1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for receiving and retaining a foot or a boot on a sports apparatus.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Devices of the aforementioned type are used in the fields of snowboarding, snow skiing, water skiing, snowshoeing, roller skating, surfing, and other activities.
Certain devices according to the prior art have a seat provided for receiving the sole of the user's foot or the sole of the user's boot, as well as a rear support element, or highback, provided for supporting the user's lower leg. The rear support element has a support surface facing a receiving zone, the support surface receiving the lower leg.
The seat is associated with the rear support element as follows. Initially, the seat extends lengthwise from a rear end to a front end. The rear support element has a fastening end and a free end, an articulation having a substantially transverse axis connecting the fastening end to the seat. The rear support element is therefore rotatably mounted with respect to the seat. The articulation makes it possible to reduce the bulkiness of the device for its storage by tilting the rear support element forward.
An abutment is provided for limiting a rearward rotation of the rear support element. The abutment can be adjusted in order to adapt the device to the user. For this reason, the abutment has a cursor, or slider, that is movable along the rear support element, as well as a mechanism for immobilizing the cursor on the rear support element. It suffices to act on the immobilizing mechanism to be able to adjust the position of the cursor, and therefore the angular position of the rear support element with respect to the seat.
Generally speaking, the cursor and the immobilizing mechanism are located on the side of the free surface of the rear support element, such that the position of the cursor can be adjusted when the boot is inside or outside of the device. An adjustment is possible because the immobilizing mechanism is directly accessible. This constitutes a characteristic of use of the device.
In the case of snowboarding, it is particularly possible to adjust the angular position of the rear support element with respect to the chassis without removing the boot.
However, it has been noted that, under certain circumstances, the adjustment of the position of the cursor is difficult. This can occur when foreign matter, or debris, hinders the displacement or the immobilization of the cursor along the rear support element.
In snowboarding, for example, snow or ice sometimes constitutes an obstacle against the displacement or immobilization of the cursor. The latter generally has teeth that are adapted to cooperate with teeth of the rear support element. If snow or ice becomes stuck in the teeth, the displacement of the cursor becomes difficult, or even impossible in certain extremes cases. The same is true for the immobilization, as the teeth do not engage, or at least do not engage correctly. Therefore, the user must clean the device, which is often time-consuming and impractical.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds