EP3326482A1

EP3326482A1 - Ski boot

Info

Publication number: EP3326482A1
Application number: EP16829900.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Josep Buisan Ferrer; Jaume Coma Pedrals; Juan Santiago Garcia-Alsina Goncharov
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-07-24
Filing date: 2016-07-19
Publication date: 2018-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 2036-07-19
Also published as: ES2857124T3; ES1142207Y; EP3326482B1; EP3326482A4; WO2017017300A1; ES1142207U

Abstract

The invention relates to a ski boot comprising a boot leg (4) for a person's ankle and a vamp (5) for a person's foot, and a device for modifying the stiffness of the sole (3) suitable for reversibly switching between a stiff sole state and a non-stiff sole state. The sole (3) is a flexible body without joints, and the device for modifying the stiffness of the sole comprises a stiffening structure fixed to the sole (3) and formed by several stiff portions (6, 7, 8) of the exostructure (2) which can move in a relative manner between a locking position that impedes the bending of the sole (3) and an unlocking position that allows the bending of the sole (3), and an actuator (9) that acts on the stiffening structure and can be actuated by hand to transition from the locking position to the unlocking position and vice versa.

Description

Field of the Invention

The invention is comprised in the field of ski boots, particularly alpine ski boots.
More specifically, the invention relates to a ski boot of the type comprising a flexible boot liner, an exostructure containing said flexible boot liner, and a sole, said ski boot forming a boot leg for accommodating a person's ankle and a vamp for accommodating said person's foot, and said boot comprising a device for modifying the stiffness of the sole, suitable for reversibly switching a stiffness state of said sole between a stiff sole state and a non-stiff sole state.

State of the Art

The ski boots of the type considered herein are provided with a system that allows modifying the stiffness of the sole for the purpose of reversibly transitioning from a ski position, in which the sole is stiff between a toe portion and a heel portion of the boot, respectively intended for being coupled with the front ski binding and rear ski binding, and a walking position, in which the sole is not stiff so that the person wearing the boot may walk more comfortably on a flat surface, and especially on a sloping surface, or when walking up stairs.
Systems for modifying the stiffness of the sole are known, in which systems the sole is formed by two stiff portions articulated to one another by means of a hinge or another similar joint, and a device is provided to lock and unlock the joint movement between these different stiff portions of the sole. In these known solutions, the hinges, as well as the device for locking and unlocking the joint movement of the different portions of the sole, are mechanical elements that are arranged on the bottom face of the sole and are therefore exposed to impacts when the boot is used for walking on a paved surface, or else they are exposed to dirt or small stones from the ground that may affect the proper working of the joint mechanisms when the boot is used for walking on a non-paved surface. Furthermore, when the boot is used for skiing or for walking on snow, these mechanical elements may become locked due to the formation of ice. Therefore, there is a problem relating to how to assure system robustness and reliability for modifying the stiffness of the sole. On the other hand, there is also a problem relating to how to design the mentioned system so that it is not uncomfortable when the boot is used for walking.

Description of the Invention

The purpose of the invention is to provide a ski boot of the type indicated above, which provides greater system robustness and reliability for modifying the stiffness of the sole, and which at the same time does not entail any discomfort when the boot is used for walking.
This is achieved by means of a ski boot of the type indicated above, characterized in that the sole is a flexible body without joints, and in that the device for modifying the stiffness of the sole comprises:

a stiffening structure which is fixed to the sole and is formed by several stiff portions of the exostructure, said stiff portions being linked together such that they can experience relative movement with respect to one another, allowing bending of the sole, where said stiffening structure can reversibly transition from a locking state, in which the relative movement between stiff portions is locked, impeding the bending of the sole, and an unlocking state in which said relative movement between stiff portions is unlocked, allowing the bending of the sole;
and an actuator that acts on said stiffening structure and can be actuated by hand between a first position, in which said actuator locks the relative movement between stiff portions, thereby keeping said stiffening structure in the locking state, and a second position, in which said actuator unlocks the relative movement between stiff portions, thereby putting said stiffening structure in the locking state.

The solution according to the invention is therefore based on providing the ski boot with a flexible sole, which may advantageously be a rubber sole similar to that of hiking or mountain climbing boots, and a structure which is external to said sole that allows stiffening it in the sense that it allows impeding the bending thereof. This structure is advantageously formed by several stiff portions of the exostructure which can form a stiff assembly or a non-stiff assembly, where it can reversibly transition from one state to the other by means of the actuator which allows locking or unlocking the relative movement between the different portions of this structure.
This solution does not require mechanical elements arranged in the sole itself, so the aforementioned problems are prevented. On the other hand, this solution does not introduce any discomfort for walking with the boot, since the mechanism for stiffening the sole is formed in the exostructure, and furthermore the sole can be a rubber sole similar to those that are used in hiking or mountain climbing boots.
In preferred embodiments, a particularly simple and robust solution is adopted, in which the stiffening structure comprises:

a first stiff portion of the exostructure, comprising a fixed end integral with the sole in a toe area of said sole, and a free end extending into the vamp;
a second stiff portion of the exostructure, extending into said vamp and comprising a front end overlapping said free end of the first stiff portion, such that said free end of the first stiff portion slides in a relative manner with respect to said front end of the second stiff portion when bending of the sole occurs;

Preferably, said first stiff portion has a bent central band shape which takes up a toe cap central area of said ski boot, and side portions of the vamp, arranged on each side of said bent central band and fixed to the sole, are flexible. This configuration provides for easy bending of a front portion of the sole and furthermore allows providing a high degree of stiffness to the toe of the boot in order to receive the front portion of the ski binding.
The invention is applied in a particularly advantageous manner to ski boots of the type comprising a swivel axis about which the boot leg can perform a flexing movement with respect to the vamp in the anteroposterior direction, and further comprising a flexing locking device for locking and unlocking said flexing movement of the boot leg, said flexing locking device being suitable for reversibly switching a resistance to flexing state of the boot leg between a high resistance to flexing state and a low resistance to flexing state. According to the invention, the actuator acts simultaneously on the stiffening structure and on the flexing locking device, such that in the first position in addition to locking the relative movement between stiff portions, the actuator also locks the flexing movement of the boot leg, thereby keeping the boot leg in the high resistance to flexing state, and in the second position in addition to unlocking the relative movement between stiff portions, the actuator also unlocks the flexing movement of the boot leg, thereby putting said boot leg in the low resistance to flexing state. In these embodiments, the skier may very easily, by simply handling the actuator, transition from a ski position in which the sole is stiff and resistance to flexing of the boot leg is high, to a walking position in which the sole can bend and resistance to flexing of the boot leg is low. In this walking position, the combination of a flexible sole with a boot leg that can easily flex in the anteroposterior direction allows for a particularly comfortable and natural walking movement, similar to that provided by a high legged hiking boot.
Preferably, the flexing locking device comprises an elastically deformable anchor part having, on one hand, a front end that is integral with the first stiff portion when the actuator is located in the first position and released when said actuator is located in the second position, and on the other hand, a back end which is fixed to a swiveling stiff portion of the exostructure, said swiveling stiff portion forming a pivot lever for the flexing of the boot leg with respect to the swivel axis, such that when the boot leg performs a forward flexing movement the swiveling stiff portion rotates integrally with the boot leg with respect to the swivel axis and pulls the anchor part. As a result of this configuration, the flexing of the boot leg in the anteroposterior direction has an elastic component which may be easily combined with a friction component. Furthermore, this flexing is controlled by the shape and composition of the anchor part, which can be selected to adapt the boot leg flexing characteristics to the needs of different types of skiers or to different skiing conditions.
In the preferred embodiments, the anchor part is a curved rod, particularly a metal rod, such that the elastic deformation of said anchor part is due to a variation of its curvature caused by a tension force that results from the flexing of the boot leg. More preferably, said anchor part is a generally U-shaped curved rod, with each of the two ends of said U shape extending on one side of the ski boot to form the back end of the anchor part, the swiveling stiff portion to which each of the back ends of the anchor part is fixed being provided on each side of the ski boot, and with the central portion of said U shape forming the front end of the anchor part, said front end extending transversely through the vamp and being sandwiched between the free end of the first stiff portion and the front end of the second stiff portion. This configuration has the advantages of being simple and particularly robust, and of providing a laterally well-balanced ski boot behavior.
Preferably, the front end of the anchor part fits in a removable manner in a first housing formed at the free end of the first stiff portion, on a face thereof opposite the front end of the second stiff portion, and the actuator is configured such that in the first position it tightens the free end of the first stiff portion and the front end of the second stiff portion against one another, said front end of the anchor part being firmly held in said first housing, whereas in the second position of the actuator the free end of the first stiff portion and the front end of the second stiff portion can move apart from one another, leaving a space between them in which the front end of the anchor part can move. This configuration allows reversibly making the front end of the anchor part integral with the free end of the first stiff portion in a particularly easy and efficient manner.
More preferably, for the purpose of providing a particularly secure manner of making the front end of the anchor part integral with the free end of the first stiff portion, said front end of the anchor part fits in a removable manner in the first housing and also in a second housing formed at the front end of the second stiff portion, on a face thereof opposite the free end of the first stiff portion, such that in the first position of the actuator the simultaneous fitting of said front end of the anchor part in said first housing and in a second housing locks the relative sliding of said free end of the first stiff portion with respect to said front end of the second stiff portion. This solution allows simultaneously obtaining, through a single mechanism, the locking and unlocking of said relative sliding, as well as reversibly making the front end of the anchor part integral, as mentioned.
In preferred embodiments, the stiffening structure comprises a third stiff portion of the exostructure integral with the sole in a heel area of said sole, the swivel axis being arranged in said third stiff portion, and the second stiff portion is swivel mounted about the swivel axis at one end thereof opposite its front end. This configuration provides for strong stiffening along the sole and makes it easier to form resistant areas in the toe and heel of the boot, i.e., in the areas intended for receiving the ski bindings. On the other hand, this configuration allows the front end of the second stiff portion to rise up when said second stiff portion swivels about the swivel axis, thereby making relative sliding between said front end of the second stiff portion and the free end of the first stiff portion easier.
Preferably, the exostructure comprises a side stiff portion extending along the boot leg on one side of the ski boot and being swivel mounted about the swivel axis, said side stiff portion being integral with the swiveling stiff portion, such that said swiveling stiff portion forms a pivot lever of said side stiff portion with respect to the swivel axis, and the ski boot further comprises a fastener configured for tightening the boot leg and the side stiff portion, such that said tightening imparted by the fastener makes the boot leg integral with the ankle and also makes the side stiff portion integral with the boot leg. Flexing of the boot leg therefore entails a swiveling of the swiveling stiff portion, against which a force resulting from the elastic deformation of the anchor part puts up resistance.
Based on the invention defined in the main claim, a number of preferred embodiments have been provided and the features thereof are included in the dependent claims.
The invention also comprises other detail features illustrated in the detailed description of an embodiment of the invention and in the attached drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The advantages and features of the invention will be seen from the following description in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is described in a non-limiting manner with respect to the scope of the main claim and in reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ski boot.
Figure 2 is a side view of the ski boot in a ski position, in which the sole is stiff and the resistance to flexing of the boot leg is high.
Figure 3 is a side view of the ski boot in a walking position in which the sole can bend and the resistance to flexing of the boot leg is low. In this figure, the boot is shown with the sole bent and with the boot leg being flexed forward.
Figure 4 is a front view of the ski boot in the ski position,
Figure 5 is a partially sectioned side view of the ski boot in the mentioned ski position.
Figures 6 and 7 are sectioned views sides of the front portion of the ski boot in the ski position and in the walking position, respectively.

Detailed Description of an Embodiment of the Invention

The embodiment that is described below by way of example is a ski boot which is particularly designed for recreational alpine skiing. As can be seen in Figures 1 to 5, the ski boot forms a boot leg 4 for accommodating the ankle and a vamp 5 for accommodating the foot. Its main components are a flexible boot liner 1, made of polymer foam provided with a breathable waterproof coating, an exostructure 2 containing the flexible boot liner 1 and being formed by several portions, and a flexible rubber sole 3 with lugs which forms a flexible body without joints. The sole 3 is similar to those used in hiking boots.
The main portions of the exostructure 2 are the following:

A swivel axis 15 about which the boot leg 4 can perform a flexing movement with respect to the vamp 5 in the anteroposterior direction.
A first stiff portion 6 made of a composite material (composite resin), comprising a fixed end 6b integral with the toe of the sole 3 and a free end 6a extending into the vamp 5, and having the form of a bent central band which takes up a central area of the toe cap of the ski boot.
A second stiff portion 7, also made of a composite material, extending into an upper portion of the vamp 5 and comprising a front end 7a overlapping the free end 6a of the first stiff portion 6. These first and second portions 6, 7 are arranged such that the free end 6a of the first portion 6 slides in a relative manner with respect to the front end 7a of the second portion 7 when a bending the sole 3 occurs. This second stiff portion 7 is swivel mounted about the swiveling axis 15 at an end 7b thereof opposite its front end 7a.
A third stiff portion 8, also made of a composite material, which is integral with the heel of the sole 3 and supports the swivel axis 15.
Two identical side stiff portions 16, also made of a composite material, extending along the boot leg 4 on each side of the ski boot and swivel mounted about the swivel axis 15. Each of these side stiff portions 16 is integral with an ear-shaped swiveling stiff portion 11 forming a pivot lever of said side stiff portion 16 with respect to the swiveling axis.

The ski boot comprises a fastener 17, depicted only in Figure 1, which is configured for tightening the boot leg 4 and the two side stiff portions 16, such that this tightening imparted by the fastener 17 makes the boot leg 4 integral with the ankle and also makes the two side stiff portions 16 integral with the boot leg 4. In the embodiment depicted in Figure 1, the fastener 7 is a self-fixing strap going around the boot leg 4. Other embodiments of this fastener 17 can be provided, such as closure hooks, for example.
The ski boot advantageously comprises a device for modifying the stiffness of the sole, suitable for reversibly switching a stiffness state of said sole 3 between a stiff sole state (ski position, Figure 2) and a non-stiff sole state (walking position, Figure 3), in which the sole 3 can experience bending caused by a walking movement. This device for modifying the stiffness of the sole comprises:

A stiffening structure which is fixed to the sole 3 and which is formed in the depicted example by the first stiff portion 6, the second stiff portion 7 and the third stiff portion 8 of the exostructure 2. These stiff portions 6, 7, 8 can experience relative movement with respect to one another to allow bending of the sole 3. This relative movement is due to the relative sliding between the free end 6a with respect to the front end 7a, and also due to the swiveling of the second portion 7 with respect to the swivel axis 15. The stiffening structure thereby formed can reversibly transition from a locking state (ski position, Figures 2 and 5), in which the relative movement between stiff portions 6, 7, 8 is locked, impeding the bending of the sole 3, and an unlocking state (walking position, Figures 3 and 7), in which said relative movement is unlocked, allowing the bending of the sole 3.
An actuator 9 that acts on the stiffening structure and can be actuated by hand, for reversibly transitioning from a first position (ski position, Figures 2 and 5), in which the actuator 9 locks the relative movement between stiff portions 6, 7, 8, thereby keeping the stiffening structure in the locking state, and a second position (walking position, Figures 3 and 7), in which the actuator 9 unlocks the relative movement between stiff portions 6, 7, 8, thereby putting the stiffening structure in the unlocking state. In the depicted embodiment, the actuator 9 is actuated by hand to lock and unlock the relative sliding between the free end 6a and the front end 7a. This actuator 9 is a bayonet-type closure provided with a flange 20 arranged to press the free end 6a against the front end 7a. The actuator 9 is provided with an outer button which can be rotated 90º to transition from the ski position shown in Figure 6, in which the flange 20 is pressed against the free end 6a, and the walking position shown in Figure 7, in which the flange 20 is rotated 90º and is not applied on the free end 6a.

The ski boot further comprises a flexing locking device to lock and unlock the flexing movement of the boot leg 4 about the swivel axis 15, which allows reversibly transitioning from a high resistance to flexing state of the boot leg 4 (ski position, Figure 2) to a low resistance to flexing state thereof (walking position, Figure 3).
This flexing locking device is formed by an elastically deformable anchor part 10, made up of a generally U-shaped curved metal rod. The central portion of the U shape forms a front end 10a of the anchor part 10 that is integral with the first stiff portion 6 when the actuator 9 is located in the first position (ski position, Figure 6) and released when the actuator is located in the second position (walking position, Figure 7). Each of the two ends of the U shape extends to one side of the ski boot to form a back end 10b of the anchor part 10 which is fixed to the corresponding swiveling stiff portion 11, such that when the boot leg 4 performs a forward flexing movement, the swiveling stiff portion 11 rotates integrally with the boot leg 4 about the swivel axis 15 and pulls the anchor part 10. The front end 10a formed by the central portion of the U shape extends transversely through the vamp 5 and is sandwiched between the free end and the front end 7a. This front end 10a of the anchor part 10 fits in a removable manner and simultaneously, on one hand, in a first housing 12 formed in the upper face of the free end 6a, and on the other hand, in a second housing 14 formed in the lower face of the front end 7a.
In the first position of the actuator 9 (ski position, Figure 6), the flange 20 tightens the free end 6a and the front end 7a against one another, such that the front end 10a of the anchor part 10 is firmly held in the first housing 12 and in the second housing 14. In the second position of the actuator 9 (walking position, Figure 7), the free end 6a and the front end 7a are free to move apart from one another, leaving a space 13 between them in which the front end 10a of the anchor part 10 can move.
The fitting of the front end 10a of the anchor part 10 simultaneously in the first housing 12 and in a second housing 14 also locks the relative sliding between the free end 6a and the front end 7a. The actuator 9 therefore acts simultaneously on the stiffening structure and on the flexing locking device, such that in the first position (ski position, Figure 6) it locks the relative movement between stiff portions 6, 7, 8 and also locks the flexing movement of the boot leg 4, thereby keeping it in the high resistance to flexing state, whereas in the second position (walking position, Fig, 7) the actuator 9 unlocks the relative movement between stiff portions 6, 7, 8 and also unlocks the flexing movement of the boot leg 4, thereby putting it in the low resistance to flexing state.
In order to make the bending of the front area of the sole 3 easier, flexible side portions 19 of the vamp 5 are arranged on each side of the bent central band-shaped first stiff portion 6. In the depicted embodiment, these flexible side portions 19 are formed by an elastomer band externally covering part of the first stiff portion 6 and extending on both sides thereof to the sole 3.

Claims

A ski boot comprising a flexible boot liner (1), an exostructure (2) containing said flexible boot liner (1), and a sole (3), said ski boot forming a boot leg (4) for accommodating a person's ankle and a vamp (5) for accommodating said person's foot, and comprising a device for modifying the stiffness of the sole, suitable for reversibly switching a stiffness state of said sole (3) between a stiff sole state and a non-stiff sole state, characterized in that said sole (3) is a flexible body without joints, and in that said device for modifying the stiffness of the sole comprises:
- a stiffening structure which is fixed to said sole (3) and is formed by several stiff portions (6, 7, 8) of said exostructure (2), said stiff portions (6, 7, 8) being linked together such that they can experience relative movement with respect to one another, allowing bending of said sole (3), where said stiffening structure can reversibly transition from a locking state, in which said relative movement between stiff portions (6, 7, 8) is locked, impeding the bending of said sole (3), and an unlocking state in which said relative movement between stiff portions (6, 7, 8) is unlocked, allowing the bending of said sole (3);

- and an actuator (9) that acts on said stiffening structure and can be actuated by hand between a first position, in which said actuator (9) locks said relative movement between stiff portions (6, 7, 8), thereby keeping said stiffening structure in said locking state, and a second position, in which said actuator (9) unlocks said relative movement between stiff portions (6, 7, 8), thereby putting said stiffening structure in said unlocking state.
The ski boot according to claim 1, characterized in that said stiffening structure comprises:
- a first stiff portion (6) of said exostructure (2), comprising a fixed end (6b) integral with said sole (3) in a toe area of said sole (3), and a free end (6a) extending into said vamp (5);

- a second stiff portion (7) of said exostructure (2) extending into said vamp (5) and comprising a front end (7a) overlapping said free end (6a) of said first stiff portion (6), said free end (6a) of the first stiff portion (6) sliding in a relative manner with respect to said front end (7a) of the second stiff portion (7) when bending of said sole (3) occurs;
and in that said actuator (9) can be actuated by hand to lock and unlock the relative sliding of said free end (6a) of the first stiff portion (6) with respect to said front end (7a) of the second stiff portion (7).
The ski boot according to claim 2, characterized in that said first stiff portion (6) has a bent central band shape which takes up a toe cap central area of said ski boot, and in that side portions (19) of said vamp (5), arranged on each side of said bent central band and fixed to said sole (3), are flexible.
The ski boot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a swivel axis (15) about which said boot leg (4) can perform a flexing movement with respect to said vamp (5) in the anteroposterior direction, and further comprising a flexing locking device for locking and unlocking said bending movement of said boot leg (4), said flexing locking device being suitable for reversibly switching a resistance to flexing state of said boot leg (4) between a high resistance to flexing state and a low resistance to flexing state, characterized in that said actuator (9) acts simultaneously on said stiffening structure and on said flexing locking device, such that in said first position in addition to locking said relative movement between stiff portions (6, 7, 8), said actuator (9) also locks said flexing movement of said boot leg (4), thereby keeping said boot leg (4) in said high resistance to flexing state, and in said second position in addition to unlocking said relative movement between stiff portions (6, 7, 8), said actuator (9) also unlocks said flexing movement of said boot leg (4), thereby putting said boot leg (4) in said low resistance to flexing state.
The ski boot according to claims 2 and 4, characterized in that said flexing locking device comprises an elastically deformable anchor part (10) having, on one hand, a front end (10a) that is integral with said first stiff portion (6) when said actuator (9) is located in said first position and released when said actuator (9) is located in said second position, and on the other hand, a back end (10b) which is fixed to a swiveling stiff portion (11) of said exostructure (2), said swiveling stiff portion (11) forming a pivot lever for the flexing of said boot leg (4) with respect to said swivel axis (15), such that when said boot leg (4) performs a forward flexing movement, said swiveling stiff portion (11) rotates integrally with said boot leg (4) about said swivel axis (15) and pulls said anchor part (10).
The ski boot according to claim 5, characterized in that said anchor part (10) is a curved rod.
The ski boot according to claim 6, characterized in that said anchor part (10) is a generally U-shaped curved rod, with each of the two ends of said U shape extending on one side of said ski boot to form said back end (10b) of the anchor part (10), said swiveling stiff portion (11) to which each of said back ends (10b) of the anchor part (10) is fixed being provided on each side of said ski boot, and with the central portion of said U shape forming said front end (10a) of the anchor part (10), said front end (10a) extending transversely through said vamp (5) and being sandwiched between said free end (6a) of the first stiff portion (6) and said front end (7a) of the second stiff portion (7).
The ski boot according to claim 7, characterized in that said front end (10a) of the anchor part (10) fits in a removable manner in a first housing (12) formed at said free end (6a) of the first stiff portion (6), on a face thereof opposite said front end (7a) of said second stiff portion (7), and in that said actuator (9) is configured such that in the first position it tightens said free end (6a) of the first stiff portion (6) and said front end (7a) of the second stiff portion (7) against one another, said front end (10a) of the anchor part (10) being firmly held in said first housing (12), whereas in the second position of said actuator (9), said free end (6a) of the first stiff portion (6) and said front end (7a) of the second stiff portion (7) can move apart from one another, leaving a space (13) between them in which said front end (10a) of the anchor part (10) can move.
The ski boot according to claim 8, characterized in that said front end (10a) of the anchor part (10) fits in a removable manner in said first housing (12) and also in a second housing (14) formed at said front end (7a) of said second stiff portion (7), on a face thereof opposite said free end (6a) of the first stiff portion (6), such that in the first position of said actuator (9) the simultaneous fitting of said front end (10a) of the anchor part (10) in said first housing (12) and in a second housing (14) locks the relative sliding of said free end (6a) of the first stiff portion (6) with respect to said front end (7a) of the second stiff portion (7).
The ski boot according to claim 2 combined with any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that said stiffening structure comprises a third stiff portion (8) of said exostructure (2) integral with said sole (3) in a heel area of said sole (3), said swivel axis (15) being arranged in said third stiff portion (8), and in that said second stiff portion (7) is swivel mounted about said swivel axis (15) at an end (7b) thereof opposite said front end (7a).
The ski boot according to claims 5 and 10, characterized in that said exostructure (2) comprises a side stiff portion (16) extending along said boot leg (4) on one side of said ski boot and being swivel mounted about said swivel axis (15), said side stiff portion (16) being integral with said swiveling stiff portion (11), such that said swiveling stiff portion (11) forms a pivot lever of said side stiff portion (16) with respect to said swivel axis (15), and in that said ski boot comprises a fastener (17) configured for tightening said boot leg (4) and said side stiff portion (16), such that said tightening imparted by the fastener (17) makes said boot leg (4) integral with the ankle and also makes said side stiff portion (16) integral with said boot leg (4).