Highback with independent forward lean adjustment

• Main Authors: LAUGHLIN JAMES D, DODGE DAVID J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.07.2006
• Subjects: AMUSEMENTS; CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE; FOOTWEAR; GAMES; HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS, PERAMBULATORS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; ROLLER SKATES; SKATES; SKIS; SLEDGES; SPORTS; TRANSPORTING

A highback for controlling a gliding board, such as a snowboard, through leg movement of a rider. The highback is comprised of an upright support member including at least two portions that are to be contacted by and to support a rear portion of the rider's leg and that are movable relative to each other for setting a desired forward lean of the highback. The support member may include a lower portion with a pair of mounting locations for mounting the highback to a gliding board component, such as a snowboard binding, and an upper portion movably supported by the lower portion to vary the forward lean of the highback. The lower portion of the support member may be mounted to a snowboard binding baseplate for lateral rotation between a plurality of lateral positions. The highback may include a forward lean adjuster that prevents the upper portion from moving in the heel direction beyond a predetermined forward lean position. The forward lean adjuster may be coupled to the upper portion and the lower portion of the highback to maintain the upper portion in the selected forward lean position independent of the gliding board component. A locking arrangement may also be provided to lock the highback in an upright riding position to prevent toe-edge travel relative to the board for enhanced board response.