EP0133491A1

EP0133491A1 - Ski boot structure with constant length sole

Info

Publication number: EP0133491A1
Application number: EP84108468A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mariano Sartor
Original assignee: Nordica SpA
Current assignee: Nordica SpA
Priority date: 1983-08-03
Filing date: 1984-07-18
Publication date: 1985-02-27
Also published as: JPS6040005A; JPH0449403B2; IT8322577V0

Abstract

A ski boot having a sole (1) of constant length irrespective of the boot size, wherein, for any boot size, the relative positions of the toe portion (1a) of the sole (1) and toe portion (2a) of the shell (2) remain unaltered.

Description

This invention relates to a ski boot structure with constant length sole.
As is known, ski boots are already available commercially which have a sole of constant length, irrespective of the boot size.
This embodiment has the advantage that the bindings for the boots can be arranged at preset fixed distances, thus facilitating assembly of the bindings to a ski.
Among the constant length sole ski boots, the one illustrated in Swiss Patent No. 629,942 may be mentioned which has a sole of constant length as the size varies, which sole is always positioned centrally to the boot bottom, so that the front portion or toe end and rear portion or heel end of the boot bulge out from the constant length sole by a substantially equal extent.
This embodiment has, as mentioned, the advantage of permitting the use of a binding with ferrule and heel piece at a preset distance apart, irrespective of size, but has the disadvantage of requiring a binding type specially designed for said boot type.
Another serious drawback is that the skier, in securing the boot to the binding, practically obstructs his view of the binding ferrule with the boot toe portion, thereby the fastening operation may become difficult since no reference can be seen by the user, the ferrule being located under the bulging front portion of the boot.
-It is an object of this invention to obviate such prior disadvantages by providing a ski boot structure with constant length sole which affords, during application of the boot to a ski binding, an accurate visual reference to greatly facilitate the fastening operation.
A further object of the invention is to provide a constant length sole ski boot which can be applied to standard bindings, i.e. requires no specially designed bindings.
It is another object of this invention to provide a ski boot structure which requires no special modifications or complicated construction over prior production boots.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a ski boot structure which, owing to its peculiar construction, can give full assurance of being reliable and safe to use.
These and other objects, such as will be apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a ski boot structure, according to the invention, comprising a sole of constant length irrespective of the boot size, characterized in that, for any boot size, the relative positions of the toe portion of the sole and toe portion of the boot remain unaltered.
Further features and advantages will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of a ski boot structure with constant length sole, being illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawing, where:

Figure 1 shows schematically a side view of a ski boot according to the invention; and
Figure 2 shows the ski boot as applied to a ski with dash lines accentuating the measurement changes assumed by the boot as size varies.

With reference to the drawing views, a ski boot structure according to the invention comprises a sole, indicated by the reference numeral 1, which has a constant length irrespective of the boot size.
For illustrative purposes, not to be construed as a limitation to this invention, it has been found that the sole should advantageously have a length of substantially about 270 mm.
The peculiar aspect of the invention is that the toe portion of the sole, indicated at 1a, retains for any size the same relative position to the toe portion 2a of the boot shell 2, the boot being of any types, i.e. a rear entrance boot or possibly a front entrance boot.
With the arrangement outlined above, the heel 3 of the shell will bulge out by a greater or lesser extent, according to the boot size, with respect to the heel portion 1b of the sole.
With this arrangement, a substantially standard binding design can be used, wherein the ferrule, indicated at 5, will be at all times exposed to view as the boot is being fastened to the ski, whilst the heel piece 6 will be of a substantially flattened type_to fit within the area underlying the heel 3.
It may be appreciated from the foregoing that the invention achieves its objects, and in particular, it should be pointed out that the provision of a constant length sole boot, wherein the sole always has its toe portion positioned in a uniform manner relatively to the boot toe portion, and in a substantially similar manner to traditional boots, affords the possibility of using standard type bindings while always keeping in full view the binding ferrule 5 during fastening the boot to the binding.
It should be further pointed out that the steps for fastening the boot to the binding remain substantially unchanged from conventional embodiments, and are accordingly more acceptable for the user.
In practicing the invention, any suitable dimensions, contingent shapes or materials, may be used to meet individual requirements, providing that said materials are compatible with the specific application.

Claims

1. A ski boot structure comprising a sole (1) of constant length irrespective of the boot size, characterized in that, for any boot size, the relative positions of the toe portion (1a) of the sole (1) and toe portion (2a) of the boot remain unaltered.

2. A ski boot structure, according to Claim 1, characterized in that the heel (3) of the shell (2) of the boot bulges out from said sole (1) by an extent which depends on the boot size.

3. A ski boot structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the toe portion (1a) of said sole (1) bulges out from the toe portion (2a) of said boot.

4. A ski boot structure according to the preceding claims and substantially as herein described and illustrated.