JPH03106302A - Ski boots having joining part for permitting physiological movement of ankle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enable control of skis reducing dangers of damaging ligaments of knees by providing the boot with a joint part which allows an ankle to make physiological movements. CONSTITUTION: A foot receiving body 17 is connected to a sole shell 15 by tow connecting means so that the foot receiving body 17 and the sole shell 15 can be relatively distorted. A first connecting means 22 is disposed at the rear of a ski boot where it functions as a holding seat member to support an ankle of a skier. A spherical lug 23, which is formed in an incorporated manner from the sole shell 15, is retained to a spatial part 24 formed in the thickness direction of a rim part 25 of the foot receiving body 17. The first connecting means 22 allows one or both freedom degrees shown by arrows A1 and A2. The first connecting means can function perfectly when it cooperates with a second connecting means 32 which is effectively disposed between a front half 16 of the sole shell 15 and a front part 17a of the rigid foot receiving body 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates generally to the field of ski boots and related products, and more particularly to ski boots having joints that allow physiological ankle movements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Modern ski boot designs are based on two main principles: ankle protection and ski control. For this purpose, the ankle is firmly fixed in the ski boot, which greatly eliminates trauma to this joint, while the leg and ski are fixed, and the ski is controlled only by the knee and hip joint. I have to.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention J] As a result, most ski boots are designed to match the anatomical contours of the foot and ankle; There was a problem in regulating the physiological movement of the foot in three planes: the horizontal plane and the sagittal plane. Fixing the movement of the ankle impairs the ability of the ankle to apply itself to the ground, and, although not completely, there is a problem in that the lower body cannot be freed when the foot is caught in the ground. . This lack of consideration of the physiology of the ankle results in mechanical stress build-up near the knee, especially during falls, which damages the ligament system. Therefore, conventional ski boots suffer from the high external forces and frequency of damage to the ligaments.

In an attempt to improve comfort and performance when wearing ski boots,
Ski boots that allow movement of the ankle joint have already been proposed. These proposed ski boots have a plantar shell that includes the front half of the shoe, and an axis above the tibial joint that lies on a plane substantially parallel to the horizontal plane from the sole. It has legs that are articulated around it. This type of design has obvious advantages, such as being able to bend the ankle to a certain extent around the tibial joint, as well as in the sagittal plane, but the ankle joint can be flexed in the anterior plane, horizontally, and horizontally. It is completely fixed. For example, DE-U-8
702 913 or DE-A-3 303 52
In the patent No. 0, the legs are slid in a substantially vertical axis direction to be fixed in accordance with the body shape of each skier. However, when the leg is fixed in this manner, the movement of the ankle in the horizontal plane is restricted, so that rotational direction or partial rotational movement may not be possible compared to the natural movement of the ankle joint.

Although the concept of a ski boot that articulates the leg around the tibial axis provides a certain degree of freedom of flexion of the ankle, it still relies on traditional ski control methodology and prevents damage to the knee ligament tissue. I can't do it,
The physiological potential of the ankle joint, which should be used, could not be fully utilized.

Next, ER-A-2 536 966 is known, according to which the aim is for the skier's legs to have a natural inclination, in which the rigid leg housing is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the foot. We are proposing ski boots that are movable in the vertical plane. This leg mobility is achieved by providing a rigid leg accommodating part in the boot for a slidably guided, generally circular stirrup. This type of boot does not allow physiological movement of the ankle,
This is because it simply allows a lateral tilt to the skier's legs.

However, this ski boot restricts the physiological movement of the ankle, since movement of the ankle in the anterior plane is accompanied by movement in the horizontal plane and, to a lesser extent, in the sagittal plane. It is.

The ski boot of the known patent US-A-4 199 879 provides some degree of freedom in three planes of the ankle in order to ensure safety. For this purpose, a rigid case body, approximately a simple cylindrical body, holds the leg region above the ankle, including the plantar shell region including the calcaneus of the skier's foot. This rigid leg housing is articulated to the sole shell by two spiral springs provided on both sides of the shoe.

Although this configuration allows for relative distortion of the sole shell and the leg housing in three planes, it is not possible to obtain a finished product that maintains a sealed state between the two parts because a flexible outer casing is required. Furthermore, the use of a complete spring merely provides a dynamic braking force to the ankle and does not dynamically control the movement of the ankle at its natural physiological limits. In addition to this, external springs have the disadvantage of placing high muscle stress on the joints due to their geometrical position. Also, having a spring on the outside has the double drawback of potentially getting things caught on it, creating a risk of a fall for the skier.

Therefore, the ski boots of the present invention having joints that enable physiological ankle movements have been developed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and their first purpose is to improve the physiology of the ankle joints. To provide a ski shoe that can be adapted to various movements of the knee, enables ski control while reducing the risk of damage to knee ligaments, and does not affect the protection of the ankle joint.

A further object is to provide a ski boot which allows simultaneous movement of the foot in the horizontal plane and in the front plane.

A second purpose is to allow an improved realization of the ankle joint in the sagittal plane.

[Means for Solving the Problems] and [Operation] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the purpose, the ski boots of the present invention having joints that enable physiological ankle movements are provided as ski boots. A sole shell having a sole that is directly or indirectly held on a ski or the like and that includes at least the sole base of the foot and the calcaneal body, and an articulation device that allows the shoe to be attached to the shoe. A ski boot having a rigid case connected to a sole shell and having an articulation that allows physiological ankle movement to effect a relative strain defined by an angle between the sole shell and the rigid case. The rigid case is a leg accommodating body and holds the ankle;
and covering the tibial joint and the talus and being sealed against the sole shell by an articulation device to control at least a portion of all rotational and valgus movements permitted by the ankle joint. 1 movement between the leg housing and the sole shell.
1 Regarding the above relative strain. Works more tolerating. It goes without saying that there are various modifications in addition to the embodiments described below with reference to the drawings.

[Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a ski boot according to an embodiment of the present invention, and illustrates the arrangement of bones after the ankle and foot are fixed to the ski boot. In this figure, an outer case 1 that accommodates a human ankle and a shoe sole 2 are indicated by broken lines in the figure. This diagram shows the position of the ankle and the back of the skier's right foot, viewed from the outside and horizontal direction of the plane extending from the main longitudinal axis of the ski boot, with the plane corresponding to the bottom of the ski boot on the plane in the diagram. It is shown in

The accessory talar joint of the ankle is composed of a calcaneus 3, a tissue consisting of an immediate bone 4 and a cuboid bone 5, a navicular bone 6, a cuneiform bone 7, a metatarsal bone, and finally a phalanx (not shown). It forms the body of the calcaneus.

The movement in each plane of the accessory talar joint of the ankle is the relative position 1 2 of the calcaneus body, which consists of the calcaneus 3, cuboid 5, navicular 6, cuneiform 7, and metatarsal 8, with respect to the talus 4. It is related to. More specifically, these movements are customarily anatomically defined as ankle rotation and ankle eversion movements.

This rotation of the ankle performs all the movements described below in three planes, ie there is first a so-called medial rotation in the horizontal plane which coincides with the plane of FIG. This inward rotation is caused by the opposing toes being brought towards the inner thighs. The maximum angle of this internal rotation is 30 degrees with respect to the vertical axis of the symmetrical legs in a normal human standing state.

On the other hand, in the front plane perpendicular to this plane,
A so-called inner roll takes place over a maximum range of about 25 degrees. Furthermore, in the sagittal plane in the figure, so-called plantar flexion is performed in the direction of arrow f in the figure within a range of approximately 10 degrees from the standing state of the human being.

These above-mentioned ranges are average values, and each range varies from 5 degrees to 10 degrees due to individual differences.

Similarly, ankle valgus is defined by movement in three planes, and is a general movement away from the individual's plane of symmetry.
That is, it has a maximum lateral rotation of 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, has an lateral rotation of about 20 degrees in the anterior plane, and has a so-called dorsal angle of 10 degrees with respect to the sagittal plane indicated by arrow f2 in the figure. It is a lateral bend.

According to the above-mentioned studies on rotation and valgus of the ankle accessory talar joint, the three planes of pronation and valgus movement have co-occurring axes, otherwise the movement would be limited. It is said that the range is determined by the cone 11 in the figure. Hereinafter, it will be referred to as the accessory talar cone 11.

The apex S of the accessory talar cone 11 is located at a distance from the back of the calcaneus, and is at a height H1 that is approximately one third of the height H of the calcaneus 3. This vertex S is preferably located at the geometric center of projection with respect to the front plane.

The degree of inclination of the accessory talar cone 1l with respect to the horizontal plane is determined by the position of the bundle of ligaments 12 and 13, so that the intersection of the ligaments and the central axis 14 of the accessory talar cone 11 coincide. In practice, it is defined by the angle α between the central axis 14 and the horizontal plane, and the angle is in the range of 20 to 50 degrees, preferably in the range of 30 to 45 degrees. This accessory talar cone 11 is also defined by an opening angle β from the apex S, and the average angle value varies from 15 degrees to 30 degrees depending on the age of the individual and anatomical individual differences.

Next, FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1, showing a cross section of the right foot. In this figure, the axis x-x' represents the vertical axis of the ski boot (boot) 1. When projected onto a horizontal plane, the angle γ between the longitudinal axis xx' and the central axis 14 of the cone 11 is between 10 and 30 degrees, so that the cone 11 faces inward.

By arranging the accessory talar cone 11 according to the geometrical and rotational system definitions described above, simultaneous movement of the accessory talar joint can be achieved. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ski boot according to the first embodiment taken along the longitudinal axis direction, and shows a foot provided with a sole 2 that is indirectly or directly placed on a holding portion defined by a plane. A bottom shell 15 is provided. This plantar shell 15 supports the base of the sole of the foot and includes a part of the back surface of the foot, and the calcaneus body is covered by the front half portion 16 of the shoe.

The invention also includes a rigid leg housing 17 which is provided in a sealed manner with respect to the plantar shell 15 and which encloses the ankle and protects the ankle joint, in particular the tibial joint 10 and the talus 4. It covers and protects from the sides and front and back.

This rigid leg housing 17 is articulated with the sole shell 15 by two connecting means as shown in FIG. The bottom shell 15 can be distorted. The first connecting means 22 (FIGS. 3 and 6) is provided in the rear region of the ski shoe at a portion that functions as a holding seat member that supports the skier's heel region, and is integrally provided from the sole shell l5. A spherical or approximately spherical lug 23 is formed by being hung in a space 24 formed in the thickness direction of the edge 25 of the leg accommodating body 17. This lug 23 and the space 24
is formed on the ski boot in the vicinity of the apex of the cone 11, so that the relative distortions of the plantar shell 15 and the leg housing 17 occur simultaneously in the axis determined by the cone 11 mentioned above. Depending on the shape of the connection between the lug 23 and the space 24, the first connecting means 22 can have one or both of the two degrees of freedom indicated by arrows A1 and A2 in the figure. That is,
The arrow A1 is the movement within the cone 11 from the rear to the front of the shoe, and the rotational direction of the arrow A is the movement around the support center of the rotating lug 23. This rotation A2 is clearly cone 1
1.

The first connecting means 22 may be of any type as long as it can achieve relative distortion between the plantar shell 15 and the leg accommodation body 17 in three planes, in addition to the above-described combination of rotation and distortion. As a modification, there is an example in which the lug 23 and the space 24 are provided oppositely, so that the lug 23 is provided integrally with the leg housing l7, while the space 24 is formed in the thickness direction of the sole shell 15. It will be done.

Similarly, as a variation, the lug assembly shown in FIG. 3 could be configured with a ball joint as shown in FIG. In this variant, two preferably hemispherical spaces 26, 27 are formed, an annular gap is formed in the thickness direction of the rigid leg housing 17 and the plantar shell 15, and the space is The parts 26 and 27 function as a holding seat for the ball 28,
Ball 28 is kept in place by holding means (not shown). By creating an assembly in which a gap is provided relative to each other in this way, rotational distortion of the sole shell 15 in three plane directions can be made possible with respect to the rigid leg housing 17. The coupling means shown in FIG. 3 cooperate perfectly with the previous coupling means 32 being effectively arranged between the front half 16 of the plantar shell 15 and the front part 17a of the rigid leg housing 17. I will do it.

As mentioned above, in order to accommodate at least in part the physiological movements of the accessory talar joint of the ankle, this anterior coupling means is placed in a part of the cone 11;
3 that occurs when the plantar shell 15 and the rigid leg accommodation 17 move.
The simultaneous axis in the plane is made to lie inside the cone 11. For this purpose, the lug 33 with a spherical or hemispherical head is preferably provided with a structure that is provided, for example, from a cylindrical base 34 formed integrally with the front half 16 of the shoe. The head of the lug 33 is held in a space 35 formed in the thickness direction in the front part of the rigid leg rest 17, and then held in place by an annular shoulder member 36.

Next, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the breaking line IV--IV of the first embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the breaking line V-■ in FIG. Each one is excited. In both figures, the space 35 has an oval cross-sectional shape that decreases from the annular shoulder member 36 to the bottom of the space,
By arranging the lugs 33 within the space 35 with sufficient clearance, the plantar shell 15 is arranged to be completely free to move relative to the rigid leg housing 17. In this way, as shown in FIG. 4, the lug 33 can be moved parallel to the plane P, for example to a central position on the axis B1 or B2.

Similarly, the above configuration allows the plantar shell l5 or the rigid 1 9 ? It is possible to simultaneously rotate the leg accommodating body 17 around the rotation axis, for example, the rigid leg accommodating body 17 can be rotated around the cylindrical base 34.
The imaginary center plane of can be moved to the positions R1 and R2.

The relative rotational strain of the rigid leg housing 17 with respect to the plantar shell 15 is effectively limited by the relative clearance between the front coupling means and the rear coupling means, while the relative rotational strain between the rigid leg accommodation 17 and the plantar shell 15 It is delimited by interdigitating ends 41 provided therebetween. For this purpose, an end 41 is formed at the upper edge 42 of the plantar shell 15. Further, the lower end portion 43 is formed at the lower end edge of the rigid leg housing 17 .

The articulation device described above can be made flexible by the provision of spring means 44 between the edges of the rigid leg housing 17 and the plantar shell 15. Figure 9 is a rear view of the ski boot;
In this figure, the spring means 44 is adjustable so that the relative strain between the rigid leg housing 17 and the sole shell 15 can be adjusted, providing flexibility. In addition to the illustrated spring means 44, various adjustment means 20 are applicable.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the articulation device, showing the front coupling means 32. In this figure, a sphere 45 having two spheres is connected to a sphere 47.4 through a cylindrical relay member 46.
8 are integrally provided. The catch of these balls is the third
A space 49, which is a space 35 similar to that shown in the figure.
50, and are formed on the front wall portion 17a and the front half 16 of the rigid leg housing 17, respectively. The space 49,50 is opened to the outside from the front wall portion 17a and the front half 16 by a cylindrical hole 5152, into which the relay member 46 is inserted. Spaces 49 and 50 of sphere 45 and cylindrical holes 51 and 52
The relative dimensions of the rigid leg housing 17 and the anterior half 16 of the plantar shell 15 allow the sphere 45 to remain within the space 49.50, while the rigid leg housing 17 and the anterior half 16 of the plantar shell 15 are arranged about the same axis in the above-mentioned accessory talar cone 11.
is made movable.

The center of the anterior and posterior coupling means, advantageously assembled as described above, also includes being arranged relative to the central axis 14 of the accessory talar cone 11. However, due to the plasticity of the human foot, it is also possible to arrange the geometrical center in a longitudinal plane containing the longitudinal axis x-x' of the boot and the great center.

Next, in FIG. 9, which is a rear view of the ski boot, the rigid upper leg 55 is articulated to the leg 17 about an axis y-y' that crosses the intermediate plane M of the ski boot in the figure. This axis y-y
' is disposed in the area of the ski boot corresponding to the tibial joint 10 in FIG. 1, and is adapted to accommodate the bending of this joint. Furthermore, the horizontal axis y-y' is more effectively inclined from the inside to the outside with respect to the plane P.

This horizontal axis y-y' is inclined with respect to the plane P by about 15 to 25 degrees.

As described above, the problem of sealing when joining at least two constituent members is solved by interposing sealing tabs inside and outside along the joint portion 41, for example.

FIG. 10.11 shows the assembled state of the two components of the ski boot, in which the articulating device consists of two bars 51 and is interposed between the rigid leg housing 17 and the sole shell 15. . These bars 51 have a screw engagement member 52 at the bottom and an engagement member 53 such as a rivet or tenon provided at the top.

A relative gap is formed in this rod 51 so that the simultaneous axes of the rigid leg housing 17 in three planes are accommodated within the cone 11. Of course, the positions of the engaging members 52 and 53 can be exchanged here.

The articulation device described above allows the skier wearing the boot to reproduce all pronation and eversion movements of the calcaneal region below the talus, at least partially or preferably completely. This eliminates the need for maintenance by the feet and ankles and impairs the skier's ability. In fact, the definition of a geometric and mechanical model for kinematic analysis based on an anatomical and physiological basis for the ankle joint leads to an accessory talar cone 11 that reconciles the traditional conflict between safety and skier ability. be done. The possibility of mutual strain occurring in three planes between the two components described above allows the lower body to be free in three planes in the event of a skier's collision or fall, and reduces stress development in the knee area and ligaments in general. let In particular, a passive articulation device that does not create peripheral dynamic stress allows all movements of pronation and eversion of the calcaneus below the talus to occur without any muscular stress. As a result of being able to stay within the range defined by the accessory talar cone 11, a perfect containment condition for pronation and eversion movements can be achieved.

Furthermore, a skier wearing a ski boot with the above-mentioned articulation device feels closer to the snow and is able to jerk the curved ski angularly during slalom.

Finally, instead of the above-mentioned lugs or spheres with two spheres, it is possible to use, for example, devices provided with roll bodies or equivalent products made of plastic material or the like with elastic strain properties and a certain stiffness. Here, the rear connecting means 22 may simply be an elastically deformable resin material provided between the leg accommodating body 17 and the shell 15.

[Effects of the Present Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, skiing can be controlled while reducing the risk of damage to knee ligaments by matching the physiological movement of the ankle joint 24. It is possible to provide a ski shoe that does not affect ankle joint protection.

Further, it is possible to provide a ski boot that allows simultaneous movement of the foot in the horizontal plane and the front plane.

Furthermore, it may allow an improved realization of the ankle joint in the sagittal plane.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a ski boot according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the state after the ankle and foot are fixed to the ski boot. FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the ski boot according to the first embodiment taken along the longitudinal axis direction, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the breaking line IV--IV of the first embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the breaking line V-- of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the articulation device taken along line IV. 7 and 8 are views showing modified examples of the articulating device, FIG. 9 is a back view of the ski boot, and FIG. 10.11 is a detailed view of the articulating device. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how the two components of the shoe are assembled. In the figure, 1... outer case, 2... sole, 3... calcaneus, 4... talus, 5... cuboid bone, 6... navicular bone,
7... Cuneiform bone, 8... Metatarsal bone, lO... Tibial joint, 1l... Accessory talar cone, 12.13... Ligament, 1
4... Central axis, 15... Plantar shell, 16... Front half part, 17... Leg accommodating body, 22. 32... Connecting means, 23... Lug, 41...・Joint part, 44...Spring means, 5l...Bar material ζdan...Apex.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) The ski boot has a sole and an upper end that is held directly or indirectly on a ski board, etc., and includes at least the sole base of the foot and the heel bone of the foot. a sole shell and a rigid case connected to said sole shell by an articulation device, said sole shell and said rigid case providing physiological ankle movements that effect a relative strain defined by an angle between said sole shell and said rigid case; The ski boot has an articulation that allows the rigid case to accommodate the leg and hold the ankle, and covers the tibial joint and the talus, and is sealed against the sole shell by an articulation device. and wherein the relative strain between the leg housing and the sole shell allows at least a portion of all pronation and supination movements allowed by the ankle joint. A ski shoe with joints that enable physiological ankle movement. (2) the articulation device connects the leg housing and the sole shell by means of a coupling means to allow a relative strain of movement in at least one degree of freedom, the relative strain being known as the accessory talar cone; It has an articulation part that enables physiological ankle movement according to claim 1, characterized in that it is defined by simultaneous axes that fall within the range of movement represented by pronation and eversion. ski shoes. (3) The apex of the accessory talar cone ￥S￥ is a distance of 1 to 3 cm from the calcaneus at the posterior center of the calcaneus.
The central axis of the accessory talar cone moves toward the upper surface of the ski boot and is inclined with respect to the plane from the sole of the shoe. angle is 2
It has an inclination of 0 degrees to 50 degrees, preferably an inclination angle α of 30 degrees to 45 degrees, and the apex ¥S¥
3. Ski boot with an articulation allowing physiological ankle movement according to claim 2, characterized in that the opening angle .beta. from 15 to 30 degrees. (4) The central axis of the accessory talus cone is inclined toward the inside of the ski boot, and is 1 1 with respect to the longitudinal axis x-x' of the ski boot.
4. A ski boot according to claim 3, characterized in that an angle .gamma. of between 5 degrees and 30 degrees is provided in the horizontal plane. (5) The central axis of the accessory talar cone is the longitudinal axis of the ski boot x-
4. Ski boot with an articulation allowing physiological ankle movements according to claim 3, characterized in that it is connected to x'. (6) the articulating device has multiple degrees of freedom;
Ski boot with an articulation allowing physiological ankle movements according to claim 2, characterized in that it allows a combined movement of linear and circular movements, preferably in three degrees of freedom. (7) The articulation device is at least partially located in the accessory talar cone, and includes a front connection means provided between the sole shell and the leg housing in the front region of the ski boot. A ski boot according to claim 1, characterized in that it has an articulation that allows physiological ankle movement. (8) The articulating device comprises a rear connecting means provided behind near the apex S of the accessory talar cone. Ski boots with articulations that allow (9) The front connecting means and the rear connecting means are arranged on the same axis, and have an articulation part that enables physiological ankle movement according to claim 7. ski shoes. 10. A node as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the anterior coupling means consists of two balls or lugs and is at least partially spherical. Ski boots with joints. (11) Claim 7, wherein the rear connecting means is comprised of a simple ball or an elastically deformable joint of spherical lugs, and is provided between the leg housing and the sole shell. A ski shoe having an articulation that allows physiological ankle movement as described in . (12) Physiological ankle movement according to claim 7, characterized in that the joint between the leg housing and the sole shell is preferably provided in the lateral plane to regulate relative strain. Ski boots with joints that allow for. (13) The joint portion has a portion that engages with each other in the gap between the leg housing and the sole shell, and edges of the leg housing and the sole shell each form a joint. 8. A ski boot having an articulation allowing physiological ankle movement according to claim 7. (14) Physiological ankle movement according to claim 7, wherein the articulation device is made of two rods and is provided on a side surface between the leg accommodation body and the sole shell. Ski boots with joints that allow for. (15) The leg storage body is provided with an upper leg body that is articulated around a horizontal axis y-y' that crosses the middle surface of the ski boot, and the horizontal axis is the ankle joint. 8. A ski boot according to claim 7, characterized in that the articulation part allows physiological ankle movement by being extended in the vicinity of the tibial point to allow flexion. (16) The horizontal axis y-y' is the plane of the main support surface and the sole of the shoe.
8. The ski boot according to claim 7, which has an inclination with respect to P and rises from the outside to the inside. (17) Physiological ankle movement according to claim 1, characterized in that a control means for controlling the amount of strain is preferably provided on a side surface between the leg accommodation body and the sole shell. A ski shoe that has joints that make it stand out.