EP0968664B1 - Ski boot - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ski boot comprising a first part consisting essentially a sole and a stem wrapping the foot and the malleolar region and a second part constituted of a hinged collar relative to the rod so to allow movement of the collar from front to back and vice versa, and retaining means of the collar opposing tilting of the collar backwards, but yielding when the effort tends to shift the collar exceeds a certain value.

Such construction is intended to protect the skier's knees, specifically the cruciate ligament previous, when excessive forward force is exerted on the tibia relative to the femur. He was observed that ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament due to excessive effort of this type have increased in a very great extent while the injuries of others types, particularly fractures of the leg and ankle have significantly decreased due to progress made in safety bindings. A excessive strain on the anterior cruciate ligament produced especially during a passage of hump, that this either jumping, receiving, or going down quickly the bump.

From US Patent 5,107,608 a shoe is already known equipped with a tripping restraint intended to protect the anterior cruciate ligament in case excessive stress. This device comprises a lock in bent lever shape of the first kind retained by a spring. In case of excessive force on the collar, the spring fails to hold the lock, which flip and release the collar. Such a device has the disadvantage that it can not be initial position by the skier. It is furthermore relatively bulky.

From the international application WO 97/22 271, it is known in addition a ski boot also equipped with a restraining device in case of effort excessive on the collar, towards the back. These measures consists of a spring-loaded toggle, of which the joint presents a game allowing a certain longitudinal displacement of the hinge axis in the lower element of the knee pad, and whose elements come into abutment, at a point situated at a certain distance from the hinge axis, at the end of a race lower than the possible displacement of axis. The elements of the knee pad having arrived in stop and the spring of the knee pad having already undergone some compression, if the stress on the collar continues to grow there is a pivotal elements of the knee pad around their fulcrum and the knee trigger triggers if its articulation exceeds the alignment of the articulation points of the knee pad to the upper and collar. This device has the advantage of being able to be brought back to the initial position by the skier, but it is relatively complex and cumbersome.

In order to protect the anterior cruciate ligament knee it was also proposed to introduce a simple spring in a shoe closure device of ski linking the back cuff to the hull of a shoe with rear entry (EP-B1-0 410 136). In the corresponding published patent application it is question of a security device ensuring the opening of the closing device of the shoe, but the document gives no example of realization.

Also for a shoe with rear entry, the Patent Application EP 0 514 762 discloses devices exhaust protection mounted on the cuff before or on the hull and releasing a strap or a cable closure this cuff when a pressure on the back cuff exceeds a value determined.

The object of the invention is to provide means of retained according to a different principle that may be executed by simple means and low footprint.

The shoe according to the invention is characterized in that that the retaining means consist of essentially a ramp directly related to one of the parts of the shoe and against which comes to rely on a support element directly linked to the other part of the shoe, the ramp and the support element can repel each other against the action of a elastic means so as to allow the tilting of the collar, said means having a position exhaust allowing a free switchover in back of the necklace.

In the case of a shoe whose collar is articulated on the stem in the malleolar region, the ramp can be for example formed on the back of the stem and cooperate with a retractable finger mounted on the necklace.

According to another embodiment, in which the shoe is equipped with a stirrup surrounding the heel and articulated in the malleolar region above the collar, the ramp can be formed at the end upper ratchet retaining bracket and the support element may be constituted by the edge lower collar, tilting ratchet allowing its escape from its stop and the tilting of the stirrup and collar.

According to another embodiment, the ramp is formed by the rounded end of a finger attached to the necklace, on the back of this necklace and directed downwards, and the support element is constituted at least two balls retained laterally by opposing ramps diverging down and up which they are maintained by the thrust of a spring so as to oppose the passage of the finger, as long as the spring has not been compressed so as to allow the separation of the balls and the passage of the finger.

The invention is also applicable to a shoe whose collar is articulated by its end lower back on the stem. In this case, the ramp can be formed on one end, in the form of hook, at least one pivotally mounted lever on at least one side of the rod, the support element being consisting of a stud or similar integral necklace and whose pressure on the ramp tends to make rotate the lever backwards until the exhaust his hook.

Other particular embodiments of the invention are indicated in claims 3,4,8.

In any case the safety restraint is resettable by the user.

The appended drawing represents, by way of example, some embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 is a snatch from the back part of a partially represented ski boot, according to a first mode of execution.

FIG. 2 is a partial view of a second form execution.

Figure 3 is a snatch from the back part of a ski boot according to a third embodiment, in the rest position.

Figure 4 shows the same shoe in position trigger back.

Figure 5 is a snatch from the back part of a shoe according to a fourth embodiment.

Figures 6 and 7 show, in axial section, the retaining device for the shoe shown in FIG. 5, respectively in the retaining position and in trigger position.

Figure 8 shows the restraint device inoperative position, rest or walk.

Figure 9 is a sectional view along IX-IX figure 7.

The ski boot whose rear part is represented in Figure 1 is constituted essentially of a shell 1 forming the rod 2 and the sole 3 of the shoe, the upper 2 extending substantially above the malleolar region, and of a collar 4 hinged on the rod 2, in the region malleolar, in two opposite points 5. The rest of the shoe can be made in any known way, the stem and collar usually having loops closing and tightening. The bottom edge posterior collar 4 has an extra thickness 6 in which is formed a hole 7 whose axis is directed substantially perpendicular to the surface of the rod 2, in the median longitudinal plane of the shoe. In this hole 7 is mounted a finger retractable 8 pushed by a spring 9 based on a threaded plug 10, that is to say a screw allowing modify the precompression of the spring 9. The finger retractable 8 leans against the bottom of a housing 11 formed in the thickness of the rod 2. The housing 11 is bounded down by a first ramp 12 and towards the high by a second ramp 13. In the position represented in the drawing, the collar is slightly tilted forward. When the necklace tends to stand up, finger 8 comes to bear against the at the bottom of the ramp 12. When a force on the leg tendency to tilt collar 4 backwards, that is to say in the direction of clockwise on the drawing, the retractable finger 8 slides on the ramp 12 by compressing the spring 9. When the force is sufficient, the retractable finger 8 gets to the end of the ramp 12 where it escapes from the housing 11 sliding on an exhaust ramp 14 formed on the rod 2. This ramp 14 allows on the other hand bring the collar 4 back to the position shown in drawing.

The upper ramp 13 makes it possible to control an effort of tipping forward.

For the sake of simplification, the hull, the rod and the shoe collar will be designated by the same references in the following execution modes.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. necklace 14 is hinged from behind, at its point the lower, on the rod 2, around an axis 15. At least on one side of the shoe, the collar 4 is provided with a nipple or stud 16 on which a lever is supported 17 rotatably mounted on the rod 2 about an axis 18 and which is urged to rotate forward, that is to say counterclockwise, by a spring 19 schematically represented by a spiral spring. The end 20 of the lever 17 is hook-shaped coming to rest on the stud 16 by a ramp 21 oblique and ascending towards the anterior border lower collar 4. In other words, the inclination of this ramp is such that during a solicitation of the collar 4 in rear rotation, the force exerted by the stud 16 on the ramp is substantially perpendicular to this ramp. She is breaks down into two forces, one of which tends to pivot lever 17 backwards against the action of the spring 19. The stud 16 slides on the ramp 21 and when the effort is sufficient, it escapes from the hook 20 and the collar 4 can tilt backwards in following the movement of the leg.

The shoe according to the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 includes, in addition to the hinged collar 4 at a point 5 in the malleolar region lower, a stirrup 22 wrapping the heel and articulated in two opposite points 23 below articulation 5. Such a stirrup is known in particular the shoe described in US Pat. No. 4,839,973. this stirrup 22 is hinged a pawl 24 around a horizontal axis 25. This pawl 24 is supported by its spout 26 on a bearing 27 of the rod 2 forming a stop. The ratchet 24 is held in this position by a spring 28. The end of the upper arm of the pawl 24 has a ramp 29 descending behind the shoe. The necklace 4 has, at the back, a extension 30 extending down towards the ramp 29. The collar 4 is kept apart from the stirrup 22 by at least one spring 31 working in compression between the collar 4 and the stirrup 22.

When the collar 4 is biased to tilt back, its part 30 abuts on the ramp 29. This pressure tends to tip the ratchet 24 so as to spread its beak from the stem 2. When the pressure of the collar 4 reaches a certain value, the pawl 24 escapes from its stop 27 (FIG. 4) allowing the tilting back of the stirrup 22 and collar 4.

It should be emphasized that the main spring is the spring 31, the spring 28 being a spring of reminder of the ratchet. The strength of this spring 28 is such that the pawl 24 can be easily squeezed by hand in order to allow the liberalization of the collar 4 and its recovery in the rest or walking position.

As in the first embodiment, precompression spring 31 could be adjusted by means of a screw cap.

The restraint of the shoe shown in figures 5 to 9 also uses a principle of the ramp. The shoe is again a shoe to 4 articulated necklace in 5 in the malleolar region. The ramp of the retainer is formed by the rounded end 32, for example in a portion of sphere, of a finger 33 of section at least approximately rectangular, retained axially in an excess thickness 34 of the lower rear edge of the collar 4 and whose axis is oriented approximately vertically. This finger 33 is engaged in a hole 35 of an excess thickness 36 of the rod 2 in which is formed a housing 37 containing a spring 38. The part upper of this housing 37 has a narrowing of frustoconical shape 39. In this housing are arranged two diametrically opposed balls 40 and held in rotation around the axis of housing by unrepresented throats. These balls 40 are based on a metal washer 41 which itself builds on the spring 38 precompressed. In rest position (FIG. 6) the balls 40 are in abutment against the forehead upper housing 37 and prevent the free passage finger 33 between the balls, when the finger is oriented as shown in Figure 6 ..

In this position of the finger 33, when the collar 4 is heavily loaded with tipping backwards, the finger 33 pushes the balls down 40 in compressing spring 38. As and when down, the balls 40 deviate from each other in because of the taper of Part 39. A certain moment, the balls are sufficiently apart one of the other to allow the passage of the finger 33 and the corresponding tilting of the collar 4.

If one turns the finger 33 around its axis, by example of 90 °, as shown in Figure 8, the finger 33 can pass freely and effortlessly between balls 40. This gives a relaxation position or walk. For its rotation, finger 33 is everything simply provided with a knurled head 42 having two positioning marks.

The bottom of the housing 37 could be provided with a cap threaded for adjusting the spring precompression 38.

Claims (8)

1. Ski boot comprising a first component (1), consisting essentially of a sole and an upper (2) which encloses the foot and the malleolar region, and a second component (4) consisting of a lower-leg cuff (4) which is articulated with respect to the upper so as to allow the cuff to move from front to rear and vice versa, and means for retaining the cuff which counteract the rearward tilting of the cuff but give way when the force tending to tilt the cuff exceeds a specific value, characterized in that the retaining means consist essentially of a ramp (12; 21; 29; 32) which is directly bound to one of the components of the boot and against which a bearing element (8; 16; 30; 40) directly bound to the other component of the boot bears, the ramp and the bearing element being capable of pushing one another against the action of an elastic means (9; 19; 31; 38) so as to allow the cuff to tilt, said retaining means having an escape position allowing the cuff to tilt freely rearward.
2. Ski boot as claimed in claim 1, the cuff of which is articulated to the upper in the malleolar region, characterized in that the ramp (12) is situated on the back of the upper, and is followed by a compensating reverse ramp (14), and the bearing element consists of a retractable finger (8) mounted in the cuff, at least approximately perpendicular to the upper.
3. Ski boot as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the spring (9) bears against a screw (10) allowing the force of the spring to be adjusted.
4. Ski boot as claimed in claim 2 or 3,
   characterized in that said ramp (12) forms the lower side of a recess (11) whose upper side is also formed with a ramp (13) for forward retention of the cuff.
5. Boot as claimed in claim 1, the cuff of which is articulated at the rear of the upper, characterized in that said ramp (21) is formed on a hook-shaped end (20) of a lever (17) mounted so as to pivot on at least one side of the upper, and the bearing elements consists of a pin or stud (16) integral with the cuff.
6. Ski boot as claimed in claim 1, the cuff of which is articulated to the upper in the malleolar region and which is equipped with a stirrup (22) which surrounds the heel and is articulated in the malleolar region (23) below the cuff, this stirrup being equipped with a catch (24) which is articulated about a horizontal axis and bears on a stop (27) of the upper lying below the catch so as to prevent the stirrup from tilting rearward, the catch being held in the engaged position by a catch spring (28), characterized in that said ramp (29) is formed on the upper end of the catch, the bearing element (30) lies on the lower edge of the cuff and the elastic means consists of at least one spring (31) working in compression between the cuff and the stirrup, the cuff being allowed to tilt when the clip escapes from its stop under the effect of the pressure exerted by the cuff.
7. Ski boot as claimed in claim 1, the cuff of which is articulated to the upper in the malleolar region, characterized in that the ramp consists of the rounded end (32) of a finger (33) integral with the cuff, at the rear of this cuff and directed downward, and the bearing element consists of at least two balls which are retained laterally by opposing ramps that converge upward and are held at the top of the latter by the thrust exerted by said elastic means (38) so as to oppose passage of said finger, so that compression of the elastic means by said finger allows the balls to move apart and said finger to pass between the balls.
8. Ski boot as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the finger (33) is of noncircular, in particular rectangular, cross-section so that it can occupy at least two positions about its axis, one in which it abuts against said balls (40) and another in which it does not encounter the balls.

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