EP1229808B1 - Protective footwear, such as a boot or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a protective footwear such as a boot or the like, for use in particular for motor cycle riding or for sports in general. Said footwear is characterised in that, integral with the front (3), substantially at the ankle are provided on either side, left and right of the footwear, at least a substantially spherical cap against which slides internally and/or externally another spherical cap integral on each side, left and right of the footwear, with the upper (4) of the footwear, means being provided which limit the relative sliding movements of the caps integral with the upper. Besides provide excellent protection, said boot allows the foot to move freely.

Description

The present invention relates to a protective boot with great flexibility of use. Such a boot is particularly suitable and recommended especially for motor sports and more particularly in the field of all terrain motorcycle. Its use will however advantageously also provided for other applications such as road motorcycles, snowboarding, skiing, mountain biking, jet skiing, hiking shoes, etc.

In motocross practice, the feet of the user are very exposed and involved in steering, especially for the passage of gears, braking, grip, jumps and tricks. The boot must provide effective protection without hampering foot mobility, either that "touch", which corresponds to conflicting requirements to which it has not been possible to date to respond in a satisfactory.

Most quality boots, available today in the trade, have adopted identical architecture and technologies: know a leather upper on which are grafted, glued and / or sewn, many plastic reinforcements. The purpose of the plastic reinforcements is to provide protection, while the purpose of leather is to provide the connection between the various plastic reinforcements while allowing a certain flexibility of the boot. This solution is not satisfactory in that the protection is limited, freedom of movement is reduced in particular by the different clamps that are required as the boot ages over time and its characteristics evolve and decrease. In addition a such manufacture requires a lot of manpower and is very expensive.

Another approach was tried but did not give the expected satisfaction. According to this approach, as explained in particular in US Patent 4,184,273, the boot consists essentially of rigid plastic in two parts, namely the sole with the vamp and the rod which are articulated to each other around an axis, having a certain degree of freedom thanks to the combination, with this axis, of fittings in which the axis can play. To allow putting on and the boot heaving, the rod spreads over a single part which locks with clamps or hooks. However, this boot did not given satisfaction and its manufacture was abandoned because the rigid parts of which it is made up does not provide the user with the desired comfort, while the freedom of movement of the foot remained very limited, in particular when the user is resting on the sole and the hinge pin has not more then no freedom of movement in lateral torsion of the foot. Moreover, the absence of unrolling the foot does not provide "touch" necessary for a good perception of the controls (brake pedal in particular).

In document FR-A-2 656 776 a shoe is described. ski which has sphere caps, but in which no means is not intended to limit more particularly the movements of the foot in the flexion / extension direction. Furthermore, as indicated in this document, if the construction actually allows in bending movements towards forward or backward that the shoe behaves at the ankle like a kneecap, the set allows only slight movements of articulation in inclined lateral planes, because otherwise it would not be practically not possible to ski, such lateral movements having to be prohibited or in any case very limited to allow the skier to go to the middle of the edges. Furthermore, in the case of a ski boot, such a shoe of course offers no feeling of "touching" at the level of the sole of the foot.

The object of the invention is to solve the above difficulties mentioned, by proposing a protective footwear such as a boot or the like, usable in particular in the field of motorcycles and sports in general, likely to allow good freedom of movement of the foot while protecting it as well as the lower leg against various shocks and torsional forces, this article being characterized in that, integral with the vamp, substantially at the height of the ankle, are provided on each side, left and right of the article, at least one cap substantially of a sphere against which slides internally and / or externally another cap of sphere united on each side, left and right of the article, of the rod of the article, means being provided which limit the relative sliding movements of the caps integral with the vamp against the caps integral with the rod, while preventing such limited movements in all directions, forward, backward, side left and right and combined movements.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the footwear is characterized in that said sphere caps all have substantially the same center of rotation located substantially at the virtual center of rotation the ankle of a foot wearing said article. We understand that in this way the foot has complete freedom of natural movement in all directions. In addition, since the relative sliding movements of the caps are it is possible to limit the movements of the foot to prevent twists, bends or extensions that exceed the allowable limits physiologically, ensuring prevention of the usual trauma of ankle.

However, given the relative flexibility of the materials used, it is possible to offset the two cap systems in order to to respond even more precisely to the morphology of the malleoli. So the cap inside the foot may be further forward than the cap outside of the foot. They can also be offset from the plane horizontal without considerably modifying the degrees of freedom of movement generally proposed by the ball joint system.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the means of limitation of movement of the caps are advantageously formed, for each set of caps sliding against each other, through a central hole formed in a cap integral with the vamp or the rod and by an axis integral with the upper or the vamp moving with play in said hole. This solution is economical because it is easy to implement, allowing also to limit at will the freedom of movement that we want to allow at the foot of the boot.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the upper is articulated on the sole of the article substantially at the level of the bending axis of the shod foot of said article and locks and unlocks from each side substantially towards the rear of the arch. This allows a very easy to put on and take off, such as a motorcycle boot. Advantageously locking and unlocking the upper on the sole are made by means of two ratchet and ratchet type devices lockable and unlockable manually, each rack automatically engaging with its cooperating ratchet by simple lowering of the vamp on the sole over the foot which has been engaged on said sole.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the article footwear has tensioners, one end of which is fixed to the upper a certain height of the sole and the other end of which is fixed to the upper or a part attached thereto, said tensioners being provided respectively on the front and on the back of the article and which exercise respectively an increasing effort tending to oppose the rear extension or by forward bending of the leg enclosed in the rod of the article. These tensioners thus cooperate to bring the position of the foot to the position of rest relieving all the muscles and tendons of the user.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, possibly elastic, deformable and shock-absorbing stops are provided on the upper against which parts come to bear rod cooperants in rear extension positions respectively or forward bending. These stops, advantageously in relation to the tensioners mentioned above, tend to prevent the possibility that the leg of the user takes an angle to the foot which exceeds the limits authorized by physiology.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, at the level from the fold line of the foot, the vamp and / or the sole are made of a flexible flexible material, which advantageously comes from material with the rest of the sole and / or the upper.

La figure 1 montre en vue perspective une botte, en fait une botte droite, c'est-à-dire pour pied droit, conforme à l'invention en position fermée d'utilisation ;

La figure 2 montre la botte de la figure 1 en position ouverte prête à être chaussée ;

La figure 3 montre la botte de la figure 1 dans la position de déformation qu'elle prend lorsque l'utilisateur plie le pied ;

Les figures 4,5 et 6 sont des vues en coupe faites dans un plan transversal passant par le centre de rotation virtuel de la cheville et illustrent respectivement la position de la botte lorsqu'elle est droite, lorsqu'elle est fléchie à gauche et lorsqu'elle est fléchie à droite, ces vues étant faites de devant, c'est-à-dire laissant apparaítre le talon ;

La figure 7 est une vue en perspective schématique de la botte illustrée aux figures précédentes dans laquelle on a fait figurer la sphère virtuelle sur laquelle sont formées et glissent les calottes précitées ;

Les figures 8 et 9 montrent de façon schématique comment les mouvements de la tige de la botte peuvent être limités en extension arrière ou en flexion avant ;

Les figures 10 et 11 montrent la coopération des tendeurs avantageusement prévus sur l'article pour assister les efforts musculaires et coopérer pour la limitation des contraintes en extension et en flexion, selon un premier mode de réalisation.

La figure 12 montre, vue de devant la botte des figures précédentes, de façon schématique, pour mieux illustrer la coopération de divers éléments qui la constituent ;

La figure 13 montre vue de côté et en perspective comment est articulée une partie de l'empeigne sur la semelle ;

la figure 14 montre en vue perspective une variante de la réalisation des tendeurs prévus sur l'article pour assister les efforts musculaires et coopérer pour la limitation des contraintes en extension et en flexion ainsi qu'en torsion et flexions latérales ;

la figure 15 montre en vue éclatée les pièces principales illustrées à la figure 14 ;

la figure 16 montre en vue perspective une variante de réalisation de la coque rigide formant embase ou « chausson » de la botte ; et

la figure 17 montre, vue en coupe transversale, la conformation de la pointe de la coque illustrée à la figure 16.

The invention and its implementation will appear more clearly from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows in perspective view a boot, in fact a straight boot, that is to say for right foot, according to the invention in the closed position of use;

Figure 2 shows the boot of Figure 1 in the open position ready to be paved;

Figure 3 shows the boot of Figure 1 in the deformation position it takes when the user folds the foot;

Figures 4,5 and 6 are sectional views taken in a transverse plane passing through the virtual center of rotation of the ankle and respectively illustrate the position of the boot when it is straight, when it is bent to the left and when 'it is bent to the right, these views being made from the front, that is to say revealing the heel;

Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the boot illustrated in the preceding figures in which there has been shown the virtual sphere on which are formed and slide the above caps;

Figures 8 and 9 show schematically how the movements of the boot upper can be limited in rear extension or in front bending;

Figures 10 and 11 show the cooperation of the tensioners advantageously provided on the article to assist the muscular efforts and cooperate for the limitation of the stresses in extension and in flexion, according to a first embodiment.

Figure 12 shows, front view of the boot of the previous figures, schematically, to better illustrate the cooperation of various elements that constitute it;

Figure 13 shows side view and in perspective how is articulated a part of the vamp on the sole;

Figure 14 shows in perspective view a variant of the tensioners provided on the article to assist the muscular efforts and cooperate for the limitation of the stresses in extension and in flexion as well as in torsion and lateral flexions;

Figure 15 shows an exploded view of the main parts illustrated in Figure 14;

Figure 16 shows in perspective view an alternative embodiment of the rigid shell forming a base or "liner" of the boot; and

FIG. 17 shows, seen in cross section, the conformation of the tip of the shell illustrated in FIG. 16.

According to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and with reference first of all in FIGS. 1 and 2, we will describe and reference elements main components of an article of footwear such as a boot, in the example illustrated.

The boot generally referenced 1 comprises: a sole 2 with a heel 2a and a point 2b on which is mounted an upper 3, with above a rod 4 formed essentially in two parts 4a, 4b. In 5 we referenced the top of the tip of the boot, that is to say the front of the vamp, and at 6 the bottom of the upper at the heel secured to the sole 2. At the rear of this part 6 there is also a plate 7 intended for the reinforcement of the Achilles tendon, which plate 7 is articulated on a axis 8 at the lower rear part 6 of the rod. The two parts 4a and 4b of the rod are joined in the closed position by straps 9,10 and hooks 11.12. Such straps and hooks are of conventional use in the field, in particular for ski boots. In the same figures we also see that the upper 3 is articulated on the sole 2 around pivots respectively on the right 13, inside of the boot, and on the left 14, outer side of the boot, (fig. 13) substantially at the line of folding the leg as seen more clearly in Figure 3. In Figure 2 and in comparison with Figure 1, we see that the upper 3 will come lock on sole 2 when the racks 15,16 provided respectively to the right and to the left of the sole 2 substantially at the level of the heel and the arch of the foot will engage in devices to ratchet 18.19 provided respectively on the right side and on the left side of upper 3.

A very advantageous and very original characteristic of the invention will now be explained. As seen in Figures 1 and 2, but also more particularly in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 and by the diagram in FIG. 7, the rod 4, and more particularly the front part 4a of the rod is articulated on the upper 3 due to the provision of sphere caps provided respectively opposite the base of part 4a of the rod and the rear upper part of the vamp 3. More precisely, we can see in Figure 7 that the sphere caps in question belong to a virtual sphere represented in dotted lines referenced S. In a more specifies, we see in Figures 4,5 and 6 that the rod part 4a ends at its base by two caps respectively 20.21 on the right in the figures and 22.23 on the left in the figures, coming to sandwich parts of the cap 24 on the right and 25 on the left secured to the vamp 3. To ensure a limitation of the relative sliding movement of the caps of the rod on the caps of the vamp, an axis 26 on the right and 27 on the left crosses the games of combined caps of the upper and the upper. The axis can be fixed, by example riveted at both ends to the caps of the rod as it appears particularly in Figures 4 to 6. Since the axes 26,27 are prisoners but that the caps 24.25 of the upper have a wide hole, as seen more clearly in Figure 13 for the hole at left referenced 28 of the cap 24, there is a possibility of travel of the upper 4 relative to the upper 3 and to the sole 2, that is to say from the bottom of the leg relative to the foot all around the virtual center O of the sphere S, and this in all directions, front, rear, side to left and to straight in torsion and combined movements.

Advantageously, the axes 26, 27 and / or the holes such as the hole 28 provided on the cap of the upper include on their parts coming abut one against the other shock and force absorbing means, such as for example elastomer parts. In the example illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, such elastomeric stops have been shown on the periphery of the holes 28.48, referenced 29.

To limit the extension movement behind the leg by relation to the foot and similarly the flexion movement in front of the leg relative to the foot, and as we can see more clearly in Figures 8 and 9 we can provide on the upper 3 two stops on each side, to the left and right of the footwear, respectively 30 to limit the extension rear and 31 to limit front bending, against which stops will come respectively abut cooperating parts of the rod at the level of marks 32 and 33.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 10 and 11, we can see, working in relation to the rear protective plate 7 Achilles heel and front protection plate 34, turnbuckles referenced respectively 35 on the back and 36 on the front of the article. In the embodiment illustrated there is a rear tensioner 35 and two front tensioners 36. The rear tensioner 35 is fixed at one end to the protective plate 7 and to its other end by means of a loop as seen more clearly in FIG. 1 on a hook 37 of the strap 10. The front tensioners 36, as can be seen more clearly in FIG. 12, for their part, are fixed at a end to the front protection plate 34 and at their other end to a upper or middle part of the front part 4a of the rod at points referenced 38. In Figures 10 and 11 we observe that the front plate of reinforcement 34 is articulated to the vamp 3 at the instep around an axis referenced 39.

To allow folding of the foot and a good feeling of "Touch", as it appears more clearly in Figures 3, 10 and 11, the upper 3 and / or the sole 2 are made at this level of material flexible flexible, for example by simple weakening by thinning at this level of the plastic from which the sole is made and the vamp.

From the above description we will now explain the mode of operation and use of the footwear.

By the game of the articulation of the stem 4 of the boot on the upper 3 at the level of the sphere caps which slide over each other and axes 26,27 which play in the holes 28, 48 (fig. 4,5 and 6) it is possible to obtain a free rotation of the leg relative to the foot, precisely at ankle level, substantially at the level of the virtual center O of rotation ankle, at an angle of travel which is limited by the diameter outside of the axes 26, 27 and by the inside diameter of the holes 28, 48. In taking care to provide on the axes 26,27 and / or on the edge of the holes 28,48 shock and force absorbing means, such as an elastomer, in this way obtains a limitation with damping of the movements of movement of the leg relative to the foot while allowing free movement within these limits.

Thanks to the use of tensioners such as 35 and 36, we ensure also a limitation of the muscular effort of the user, in particular during extreme rear extension or extreme front bending. Of the same way the stops 30,31 (fig. 8 and 9) cooperate with the boot upper to also limit the amplitude of these movements and absorb shocks under the extreme conditions authorized by the article. We observe at this level that the tensioners 35,36 can also brake before limiting or stopping the backward extension or forward flexion movement, if example that beyond a certain length, they are almost no longer extensible.

As for the rear 7 and front protection plates respectively 34, they provide effective protection respectively to the Achilles heel and instep, however leaving full freedom of movement to the foot in these regions due to the forecast of joints such as referenced 8 and 39.

The flexibility of the sole and the vamp at the level of the line foot bending gives the user the freedom to bend the toes retaining the feeling of "touching" favoring good piloting of a machine like a motorcycle.

As can be understood from Figure 2, the boot boot is particularly convenient, since the articulation of the upper 3, at the level of the axes 13,14 and the total clearance of the rear part of the boot allows the user to slide his foot flat on the sole. This operation being carried out, the user only has to lower the upper 3 on the sole 2, the vamp locking by means of the pawls 18,19 on the 15.16 racks automatically. Then the user can squeeze around of his leg the two parts 4a and 4b of the rod by means of the straps 9,10 and hooks 11,12, then fix the tensioner loop 35 on the hook 37 (fig. 1).

It is observed that thanks to the invention, it is possible to constitute a motorcycle protective boot with a relatively small number of components which can all, or for the most part, be manufactured in plastic of appropriate quality. It is also possible to adapt each item to the user's morphology, in particular by adjusting the angles of free movement of the upper relative to the sole and to the upper, as well as the strength of the tensioners.

Although a preferred embodiment has been described, it is well understood that many variations can be made without departing from the part of the invention. In particular, although a mode of realization of sphere caps in which two rod caps take sandwich an upper cap, we could have adopted a layout reversed in which a cap of the rod would have been caught between two vamp caps or even a single rod cap slides on a single upper cap. In the same way although we have described a realization in which the limitation of the movement of the sphere caps on top of each other is obtained by means of an axis playing in a hole larger diameter than that of the axis, other solutions are possible, like for example a small sphere cap that can move in being trapped against and inside a little more sphere cap large with a movement limitation border of the small cap in the big. The important thing is the principle of the patella as well incorporated, with limitation of the movement of movement.

The aforementioned tensioners have been illustrated as being constituted by elastic bands, for example of rubber of suitable quality; but we could use other types of tensioners, for example metal, pneumatic, oleopneumatic traction springs; of the same way, one could provide compression or torsion springs for example mounted at the extension 30 and bending 31 stops (fig. 8 and 9).

The figures show a straight boot; of course the corresponding left boot will be built basically as a image in a mirror of the right boot.

Referring now to Figures 14 and 15, there is illustrated a variant of tensioners which assist muscular efforts in extension and flexion movements as well as in torsion and flexion side of the foot to limit stress. On each side of the boot we thus finds two tensioners 50, 51 which are hooked forming each side a semicircle each tensioner being fixed at the central point such as 51a (figure 15) on the side of the rod 4a and at each end such as 51 b, 51 c on the upper 3 under an attached part 52 secured to the upper 3. observes that in this way, while reducing the number of parts used, since there are only two tensioners, instead of three in the embodiment illustrated for example in FIG. 11, it is possible by manufacturing suitably the tensioners in question to provide different efforts perfectly suited for flexion movement on the one hand and extension on the other hand, as well as the so-called lateral torsion and bending movements pronation or supination, while clearing the upper part of the rod. As seen more clearly in Figure 15, in the illustrated example embodiment, the tensioners 50, 51 are further sandwiched between a reinforcement piece 4c which comes on the front of the rod and the front part 4a of the rod already described in the previous figures.

In Figures 14 and 15, you can clearly see the holes 53.54 on the front of the upper 3 for the articulation axes 13, 14 on the sole, mentioned in the previous figures.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, the sole of the boot has a kind of liner 55 formed by a rigid shell which is secured to the sole or comes from material with it and which will allow protect the foot in particular against frontal impact. A light travel remains authorized by a small clearance provided between the collar 56 which comes overcome the liner at the level of the front third and the side slits 57, 58 in which the ends of the collar are retained there, below. In 105 and 106, the toe and the heel of the bootie were identified respectively and in 115 and 116 the racks corresponding to those referenced 15,16, by example in Figure 2. At 59 is referenced the hole to the right of the liner 55 in which will pass the corresponding right articulation pivot 13 of upper 3.

As seen in Figure 17, the underside of the tip 105 the shell of the boot is advantageously shaped as illustrated in the drawings with cells 60, 61, 62 and in particular a cell 62 more wide substantially below the joint of the phalanges of the foot, which cell is open in the middle and has two raised parts 63, 64 which abut against each other. We understand that in this way the boot shell can be opened relatively easily in the direction of the arrow F1 to allow the toes to be raised, in other words to bend normally the foot, by opposing on the contrary a rotation in direction reverse in the direction of arrow F2, for example following a shock on the upper end of the phalanges.

We observe that when using such a bootie, the protection rear of calf, referenced 4b (see in particular Figures 1 and 2) can be attached to the liner.

To make a comfortable boot suitable for various sizes, we will advantageously use spherical cap spokes to realize the articulation of the invention with dimensions included between approximately 70 mm and 100 mm for the smallest sizes and between approximately 100 mm and 130 mm for the largest sizes; in addition, the shell on the inner side of the boot may have a radius of curvature slightly different from that of the outer side cap, this for better conformation to the morphology of a foot.

According to an alternative embodiment, instead of using caps perfectly spherical, we can advantageously deform them so that the radius of curvature varies from the center to the periphery, for example reducing towards the periphery, so that by this arrangement we will get a variation of the effort to rotate the two caps one on the other, the effort increasing as the inclination relative to at the central starting position changes. This provision may also be treated asymmetrically, so as to obtain an easier rotation in the direction of the flexion / extension movement, and harder in the direction lateral to better protect the foot. The variation of the radius of curvature may advantageously be of the order of 0% (perfect sphere cap) to for example 10%.

The resistance to the free rotation of the caps one on the other may also be regulated by the greater or lesser spacing which may be left between the caps and which could for example be of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter to 1 or 2 mm.

Claims (16)

1. Item of protective footwear, such as a boot or the like, which can be used in particular in the field of motorcycling and sports in general and which is intended to allow good freedom of movement of the foot whilst protecting the foot and the lower leg against various impacts and twisting stresses, characterised in that at least one substantially spherical cap (24, 25) which is/are fixedly joined to the vamp (3), substantially level with the ankle, is/are provided at each of the left-hand and right-hand sides of the item, against which spherical cap (24, 25) another spherical cap (20-23), which is fixedly joined at each of the left-hand and right-hand sides of the item to the upper (4) of the item, slides internally and/or externally, means being provided which limit the relative sliding movements of the caps which are fixedly joined to the vamp against the caps which are fixedly joined to the upper, whilst allowing such limited movements in all directions, forwards, backwards, sideways to the left and to the right and combined movements.
2. Item of footwear according to claim 1, characterised in that the spherical caps (20-25) all have substantially the same centre of rotation (O) which is located substantially at the virtual centre of rotation of the ankle of a foot which is clothed in that item.
3. Item of footwear according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the means for limiting the movement of the caps are constituted, for each set of caps which slide against each other, by a central hole (28, 48) which is formed in a cap which is fixedly joined to the vamp or to the upper and by a pin (26, 27) which is fixedly joined to the upper or to the vamp and which is displaced with play in the hole.
4. Item of footwear according to claim 3, characterised in that the means for limiting the movement of the caps are constituted, for each set of caps which slide against each other, by a central hole (28, 48) which is formed in the cap (24, 25) which is fixedly joined to the vamp (3) and by a pin (26, 27) which is fixedly joined to two caps (20-23) which are fixedly joined to the upper (4) and which receive in a sandwich-like manner the cap (24, 25) of the vamp, the pin (26, 27) being displaced with play in the hole (28, 48).
5. Item of footwear according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterised in that the pin (26, 27) and/or the holes (28, 48) comprise, on the portions thereof which abut each other, means (29) for damping impacts and stresses.
6. Item of footwear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the vamp (3) is articulated to the sole (2) of the item substantially in the region of the bending axis of the foot which is clothed in that item and locks and unlocks at each side substantially towards the rear of the arch of the foot.
7. Item of footwear according to claim 6, characterised in that the locking and unlocking of the vamp (3) on the sole (2) are carried out by means of two devices of the type having a rack (15, 16) and catch (18, 19) which can be locked and unlocked manually, each rack automatically engaging with the co-operating catch thereof by the vamp (3) simply being lowered onto the sole (2) over the foot which has been engaged on the sole.
8. Item of footwear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises tensioners (35, 36; 50, 51), one end of which is fixed to the upper (4) at a given height of the sole (2) and the other end of which is fixed to the vamp (3) or to a piece (7, 34; 52) which is fixed at that location, the tensioners applying an increasing force which tends to act counter to the backward extension or forward flexion of the leg which is encased in the upper of the item, respectively.
9. Item of footwear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that stops (30, 31), which are optionally resilient, deformable and damping, are provided on the vamp (3), against which stops (30, 31) co-operating portions of the upper (4) are supported in the positions of backward extension or forward flexion, respectively.
10. Item of footwear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that protective reinforcements (7, 34) are provided at the front so as to be articulated to the neck of the foot of the vamp (3) and at the rear so as to be articulated towards the upper (4) in the region of the heel (2a), respectively.
11. Item of footwear according to claims 8 and 10, characterised in that the tensioners (35, 36) have one of the ends thereof anchored towards an upper or central portion of the upper (4) and the other end thereof fixed to the reinforcements (7, 34).
12. Item of footwear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, in the region of the bending line of the foot, the vamp and/or the sole are produced from pliable, flexible material.
13. Item of footwear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the upper (4) is formed in two portions (4a, 4b) which are articulated to each other at one side and which, in the open position, completely release the front portion which receives the tibia.
14. Item of footwear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises an inner shoe (55) which comprises a shell which protects the foot above the phalanxes and which limits the reverse deflection movement of the phalanxes.
15. Item of footwear according to claim 14, characterised in that the shell comprises an upper protective collar (56) at the height of the front third, which collar (56) is mounted with slight deflection play in the lateral apertures (57, 58).
16. Item of footwear according to claim 14 or claim 15, characterised in that the tip (105) of the shell of the inner shoe (55) comprises, at the base thereof, cells, at least one of which (62) can open in a lifting direction (F1) but does not allow bending downwards in the opposite direction (F2).

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