US 12,257,491 B2
Method and apparatus for reducing body stress typically experienced by a snowboarder while on a chairlift
Ira Goldenring, Ventura, CA (US); Alex Goldenring, Ventura, CA (US); and Jonathan Palafox, Tucson, AZ (US)
Appl. No. 17/788,212
Filed by RINCON VENTURES LLC, Ventura, CA (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 11, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/064599
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 22, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/133571, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 1, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/953,561, filed on Dec. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0022873 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. A63C 10/20 (2012.01); A63C 10/14 (2012.01); A63C 10/28 (2012.01)
CPC A63C 10/20 (2013.01) [A63C 10/14 (2013.01); A63C 10/28 (2013.01); A63C 2203/54 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of mitigating the body stress experienced by a snowboard user while riding a chairlift, said method comprising:
mounting on the top surface of a snowboard, a boot binding comprising a boot retention member configured for accommodating a user's boot and wherein said retention member is coupled to said snowboard for hinged movement between a closed position orienting the sole of said user's boot substantially parallel to said snowboard top surface and an open position orienting said sole substantially perpendicular to said snowboard top surface, wherein the hinged movement occurs about a fixed axis;
placing said retention member in said closed position for normal snowboard activity, wherein said retention member is fixed in the closed position by a slam latch and a release mechanism, wherein said release mechanism comprises a rotating actuator configured to rotate about a vertical axis, along the plane of said snowboard top surface; and
placing said retention member in said open position while the user is on a chairlift by actuating the release mechanism to release the slam latch to allow said board to hang substantially vertically from the user's supporting limb.