EP1358916B1 - A sport shoe for practising a gliding sport or snowboard binding with snap fastener flaps - Google Patents

Abstract

The binding has straps (9) extending from side edges of a baseplate (2) through articulating pins (14,15) and engageable with each other through a fastener to fix the person's boot to the baseplate. The straps are pivotable between an open position released from each other, and close position coupled to each other, in which the articulating pins energize the straps between any of the positions.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to the field of sliding sports, and in particular snow sliding sports, and mainly snowboarding. However, the invention also has applications in the field of cross-country skiing, or that of roller skating or ice. The invention relates more particularly to a strap flap that can be used on snowboard bindings, or even on shoes. The invention relates more specifically to the articulation of such a flap on the shoe and the bindings, to facilitate the donning operations.

Previous techniques

In general, the surf bindings intended to be used with soft shoes comprise a base fixed on the board and a rear gutter intended to receive the supports of the back of the leg. The shoe is held inside the binding by a set of straps to tighten the shoe inside the binding. These straps generally pass over the front of the foot and at the instep and connect the two sides of the base. More specifically, each strap is generally made of at least one flap which is fixed on the side of the base. This flap can cooperate with either a complementary flap located on the other side of the base, or even with an attachment mechanism associated with the other side of the base.

Conventionally, these flaps are made of an inextensible material, but deformable. Indeed, this flap must be offset on the side of the binding, to allow the user to introduce his shoe into the binding. This flap is however inextensible, since its primary function is to firmly hold the shoe inside the binding.

A number of disadvantages arise from the fact that this flap must both have a certain rigidity and a deformation capacity. Indeed, to be able to easily deform, so as to release the space of the base, the flap must be relatively flexible. However, too much flexibility can weaken it. Conversely, too much rigidity hinders easy opening of the fastener. That is why it has already been proposed to mount these flaps on the base by means of a joint which facilitates its pivoting movement for the opening and closing maneuvers of the binding. In more advanced forms, this articulation is effected by means of a part itself mounted on the base with an additional capacity of pivoting along a transverse axis of the base. This pivoting ability adjusts the strap to the shape of the shoe, at a higher or lower level of the instep, or more or less in front of the front end of the shoe.

However, it is noted that the solutions in which the flaps are articulated to facilitate their opening have certain disadvantages. Indeed, because of the relative flexibility of the flap, it tends to be found systematically in the closed position when the fastener is subjected to transverse movements, and in particular when the user wears the other fastener. This trend is further increased by the fact that the flaps are generally equipped in their end portion with a cushion intended to distribute and reduce the pressure exerted by the strap on the user's foot. The presence of this relatively large mass flap end very easily causes the pivoting of the latter. In addition, during transport, it is not practical to have fasteners whose flaps are free to rotate.

A solution has already been proposed to allow easy donning of the binding in WO 96/24412. More specifically, the attachment described in this document has flaps which are articulated relative to the base, and whose articulation is extended at the inner level of the base by portions capable of receiving the foot supports. Thus, when the user wears the binding, the flaps are automatically folded over the boot, so that the user has only the operations of setting up the hooking means to perform. This solution, if it facilitates the donning maneuvers, however does not eliminate the disadvantages relating to the freedom of pivoting of the flaps.

A problem that proposes to solve the invention is that the inconvenience to the user due to the possibility of the flaps to rotate inadvertently.

The same kind of problem arises with regard to ski boots, or even shoes intended for the practice of roller skating or ice. Indeed, these shoes are generally equipped with clamping hooks mounted at the end of flaps that can come on the front (or rear) of the shoe, and thus allow the tightening of the upper of the shoe. However, when the user wants to put on the shoe, it is generally necessary that it spreads the opening of the shell of the shoe, possibly pulling the tongue of the liner to the outside. This therefore requires that the space that will then be occupied by the clamping flaps is completely free, which is not the case for the majority of existing shoes. In fact, the flaps of the clamping straps of the shoes currently used are rigid and require the user to keep them in a remote position in order to be able to carry out the shoeing maneuvers. Some ski boots have been proposed, with an articulation of the flaps of the tightening straps. The free pivoting of the flaps causes the same disadvantages as those described above for fasteners.

Presentation of the invention

The invention relates first of all to a snowboard binding which comprises in known manner a base and at least one strap. This strap is formed of at least one hinged flap relative to one side of the base adapted to cooperate with fastening means connected to the other side of the base to allow clamping of the user's shoe inside the binding.

The invention also relates to a shoe for the practice of a sliding sport such as skiing or skating. This shoe comprises in known manner at least one hinged flap relative to one side of the shoe, and adapted to cooperate with the fastening means connected to the other side of the shoe, to allow the tightening of the user's foot inside the shoe.

According to the invention, the binding or the boot are characterized in that each flap has two stable equilibrium positions, namely an open position in which the flap is released from the front of the binding or the boot, and a closed position in which the flap is folded down on the binding or the shoe, the hinge of the flap relative to the binding or the shoe being arranged so that between these two positions, and without user intervention, the flap is automatically moves to one of two stable positions.

In other words, the flap equipping the bindings or shoes according to the invention remains in the position is folded or opened until the user does not want to pass in the opposite position. This means that when the flap is in the open position, even when the binding or the shoe undergoes movements of reasonable amplitude, there is no risk of the flap back in the closed position in which it would interfere with the maneuvers of the user. Conversely, when the flap is in the closed position, above the attachment of the shoe, and this even when it is unhooked, it is impossible for it to open unexpectedly, without the user does this. This avoids, for example, when the hooks of a shoe are detached, the flap does not open inadvertently coming for example beat on the opposite shoe by annoying the user.

On the contrary, the user must exert a force of sufficient intensity to thwart the characteristic articulation, and move it from one stable position to another.

In practice, the tightening straps of the boot of the binding may comprise two bistable flaps, one of which has means capable of cooperating with the opposite flap. These two flaps can for example come to cover the shoe surf when it is placed in the binding, so that the attachment is substantially at the median level of the shoe. However, the invention also covers variants in which the strap consists of only one flap, whose end cooperates with an attachment zone located on the opposite side of the base, without these means of hooking are actually mounted on a flap.

The hinge of the flap can be done either directly on the shoe or the base of the binding, or at a part itself attached to the binding or the shoe. In the more specific case of the surf binding, this additional piece may itself be articulated on the base, to allow pivoting of the strap relative to an axis transverse to the foot.

The bistable character of the flap can be obtained according to different mechanical solutions.

Thus, in a first embodiment, the flap comprises a flexible blade which is, at one end, connected to the flap, and at its other end, to a fixed zone relative to the binding or the shoe, at a different point of the articulation point. In this way, the blade works in buckling when it moves from one position to another, thus requiring sufficient effort on the part of the user.

In another variant embodiment, the articulation of the flap comprises on the one hand a curved axis, and on the other hand a housing having a zone of curvature complementary to that of the curved axis, in which the axis is housed when the flap is in a stable equilibrium position, the passage to the other stable equilibrium position causing transverse bending of the end of the flap. In other words, the articulation is done via an axis that is not straight but curved. In an equilibrium position, the curved axis rests in the curvature complementary housing. In the other position, the curved axis causes the deformation of the flap in its width.

In practice, different constructions are possible. In a first embodiment, the curved axis is fixed, that is to say integral with the binding or the shoe. The housing which has the two zones of curvature complementary to the axis is then formed at the end of the flap located on the side of the joint.

The reverse construction is also possible in which the axis is located at the end of the flap. It pivots in this case in a fixed housing relative to the binding or the shoe.

In the particular case of the attachment, the curved axis may be located on an intermediate piece, mounted on the upper region of one of the two side walls of the base. In this case, the zone of this intermediate piece on which the curved axis is mounted can overflow above the side wall, towards the inside of the base, so that the curved axis is located at the vertical wall of the base.

Brief description of the figures

• La figure 1 est une vue de face d'une fixation de surf équipé de rabats conformes à l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue de côté de la même fixation.
• Les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues de côté et de détail des mécanismes d'articulation des rabats par rapport à l'embase de la fixation, correspondant à une première variante d'exécution.
• La figure 5 est une vue de face d'une seconde variante de réalisation du mécanisme d'articulation du rabat sur l'embase.
• Les figures 6a et 6b sont des vues en coupe selon le plan VI-VI' de la figure 5, montrant le rabat dans deux positions différentes.
• Les figues 7a et 7b sont des vues de côté de l'articulation de la figure 5, montrée également dans deux positions du rabat.
• La figure 8 est une vue analogue à la figure 5, dans laquelle le rabat est rabattu.
• La figure 9 est une vue en perspective sommaire d'une variante de réalisation.
• La figure 10 est une vue générale d'une chaussure de surf équipée d'un rabat conforme à l'invention.

The manner of carrying out the invention as well as the advantages which result therefrom will emerge clearly from the description of the embodiments which follow, in support of the appended figures in which:

• Figure 1 is a front view of a surf binding equipped with flaps according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a side view of the same attachment.
• Figures 3 and 4 are side views and detail of the hinge mechanisms of the flaps relative to the base of the fastener, corresponding to a first embodiment.
• Figure 5 is a front view of a second embodiment of the hinge mechanism of the flap on the base.
• Figures 6a and 6b are sectional views along the plane VI-VI 'of Figure 5, showing the flap in two different positions.
• Figs 7a and 7b are side views of the joint of Fig. 5, also shown in two positions of the flap.
• Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5, wherein the flap is folded.
• Figure 9 is a summary perspective view of an alternative embodiment.
• Figure 10 is a general view of a surf boot equipped with a flap according to the invention.

Way of realizing the invention

In general, a surfboard binding intended to receive soft shoes comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a base (2) intended to be mounted on the board and a gutter (3) intended to receive the supports of the rear part. of the leg, which is pivotally mounted on the base (2) at a rear arch (4). In a traditional manner, such a binding comprises two clamping straps (5, 6), making it possible to hold the user's shoe in the binding. These clamping straps (5, 6) are generally arranged at the front end of the binding, so as to cover the area of the metatarsophalangeal joint, as well as at the instep.

In general, these straps are composed of one or two flaps that can be articulated relative to the base, and which cooperates with each other at the attachment means allowing the precise positioning of a flap compared to the other, and therefore the tightening of the shoe. In some cases, the strap has only one flap, and the attachment means are mounted on one side of the base directly without being mounted on a flap.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the two flaps (8, 9) are hinged to the base at the level of additional pieces (10, 11) secured, by screwing, to the inner faces of the sides (12, 13). ) of the base (2). In this way, the hinge axis (14, 15) of these flaps (8, 9) is located vertically on the sides (12, 13) of the base, which promotes a good tightening of the shoe. The flaps (8, 9) illustrated in Figure 1 correspond to the strap (5) of Figure 2, located at the front of the foot. It is observed that the mounting of the hinge part of the flap can also be effected by the outside of the sides of the base, and for example at the birth of the hoop (4).

As can be seen in FIG. 2, these articulation pieces can have a pivoting capacity around their screwing axis (20), making it possible to adjust the position of the strap (6) with respect to the instep, so as to Especially adapt the tightening to different shoe shapes.

According to the invention, the joints of the flaps of the tightening straps are bistable, that is to say that they can adopt two positions of stable equilibrium requiring the intervention of the user to go from one to the other. In other words, the two flaps (8, 9) illustrated in Figure 1 remain in their open position for the notched flap (8) and closed for the flap (9) carrying the attachment means, even if the fastener is subject to movements of significant amplitude, and that as long as the user does not exert sufficient effort. This bistability effect can be obtained by different architectures, and in particular that illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4.

More specifically, and as illustrated in Figure 3, the flap (8) is articulated relative to the base at a hinge piece (22), bearing the hinge axis (23). In the central portion connecting it to the joint, the flap (8) has a blade (25), for example metal, which is fixed inside an opening (26), at an axis of articulation (27). This flexible blade (25) is attached at its other end to a bulge (28) of the intermediate articulation piece (22) also with a hinge capacity. The second hinge point (29) of the flexible blade (25) is offset relative to the axis of the hinge (23) of the flap (8) on the intermediate piece (22). Thus, when the flap (8) is pivoted to move to the open position, as shown in Figure 4, the flexible blade (25) opposes this movement that must therefore upset the user. The blade works in buckling by bending to a position of maximum stress. If the flap is released before this position, the blade (25) rebasculates the flap (8) in question in the closed position. Conversely, if the flap has exceeded this maximum stress position, the flexible blade (25) relaxes to bring the flap open, as shown in Figure 4. In the same way, when the flap ( 8) is in the open position as shown in Figure 4, it is necessary for the user to exert sufficient effort to force the blade to flare. This level of effort is greater than the inertia of the flap (8), even when the attachment undergoes significant displacement, for example during footing maneuvers. There is no risk of the flap closing unexpectedly.

The bistability characteristic of the flap can be obtained in another manner, and as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7. More precisely, in this other variant embodiment, the flap (28) is articulated on an intermediate piece (29). , itself mounted on the base of the binding, and which comprises a curved axis (30) as illustrated in Figure 5. This curved axis (30) penetrates a housing (31) formed at the end of the flap (28). The geometry of this housing (31) is particular to allow the bistable effect. The portion (32) of this housing (31) closest to the end of the flap (28) has a curvature substantially equivalent to that of the curved axis (30) at its face which faces it. The opposite wall (33) of this housing has a substantially straight generatrix. In this way, when the flap is in the closed position, illustrated in Figure 5, the curved axis (30) is in place inside the housing without exerting particular stress, since in this orientation, the housing (31) ) has a volume greater than the size of the curved axis (30). As illustrated in Figure 6a, the central portion of the curved axis (30) comes into almost contact with the periphery of the housing located at the plane VI-VI '. At the ends of the housing, the curved axis (30) is in contact with the portion (32) also curved housing, as seen in Figure 7a.

When the flap (28) undergoes forces in the direction of opening, the shape of the housing (31) is such that the curvature of the axis (30) opposes the pivoting of the flap since the curved axis (30) then constrains the faces (34, 35) of the housing parallel to the flap faces. If a relatively large force is exerted however, the end (37) of the flap can deform to bend and bend in accordance with Figure 8. In this case, and as shown in Figure 7b, the curve axis is in contact with the zone (33) of the housing (31) furthest from the end of the flap. This equilibrium position is stable, since the flap adopts in the zone of the axis, a complementary curvature. To pass into a closed position, it is necessary to thwart this curvature of what requires a relatively large effort. In other words, when the flap is in the open position, it can not fall unexpectedly without the intervention of the user.

Different constructional variants can be made and in particular that illustrated in Figure 9 wherein the intermediate piece is constituted by a wire (40) curved to present the characteristic curvature in the region (42) penetrating into the housing of the flap. This wire (40) is also bent so that the curved axis (42) is plumb with the side (12) of the base.

Of course, other variants can be envisaged and in particular that in which the flap is equipped with the curved axis, and it is the intermediate part which then comprises the complementary housing.

As already mentioned, the invention can also be applied to a ski boot, or a shoe used in combination with a roller skate or ice. In this case, and as illustrated in FIG. 10, the flaps (52) can be mounted on either side of the shell (51) of the shoe (50), according to conventional architectures with regard to this type of shoe.

It follows from the foregoing that the flaps arranged according to the invention have several advantages, and in particular that of preventing the unexpected pivoting of the flap above the binding, or on the front of the boot, which allows the user to put on the binding or the shoe without worrying about the position the flaps once they have been opened. In addition, it is possible to transport the fasteners without necessarily locking the attachment means, since the flaps naturally remain in a stable equilibrium position

Claims (9)

1. A snowboard binding (1) including a baseplate (2) and at least one strap (5, 6) formed from at least one strap (8, 9) part articulated relative to one side of the baseplate (12), capable of interacting with fastening means (7) connected on the other side (11) of the baseplate in order to allow the gripping of the user's boot in the binding, characterized in that each strap part (8, 9) has two stable equilibrium positions, namely an open position in which the strap part (8, 9) is released from the binding and a closed position in which the strap part is folded down over the binding in order to interact with the fastening means (7), the articulation of the strap part relative to the binding being arranged so that, between these two positions, and without the user's intervention, the strap part (8, 9) is displaced automatically toward one of the two stable positions.
2. A boot (50) for practising a gliding sport, such as skiing or skating, including at least one strap part (52) articulated relative to one side of the boot, and capable of interacting with fastening means connected to the other side of the boot, to allow gripping of the user's foot in the boot, characterized in that each strap part (52) has two stable equilibrium positions, namely an open position in which the strap part (52) is released from the boot and a closed position in which the strap part (52) is folded down over the boot in order to interact with the fastening means, the articulation of the strap part (52) relative to the boot being arranged so that, between these two positions, and without the user's intervention, the strap part is displaced automatically toward one of the two stable positions.
3. The binding as claimed in claim 1 or the boot as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that each strap includes two strap parts (8, 9), one of which has fastening means (7) capable of interacting with the opposite strap part (8).
4. The binding as claimed in claim 1 or the boot as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the articulation of the strap part (8, 9) is at a part (10, 11) that is itself fixed on the binding or the boot.
5. The binding as claimed in claim 1 or the boot as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the strap part (8) includes a flexible blade (25), one end (27) of which is articulated on the strap part (8) and the other end (29) of which is articulated relative to a fixed point on the binding or the boot, at a point other than the point of articulation (23) of the strap part (8), such that the blade (25) works in buckling resistance in order to move from one equilibrium position to the other.
6. The binding or the boot as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the flexible blade is located in a zone (26) cut into the central region of the strap part.
7. The binding as claimed in claim 1 or the boot as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the articulation of the strap part (28) includes, on the one hand, a curved pin (30) and, on the other hand, a housing (31), having a zone of curvature (30) that complements that of the curved pin, in which the pin is housed when the strap part (28) is in a stable equilibrium position, movement to the other stable equilibrium position causing the transverse bending of the end (37) of the strap part.
8. The binding or the boot as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the curved pin (30) is integral with the binding or the boot, and wherein the housing (31) having the zone (32) of curvature that complements the pin (30) is made at the end of the strap part (37) located on the articulation side.
9. The binding as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the articulation pin is located on a part mounted on the upper region of one of the lateral walls of the baseplate, the zone of the said part on which the pin is mounted projecting above the lateral wall and toward the inside of the baseplate such that the pin is located on the vertical of the wall of the baseplate.

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