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Wakeboard binding plate assembly and method of useRelated Patent Categories: Buoys, Rafts, And Aquatic Devices, Water Skimming Or Walking Device, With LashingWakeboard binding plate assembly and method of use description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060292944, Wakeboard binding plate assembly and method of use. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(e) based on provisional patent application No. 60/693,792 filed on Jun. 27, 2005, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention is directed to an improved wakeboard binding plate assembly, and particularly to a wakeboard binding plate assembly that facilitates easy adjustment of the alignment of the feet of a wakeboard user. BACKGROUND ART [0003] In the prior art, various types of bindings are used for wakeboards. One desirable feature of these bindings is adjustability so that a user can orient the bindings in a particular direction. One type uses boot assemblies, which includes the various components necessary to retain a user's feet to the wakeboard. The boot assembly is mounted to a base plate or the like, with the base plate being movable. An example of this type of binding is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,017 to Ott. However, the present day adjustable bindings are often complicated in design or are not easily adjusted. [0004] While bindings are also employed for snowboards, these bindings are not suited for wakeboards, since the snowboard bindings are designed so that the boot is removable from the binding assembly. In contrast, the boot assembly of the wakeboard stays on the wakeboard, with the user removing his foot from the wakeboard boot. [0005] As such, a need exists for improved adjustability for wakeboard bindings. The present invention responds to this need through an improved binding plate assembly that permits easy and quick adjustment of the orientation of the wakeboard binding. [0006] One improved binding plate assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,837 to Crumrine et al., herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. In this patent, an improved plate assembly is disclosed that employs a disc and a ring. The disc is designed to attach to a wakeboard boot binding with the ring designed to attach to the wakeboard itself. The ring and disk have irregular surfaces designed to engage each other. The disk and ring can be engaged in a desired arrangement, and then the ring is secured to the wakeboard, thus locking the disk and boot binding in a desired angular attachment. Loosening of the ring once attached to the wakeboard allows the disk and boot binding to be rotated for binding angular adjustment. FIGS. 1 and 2 shows the binding plate assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,837. Therein, the binding plate is designated by the reference numeral 10 and is seen attached to a wakeboard 1 and supporting a boot assembly 3. The boot assembly 3 is exemplary and virtually any type of boot assembly can be used with the binding plate assembly of the invention. The ring is shown as 5 with the disk designated as 7. Teeth 9 on ring 5 are designed to engage teeth 11 on disk 7 to hold the disk 7 in place when the ring 5 is attached to the board 1. The ring has openings 13 to allow for attachment to the wakeboard 1 using fasteners (not shown), with openings 15 allowing the disk to be attached to a chassis of the boot assembly 3. [0007] While the binding plate assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,837 is advantageous in that it offers an easy and quick adjustment by merely loosening the ring to allow the disk to rotate to another angular orientation, such an on-the-fly adjustment is not necessarily needed for more experienced riders. The experienced riders generally know the desired angular orientation of their binding plate and do not need a quick adjustment feature, and the features of the plate assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,837 often go unused by certain riders. [0008] As such, a need exists for improved wakeboard bindings that cater to the more experienced rider. The present invention responds to this need through an improved binding plate assembly that is simpler and lighter in weight than that of the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] A first object of the invention is an improved wakeboard binding plate assembly. [0010] Another object of the invention is a wakeboard binding using the inventive binding plate assembly. [0011] A further object of the invention is a method of easily establishing the orientation of a wakeboard binding. [0012] Other objects and advantages will become apparent when reviewing the description below. [0013] In satisfaction of the foregoing objects and advantages, the invention is an improvement in a wakeboard binding that employs a boot assembly that is attached to a wakeboard through an intermediate component such as a binding plate. The invention comprises the combination of binding chassis and a binding plate, wherein the binding plate is adapted to attach to a wakeboard. The binding plate has at least one irregular surface with the binding chassis having at least one other irregular surface. The irregular surface of the binding plate is adapted to engage the irregular surface of the binding chassis to maintain them in a desired angular configuration. The binding plate includes means for attaching the plate to both the binding chassis and the wakeboard. [0014] Preferably, the irregular surface of the binding chassis is a toothed ring or segments of a toothed ring with the irregular surface of the binding plate being similar in structure. [0015] The means for attaching the binding plate to the binding chassis can include a plurality of openings in the binding chassis, a plurality of slots or other openings in the binding plate, and fasteners designed to pass through the slots or openings in the binding plate and be secured to the openings in the binding chassis. The slots or openings in the plate are designed so that the openings in the binding chassis adapted to receive the fasteners are visible in spite of the binding plate being rotated with respect to the binding chassis. [0016] While the irregular surface can be any type, if teeth are employed, it is preferred to have the teeth configured such that rotation of the binding plate by one tooth results in a known angular change in the angular position of the plate with respect to the binding chassis. This allows a user to know precisely the extent of angulation when moving the binding plate with respect to the binding chassis. [0017] The invention also includes the method of securing a binding chassis to a wakeboard by the steps of providing the binding chassis and its irregular surface and the binding plate having its irregular surface on a face thereof. An angulation between the binding chassis and binding plate is determined and the irregular surfaces are mated based on the angulation. Once the angulation is determined, the binding plate is attached to the binding chassis, and the binding plate can then be attached to a wakeboard. [0018] While the invention is an improvement in wakeboard bindings, the invention also includes the combination of the binding plate and binding chassis for use with a wakeboard as well as a wakeboard employing the novel binding plate assembly features. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art binding plate assembly mounted on a wakeboard; [0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ring and disc in an exploded configuration of the prior art binding plate assembly of FIG. 1; Continue reading about Wakeboard binding plate assembly and method of use... Full patent description for Wakeboard binding plate assembly and method of use Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Wakeboard binding plate assembly and method of use patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Wakeboard binding plate assembly and method of use or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Hardware-less wakeboard binding component and assembly and method of making assembly Next Patent Application: Alternate/reduced scrim for single ply roofing membrane Industry Class: Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Wakeboard binding plate assembly and method of use patent info. 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