CH712179A2 - Sports footwear, in particular ski or snowboard boots. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sports shoe, in particular a ski or snowboard shoe or boot, comprising a shell (2) superiorly provided with a longitudinal opening (5), a flap or tongue (8) which extends longitudinally to the hull (2) and associable near the tip region (6). The flap or tongue (8) is adapted to cover the opening and is removably associable with the shell (2) to define a first configuration of the sports shoe, in which the flap or tongue (8) is connected to the hull (2) to limit or prevent, in use, the swinging movement of the user's leg with respect to the foot, and a second configuration, in which the flap or tongue (8) is removed from the hull to allow, in use, the free swinging movement of the leg of the user with respect to the foot.

Description

Description

FOUNDED TECHNICAL SECTOR

[0001] The present invention relates to a sports shoe, in particular a shoe or ski boot, usable for downhill skiing, for ski touring or for cross-country skiing, or a snowboard shoe or boot.

BASIC TECHNIQUE OF THE FOUND

[0002] There are currently known sports shoes, such as ski or snowboard boots, shoes for inline skates, shoes for cross-country skiing, cycling shoes and motorcycle boots, which include a rigid hull, generally made of plastic material, enveloping the foot and to which at least one rigid leg portion can be rotatably associated and the support of at least a portion of the lower part of the leg. Inside the hull and the cuff can be contained, in a fixed or removable way, a soft shoe to comfortably hold the foot and the lower part of the leg.

[0003] A problem particularly felt in the field of sports shoes of the type described above, and in particular in shoes or boots that can be used for winter sports such as downhill skiing, ski mountaineering, cross-country skiing, snowboarding etc., lies in the ability to adapt of footwear to the different conditions of use, both during sporting activity and during transfers on foot or with the attached sports equipment, in order to provide the user with both optimal comfort in transfers and an adequate level of performance during skiing necessary to guarantee the optimal transmission of the forces exerted by the user's leg on the sports equipment such as to allow correct operation and continuous and precise control of the tool during sports activities.

[0004] Therefore the structure of the shoe must be sufficiently rigid during sporting activity to be able to provide a precise and immediate response to the movements of the leg and transform them into forces to be applied to the sports equipment for its control and conduction, but at the same time allow free movement of the leg with respect to the foot to allow easy walking during transfers, both with and without attached sports gear.

SUMMARY OF THE FOUND

[0005] The main task of the present invention is therefore to devise a sports shoe, and in particular a shoe or ski or snowboard boot, capable of adapting to the different conditions of use, both during sports activities and during transfers to feet or with the sports equipment attached.

[0006] Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a sports shoe that is able to transmit the movements and stresses exerted by the user's leg to the sports tool in an optimal manner and, at the same time, allow the free movement of the leg with respect to the foot to allow easy walking during transfers.

[0007] Another object is to devise a sports shoe whose ability to adapt to the different conditions of use is achievable by the user in a simple and easy manner.

[0008] Another object is to devise a sports shoe which achieves the above-mentioned task and objects at extremely competitive costs and is easily achievable with the usual known systems, machinery and equipment.

[0009] The above-mentioned task and objects, and others which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a sports shoe as defined in claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0010] Further characteristics and the advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the following description of a particular, but not exclusive, embodiment illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached figures, in which: fig. 1 shows, in a front perspective view, a sports shoe, in particular a ski boot, according to the present invention in a first configuration: figs. 2 and 3 show, respectively according to a front view and a side view, the sports shoe of Fig. 1 in a second configuration; fig. 4 is a detail of the shoe of fig. 1; fig. 5 is a front view of a component of the shoe; fig. 6 is a section along the longitudinal plane of the component of fig. 5; fig. 7 and 8 are sections along the transverse plane V-V of fig. 5 respectively in the first and in the second configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FOUND

[0011] With reference to the aforementioned figures, a sports shoe 1, for example a ski boot, comprises, according to the prior art, a rigid hull 2 enveloping the foot and at least a portion of the leg; inside the hull 2 is contained, in a fixed or removable way, a soft shoe 3 to comfortably hold the foot and the lower part of the leg. Advantageously, at least one rigid cuff 4 is rotatably associated with the shell 2 for winding and supporting one or more portions of the lower part of the leg.

[0012] The shell 2, and the possible leg portion 4, are closed around the foot and the lower part of the leg by known clamping devices, such as hook levers 11.

[0013] The shell 2 is provided above, at the dorsal region of the foot, with an opening 5 which extends along a longitudinal axis with respect to the shell 2 from a region adjacent to the tip 6 of the shell 2 up to the free edge 7 of the hull 2 at the tibial region of the user's leg.

[0014] The opening 5 defines a first longitudinal edge 9 and a second longitudinal edge 10 of the shell 2 arranged facing each other.

[0015] The opening 5 may possibly be protected, partially or entirely, by a covering gasket fixed internally or externally to the first and second longitudinal edge 9, 10.

[0016] The shoe 1 further comprises a flap or tongue 8 (hereinafter referred to as tongue 8) of plastic material which can be removably associated with the shell 2 near the tip 6 and extending longitudinally to the shell 2 to cover the opening 5.

[0017] Advantageously, the tongue 8 has an arched structure both on the longitudinal plane and on the transverse plane and / or is made of a semi-rigid plastic material, so as to give it limited deformation characteristics, in particular with bending along the axis longitudinal. In this way, the tongue 8 provides a certain degree of resistance to bending forward of the user's leg, when it is mounted on the hull 2.

[0018] On the tongue 8 there are mounted coupling means 12 suitable for engaging removably with corresponding engagement means 13 mounted on the shell 2.

[0019] The coupling means 12 comprise a support base 14, protruding from the tongue 8, to which an actuator element 15 is adapted to actuate to actuate one or more coupling elements 16.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the base 14 is provided with a pair of holes 17 arranged along an axis transverse to the longitudinal extension of the tongue 8 and of a central opening 18 arranged according to a vertical axis with respect to the longitudinal extension of the tongue 8.

[0021] The base 14 is essentially shaped like a mushroom, in which at least the upper side edges 19 protrude with respect to the lower part. A first section of the projecting side edges 19 adjacent to the pair of holes 17 forms at least one pair of inclined planes 20, one on each side of the base 14, and a second portion of said side edges 19 arranged above the pair of holes 17 forms a pair of recesses 21, one per side of the base 14.1 inclined planes 20 are arranged mutually divergent along a direction oriented from a front or rear edge of the base 14 towards the transverse axis defined by the pair of holes 17.

[0022] The actuator element 15 comprises a gripping element 22 from which extends a pair of elastically deformable arms 23 adapted to interact with the projecting side edges 19 of the base 14. Each end part of the arms 23 opposite to the gripping element 22 is provided with a hooking element 16 engageable inside the respective hole of the pair of holes 17.

[0023] In this way, through the insertion of the coupling elements 16 into the holes 17, the rotatable connection of the actuator element 15 to the tongue 8 is secured, while the interaction of the arms 23 with the first and second portion of the edges Lateral 19 of the base 14 allows the implementation of the coupling elements 16, as will be better explained below.

[0024] Advantageously, the gripping element 22, the arms 23 and the coupling elements 16 are integrated in a single U-shaped component with the free ends folded inwards, so that the base of the U forms the element. of gripping 22, the vertical arms of the U form the pair of elastically deformable arms 23 and the folded free ends form the coupling elements 16 engageable in the holes 17.

[0025] Still according to a constructively advantageous form, the base 14 can be formed on a plate 24 obtained separately from the tongue 8 and associable with the tongue 8 itself by known methods, for example with a snap coupling.

[0026] The engagement means 13 on the shell 2 comprise a pin 25 connected to a plate 26 associated with a support 27 rotatably connected to the shell 2 in a region between the lower edge of the opening 5 and the tip 6. The assembly consisting of the pin 25, the plate 26 and the support 27 is therefore rotatable about an axis transverse to the longitudinal extension of the hull 2.

[0027] The pin 25 has a reduced-diameter portion so as to constitute a lowered circumferential seat 28. The free end of the pin 25 can instead have an enlarged head 29.

Claims (10)

[0028] Advantageously, the plate 26 is slidably associated with the support 27 so that it can slide along a longitudinal direction with respect to the shell 2. [0029] The pin 25 is configured to be inserted in the central opening 18 provided on the base 14 of the tongue 8, and to be engaged at the lowered seat 28 by the hooking elements 16 of the actuator element 15, as will be better explained later on. In this way the tongue 8 is constrained to the shell 2 so that it can freely rotate with respect to the latter due to the rotatable connection of the support 27 on the shell 2, in order to allow the user to put on and take off the sports shoe. Moreover, if the plate 26 can slide freely along the support 27, the tongue 8 can perform a rotational-translational movement such as to facilitate its complete opening. [0030] The operation of the invention is as follows: in the configuration in which the tongue 8 is constrained to the shell 2 through the engagement of the coupling means 12 with the engagement means 13, the actuator element 15 is in a first position stable, lowered against the tongue 8, with the pair of arms 23 housed in the lower part of the base 14 with reduced section (the shank of the base 14 substantially in the shape of a mushroom), so that the coupling elements 16 are engaged with the lowered seat 28 of the pin 25. [0031] To remove the tongue 8 it is sufficient for the user to lift the actuator element 15 through the gripping element 22, causing it to rotate about the transverse axis defined by the holes 17 to disengage progressively the coupling elements 16 from the lowered seat 28. Disengagement occurs by the interaction of the pair of arms 23 with the pair of inclined planes 20 formed on the side edges 19 of the base 14, Designed to elastically deform the pair of arms 23. The divergence of the inclined planes 20 in fact causes the arms 23 to move apart, which, by widening, disengage the coupling elements 16 from the lowered seat 28. [0032] The rotation of the actuator element 15 continues until the pair of arms 23 engages, with a snap, with the pair of notches 21 provided on the side edges 19 of the base 14, assuming a second stable position, raised substantially vertically with respect to the tongue 8. The pair of recesses 21, being on the projecting lateral edges 19 of the base 14, keeps the arms 23 apart to allow the total disengagement of the coupling elements 16 from the lowered seat 28. At this point the tongue 8 can be easily removed from the shell 2. [0033 ] To reattach the tongue 8 again, the user must insert the pin 25 in the central opening 18 of the base 14 and lower the actuated element 15 from the second stable position to the first stable position. In this way the arms 23 are brought closer together, recovering the previous elastic deformation and, consequently, they allow the hooking elements 16, which go to engage with the lowered seat 28, to be brought closer, constraining the tongue 8 to the shell 2. [0034] From the above it is evident that the present invention achieves the objects and advantages initially provided: a sports shoe, in particular a shoe or a ski or snowboard boot, has in fact been devised, capable of adapting to the different conditions of use, both during sporting activity than during transfers on foot or with the attached sports equipment. [0035] In fact, thanks to the easy removability of the tongue 8 from the shell 2, it is possible to pass quickly and easily from the skiing configuration, in which the tongue is hooked to the shell 2 to oppose a certain degree of resistance to bending forward so as to transmitting the movements and the efforts exerted by the user's leg to the sports tool, for example a pair of skis, in an optimal manner, to the configuration in which the tongue 8 is released from the shell 2 to allow free movement of the leg with respect to the foot in order to give the user greater comfort during transfers with the coupled sports equipment, for example in ski mountaineering, or to allow for easy walking. [0036] In this last configuration the only resistance opposed to the bending of the leg is in fact that offered by the inner shoe, generally very soft and flexible. [0037] The removability of the tongue 8 does not further compromise the free oscillation of the tongue 8 itself to fit or undermine the sports shoe, thanks to the rotatable connection of the engagement means 13 on the shell 2; the free oscillation of the tongue 8 can also be further improved if a sliding connection is provided between the plate 26 and the support 27. [0038] Naturally, the invention is susceptible of numerous applications, modifications or variations without thereby departing from the scope of protection as defined by claim 1. [0039] Furthermore, the materials and equipment used for the realization of the present invention, as well as the shapes and dimensions of the individual components, may be the most suitable according to the specific requirements. claims 1. Sports shoe, in particular a ski or snowboard shoe or boot, comprising a shell (2) upperly provided with a longitudinal opening (5), a flap or tongue (8) extending longitudinally to said shell (2) and associable in proximity of the tip region (6) of said shell (2), said flap or tongue (8) being adapted to cover said opening (5), characterized in that said flap or tongue (8) is removably associated with said shell ( 2) to define a first configuration of said sports shoe, in which said flap or tongue (8) is connected to said shell (2) to limit or prevent, in use, the swinging movement of the user's leg with respect to the foot , and a second configuration, in which said flap or tongue (8) is removed from said shell to allow, in use, the free swinging movement of the user's leg with respect to the foot. 2. Sports footwear as in claim 1, wherein on said tongue (8) hooking means (12) are mounted, suitable for engaging removably with corresponding engagement means (13) mounted on said shell (2). 3. Sports footwear as in claim 2, wherein said hooking means (12) comprise a support base (14) projecting from said tongue (8), an actuator element (15) rotatably associated with said base (14) in correspondence a prearranged pair of holes (17) arranged along an axis transverse to the longitudinal extension of said tongue (8), and one or more coupling elements (16) operable by said actuator element (15). 4. Sports footwear as in claim 3, wherein said base (14) is shaped so that at least the upper side edges (19) protrude with respect to the lower part, a first portion of said protruding side edges (19) adjacent to said pair of holes (17) forming at least one pair of inclined planes (20) and a second portion of said projecting side edges (19) arranged at said pair of holes (17) forming a pair of recesses (21). 5. Sports footwear as in claim 3, wherein said actuator element (15) comprises a gripping element (22) from which extends a pair of elastically deformable arms (23) adapted to interact with said protruding side edges (19) of said base (14). 6. Sports footwear as in claim 5, wherein each terminal part of said pair of arms (23) opposite to said gripping element (22) is provided with a respective coupling element of said pair of coupling elements (16), said pair of coupling elements (16) being able to engage within said pair of holes (17) to rotatably connect said actuator element (15) to said tongue (8). 7. Sports footwear as in claim 2, wherein said engagement means (13) comprise a pin (25) connected to a plate (26) associated with a support (27) rotatably connected to said shell (2) in a region including between the lower edge of said opening (5) and said tip (6), said support (27) being rotatable about an axis transverse to the longitudinal extension of said shell (2). 8. Sports footwear as in claim 7, wherein said pin (25) has a lowered seat (28) which can be engaged by said coupling means (12). 9. Sports footwear as in claim 7, wherein said plate (26) is slidingly associated with said support (27) to slide along a longitudinal direction with respect to said shell (2). 10. Sports shoe according to claims 4, 5 and 8, wherein said actuator element (15) is rotatable between a first stable position, in which it is arranged close to said tongue (8) and said pair of arms (23) is housed in the lower part of said base (14) so that said hooking elements (16) engage said lowered seat (28) to achieve said first configuration in which said tongue (8) is connected to said shell (2), and a second stable position, wherein said actuator element (15) is raised with respect to said tongue (8) and said pair of arms (23) engages said pair of grooves (21) so as to keep said coupling elements (16) disengaged from said lowered seat (28), said pair of inclined planes (20) being configured to elastically divide said pair of arms (23) in the passage from said first stable position to said second stable position so as to progressively disengage said coupling elements (16 ) from det the lowered seat (28) and to achieve the said second configuration in which the tongue (8) is removable from the shell (2).