EP1499208A1

EP1499208A1 - Boots with flexible outer surface

Info

Publication number: EP1499208A1
Application number: EP03747150A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jérôme Chaigne; Patrick Bollard
Original assignee: Salomon SAS
Current assignee: Salomon SAS
Priority date: 2002-04-26
Filing date: 2003-04-22
Publication date: 2005-01-26
Also published as: FR2838925B1; FR2838925A1; WO2003090572A1; AU2003251027A1

Abstract

The invention concerns ski boots comprising a rigid shell (2, 3) made of plastic material wherein is inserted an inner comfort element, the rigid shell consisting of a collar fixed on a shell sock. The boot comprises means imparting flexibility (9, 13, 17, 32) located in the outer surface of the boot and comprising a plurality of recesses (13) provided in the rigid shell. The recesses are arranged in the ankle joint zone, in the lower part of the outer surface of the shell sock, and on the outer surface of the collar.

Description

SHOE WITH FLEXIBLE OUTER SIDE

The invention relates to a sports boot, in particular an alpine ski boot.

For a long time, skiing techniques both in leisure practice and in competition imposed support during the turn, mainly on outside skiing at the turn, the distribution of support being 80% for outdoor skiing and 20% for skiing inside. In this technique called "classic", the leg placed inside the turn has almost no function and that is why the development of ski boots has always been done taking into account the specific problems of the leg placed outside the turn.

The arrival of skis with parabolic ribs has generated a new ski technique which is completely different from the classic technique and which is called "wide track". In this technique, the two skis with parabolic ribs each produce a curved directional effect, these two effects, are added all the more as the skier balances his support between the inside ski and the outside ski when cornering. This new technique, which has already been shown to be effective, especially in competition, obliges the skier to maintain and measure the support on the indoor ski during the turn. It should be remembered that the support on the ski placed inside the turn is made by the external side of the foot located inside the turn.

The problem of metering the internal support is of course critical when looking for performance. Indeed, although he is resting on his internal ski, the skier must be able at any time to relieve his support in the event that too strong a support would cause the internal ski to skid. Thus, the new ski technique requires, much more than the conventional technique, the external side of the foot, both for the transmission of effort and for the feedback, of sensations. On the other hand, although the morphology of the external side of the foot is very different from that of the internal side, the shoes have always been developed so as to have an equivalent stiffness of the external and internal faces. It is common in a ski boot to have a plastic shell whose thickness varies between 5 and 10 mm. Such thicknesses are necessary to guarantee the extreme rigidity of the internal face thereof. On the other hand, on the external face of such thicknesses make it very difficult for the skier to measure its internal support.

The object of this invention is to provide a ski boot, allowing the skier to measure and maintain the support on the ski inside the turn.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a ski boot which allows the skier a greater amplitude of movement of his foot, in particular a greater amplitude of the torsional movement of the latter.

These objectives are solved by a ski boot which comprises a rigid shell, in particular of plastic material, an inner boot and the external face of which is equipped with softening means so as to create on the external face an area of less rigidity than the stiffness of the rest of the shoe and in particular less than that of the internal face. In addition, these softening means are placed in the force transmission zone of the external face.

The force transmission zone of the external face of the shoe comprises three distinct and contiguous parts: the upper part which connects the upper edge of the shoe to the zone of the ankle joint, the intermediate part constituted by the zone of the ankle joint and the lower part that connects the area of the ankle joint to the sole. In this last part, different transmission circuits radiate from the articulation zone of the ankle to reach either the front of the shoe, or the heel of the latter, or a point situated between these two extremes. During the different phases of skiing, the transmission of forces will follow different transmission circuits in this last part. At the end of the turn, for example, the skier rather has rear support and the overall transmission circuit descends from the upper edge of the hull to an area of the sole located at the heel. At the start of the turn and when it is triggered, the skier's supports move forward and the transmission circuit descends from the upper edge to the front of the sole.

Preferably, the softening means consist of a plurality of juxtaposed recesses which are formed in the rigid shell of the shoe.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, these recesses are provided at the instep, in an area separating the central closing mechanism and the region of the sole which supports the arch of the arch.

In another preferred embodiment, the shoe comprises a shell bottom and a collar and the softening means are arranged uniformly in a weakened L-shaped zone, the upper part of which is formed on the external face of the collar, the intermediate part as well as the lower part being provided on the external face of the bottom of the shell. The lower part extends, between the area of the ankle joint and the sole, it extends to the area of metatarsophalangeal flexion.

In other alternative embodiments of the invention, the softening means are not arranged over the entire transmission area of the external face, but only in part as at the articulation of the ankle u in the lower part of the outer face of the shoe. . .

Preferably, softening means are arranged in the middle of the external face of the bottom of the shell, in the region located between the ankle joint and the metatarsophalangeal flexion zone. , The provision of softening means in this central zone makes it possible to substantially increase the amplitude of the torsional movement of the sole of the shell and consequently allows greater torsional movements of the skier's foot.

The means for softening the shell may consist of a plurality of openings formed on the external face of the shell or of a more limited number of large openings which are substantially the outline of the zone which it is sought to weaken. These openings may or may not be through. The softening means may also consist of the presence of an external face of the shoe produced with a thickness less than the thickness of the internal face, or made of a more flexible material than that of the internal face.

Of course, the invention can be applied to any type of alpine ski boot, in particular to ski boots of the conventional type, that is to say comprising means for introducing the foot located on the front of the boot but also for ski boots with rear entry. The invention applies to any alpine skiing practice, from competition where the hulls are very rigid, to relaxation practices where the hulls are less rigid.

The present invention also relates to the characteristics which will emerge during the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings showing by way of example, some embodiments of the invention as well as alternatives.

Figure 1 shows in perspective, a shoe according to a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a view of the outer face of the bottom of the shoe shell according to the first embodiment of one invention.

FIG. 3 shows a view of the lateral face of the collar of the shoe according to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 shows a front view of a skier making a turn to his right.

Figures 5 and 6 show a side view of the alternative embodiments of the invention.

Figures 7 and 8 show a shell bottom according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 shows a ski boot with rear entry according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figures 10 and 11 show a shoe according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a complexed element that can be integrated into the bottom of the shell described in FIG. 2.

Figures 13, 14 and 15 are views of. side other embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a shoe 1 according to the invention, il _. it is a shoe 1 with four hooks. Shoe 1 comprises a shell dividing mainly into two parts, the shell bottom 2 and the collar 3 - Inside this shell is inserted an internal comfort element in the form of a removable liner 4. The bottom of the shell 2 is produced by molding a thermoplastic material, such as polyurethane. It is therefore a monobloc structure which breaks down into a sole part 5 and a rod part. The sole part is equipped at the front as at the rear with standardized end caps intended to cooperate with a fixing device. The attachment device connecting the ski boot may naturally be _^ of any known type, in particular including a center tap or other device.

The upper part of the shell bottom is open, on the top for the passage of the foot, and further comprises a pair of flaps, arranged on the top of the foot, in order to facilitate the fitting and tightening of the shoe 1 on the foot. of the user. Two hook mechanisms 6, 7 are arranged on the bottom of the shell 2. The front hook mechanism 6 is arranged at the metatarsophalangeal linkage while the central mechanism 7 is placed at the instep. They each include a pallet pivotally mounted on a yoke, which is fixed to the lateral flap, an articulated hook is connected to the pallet by means of a tie rod. Opposite the clevis, and on the medial flap, is fixed a rack, the teeth of which are adapted to receive and retain the hook. The size of the outer flap and the inner flap is such that they overlap. On the other hand, a seal ensures the sealing of connection of the two flaps.

The bottom of shell 2 covers the user's foot up to the ankle joint. Holes are provided in the bottom of the shell 2 at the ankle joint, one of the holes being formed on the external side of the rod, another hole being on the internal side _. The external hole S and the internal hole are substantially arranged along the axis of the ankle joint. The two aforementioned holes cooperate with corresponding holes provided at the base, of the collar as well as with fixing means for fixing the collar to the bottom of the shell., The softening means are distributed uniformly over a large part of the external lateral face of the shell, defining a weakened zone 9 having substantially the shape of an L. The lower part 10 of this L is longitudinal, starts from the front from the shoe and extends to the area of the metatarsophalangeal joint. It is limited in elevation, on the one hand by the sole 5 and on the other hand by the attachment points of the hook mechanisms 6, 7. The intermediate part 11 of the L is located in the extension of the lower part 10 in having a more vertical general orientation than the latter. It is positioned to cover the area of the ankle joint. Finally the upper part 12 extends the intermediate part to the upper edge of the collar 3..

The L corresponds to an external lateral zone of transmission of forces from the top of the shoe to the sole, in particular to the zone of the metatarsophalangeal joint as well as to all the zones of the sole located in front of the heel area.

FIG. 2 shows in detail the lower 10 and intermediate 11 parts of the softening means which are provided on the bottom of the shell 2. They consist of a plurality of hexagonal recesses 13 which overlap one another. The weakened zone 9 grouping together all of the recesses 13 finds its origin at the front of the shoe, substantially at the level of the metatarsophalangeal articulation zone. Its width gradually increases to reach a maximum at. the ankle joint. There are recesses. provided on either side of the external hole 8 present in the bottom of the shell and used for fixing the collar 3 thereon. Each of the recesses 13 has a diameter of about 15 mm and are spaced from each other by a distance of between 3 and 10 mm, in particular 5 mm. The recesses are through, and means are provided ensuring the tightness of the bottom of the hull. These means may consist of a film bonded to the inside of the bottom of the shell or else a foam-type filling material. In the embodiment described in FIG. 2, the means guaranteeing the tightness consist of a transparent wire in material compatible with the PU used for the shell, the film being placed in the mold before injection.

Of course, other fixing methods could be used such as, for example, bonding. On the other hand, the sealing means can be coupled with breathable means. or insulating means. An example of this type of coupled sealing and insulation means is described in FIG. 12. It is a complexed element 33 which comprises two sealed plastic films 29a, 29b between which a layer of foam is disposed. The two plastic films 29a, 29b are pressed against each other in all the areas where the complexed element will be in contact with the inner face of the shell. In the rest of the areas the foam retains its full thickness. When this element is assembled with the rest of the shell, the bulky parts 31 come to be embedded in the recesses. In addition to its sealing function, the filling material can have a damping function. Of course, the recesses do not necessarily have a hexagonal contour and other contours can be envisaged in the context of the invention.

On the other hand, the recesses may also not be through provided that their depth relative to ¹ the thickness of the shell at the place where they are formed is such that the area in question is significantly weakened. Advantageously, non-through recesses will not require any additional sealing means.

Figure 3 shows the collar of a shoe according to the invention. It is equipped with two hook mechanisms 15, 16 and a flexible strap 14. The softening means consist of two openings 17, one of which is located between the two hook mechanisms 15, 16 and the second located between the upper hook mechanism 16 and the flexible strap 14. a flexible film glued to the inside of the collar makes it possible, among other things, to guarantee the sealing thereof.

The operation of the ski boot according to the invention can be described as follows. Figure 4- shows a skier making a turn to his right. The effort he transmits on the ski outside the turn, passes through his left leg and through the inside of the left shoe. The effort he transmits on the inner ski 19 to the turn passes through his right leg which is bent and through the face. external 24 of, the right shoe. On the outside ski 13 at the turn, the support is straightforward, it is however more flexible on the inside ski 19 at the turn, because it is more directly controlled and dosed by the skier's foot.

Figures 5 and 6 show two alternative embodiments of the invention.

The bottom of hull 21 of the. Figure 5 has a weakened area limited to the area of the ankle joint, while the lower part of the outer face of the bottom of the shell retains all its rigidity. Such a shell bottom can be associated with a conventional collar or with a collar as described in FIG. 3.

The bottom of the shell 22 in FIG. 6 has a weakened area limited to the lower part of the external face of the bottom of the shell.

Figures 7 and 8 show a shell bottom 2 according to another embodiment of one invention in which the weakened area 9 is a depression area ... II. It is common for a ski boot to have a plastic shell whose thickness varies between 5 and 10 mm. It is generally at the base of the shell, on the external and internal faces, that the most important thicknesses are found. In this embodiment, the thickness of the weakened area 9. is less than 60% of the thickness of the area of. the corresponding internal face 23. The term “corresponding zone” means a zone situated on the internal face positioned symmetrically to the zone weakened relative to the median plane of the shoe.

Figure 9 shows another embodiment of the invention. The ski boot is a so-called boot with rear entry. The shell consists there of a shell bottom 2, a cuff 25 fixed on the shell bottom and an articulated sppiler 26 opening so as to allow the introduction of the foot. The softening means are positioned on the one hand on the bottom of the shell and on the other hand on the cuff. On the bottom of the shell, a recess of, oblong shape is provided in the shell leading to a thinning of .la hull of about 50%. On the cuff two recesses are provided on the face lateral of the latter on either side of a closure means 27 serving to block the spoiler 26 in the closed position.

Figures 10 and 11 describe another embodiment of the invention. The ski boot 1 comprises a shell bottom 2 and a collar 3. The boot is characterized by a significant asymmetry between its internal face 23 and its external face 24. FIG. 11 is a section of the shell bottom 2 along the plane XI -XI and shows that the thickness of the external flange 24 from the sole 5 to the end of the external flap 28 is substantially half that of the internal face 23. Similarly, the collar 3 has an asymmetry between the internal overlap and the external overlap, which is thinner.

A variation of the shoes described in FIGS. 7 and 10 consists in the manufacture of the shell bottom and / or the collar in bi-material molding, the material of the weakened zone or of the external face being more flexible than that of the internal face, in particular that of the corresponding zone of the internal face.

Figure 13 shows a side view of another embodiment of the invention. There is shown the shell of an alpine shoe comprising two main parts, a shell bottom 2 and a collar 3. The external face of the shell bottom 2 is equipped with softening means which are constituted by, recesses 13 not through holes arranged in the central zone of the external face of the shell bottom 2 between the sole and the clamping hook mechanism of the. instep 7. The inside of the shoe, not visible on. the figure is not provided with the same softening means and there is a difference in rigidity between the external and internal faces of the shell. In the weakened zone, the recesses 13 have a hexagonal shape and are regularly juxtaposed. In addition to the weakening of the external face, the arrangement of the weakening means in _, the central zone also softens the sole of the shell in torsion. Inside, from this shell a comfort liner (not shown),. is inserted. FIG. 14 describes in side view another embodiment of the invention in which the recesses 13 have a round shape and are juxtaposed according to a grid of which one of the directions is defined by a straight line connecting the axis of articulation of the ankle and the front point of the shoe while the other connects the axis of articulation to the sole in front of the heel, along a slightly oblique line.

FIG. 15 describes another embodiment of the invention in which the region of inward rigidity is constituted by a series of slots 32 substantially parallel to each other and each oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to a transmission circuit going from the axis of articulation to the metatarsophalangeal flexion zone. Each of these slots 32 is slightly arched with a concavity oriented upwards.

The invention is not limited to the sole embodiments described here by way of example, it includes in particular any ski boot in which a significant asymmetry of rigidity exists between the external and internal faces by the fact of a softening of the external face.

NQ-V-ΞNCLATURE

- shoe - bottom of shell - collar - liner - sole - hook mechanism (meta zone) - hook mechanism (instep) - external hole - weakened zone 0- lower part 1- intermediate part 2- upper part 3 - recesses 4- flexible strap 5- hook mechanism 6- hook mechanism 7- openings 8- outside ski 9- inside ski 1- hull bottom 2- hull bottom 3- inner side 4- outer side 5- cuff 6- spoiler 7- closing means 8- external flap 9a, 29b- plastic film 0- foam 1- bulky part 2- slot 3- complexed element

Claims

Revendica ions

1- Sports shoe, in! particular, ski boot, comprising a rigid shell (2, 3), in particular a plastic shell and an inner boot (4), characterized in that it comprises softening means (9, 13, 17, 32 ) arranged in the force transmission zone of the external face of the shell which starts from the upper edge of the shell to join the zone of the sole (5) between the front and the heel region so as to generate a difference in rigidity between the external and internal faces of the shell.

2- sports shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the softening means are constituted by a plurality of recesses (13) juxtaposed formed in the shell.

3- Sports shoe according to claim 2, characterized in that the softening means are constituted by an area of the external face whose thickness is less than 60% of the thickness of the corresponding zone of the internal face. -

4- Sports shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the softening means are constituted by an area of the external face made of a more flexible material than that of the rest of the shoe, in particular that of the corresponding area of the internal face.

5- Sports shoe according to one of claims.1 to 4, characterized in that the softening means are provided in the external face of the bottom of the shell at the user's instep,

6- Sports shoe according to one of claims l to 5, characterized in that the softening means are provided at the axis of articulation of the. ankle.

7- Sports shoe according to one of claims 1 to 6 further comprising a collar fixed on a bottom of the shell and equipped with at least two closing mechanisms (15, 16), characterized in that the softening means arranged on the external face of the collar comprise at least one opening (17) placed between the closing mechanisms.

8- Sports shoe according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the recesses pass right through part la- hull and in that a sealing means (33) is disposed on the inner surface of the hull so as to block said recesses.

9- Sports shoe according to claim 7, characterized in that said sealing means (33) comprises a layer of thermal insulator (30).