EP0916271A2 - Multiple jointed back support system for a snowboard boot - Google Patents
Multiple jointed back support system for a snowboard boot Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0916271A2 EP0916271A2 EP98118369A EP98118369A EP0916271A2 EP 0916271 A2 EP0916271 A2 EP 0916271A2 EP 98118369 A EP98118369 A EP 98118369A EP 98118369 A EP98118369 A EP 98118369A EP 0916271 A2 EP0916271 A2 EP 0916271A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- back support
- pivot coupling
- section
- link
- support member
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B5/00—Footwear for sporting purposes
- A43B5/04—Ski or like boots
- A43B5/0427—Ski or like boots characterised by type or construction details
- A43B5/0452—Adjustment of the forward inclination of the boot leg
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B5/00—Footwear for sporting purposes
- A43B5/04—Ski or like boots
- A43B5/0401—Snowboard boots
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B5/00—Footwear for sporting purposes
- A43B5/04—Ski or like boots
- A43B5/0427—Ski or like boots characterised by type or construction details
- A43B5/0466—Adjustment of the side inclination of the boot leg; Canting
Definitions
- the present invention is directed to snowboard boots and, more particularly, to a snowboard boot capable of movement in two axial directions.
- a snowboard is a variety of ski that glides on snow.
- a skier is mounted on the skis so as to face the front of the skis in the longitudinal direction of the skis
- a snowboarder usually is mounted on the snowboard facing the side of the snowboard, usually facing at a small angle to the exact side of the snowboard.
- the snowboarder usually bends his or her knees while leaning toward the front of the snowboard.
- the ankle is inclined both forward with respect to the snowboarder (to the side of the snowboard) as well as to the side with respect to the snowboarder (to the front of the snowboard).
- the boot worn by the snowboarder should accommodate the required inclination angles of the ankle.
- Some attempts to accommodate the inclination angles of the ankle are disclosed in DE 3,622,746; FR 2,719,197; EP 646,334; EP 772,982; and IT 1,255,752.
- an upper portion of the boot is pivotably connected to a lower portion of the boot so as to pivot around a longitudinal axis located above the heel of the boot. While such structures help to accommodate sideways inclination of the ankle, it is known that the human foot does not readily incline sideways unless the ankle also inclines forward at the same time.
- prior art boots that accommodate sideways inclination without also accommodating forward inclination do not work very effectively.
- sideways inclination of the ankle is not always accommodated effectively by a boot that pivots solely around one axis.
- a back support structure for a snowboard boot includes a back support member for supporting a back surface of an ankle and a linking mechanism coupled to the back support member for coupling the back support member to a leg member of the snowboard boot.
- the linking mechanism includes a first pivot coupling and a second pivot coupling so that the back support member may pivot relative to the leg member around multiple axes to accommodate complex sideways inclinations of the leg.
- the linking mechanism includes a first link having a first section pivotably coupled to the back support at the first pivot coupling and a second section that may be pivotally coupled to the leg member.
- a second link may have a first section pivotably coupled to the second section of the first link at the second pivot coupling, and the second section of the second link may be pivotably coupled to the leg member at a third pivot coupling.
- the back support member may be pivotably coupled to a heel cup so that the back support member may pivot in forward and backward directions.
- the boot also may have a stopping mechanism to prevent excessive rearward pivoting of the leg member.
- the second link may be fixed to the leg member, and a third link may have a first section pivotably coupled to the second section of the second link at the third pivot coupling and a second section pivotably coupled to the back support at a fourth pivot coupling.
- a third link may have a first section pivotably coupled to the second section of the second link at the third pivot coupling and a second section pivotably coupled to the back support at a fourth pivot coupling.
- FIG. 1 is a side view of a particular embodiment of a snowboard boot according to the present invention.
- the snowboard boot comprises a sole section 1, a toe section 2, a heel section 3 and a leg section 4.
- a heel cup 5 formed as one-piece with a composite resin core is arranged on the bottom of the shoe.
- Such a heel cup is well known, do details of its construction shall be omitted.
- Three high back support attachment holes 7 are formed on both sides of the upper portion 6 of the back section of the heel cup 5.
- the three high back attachment holes 7 are lined up in a straight horizontal line and are formed as drilled through holes.
- a strap 10 is pivotably coupled to one of the high back support attachment holes 7 on each side of the boot through shaft bolts 12.
- the strap 10 passes from one side of the boot to the other at the boundary of the leg section 4 and the toe section 2. When the leg section 4 is inclined forward, it bends at this boundary, so the positioning and clamping of the strap 10 at this boundary section facilitates the inclination of the boot.
- a clamping device 13 is arranged on the strap 10 in order to adjust the length of the strap 10 and to clamp the strap 10 at a desired tightness. Because the structure and function of the clamping device 13 are well known, its discussion will be omitted.
- Another strap 11 is arranged on the leg section 4 in the same manner and, by means of the operation of the strap 11, the leg section 4 is fastened and fixed in a single unit with the ankle.
- a shoelace 8 passes through hooks 9 in a crossed manner to snugly fit the boot to the foot in the known manner.
- the shaft bolts 12 on both sides of the snowboard boot also pivotably connect the high back support 15 to heel cup 5.
- the high back support 15 takes up the force from the ankle when the ankle is inclined rearward and transmits the rearward force to the heel cup 5.
- a stopper mechanism 20 is arranged at the lower center end of the high back support 15. As discussed in more detail below, the stopper mechanism 20 limits the rearward inclining action of the high back support 15.
- FIG 2A is a detailed view of the coupling between the high back support 15 and the heel cup 5 shown in Figure 1
- Figure 2B is a view taken along line 2B-2B in Figure 2A.
- the three high back support attachment holes 7 are formed in a straight horizontal line.
- Oval shaped concave sections 31 are formed at a fixed depth at the periphery of the high back support attachment holes 7 so as to surround them.
- wave shaped protuberances 32 are formed at a fixed pitch in an alternating concave-convex shape, and washers 33 are inserted inside the concave sections 31.
- the wave shaped protuberances 34 are formed in an alternating concave-convex shape. Because the shapes of the wave shaped protuberances 32 and the wave shaped protuberances 34 match, the washer 33 can be matingly inserted into the concave section 31.
- Bolt holes 35 are formed in two locations in the washers 33. By means of varying the position of the washers 33 in the concave sections 31, it is possible to change the locations of the bolt holes 35.
- the shaft bolt 12 is inserted into the attachment hole 37 of the strap 10 and then is inserted into the bolt hole 35 of the washer 33. Finally, the shaft bolt 12 is inserted through one of the three high back support attachment holes 7 and screwed into the nut 36 that has been arranged on the inner surface of the heel cup 5. As a result, the high back support 15 pivots around the shaft bolt 12 in the forward and rear directions, and it is possible to select six positions by means of the selection of one of the bolt holes 35 and one of the high back support attachment holes 7.
- rectangular position determination protuberances 40 are formed in two rows at a fixed pitch on the rear surface of the center portion of the high back support 15, and a bolt penetration hole 41 is formed between the position determination protuberances 40.
- a fixation plate 42 is fixed to the high back support 15 by means of a fixation bolt 43 and a nut 44. Rectangular position determination protuberances 45 are formed on the fixation plate 42 at a fixed pitch. Because the position determination protuberances 40 of the high back support 15 and the position determination protuberances 45 of the fixation plate 42 have an identical pitch, the fixation plate 42 can be matingly engaged and fixed at a desired location.
- a concave shaped cut-out 46 is formed in the fixation plate 42, and a stopper lever 47 is pivotably mounted in the cut-out 46 by means of the shaft 48.
- the stopper lever 47 is biased against the high back support 15 side by a spring 49.
- a stopper surface 50 of the stopper lever 47 contacts the stopper surface 16 that is formed on the upper surface of the heel cup 5 to limit the rearward pivoting of the high back support 15 around the shaft bolt 12.
- a linking mechanism 25 is arranged at the upper edge of the high back support 15.
- the linking mechanism 25 helps to transmit the rearward inclining action of leg section 4 to high back support 15 which, in turn, transmits the rearward inclining action to heel cup 5.
- the linking mechanism 25 also accommodates the compound forward and sideways inclination of the ankle.
- FIG 4 is a cross sectional view of the high back support 15 and linking mechanism 25 shown in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a detailed view of the linking mechanism 25.
- a penetrating hole 55 is formed at the upper edge of the high back support 15, and a nut 56 having a flange is inserted into the penetrating hole 55.
- a first shaft bolt 58 is screwed into the flanged nut 56, and one end of the first link 57 is pivotably coupled to the first shaft bolt 58.
- Another penetrating hole 59 is formed at the other end of the first link 57, and a bushing is inserted into the penetrating hole 59.
- a second shaft bolt 60 is inserted into this bushing, and the tip of this second shaft bolt 60 is screwed into a screw hole 62 that is formed at one end of the second link 61.
- a penetrating hole 63 is formed in the other end of the second link 61, and a bushing (not shown in the figure) is inserted into the penetrating hole 63.
- a third shaft bolt 64 is inserted into this bushing and is inserted into a penetrating hole 66 that is formed on one end of the fixation plate 65.
- Two spherical washers 67 are inserted onto the third shaft bolt 64 and are arranged so that the second link 61 is held between the two spherical washers.
- the spherical washers 67 are locked to the third shaft bolt 64 by means of a locknut 68. Because the second link 61 is held between the spherical washers 67, a pivoting movement of second link 61 and a slight spherical movement are possible around the third shaft bolt 64.
- a bushing 71 is arranged on the periphery of the third shaft bolt 64, and the third shaft bolt 64 is screwed into the nut plate 70.
- the back support 72 which is made of a stiff composite resin, is held between the nut plate 70 and the fixation plate 65.
- a fixation bolt 75 is arranged at the other end of the fixation plate 65, a bushing 76 is arranged on the periphery of the fixation bolt 75, and fixation bolt 75 is screwed into the nut plate 70.
- the fixation plate 65 and the third shaft bolt 64 are fixed to the back support 72.
- one end of the second link 61 is pivotably supported on the fixed third shaft bolt 64
- one end of the first link 57 is pivotably supported on the second shaft bolt 60 fixed to the other end of the second link 61
- the other end of first link 57 is pivotably supported on the first shaft bolt 58 fixed to the high back support 15.
- the legs When one puts on the snowboard boots having the structure just described and rides on the snowboard (not shown in the figures), the legs are moved in order to control the speed and direction of the snowboard.
- the forward inclination is pivoted in the vicinity of the ankle bone due to the structure of the human foot.
- the leg section 4 of the snowboard boot inclines forward. This forward inclination is possible because the leg section 4 is flexible and can pivot around shafts 12.
- third shaft bolt 64 and first shaft bolt 58 produces an overall pivoting at a radius R2 centered around a center O2 located near the inside of the sole 1. This, in turn, approximates a change from a pivoting with the ankle bone as the pivot center to a pivoting with the heel as the pivot center.
- linking mechanism 25 is equipped with two links and three joints, it can accommodate complex movement of the swinging of the leg section 4 of the snowboard boot.
- the link mechanism 25 described above was arranged with the first shaft bolt 58 in the lowest position and the second shaft bolt 60 positioned higher than that of the third shaft bolt 64. However, this positioning is not necessary.
- the linking mechanism 80 that is shown in Figures 6 and 7, from the standpoint of being a two-link, three-joint linking mechanism, is identical to the linking mechanism 25 of the first embodiment described above, and the length of the two links are identical. However, linking mechanism 80 differs from linking mechanism 25 in that the position of the third shaft bolt 60 is different.
- first shaft bolt 58 is made the reference
- the second shaft bolt 60 is positioned at a position with a height of H1
- the third shaft bolt 64 which is fixed to the leg section 4 of the snowboard boot, is positioned at a position with a height of H2, where H2 > H1.
- first link 57 and second link 61 is shown by the broken lines.
- the motion of third shaft bolt 64 is similar to an arc centered around first shaft bolt 58 at a radius H2.
- FIG. 8 and 9 show a four-link parallel linking mechanism 85.
- a four-link parallel linking mechanism 85 does not move in an arc about a portion of the leg section 4 but is a mechanism that is used when the leg section 4 is desired to move horizontally as a whole.
- the lower end of a first link 87 is pivotably coupled to the high back support 15 by a first shaft bolt 86
- the lower end of a third link 91 is pivotably coupled to the high back support by a fourth shaft bolt 92.
- the upper end of the first link 87 is pivotably coupled to one end of a second link 89 by a second shaft bolt 88, and the second shaft bolt 88 is fixed to the leg section 4.
- the other end of the second link 89 is pivotably coupled to the upper end of the third link 91 by a third shaft bolt 90, and the third shaft bolt 90 is fixed to the leg section 4.
- a four-link parallel linking mechanism 85 is configured by the high back support 15, the first shaft bolt 86, the first link 87, the second shaft bolt 88, the second link 89, the third shaft bolt 90, the third link 91 and the fourth shaft bolt 92. Because the second shaft bolt 88 and the third shaft bolt 90 are fixed to the leg section 4 of the snowboard boot, the leg section 4 accommodates the sideways movement of the leg with a parallel movement. In other words, the movement is parallel to the planar direction of the sole.
- Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a linking mechanism 95 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
- the linking mechanism 95 in this embodiment is a one-link, two-joint mechanism.
- this linking mechanism 95 if the back support 72 is viewed as a rigid body, it is a fixed chained mechanism. However, because the actual back support 72 has, as previously mentioned, some flexibility, it is not a fixed chained mechanism.
- first link 96 is pivotably coupled to first shaft bolt 58 to form a first joint 97
- second shaft bolt 99 that extends through a penetrating hole 98 to form a second joint 100. While not as precise as the first and second embodiments described above, it is a simple mechanism that provides satisfactory control in some situations.
- Figure 11 is a rear view
- Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view, of a fifth embodiment of a high back support and linking mechanism 110 according to the present invention.
- the bottom portion of a first joint support fitting 101 constructed from a Y-shaped metal plate is attached by rivets 102 to the back surface of the rear section of a heel cup 5.
- the lower end of a first link 103 is pivotally coupled by a shaft 104 to the upper end of the first joint support fitting 101.
- the shaft 104 is a component of a first joint 105.
- the upper end of the first link 103 is rotatably supported by a shaft 108 on a leg-section back support 106.
- the shaft 108 is a component of a second joint 107.
- the link mechanism 110 is ultimately composed of a one-link, two-joint link mechanism similar to the link mechanism 95 described above.
- the height of the first joint 105 can be set at an arbitrary level, and the range within which the position of the first joint 105 can be adjusted is widened because the link mechanism 110 is constructed using the first joint support fitting 101.
- Another advantage of the link mechanism 110 is that, similar to the heel cup 5, the link mechanism 110 can be disposed on a low back support.
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Abstract
Description
- The present invention is directed to snowboard boots and, more particularly, to a snowboard boot capable of movement in two axial directions.
- A snowboard is a variety of ski that glides on snow. Whereas a skier is mounted on the skis so as to face the front of the skis in the longitudinal direction of the skis, a snowboarder usually is mounted on the snowboard facing the side of the snowboard, usually facing at a small angle to the exact side of the snowboard. To impart a propulsive force to the snowboard, the snowboarder usually bends his or her knees while leaning toward the front of the snowboard. Thus, the ankle is inclined both forward with respect to the snowboarder (to the side of the snowboard) as well as to the side with respect to the snowboarder (to the front of the snowboard).
- To operate the snowboard effectively, the boot worn by the snowboarder should accommodate the required inclination angles of the ankle. Some attempts to accommodate the inclination angles of the ankle are disclosed in DE 3,622,746; FR 2,719,197; EP 646,334; EP 772,982; and IT 1,255,752. In these references, an upper portion of the boot is pivotably connected to a lower portion of the boot so as to pivot around a longitudinal axis located above the heel of the boot. While such structures help to accommodate sideways inclination of the ankle, it is known that the human foot does not readily incline sideways unless the ankle also inclines forward at the same time. Thus, prior art boots that accommodate sideways inclination without also accommodating forward inclination do not work very effectively. Furthermore, sideways inclination of the ankle is not always accommodated effectively by a boot that pivots solely around one axis.
- The present invention is directed to a snowboard boot that accommodates complex forward and sideways inclinations of the leg so that the snowboarder does not become fatigued and the snowboard may be controlled more effectively. In one embodiment of the present invention, a back support structure for a snowboard boot includes a back support member for supporting a back surface of an ankle and a linking mechanism coupled to the back support member for coupling the back support member to a leg member of the snowboard boot. The linking mechanism includes a first pivot coupling and a second pivot coupling so that the back support member may pivot relative to the leg member around multiple axes to accommodate complex sideways inclinations of the leg. In a more specific embodiment, the linking mechanism includes a first link having a first section pivotably coupled to the back support at the first pivot coupling and a second section that may be pivotally coupled to the leg member. Alternatively, a second link may have a first section pivotably coupled to the second section of the first link at the second pivot coupling, and the second section of the second link may be pivotably coupled to the leg member at a third pivot coupling. In all cases, the back support member may be pivotably coupled to a heel cup so that the back support member may pivot in forward and backward directions. The boot also may have a stopping mechanism to prevent excessive rearward pivoting of the leg member.
- In an even more specific embodiment, the second link may be fixed to the leg member, and a third link may have a first section pivotably coupled to the second section of the second link at the third pivot coupling and a second section pivotably coupled to the back support at a fourth pivot coupling. Such a structure forms a four-bar linkage mechanism so that the leg section moves horizontally without pivoting around the back support member for applications that require such movement.
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- Figure 1 is a side view of a particular embodiment of a snowboard boot according to the present invention;
- Figure 2A is a detailed view of the coupling between the high back support and the heel cup shown in Figure 1, and Figure 2B is a view taken along line 2B-2B in Figure 2A;
- Figure 3 is a rear view showing the high back support and linking mechanism shown in Figure 1;
- Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the high back support and linking mechanism shown in Figure 3;
- Figure 5 is a detailed view of the linking mechanism shown in Figure 4;
- Figure 6 is a rear view of an alternative embodiment of the high back support and linking mechanism according to the present invention;
- Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the high back support and linking mechanism shown in Figure 6;
- Figure 8 is a rear view of another alternative embodiment of the high back support and linking mechanism according to the present invention;
- Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of the high back support and linking mechanism shown in Figure 8;
- Figure 10 is a cross sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the high back support and linking mechanism according to the present invention;
- Figure 11 is a rear view of another alternative embodiment of the high back support and linking mechanism according to the present invention; and
- Figure 12 is a view taken along line XII-XII in Figure 11.
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- Figure 1 is a side view of a particular embodiment of a snowboard boot according to the present invention. In outline, the snowboard boot comprises a
sole section 1, atoe section 2, a heel section 3 and aleg section 4. In the interior of thesole section 1, thetoe section 2 and the heel section 3, aheel cup 5 formed as one-piece with a composite resin core is arranged on the bottom of the shoe. Such a heel cup is well known, do details of its construction shall be omitted. - Three high back
support attachment holes 7 are formed on both sides of theupper portion 6 of the back section of theheel cup 5. The three highback attachment holes 7 are lined up in a straight horizontal line and are formed as drilled through holes. Astrap 10 is pivotably coupled to one of the high backsupport attachment holes 7 on each side of the boot throughshaft bolts 12. Thestrap 10 passes from one side of the boot to the other at the boundary of theleg section 4 and thetoe section 2. When theleg section 4 is inclined forward, it bends at this boundary, so the positioning and clamping of thestrap 10 at this boundary section facilitates the inclination of the boot. - A
clamping device 13 is arranged on thestrap 10 in order to adjust the length of thestrap 10 and to clamp thestrap 10 at a desired tightness. Because the structure and function of theclamping device 13 are well known, its discussion will be omitted. Anotherstrap 11 is arranged on theleg section 4 in the same manner and, by means of the operation of thestrap 11, theleg section 4 is fastened and fixed in a single unit with the ankle. A shoelace 8 passes through hooks 9 in a crossed manner to snugly fit the boot to the foot in the known manner. - The shaft bolts 12 on both sides of the snowboard boot also pivotably connect the
high back support 15 toheel cup 5. Thehigh back support 15 takes up the force from the ankle when the ankle is inclined rearward and transmits the rearward force to theheel cup 5. Astopper mechanism 20 is arranged at the lower center end of thehigh back support 15. As discussed in more detail below, thestopper mechanism 20 limits the rearward inclining action of thehigh back support 15. - Figure 2A is a detailed view of the coupling between the
high back support 15 and theheel cup 5 shown in Figure 1, and Figure 2B is a view taken along line 2B-2B in Figure 2A. As noted above, the three high backsupport attachment holes 7 are formed in a straight horizontal line. Oval shapedconcave sections 31 are formed at a fixed depth at the periphery of the high backsupport attachment holes 7 so as to surround them. In the inner peripheral surface of theconcave sections 31, waveshaped protuberances 32 are formed at a fixed pitch in an alternating concave-convex shape, andwashers 33 are inserted inside theconcave sections 31. On the outer perimeter surface of thewasher 33, the waveshaped protuberances 34 are formed in an alternating concave-convex shape. Because the shapes of the wave shapedprotuberances 32 and the waveshaped protuberances 34 match, thewasher 33 can be matingly inserted into theconcave section 31.Bolt holes 35 are formed in two locations in thewashers 33. By means of varying the position of thewashers 33 in theconcave sections 31, it is possible to change the locations of thebolt holes 35. - To assemble the structure, the
shaft bolt 12 is inserted into theattachment hole 37 of thestrap 10 and then is inserted into thebolt hole 35 of thewasher 33. Finally, theshaft bolt 12 is inserted through one of the three high backsupport attachment holes 7 and screwed into thenut 36 that has been arranged on the inner surface of theheel cup 5. As a result, thehigh back support 15 pivots around theshaft bolt 12 in the forward and rear directions, and it is possible to select six positions by means of the selection of one of thebolt holes 35 and one of the high backsupport attachment holes 7. - As is shown in Figures 3 and 4, rectangular
position determination protuberances 40 are formed in two rows at a fixed pitch on the rear surface of the center portion of thehigh back support 15, and abolt penetration hole 41 is formed between theposition determination protuberances 40. Afixation plate 42 is fixed to thehigh back support 15 by means of afixation bolt 43 and a nut 44. Rectangular position determination protuberances 45 are formed on thefixation plate 42 at a fixed pitch. Because the position determination protuberances 40 of thehigh back support 15 and the position determination protuberances 45 of thefixation plate 42 have an identical pitch, thefixation plate 42 can be matingly engaged and fixed at a desired location. - A concave shaped cut-out 46 is formed in the
fixation plate 42, and astopper lever 47 is pivotably mounted in the cut-out 46 by means of theshaft 48. Thestopper lever 47 is biased against thehigh back support 15 side by aspring 49. Astopper surface 50 of thestopper lever 47 contacts thestopper surface 16 that is formed on the upper surface of theheel cup 5 to limit the rearward pivoting of thehigh back support 15 around theshaft bolt 12. - A linking
mechanism 25 is arranged at the upper edge of thehigh back support 15. The linkingmechanism 25 helps to transmit the rearward inclining action ofleg section 4 tohigh back support 15 which, in turn, transmits the rearward inclining action toheel cup 5. The linkingmechanism 25 also accommodates the compound forward and sideways inclination of the ankle. - Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the
high back support 15 and linkingmechanism 25 shown in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a detailed view of the linkingmechanism 25. As shown in those Figures, a penetrating hole 55 is formed at the upper edge of thehigh back support 15, and anut 56 having a flange is inserted into the penetrating hole 55. Afirst shaft bolt 58 is screwed into theflanged nut 56, and one end of thefirst link 57 is pivotably coupled to thefirst shaft bolt 58. Another penetratinghole 59 is formed at the other end of thefirst link 57, and a bushing is inserted into the penetratinghole 59. Asecond shaft bolt 60 is inserted into this bushing, and the tip of thissecond shaft bolt 60 is screwed into ascrew hole 62 that is formed at one end of thesecond link 61. A penetrating hole 63 is formed in the other end of thesecond link 61, and a bushing (not shown in the figure) is inserted into the penetrating hole 63. Athird shaft bolt 64 is inserted into this bushing and is inserted into a penetratinghole 66 that is formed on one end of thefixation plate 65. Twospherical washers 67 are inserted onto thethird shaft bolt 64 and are arranged so that thesecond link 61 is held between the two spherical washers. Thespherical washers 67 are locked to thethird shaft bolt 64 by means of a locknut 68. Because thesecond link 61 is held between thespherical washers 67, a pivoting movement ofsecond link 61 and a slight spherical movement are possible around thethird shaft bolt 64. - A
bushing 71 is arranged on the periphery of thethird shaft bolt 64, and thethird shaft bolt 64 is screwed into thenut plate 70. Theback support 72, which is made of a stiff composite resin, is held between thenut plate 70 and thefixation plate 65. In the same manner, afixation bolt 75 is arranged at the other end of thefixation plate 65, abushing 76 is arranged on the periphery of thefixation bolt 75, andfixation bolt 75 is screwed into thenut plate 70. Thus, thefixation plate 65 and thethird shaft bolt 64 are fixed to theback support 72. - In summary, one end of the
second link 61 is pivotably supported on the fixedthird shaft bolt 64, one end of thefirst link 57 is pivotably supported on thesecond shaft bolt 60 fixed to the other end of thesecond link 61, and the other end offirst link 57 is pivotably supported on thefirst shaft bolt 58 fixed to thehigh back support 15. These mechanisms, in essence, comprise the two-link, three-joint linking mechanism 25. - When one puts on the snowboard boots having the structure just described and rides on the snowboard (not shown in the figures), the legs are moved in order to control the speed and direction of the snowboard. When the leg is inclined in the forward direction, the forward inclination is pivoted in the vicinity of the ankle bone due to the structure of the human foot. As a result, the
leg section 4 of the snowboard boot inclines forward. This forward inclination is possible because theleg section 4 is flexible and can pivot aroundshafts 12. - Similarly, when the leg is inclined backward, the backward inclination is pivoted in the vicinity of the ankle bone due to the structure of the human foot. As a result, the
leg section 4 of the snowboard boot inclines backward. This backward inclining action of thefoot section 4 is transmitted to thehigh back support 15 through the linkingmechanism 25. When thestopper surface 50 of thestopper lever 47 comes into contact with thestopper surface 16 that is formed on the upper surface of theheel cup 5, the pivoting movement of thehigh back support 15 is stopped. Thereafter, the backward inclining action of the leg is transmitted to theheel cup 5, this force is transmitted to the snowboard (not shown in the figures), and smooth running control is carried out. - The case in which the leg inclines sideways will be discussed while referring to Figure 3. When the forward direction is in the direction from the heel toward the toes, if the leg is inclined sideways, the center of the
third shaft bolt 64 initially swings an angle α around the center 01 of thefirst shaft bolt 58 at a radius R1, with thefirst shaft bolt 58 acting as a pivot. The movement of this angle α approximates a swinging movement of the leg with the ankle bone as the pivot. When the angle of movement α is completed,second link 61 pivots aroundthird shaft bolt 64 asfirst link 57 continues to pivot aroundfirst shaft bolt 58 untilfirst link 57 pivots through an angle β. The combined pivoting aroundthird shaft bolt 64 andfirst shaft bolt 58 produces an overall pivoting at a radius R2 centered around a center O2 located near the inside of the sole 1. This, in turn, approximates a change from a pivoting with the ankle bone as the pivot center to a pivoting with the heel as the pivot center. Thus, as can be understood from the above description, because linkingmechanism 25 is equipped with two links and three joints, it can accommodate complex movement of the swinging of theleg section 4 of the snowboard boot. - The
link mechanism 25 described above was arranged with thefirst shaft bolt 58 in the lowest position and thesecond shaft bolt 60 positioned higher than that of thethird shaft bolt 64. However, this positioning is not necessary. For example, the linkingmechanism 80 that is shown in Figures 6 and 7, from the standpoint of being a two-link, three-joint linking mechanism, is identical to thelinking mechanism 25 of the first embodiment described above, and the length of the two links are identical. However, linkingmechanism 80 differs from linkingmechanism 25 in that the position of thethird shaft bolt 60 is different. In other words, if the position of thefirst shaft bolt 58 is made the reference, thesecond shaft bolt 60 is positioned at a position with a height of H1 and thethird shaft bolt 64, which is fixed to theleg section 4 of the snowboard boot, is positioned at a position with a height of H2, where H2 > H1. In this case the motion offirst link 57 andsecond link 61 is shown by the broken lines. The motion ofthird shaft bolt 64 is similar to an arc centered aroundfirst shaft bolt 58 at a radius H2. - The first and second embodiments described above illustrated two-link three-
joint link mechanisms parallel linking mechanism 85. A four-linkparallel linking mechanism 85 does not move in an arc about a portion of theleg section 4 but is a mechanism that is used when theleg section 4 is desired to move horizontally as a whole. In this embodiment, the lower end of afirst link 87 is pivotably coupled to thehigh back support 15 by a first shaft bolt 86, and the lower end of a third link 91 is pivotably coupled to the high back support by a fourth shaft bolt 92. The upper end of thefirst link 87 is pivotably coupled to one end of asecond link 89 by asecond shaft bolt 88, and thesecond shaft bolt 88 is fixed to theleg section 4. The other end of thesecond link 89 is pivotably coupled to the upper end of the third link 91 by athird shaft bolt 90, and thethird shaft bolt 90 is fixed to theleg section 4. As a result, a four-linkparallel linking mechanism 85 is configured by thehigh back support 15, the first shaft bolt 86, thefirst link 87, thesecond shaft bolt 88, thesecond link 89, thethird shaft bolt 90, the third link 91 and the fourth shaft bolt 92. Because thesecond shaft bolt 88 and thethird shaft bolt 90 are fixed to theleg section 4 of the snowboard boot, theleg section 4 accommodates the sideways movement of the leg with a parallel movement. In other words, the movement is parallel to the planar direction of the sole. - Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a
linking mechanism 95 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The linkingmechanism 95 in this embodiment is a one-link, two-joint mechanism. With thislinking mechanism 95, if theback support 72 is viewed as a rigid body, it is a fixed chained mechanism. However, because theactual back support 72 has, as previously mentioned, some flexibility, it is not a fixed chained mechanism. - As shown in Figure 10, one end of a
first link 96 is pivotably coupled tofirst shaft bolt 58 to form a first joint 97, and the other end offirst link 96 is pivotably coupled to asecond shaft bolt 99 that extends through a penetratinghole 98 to form asecond joint 100. While not as precise as the first and second embodiments described above, it is a simple mechanism that provides satisfactory control in some situations. - Figure 11 is a rear view, and Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view, of a fifth embodiment of a high back support and
linking mechanism 110 according to the present invention. The bottom portion of a first joint support fitting 101 constructed from a Y-shaped metal plate is attached byrivets 102 to the back surface of the rear section of aheel cup 5. The lower end of afirst link 103 is pivotally coupled by ashaft 104 to the upper end of the first joint support fitting 101. Theshaft 104 is a component of a first joint 105. - The upper end of the
first link 103 is rotatably supported by ashaft 108 on a leg-section backsupport 106. Theshaft 108 is a component of asecond joint 107. Thelink mechanism 110 is ultimately composed of a one-link, two-joint link mechanism similar to thelink mechanism 95 described above. The height of the first joint 105 can be set at an arbitrary level, and the range within which the position of the first joint 105 can be adjusted is widened because thelink mechanism 110 is constructed using the first joint support fitting 101. Another advantage of thelink mechanism 110 is that, similar to theheel cup 5, thelink mechanism 110 can be disposed on a low back support. - While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the size, shape, location or orientation of the various components may be changed as desired. The functions of one element may be performed by two, and vice versa. Thus, the scope of the invention should not be limited by the specific structures disclosed. Instead, the true scope of the invention should be determined by the following claims.
Claims (21)
- A back support apparatus for a snowboard boot comprising:a back support member for supporting a back surface of an ankle;a linking mechanism coupled to the back support member for coupling the back support member to a leg member of the snowboard boot; and
wherein the linking mechanism includes a first pivot coupling and a second pivot coupling. - The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first pivot coupling pivots around a first axis extending from back to front.
- The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the second pivot coupling pivots around a second axis extending from back to front.
- The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the linking mechanism comprises a first link having a first section pivotably coupled to the back support member at the first pivot coupling and a second section containing the second pivot coupling.
- The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising the leg member disposed above the back support member, wherein the second section of the first link is pivotably coupled to the leg member at the second pivot coupling.
- The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the first pivot coupling pivots around a first axis extending from back to front.
- The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the second pivot coupling pivots around a second axis extending from back to front.
- The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a second link having a first section pivotably coupled to the second section of the first link at the second pivot coupling.
- The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising the leg member disposed above the back support member, wherein the second section of the second link is pivotably coupled to the leg member at a third pivot coupling.
- The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the first pivot coupling pivots around a first axis extending from back to front.
- The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the second pivot coupling pivots around a second axis extending from back to front.
- The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the third pivot coupling pivots around a third axis extending from back to front.
- The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the second pivot coupling is disposed above the third pivot coupling.
- The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the second pivot coupling is disposed below the third pivot coupling.
- The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a heel cup pivotably coupled to the back support member for supporting a back surface of a heel, wherein the heel cup is disposed below the back support member.
- The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the back support member pivots in a forward and backward direction relative to the heel cup.
- The apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising a stopper mechanism for limiting pivoting of the back support member in the backward direction.
- The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a third link having a first section pivotably coupled to the second section of the second link at the third pivot coupling and a second section pivotably coupled to the back support member at a fourth pivot coupling.
- The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the first pivot coupling pivots around a first axis extending from back to front, wherein the second pivot coupling pivots around a second axis extending from back to front, wherein the third pivot coupling pivots around a third axis extending from back to front, and wherein the fourth pivot coupling pivots around a fourth axis that extends from rear to front.
- The apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising the leg member disposed above the back support member, wherein the second link is fixedly secured relative to the leg member.
- A snowboard boot comprising:a sole section;a toe section disposed in the front of the boot;a heel section disposed in the rear of the boot;a leg section extending upwardly from the sole section;a heel cup disposed in the heel section for supporting a back surface of a heel;a back support member disposed above the heel cup for supporting a back surface of an ankle;
wherein the back support member pivots in a forward and backward direction;a linking mechanism coupled between the back support member and the leg section; and
wherein the linking mechanism includes a first pivot coupling and a second pivot coupling.
Applications Claiming Priority (9)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP33356197 | 1997-11-18 | ||
JP333561/97 | 1997-11-18 | ||
JP33356197 | 1997-11-18 | ||
JP365728/97 | 1997-12-22 | ||
JP36572897 | 1997-12-22 | ||
JP36572897 | 1997-12-22 | ||
JP10191103A JP3014091B2 (en) | 1997-11-18 | 1998-07-07 | Back support system for snowboard boots |
JP191103/98 | 1998-07-07 | ||
JP19110398 | 1998-07-07 |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0916271A2 true EP0916271A2 (en) | 1999-05-19 |
EP0916271A3 EP0916271A3 (en) | 2001-02-14 |
EP0916271B1 EP0916271B1 (en) | 2004-07-28 |
Family
ID=27326443
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19980118369 Expired - Lifetime EP0916271B1 (en) | 1997-11-18 | 1998-09-29 | Multiple jointed back support system for a snowboard boot |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0916271B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP3014091B2 (en) |
CN (1) | CN1135079C (en) |
DE (1) | DE69825235T2 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1033085A1 (en) * | 1999-03-03 | 2000-09-06 | Shimano Inc. | Active highback system for a snowboard boot |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB201522642D0 (en) * | 2015-12-22 | 2016-02-03 | Leatt Corp | Protective footwear |
EP3547867B1 (en) | 2016-12-02 | 2021-07-21 | Nike Innovate C.V. | Footwear with aligned tensile restraints |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE3622746A1 (en) | 1986-07-07 | 1988-01-21 | Markus Laemmert | Binding for monoski |
EP0646334A1 (en) | 1993-10-01 | 1995-04-05 | U.S.P. Unique Sports Products Marketing und Vertriebs GmbH | Snowboard shoe |
FR2719197A1 (en) | 1994-04-29 | 1995-11-03 | Salomon Sa | Ski boot with displaceable collar |
IT1255752B (en) | 1992-05-22 | 1995-11-15 | Boot for snowboarding, fitted with means for inclination that are adjustable and assisted by the foot | |
EP0772982A2 (en) | 1995-11-10 | 1997-05-14 | Shimano Inc. | Snowboard boot |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
IT1279260B1 (en) * | 1995-01-31 | 1997-12-09 | Nordica Spa | SUPPORT DEVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR SPORTS FOOTWEAR |
US5832635A (en) * | 1997-01-17 | 1998-11-10 | Items International, Inc. | Apparatus for adjusting the forward lean and flexibility of footwear |
ATE253305T1 (en) * | 1997-01-17 | 2003-11-15 | Vans Inc | ANKLE SUPPORT FOR SNOWBOARD BOOTS |
-
1998
- 1998-07-07 JP JP10191103A patent/JP3014091B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-09-25 CN CNB981207405A patent/CN1135079C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-09-29 EP EP19980118369 patent/EP0916271B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1998-09-29 DE DE69825235T patent/DE69825235T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE3622746A1 (en) | 1986-07-07 | 1988-01-21 | Markus Laemmert | Binding for monoski |
IT1255752B (en) | 1992-05-22 | 1995-11-15 | Boot for snowboarding, fitted with means for inclination that are adjustable and assisted by the foot | |
EP0646334A1 (en) | 1993-10-01 | 1995-04-05 | U.S.P. Unique Sports Products Marketing und Vertriebs GmbH | Snowboard shoe |
FR2719197A1 (en) | 1994-04-29 | 1995-11-03 | Salomon Sa | Ski boot with displaceable collar |
EP0772982A2 (en) | 1995-11-10 | 1997-05-14 | Shimano Inc. | Snowboard boot |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1033085A1 (en) * | 1999-03-03 | 2000-09-06 | Shimano Inc. | Active highback system for a snowboard boot |
US6231066B1 (en) | 1999-03-03 | 2001-05-15 | Shimano Inc. | Active highback system for a snowboard boot |
US6325405B2 (en) | 1999-03-03 | 2001-12-04 | Shimano Inc. | Active highback system for a snowboard boot |
US6398246B1 (en) | 1999-03-03 | 2002-06-04 | Shimano Inc. | Active highback system for a snowboard boot |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CN1217169A (en) | 1999-05-26 |
EP0916271B1 (en) | 2004-07-28 |
CN1135079C (en) | 2004-01-21 |
EP0916271A3 (en) | 2001-02-14 |
JPH11239501A (en) | 1999-09-07 |
JP3014091B2 (en) | 2000-02-28 |
DE69825235D1 (en) | 2004-09-02 |
DE69825235T2 (en) | 2004-11-18 |
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