EP1104251A1

EP1104251A1 - Cross-country ski boot

Info

Publication number: EP1104251A1
Application number: EP00922765A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bruno Lancon
Original assignee: Salomon SAS
Current assignee: Salomon SAS
Priority date: 1999-05-12
Filing date: 2000-04-27
Publication date: 2001-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 2020-04-27
Also published as: NO20010101D0; EP1104251B1; NO318339B1; DE60020931D1; FR2793391B1; DE60020931T2; FR2793391A1; NO20010101L; WO2000069298A1; ATE298210T1; US6453580B1

Abstract

A cross-country ski boot having a collar that is pivotally mounted by journals on an upper, and a device for retaining the collar that is active from a angular position and only in the front-to-rear direction by means of a fixed abutment located on the upper. The retaining device, located in the rear portion of the boot, includes a support mechanism that can be adjusted between two different positions with respect to the fixed abutment, one of the positions placing the support mechanism in cooperation with the latter and the other retracting it from the latter. The invention makes it possible to adapt a single type of cross-country ski boot for two different techniques such as the alternating step and the skating step.

Description

Cross-country ski boot

The invention relates to a cross-country ski boot comprising a collar pivotally mounted on a rod provided with a sole and relates to a device for adjusting the movement of the collar towards the rear, from a determined initial angular position, in order to allow the choice, the adaptation of the shoe for the technique of the alternative step or the skater's step.

Known cross-country ski boots of this type generally have a relatively low upper, which shoes the foot, on which a collar, which surrounds the lower leg, is pivotally mounted by means of assembly means allowing its removable. Thus, for the skater's step technique, the collar is left in place in order to provide rear support at the lower leg as well as good lateral hold of the ankle and vice versa, for the alternative step technique, the collar is removed. in order to offer maximum freedom of movement to the ankle joint, especially in the direction of anteroposterior extension. These means of assembling the collar on the rod therefore constitute the equivalent of an adjustment device since they allow, as desired, to adapt a single type of cross-country boot for two different techniques of cross-country skiing. By way of example, mention may be made of the German utility model DE 295 18 019 and the European patent EP 486 801 which describe such long-distance shoes.

Other cross-country ski boots are also known, the swivel collar of which can be adjusted relative to the low upper in order to offer more or less freedom of movement at the ankle joint in the direction of the anteroposterior extension. International patent application WO 91/07889 describes such a shoe and shows in particular an adjustment device which, situated at the level of the pivot axis of the collar on the low rod, makes it possible to provide the collar with more or less clearance in the anteroposterior direction.

To do this, a fixed stop integral with the collar cooperates, at the articulation of the latter, with an adjustable stop in position on the lower upper of the shoe. It emerges from this construction that it is the modification of the position of the adjustable stop on the low rod which determines the pivot limit of the collar in the anteroposterior direction. Consequently, it is possible to offer sufficient freedom of movement to the ankle joint, in the anteroposterior direction, for the alternative step technique despite the presence of the collar.

In addition, still using the adjustable stop, it is possible to limit the tilting of the collar backwards in order to provide rear support at the bottom of the leg useful for bringing the ski back to the end of propulsion during the technique of not the skater. The adjustment device implemented at the articulation of the collar therefore makes it possible, as in the previous examples, to adapt a single type of cross-country ski boot for two different techniques of cross-country skiing, and there, without disassembly of the collar.

On the other hand, it has the drawback of requiring the use of materials with high mechanical characteristics in order to produce the various constituent parts of the adjustment device, as well as those of the collar and the rod. Indeed, the necklace operating according to the lever principle, the forces applied to it are multiplied considerably at the level of the stops because they are very close to its pivot axis. They must, therefore, be very resistant as well as the parts which carry them, which leads to a shoe whose overall structure is relatively rigid. In addition, the shoe proves to be uncomfortable because the cooperation of the stops between them always results in a firm support having repercussions like a shock on the posterior part of the lower leg, in particular during the extension of the foot.

Of course, known cross-country ski boots which are more specifically designed for the skating step technique, such as that described in Swiss patent CH 675 951, can nevertheless be used for the alternative step technique. According to this document, the cross-country ski boot has a collar pivotally mounted by articulations on a rod provided with a sole and a device for retaining the active collar from a determined angular position of the collar relative to the rod and only in the antero-posterior direction. To this end, the device is placed in the rear part of the shoe and comprises, on the upper, a fixed stop functional only in the up - down direction with the rear lower edge of the collar. In this way, the collar is stopped pivoting backwards by the fixed stop of the rod and remains free to pivot forward. This construction therefore allows the flexion movement of the ankle during the "regrouping" phase in the execution of the alternating step. On the other hand, in such a use, the freedom of movement of the ankle in the antero-posterior direction is very limited because of the locking of the collar in pivoting towards the rear. This limitation has the consequence of forcing the user to execute steps of small amplitude otherwise the posterior part of his lower leg is subjected to painful pressures in the zone of contact with the upper edge of the collar.

In fact, we note that even by taking gestural precautions, the repetition of alternative steps still produces irritation, heating, pain, etc., which means that these shoes are very little used for the alternative step.

A partial solution to this dual use of a cross-country ski boot, which does not include an adjustment device to optimize its adaptation to the alternating pitch or to the skater's pitch, is presented with the boot taught in the European patent application EP 596 281. In fact, in this shoe, the locking of the collar in pivoting towards the rear is progressive thanks to the use of an elastic damping element between the collar and the rod which serves as a support means, and this element can be provided more or less flexible. The support on the upper edge of the collar is therefore more flexible, more cushioned than in the bottom shoes of the type described in patent CH 675 951, which avoids collisions with the rear part of the lower leg. The fact remains that the repetition of the alternative steps generates in the long run irritations, overheating, ... etc., Because the collar cannot tilt freely backwards, that is to say without meeting the elastic resistance of the support means. Ultimately, we see that these shoes with cushioning of the rear support remain, as for the previous shoes, of a really occasional use in technique of the alternative step because they cause in the long run the same inconveniences of comfort.

The object of the invention is to propose a cross-country ski boot with a swivel collar which is easily adaptable to meet the specific characteristics of the techniques of the alternating step and the skater's step, in particular without it being necessary to disassemble the collar and without intervening at the level of the latter's pivot axis.

The invention aims in particular to use an adjustable collar retaining device capable on the one hand, of maintaining the latter in the anteroposterior direction in an angular position determined with respect to the rod adapted for the skating step technique and on the other hand, to release the collar by pivoting backwards to allow the technique of the alternating pitch, whether or not the collar comprises an elastic damping element interacting between it and the rod.

More specifically, the device is designed to be able to release the collar in pivoting towards the rear over a pivoting amplitude at least sufficient to allow the extension of the ankle and the foot of the rear leg at the end of the thrust in the step technique. alternative; conversely, the retaining device is also provided in order to be able to block the collar in pivoting towards the rear, in order to provide rear support at the bottom of the leg useful for bringing the ski at the end of propulsion in the skater's step technique.

To achieve this goal, the cross-country ski boot has a collar pivotally mounted by articulations on a rod, and a collar retention device active from a determined angular position and only in the antero-posterior direction by means of 'A fixed stop located on the upper, the device being placed in the rear part of the shoe. It is characterized by the fact that the retaining device comprises a support means adjustable between two different positions relative to the fixed stop, one of the positions bringing the support means to cooperate with the stop and the other position retracting it from the stop.

By these provisions it is easy to adapt the shoe for the technique of alternating or skating steps because it suffices to move the support means relative to the stop without any other operation to modify - adjust the amplitude of the possible movement of the collar backwards from its initial angular position. In addition, because the support means and the stopper are arranged in the rear part of the shoe, therefore at a distance distant from the articulations of the collar, it is not necessary to use materials with high mechanical characteristics to make the various component parts of the adjustment device; in fact, given the distance of the adjustment device from the articulations of the collar, the latter has less leverage than in the case of known shoes which include an adjustment device located at the articulations as described above with reference to document WO 91/07889.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the cross-country ski boot has an elastic damping element interposed between the collar and the upper in the rear part of the boot and it is on this elastic element that the means d adjustable support retainer is fixed. This elastic element can obviously be independent of the collar or integral with it as is taught in document EP 0 596 281.

In a preferred construction, the elastic damping element is constituted by a flexible blade which extends over and opposite the fixed stop surrounding the rear part of the rod and the ends of which are integral with the collar at the joints thereof on the rod; the adjustable support means is, in this case, mounted on the flexible blade so as to be approximately centered relative to the articulations of the collar.

According to another embodiment, the cross-country ski boot comprises a collar devoid of damping means between it and the upper, the adjustable support means of the retaining device then being directly fixed on the rear part of the collar.

Of course, whatever the structure of the shoe collar, that is to say with or without an elastic damping element, the adjustable support means can be produced in various ways and its operation can proceed by pivoting, sliding, tilting, etc

According to one example, the adjustable support means is constituted by a pivoting part which can be tilted between two angular positions approximately 180 °. This part is obtained with an eccentric part having a profiled end intended to come to cooperate with the fixed stop located on the rod in an angular position and retracting from this fixed stop in the other angular position, thus releasing the collar in pivoting towards the back.

According to another example, the adjustable support means consists of a movable appendage which is guided in the rear part of the collar, this appendage being engaged above the fixed stop of the rod for the adjustment position corresponding to the blocking of the collar pivoting backwards and being released from the fixed stop for the other adjustment position which corresponds to the release of the collar towards the rear. The mobile appendage can advantageously constitute the extension of the free end of a flexible tongue rotatably fixed on the rear part of the collar and its guidance can be done through an opening situated in correspondence with the fixed stop. The disengagement of the appendix relative to the latter is then effected by the withdrawal of the flexible tongue followed by a lateral rotation relative to the guide opening.

Of course, the movable appendage can also be slidably mounted in a slide which makes it trapped in the rear part of the collar which carries it. In this case, an actuator easily accessible from the outside of the collar is provided to be able to move it between two extreme adjustment positions in one of which it is engaged above the fixed stop and in the other it is clear.

In the example of construction of the collar with an elastic damping element between it and the rod, the adjustable support means can be constituted by a removable part which is fixed by elastic clamping on this damping element; in order to present two possible adjustment positions, this removable part is intended to be turned 180 ° and is produced approximately on the shape of a U, one vertical branch of which is considerably thicker than the other. In this way the thickest vertical branch cooperates with the stop fixed located on the rod in a position for adjusting the support means and retracts from this stop by turning it 180 ° by placing the thinnest vertical branch of the U opposite the stop for the other adjustment position. In fact we play on the difference in thickness of the vertical branches of the U to cooperate or not the support means with the fixed stop.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the adjustable support means is constituted on the one hand, by an elastic damping element interacting between the collar and the stop of the rod and on the other hand, by a system with lever-cable tensioner capable of retracting said elastic element from the fixed stopper by moving it away from it by a certain distance in order to provide the collar with a possibility of tilting backwards by a certain amplitude and the limit of which is determined by the resumption of support of the damping element on the stop.

In this alternative embodiment, the elastic damping element may consist of an elastic blade which, fixed to the collar at its joints on the rod, surrounds the rear part of the latter.

The invention will moreover be better understood by referring to the description which follows with reference to the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, several embodiments.

Figure 1 illustrates, schematically, a cross-country skier in the gesture of end of push in alternative step technique highlighting, on the rear leg, the extension of the ankle and the foot and the repercussion of these movements on the parts of the shoe.

Figure 2 shows in more detail the operation of the shoe in the end of pushing gesture where the adjustable support means of the collar retaining device is retracted from the fixed stop of the rod.

Figure 3 shows the same shoe as that of Figure 2 in the initial position and adapted for the skating step technique, the adjustable support means of the collar retaining device cooperating with the fixed stop of the rod.

FIG. 4 represents another embodiment of the adjustable support means of the retaining device applied to a shoe of the same type as that of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate another embodiment of the collar retaining device in which an elastic damping element interacting between the rod and the collar is used to release the latter in pivoting backwards.

Figures 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the adjustable support means implemented on a shoe having no elastic damping element disposed between the collar and the rod.

As mentioned above, the practice of cross-country skiing in alternative pitch technique requires that the ankle joint can have a great freedom of movement while in skater pitch technique it is advantageous to limit the amplitude of this movement. More specifically, in skating step technique, the collar must provide rear support at the bottom of the leg useful for bringing the ski 7 back to the end of the propulsion phase, while in alternative step technique, as illustrated in the figure. 1, the collar 2 of the shoe 6 must allow the extension of the ankle and the foot of the rear leg 1 at the end of the push, therefore without rear support for the lower leg. This extension of the ankle and the foot results in the shoe 6, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, by the pivoting of the collar 2 in the anteroposterior direction, according to an angular amplitude α, from its position initial indicated by the axis line 0 with respect to the upper 3 and its sole 4. In fact this value α, which is moreover variable since it results from the skier's gestural deployment, corresponds to the difference in angle between the maximum extension angle αl and the angle α2 of the initial position 0 of the collar 2, by turning on its articulations 4 situated substantially in correspondence with the ankle of the skier.

To allow this adaptation of the boot 6 to one and the other of the cross-country skiing techniques mentioned, a retaining device 10 for the collar 2, placed in its rear part 8, is provided with a support means 11 adjustable between two different positions and the rod 3 is provided with a fixed stop 9. The support means 11 and the fixed stop 9 are located opposite so that one of the positions places the means d support 11 in cooperation with the stop 9, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and that the other position retracts the stop 9, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In this example of construction, the cross-country ski boot has a collar 2 comprising an elastic damping element 12 which extends in the rear part 8 of the boot and the adjustable support means 11 is mounted thereon. This element 12 is constituted by a flexible blade 12 which surrounds the rear part 9 and whose ends 12 ′ are integral with the collar 2 at the joints 4 of the latter. Preferably, the support means 1 1 is approximately centered on the flexible blade 12 relative to the ends 12 ′ of the latter and of the articulations 4 of the collar 2; in this way the support means 11 and the fixed stop 9 are in the position as far as possible from the joints 4, which minimizes the "lever effect" of the collar 2 and thus the forces transmitted, and makes it possible to use of ordinary materials, for example plastic.

Different constructions of the support means 11 are obviously possible. Thus, in this first example, the support means 11 is constituted by a pivoting part 11 which, mounted on an axis 11 ', can be tilted between two angular positions approximately 180 °, each of these positions determining a possibility of pivoting of the collar 2. For this purpose, the pivoting part 11 is obtained with an eccentric part whose profiled end 14 can be directed on and against the fixed stop 9 of the rod 3. In this position, FIG. 3, the pivoting part 11 is locked in pivoting on itself when it is biased by the collar 2 towards the rear because it arches -boute between its axis 11 'and the stop 9. The collar 2 is therefore stopped in tilting towards the rear by the pivoting part 1 1; on the other hand, conversely, in a tilting towards the front, the collar 2 is not hindered or blocked by this pivoting part 11 because the end 14 of the latter automatically moves away from the fixed stop 9 following the movement of the collar 2 which carries with it the flexible blade 12 constituting the elastic damping element. In the other adjustment position of the support means 11, that is to say of the pivoting part 11, the end 14 of the eccentric part is pivoted upwards of the collar 2. In this way, the pivoting part 11 is completely retracted from the stop 9 and frees the collar 2 from any rearward locking, at least over an angular amplitude α sufficient for the technique of the alternating pitch.

According to another construction, shown in Figure 4, the retaining device 20 has an adjustable support means 21 consisting of a removable part 21 which is fixed by elastic clamping on the elastic damping element 12, ie the flexible blade 12, belonging to the collar 2. This part 21, obtained in the form of a U, a vertical branch 22 is much thicker than the other 22 ', is designed to be mounted on the flexible blade 12 in the manner of a horserider ; as regards locking the collar 2 towards the rear, the removable part 21 is fixed from the bottom up as indicated by the arrow 25 so that it is the end of its thickest branch 22 which cooperates with stop. In this way, even if the forces transmitted by the collar 2 to the flexible blade 12 are high, the removable U-shaped part 21 remains fixed on the latter without risk of stalling.

Conversely, for the release position of the rear support of the collar 2, the removable part 21 is fixed to the flexible blade 12 from top to bottom, as indicated by the arrow 26 because there is no effort. tending to take it down. Thus, in this mounting position, it is the thinnest branch 22 ′ of the U-shaped profile of the removable part 21 which is directed towards the side of the fixed stop 9 because it remains outside the range of the latter.

According to an alternative embodiment, shown in Figures 5 and 6, the retaining device 30 has an adjustable support means 31 which is in fact made up of both the damping element 12 and specific means such as a tensioner system 32 comprising a lever 33 and a cable 34 fixed to the collar 2 of the shoe 6 and connected to said damping element 12 formed by the flexible blade. To obtain two stable adjustment positions, the lever 33 is articulated relative to the attachment points of the cable 34 so as to function as a movable hinge called "toggle". Thus, in its relaxed position, the tensioner system 32, as illustrated in FIG. 5, leaves the flexible blade 12 to bear on the fixed stop 9 of the rod 3 when the collar 2 is at an angle of inclination α2 corresponding to its initial position 0. On the other hand, in its tensioned position shown in FIG. 6, the tensioning system 32 pulls on the cable 34 and consequently retracts the flexible blade 12 from the fixed stop 9 by a certain corresponding distance movement of the cable 34 upward which is caused by the lever 33. The flexible blade 12 thus spaced from the fixed stop 9 gives the collar 2 a possibility of tilting backwards by a certain angular amplitude oc by relative to its initial position 0. This possibility of tilting finds its limit when said blade 12 resumes support on the stopper 9 because, in this alternative embodiment, there is no total erasure of the adjustable support means 31 relative to this e last. The embodiments which have just been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 which precede are applied to a type of shoe 6 provided with an elastic damping means 12 interacting between the collar 2 and the upper 3 but can, obviously , be adapted to another type of cross-country ski boot without such a cushioning means as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this cross-country ski boot 36, the collar 32 is mounted as above on a rod 3 by means of articulations 4 preferably located in the zone corresponding to the skier's ankle and a retaining device 40 is placed in its rear part 8.

This retaining device 40 is provided with an adjustable support means 41 consisting of a movable appendage guided in the rear part 8 of the collar 32, through a guide opening 46 in correspondence with the fixed stop 9. When the shoe cross-country ski 36 is adapted for the skating step technique, FIG. 7, the appendix 41 is engaged above the fixed stop 9. In this way, the collar 32 is locked in pivoting towards the rear while remaining free to pivot forward. In its other adjustment position, FIG. 8, the appendix 41 of the retaining device 40 is completely retracted from the fixed stop 9 which allows the collar 32 to freely tilt backwards by a certain angular amplitude α from its initial position 0. The shoe 36 is thus well suited to allow the extension of the ankle and the foot of the skier in the alternative pitch technique.

According to a construction detail, the appendage 41 extends the end of a flexible blade 43 which is fixed in a rotary and sliding manner on the rear part of the collar 32 by means of an assembly pin 44 and an oblong slot 45 made in the flexible blade 43. In this way the disengagement of the appendage 41 relative to the fixed stop 9 is effected by withdrawal of the free end of the flexible tongue 43 followed by sliding of that - up.

It is also conceivable to make the flexible tongue 43 simply rotating on its assembly axis 44. The disengagement of the appendage 41 is then effected by removal of the free end of the flexible tongue 43 then by lateral rotation relative to the guide opening 46.

It goes without saying that an operating member accessible from the end of the collar 32 can advantageously be associated with the movable appendage 41 or with the flexible blade 43 to facilitate gripping.

Still, other embodiments of implementation of the mobile appendage 41 are possible. For example, the mobile appendage 41 can be slidably mounted in a slide made in the rear part of the collar 32 so that it can be engaged above the fixed stop 9 for one position and disengaged from the latter in another. position.

Claims

1- Cross-country ski boot having a collar (2, 32) pivotally mounted by articulations (4) on a rod (3), and a retaining device (10, 20, 30, 40) of the collar (2, 32 ) active from a determined angular position (0), and only in the anteroposterior direction, by means of a fixed stop (9) located on the rod (3), the device (10, 20, 30, 40) being placed in the rear part (8) of the shoe (6, 36), characterized in that the retaining device (10, 20, 30, 40) comprises a support means (11, 21, 31 , 41) adjustable between two different positions relative to the fixed stop (9), one of the positions placing the support means (11, 21, 31, 41) in cooperation with the latter and the other position retracting from it.

2- cross-country ski boot according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustable support means (1 1, 21, 31) is fixed on an elastic damping element (12) belonging to the collar (2) and extending in the rear part (8) of the shoe (6) opposite the fixed stop (9) located on the upper (3) of the shoe.

3- Cross-country ski boot according to claim 2, characterized in that the elastic damping element (12) is constituted by a flexible blade (12) which extends over and opposite the fixed stop (9) surrounding the rear part of the rod (3) and whose ends (12 ') are integral with the collar (2) at the joints (4) thereof on the rod (3), the adjustable support means (11, 21, 31) being mounted on this blade approximately centered relative to the articulations of the collar.

4- Cross-country ski boot according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the adjustable support means (11) consists of a pivoting part (11) which can be switched between two angular positions approximately 180 °, this pivoting part (11) being obtained with an eccentric part having a profiled end (14) intended to come to cooperate with the fixed stop (9) located on the rod (3) in an angular position and s 'retracting from this fixed stop (9) in the other angular position thus releasing the collar (2) in pivoting towards the rear.

5- Cross-country ski boot according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the adjustable support means (21) consists of a removable part (21) which is fixed by elastic clamping on the elastic damping element (12) belonging to the collar (2), this removable part (21) being 180 ° turnable on the elastic element (12) and being approximately in the form of a U including a vertical branch ( 22), significantly thicker than the other (22 '), cooperates with the fixed stop (9) located on the rod (3) in an adjustment position of the support means (21) and retracts from this fixed stop (9) by turning it 180 ° by placing the thinnest vertical branch (22 ') of the U opposite the stop (9) for the other adjustment position.

6- Cross-country ski boot according to claim 3, characterized in that the adjustable support means (31) of the retaining device (30) consists, on the one hand, by the flexible blade (12) whose ends (12 ') are integral with the collar (2), and on the other hand, by a tensioning system (32) comprising a lever (33) and a cable (34) capable of retracting said blade flexible (12) of the fixed stop (9) away from the latter by a certain distance in order to provide the collar (2) with a possibility of tilting backwards, the limit of which is determined by the recovery of support of the flexible blade (12) on the stop (9).

7- Cross-country ski boot according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustable support means (41) consists of a movable appendage (41) which is guided in the rear part of the collar (32), this appendage (41) being engaged above the fixed stop (9) of the rod (3) for the adjustment position corresponding to the locking of the collar (32) in pivoting towards the rear and being released from the fixed stop (9 ) for the other adjustment position which corresponds to the release of the collar (32) towards the rear.

8- Cross-country ski boot according to claim 7, characterized in that the mobile appendage (41) extends the free end of a flexible tongue (43) rotatably attached to the rear part of the collar (32) , and in that the movable appendage (41) is guided through an opening (46) corresponding to the fixed stop (9) located on the rod (3), the disengagement of the appendix (41) by relative to the stop (9) effected by the withdrawal of the tongue (43) followed by a lateral rotation relative to the guide opening (46).

9- Cross-country ski boot according to claim 7, characterized in that the movable appendage (41) comprises an operating member accessible from the outside of the collar (32) and slides in a slide made in the rear part of the latter between two extreme positions in one of which it is engaged above the fixed stop (9) and in the other it is disengaged.