EP0705545B1 - Closing- and clamping device for a ski boot - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for closure and tightening for ski boot comprising, on the one hand, a tensioning lever articulated on a support around an axis transverse to the direction of traction and connected to a tie rod provided with a first means of attachment and, on the other hand, a second attachment means to which the first attachment means is attached, one of these attachment means having several hooking notches to adjust the tightening, the device further comprising means allowing to temporarily extend one of the means hanging.

The invention relates more particularly to shoes type says four hooks.

In ski boots with a volume shell variable and a collar-shaped rod closed by two loops of the type described in US Pat. No. 4,051,611 it is usually very difficult, due to the ri-, relative gidity of the necklace, to hang on the first try the two means of hooking the loops of the collar in the correct clamping position. Generally, the skier first of all hooks the hooking means of one of the mouths in the first notch, then closes this loop which has the effect of bringing the means of hooking the other mouth and allowing to engage these attachment means in the desired notch, then, after closing that mouth, he starts again the closing and tightening operation of the first mouth. If necessary, it also repeats the operation tightening with the second loop and so on until the desired tightening is obtained. During this closure of the collar, it is also necessary to initiate closing the collar by hand by applying pressure on the collar flap carrying the hook or the denture, or on both flaps simultaneously, so to bring this hook, respectively the first denture notch within reach of the latching member secured to the tensioning lever to perform the first closing. This pressure must be relatively strong to overcome the rigidity of the necklace and it sometimes makes closing the collar is not easy.

From patent EP 401,202, in accordance with the preamble of claim 1, we know a closing device and clamping device comprising an active tensioning lever on a tie rod with two oblong lights crossed by a bar of the tensioning lever of such so that this tie rod has two points of articulation different on the tensioner lever. The joint is determined by the ends of the lights. Pulling it is further provided with a locking member allowing to lock the tie rod in the retracted position in the tensioning lever. Such a tensioner therefore allows temporarily extend one of the attachment means of the closing and tightening device. Use of such a tensioning lever in a closing loop a necklace would therefore make it less difficult to reach the notch desired, but the length of the lights would generally be too weak to reach easily the desired notch. For this purpose, it would be necessary to lengthen the lights, which would require lengthening excessively the tie rod and the tensioner lever.

From patent FR 2 609 604 we also know a buckles comprising a tensioning lever provided with a light longitudinal in which the end slides freely of a loop. The most light end close to the pivot axis of the tensioner lever corresponds at the usual point of attachment of the loop to the tensioner lever ensuring tightening traction on the buckle. Such a tensioning lever makes it possible to obtain an elongation considerable of the loop constituting one of the means attachment of the closing and tightening device, but it requires a relatively very tensioning lever long. In addition, when closing, in the first part of the tensioner lever rotation, leverage is zero, which requires a special effort of on the part of the user who exercises practically a direct traction on the fastening member while the tightening radius of the tensioner lever is all the more short as the light extends near the axis of articulation of the tensioning lever on its support.

From the utility model DE-U-94 06 540, we know a device shoe closure and tightening rear entry including a tensioning lever which can be move along a support in which it is guided in a rotational movement, the movement is ending with a pure rotation like the tensioning levers traditional. This device makes it possible to lengthen the stroke of the attachment means connected to the tensioning lever. Applied to the closure of a necklace, such device would allow us to immediately seek the notch desired, but as in the execution cited above, leverage is zero during displacement in translation of the tensioning lever. These measures also requires a relatively tight tension lever support bulky.

The invention aims to facilitate the initiation of the collar closure.

To this end, the device according to the invention is characterized in that the means for temporarily lengthening one of the hanging means are constituted a deployable auxiliary hooking member and retractable.

The retraction of the auxiliary fastening member can be done in particular by rotation and folding or by sliding.

The auxiliary fastening member being able to be folded back, folded or retracted on, respectively in the tie rod, respectively the denture or the rack, it can be as long as the tensioner lever, respectively that the denture or rack fixed to the shoe without the bulk of the closure device be increased.

When the auxiliary fastening member is deployed, its length is such that it is extremely easy to bring it within reach of the other attachment means. A traction can then be exerted on the fastening member auxiliary using all the force of the tensioner lever. The other loop of the necklace can then be hung and closed with help or without help an auxiliary attachment means. User returns then at the first loop to open it, retract the auxiliary fastening member and then close the loop normally using its attachment means.

The operation of closing the collar is thus greatly facilitated.

La figure 1 est une vue en plan d'une crémaillère avec son organe d'accrochage auxiliaire en position déployée.

La figure 2 représente la même crémaillère avec son organe d'accrochage auxiliaire en position rabattue.

La figure 3 est une vue en perspective d'une crémaillère selon une deuxième forme d'exécution.

La figure 4 représente un moyen d'accrochage solidaire d'un tirant et muni d'un organe d'accrochage auxiliaire déployable par rotation.

La figure 5 est une vue partielle d'une crémaillère munie d'un organe d'accrochage auxiliaire déployable par coulissement.

La figure 6 est une vue en coupe selon VI-VI de la figure 5.

La figure 7 est une vue en perspective d'une cinquième forme d'exécution.

La figure 8 représente une vue de dessus de cette cinquième forme d'exécution.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, some embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a rack with its auxiliary latching member in the deployed position.

Figure 2 shows the same rack with its auxiliary hooking member in the folded position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a rack according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 represents a fastening means secured to a tie rod and provided with an auxiliary fastening member deployable by rotation.

Figure 5 is a partial view of a rack with an auxiliary hooking member deployable by sliding.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along VI-VI of FIG. 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment.

Figure 8 shows a top view of this fifth embodiment.

Figures 1 and 2 show a rack made up a plate 1 in which are cut notches 2 as well as a hole 3 for fixing the rack to the shoe by means of a rivet. In this rack hooks a hook 4 secured of a tie rod articulated on a tensioning lever not shown. At the end of rack 1 opposite the hook 4, an auxiliary loop 5 is articulated around an axis 6 transverse to the rack. This loop 5 here consists of two parallel arms 7 and 8 connected at their end by a bar 9, the whole defining a loop of substantially rectangular shape.

In Figure 1, the auxiliary loop 5 is shown in the deployed position, so that its bar 9 is near the hook 4. In this deployed position it is then easy to hang the hook 4 on the bar 9 of the loop 5.

After closing the tensioning lever acting on the hook 4, the other loop of the collar is closed in the same way way, then the loop shown is opened again, hook 4 is off and buckle 5 is folded down around and on rack 1 as shown in Figure 2. In this position, we will notice that the overall length of the rack 1 is not not increased.

FIG. 3 represents an exemplary embodiment in which the auxiliary fastening member is deployed by sliding. This figure again represents a rack consisting of a plate 10 in which are cut notches 11 and a hole 12 for fixing from the rack to the shoe. The attachment member auxiliary here consists of a rectangular loop 13 made of a steel wire whose ends extend on each side of the rack in passing through two guide tunnels 14 and 15. The ends steel wire 13 are anchored in two slides 16 and 17 can slide in grooves 18 spanned over part of the length of the two sides of the plate 10. At the end of each of the slides 16 and 17 opposite the loop 13, are hooked the ends of a coil spring 19 housed in a groove in the underside of the plate 10, at the end thereof surrounding its fixing hole 12. This groove defines a support 20 in a semicircle around which the spring 19 is wound. The slides 16 and 17 have a grooved surface or rough facilitating their training by hand. In the rest position, the loop 13 is retracted under the tension of the spring 19. When the skier wishes use the auxiliary loop 13 for a first closing the shoe buckle, he grabs the slides 16 and 17 between thumb and forefinger and pulls these against the action of the spring 19 so as to deploy loop 13 as shown in phantom, references 13 ', 16'. The relaxation of the traction that under the action of the spring 19 the auxiliary loop 13 is automatically returned to the retracted position.

The auxiliary attachment member can also be mounted on the side of the tensioning lever. Figures 4 and 5 illustrate two examples of execution.

FIG. 4 represents a hooking member 21 connected by a tie rod 22 to a tension lever not shown. This attachment member 21 consists of a part having over at least part of its length a inverted U profile. At the end of room 21, the wings of the U-profile are connected by a bar 23 constituting the hook proper, bar intended coming to engage between the teeth of a denture not shown, attached to the opposite flap of the collar constituting the upper of the shoe. Bar 23 simultaneously constitutes the axis of articulation of the end an auxiliary loop 24 constituted, as in the first embodiment, two parallel arms connected by a bar 25. In the no position use, the loop 24 is folded over the member hooking 21. In this folded position the arms of the auxiliary loop 24 are placed from each side of the fastening member 21, matching the profile of the latter and the bar 25 is housed in a groove 26 of the hooking member 21. The deployment of the auxiliary loop 24 is performed by rotation. A intermediate position 24 ', 25' is shown in mixed line.

FIG. 5 represents a dentiere 27 constituting the attachment member connected by a tie rod to a tensioning lever not shown and intended to hang on on a hook not shown. The denture 27 is therefore view from below. The auxiliary attachment member is here consisting of a bar 28, of rectangular profile, sliding climb longitudinally in the middle of the dentiere 27 and provided at its end with a tooth 29 having a profile identical to the profile of the teeth 30 of the denture 27. At its other end, the bar 28 has a widening 31 sliding in a groove with a T profile opening on the top of the dentiere 27 (below in the drawing). The end visible from this groove 32 forms a stop for the part 31 of the bar shown in its deployed position. Part 31 presents, seen at the end, also a profile in T (figure 6) so as to present a part 33 slightly protruding from the denture 11 so to allow the training of the bar 28 by means on point.

A light spring could be placed between the enlargement 31 of bar 28 and the end of the groove 32 to ensure automatic tooth retraction auxiliary 29. In the retracted position, this tooth 29 comes to lodge in the niche formed in the first tooth 30 of the denture for the passage of the bar 28 so as to occupy exactly the material removed at that first tooth.

The auxiliary tooth 29 could also be deployed by direct traction on this tooth by means of the finger.

A fifth embodiment is shown in the figures 7 and 8. These figures show a fixed hook consisting of a first plate 34 having a cutout rectangular 35 constituting the hook properly said and forming box with a second plate 34 ' having a hole 36 for its attachment to the shoe by means of a rivet. This hook is intended to cooperate with another hook activated by a tensioning lever. AT the inside of the box formed by the plates 34 and 34 'is formed a housing 38 of trapezoidal shape. In this housing 38 is housed a split ring 37 in steel, also trapezoidal. This ring constitutes the auxiliary fastening member. Its end hooking is bent. In an area 39, the box formed by the plates 34 and 34 'is tightened vertically so as to form two guides 40 and 41 for the split ring 37.

In the retracted position shown in Figure 8, the split ring 37 is preferably already pre-tensioned with such that it tends to open. The form trapezoidal housing therefore tends to prevent the split ring to come out of its housing. When the skier needs to use the auxiliary ring 37, it deploys by exerting traction on it. After use, the split ring 37 is pushed back into its housing. The trapezoidal shape of the spring and its housing has the effect of facilitating or accompanying this withdrawal.

In the examples described, the rack can be replaced by a denture and vice versa. Otherwise, a denture can be considered to be a particular form of rack.

Claims (8)

1. Device for closing and tightening for a ski boot comprising, on the one hand, an articulating tensioning lever on a support around a transverse axis to the tensile direction and connected to a bootstrap provided with a first hooking means and, on the other hand, a second means of hooking to which the first hooking means hooks, one of these hooking means presenting several hooking notches permitting the adjustment of the clamping and the device comprising in addition means (5; 13; 24; 28; 37) permitting the temporary lengthening of one of the hooking means, one of the hooking means being to this end constituted of a principal hooking element (1; 10; 21; 27; 34) and an auxiliary hooking element (13; 24; 28; 37) permitting the temporarily lengthening of the principal hooking element, characterized in that the auxiliary hooking element (5; 13; 24; 28; 37) is deployable relative to the principal hooking element (1; 10; 24; 27; 34) and which vanishes into the principal hooking element in a non-deployed position, and in that the principal hooking element and the auxiliary hooking element are alternatively hookable, in the same manner, to the other hooking means.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the auxiliary hooking component (5; 24) is rotatably joined at the extremity to the hooking component to which it is associated.
3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the auxiliary hooking element (13; 28; 37) is slidingly mounted on the hooking component to which it is associated (10; 27; 34).
4. Device according to claim 2, in which the second hooking means is a rack (1), characterized in that the auxiliary hooking component is a buckle (5) rotatably connected to the extremity of the rack facing the tensioner and foldable around the rack.
5. Device according to claim 2, in which the first hooking means (21) comprises a transverse bar (23) for hooking in a recess constituting the second hooking means, characterized in that the auxiliary hooking component includes a rectangular buckle (24) rotatably joined by one of its extremities on said bar (23) in a manner to come fold down on the same side of the first hooking means (21) that provides a transverse recess (26) in which the other extremity of the rectangular buckle comes into engagement.
6. Device according to claim 3, in which the second hooking means is a rack (10), characterized in that the auxiliary hooking component is comprised of a rectangular buckle (13) including two prongs slidably mounted on the side of the rack (10) and therefore the extremities are connected by an extension spring (19) surrounding a semicircular bearing surface (20) of the rack.
7. Device according to claim 3, in which the first hooking means is a set of teeth (27), characterized in that the auxiliary hooking component is comprised of a middle bar (28) which terminates in a tooth (29) coming, in a retracted position, into engagement in a notch of the first tooth (30) of the set of teeth and therefore the profile coincides with the profile of the first tooth.
8. Device according to claim 3 in which the second hooking means is a hook (35), characterized in that the auxiliary hooking component is comprised of a split steel ring (37), of trapezoidal shape, slidably mounted by its sides in the hook, of a form such that pressure on the sides of the ring, due to its extraction from the hook, has the tendency of retracting the ring (37).

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