DE102007060841B4 - Sports shoes, such as ski boots or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

Sports shoe comprising a lower part (12) which can accommodate a user's foot, an upper part (13) which is pivotally attached to the lower part (12) and can accommodate the ankle joint, and a clamping device (11), which can clamp the upper part (13) selectively with respect to the lower part (12), characterized in that the clamping device (11) an actuating mechanism (22), the actuating mechanism (22) a first lever (19) at least partially outside the comprises an upper part (13) and a second lever (23) which is articulated at one end of the first lever (19), is pivotally attached to the upper part (13), and comprises at least one lever element (20) which is pivotable attached to the lower part (12), the clamping device (11) comprising an elastic element (17) which is operatively connected to the lever element (20) in order to hold the latter in a first, clamped position in the normal state and wherein the second lever of the actuating mechanism (22) can come into contact with the lever member (20) to selectively move it between the first, clamped position, in which it cooperates with the upper part (13), around the upper part (13) to hold a certain clamped position with respect to the lower part (12) and to move a second, released position in which it allows the upper part (13) to pivot freely with respect to the lower part (12).

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sports shoe, such as a ski boot or the like, which has a clamping device which allows the sports shoe to be positioned between a first, closed and clamped position, which is used during sporting activity, and a second, open and not clamped position switch, which makes it possible to insert the foot into the boot and pull it out.

Background of the Invention

Sports shoes with a central entry are known, for example ski boots, be it for alpine skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding or otherwise, which comprise a rigid lower shell and an upper shell, the latter being pivotally attached in the ankle region of the foot.

These known shoes can, by selectively actuating a suitable clamping mechanism, a first, clamped position or an operating state in which the upper shell is held in a specific position in relation to the lower shell in order to clamp the ankle during sporting activity. and assume a second, unclamped position in which the upper shell can rotate to some extent with respect to the lower shell to allow the boot to be tightened, run and detached.

The clamping mechanisms of known sports shoes normally comprise a holding element or a strut which is pivotably or slidably attached to the upper shell. The holding member can be selectively moved between a first, clamped position, in which it cooperates with a corresponding clamping surface of the lower shell to hold the upper shell in a certain clamping position with respect to the lower shell, and a second, not clamped position, in which it is released from the clamping surface of the lower shell so that the upper shell can be pivoted freely with respect to the lower shell.

The strut normally moves between the first and the one by manual actuation of a corresponding lever element, which partially protrudes from the upper shell and is connected to the strut by means of drive kinematics, for example an articulated rod, which is normally arranged entirely within the lower shell second position.

In known clamping mechanisms, the strut is therefore attached to the upper shell and interacts with a part of the lower shell in order to effect the mutual clamping of the two.

For this reason, the strut is subjected to considerable mechanical forces, particularly during the closing step, when, while being subjected to the rotational movement of the upper shell with respect to the lower shell, it is released by the lever element in order to cooperate with the lower one Bring the bowl into its first, clamped position.

Over time, this adverse impact can cause the strut to break, compromising the proper functioning of the athletic shoe as it is not an easily replaceable component.

The US 4,519,150 A. describes a ski boot with a cuff that is pivotally connected to a lower shell part. A locking mechanism is provided for holding the cuff in a predetermined angular orientation with respect to the shell part. The locking mechanism includes a toggle linkage, the actuating lever of which is pivotally connected to the cuff within an opening formed in a reinforcing rib along the back of the cuff. The locking mechanism comprises three interconnected links. Here, the first link is pivotally connected to the cuff at its upper end, while the bottom link is connected to the foot part. In addition, the two links are connected to each other via a pivot. On the one hand, the two links are firmly connected to areas of the shoe, on the other hand, and cannot be moved independently of one another. In addition, a middle link is provided, which is arranged below the first link and is connected via the pivot to both the first link and the bottom link.

The US 4,899,469 A discloses a device for fixing a shaft or a shaft cover in ski boots, which consist of a shell and a shaft. Here, a latch is provided between the shaft and the heel part of the shell, which is supported by a bolt on the outside or on the shaft or lid. The catch is influenced by at least one spring, which presses the catch into the locked position. In addition, a tensioning lever is provided, which is arranged and mounted on the outside of the shaft or the cover so that when the lever is pivoted from a rest position, a portion of the lever acts on the catch against the force of the springs, around the catch to be released from the clamped position and thus allows the shell to pivot against the shaft.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a sports shoe which is simple and economical to manufacture, which is easy to put on and take off and in which the clamping device is adapted to withstand the mechanical loads which it is subjected to it is exposed over time, which reduces the risk of impairing the proper functioning of the sports shoe.

This task is accomplished by an athletic shoe that includes a lower portion that can receive a user's foot, an upper portion that is pivotally attached to the lower portion and that can accommodate the ankle joint, and a clamp that selectively relates the upper portion can clamp onto the lower part, in that the clamping device comprises an actuating mechanism, the actuating mechanism comprises a first lever, at least partially outside the upper part, and a second lever, which is articulated at one end of the first lever, on the upper part is pivotally mounted and comprises at least one lifting element pivotably mounted on the lower part, the clamping device comprising an elastic element which is functionally connected to the lifting element to hold the latter in a first, clamped position in the normal state, and wherein the second Lever of the operating mechanism with the lifting element can come into contact to selectively move it between the first clamped position, in which it cooperates with the upper part, to hold the upper part in a certain clamped position with respect to the lower part, and a second released position, in which it allows the upper part to pivot freely with respect to the lower part.

Preferred embodiments are set out in the subclaims.

That is, the actuation mechanism is attached to the upper shell at a point substantially opposite the pivot point of the lever member to the lower shell with respect to the area of interaction of the lever member and the upper shell in the first, clamped position.

In this way, with respect to the solutions according to the prior art, essentially a reversal of the functionality of the strut takes place, which in the present invention is pivotably attached to the lower shell and interacts with the upper shell. This solution makes it possible to reduce the mechanical load to which the strut is subjected, and thus to extend the life of the strut without external reinforcements or oversizing.

In a preferred embodiment, the actuating mechanism consists of two articulated actuating levers, one of which is pivotally attached to the upper shell. In this embodiment, one end of the operating lever, which is pivotally attached to the upper shell, is arranged in contact with the strut so that it can be selectively moved to bring it from the first to the second position.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the upper shell comprises a stop surface against which the lever element can rest in the first, clamped position in order to hold the upper shell clamped with respect to the lower shell.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the clamping device comprises an elastic element which is functionally connected to the lever element in order to hold the latter in its first, clamped position in the normal state.

list of figures

• - 1 ein Schnitt durch ein Detail eines Sportschuhs gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung in einem ersten Funktionszustand ist;
• - 2 ein Schnitt durch das Detail in 1 in einem zweiten Funktionszustand ist;
• - 3 eine Vorderansicht des Details in 1 ist.

These and other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, which is given as a non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• - 1 a section through a detail of a sports shoe according to the present invention in a first functional state;
• - 2 a cut through the detail in 1 is in a second operating state;
• - 3 a front view of the detail in 1 is.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

With reference to the accompanying drawings, it can be seen that a sports shoe according to the present invention, designated by the reference numeral 10 and which in this case is a ski boot, which is only partially shown, is of the type which essentially has a lower part or a lower shell 12 , which is rigid and inside which the user's foot can be arranged, and which comprises an upper part or an upper shell which is also rigid and which receives the user's ankle joint and the lower part of the leg, essentially up to the calf can.

The top shell 13 is pivotable on the lower shell on a pivot axis "T", which is arranged in the ankle zone 12 attached and can therefore partially with respect to the lower shell 12 be pivoted.

Sports shoe 10 further comprises locking hooks of an essentially known type, which are not shown here.

The conventional processes for opening and closing the hooks create a closed state or an open state of the sports shoe 10 and allow the athletic shoe 10 put on and take off and use properly.

Sports shoe 10 is also with a clamping device 11 for mutual clamping of the upper shell 13 and the lower shell 12 Mistake. The device 11 comprises a lever element or a strut 20 that on a spigot 24 the lower shell 12 is pivotally attached, which in this case is arranged essentially at the level of the tendon of the user. The lever element 20 can be selectively between a first, clamped position, in which it is the upper shell 13 and the lower shell 12 mutually clamped ( 1 and 3 ), and a second, loosened position, in which there is free pivoting movement of the upper shell 13 in terms of the lower shell 12 enables ( 2 ).

The clamping device 11 includes a torsion spring 17 that on the spigot 24 functional with the strut 20 is connected so that the strut 20 normally rotated counterclockwise is held in its first, clamped position while the upper shell 13 inside a stop surface 21 includes that on the strut 20 is trained and on which the strut 20 when it is in its first, clamped position.

So when the strut 20 on the stop surface 21 is applied, the mutual rotation of the upper shell 13 and the lower shell 12 counteracted so that they are held clamped while as will be seen when the strut 20 in its second, released position from the stop surface 21 is solved, the strut 20 towards the inside of the lower shell 12 is arranged so that the mutual rotational movement of the upper shell 13 and the lower shell 12 is possible.

The clamping device 11 is also with actuation kinematics 22 provided the outside of the upper shell 13 is pivotally attached, and with which the user braces 20 can move from the first clamped position to the second released position.

In this case there is the actuation kinematics 20 from a first lever 19 which is articulated with a first end on a second lever 23 is attached, the latter by means of a corresponding pin 18 can be swiveled directly on the upper shell 13 is attached and has an end that with the strut 20 can come into contact.

That is, the pivot point of the second lever 23 on the top shell 12 is essentially the pivot point of the strut 20 in relation to the stop surface 21 across from. In this case the two pins are 18 and 24 arranged opposite to each other with respect to the contact area, since the contact area between the second lever 23 and the strut 20 essentially close to the stop surface 21 lies.

The first lever 19 is usually above the second lever 23 positioned and has a curved outer surface at its pivoted end 25 which, when rotated, around the top shell 13 from the lower shell 12 to solve on a corresponding segment of an outer surface of the upper shell 13 abuts so the second lever 23 is turned counterclockwise. The first lever 19 also has a gripping end 26 essentially opposite the outside surface 25 which is slightly shaped to the outside to facilitate grasping by the user when the device 10 is operated.

So the second lever pushes 23 on the strut 20 until it comes off the stop surface 21 loosens, allowing the upper shell to rotate freely 13 in terms of the lower shell 12 so the sports shoe 10 can be used in its "barrel" form (in 2 shown), especially in boots for alpine skiing.

The outer surface is advantageous 25 of the first lever 19 shaped so that the first lever 19 has a limit position of rotation when opening, in which the kinematics 22 must go beyond the joint dead center. In this way, the open state is secured until the user deliberately operates the lock.

However, it is clear that it is with the sports shoe described here 10 it is possible to modify and / or add parts without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, it can be provided within the scope of the invention that the second lever 23 on the outside at least up to the height of the pin 18 is covered to the actuation kinematics 22 protect better.

Furthermore, within the scope of the present invention, an elastic member such as a torsion spring may be provided, which is on the rotation range of the second lever 23 on the top shell 13 is present, this elastic element the second lever 23 in one in 1 shown "clamped" functional state holds.

It is further clear that, although the invention has been described with reference to certain examples, those skilled in the art can create other equivalent forms of sports shoes, such as a ski boot or the like, which have the properties set out in the claims and thus all in the figures scope of protection defined thereby fall.

Claims (6)

Sports shoe comprising a lower part (12) which can accommodate a user's foot, an upper part (13) which is pivotally attached to the lower part (12) and can accommodate the ankle joint, and a clamping device (11), which can selectively clamp the upper part (13) with respect to the lower part (12), characterized in that the clamping device (11) has an actuating mechanism (22), the actuating mechanism (22) a first lever (19) at least partially outside the comprises an upper part (13) and a second lever (23) which is articulated at one end of the first lever (19), is pivotally attached to the upper part (13), and comprises at least one lever element (20) which is pivotable is attached to the lower part (12), the clamping device (11) comprising an elastic element (17) which is functionally connected to the lever element (20) in order to hold the latter in a first, clamped position and in the normal state d wherein the second lever of the actuating mechanism (22) can come into contact with the lever element (20) to selectively move it between the first, clamped position, in which it cooperates with the upper part (13), around the upper part (13) to hold in a certain clamped position with respect to the lower part (12) and to move a second, released position in which it allows the upper part (13) to pivot freely with respect to the lower part (12). Sports shoe after Claim 1 , characterized in that the actuating mechanism (22) on the upper part (13) at a point substantially opposite the pivot point of the lever element (20) on the lower part (12) in relation to the area of cooperation between the lever element (20) and the upper part (13) is pivotally mounted in the first clamped position. Sports shoe after Claim 1 , characterized in that the pivot point of the second lever (23) on the upper part (13) the pivot point of the lever element (20) on the lower part (12) with respect to the contact point between the first lever (23) and the lever element ( 20) is essentially opposite. Sports shoe after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the first lever (19) is positioned substantially above the second lever (23) and has a gripping end (26) shaped to the outside to facilitate grasping by the user. Sports shoe after Claim 1 to 4 , characterized in that the first lever (19) of the actuating mechanism (22) comprises an outer surface (25) which is at least partially shaped to ensure that the articulation dead center between the first lever (19) and the second Lever (23) is overcome at a limit position of rotation when opening the first lever (19). Sports shoe according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper part (13) comprises on the inside a stop surface (21) against which the lever element (20) can rest in the first, clamped position.

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