Patent US4040137A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4040137A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Binding for water ski
Assignee: EP INDUSTRIES Inc
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Filing: 1976-08-16
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Granted: 1977-08-09
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Expires: 1996-08-16
Abstract
Abstract A water ski binding having a heel piece binding with a flexible heel boot held in place with an adjustable heel member. The heel member is U-shaped and has an elongated slot in each leg. The upper part of the slot extends outward to form a shoulder and an insert having a pair of slots fills the elongated slot to permit custom fit of the heel piece. The shoulder formed in the elongated slot varies in width to form a series of recesses each of which will accept an extension of a fastener to positively lock the fastener in place when the heel binder is used as an adjustable member. A front piece binding with a flexible foot restraining boot is rigidly held in place with a shaped member. The shaped member is fastened around the periphery with a series of recessed holes shaped to accept a nut recessed below the outer surface of the rigid member.
Inventors
- 👤 William H. Fetherston
- 👤 Maurice N. Theriault
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:48
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B32/00; B63B32/30; B63B32/35
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A water ski binding for a heel of a person's foot, said binding having an essentially U-shaped hold down member for a resilient heel boot and having longitudinally extending elongate slots on each leg of the U-shaped member for mounting with longitudinal adjustment to the ski, the new combination comprising: means for filling each of the longitudinally extending elongated slots on each leg of the U-shaped hold down member comprising an insert having means for mounting the hold down member to the water ski through holes in the inserts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
A water ski binding for a heel of a person's foot, said binding having an essentially U-shaped hold down member for a resilient heel boot and having longitudinally extending elongate slots on each leg of the U-shaped member for mounting with longitudinal adjustment to the ski, the new combination comprising: means for filling each of the longitudinally extending elongated slots on each leg of the U-shaped hold down member comprising an insert having means for mounting the hold down member to the water ski through holes in the inserts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
128 words
A water ski binder for a heel of a person's foot, said binding having an essentially U-shaped hold down member for a resilient heel boot and having longitudinally extending elongate slots on each leg of the U-shaped member for mounting with longitudinal adjustment to the ski, the new combination comprising: said U-shaped member having a series of adjoining circular recesses extending part way in from a top of the member with axes of the circular recesses centered in the elongate slot and a diameter of the circles greater than a width of the slot, and a removable insert shaped to fill the elongate slot, said insert having a hole extending therethrough contiguous to each end of the elongate slot and on an axis centered in the elongate slot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
128 words
A water ski binder for a heel of a person's foot, said binding having an essentially U-shaped hold down member for a resilient heel boot and having longitudinally extending elongate slots on each leg of the U-shaped member for mounting with longitudinal adjustment to the ski, the new combination comprising: said U-shaped member having a series of adjoining circular recesses extending part way in from a top of the member with axes of the circular recesses centered in the elongate slot and a diameter of the circles greater than a width of the slot, and a removable insert shaped to fill the elongate slot, said insert having a hole extending therethrough contiguous to each end of the elongate slot and on an axis centered in the elongate slot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A water ski binder for a heel of a person's foot as in claim 1 wherein the holes in the insert extend inward to form a slot, and a series of adjoining countersink holes extend along the top of the slots in the insert.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
110 words
A heel unit for a water ski to adapt an adjustable heel unit to a custom fit heel unit wherein a U-shaped support member has a resilient boot fastened thereto, said support member having an elongated slot extending longitudinally along each leg of the U-shaped member, a fastener extending through the elongated slot to the water ski to permit longitudinal adjustment of the heel unit, the new combination comprising: a shoulder extending around a periphery of the elongated slot, an insert dimensioned to snugly fill a space in the elongated slot from the top to the bottom of the support member, and the insert having a hole adjacent each end.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
110 words
A heel unit for a water ski to adapt an adjustable heel unit to a custom fit heel unit wherein a U-shaped support member has a resilient boot fastened thereto, said support member having an elongated slot extending longitudinally along each leg of the U-shaped member, a fastener extending through the elongated slot to the water ski to permit longitudinal adjustment of the heel unit, the new combination comprising: a shoulder extending around a periphery of the elongated slot, an insert dimensioned to snugly fill a space in the elongated slot from the top to the bottom of the support member, and the insert having a hole adjacent each end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A heel unit for a water ski as in claim 4 wherein the hole through the insert extends longitudinally to form a pair of slots, and the insert has a series of contiguous countersink holes centered in the insert slots.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
148 words
A heel unit for interchangeable use as an adjustable heel unit with conversion to a fixed heel unit for custom fit and maximum support wherein a U-shaped support member has a resilient heel boot fastened thereto, said support member having an elongated slot extending longitudinally along each leg of the U-shaped member and a fastener extending through the slot to a water ski to allow longitudinal adjustment of the heel unit with respect to the water ski, the new combination comprising: a series of adjoining outwardly extending arcs of a circle, with axis centered in the elongated slot, arranged symmetrically around the elongated slot to extend part way downward to form a recess around the slot; a removable insert dimensioned to snugly fill the elongated slot, said insert having a hole with axis centered in the elongated slot, said hole contiguous to each end of the elongated slot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
148 words
A heel unit for interchangeable use as an adjustable heel unit with conversion to a fixed heel unit for custom fit and maximum support wherein a U-shaped support member has a resilient heel boot fastened thereto, said support member having an elongated slot extending longitudinally along each leg of the U-shaped member and a fastener extending through the slot to a water ski to allow longitudinal adjustment of the heel unit with respect to the water ski, the new combination comprising: a series of adjoining outwardly extending arcs of a circle, with axis centered in the elongated slot, arranged symmetrically around the elongated slot to extend part way downward to form a recess around the slot; a removable insert dimensioned to snugly fill the elongated slot, said insert having a hole with axis centered in the elongated slot, said hole contiguous to each end of the elongated slot.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A heel unit for a water ski as in claim 6 wherein the holes in the insert extend inward to form a longitudinally extending slot, and a series of adjoining countersink holes are centered in the insert slot.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of converting an adjustable heel unit for a water ski wherein the heel unit is adjustable with a pair of elongated slots for allowing longitudinal adjustment of the heel unit with the fasteners extending through the slots to the water ski with the steps comprising: removing the fasteners, forming a shoulder by recessing around the elongated slot, filling the elongated slot with an insert having a pair of holes for accepting a pair of fasteners, and fastening the adjustable heel unit to the water ski through the holes in the insert.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of converting an adjustable heel unit for a water ski wherein the heel unit is adjustable with a pair of elongated slots for allowing longitudinal adjustment of the heel unit with the fasteners extending through the slots to the water ski with the steps comprising: removing the fasteners, forming a shoulder by recessing around the elongated slot, filling the elongated slot with an insert having a pair of holes for accepting a pair of fasteners, and fastening the adjustable heel unit to the water ski through the holes in the insert.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-08 | 1981-02-07 | 1981-08-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-08 | 1985-02-07 | 1985-08-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-08 | 1989-02-07 | 1989-08-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |