EP1104251B1 - Cross-country ski boot - Google Patents

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

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

Known cross-country ski boots of this type generally have a shank relatively low, which shoes the foot, on which a collar, which surrounds the lower leg, is pivotally mounted by means of assembly means permitting its removability. Thus, for the technique of the skater's step, the collar is left in place in order to provide back support to the lower leg and a good lateral hold of the ankle and conversely, for the alternative step technique, the collar is removed to offer maximum freedom of movement at the ankle joint especially in the direction of extension anteroposterior. These assembly means of the collar on the stem therefore constitute the equivalent of an adjustment device since they make it possible to adapt a single type of bottom shoe for two different techniques of cross-country skiing. For example, we can quote the German utility model DE 295 18 019 and the European patent EP 486 801 which describe such footwear.

We also know other cross-country ski boots whose swivel collar can be adjusted compared to the low stem in order to offer more or less freedom of movement to the ankle joint in the direction of anteroposterior extension. The request for WO 91/07889 discloses such a shoe and shows in particular a adjusting device which, located at the level of the pivot axis of the collar on the lower stem, allows to provide the collar more or less deflection in the anteroposterior direction.

To do this, a fixed stop fixed to the collar cooperates, at the joint of this last, with an adjustable stop in position on the lower stem of the shoe. It emerges from this construction that it is the modification of the position of the adjustable stop on the lower stem which determines the limit of pivoting of the collar in the anteroposterior direction. Therefore, we can provide sufficient freedom of movement to the ankle joint, in the anteroposterior, for the technique of the alternative step despite the presence of the collar.

In addition, always using the adjustable stop, it is possible to limit the tilting of the collar to the rear to provide a useful lower leg support to bring the ski at the end of propulsion during the technique of the skater's step. The setting device set the joint of the collar therefore allows, as in the examples to adapt a single type of cross-country ski boot for two techniques different from cross-country skiing, and there, without disassembly of the collar.

However, it has the disadvantage of requiring the use of high mechanical characteristics to achieve the different constituent parts of the adjusting 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 durable as well as the parts that wear them, which leads to a shoe whose overall structure is relatively rigid. Of more, the shoe is not very comfortable because the cooperation of the stops between them is translated always by firm support echoing like a shock on the posterior part of the bottom of leg, especially when extending the foot.

Of course, known cross-country ski boots that are more specifically designed for the technique of the skater's step, such as that described in the Swiss patent CH 675 951, can still be used for the alternative step technique. According to this document cross-country ski boot has a collar pivotally mounted by joints on a rod provided with a sole and an active collar retainer from an angular position determined from the collar with respect to the stem and only in the anteroposterior direction. In this effect, the device is placed in the rear part of the shoe and comprises, on the stem, a fixed stop functional only in the up-down direction with the bottom edge posterior of the necklace. In this way, the collar is stopped by pivoting backwards by the fixed stop of the rod and remains free to pivot forward. This construction therefore allows the bending movement of the ankle during the "regrouping" phase in the execution of not alternative. 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 pivoting to the rear. This limitation has the consequence of compelling the user to execute steps of low amplitude otherwise the posterior part of his lower leg is subject to painful pressures in the area of contact with the upper border of the collar.

In fact, we can see that even taking gestural precautions, the repetition of steps alternates produces irritations, warm-ups, pains, etc., which make these shoes are used very little for the alternative step.

A partial solution to this dual use of a cross-country ski boot, which does not include no adjustment device to optimize its adaptation to the alternative step or the pitch of the skater, comes with the shoe taught in the European patent application EP 596 281. Indeed, in this shoe the locking of the collar pivoting backwards is progressive thanks to the implementation 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 softer, more cushioned than in the footwear of the type described in patent CH 675 951, which avoids clashes with the posterior part of the lower leg. Nevertheless, the repetition of alternative steps in the long run causes irritations, warm-ups, ... etc., because the collar can not freely swing backwards, that is to say without encountering the elastic resistance of the medium support. In the end, we realize that these shoes with damping of the back support remain, as for previous shoes, a really casual use in alternative step technique as 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 pivoting collar that is easily adaptable to meet the specific characteristics of step techniques alternative and skating pace, in particular without having to proceed to disassembly of the collar and without intervening at the pivot axis of the latter.

The invention aims in particular at using an adjustable collar retaining device capable of on the one hand, to maintain the latter in the anteroposterior direction in an angular position determined with respect to the rod adapted for the skating step technique and secondly, release the collar pivoting backwards to allow the technique of the alternative step, the collar comprising an elastic damping element interacting with it and the rod.

More specifically, the device is provided to be able to release the collar pivoting towards the rear on a pivot amplitude at least sufficient to allow the extension of the ankle and foot of the back leg at the end of the push in the technique of the alternative step; conversely, the retaining device is also provided to be able to lock the collar pivoting backwards, in order to provide a useful lower leg support to bring the ski at the end of propulsion in the skating step technique.

To achieve this goal, the cross-country ski boot has a collar pivotally mounted by joints on a rod, and an active collar retainer from a position defined angle and only in the anteroposterior direction by means of a fixed stop located on the stem, the device being placed in the rear part of the shoe. She is characterized in that the retaining device comprises an adjustable support means between two different positions with respect to the fixed stop, one of the positions bringing the means support to cooperate with the stop and the other position the retractor of the stop.

By these provisions it is easy to adapt the shoe for the technique of the alternative step or skater step because it is sufficient to move the support means relative to the stop without further maneuver to modify - adjust the amplitude of the possible movement of the collar backwards relative to its initial angular position. In addition, because the support means and the stop are located in the posterior part of the shoe so at a distance joints of the collar, it is not necessary to use materials with high mechanical characteristics to achieve the different constituent parts of the adjusting device; indeed, given the distance of the adjustment device by relative to the collar's joints, the latter has less leverage effect than in the case of Known shoes which have an adjustment device located at the joints as previously discussed with reference to WO 91/07889.

According to the embodiment of the invention, the cross-country ski boot comprises an elastic damping element interposed between the collar and the rod in the portion posterior of the shoe and it is on this elastic element that the adjustable support means of the restraint is fixed. This elastic element can obviously be independent of collar or solidary thereof as taught in EP 0 596 281.

In a preferred construction, the elastic damping element is constituted by a flexible blade that extends over and opposite the fixed stop by surrounding the posterior of the rod and whose ends are integral with the collar at the joints of the latter on the stem; the adjustable support means is, in this case, mounted on the flexible blade so as to be approximately centered with respect to the collar joints.

Of course, the adjustable support means can be made of various ways and its operation can proceed by pivoting, sliding, rocking, etc. ........

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

According to another example the adjustable support means consists of a mobile appendix which is guided in the posterior part of the collar, this appendix being engaged above the abutment fixed rod for the setting position corresponding to the locking of the collar in pivoting towards the rear and being disengaged from the fixed stop for the other adjustment position which corresponds to the release of the collar backwards. The mobile appendage can advantageously constitute the extension of the free end of a flexible tongue rotatably attached to the posterior part of the collar and its guidance can be done through an opening located in correspondence of the fixed stop. Disengagement of the appendix from the latter then takes place by removing the flexible tongue followed by a lateral rotation with respect to the guiding opening.

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

In the example of construction of the collar with an elastic damping element between he and the rod, the adjustable support means can be constituted by a removable piece which is fixed by elastic pinching on this damping element; in order to present two positions of possible adjustment, this removable piece is provided retrograde at 180 ° and is performed approximately on the shape of a U with a vertical branch is significantly thicker that the other. In this way the thickest vertical branch cooperates with the stop fixed on the rod in a setting position of the support means and retracts from this stop by reversing 180 ° of the latter by placing the thinnest vertical leg of the U opposite the stop for the other setting position. In fact we play on the difference 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 abutment of the rod and secondly, by a lever-cable tensioner system capable of retracting said element resilient of the fixed stop by moving it away from it a certain distance in order to provide the necklace a possibility of tilting backwards of a certain amplitude and whose limit is determined by the resumption of support of the damping element on the stop.

In this variant embodiment, the elastic damping element may consist of a elastic blade which, attached to the collar at its joints on the stem, surrounds the part posterior of the latter.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the following description in reference to the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, several embodiments.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a bottom skier in the gesture of end of thrust in alternative step technique showing, on the back leg, the extension of the ankle and the foot and the repercussion of these movements on the constituent parts of the shoe.

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

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

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

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate another embodiment of the collar retainer wherein an elastic damping element interacting between the rod and the collar is set to contribute to free the latter pivoting backwards.

As mentioned above, the practice of cross-country skiing in step technique alternative requires that the ankle joint should have great freedom of movement movement while in skating step technique it is advantageous to limit the amplitude of this movement. Specifically, in skating step technique the collar must provide a support at the bottom of the leg useful to bring the ski 7 at the end of the propulsion phase while in alternative step technique, as shown in 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, so without back support for the lower leg. This extension of the ankle and foot is translated on 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 initial position indicated by the axis 0 with respect to the rod 3 and its sole 4. In fact this value α, which is also variable since it results from the gestural deployment of the skier, corresponds to the angle difference between the maximum extension angle α1 and the angle α2 of the initial position 0 collar 2, turning on its joints 4 located substantially in correspondence of the ankle of the skier.

To allow this adaptation of the shoe 6 to one and the other of ski techniques of evoked bottom, a retaining device 10 of the collar 2, placed in its posterior part 8, has 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 the so that one of the positions places the support means 11 in cooperation with the stop 9, such illustrated in Figure 3, and that the other position the retract of the stop 9, as illustrated on the figure 2.

In this example of construction, the cross-country ski boot has a collar 2 comprising a resilient damping element 12 which extends in the rear portion 8 of the shoe 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 secured to the collar 2 at the joints 4 of the latter. Preferably, the means 1 is approximately centered on the flexible blade 12 with respect to the ends 12 ' thereof and joints 4 of the collar 2; in this way the support means 1 and the stop fixed 9 are in the position as far as possible from the joints 4, which minimizes the "leverage effect" of the collar 2 and thus the transmitted forces, and makes possible the use of ordinary materials, for example plastic.

Different constructions of the support means 11 are obviously possible. So, 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, Figure 3, the piece pivoting 11 is locked in pivoting on itself when it is requested by the collar 2 backwards because it is bent between its axis 11 'and the stop 9. The collar 2 is therefore stopped tilting backwards by the pivoting part 11; conversely, conversely, in a tilting forward, the collar 2 is not hindered or blocked by this pivoting part 11 because the end 14 thereof automatically moves away from the fixed stop 9 by following the movement of the collar 2 which leads with it the flexible blade 12 constituting the element elastic damping.

In the other adjustment position of the support means 11, or of the pivoting part 11, the end 14 of the eccentric portion is pivoted upwardly of the collar 2. In this way, the pivoting piece 11 is completely retracted from the stop 9 and releases the collar 2 from any blockage towards the rear, at least over an angular amplitude α sufficient for the step technique alternative.

According to another construction, represented in FIG. 4, the retaining device 20 presents an adjustable support means 21 consisting of a removable part 21 which is fixed by pinching elastic element on the elastic damping element 12, or the flexible blade 12, belonging to the 2. This piece 21, obtained in the form of a U whose vertical leg 22 is significantly thicker than the other 22 ', is provided to mount on the flexible blade 12 to the way of a rider; when it comes to blocking the collar 2 towards the rear, the removable part 21 is set from bottom to top as indicated by arrow 25 so that it is the end of its branch thicker 22 which cooperates with the stop. In this way, even if the efforts transmitted by the collar 2 to the flexible blade 12 are high, the removable piece U 21 remains fixed on the latter without risk of stall.

Conversely, for the release position of the rear support of the collar 2, the removable part 21 is attached to the flexible blade 12 from top to bottom as indicated by no effort to steal it. Thus, in this mounting position is the branch 22 ' the least thick of the U-shaped section of the removable part 21 which is directed towards the fixed stop 9 because it remains out of reach of the latter.

According to an alternative embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the retaining device 30 has an adjustable support means 31 which is in fact constituted both of the element damping means 12 and specific means such as a tensioner system 32 comprising a lever 33 and a cable 34 attached to the collar 2 of the shoe 6 and connected to said element damping element 12 formed by the flexible blade. To obtain two stable adjustment positions, the lever 33 is articulated with respect to the attachment points of the cable 34 so as to function as a mobile hinge called "toggle". So, in his position of the tensioning system 32, as shown in FIG. 5, allows the flexible blade 12 to take pressing 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. In contrast, in its taut position represented at 6, the tensioning system 32 pulls on the cable 34 and therefore retracts the blade flexible 12 of the fixed stop 9 of a certain distance corresponding to the movement of the cable 34 upwards which is caused by the lever 33. The flexible blade 12 thus separated from the fixed stop 9 provides the collar 2 a possibility of tilting back a certain angular amplitude α with respect to its initial position 0. This tilting possibility finds its limit when said blade 12 rests on the abutment 9 because, in this variant of realization, there is not total erasure of the adjustable support means 31 with respect to this last.

Claims (5)

1. Cross-country ski boot having a collar (2, 32) mounted pivotally by articulations (4) on an upper (3), and a device (10, 20, 30, 40) for retaining the collar (2, 32) that is active from a predetermined angular position (0), and only in the front-to-rear direction by means of a fixed abutment (9) located on the upper (3), the device (10, 20, 30, 40) being positioned in the rear portion (8) of the boot (6, 36) and comprising an elastic element, which is active only in the front-to-rear direction and opposite the fixed abutment (9), characterized in that the retaining device (10, 20, 30, 40) comprises a support means (11, 21, 31, 41) which is fixed on the elastic element and which can be adjusted between two different positions with respect to the fixed abutment (9), one of the positions placing the support means (11, 21, 31, 41) in cooperation with the latter and the other position retracting it from the latter.
2. Cross-country ski boot according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic shock absorbing element (12) is constituted by a flexible blade (12) that extends over and opposite the fixed abutment (9) by surrounding the rear portion of the upper (3), and whose ends (12') are affixed to the collar (2) in the area of the articulations (4) of the latter on the upper (3), the adjustable support means (11,21, 31) being mounted on this blade so as to be approximately centered with respect to the articulations of the collar.
3. Cross-country ski boot according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the adjustable support means (11) is constituted of a pivotable piece (11) that can be tilted between two angular positions of approximately 180°, this pivotable piece (11) being obtained with an off-centered portion having a shaped end (14) adapted to cooperate with the fixed abutment (9) located on the upper (3) in one angular position, and which retracts from this fixed abutment (9) in the other angular position, thus releasing the collar (2) in rearward pivoting.
4. Cross-country ski boot according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the adjustable support means (21) is constituted of a removable piece (21) that is fixed by elastic pinching on the elastic shock absorbing element (12) which is a pan of the collar (2); this removable piece (21) being capable of rotating at 180° on the elastic element (12) and being approximately in the form of a U, one vertical arm (22) of which, markedly thicker than the other (22'), cooperates with the fixed abutment (9) located on the upper (3) in one adjusting position of the support means (21), and which retracts from this abutment (9) by a 180° rotation of the latter by placing the thinnest vertical arm (22') of the U opposite the abutment (9) for the other adjusting position.
5. Cross-country ski boot according to claim 2, characterized in that the adjustable support means (31) of the retaining device (30) is constituted by the flexible blade (12) whose ends (12') are affixed to the collar (2), on the one hand, and by a tensioning system (32) comprising a lever (33) and a cable (34) capable of retracting said flexible blade (12) from the fixed abutment (9) by separating it from the latter by a certain distance, so as to provide the collar (2) with a possibility of rearward tilting whose limit is determined by the recovery of the support of the flexible blade (12) on the abutment (9).

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