EP0502795A1 - Ski boot with shell and shaft - Google Patents

Abstract

Plastic ski boot comprising:   - a shell (1) intended to receive the skier's foot and lower leg;   - a deformable shaft (collar) (3) articulated (4) relative to the shell (1), intended to enclose the lower leg and having a wide opening (15) in its rear part and, on the front of the flaps (7, 8), overlapping and interacting with members for closure (38, 37) and for gripping;   - a rigid rear cover piece (20) articulated relative to the shell (1) and intended to close off the rear opening of the deformable shaft (collar) (3);   - an inner (bootee) (40) intended to receive the skier's foot and lower leg, characterised in that, in the use position, the rear cover piece (20) bears by abutting on the shaft (collar) (3) and is held up against the shaft (collar) (3) by a closure member (30, 31). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a ski boot of the shell and collar type.

• une coque destinée à recevoir le pied du skieur ;
• un collier articulé par rapport à la coque, destiné à enserrer le bas de la jambe ;
• un chausson destiné à recevoir le pied et le bas de la jambe, pour assurer le confort du skieur ;
• des organes de fermeture de l'ensemble.

As we know, for the most part, a ski boot includes:

• a shell intended to receive the skier's foot;
• a collar articulated relative to the shell, intended to enclose the bottom of the leg;
• a bootie intended to receive the foot and the lower leg, to ensure the comfort of the skier;
• closing members of the assembly.

In a first embodiment called "traditional ski boot", the semi-rigid shell has a slot on the top of the instep materializing two flaps, and the one-piece collar, deformable thanks to the openings arranged on the front and also forming flaps, is articulated around two rivets arranged on the sides of the hull. This arrangement allows tilting forward, while a stop disposed on the rear of the shell prohibits pivoting backwards. In this embodiment, the tightening on the foot and on the bottom of the leg is obtained by superposition of the flaps and by the mechanical action of closing members constituted by loops or the like which slide the flaps over the foot. and on the lower leg. In practice, this type of shoe has at least one closing and tightening member, preferably two acting on the flaps of the kick and at least one other closing and tightening member and preferably also two, acting on the flaps. of the necklace.

This arrangement ensures good foot support and good ski handling. However, it requires a significant effort on the part of the skier for putting on and taking off. In this way, this type of shoe is widely used by ski professionals and especially by competitors, who seek above all performance, rather than comfort.

Another embodiment of a shoe has also been proposed, commonly known as a "rear entry" shoe. In this embodiment, the collar is produced in two separate parts, respectively a front cuff and a rear cuff, both articulated with respect to the shell which is rigid and of predetermined volume. This solution makes putting on easier. The adaptation to the different morphologies of the lower leg is effected by the position of the rear cuff relative to the front cuff. If this solution advantageously solves the problem of putting on and taking off, on the other hand, the holding of the foot is not always very well ensured and the driving of the ski is clearly affected. This is the reason why this type of shoe is little used by ski professionals and competitors, and is rather used by the recreational skier.

In this practical embodiment of these shoes with rear entry, the rear cuff follows the rear shape of the shell and is articulated thereon, the external sides of the upper part of the rear cuff being positioned and sliding in position of use on the internal sides inside the front cuff. The adaptation of this shoe to the morphology of the skier is therefore done by means of a loop which positions the rear cuff bearing on the skier's leg. There is therefore no fixed position of the rear cuff relative to the front cuff.

In document EF-A-0 342 463, a ski boot has been described consisting of a shell and a collar articulated on the shell having at the rear an opening and at the front of the flaps which cooperate with closing members and tightening on the lower leg. This rear opening is closed by a hood which can be tilted forward by sliding under the edges of the opening, in particular by means of a lever, to adapt the rear of the boot to the morphology of the skier's calf. This arrangement which makes it possible to vary the perimeter of the tightening zone both at the front by the closure members and at the rear by the lever, is only intended to adapt the boot to the morphology of the skier's calf. On the other hand, in these shoes, the problem of putting on and taking off is not resolved satisfactorily.

The invention overcomes these drawbacks. It aims at an improved ski boot of the shell type and hinged collar with respect to the shell, which is easy to put on and take off, like shoes with rear entry, and which, like traditional shoes, ensures good foot hold, and is also precise in the handling of the ski.

• une coque destinée à recevoir le pied et le bas de la jambe du skieur ;
• un collier déformable, articulé par rapport à la coque, destiné à enserrer le bas de la jambe et présentant une large ouverture dans sa partie arrière et sur l'avant des rabats se chevauchant, coopérant avec des organes de fermeture et de serrage ;
• un capot arrière rigide articulé par rapport à la coque, et destiné à obturer l'ouverture arrière du collier ;

est caractérisée en ce que, en position d'utilisation, le capot arrière rigide prend appui en venant buter sur le collier et est maintenu en butée sur le collier par un organe de fermeture.This advanced ski boot, including:

• a shell intended to receive the foot and the lower leg of the skier;
• a deformable collar, articulated relative to the shell, intended to enclose the lower leg and having a wide opening in its rear part and on the front of the overlapping flaps, cooperating with closing and tightening members;
• a rigid rear cover articulated relative to the shell, and intended to close the rear opening of the collar;

is characterized in that, in the position of use, the rigid rear cover bears while coming to abut on the collar and is held in abutment on the collar by a closing member.

• . d'une part, par basculement du rabat vers l'arrière de faciliter le chaussage et le déchaussage,
• . et d'autre part, lors de la pratique du ski, de réaliser un ensemble de serrage du bas de la jambe qui se comporte comme un collier traditionnel déformable, donc avec bonne tenue du pied et précision dans la conduite du ski, car le capot arrière rigide coopère avec le collier déformable pour se comporter comme un ensemble homogène.

In other words, the ski boot according to the invention is an improvement on traditional boots, according to which the articulated deformable collar has a rigid attached cover hinged rearward on the shell, which thus facilitates the introduction or the removal of the foot during the putting on and taking off operation, but which in the position of use, comes to bear and abut on this collar, in order to reconstitute the equivalent of a traditional collar deformable in one piece. Thus, the combination of a deformable collar having a large opening at the rear and a rigid cover, both articulated on the shell, but resting on the collar, allows:

• . on the one hand, by tilting the flap backwards to facilitate putting on and taking off,
• . and on the other hand, when skiing, to make a tightening assembly at the bottom of the leg which behaves like a traditional deformable collar, therefore with good foot hold and precision in driving the ski, because the hood rigid rear cooperates with the deformable collar to behave as a homogeneous whole.

In short, we combine the sporting advantages of traditional shoes with the comfort advantages of rear entry shoes.

• le collier et le capot sont articulés sur la coque autour d'un même axe disposé au niveau des malléoles ;
• le collier et le capot sont articulés sur une pièce mobile, elle-même articulée par rapport à la coque ;
• les organes de fermeture sont fixés sur une patte fixée au collier et qui entoure l'arrière du capot articulé ;
• les moyens de maintien du capot arrière articulé, en appui en butée sur le collier, sont fixés sur le capot et viennent s'accrocher sur les deux flancs latéraux du collier, de façon permanente ou momentanée ;
• le collier présente des oreilles ménagées vers l'arrière et sur le haut de l'ouverture arrière, destinées lors de la fermeture à assurer le guidage du capot arrière articulé, jusqu'à venir en butée sur le collier ;
• le capot arrière articulé présente des oreilles ménagées vers l'avant destinées à assurer le guidage de ce capot lors de la fermeture ;
• le chausson est réalisé en deux parties : une partie principale entourant le pied et l'avant du bas de la jambe, et une partie arrière fixée au capot arrière et s'ouvrant avec celui-ci ; cette partie arrière du chausson présente des oreilles latérales dirigées vers l'avant, destinées également au guidage du capot arrière par rapport au collier lors de la fermeture de la chaussure;
• enfin, la partie basse du capot arrière passe par dessus le collier avant et la partie haute du capot arrière présente deux oreilles passant à l'intérieur du collier.

Advantageously, in practice:

• the collar and the cover are articulated on the shell around a same axis arranged at the malleoli;
• the collar and the cover are articulated on a movable part, itself articulated relative to the shell;
• the closing members are fixed on a tab fixed to the collar and which surrounds the rear of the hinged cover;
• the means for holding the articulated rear cover, bearing abutment on the collar, are fixed on the cover and come to hang on the two lateral sides of the collar, permanently or momentarily;
• the collar has ears arranged towards the rear and on the top of the rear opening, intended during closing to ensure the guidance of the articulated rear cover, until it comes into abutment on the collar;
• the articulated rear cover has ears made towards the front intended to guide this cover during closing;
• the boot is made in two parts: a main part surrounding the foot and the front of the lower leg, and a rear part fixed to the rear cover and opening with the latter; this rear part of the boot has lateral ears directed forwards, also intended for guiding the rear cover relative to the collar when the shoe is closed;
• finally, the lower part of the rear cover passes over the front collar and the upper part of the rear cover has two ears passing inside the collar.

In a practical embodiment, the facing contact areas, that is to say the abutment support, the rigid rear cover and the deformable collar, one have a tenon and the other a mortise formed in its thickness, so that the abutment support and centering are done by penetration of the tenon in the mortise.

• une première position fermée dite "d'utilisation", dans laquelle le capot arrière rigide est en butée ferme contre le collier déformable selon la caractéristique essentielle de l'invention ;
• une seconde position semi-ouverte dite "de relaxation ou de marche", dans laquelle le capot arrière est légèrement ouvert par rapport au collier ;
• enfin, une troisième position ouverte permettant le chaussage et le déchaussage de la chaussure sans difficulté, par pivotement total du capot rigide vers l'arrière.

In an advantageous embodiment, the means for closing and tightening the rear cover in abutment on the collar allow three distinct positions of the rear cover, respectively:

• a first closed position called "use", in which the rigid rear cover is in firm abutment against the deformable collar according to the essential characteristic of the invention;
• a second semi-open position called "relaxation or walking", in which the rear cover is slightly open relative to the collar;
• finally, a third open position allowing the shoe to be put on and taken off without difficulty, by total pivoting of the rigid cover towards the rear.

In known manner, the shell, the collar and the cover are made of plastic material in common use for this application.

The manner in which the invention can be implemented and the advantages which ensue therefrom will emerge more clearly from the following exemplary embodiments in support of the appended figures.

Figure 1 is a summary perspective view three-quarter rear of a shoe according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows an identical perspective view of an advantageous embodiment.

Figure 3 also shows in perspective view another advantageous embodiment.

Figures 4,5 and 6 show side view, a ski boot according to the invention, in position, respectively: closed (Figure 4), semi-open (Figure 5) and open (Figure 6).

Figures 7 and 8 show a detail of the assembly in abutment abutment of the rear cover hinged on the collar.

Figure 9 shows in perspective another embodiment of the invention.

This shoe (see Figure 1) consists in a known manner of a shell (1) on top of which is formed a slot defining two flaps (2) disposed above the instep. On this shell (1), a collar (3) is articulated forward around an axis (4) disposed at the height of the malleoli; in practice, this articulation is materialized by rivets. To limit the movement of the collar towards the rear, the shell (1) has, at the level of the calcaneus, a stop (5) coming from molding.

The front (6) of the collar comprises, in a known manner, two overlapping flaps (7,8) to facilitate the introduction of the foot and to ensure a tightening distributed over the lower leg. The internal flap (7) has two tabs (9,10) which cover the external flap (8) and which receive the known clamping and closing members, not shown, such as loops, hooks, cables, etc.

In known manner, this collar (3) is deformable due to the sliding of the flaps (7,8) one on the other under the action of the closing members, for example loop on tab (9,10) and hook on external flap (8).

The deformable collar (3) has at the rear a wide opening (15) open from the top to the height of the bottom of the Achilles tendon, so as to define a bridge (16) connecting the two lateral faces (7 and 8) of the collar (3) which comes to bear back on the stop (5). This wide opening (15) defines two rigid parallel and rectilinear bearing faces (17,18), for example one to two millimeters thick.

According to an essential characteristic of the invention, the shoe also comprises a rigid rear cover, designated by the general reference (20) having the general shape of a tile (21) surrounding the rear of the lower leg. This cover (20) articulated on the shell also in (4) is connected by two tabs (22,23) having on each side a through hole (24) where is housed a hinge rivet provided for this purpose on the collar (3) and the shell (1) to define the common axis (4) of articulation.

The two front faces of the rigid rear cover (20) define two rigid parallel straight edges (25), intended according to a characteristic of the invention, to come to bear, in the closed and in use position, against the two edges (17 , 18) provided for this purpose in the collar (3). In a practical embodiment, these rigid edges (17, 18 and 25) have an equal thickness of between one and two millimeters.

The top of the collar (3) has a tab (30) directed towards the rear which receives a rack loop (31), (see FIGS. 4 to 6) and the top of the rear cover (20) has a notch (32) provided for this purpose to receive this tab (30) and the corresponding loop (31) to ensure the closure of the assembly.

The characteristic parts shell (1), collar (3), rear cover (20) are made of molded plastic commonly used for this application. The thicknesses and hardness of these elements are defined in a known manner depending on the use, the collar (3) being relatively flexible, while the rear cover (20) must be rigid.

The references (35,36,37,38) designate usual closing and / or tightening members, such as loops, racks, cables or the like.

The reference (40) symbolizes the slipper intended to receive the foot and the lower leg of the skier.

The characteristic support of the invention of the cover on the collar is advantageously carried out (see fibers 7 and 8) by a tenon system (60) formed all along the rigid vertical edge (25) of the rear cover which is housed in and cooperate with a mortise (61) arranged for this purpose facing the edges (17,18) of the collar.

The shoe according to the invention operates in the following manner. In the closed position (see FIG. 4), also known as the "use" position, the rear cover articulated at (4) on the shell (1) bears against the collar (3). More specifically, the rigid edges (25) come to bear and firmly abut against the corresponding edges (17,18) of the collar. Therefore, the hood (3) and collar (20) assembly reconstitutes the equivalent of a collar traditional one-piece. When skiing, this shoe therefore behaves exactly like a traditional shoe and therefore has all the advantages, in particular good foot hold and good ski handling.

When the skier wishes to relax or simply walk (see Figure 5), he loosens the loop which only serves to ensure the closure of the hood (20) on the collar (3). This relieves the lower leg, but keeps the foot perfectly in the shell (1). In addition and above all, this position allows the skier to straighten his legs vertically, which then facilitates walking and relaxes his muscles.

When the skier wants to take off his shoes (see Figure 6), he just has to tilt the rear cover (20) backwards around the axis (4), after having taken care to completely separate the buckle (31). It is therefore easy to understand that this pivoting releases a large opening towards the rear, which facilitates the heaving or putting on operation, like the so-called "rear entry" shoes.

Thus, the shoe according to the invention has, during use, all the advantages of traditional shoes, but on the other hand does not have the drawbacks thereof during the putting on and taking off operations, which we did not know how to obtain until 'so. In other words, this shoe can be successfully used by skiers of all levels, since it combines all the advantages of traditional shoes preferred by competitive or advanced skiers and shoes with rear entry sought after by recreational skiers, while eliminating the disadvantages of each of them.

In another embodiment shown in Figure 2, the rear flanks of the collar (3) each have an ear, respectively (50,51) directed towards the rear, disposed along but next to the characteristic edges of support (17,18), so as to take care of and keep these bearing faces. These flexible ears (50, 51) are used during closing, to guide the internal sides of the tile (21) in order to bring the rigid edges (25) into contact and in abutment against the edges (17, 18).

In a variant (see FIG. 9), these lugs (55) can also be provided in the same way (that is to say by releasing the bearing faces (25)) on the sides of the cover (20), but are at this moment directed forward. In a variant, the tabs (22,23) for connecting the tile (21) completely follow the rear of the collar (16), while the ears (55) are housed inside the collar in its upper part . At the end of the race, that is to say in the position of use, the edges (25) of the rigid cover (20) come into abutment against the edges (17,18) of the deformable front collar (3).

In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the liner (40) is made in two parts, namely a main part, proper (40) surrounding the foot and the front of the lower leg, and a rear part (41) fixed to the top of the tile (21) and opening with the latter. In this embodiment, this rear part (41) also has two lateral ears (42) intended for guiding the rear cover (20) relative to the collar (3) during closing.

The ski boot according to the invention has many advantages compared to those known to date. Indeed, when skiing, it behaves like a traditional ski boot, that is to say with perfect support of the foot in the boot, therefore guiding and driving optimal skiing. In addition, it does not have the disadvantages during putting on and taking off, since on the contrary, it behaves like a shoe with rear opening.

Claims (8)

1 / Plastic ski boot including: - a shell (1) intended to receive the skier's foot and the lower leg; - a deformable collar (3) articulated (4) relative to the shell (1), intended to grip the bottom of the leg and having a wide opening (15) in its rear part, and on the front of the flaps (7 , 8) overlapping and cooperating with closing (38,37) and clamping members; - a rigid rear cover (20) articulated with respect to the shell (1) and intended to close the rear opening of the deformable collar (3); - a boot (40) intended to receive the foot and the bottom of the skier's leg, characterized in that in the position of use, the rear cover (20) bears by abutting on the collar (3) and is held in abutment against the collar (3) by a closing member (30, 31). 2 / Ski boot according to claim 1, characterized in that the collar (3) deformable and the hood (20) rigid are articulated on the shell (1) around the same axis (4). 3 / Ski boot according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the facing edges (17,18,25) intended to come into abutment respectively of the collar (3) deformable and the hood (20) rigid, have a tenon (60) and a mortise (61) formed in their thickness, so as to ensure the abutment abutment by fitting one into the other. 4 / Ski boot according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the abutment of the hood (20) on the collar (3) is provided by a closure member (31) fixed at the top and on a side of the collar (3) surrounding the rear of the cover (20) and hooking onto the opposite side of the top of the collar (3). 5 / Ski boot according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rear of the collar (3) or the front of the hinged cover (20), present next to the edges (17,18,25) in support two flexible ears (50,51,55), intended to ensure the guiding of one relative to the other during closing. 6 / Ski boot according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the boot (40) is made in two parts, namely a main part proper (40) which surrounds the foot and the front of the lower leg, and a rear part (41) fixed to the top of the rigid rear cover (20) and opening with the latter. 7 / Ski boot according to claim 6, characterized in that the movable rear part (41) of the boot has two lateral ears (42) intended to guide the rear cover (20) relative to the collar (3), when of the closure. 8 / Ski boot according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the closing means (30, 31) of the rigid hood (20) abutting on the deformable collar (3) allow at least three distinct positions, respectively : - A first closed position called "use" (see Figure 4), wherein the edges (25) of the rear cover (20) are in firm abutment against the corresponding edges (17,18) of the collar (3); - a second semi-open position for relaxation and walking (see FIG. 5), in which the rear cover (20) is slightly open relative to the collar (3); - Finally, a third open position (see Figure 6), allowing the shoe to be put on and taken off.

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