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Title:
BINDING OF SNOW BOARD BOOTS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2007/027017
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
Disclosed is a binding of snowboard that are established to fix the boots on a snowboard deck and operate in the process of winding a wire, respectively. That is, the present invention is directed to a binding for fixing a snowboard boot (B) on a deck comprising: a base plate (102) having high backs (104), to which the heel portion of a boot is adhered closely, established rotatably in the rear thereof; a strap (110), of which at least one side is connected with both sides of the base plate (102), for wrapping and pressurizing the boot (B) by a wire (W); a tightening means (120), provided at a proper position on the top of the strap (110), for pressurizing the boot (B) by dispersing gravitation between the base plate (102) and the strap (110).

Inventors:
JUNG SUNG-ROK (KR)
Application Number:
PCT/KR2006/003011
Publication Date:
March 08, 2007
Filing Date:
August 01, 2006
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
ELLIM CORP LTD (KR)
JUNG SUNG-ROK (KR)
International Classes:
A63C9/02; A63C9/00; A63C10/04; A63C10/06; A63C10/24
Foreign References:
US6416074B12002-07-09
US5556123A1996-09-17
US20010052688A12001-12-20
US6293577B12001-09-25
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
KIM, Inhan et al. (Doorea Bldg. 24, Yeouido-don, Yeongdeungpo-gu Seoul 150-877, KR)
Download PDF:
Claims:

Claims

[1] A binding for fixing a snowboard boot B on a deck, comprising: a base plate 102 having high backs 104, to which the heel portion of a boot is adhered closely, established rotatably in the rear thereof; a strap 110, of which at least one side is connected with both sides of the base plate 102, for wrapping and pressurizing the boot B by a wire W; and a tightening means 120, provided at a proper position on the top of the strap 110, for pressurizing the boot B by dispersing gravitation between the base plate 102 and the strap 110.

[2] The binding of snowboard of claim 1, wherein the strap 110 includes: a contacting member 112 of a soft material having a proper size to wrap the instep portion of the boot B; fixing members 114 of a plate type provided on front and back ends of one side of the contacting member 112, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the fixing members 114 being fixed at plural positions on front and back ends of one side of the base plate 102, respectively; connecting means 116 provided on front and back ends of the other side of the contacting member 112, respectively, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the connecting means 116 being connected with or separated from the base plate 102 at plural positions on front and back ends of the other side of the base plate 102; and covering materials 118 having a tube shape, of which both ends are fixed plurally on every sides, respectively, faced with the contacting member 112, the connecting means 116 and the fixing members 114.

[3] The binding of snowboard of claim 1, wherein the strap 210 includes: a contacting member 212 of a soft material having a proper size to wrap the instep and toe portions of the boot B; fixing members 214 provided on front and back ends of one side of the contacting member 212, respectively, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the fixing members 214 being fixed at plural positions on front and back ends of one side of the base plate 202, respectively; connecting means 216 provided on front and back ends of the other side of the contacting member 212, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the connecting means 216 being connected with or separated from the base plate 202 at plural positions on front and back ends of the other side of the base plate

202, respectively; and covering materials 218 having a tube shape, of which both ends are fixed plurally on every sides, respectively, faced with the contacting member 212, the connecting means 216 and the fixing members 214.

[4] The binding of snowboard of claim 1, wherein the strap 310 includes: a contacting member 312 of a soft material having a proper size to wrap the instep and ankle portions of the boot B; fixing members 314 provided at proper intervals on one side of the contacting member 312, respectively, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the fixing members 314 being fixed at plural positions on one side of the base plate 302, respectively; connecting means 316 provided at proper intervals on the other side of the contacting member 312, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the connecting means 316 being connected with or separated from the base plate 302 at plural positions on the other side of the base plate 302, respectively; and covering materials 318, of which both ends are fixed plurally on every sides, respectively, faced with the contacting member 312, the connecting means 316 and the fixing members 314.

[5] The binding of snowboard of claim 1, wherein the strap 410 includes: a contacting member 412 of a soft material having a proper size to wrap the instep portion or the instep and toe portions of the boot B; first fixing members 414 provided on both front ends of the contacting member 412, respectively, and fixed on both front ends of the base plate 402, respectively; second fixing members 416, of which upper ends are inserted into both back ends of the contacting member 412 and lower ends are fixed on both back ends of the base plate 402, respectively, having a guide portion 416a for keeping the space provided when the contacting member 412 is separated upward; and covering materials 418, of which both ends are fixed singularly and plurally on every sides, respectively, faced with the contacting member 312, the connecting means 316 and the fixing members 314.

[6] The binding of snowboard of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the tightening means 120, of which a lower end is positioned inside the strap 110 and an upper end is exposed to the outside, includes: a lower body 122 of a cylindrical shape, of which an upper end is hollowed, having a vertical shaft 122a, formed in the center of the inside bottom, engaged

spirally with a fastening member 127 on an upper end thereof; a wire releasing means 130, provided in a horizontal direction on one end of the lower body 122, for dispersing the transmission load by means of planetary gear trains when winding the wire W by an external force and, on which the wire W is wound by a restoring force when removing the external force; a lower connection member 125 having a gear 125c, formed on an edge of the bottom thereof, to be connected with a helical gear 134a provided in front of the wire releasing means 130, such that the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 rotates several times by a gear ratio for one rotation of the lower connection member 125, the lower connection member 125 having an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the lower body 122 and a hole penetrated in the center thereof and an angular projection 125a formed in the center of the top thereof; an upper body 121 of a cylindrical shape, of which the bottom is hollowed to be faced with the lower body 122, having a ratchet 121a having saw teeth of a right triangular shape, provided radially on the inner circumferential surface thereof, and an angular groove 121b, provided in the center of the top thereof, corresponding to the angular projection 125a of the lower connection member 125; an upper connection member 123, disposed between the lower connection member 125 and the upper body 121, having an external diameter larger than the external diameter of the lower connection member 125, an internal diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the upper body 121, and a rectangular opening 123 a, formed on the wall of one side thereof; a buffering member 124, connected on the inner circumferential surface of the upper connection member 123 and formed having a wound ring shape, including a tact projection 124a corresponding to the shape of the ratchet 121a of the upper body 121 to come in contact therewith, the tact projection 124a being depressed by an external force and restored to its position via elasticity provided by the buffering member 124; a fastening member 127 engaged with the top of the vertical shaft 122a of the lower body 122; and an elastic member 126, disposed between the fastening member 127 and the upper body 121, for pressurizing the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection member 123 and 125 via elasticity. [7] The binding of snowboard of claim 6, wherein the tightening means 120 includes the wire W, of which both ends are fixed thereto faced with each other, respectively, arranged along with the inside of the respective covering materials 118 and fixing members 114, connected with

the inside of the contacting member 112, or along with the inside of the respective covering materials 418, first and second fixing members 414 and 416, thus being crossed each other.

[8] The binding of snowboard of claim 7, wherein the tightening means 120 winds or unwinds the wire W by force.

[9] The binding of snowboard of claim 8, wherein the wire releasing means 130 includes: a housing of a horizontal pipe type 131 having a ring gear 131a, formed on the inner circumferential surface of one end thereof, and front and back covers 136a and 136b fixed at both sides, respectively; a rotation member 132, to which the front and back ends of the wire W are fixed faced with each other on the circumferential surface there of, provided inside the housing 131 and having a cylindrical shape, of which both ends are extended larger than the middle end, the rotating member 132 including three shafts 132d arranged at one side thereof at regular intervals, extensions 132b of a tripod shape formed at the other side thereof, and a groove 132c provided on one of the extensions 132b; planetary gears 133, inserted into the respective shafts 132d of the rotation member 132; a spring 135 having a hooking portion 135b, formed in the rear thereof to be fixed to the groove 132c of the extension 132b, and a bending portion 135a, formed in front thereof to be fixed to the housing 131, the spring 135 providing a restoring force with the rotation member 132 when the wire W is restored; and a sun gear 134, provided in the center thereof to be externally engaged with the planetary gears 133, having a helical gear 134a formed in front end thereof to be engaged with the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125.

[10] The binding of snowboard of claim 9, wherein a plurality of projections 122b is further provided radially on the circumferential surface of the upper end of the vertical shaft 122a of the lower body 122, and a plurality of receiving projections 125b is established radially on the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the hole of the lower connection member 125, such that the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 is disengaged from the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 if the receiving projections 125b of the lower connection member 125 that revolves along with the upper body 121 are positioned on the top of the projections 122b.

[11] The binding of snowboard of claim 10, wherein a plurality of projections 122b is further provided radially on the circumferential surface of the upper end of the vertical shaft 122a of the lower body

122, and a plurality of receiving projections 125b is established radially on the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the hole of the lower connection member 125, such that the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 is disengaged from the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 if the receiving projections 125b of the lower connection member 125 that revolves along with the upper body 121 are positioned on the top of the projections 122b.

[12] The binding of snowboard of claim 10, wherein a spiral thread 122b' is formed on the circumferential surface of the upper end of the vertical shaft 122a of the lower body 122 and a spiral groove 125b' corresponding to the spiral thread 122b' of the lower body 122 is provided on the inner circumferential surface over the hole of the lower connection member 125, such that the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 is disengaged from the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 if the spiral thread 122b' of the lower body 122 that revolves along with the upper body 121 are disengaged from the spiral groove 125b'.

[13] The binding of snowboard of claim 9, wherein the wire releasing means 130 are arranged at one side or both sides of the lower body 122, if they are arranged at both sides of the lower body 122, the wire releasing means 130 at one side winds and unwinds the front wire W in the region of the instep of the boot B individually, and the wire releasing means 130 at the other side winds and unwinds the back wire W in the region of the instep of the boot B individually.

[14] The binding of snowboard of claim 13, wherein the tightening means 120 generates a gravitation in the diagonal direction of the wire W and then a gravitation in the opposite direction of the wire W by winding the wire W provided therein.

[15] The binding of snowboard of claim 14, wherein the connecting means 116 includes: an attaching/detaching portion 116a of a plate type having a hooking member 116a' of a hook shape formed at an inner side in a body or fixed thereto; and a connecting portion 116b' of a plate type, fixed on the base plate 102, having a penetration hole to be hooked and connected by the hooking member 116a' of the attaching/detaching portion 116a'.

[16] The binding of snowboard of claim 14, wherein the connecting means 140 includes: an attaching/detaching portion 142 of a plate type having a buckle 144 of metal materials formed in front thereof; and a connecting member 146, fixed on the base plate 102, into which the buckle 144

of the attaching/detaching portion 142 is inserted to be connected therewith, having a push portion 148 for separating the attaching/detaching portion 142 by pressurizing the same.

[17] The binding of snowboard of claim 14, wherein the connecting means 150 includes: an attaching/detaching portion 152 of a plate type, having a pork shape in front thereof, and including hooking portions 154 formed in a body with being projected externally at both sides thereof; and a connecting member 156, fixed on the base plate 102, into which the front end of the attaching/detaching portion 152 is inserted, having connecting openings

158 formed at both ends thereof to be hooked by the hooking portions 154 of the attaching/detaching portion 152 and disconnected from the hooking portions 154 of the attaching/detaching portion 152 by pressurizing the same.

[18] The binding of snowboard of claim 6, wherein the covering material 118 includes an elastic member S inserted therein to prevent the deformation of the covering material 118 being contracted.

[19] The binding of snowboard of claim 1 , wherein one side of the strap 110 is fixed to one end of the base plate 102 and the other side of the strap 110 is attached and detached to and from the other end of the base plate 102.

[20] The binding of snowboard of claim 1, wherein both sides the strap 110 are attached and detached to and from both ends of the base plate 102.

Description:

Description

BINDING OF SNOW BOARD BOOTS

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to bindings of a snowboard and, more particularly, to bindings of snowboard that are established to fix the boots on a snowboard deck and operate in the process of winding a wire, respectively. Background Art

[2] Generally, a snowboard is one of the winter sports playing on the snow, with which a user rides on the snow by shifting the center of gravity in a state that two feet are fixed on a deck, differently from the ski where the two feet are fixed on the respective decks.

[3] As shown in Fig. 1, the snowboard 1 comprises a plate type deck 2 extended in the longitudinal direction, boots, not depicted, and bindings 2 for fixing the boots on the deck 2.

[4] The bindings 2 having a function for fixing securely the boots on the deck are classified into alpine binding, soft binding, step-in binding, etc. The soft binding most commonly used is to fix soft boots suitable for freestyle snowboarding.

[5] Here, the binding 2 is composed of a base plate; a high back fixed rotatably at both ends of the rear of the base plate; a strap established at one side of the base plate and fixing the instep and toe portions of the boot; buckles provided on an end of the strap; and ratchet belts arranged at the other side of the base plate, horizontally to the buckles, to be connected disconnected with the buckles.

[6] The respective processes of fixing the boots to both bindings are identical to each other, the process comprising: adhering the heel of the boot closely to the high back of the binding 2; inserting the ratchet belt into the buckle of the strap for fixing the instep portion of the boot; and lifting a handle of the buckle upward to rotate the ratchet formed on the handle and, at the same time, to pull up the ratchet belt consecutively so that the strap is adhered closely to the instep portion of the boot, thus fixing the boot to the binding securely.

[7] Likewise, the toe portion of the boot is fixed securely by inserting the ratchet belt into the buckle and lifting up the handle of the buckle.

[8] However, the conventional binding 2 has some drawbacks in that it take a long time to fix the boot to the binding since the toe portion and the ankle portion of the boot are fixed separately; the respective ratchet belts should be disconnected from the front and back buckles to separate the boot from the binding 2; and the durability of the ratchet belts may be deteriorated by the concentrated loads caused in the repeated processes of

connecting and separating the ratchet belts with and from the buckles. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[9] The present invention has been originated to solve the conventional drawbacks as described above and the object of the present invention is to provide bindings of the snowboard for readily connecting or separating the boots therewith by winding or unwinding a wire by means of a tightening means provided in the strap. Technical Solution

[10] To accomplish the object of the present invention, there is provided a binding for fixing a snowboard boot on a deck, comprising: a base plate having high backs, to which the heel portion of a boot is adhered closely, established rotatably in the rear thereof; a strap, of which at least one side is connected with both sides of the base plate, for wrapping and pressurizing the boot by a wire; and a tightening means, provided at a proper position on the top of the strap, for pressurizing the boot by dispersing gravitation between the base plate and the strap. Accordingly, the present invention desirably fixes the boots to the bindings attached on the deck by providing pressurizing forces via the operation of the tightening means established in the strap.

[11] The strap includes a contacting member of a soft material having a proper size to wrap the instep portion of the boot; fixing members of a plate type provided on front and back ends of one side of the contacting member, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the fixing members being fixed at plural positions on front and back ends of one side of the base plate, respectively; connecting means provided on front and back ends of the other side of the contacting member, respectively, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the connecting means being connected with or separated from the base plate at plural positions on front and back ends of the other side of the base plate; and covering materials having a tube shape, of which both ends are fixed plurally on every sides, respectively, faced with the contacting member, the connecting means and the fixing members. Accordingly, the contacting member of the present invention readily fixes the instep portion of the boots via the connecting means.

[12] In addition, the strap includes: a contacting member of a soft material having a proper size to wrap the instep and toe portions of the boot; fixing members provided on front and back ends of one side of the contacting member, respectively, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the fixing members being fixed at plural positions on front and back ends of one side of the base plate, respectively; connecting means provided on front and back ends of the other side of the contacting member, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the connecting means being

connected with or separated from the base plate at plural positions on front and back ends of the other side of the base plate, respectively; and covering materials having a tube shape, of which both ends are fixed plurally on every sides, respectively, faced with the contacting member, the connecting means and the fixing members. Accordingly, the contacting member of the present invention readily fixes the instep and toe portions of the boots via the connecting means.

[13] The strap includes: a contacting member of a soft material having a proper size to wrap the instep and ankle portions of the boot; fixing members provided at proper intervals on one side of the contacting member, respectively, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the fixing members being fixed at plural positions on one side of the base plate, respectively; connecting means provided at proper intervals on the other side of the contacting member, spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the connecting means being connected with or separated from the base plate at plural positions on the other side of the base plate, respectively; and covering materials, of which both ends are fixed plurally on every sides, respectively, faced with the contacting member, the connecting means and the fixing members. Accordingly, the contacting member of the present invention readily fixes the instep and ankle portions of the boots via the connecting means.

[14] One side of the strap is fixed to one end of the base plate and the other side of the strap is attached and detached to and from the other end of the base plate, or both sides the strap are attached and detached to and from both ends of the base plate. Accordingly, the strap can be readily connected or disconnected with the base plate.

Advantageous Effects

[15] One side of the strap of the snowboard binding in accordance with the present invention is fixed directly to the base plate and the other side thereof is fixed via connecting means thereto, or both sides of the strap are fixed to the base plate with providing a tightening means in the center of the strap to facilitate the process of winding or unwinding the wire, thus readily fixing and separating the boots to and from the bindings and shortening the time required thereto. Furthermore, the bindings of snowboard in accordance with the present invention increase the fixing force applied from the strap to the boots by pressurizing the instep portions, the instep and toe portions, and the instep and ankle portions of the boots, respectively. Brief Description of the Drawings

[16] The above objects, other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[17] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a snowboard deck, onto which conventional

bindings are attached; [18] Figs. 2 and 3 are right and left side views of a binding of snowboard in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[19] Fig. 4 is a plane view unfolding a strap of the binding of snowboard;

[20] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the strap;

[21] Figs. 6 and 7 are partial cross sections depicting a fixing member and an attaching/ detaching portion of the strap;

[22] Figs. 8 and 9 are an exploded perspective view and a side sectional view, respectively, depicting a tightening means of the strap; [23] Fig. 10 is side sectional views partially depicting the state that an upper body of the tightening means is lifted up; [24] Fig. 11 is side sectional view partially depicting the state that an upper body of the tightening means is lifted up in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; [25] Fig. 12 a plane view depicting the state that a plurality of wire releasing means is established in the strap of the binding of snowboard; [26] Figs. 13 and 14 are exploded perspective views depicting connecting means of the binding of snowboard; [27] Figs. 15 and 16 are right and left side views of a binding of snowboard in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; [28] Fig. 17 is a plane view unfolding a strap of the binding of snowboard;

[29] Figs. 18 and 19 are right and left side views of a binding of snowboard in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; [30] Fig. 20 is a plane view unfolding a strap of the binding of snowboard;

[31] Fig. 21 is an unfolded plane view depicting another arrangement of a wire established in the strap of the binding of snowboard in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; [32] Figs. 22 and 23 are right and left side views of a binding of snowboard in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; [33] Fig. 24 is a plane view unfolding a strap of the bindings of snowboard;

[34] Fig. 25 is an exploded perspective view depicting a tightening means of the strap; and [35] Figs. 26 and 27 are side views depicting the state that an upper body of the tightening means of the strap is lifted up and down.

Mode for the Invention [36] Hereinafter, the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are

shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[37] <Exemplary embodiment 1>

[38] As depicted in Figs. 2 to 5, a binding of snowboard in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base plate 102, a strap 110 and a tightening means 120.

[39] The base plate 102 for fixing a boot B on a deck has high backs 104 supporting the rear of the boot B established rotatably by a proper angle. The strap 110, located in the region of the instep of the boot B to pressurize the instep portion of the boot when folded, includes a contacting member 112, fixing members 114, connecting means 116, covering materials 118 and a wire W.

[40] Moreover, the strap 110 fixes the boot B securely by narrowing the interval from the contacting member 112 to the fixing members 114 and the connecting means 116 by means of the tightening means 120, thus narrowing the interval between the base plate 102 and the contacting member 112 where the boot B is located.

[41] The contacting member 112 is made of soft fabrics or synthetic resins and requires waterproof. Further, the contacting member 112 is provided having a proper size to wrap the instep portion of the boot B, and the region where the fixing members 114 and the connecting means 116 are provided is cut protruding in the external direction.

[42] The fixing members 114 are arranged at positions spaced a proper distance apart from the contacting member 112, respectively, each end of the fixing members 114 is of a plate type, of which one end is of a semicircular shape, and has a penetration hole to be fixed on the base plate by a bolting.

[43] The connecting means 116 is provided between the base plate 102 and the contacting member 112 to attach/detach one side of the contacting member 112, of which the other side is fixed to the base plate 102 by a fixing member 114, to the base plate 102. Each connecting means 116 includes an attaching/detaching portion 116a and a connecting portion 116b.

[44] The connecting means 116 are also arranged on locations opposite to the fixing members 114 and spaced by a proper distance.

[45] Meanwhile, in the present exemplary embodiment, the connecting means 116 is described by giving an example that the connecting means 116 are provided at one side of the strap 110, of which the other side is fixed on the base plate 102, however, it is possible to arrange the connecting means 116 in front and in the rear of both sides of the strap 110 such that the strap 110 can be attached and detached to and from the base plate 102 in a state where the strap 110 is completely separated from the base plate

102.

[46] Each end of the attaching/detaching portion 116a is of a plate type, of which one end is of a semicircular shape, and includes a hooking member 116a' having a hook shape at an inner side formed in a body or the attaching/detaching portion 116a can be fixed by means of a bolt and a nut.

[47] Each end of the connecting portion 116b is of a plate type, of which one end is of a semicircular shape, and includes a penetration hole having a square shape to be hooked and connected by the hooking member 116a' of the attaching/detaching portion 116a and a penetration hole is further provided in the rear of the penetration hole to be fixed on the base plate 102 by a bolting.

[48] Here, the fixing member 114 and the attaching/detaching portion 116a are arranged spaced a predetermined distance apart from the contacting member 112 and two covering materials 118 are disposed between the distance as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. That is, the covering materials 118 are disposed plurally between the fixing member 114 and the contacting member 112 and between the attaching/detaching portion 116a and the contacting member 112, both ends of the covering material 118 being fixed, respectively.

[49] An elastic member S, a compression spring, having the same length as the covering material 118, is inserted into the covering material 118. The covering materials 118 are contracted according as the space between the fixing members 114, the attaching/ detaching portions 116a and the contacting member 112 becomes narrowed in the process of winding the wire W by means of the tightening means 120.

[50] Here, the elastic members S maintain the appearance of the covering materials 118, not to be deformed, when the covering materials 118 are contracted, whereas only the lengths are decreased, thus providing elegant appearance.

[51] Moreover, a leading tube G made of metal material having a U shape is arranged inside the respective circumferences of the fixing members 114 and the attaching/ detaching portions 116a to reduce the frictional force caused by the moving wire W inserted inside the leading tube G.

[52] As illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the tightening means 120 is fixed in the central position of the contacting member 112, in which the lower end thereof is located inside the strap 110 and the upper end thereof is exposed to the outside. Furthermore, the tightening means 120, to which both ends of the wire W are fixed facing to each other, unwinds the wound wire W by force and winds the unwound wire W by force. The tightening means 120 includes upper and lower bodies 121 and 122, an upper connection member 123, a buffering member 124, a lower connection member 125, an elastic member 126, a fastening member 127 and a wire releasing means 130.

[53] The upper body 121 is formed having a proper diameter since it may be easy to

operate the handle by hand if the diameter is large and it may be inconvenient when boarding if the diameter is so large.

[54] Moreover, the upper body 121 has a plurality of projections, projected radially on the outer circumferential surface thereof to prevent the hand holding the upper body 121 from being slipped; and a cylindrical shape, of which the bottom is hollowed. The inner circumferential surface of the bottom thereof includes: a ratchet 121a having saw teeth of a right triangular shape provided radially; and an angular groove 121b, provided in the center of the top of the upper body 121, corresponding to an angular projection 125a of the lower connection member 125, to be described below.

[55] That is, the angular groove 121b is inserted into the angular projection 125a of the lower connection member 125, thus connecting the upper body 121 and the lower connection member 125. Here, the angular groove 121b and the angular projection 125a are formed having an octagonal shape; however, various modifications can be made, not limited thereto.

[56] The lower body 122 is faced with the upper body 121 and has a cylindrical shape, of which the upper end is hollowed. The lower body 122 has a Pi-shaped projection in the center of the inside bottom and a vertical shaft 122a erected on the Pi-shaped projection. The vertical shaft 122a has a spiral thread formed on the outer circumferential surface of the upper end thereof.

[57] A plurality of projections 122b is further provided below the spiral thread radially on the outer circumferential surface of the upper end of the vertical shaft 122a. Here, the number of the projections 122b is not limited, but various modifications can be made. However, the space of the adjacent projections 122b should be larger than receiving projections 125b.

[58] The upper connection member 123 is disposed between the lower connection member 125, to be described below, and the upper body 121 and has an internal diameter larger than the external diameter of the lower connection member 125 and an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the upper body 121. The upper connection member 123 has a rectangular opening 123 a, formed on the wall of one side thereof, and a hole, established in the center of the top of the upper connection member 123, into which the angular projection 125a of the lower connection member 125 is inserted.

[59] The buffering member 124 is connected with the inner circumferential surface of the upper connection member 123 and formed having a wound ring shape. The buffering member 124 includes a tact projection 124a having a rectangular shape and a proper size to pass through the rectangular opening 123a of the upper connection member 123.

[60] That is, the buffering member 124 connected with the upper connection member

123 is projected to the ratchet 121a of the upper body 121 through the rectangular opening 123a so that the upper body 121 rotates to transmit power in a direction, i.e., clockwise, not counterclockwise. The tact projection 124a is given elasticity so that it becomes depressed backward when the tact projection 124a is located between the saw teeth of the ratchet 121a, whereas, it is restored to the original position when the tact projection 124a is being located on the saw tooth of the ratchet 121a.

[61] The lower connection member 125 has a gear 125c, formed on the edge of the bottom thereof, to be connected with a helical gear 134a of a sun gear 134, provided in front of the wire releasing means 130, such that the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 rotates several times by a gear ratio for one rotation of the lower connection member 125.

[62] That is, if the number of the teeth of gear 125c of the lower connection member

125 is 50 and the number of the teeth of the helical gear 134a of the sun gear 134 engaged with the gear 125c is 5, the helical gear 134a rotates ten times while the lower connection member 125 rotates once.

[63] Moreover, as shown in Figs. 8 to 10, the lower connection member 125 is of a cylindrical shape, of which the lower end is hollowed, and includes the angular projection 125a formed in the center of the top thereof. The lower connection member 125 has an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the lower body 122 and a hole penetrated in a direction of thickness in the center thereof.

[64] Furthermore, three receiving projections 125b, established radially on the upper end of the hole of the lower connection member 125, partially overlap with the projections 122b of the vertical shaft 122a when they are located on the same vertical line as the projections 122b of the vertical shaft 122a. The number of the receiving projections 125b is not limited thereto, but various modifications can be made. However, the number of the receiving projections 125b should be identical to that of the projections 122b and the space of the adjacent receiving projections 125b should be larger than the size of the projections 122b.

[65] Likewise, the receiving projections 125b of the lower connection member 125 and the projections 122b of the vertical shaft 122a of the lower body 122 are initially established in such a state that the bottoms of the projections 122b come in contact with the top of the receiving projections 125b; an elastic member 126 is disposed between a fastening member 127, to be described below, and the upper body 121; and the upper body 21 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 connected with each other pressurize the lower body 122, thus engaging the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 with the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130.

[66] Here, when the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 rotate the upper body 121 connected with them, the receiving projections 125b of the lower connection

member 125 located in the bottom of the projections 122b of the vertical shaft 122a of the lower body 122 is rotated and the receiving projections 125b are disconnected from the projections 122b to be located between the intervals of the adjacent projections 122b.

[67] If further rotating the upper body 121 being lift up, the receiving projections 125b are positioned on the same vertical line as the projections 122b of the vertical shaft 122a, and the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 is disengaged from the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 according as the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 are lifted up, thus freely winding and unwinding the wire W on and from the wire releasing means 130.

[68] That is, the receiving projections 125b and the projections 122b in the upper body

121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 play a role of separating the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 from the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 and then fixing the positions of the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 as being spaced with each other.

[69] Here, the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and

125 connected with each other are lifted up and down in a body, the upper body 121 and the lower connection member 125 except for the upper connection member 123 are rotated in a body, and the upper connection member 123 and the lower body 122 are in a stop state together.

[70] Meanwhile, not depicted in the figures, it is possible to form radial unevenness on the contact surfaces between the bottom of the upper connection member 123 and the lower body 122 so that the upper connection member 123 is connected with the lower body 122. In this case, the upper connection member 123 is not rotated, even if the upper body 121 and the lower connection member 125 are rotated in a state that the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 is engaged with the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130.

[71] Moreover, in another manner as illustrated in Fig. 11, a spiral thread 122b' is formed on the circumferential surface of the upper end of the vertical shaft 122a and a spiral groove 125b' having a shape corresponding to the spiral thread 122b' is provided on the inner circumferential surface over the hole of the lower connection member 125.

[72] Here, the elastic member 126 is disposed between the fastening member 127 and the upper body 121 to pressurize the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125. Accordingly, if rotating the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125, the spiral groove 125b' of the lower connection member 125 is disengaged from the spiral thread 122b' formed on the vertical shaft 122a of the lower body 122, and the lower end of the spiral thread 122b'

pressurizes the upper end of the disengaged spiral groove 125b' via the elastic force of the elastic member 126.

[73] As a result, the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 among the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 connected with each other is disengaged from the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130, thus freely winding and unwinding the wire W on and from the wire releasing means 130.

[74] The elastic member 126, a coil spring, is disposed between the upper body 121 and the fastening member 127 so that it can pressurize the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 toward the lower body 122.

[75] The fastening member 127 has a spiral groove, formed on the inner circumferential surface of the lower end thereof, to be engaged with the spiral thread, formed on the outer circumferential surface of the upper end of the vertical shaft 122a of the lower body 122, and plays a role of fixing the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 to the lower body 122, in order not to be separated. Moreover, the top of the fastening member 127 is formed in the shape of semicircle.

[76] The wire releasing means 130, as depicted in Figs. 8 and 9, is provided in one end of the lower body 122 in a horizontal direction, and rotates the upper body 121 with a low force by dispersing the transmission load by means of planetary gear trains when winding the wire W by an external force, whereas, winds the wire W forcibly via a restoring force when the wire W is being wound.

[77] The wire releasing means 130 includes a housing 131, a rotation member 132, planetary gears 133, a sun gear 134, a spring 135 and a horizontal shaft 138. The housing 131 is of a cylindrical shape, of which both ends are opened, and includes holes, formed at positions faced with each other on the outer circumferential surface, through which the wire W is entered, a ring gear 131a formed on the inner circumferential surface of one end thereof, and the front and back covers 136a and 136b fixed with small screws, respectively.

[78] The rotation member 132 provided inside the housing 131 rotates when the wire W is wound and unwound and has a terraced cylindrical shape, of which both ends diameters are larger than the middle end. Wire insertion holes 132a are formed, respectively, at positions faced with each other on the outer circumferential surface of the middle end and extensions 132b having a tripod shape are established, respectively, at one side thereof. A groove 132c is provided on one of the extensions 132b and three shafts 132d are established radially at the other side thereof.

[79] Here, both ends of the wire W are inserted into the wire insertion holes 132a, respectively, and the wire W is fixed at the outer side at right angles to the wire insertion holes 132a by tightening bolts 132e.

[80] The extensions 132b are established radially along with the edge of one side of the rotation member 132, and the back end of a spring 135, to be described below, is fixed to the groove 132c of one of the extensions 132b.

[81] Meanwhile, the rotation member 132, an output shaft, to which the ring gear 131a of the housing 131 is fixed, can be readily rotated with a low force, even though the speed is reduced, via a high torque generated when planetary gears 133 and a sun gear 134, to be described below, are rotated. Here, since the gear ratio by the planetary gear trains is publicly known, detailed description will be omitted.

[82] Each planetary gear 133, inserted into the shaft 132d of the rotation member 132, revolves on its own axis and, at the same time, moves around the sun gear 134, with coming in contact with the ring gear 131a of the housing 131. In the present embodiment, there are provided three planetary gears 133.

[83] The planetary gears 133 are fixed to the ends of the shafts 132d using a fixing member 133a to prevent the planetary gears 133 from being separated from the shafts 132d of the rotation member 132.

[84] The sun gear 134, an input shaft engaged with all of the planetary gears 133, revolves on its own axis with being positioned in the center of the respective planetary gears 133. The sun gear 134 has a helical gear 134a formed on the outer circumferential surface, extended larger than the diameter of the rear thereof, to be engaged with the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125.

[85] As a result, if the lower connection member 125 revolves, the sun gear 134 is rotated by the helical gear 134a engaged with the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 and, at the same time, the planetary gears 133 and the rotation member 132 are rotated, thus winding the wire W fixed to the rotation member 132.

[86] The front end of the spring 135 is fixed to a groove portion 137a of a spring fixing member 137 fixed to the back cover 136b of the housing 131 and the back end of the spring 135 is fixed to the groove 132c of one of the extensions 132b of the rotation member 132.

[87] That is, the spring 135 includes: a bending portion 135a formed in front thereof to be connected with the groove portion 137a of the spring fixing member 137; and a hooking portion 135b formed by bending the back end thereof to be fixed to the groove 132c of the extension 132b. Accordingly, if rotating the lower connection member 125 connected with the upper body 121, the rotation member 132, an output shaft, is rotated by way of the sun gear 134, an input shaft, and the planetary gears 133.

[88] Here, the wire W is forcibly wound on the rotation member 132 via the restoring force of the spring 135 if removing the external force after unwinding the wire W.

[89] The horizontal shaft 138 is positioned in a direction of the central axis from the sun gear 134, the rotation member 132 and to the outside of the spring 135 and each end of

the horizontal shaft 138 is fixed between a groove of a receiving member 122c and an upper fixing member 122d provided on the bottom of the lower body 122.

[90] The wire W is desirably made of iron wire securing the durability and the wire W, of which one end is fixed to the left top of the tightening means 120, is arranged along with, in turn: the inside of the two covering materials 118 and the attaching/detaching portion 116a, established on the left top of the strap 110; the inside of the other two covering materials 118 and the fixing member 114, opposite in the horizontal direction to the attaching/detaching portion 116a on the left top; the inside of the other two covering materials 118 and the attaching/detaching portion 116a, opposite in the diagonal direction to the fixing member 114 on the right top; and the inside of the other two covering materials 118 and the fixing member 114, opposite in the horizontal direction to the attaching/detaching portion 116a of the left bottom. Lastly, the other end of the wire W is fixed to the right bottom of the tightening means 120, thus being crossed with each other in the center of the strap 110.

[91] Here, if winding up the wire W via the operation of the tightening means 120, the attaching/detaching portion 116a, provided on the left top, and the fixing member 114, provided on the right bottom, both being arranged in the diagonal direction from the positions where both ends of the wire W are fixed respectively, move internally at the same time, and then the attaching/detaching portion 116a, provided on the left bottom, and the fixing member 114, provided on the right top, move internally at the same time.

[92] To restrict the position of the wire W, there are provided horizontal tubes, fabrics or synthetic resins, of which the top and the bottom are sewed, in the upper center and the lower center of the contacting member 112.

[93] Accordingly, the process of fixing the boots to the bindings of snowboard in accordance with the present exemplary embodiment will now be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 10. First, in a state that both ends of the contacting member 112 are fixed to the base plate 102, the hooking members 116a' of the attaching/detaching portion 116a are disconnected from the connecting portions 116b, respectively, and the boot B is put into the base plate 102 and the high back 104 closely.

[94] According to another method, since the contacting member 112 of the strap 110 is being positioned adjacent to the base plate 102 by means of the wire releasing means 130, the contacting member 112 is pulled so that the wire W wound on the rotation member 132 of the wire releasing means 130 is extended.

[95] Here, since the rotation member 132, from which the wire W is unwound, is applied the restoring force of the spring 135, the boot B worn on the foot is put into the base plate 102 and the high back 104 closely, with holding the contacting member 112.

[96] Next, the hooking members 116a' of the attaching/detaching portion 116a provided

in front and in the rear of one end of the contacting member 112, of which the other end is fixed, are hooked on the rectangular holes of the connecting portions 116b.

[97] Subsequently, if the contacting member 112 held by hand is released, the rotation member 132 is restored to its position via the restoring force of the spring 135, and the wire W, of which both ends are fixed to the rotation member 132, is wound up to make the contacting member 112 contact with the instep portion of the boot B as much as the restoring force of the spring 135.

[98] Meanwhile, if rotating the upper body 121 of the tightening means 120 clockwise in a state that the contacting member 112 is being put on the instep portion of the boot B, the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 rotates the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 and, accordingly, the sun gear 134 engaged with it is rotated.

[99] Here, with the rotation of the sun gear 134, the planetary gears 133 externally engaged with the sun gear 134 are rotated. Moreover, the planetary gears 133 revolving on their own axis and moving around the sun gear 134 along with the ring gear 131a of the housing 131 rotate the rotation member 132.

[100] Furthermore, in the process of rotating the planetary gears 133 and the rotation member 132 by rotating the sun gear 134 that is an input shaft, the rotation speed of the rotation member 132 that is an output shaft is reduced by the gear ratio of the planetary gear trains and, accordingly, the sun gear 134 can be rotated with a low force.

[101] Here, in the process that the wire W arranged on the circumferential surface of the rotation member 132 is wound up on the rotation member 132, the tact projection 124a of the buffering member 124 comes in contact with the ratchet 121a of the upper body 121 having saw teeth of a right triangular shape so that the upper body 121 rotates to transmit power clockwise, not counterclockwise.

[102] Like this, with the rotation of the upper body 121, the wire W, of which both ends are fixed to the rotation member 132 of the wire releasing means 130, begins to wind around the rotation member 132.

[103] If the wire W becomes to tense and begins to wind around the rotation member

132, the wire W generates gravitations first around the fixing member 114 of the right bottom and the attaching/detaching portion 116a of the left top, established in the diagonal direction to the wire W, of which both ends are fixed to the left top and the right bottom of the tightening means 120, and then around the fixing member 114 of the right top and the attaching/detaching portion 116a of the left bottom, opposite to the fixing member 114 of the right bottom and the attaching/detaching portion 116a of the left top, respectively.

[104] That is, if the wire W begins to wind by means of the tightening means 120, the interval between the contacting member 112 and the fixing member 114 of the right bottom and the attaching/detaching portion 116a of the left top, established in the

diagonal direction to the wire W, of which both ends are fixed to the left top and the right bottom of the tightening means 120, is decreased at the same time and, subsequently, the interval between the contacting member 112 and the fixing member 114 of the right top and the attaching/detaching portion 116a of the left bottom is reduced at the same time, which results in the decrease of the space between the base plate 102 and the strap 110, thus pressurizing the boot B put therein.

[105] Here, if the fixing members 114 and the attaching/detaching portions 116a move toward the contacting member 112 spaced away, the covering materials 118, disposed between the fixing members 114, the attaching/detaching portion 116a and the contacting member 112, are contracted; however, the elastic members S provided inside the covering materials 118 reduce the deformation of the covering materials 118.

[106] Meanwhile, since the top of the receiving projections 125b, provided radially on the upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the hole of the lower connection member 125, and the bottom of the projections 122b, established radially on the vertical shaft 122a of the lower body 122, are positioned on the same vertical line, among the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 connected with each other in the tightening means 120, the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 comes in contact with the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130, and the tact projection 124a of the buffering member 124 is Io cated coming in contact with the ratchet 121a of the upper body 121, thus rotating the upper body 121 to transmit powder clockwise, not counterclockwise.

[107] On the other hand, to separate the boot B from the binding 100, the upper body 121 is first rotated slightly to move the receiving projections 125b of the lower connection member 125 to the spaces between the projections 122b of the lower body 122. Then, the receiving projections 125b are disconnected from the projections 122b to lift up the upper body 121 and, accordingly, the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 begins to separate from the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130.

[108] Here, if pulling up the upper body 121 by hand and further rotating the upper body

121, the receiving projections 125b of the lower connection member 125 are positioned on the top of the projections 122b of the vertical shaft 122a, the receiving projections 125b and the projections 122b being located in the same vertical line. Accordingly, since the elastic member 126, disposed between the fastening member 127 and the upper body 121, is being pressurizing the upper body 121 and the upper and lower connection members 123 and 125 downward via the elastic force thereof, it prevents the receiving projections 125b from being disconnected from the projections 122b.

[109] Consequently, the purpose of the position shift of the projections 122b and the

receiving projections 125b arranged initially up and down is to facilitate the wearing of the boots B by separating the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125, connected with the upper body 121, from the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 and then removing the contacting member 112 of the strap 110 from the base plate 102 by means of the wire W released from the wire releasing means 130. Here, the gear 125c of the lower connection member 125 is disengaged from the helical gear 134a of the wire releasing means 130 as much as the sum of the lengths of the projections 122b and the receiving projections 125b.

[110] Moreover, it is possible to form the projections in the form of L by bending or ' — ' to prevent the projections 122b from being disconnected from the receiving projections 125b.

[I l l] Subsequently, if the contacting member 112 held by hand is pulled up, the wire W becomes extended via the wire releasing means 130. Accordingly, the boot B can be separated from the binding 100 by force or by widening the space between the base plate 102 and the contacting member 112.

[112] Furthermore, with the tightening means 120 including a pair of wire releasing means 130 faced with each other, it is possible to wind or unwind the wire W in front of the instep portion by means of one side of the wire releasing means 130, and to wind or unwind the wire W in the rear of the instep portion by means of the other side of the wire releasing means 130, thus controlling the tightening force by winding or unwinding the front and back wires W at the same time (Refer to Fig. 12).

[113] Meanwhile, as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, the connecting means in accordance with the other embodiments of the present invention are exemplified by a form applied to a general safe belt and a form applied mainly to bags such as knapsacks, etc. and can be variously modified, not limited thereto.

[114] First, the connecting means 140 applied to the safe belt includes: a plate-shaped attaching/detaching portion 142, having a semicircular shape at one side and formed in a body with a buckle 144 of metal materials formed at the other side having a penetration hole; and a connecting member 146, into which the buckle 144 of the attaching/detaching portion 142 is inserted to connect or disconnect therewith.

[115] In front of the connecting member 146, there are provided: a push portion 148 shuttled by an elastic force of an elastic member in front thereof; an insertion groove 148a formed below the push portion 148; and a connecting portion, not depicted in the figure, for connecting with the penetration hole of the buckle 144 inserted into the insertion groove 148a. Moreover, a penetration hole for fixing to the base plate 102 by bolting is further formed in the rear of the connecting member 146.

[116] That is, if the buckle 144 of the attaching/detaching portion 142 is inserted into the insertion groove 148a of the push portion 148, the connecting portion gets down

through the penetration hole of the buckle 144 to connect with the buckle 144 and, if applying pressure to the push portion 148 backward, the connecting portion gets up to be separated from the penetration hole, thus separating the attaching/detaching portion 142.

[117] Next, the connecting means 150 applied mainly to bags such as knapsacks, etc. includes: a plate-shaped attaching/detaching portion 152 having a pork shape formed in front thereof and formed in a body with hooking portions 154 of a triangular prism shape on the outer surfaces thereof; and a connecting member 156 having a longitudinal insertion groove 156a formed in front thereof, into which the front end of the attaching/detaching portion 152 is inserted, and connecting openings 158 corresponding to the hooking portions 154 formed at both sides thereof for receiving the hooking portions of the attaching/detaching portion 152.

[118] The region of the attaching/detaching portion 152, where the hooking portions 154 are provided, needs to be flexible and have a strong property.

[119] To connect the attaching/detaching portion 152 with the connecting member 156, first, the front end of the attaching/detaching portion 152 having a pork shape is inserted into the insertion groove 156a of the connecting member 156 in a state that the back end of the attaching/detaching portion 152 is held by hand. Then, the hooking portions 154 of the attaching/detaching portion 152 move along with the insertion groove 156a to reach the connecting openings 158 of the connecting member 156 and, at the same time, the hooking portions 154 pressurized internally are restored externally, thus being connected with the connecting openings 158.

[120] On the contrary, to separate the attaching/detaching portion 152 from the connecting member 156, the hooking portions 154 of the attaching/detaching portion 152 are pressurized by force internally and moved backward.

[121] <Exemplary embodiment 2>

[122] As depicted in Figs. 15 to 17, a binding of snowboard in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base plate 202, a strap 210 and a tightening means 220, in which the base plate 202 and the tightening means 220 have the same structures and functions as those of the preceding embodiment and, accordingly, detailed description will be omitted.

[123] The strap 210 is positioned covering the region from the instep to the toe portion of the boot B and fixes the boot B more securely by pressurizing the instep and toe portions at the same time. The strap 210 includes a contacting member 212, fixing members 214, connecting means 216, covering materials 218 and a wire W.

[124] Here, since the fixing members 214, the connecting means 216, the covering materials 218 and the wire W have the same structures and functions as those of the preceding embodiment, detailed description will be omitted.

[125] The contacting member 212 is made of soft fabrics or synthetic resins and requires waterproof. Further, the contacting member 212 is provided having a proper size to wrap the region from the instep to the toe portion of the boot B at the same time.

[126] Meanwhile, in the present exemplary embodiment, the connecting means 216 is described by giving an example that the connecting means 216 are provided at one side of the strap 210, of which the other side is fixed on the base plate 202, however, it is possible to arrange the connecting means 216 in front and in the rear of both sides the strap 210 so that the strap 210 can be attached and detached to and from the base plate 202 in a state where the strap 210 is completely separated from the base plate 202.

[127] Here, the reference numeral 204 denotes a high back, 216a denotes an attaching/ detaching portion, 216b denotes a connecting portion, 216a' denotes a hooking member and 230 denotes a wire releasing means.

[128] Moreover, the tightening means 220 further includes a plurality of wire releasing means, not depicted, provided in front and in the rear of the instep portion, individually, so as to control the tightening force by winding or unwinding the respectively wires.

[129] Accordingly, the process of fixing the boots to the bindings of snowboard in accordance with the present exemplary embodiment is the same as the preceding exemplary embodiment; however, it has the advantage of fixing the boots more securely since the strap 210 wraps the toe portion as well as the instep portion of the boots B to pressurize the boots B.

[130] <Exemplary embodiment 3>

[131] As depicted in Figs. 18 to 20, a binding of snowboard in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base plate 302, a strap 310 and a tightening means 320, in which the base plate 302 and the tightening means 320 have the same structures and functions as those of the preceding embodiments and, accordingly, detailed description will be omitted.

[132] The strap 310 is positioned covering the region from the instep to the ankle portion of the boot B and fixes the boot B more securely by pressurizing the instep and toe portions at the same time. The strap 310 includes a contacting member 312, fixing members 314, connecting means 316, covering materials 318 and a wire W.

[133] Here, since the fixing members 314, the connecting means 316, the covering materials 318 and the wire W have the same structures and functions as those of the preceding embodiments, detailed description will be omitted.

[134] However, the fixing members 314 and the connecting means 316 are established three by three, respectively, those provided in front and in the middle thereof, the instep portion, are fixed in front and in the rear of the base plate 302, and those established in the rear thereof, the ankle portion, are fixed to the high back 304.

[135] The contacting member 312 is made of soft fabrics or synthetic resins and requires waterproof. Further, the contacting member 312 is provided having a proper size to wrap the region from the instep to the ankle portion of the boot B at the same time.

[136] The wire W is desirably made of iron wire securing the durability and the wire W, of which one end is fixed to the left top of the tightening means 320, is arranged along with, in turn: the inside of the two covering materials 318 and the attaching/detaching portion 316a, established on the left top of the contacting member 312 of the strap 310; the inside of the other two covering materials 318 and the fixing member 314, opposite in the horizontal direction to the attaching/detaching portion 316a on the left top; the inside of the other two covering materials 318 and the attaching/detaching portion 316a, established in the middle of the left side; the inside of the other two covering materials 318 and the fixing member 314, established on the right bottom; the inside of the other two covering materials 318 and the attaching/detaching portion 316a, established on the left bottom opposite in the horizontal direction to the fixing member 314 of the right bottom; and the inside of the other two covering materials 318 and the fixing member 314, established in the middle of the right of the right side. Lastly, the other end of the wire W is fixed to the right bottom of the tightening means 320, thus being crossed with each other twice in the upper and lower regions of the center of the strap 310.

[137] Meanwhile, in the present exemplary embodiment, the connecting means 316 is described by giving an example that the connecting means 316 are provided at one side of the strap 310, of which the other side is fixed on the base plate 302, however, it is possible to arrange the connecting means 316 in front and in the rear of both sides the strap 310 so that the strap 310 can be attached and detached to and from the base plate 302 in a state where the strap 310 is completely separated from the base plate 302.

[138] Here, the reference numeral 316b denotes a connecting portion, 316a denotes a hooking member and 330 denotes a wire releasing means.

[139] Moreover, the tightening means 320 further includes a plurality of wire releasing means, not depicted, provided in front and in the rear of the instep portion, individually, so as to control the tightening force by winding or unwinding the respectively wires.

[140] Accordingly, the process of fixing the boots to the bindings of snowboard in accordance with the present exemplary embodiment is the same as the preceding exemplary embodiments; however, it has the advantage of fixing the boots more securely since two fixing members 314 and two connecting means 316 are provided in the region of the ankle so that the strap 310 wraps the ankle portion as well as the instep portion of the boots B, and one fixing member 314 and connecting means 316 are further provided in the region of the ankle to pressurize the boots B closely.

[141] <Exemplary embodiment 4>

[142] As depicted in Figs. 22 to 24, a binding of snowboard in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base plate 402, a strap 410 and a tightening means 420, in which the base plate 402 has the same structure and functions as that of the preceding embodiments and, accordingly, detailed description will be omitted.

[143] However, according to the present exemplary embodiment different from the preceding embodiments, one side or both sides of the strap 410 is or are not separated from the base plate 402. That is, the strap 410 is attached and detached to and from the boot B via a space formed by separating the strap 410 from the base plate 402.

[144] The strap 410 is positioned covering the instep portion or the region from the instep to the toe portion of the boot B and fixes the boot B more securely by pressurizing the instep or the region from the instep to the toe portion of the boot B at the same time. The strap 410 includes a contacting member 412, first and second fixing members 414 and 416, covering materials 418 and a wire W. Moreover, in the present embodiment, the strap 410 is illustrated to pressurize the instep and the toe portions.

[145] Here, since the covering materials 418 and the wire W have the same structures and functions as those of the preceding embodiments, detailed description will be omitted.

[146] The contacting member 412 is made of soft fabrics or synthetic resins and requires waterproof. Further, the contacting member 412 is provided having a proper size to wrap the region from the instep to the toe portion of the boot B at the same time.

[147] The first fixing members 414 are provided at positions spaced a proper distance apart from the contacting member 412, respectively, each having a plate shape, of which one end is formed in the shape of semicircle and has a penetration hole to be fixed on the base plate 402 by bolting.

[148] That is, the first fixing members 414 are established on both ends of the contacting member 412 to be fixed on both ends of the base plate 402.

[149] The second fixing members 416 are provided at positions spaced a proper distance apart from the contacting member 412, respectively, each having a plate shape, of which one end is formed in the shape of semicircle and the other end has a guide portion 416a, extended from the one end, a width reduced by half from that of the one end and a penetration hole to be fixed on the base plate 402 by bolting.

[150] That is, the guide portions 416a that are the upper ends of the second fixing members 416 are inserted in the form of X into both ends of the contacting member 412, respectively, and the lower ends thereof are fixed on both back ends of the base plate 402. Accordingly, when the contacting member 412 is separated upward to fix the boot B inserted thereto, the guide portions 416a formed on the top of the contacting

member 412 like that are to keep the space between the contacting member 412 and the base plate 402.

[151] As a result, if pulling up the contacting member 412 to fix the boot B, the contacting member 412 is lifted up along with the guide portions 416a of the second fixing members 416 being bent and crossed with each other inside the contacting member 412, and restoring force of the flexible guide portions 416a is applied thereto, thus maintaining the position of the contacting member 412 lifted up via the applied restoring force. Accordingly, the guide portions 416a guide the lifting of the contacting member 412 and maintain the separated position, not moving during the separation.

[152] Particularly, the covering materials 418 are used plurally when they are applied to the first fixing members 414 like the preceding embodiments; however, a single covering material 418 is applied to the second fixing members 416 since the guide portions 416a exist.

[153] As depicted in Figs. 25 to 27, the tightening means 420 is fixed in the central position of the contacting member 412, in which the lower end thereof is located inside the strap 410 and the upper end thereof is exposed to the outside. Furthermore, the tightening means 420, to which both ends of the wire W are fixed facing to each other, unwinds the wound wire W by force and winds the unwound wire W by force. The tightening means 420 includes upper and lower bodies 421 and 422, an upper connection member 423, a locking member 424, a lower connection member 425, an engaging member 426 and a wire releasing means 430.

[154] The upper body 421 is formed having a proper diameter since it may be easy to operate the handle by hand if the diameter is large and it may be inconvenient when boarding if the diameter is so large.

[155] Moreover, the upper body 421 has a plurality of projections in the shape of wave, projected radially on the outer circumferential surface thereof to prevent the hand holding the upper body 421 from being slipped; a cylindrical shape, of which the lower end is hollowed; and a hole penetrated in the center thereof.

[156] Furthermore, the upper body 421 includes: a teeth-hooking member 421b protruded radially on the inner circumferential surface of the lower end of the hole; taper portions, of which diameter is decreased, formed on the inner circumferential surface of the top of the teeth-hooking member 421b; semicircular grooves formed on the circumferential surface of the taper portion; and a plurality of hooking projections 421c formed radially, of which the back ends are connected with the hollowed lower end, to come in contact with a ratchet 423 a of an upper connection member 423, to be described below.

[157] Meanwhile, the hooking projections 421c are formed flexibly, and it is desirable to form the hooking projections 421c together with the upper body 421 in a body and,

further, it is more desirable to form them by injection molding.

[158] Here, the hooking projections 421c are protruded leaning toward the ratchet 423a to come in contact with the ratchet 423 a, so that the upper body 421 rotates to transmit power clockwise, not counterclockwise.

[159] As a result, if rotating the upper body 421 clockwise, the hooking projections 421c move along with the slops of the saw teeth of the ratchet 423a to allow the upper body 421 to revolve, whereas, if rotating the upper body 421 counterclockwise, the ends of the hooking projections 421c are hooked by the vertical surfaces of the saw teeth of the ratchet 423a, thus preventing the upper body 421 from revolving counterclockwise.

[160] The lower body 422 is faced with the upper body 421 and has a cylindrical shape, of which the upper end is hollowed. The lower body 422 includes an extension portion 422a, with which the lower body 422 is readily fixed to the contacting member 412, and groove portions 422b, faced with each other on the inner circumferential surface, to which a wire releasing means 430, to be described below, is fixed.

[161] The upper connection member 423 is disposed between the lower connection member 425, to be described below, and the upper body 421 and has an internal diameter larger than the external diameter of the lower connection member 425 and an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the upper body 421. The upper connection member 423 includes a ratchet 423a having saw teeth of a right triangular shape provided radially on the top thereof.

[162] The locking member 424 is positioned inside the central hole of the upper body

421 and moves up and down. That is, the locking member 424 executes a lock function by lifting up the upper body 421 so that the upper body 421 revolves and a unlock function by lifting down the upper body 421 so that the upper body 421 revolves idly.

[163] Here, the locking member 424 has a terraced cylindrical shape, of which the diameter of the top becomes larger than that of the bottom. A plurality of grooves 424a is provided radially on the outer circumferential surface in the shape corresponding to the semicircular grooves formed on the top of the hole in the center of the upper body 421. Accordingly, if the intervals between the grooves 424a move to the semicircular grooves in the central hole of the upper body 421, the locking member 424 becomes contracted, whereas, if those move to the taper portions, it becomes relaxed, repeatedly.

[164] The lower connection member 425 includes a gear 425b, formed on the edge of the bottom thereof, to be connected with a gear portion 436, provided on one end of the wire releasing means 430, to be described below, such that the gear member 436 of the wire releasing means 430 rotates several times by a gear ratio for one rotation of the lower connection member 425.

[165] That is, if the number of the teeth of the gear 425b of the lower connection member

425 is 50 and the number of the teeth of the gear portion 436 engaged with the gear 425b is 5, the gear portion 436 revolves ten times while the lower connection member 425 revolves a time.

[166] Moreover, the lower connection member 425 is of a cylindrical shape, of which the lower end is hollowed, and includes an angular projection 425a formed in the center of the top thereof, and a vertical shaft 425c over the angular projection 425a.

[167] Here, a stop gear 427, to be described below, the upper body 421, the locking member 424 and the engaging member 426 are inserted into the vertical shaft 425c, and fastened to the vertical shaft 425c of the lower connection member 425 by means of a fastening screw P on the top of the upper connection member 423.

[168] The upper body 421 is lifted up and down, however, the upper body 421 and the lower connection member 425 connected with each other rotates, and the upper connection member 423 and the lower body 425 are in a stop state together.

[169] The engaging member 426 is of a terraced shape having an external diameter of the upper end larger than that of the lower end, to be inserted into the center of the locking member 424, and has a hole, into which the top of the vertical shaft 425c is partially inserted.

[170] The stop gear 427 has saw teeth formed radially corresponding to the teeth-hooking member 421b. If the stop gear 427 is positioned engaging with the teeth-hooking member 421b, the rotation force of the upper body 421 is transmitted to the lower connection member 425, thus winding the wire W. On the contrary, if the stop gear 427 is disengaged from the teeth-hooking member 421b, the rotation force of the upper body 421 is not transmitted to the lower connection member 425, but revolves idly. Accordingly, though the lower connection member 425 is rotated by the gear portion 436 of the wire releasing means 430, the upper body 421 is not connected thereto, thus keeping the rotation direction of the upper body 421 rotating clockwise.

[171] Moreover, an angular groove 427a corresponding to the angular projection 425a of the lower connection member 425 is formed on the bottom of the stop gear 427. That is, the angular groove 427a is inserted into the angular projection 425a of the lower connection member 425, thus connecting the upper body 421 with the lower connection member 425. Here, the angular groove 427a and the angular projection 425a are formed in the shape of octagon, but various modifications can be made, not limited thereto.

[172] Moreover, in a state that the gear 425b of the lower connection member 425 is being engaged with the gear portion 436 of the wire releasing means 430, if the stop gear 427 is engaged with the teeth-hooking member 421b of the upper body 421, it is possible to wind the wire W by rotating the upper body 421 that revolves clockwise only. On the contrary, if the stop gear 427 is not engaged with the teeth-hooking

member 421b of the upper body 421, the gear portion 436 of the wire releasing means 430 is rotated when unwinding the wire W, and the rotation force of the gear portion 436 is not transmitted to the upper body 421 revolving idly, thus making the upper body 421 rotating clockwise be in a stop state.

[173] As a result, if pulling up the upper body 421, the top of the locking member 424 positioned at the semicircular grooves in the central hole of the upper body 421 moves to the taper portions provided below the semicircular grooves, and the teeth-hooking member 421b is disengaged from the teeth of the stop gear 427. Accordingly, it is possible to unwind the wire W since the upper body 421 revolves idly, and the rotation force of the lower connection member 425 is not transmitted to the upper body 421.

[174] On the contrary, if pressurizing the upper body 421 downward, the top of the locking member 424 positioned at the taper portions in the central hole of the upper body 421 moves to the semicircular grooves over the taper portions, and the teeth- hooking member 421b is engaged with the stop gear 427. Accordingly, it is possible to wind the wire W since the rotation force of the upper body 421 that revolves clockwise only is transmitted to the lower connection member 425.

[175] A cap 428 fixed on the top of the upper body 421 covers the connection region having a good appearance and can be separated from the connection region when repairing.

[176] The wire releasing means 430 rotates the upper body 421 with a low force by dispersing the transmission load by means of planetary gear trains when winding the wire W, provided on one end of the lower connection means 422, by an external force

[177] The wire releasing means 430 includes a housing 431, a rotation member 432, planetary gears 433, a sun gear 434, a horizontal shaft 435 and a gear portion 436. The housing 431 is a square box, of which both ends are opened circularly, and includes holes, formed at positions faced with each other on the outer circumferential surface, through which the wire W is entered, a ring gear 431a formed on the inner circumferential surface of one end thereof, and a cover 437 fixed on a side wall with small screws.

[178] The rotation member 432 provided inside the housing 431 rotates when the wire W is wound and unwound and has a terraced cylindrical shape, of which both ends diameters are larger than the middle end. Wire insertion holes 432a are formed, respectively, at positions faced with each other on the outer circumferential surface of the middle end and three shafts 432b are formed protruding radially at one side thereof.

[179] Here, both ends of the wire W are inserted into the wire insertion holes 432a, respectively, and the wire W is fixed at the outer side at right angles to the wire insertion holes 432a by tightening bolts 432c.

[180] Meanwhile, the rotation member 432, an output shaft, to which the ring gear 431a

of the housing 431 is fixed, can be readily rotated with a low force, even though the speed is reduced, via a high torque generated when planetary gears 433 and a sun gear 434, to be described below, are rotated. Here, since the gear ratio by the planetary gear trains is publicly known, detailed description will be omitted.

[181] Each planetary gear 433, inserted into the shaft 432b of the rotation member 432, revolves on its own axis and, at the same time, moves around the sun gear 134, with coming in contact with the ring gear 431a of the housing 431. In the present embodiment, there are provided three planetary gears 433.

[182] The planetary gears 433 are fixed to the ends of the shafts 432b using fixing members, not depicted, to prevent the planetary gears 433 from being separated from the shafts 432b of the rotation member 432.

[183] The sun gear 434, an input shaft engaged with all of the planetary gears 433, revolves on its own axis with being positioned in the center of the respective planetary gears 433.

[184] As a result, if the lower connection member 425 revolves, the sun gear 434 is rotated by the gear portion 436 engaged with the gear 425b of the lower connection member 425 and, at the same time, the planetary gears 433 and the rotation member 432 are rotated, thus winding the wire W fixed to the rotation member 432.

[185] If rotating the lower connection member 425 connected with the upper body 421, the rotation member 432, an output shaft, is rotated by way of the sun gear 434, an input shaft, and the planetary gears 433.

[186] The horizontal shaft 435 is positioned in a direction of the central axis from the sun gear 434 of one end, the rotation member 432 and to the gear portion 436 of the other end, and fixed to the groove portions 422b of the lower body 422 via bearings.

[187] The gear portion 436 is engaged with or disengaged from the gear 425b according as the gear 425b of the lower connection member 425 is lifted up or down.

[188] The wire W is desirably made of iron wire securing the durability and the wire W, of which one end is fixed to the left top of the tightening means 420, is arranged along with, in turn: the inside of the covering material 418, the second fixing member 416 and the guide portion 416a, established on the left top of the strap 410; the inside of the covering material 418, the second fixing member 416 and the guide portion 416a, opposite in the horizontal direction to the second fixing member 416 on the left top; the inside of the two covering materials 418 and the first fixing member 414 of the left bottom, opposite in the diagonal direction to the second fixing member 416 on the right top; and the inside of the other two covering materials 418 and the first fixing member 414, established on the right bottom. Lastly, the other end of the wire W is fixed to the right bottom of the tightening means 420, thus being crossed with each other in the center of the strap 410.

[189] Here, if winding up the wire W via the operation of the tightening means 420, the second fixing member 416, provided on the left top, and the first fixing member 414, provided on the right bottom, both being arranged in the diagonal direction from the positions where both ends of the wire W are fixed respectively, move internally at the same time, and then the first fixing member 414, provided on the left bottom, and the second fixing member 416, provided on the right top, move internally at the same time.

[190] To restrict the positions of the wire W and the second fixing member 416, there are provided horizontal tubes, fabrics or synthetic resins, of which the top and the bottom are sewed, in the upper center and the lower center of the contacting member 412 and in the region where the guide portions 416a are located.

[191] Though not depicted in the figures, the tightening means 420 may further include a plurality of wire releasing means to provide an individual wire W with the instep and the ankle portions. Accordingly, it is possible to wind or unwind the respective wires W at the same time, thus controlling the tightening force applied to the boot B.

[192] Accordingly, the process of fixing the boots to the bindings of snowboard in accordance with the present exemplary embodiment will now be described with reference to Figs. 24 to 27. First, if the upper body 421 is lifted down, the upper body 421 is pulled up to separate the teeth-hooking member 421b from the stop gear 427 so as not to transmit the rotation force of the lower connection member 425 thereto.

[193] Here, if pulling up the upper body 421, the top of the locking member 424 positioned at the semicircular grooves in the central hole of the upper body 421 moves to the taper portions provided below the semicircular grooves, and the teeth-hooking member 421b is disengaged from the teeth of the stop gear 427. Accordingly, it is possible to unwind the wire W since the upper body 421 revolves idly, and the rotation force of the lower connection member 425 is not transmitted to the upper body 421.

[194] Then, when separating the guide portions 416a upward, the guide portions 416a of the second fixing members 416 guide the lifting of the contacting member 412 and maintain the separated position, not moving during the separation.

[195] Subsequently, if pulling up the contacting member 412 of the strap 410, the contacting member 412 is separated upward to form a space between the contacting member 412 and the base plate 402, and then the boot B is put into the base plate 402 and the high back 404 closely.

[196] Moreover, if pressurizing the upper body 421 of the tightening means 420 downward, the top of the locking member 424 positioned at the taper portions in the central hole of the upper body 421 moves to the semicircular grooves over the taper portions, and the teeth-hooking member 421b is engaged with the stop gear 427. Accordingly, it is possible to wind the wire W since the rotation force of the upper body 421 that revolves clockwise only is transmitted to the lower connection member 425.

[197] Then, if rotating the upper body 421 that revolves clockwise only, the gear portion

436 of the wire releasing means 430 engaged with the gear 425b of the lower connection member 425 is rotated and, accordingly, the sun gear 434 fixed on the other end of the horizontal shaft 435 is also rotated.

[198] Here, with the rotation of the sun gear 434, the planetary gears 433 externally engaged with the sun gear 434 are rotated. Moreover, the planetary gears 433 revolving on their own axis and moving around the sun gear 434 along with the ring gear 431a of the housing 431 rotate the rotation member 432.

[199] Furthermore, in the process of rotating the planetary gears 433 and the rotation member 432 by rotating the sun gear 434 that is an input shaft, the rotation speed of the rotation member 432 that is an output shaft is reduced by the gear ratio of the planetary gear trains and, accordingly, the sun gear 434 can be rotated with a low force.

[200] Here, in the process that the wire W arranged on the circumferential surface of the rotation member 432 is wound up on the rotation member 432, the rotation member 432 the hooking projections 421c comes in contact with the ratchet 423a of the upper body 421 so that the upper body 421 rotates to transmit power clockwise, not counterclockwise.

[201] Like this, with the rotation of the upper body 421, the wire W, of which both ends are fixed to the rotation member 432 of the wire releasing means 430, begins to wind around the rotation member 432.

[202] If the wire W becomes to tense and begins to wind around the rotation member

432, the wire W generates gravitations first around the first fixing member 414 of the right bottom and the second fixing member 416 of the left top, established in the diagonal direction to the wire W, of which both ends are fixed to the left top and the right bottom of the tightening means 420, and then around the second fixing member 416 of the right top and the first fixing member 414 of the left bottom, opposite to the firs fixing member 414 of the right bottom and the second fixing member 416 of the left top, respectively.

[203] That is, if the wire W begins to wind by means of the tightening means 420, the interval between the first fixing member 414 of the right bottom and the second fixing member 416 of the left top, in the diagonal direction to the wire W, of which both ends are fixed to the left top and the right bottom of the tightening means 420, and the contacting member 412 is decreased at the same time and, subsequently, the interval between the second fixing member 416 of the right top, the first fixing member 414 of the left bottom and the contacting member 412 is reduced at the same time, which results in the decrease of the space between the base plate 402 and the strap 410, thus pressurizing the boot B put therein.

[204] Here, if the tightening force of the wire W moves toward the contacting member

412 spaced apart from the first fixing members 414 and the second fixing members 416, the covering materials 418, disposed between the first fixing members 414, the second fixing member 416 and the contacting member 412, are contracted; however, the elastic members S provided inside the covering materials 418 reduce the deformation of the covering materials 418.

[205] On the contrary, if pulling up the upper body 421 to separate the boot B from the binding 400, the top of the locking member 424 positioned at the semicircular grooves in the central hole of the upper body 421 moves to the taper portions provided below the semicircular grooves, and the teeth-hooking member 421b is disengaged from the teeth of the stop gear 427. Accordingly, it is possible to unwind the wire W repeatedly since the upper body 421 revolves idly, and the rotation force of the lower connection member 425 is not transmitted to the upper body 421 that revolves clockwise only.

[206] Subsequently, if the contacting member 412 held by hand is pulled up, the wire W becomes extended via the wire releasing means 430. Accordingly, the boot B can be separated from the binding 400 by widening the space between the base plate 402 and the contacting member 412.

[207] Moreover, the tightening means 420 applied to the strap 410 of the present embodiment can be adapted to the tightening means 120 of the first embodiment.

[208] Meanwhile, since both ends of the wire W is fixed to the tightening means 120 via the respective fixing members 114 and the attaching/detaching portions 116a, when winding the wire W, the contacting member 112 is pulled toward the fixing members 114 and the attaching/detaching portions 116a to fix the boot B. However, as illustrated in Fig. 21 depicting another arrangement of a wire established in the strap 110, the wire W is connected in front and in the rear of the attaching/detaching portions 116a provided at one side of the contacting member 112. Accordingly, if operating the tightening means 120 to wind up the wire W, only the attaching/ detaching portions 116a pull up the contacting member 112.

[209] That is, since the wire W connected only with the attaching/detaching portions 116a of the connecting means 116, if operating the tightening means 120, the covering materials 118 become contracted and the contacting member 112 moves toward the attaching/detaching portions 116a, thus pressurizing the boot B.

[210] Here, since the wire W does not pass through the space between the fixing members 114 and the contacting member 112, the covering materials 118 are not provided therein, whereas, plate type synthetic resins are disposed between them to connect, respectively.

[211] Reference numeral 116b denotes the connecting portion, 116a denotes the hooking member and 130 denotes the wire releasing means.

[212] Furthermore, though not depicted in the figure, the strap of the present invention

can be applied to various fields such as shoes, not limited to those examples for providing the tightening force by pressurizing the strap after attaching the boots to the snowboard or for removing the tightening force to separate the boots from the snowboard. Particularly, the wire releasing means of the present invention can be used as medical appliances. That is, the wire releasing means can be used repeatedly in separating or connecting splints, formed by patterning the bodies need to be treated and cut by half, for the purpose of treatment.