EP0536519B1 - Device for connecting an inner shoe to a shell of a ski boot - Google Patents

Abstract

Alpine-ski boot comprising an outer shell (1) in which is placed an inner bootee (2), the said shell consisting of a lower shell (3) comprising at least one rear cover piece (5) pivoting on the lower shell about a transverse spindle (6) in order to move from a closure position towards a pivoted open position, and vice versa, whilst the said inner bootee comprises a rear tongue (13) extending upwards and characterised in that the rear tongue is held via its rear upper part to the upper part of the rear cover piece by means of at least one linking device with sliding (17). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an improvement for ski boots and more particularly the connection of the inner boot to the pivoting rear part of the outer shell.

The present invention relates more specifically to an alpine ski boot consisting of a rigid shell bottom intended to surround the foot, and a rod intended to surround and wrap the lower leg of the skier, while allowing it to flex the leg at least partially forward under the effect of pushes occurring during skiing. This ski boot, which can be of the central entry type, that is to say opening by simultaneous spacing forwards and backwards of two parts of the rod, or of the rear entry type or of the type traditional front opening, according to the invention, a liner retaining device.

The state of the art reveals a number of ski boots of the type mentioned above, but generally the inner boot is only put in place in the corresponding shell, without being really retained there. Some manufacturers have tried to make improvements by designing a device for connecting the inner liner, and this is the case for example, of the shoe according to European patent application EP 0351 396 which teaches an inner liner linked to the rear cover of the rod by a retaining flange disposed in the lower part of the rear tongue of said liner, but this type of connection is not satisfactory. In fact, during the tilting of the rear cover, the liner only opens very little, making the shoe fitting inconvenient, and moreover, the rear space between the tongue and the rear cover may fill with snow. Note also that there is nothing to limit the rearward tilting of the rear cover and that during the fitting, the penetration of the foot can cause the rear tab of the bootie to descend into the shoe, which, of course, makes it even more difficult. putting the shoe on, or even making it impossible.

According to document DE 37 21 620, an alpine ski boot is taught comprising an external shell in which an internal boot is placed, said shell consisting of a shell bottom comprising at least one rear cover pivoting on the shell bottom around a transverse axis to pass from a closed position to a pivoted open position and vice versa, while said inner liner comprises a rear tongue extending upwards, the rear tongue being retained by its rear upper part at the upper part of the rear cover by a connecting device. This connection device is also not satisfactory because it has a slot in the upper part of the rear cover through which snow can be introduced.

The present invention proposes to remedy the drawbacks mentioned above and aims to provide a shell shoe whose opening of the upper allows the shoe to be put on and which comprises a sliding connection device connecting the rear tongue of the boot with the rear cover of the shell, allowing during the opening of said cover, the simultaneous driving of the tongue of said liner.

Furthermore, the connecting device comprises a stop system having the dual function of allowing the tongue to be held down when the shell is in the open position and of defining said open position of the shell by limiting the rear tilting of its hood. The device can also allow retaining up the liner.

Thus the ski boot according to the invention comprises an outer shell in which an inner boot is placed, said shell being constituted by a shell bottom comprising at least one rear cover pivoting on the shell bottom around a transverse axis for move from a closed position to a pivoted open position and vice versa, while said inner liner comprises a rear tongue extending upwards, and is characterized in that the rear tongue is retained by its rear upper part to the upper part of the rear cover by a sliding connection device. The connection device comprising, according to additional characteristics, drive means making it possible to pivot the rear tongue of the inner liner when the rear cover is pivoted about its transverse axis, and means for supporting downwards for the rear tab when the rear cover is in its pivoted open position.

According to an advantageous arrangement, the drive and sliding means consist of a vertical groove bounded laterally by two side walls cooperating with a lug or rod comprising a retaining head. The groove being secured to the upper rear part of the rear tongue of the liner, while the lug or rod is secured to the upper part of the rear cover.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings which are given only by way of nonlimiting examples.

Figure 1 shows in side view, a ski boot according to the invention, of the type with central entry in its closed position.

FIG. 1a represents in section and on a larger scale, the device for retaining the liner in the shell of the shoe in the position of the shoe illustrated in FIG. 1.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, the shoe being in the open position, the closure hooks are not shown for a better understanding of the figure.

FIG. 2a is a view similar to FIG. 1a, the boot being in the open position of FIG. 2.

Figure 3 is a rear perspective of the inner boot according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a side view of the boot according to the invention.

Figures 5 to 8 are detail views of the hooking plate.

Figure 5 is a rear view of the attachment plate.

Figure 6 is a side view of the hooking plate.

Figure 7 is a sectional view along VII-VII of Figure 5.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along VIII-VIII of FIG. 5.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing an alternative embodiment, not covered by the present invention.

Figures 10 and 10a are views similar to Figures 2 and 2a showing a shoe of another type equipped with the device according to the invention.

Figures 11,12 and 13 are views similar to Figures 5, 6 and 8 illustrating an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a partial view similar to FIG. 3 showing a shoe fitted with the variant of FIGS. 11, 12 and 13.

Figure 15 illustrates the variant of Figures 11 to 13 in a view similar to Figure 1a.

Other objects and characteristics of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description given with reference to the embodiments illustrated by way of examples, and for everything which is not expressly described, the person skilled in the art will refer to the accompanying drawings. The ski boot according to the invention consists of an outer shell (1) containing an inner boot (2) in which the skier's foot and his lower leg are retained. Said outer shell (1) is made in a manner known per se, of relatively rigid material and consists mainly of a shell bottom (3) on which is at least partially articulated a rod (4) surrounding the lower leg of the skier . Furthermore, the bottom of the hull comprises two lateral wings (11) extending the latter laterally and upwards approximately along the axis of the lower leg to cover the lateral areas of the skier's ankle, and thus improve the lateral grip during edges taken. The rod (4) is itself composed of a rear cover (5) articulated on the bottom of the shell (3) around a hinge pin (6) arranged for example at the wall (7) of the heel of said shell bottom, allowing said rear cover to be able to pivot from a front closed position, to a rear pivoted position for opening the boot. Position in which the rear cover is tilted back allowing the skier to introduce his foot into said shoe. Furthermore, the rigid outer shell includes a front closing cover (8) covering the anterior opening area. This front closing cover (8) is extended upwards by a front tab (9), for example more flexible than its lower zone. The outer shell also comprises clamping and closing means (10, 10a) such as hooks with mouths or other means known per se, ensuring the connection between the front cover (8) and the rear cover (5).

The internal liner (2) is produced in a manner known per se, in a flexible material constituted by padding (201) contained in an envelope (202) to ensure the interior comfort of the shoe. Said boot includes a lower part (12) at least partially surrounding the skier's foot, extended at the rear and upwards by a rear tongue (13) intended to go up along the rear part of the lower leg and enveloping posteriorly and possibly laterally (130, 131) said lower leg.

In order to achieve complete retention of the instep of the lower leg of the skier, the inner boot (2) is completed by a front tongue (14). Note that the rear tongue (13) is integral with the lower part (12) of the liner. It can be produced in a single piece with the latter by being a unitary extension, but said tongue could be produced independently and secured to said lower part, by sewing, gluing or welding.

The rear upper part (15) of the rear tongue (13) of the liner (2) is connected to the rear upper part (16) of the rear cover (5) by a sliding connection device (17) which comprises means for 'drive (29, 290, 20'a, 20'b) for pivotally driving the rear tongue (13) of the inner liner (2) when the rear cover (5) is pivoted about its transverse axis (6) , said drive means comprising sliding means (28, 19) and downward support means (28, 26) for the rear tongue (13) when the rear cover is in its pivoted open position.

According to an additional characteristic, the connection device is disposed at the upper rear part of the shoe and ensures the retention of the rear tongue (13) of the liner (2) relative to the rear cover (5) of the upper (2) while by authorizing a relative vertical displacement of said rear tab (13) relative to said rear cover (5). For this purpose, and for example, the upper rear part (15) of the rear tongue of the boot is equipped with a hooking plate (18) comprising a vertical sliding groove (19) open downwards and produced on a central wall (200) of the hooking plate. Said central wall (200) being slightly offset towards the rear with respect to the main lateral walls (21a and 21b) to create a front housing (25) intended to receive the head (29) of a lug (28). The vertical sliding groove (19) being open at the bottom and closed at the top to form a stop (26) whose function will be explained below.

First of all note that the opening down the groove (19) allows the mounting of the liner in its outer shell, this opening allowing the passage of the head (29) and the lug (28).

The upper middle part (16) of the rear cover (5) comprises a projection (27) extending forwards, therefore towards the inside of the boot, intended to cooperate with the groove (19) of the plate. hooking (18). The projection (27) is for example formed by a removable lug, constituted by a cylindrical rod (28) comprising at its front end a retaining head (29) of diameter "D" greater than the diameter "d" of said retaining rod . The retention of the lug being ensured by a median shoulder (30) and by a fixing screw (31). The diameter "d" of the rod is substantially less than the width "1" of the groove. Thus, in the mounted position, the rod takes place in the groove, while the retaining head is in the housing (25), so that the flange (290) is engaged with the front faces (20'a and 20'b) of the side walls (20a and 20b) of the central wall (200).

Figures 1 and 1a show the shoe in its closed position. It can be seen that in this position, the rod (28) of the projection (27) is situated approximately in the middle of the corresponding groove (19).

Figures 2 and 2a show the same shoe in its maximum open position. The passage from the closed position (fig. 1) to the open position (fig. 2) is made by pivoting along (R) of the cover rear (5) around the pivot axis (6). During this pivoting, said rear cover (5) carries with it the rear tongue (13) of the liner and this, by cooperation of the rim (290) of the head (29) with the front faces (20'a and 20'b) from the central wall (200) of the hooking plate (18). During this pivoting, it is further noted that there is relative displacement upwards of the lug (28) relative to the attachment plate (18). The tilting backwards along (R) of the cover (5) is limited by the fact that the lug (28) comes, after a certain movement "d1", in contact with the stop (26) of the groove (19). In this position corresponding to the open position (Figures 2 and 2a), the rear tab is thus supported down on the lug of the rear cover (5) thus preventing it from moving down during footwear, as shown very schematically in the appendix to FIG. 2a.

Note, as appears more precisely in Figures 3 and 4, that the hooking plate (18) of height H1 made of a relatively rigid material and at least more rigid than that of the liner of height H0, allows, given that 'It is arranged in the upper rear part (15) of the tongue, to improve by its relative stiffness, the holding towards the rear of the lower leg of the skier.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 1a showing a variant not covered by the present invention according to which the groove (19) is integral with the rear upper part (16) of the rear cover (5), while the lug or rod (28) is integral with the upper part (15) of the rear tongue (13) of the liner.

Figures 10 and 10a are views similar to Figures 2 and 2a showing a shoe of another type equipped with the device according to the invention. For a better understanding of the figures, the elements similar to the other embodiments have the same references. Thus, the upper comprises a rear cover (5) articulated on the bottom of the shell (3) around an axis (6), and the rear tongue (13) of the inner boot (2) is linked to said rear cover by the device. (17).

Figures 11 to 15 show an alternative embodiment according to which the groove (19) of the hooking plate is also closed downwards to constitute a stop (260) for a lug (28) rendered trapped in said groove and intended to cooperate with a corresponding hole in the rear cover (5).

Claims (7)

1. Alpine ski boot comprising an outer shell (1) in which an inner slipper (2) is placed, the said shell being constituted by a shell base (3) comprising at least one rear cover (5) which pivots on the shell base around a transverse axis (6) so as to move from a closed position toward an open position and inversely, while the said inner slipper comprises an upwardly extending rear tongue, the rear tongue being retained by its rear upper portion (15) to the upper part (16) of the rear cover (5) by at least one connection device (17), characterized by the fact that the connection device (17) comprises means (29, 290, 20'a, 20'b) entraining the rear tongue (13) of the inner slipper (2) to pivot when the rear cover (5) pivots around its transverse axis (6), the said entraining means comprising sliding means (28, 19), the entraining and sliding means being constituted by a vertical groove (19) delimited laterally by two lateral walls (20a, 20b) which cooperate with a pin or rod (28) comprising a retaining head (29) having a diameter greater than the width of the groove, the groove (19) being solid with the upper rear part (15) of the rear tongue (13) of the slipper, while the pin or rod (28) is solid with the upper part (16) of the rear cover (5).
2. Alpine ski boot according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the connection means (17) comprises downward stop means (28, 26) for the rear tongue (13) when the said rear cover is in its pivoted open position.
3. Alpine ski boot according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the groove (19) is located on the central wall (200) of a catch plate (18) attached to the upper rear part (16) of the rear tongue of the slipper, while the pin (28) projects to the interior of the shell so as to cooperate with the said groove.
4. Alpine ski boot according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the central wall (200) of the catch plate (18) comprises two lateral walls (20a, 20b) cooperating with the edge (290) of the retaining head (29) of the pin (28).
5. Alpine ski boot according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the catch plate (18) is made of a semi-rigid material whose main lateral walls (21a, 21b) are curved to correspond to the general form of the tongue.
6. Alpine ski boot according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the catch plate (18) is glued, soldered or sewn to the tongue.
7. Alpine ski boot according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the groove (19) is open or closed toward the bottom and closed toward the top so as to constitute, with the pin (28), support means.

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