boards

Abstract

A pivoting magnetic binding system for sports boards offering a self-acting binding action that allows rider and board to move in unison. A pivoting action mitigates dynamic movement of the user upon the sports board while maintaining firm contact to the board through magnetic attraction. Vertical liftoff, lateral sliding and torque rotation of the magnet offer mechanisms for separation at the rider's will or during an inadvertent fall.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to binding systems for use on sports boards and more particularly to magnetic binding systems for connecting to and releasing from a sports board. The invention has broad applicability to most types of sports boards including surfboards, jetboards, hoverboards, kiteboards, kneeboards, paddleboards, sailboards, skimboards, skateboards, standup paddleboards, wakeboards, windsurfing boards and stand-upon video game controllers, among others.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Many sports involve a board upon which the rider stands during the activity. Surfing is one such sport and has the further requirement that the rider be able to make a fast transition from a prone to a standing position. To-date there have been few, if any, commercially available products that can serve as a binding system for this sport. A practical self-acting binding system suitable for use with surfboards would allow beginning surfers to quickly find optimal foot ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a magnetic binding system for sports boards that allows riders to quickly mount and maintain contact with the board, while also providing the ability to easily dismount and reposition the feet. It provides a quick attachment system that allows for dynamic pivoting and re-positioning of the foot, improving rider control and performance. Additionally, it includes mechanisms for detachment in case of emergency situations. This system aims to increase attachment and reduce risk of injury during use.

Problems solved by technology

To-date there have been few, if any, commercially available products that can serve as a binding system for this sport.

Examples of situations requiring a firm attachment between a user's foot and the board include snowboarders riding half pipes, wakeboarders performing inverted jumps and kiteboarders catching “big air.” The binding systems used in these sports (i.e. snow skiing, water skiing, snowboarding and the like) require the user to manually fasten the binding into a fixed-position and are therefore not suitable for the paddle-in surfer who requires flexibility in foot positioning.

Moreover, the binding systems used in the aforementioned sports do not incorporate a quick release mechanism.

The lack of a quick release mechanism, can, and upon occasion has, resulted in injuries to users during falls or improper dismounts.

Of the relatively common, commercially available high-energy permanent magnet materials, i.e. neodymium, iron-nitride, samarium-cobalt, cerium and manganese materials, all have a crystalline structure, which tends to be brittle and readily subject to damage—an important factor which must be considered when using these materials in a binding system which will be subject to impact loading, such as in surfing.

In addition, these materials are also subject to rapid oxidation which can lessen their mechanical integrity over time.

Most of the prior art designs however, have limitations which have prevented them from achieving commercial success.

It is questionable whether the plurality of magnets spaced about the toe, midsole and heel regions would create sufficient magnetic force to be effective in holding a user's foot to the board during jumping.

Conversely, the plurality of distributed magnets suggests that a user may experience difficulty in pivoting, swiveling or sliding when the user's foot is pressed flat against the ferromagnetic region of the board.

In addition to the technical drawbacks, this requirement presents a commercial drawback because it requires surfers to buy new boards in order to be able to use the system.

Several problems appear to be presented by the Norris concept.

In particular, the traction layer on the board contact patch decreases magnetic attractive force between the plate in the board and the magnet in the footwear and thus seems contradictory to the concept of a binding system.

Also, the footwear disclosed in the reference for retaining the magnet, while seemingly lightweight and versatile, does not teach how to hold the position of the magnet relative to the foot during aggressive maneuvering.

Lacking any means of dispersing the resultant load, this is a configuration that would likely prove uncomfortable to a user and could possibly lead to injuries when a surfer jumps on a board or attempts aggressive maneuvers.

The Norris design may otherwise pose a safety risk to users because a possible consequence of the relatively small magnet, positioned as shown in the reference's figures, is instability of a user's foot on the board due to a lack of sufficient surface area on the magnet to stably support a foot.

One limitation of this system is that the user's feet are fixed at the position of the knobs which renders the system unsuited to surfboard use as a surfer must frequently change foot positions to maintain balance on the board.

Further, attaching the shoes to the protuberances requires accurately aligning each shoe with the protuberance and subsequently stepping upon the protuberance to effect engagement, a process which is not easily performed during the brief moment between the surfer's prone and standing positions when catching a wave.

A further limitation is that it is not possible to reposition the foot for maneuvering during the ride.

This type of configuration requires extensive modifications to the surfboard and may compromise its structural integrity.

This system is not suitable for use with surfboards because it locks the foot into a single position during use and does not allow for foot repositioning on the board.

This system, while possibly well-suited to skateboarding, may lack the mechanical strength to withstand the sizeable forces experienced in other board sports, including surfing.

Additionally, the ferromagnetic plates disclosed in the reference lack a means for affixing to the curved surfaces of most sports boards.

With regard to surfing in particular, the design is not optimized for use in a saltwater environment.

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