A ski boot tongue guard

Abstract

The application relates to a ski shoe tongue protection piece, belonging to the technical field of ski equipment, which comprises an arc-shaped protection piece body, the arc-shaped structure is matched with the foot arc, the arc-shaped protection piece body is arranged in the ankle area of the shoe tongue, the two ends of the protection piece body extend to the instep and calf area, the protection piece body comprises a convex layer, the surface of the convex layer is provided with a plurality of rib strips extending along the width direction, the two ends of the protection piece body extend to the instep and calf area to cover the key area of the steel wire rope friction and stress, a mold is developed around the small-range structure of the protection piece body, the precision requirement and size specification of the mold are reduced, a plurality of groups of guide channels are formed between the adjacent rib strips, users can adjust the steel rope into different guide channels between the adjacent rib strips according to the thickness of the ankle and the height of the instep, the same pair of ski shoes can meet different skiing requirements, and the universality of the ski shoes is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ski equipment technology, and in particular to a ski boot tongue protector. Background Technology

[0002] As a typical high-speed extreme sport, skiing requires the feet to withstand significant impacts from high-speed gliding, steering, and sudden braking. Therefore, it places stringent demands on the overall performance of ski boots. On one hand, to ensure foot support stability and safety, ski boots must possess extremely high rigidity. On the other hand, the high-rigidity boot structure needs sufficient tightening force to ensure a tight fit between the foot and the boot body. This must prevent foot displacement within the boot during skiing, which could lead to delayed movements or loss of control, while also ensuring efficient transmission of force from the foot to the skis, directly affecting skiing control precision. To balance the need for a snug fit with ease of use under high-rigidity conditions, cable winch-type tightening systems have gradually emerged in the market. By rotating a knob on the outside of the boot, an internal winch rotates, using the winch's winding action to tighten the steel or nylon rope running through the tongue and boot body, thus quickly completing the tightening operation of the ski boot.

[0003] Ski boot tongue design faces a contradiction between rigidity and flexibility. The high-rigidity boot body requires the tongue to maintain rigidity to ensure structural stability and efficient force transmission. Insufficient rigidity will fail to provide stable support and affect the transmission of gliding force. Excessive rigidity will restrict the longitudinal movement of the foot and restrict the skier's dynamic adjustment movements. Although the steel cable winch tightening system can tighten quickly, the tightening force tends to concentrate in a local area of ​​the tongue. Since the tongue is mostly made of flexible or semi-flexible materials, the steel cable can easily embed into the fabric fibers when tightened, exacerbating local pressure and causing a constricting feeling. The comfort level drops significantly, especially during long-term skiing or high-intensity tightening. Long-term use can also cause damage and pilling of the tongue fabric, exposing the internal structure and further weakening the support performance. The embedded steel cable also disrupts the direction of force transmission, preventing the foot's force from being efficiently transmitted to the skis as designed.

[0004] In related technologies, there have been attempts to optimize the above-mentioned problems. The most representative one is to design raised ribs and grooves on the tongue to optimize the rigidity of the tongue. This allows the tongue to remain flexible when bending vertically, ensuring the flexibility of foot movement. At the same time, it maintains high rigidity when twisting horizontally, ensuring immediate feedback for actions such as pressing the plate and braking. This prevents the tongue from affecting the feedback of skiing operations due to excessive rigidity. In addition, it also disperses the tightening force. When the laces or wire rope winch tightening system tightens, the pressure can be evenly distributed along the raised ribs, avoiding concentrated action on a certain point on the instep, thereby reducing the feeling of constriction and improving wearing comfort.

[0005] However, existing technologies still have significant limitations: they rely on precision and large-scale molds, which are costly to develop and hinder large-scale application and cost control. Furthermore, the technology has a limited number of ribs and restricts the steel cable that might fall into a certain area during tightening to a set position. However, individual foot sizes vary considerably, and this fixed tightening position cannot accommodate all users, potentially leading to poor fit for some. Additionally, different skiing scenarios have varying requirements for ski boot tightening performance. For example, park skiers need high flexibility to perform jumps, while carving skiers require a stiffer tongue to enhance force transmission when pressing the front edge with the calf. The fixed rib gaps and tightening positions cannot meet these diverse needs, limiting its applicability. Utility Model Content

[0006] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a ski boot tongue protector.

[0007] The ski boot tongue protective plate provided in this application adopts the following technical solution: it includes a protective plate body, the protective plate body has an arc-shaped structure, the protective plate body is disposed in the ankle area of ​​the boot tongue, the two ends of the protective plate body extend to the instep and calf areas of the boot tongue, the protective plate body includes a raised layer, and the surface of the raised layer is provided with a plurality of ribs, the ribs extending along the width direction of the raised layer.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, the protective plate body specifically covers the ankle area of ​​the shoe tongue, and the protective plate body has an arc-shaped structure. The arc-shaped structure adapts to the curvature of the instep, calf area and ankle. The two ends of the protective plate body extend towards the instep and calf area to cover the key areas of steel wire rope friction and stress. The mold is developed around the small-scale structure of the protective plate body, reducing the precision requirements and size specifications of the mold, thereby reducing the mold development cost. Several ribs extending along the width direction on the surface of the raised layer can form multiple sets of steel wire rope guide channels between adjacent ribs. Users can adjust the steel wire rope to different guide channels between adjacent ribs according to the differences in their own foot size such as ankle thickness and instep height, so that the tightening position can fit their own foot shape, ensuring that users with different foot sizes can obtain a stable and fitting wrapping effect.

[0009] Meanwhile, the steel cable mainly contacts the protective plate body, significantly reducing the direct contact area with the shoe tongue and reducing the concentration of steel cable pressure in a local area of ​​the shoe tongue. Combined with the effect of the raised ribs in dispersing the tightening pressure, it can effectively alleviate the feeling of tightness on the foot and improve wearing comfort. Furthermore, in response to the needs of different skiing scenarios, such as when agility is required in park skiing, the steel cable can be adjusted to the guide channel between adjacent ribs near the ankle to ensure the flexibility of foot bending. When strong support is required in carving skiing, the steel cable can be adjusted to the guide channel between adjacent ribs near the lower leg, relying on the ribs to strengthen lateral rigidity and improve the force transmission effect when the lower leg presses against the front edge.

[0010] Preferably, the plurality of ribs are spaced apart along the arc length direction of the protrusion layer.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, multiple ribs are distributed at intervals along the arc length direction of the raised layer. First, they can adapt to the arc contour of the protective plate body to fit the human ankle to the instep and calf area. Second, the spaced ribs along the arc length direction can form multiple sets of steel wire rope guide channels on the arc coverage path of the protective plate body. Users can insert the steel wire rope into the gaps between the ribs at different arc length positions according to the differences in foot size such as the thickness of their ankle and the curvature of their instep, so that the tightening position can accurately fit the arc contour of their own foot.

[0012] Preferably, the cross-section of the rib is trapezoidal, and the width of the side of the trapezoidal structure facing the outside of the protrusion layer is smaller than the length of the side of the trapezoidal structure facing the inside of the protrusion layer.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, since the side of the trapezoidal structure facing the inner side of the raised layer is longer, the connection area between the rib and the protective plate body can be increased, the bonding strength between the rib and the protective plate body can be strengthened, the rib can be reduced from cracking under long-term steel rope tension or foot bending force, and the structural stability of the protective plate body can be improved.

[0014] Preferably, the two ends of the rib and the upper end of the rib are rounded.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the smooth transition setting provides a smooth sliding path for the wire rope. When the user adjusts the position of the wire rope, the smooth transition setting can reduce the situation where the wire rope is stuck or scraped by the rib corners, ensuring that the wire rope can smoothly slide into the channel between adjacent ribs. In addition, the rounded corners can enhance the stability of the rib structure. The rounded corner transition can disperse the stress concentration at both ends and the top of the rib, reducing the cracking and breakage of the rib when subjected to the tension of the wire rope or the bending force of the foot for a long time.

[0016] Preferably, the surface of the raised layer is provided with a plurality of grooves, and the ribs are formed by the plurality of grooves recessing toward the interior of the raised layer.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the ribs guide the sliding and positioning path of the steel cable, allowing the steel cable to slide into the groove. At the same time, the groove restricts the movement of the steel cable to within the channel, reducing direct friction between the steel cable and the surface of the shoe tongue, protecting the shoe tongue fabric from damage and pilling, and improving the appearance and durability of the ski boot. In addition, users can adjust the steel cable into different grooves according to their own foot size differences to achieve a personalized tightening solution that fits their own foot shape. For different skiing scenarios, such as when agility is required in park skiing, the steel cable can be adjusted to the groove near the ankle to ensure the flexibility of foot bending. When strong support is required for carving skiing, the steel cable can be adjusted to the groove gap near the calf, relying on the ribs to strengthen lateral rigidity and improve the force transmission effect when the calf presses against the front edge.

[0018] Preferably, the inner wall of the groove is micro-frosted.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, micro-abrasion can generate moderate friction, which reduces the problem of the steel cable shifting out of the groove when the skiing vibration or foot movement occurs. At the same time, the micro-abrasion surface will not excessively scratch the steel cable, further reducing the wear of the steel cable and the groove, extending the service life of the steel cable and ski boots, and improving the appearance durability of the ski boots.

[0020] Preferably, the cross-section of the groove is a trapezoidal structure with a smooth transition, and the width of the side of the trapezoidal structure near the inner side of the groove is smaller than the width of the other side of the trapezoidal structure near the outer side of the groove.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the wider side near the outer side of the groove can increase the size of the groove entrance, making it easier for users to quickly put the steel cable into the groove or adjust the position of the steel cable, significantly improving the efficiency of putting on and taking off ski boots and adjusting the tightness. The narrower side near the inner side of the groove can form a slight limit after the steel cable is put in, reducing excessive displacement of the steel cable due to foot vibration or movement deformation during skiing, and ensuring that the tightening force is transmitted to the key area of ​​the foot as designed.

[0022] Preferably, the protective sheet body further includes a base layer, and the connection between the base layer and the raised layer and the shoe tongue is stitched together.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the connection between the base layer and the raised layer and the shoe tongue is connected by sewing, which can enhance the connection stability between the protective plate body and the shoe tongue. The connection between the base layer and the raised layer is a key stress area. By sewing, this area can be firmly fixed to the shoe tongue, reducing the probability of the protective plate body falling off the shoe tongue due to long-term stress. Moreover, the sewing process can adjust the stitching according to the actual shape of the shoe tongue, improving the adaptability of the protective plate body to the existing shoe tongue model.

[0024] Preferably, a seam groove is provided at the connection between the substrate layer and the raised layer.

[0025] By adopting the above technical solution, the sewing groove allows the sewing thread to be precisely embedded in the groove, enabling the stitches to smoothly connect with the surface of the protective plate body, without hindering the steel wire rope from sliding along the raised ribs. At the same time, the sewing groove can limit the sewing thread, ensuring that the stitching strictly conforms to the force path at the connection point, thereby enhancing the connection strength between the protective plate body and the shoe tongue. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Protective sheet body; 2. Raised layer; 3. Rib; 4. Groove; 5. Substrate layer; 6. Sewing groove. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1-3 This application will be described in further detail.

[0031] This application discloses a ski boot tongue protective sheet. (Refer to...) Figure 1 The protective sheet body 1 is a curved structure. The material of the protective sheet body 1 is TPU, which is a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer. Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer is a polymer material between rubber and plastic, composed of polyurethane segments. It has both the high elasticity of rubber and the processability of plastic. TPU is used in the protective sheet body 1, making the protective sheet body 1 relatively hard but with a certain degree of elasticity. This allows the protective sheet body 1 to fit various molded shoe tongues. Moreover, the TPU elastic structure strengthens the lateral rigidity of the shoe tongue without restricting its longitudinal flexibility.

[0032] Reference Figure 2 Furthermore, the protective sheet body 1 is sewn to the shoe tongue. The protective sheet body 1 includes a base layer 5 and a raised layer 2. A sewing groove 6 is provided at the connection between the base layer 5 and the raised layer 2. This allows the sewing thread to be precisely embedded in the groove, ensuring a smooth connection between the stitches and the surface of the protective sheet body. This reduces the obstruction of the steel wire rope sliding along the ribs 3 of the raised layer 2, ensuring the stability of the steel rope's guiding function. At the same time, the sewing groove 6 limits the sewing thread, ensuring that the stitching strictly conforms to the force path, further enhancing the connection strength between the protective sheet body and the shoe tongue. Moreover, the connection between the base layer 5 and the raised layer 2 is a critical force-bearing area. The sewing process can firmly fix it here, effectively reducing the risk of the protective sheet body 1 falling off due to long-term force. At the same time, the stitching can be flexibly adjusted according to the actual shape of the shoe tongue, improving the adaptability to existing shoe tongue models.

[0033] The protective plate body 1 is located in the ankle area of ​​the shoe tongue, and both ends of the protective plate body 1 extend to the instep and calf areas of the shoe tongue. The surface of the raised layer 2 is provided with several ribs 3, which extend along the width direction of the raised layer 2.

[0034] This explains why the protective plate body 1 specifically covers the ankle area of ​​the shoe tongue and extends to the instep and calf areas to cover the key areas where the steel wire rope is subject to friction and stress. The mold is developed around the small-scale structure of the protective plate body 1, which greatly reduces the precision requirements and size specifications of the mold, thereby reducing the mold development cost. Several ribs 3 extending along the width direction on the surface of the raised layer 2 can form multiple sets of parallel steel wire rope guide channels. Users can adjust the steel wire rope into different guide channels between the ribs 3 according to the differences in their own foot size such as ankle thickness and instep height, so that the tightening position can accurately fit the shape of their own foot and ensure that users with different foot sizes can obtain a stable and fitting wrapping effect.

[0035] Furthermore, the steel cable mainly contacts the protective plate body, significantly reducing the direct contact area with the shoe tongue and reducing the concentration of steel cable pressure in a local area of ​​the shoe tongue. Combined with the effect of the raised layer 2 and rib 3 in dispersing the tightening pressure, it can effectively alleviate the feeling of tightness on the foot and improve wearing comfort. In addition, according to the needs of different skiing scenarios, such as when agility is required for park skiing, the steel cable can be adjusted to the adjacent rib 3 near the ankle to ensure the flexibility of foot bending. When strong support is required for carving skiing, the steel cable can be adjusted to the adjacent rib 3 near the calf, relying on the rib 3 to strengthen the lateral rigidity and improve the force transmission effect when the calf presses against the front edge.

[0036] Meanwhile, multiple ribs 3 are spaced apart along the arc length direction of the raised layer 2. First, they can adapt to the arc contour of the protective plate body 1 to fit the human ankle to the instep and calf area. Second, the spaced ribs 3 along the arc length direction can form multiple sets of parallel steel wire rope guide channels on the arc coverage path of the protective plate body. Users can insert the steel wire rope into the gap between adjacent ribs 3 at different arc length positions according to the differences in foot size such as the thickness of their ankle and the curvature of their instep, so that the tightening position can accurately fit the arc contour of their own foot. At the same time, the ribs 3 are spaced apart along the arc length direction.

[0037] Specifically, the raised layer 2 has several grooves 4 forming ribs 3 on its surface. The ribs 3 guide the sliding and positioning path of the steel cable, allowing it to slide smoothly into the grooves 4. At the same time, the groove structure 4 restricts the steel cable to move only within the channel, reducing direct friction between the steel cable and the tongue surface, protecting the tongue fabric from damage and pilling, and improving the durability of the ski boot's appearance. In addition, users can adjust the steel cable to different grooves 4 according to their own foot size differences to achieve a personalized tightening solution that fits their own foot shape. For different skiing scenarios, such as when agility is required in park skiing, the steel cable can be adjusted to the groove 4 near the ankle to ensure foot bending flexibility. When strong support is required for carving skiing, the steel cable can be adjusted to the groove 4 gap near the calf, relying on the ribs 3 to strengthen lateral rigidity and improve the force transmission effect when the calf presses against the front edge.

[0038] Reference Figure 3 Furthermore, the cross-section of the rib 3 is trapezoidal. The width of the side of the trapezoidal structure facing the outside of the raised layer 2 is smaller than the length of the side of the trapezoidal structure facing the inside of the raised layer 2. The wider side of the trapezoidal structure facing the inside of the raised layer 2 increases the connection area between the rib 3 and the protective plate body 1, strengthens the bonding strength between the rib 3 and the protective plate body 1, reduces the breakage of the rib 3 under long-term tension of the steel rope or bending force of the foot, and improves the structural stability of the protective plate body 1. In addition, the two ends and the upper end of the rib 3 are rounded. The rounded transition provides a smooth sliding path for the steel wire rope. When the user adjusts the position of the steel rope, it can reduce the situation where the steel rope is stuck or scraped by the edges of the rib 3, ensuring that the steel rope can slide smoothly into the groove 4. The rounded transition can enhance the structural stability of the rib 3. The rounded transition can disperse the stress concentration at the two ends and the upper end of the rib 3, reducing the cracking and breakage of the rib 3 under long-term tension of the steel rope or bending force of the foot.

[0039] In addition, the inner wall of the groove 4 is treated with micro-frosting. The micro-frosting can create moderate friction, which reduces the problem of the steel cable shifting out of the groove 4 when the skiing vibration or foot movement occurs. It also prevents the steel cable from being worn for too long due to excessive friction. At the same time, relying on the wear-resistant properties of the TPU material of the protective plate body 1, the wear of the steel cable and the groove 4 is further reduced. Meanwhile, the micro-frosted surface will not scratch the steel cable excessively, extending the service life of the steel cable and ski boots and improving the appearance durability of the ski boots.

[0040] The implementation principle of a ski boot tongue protective plate in this application embodiment is as follows: The protective plate body adopts an arc-shaped structure and is made of TPU material, which is the basis for the realization of its function. The arc-shaped structure can accurately conform to the foot contour of the human body from the ankle to the instep and calf area, ensuring that the protective plate body can specifically cover the key areas of steel rope friction and stress. TPU, as a polymer material between rubber and plastic, has both high elasticity and processability, so that the protective plate body 1 has a certain hardness to supplement the strength of the boot tongue, while retaining elasticity to fit various molded boot tongues. This material characteristic can also strengthen the lateral rigidity of the boot tongue without restricting the longitudinal flexibility of the boot tongue. In addition, only a small area of ​​the arc-shaped structure of the protective plate body 1 needs to be developed for the mold, which greatly reduces the precision requirements and size specifications of the mold. The raised layer 2 consists of ribs 3 formed by several grooves 4 on its surface. The channels formed by the grooves 4 and ribs 3 restrict the movement of the steel cable to within these channels, reducing direct friction between the steel cable and the tongue fabric. Simultaneously, the extension direction and distribution of the ribs 3 further adapt to foot shape and various scenario requirements. Users can adjust the position of the steel cable according to ankle circumference and instep height for personalized tightening. The ribs 3, spaced along the arc length of the raised layer 2, conform to the arc contour of the protective plate body 1, allowing the steel cable to fit snugly into different gaps along the foot's arc shape, further enhancing the fit. For different skiing scenarios, such as park skiing where flexibility is required, the steel cable can be adjusted to the groove 4 near the ankle to ensure foot bending flexibility. For carving skiing where strong support is needed, the steel cable can be adjusted to the groove 4 near the calf, leveraging the lateral rigidity of the ribs 3 to improve the force transmission effect of the calf pressing against the fore-edge, perfectly adapting to different skiing needs.

[0041] Rib 3 adopts a trapezoidal cross-section. The wide side connection can significantly increase the contact area between rib 3 and the protective plate body 1, strengthen the bonding strength between the two, reduce the breakage of rib 3 under long-term tension of steel rope or bending force of foot, and improve the overall structural stability. At the same time, both ends and the top of rib 3 are designed with smooth transition. On the one hand, it provides a smooth sliding path for steel rope, reduces the situation where steel rope is stuck or scraped by sharp corners when adjusting, and ensures that steel rope can smoothly slide into the groove 4 channel. On the other hand, it can disperse the stress concentration at the edge of rib 3, reduce the cracking and breakage of rib 3 during long-term use, and extend the service life of the protective plate body.

[0042] Furthermore, the micro-frosting treatment on the inner wall of the groove 4 is a key optimization for the positioning and wear balance of the steel rope. The micro-frosting can create moderate friction, which is sufficient to reduce the displacement of the steel rope from the groove 4 during gliding vibration or foot movement, and will not cause excessive wear of the steel rope due to excessive friction. At the same time, combined with the wear-resistant properties of the TPU material itself, it can further reduce the frictional loss between the steel rope and the inner wall of the groove 4, and extend the service life of the steel rope and the protective plate body.

[0043] The sewing groove 6 allows the sewing thread to be precisely embedded in the groove, reducing the obstruction of the steel rope sliding along the rib 3 by the protruding stitches, ensuring the stability of the steel rope's guiding function. At the same time, the sewing groove 6 limits the sewing thread, ensuring that the stitching strictly conforms to the stress path of the protective plate body. Especially in the critical stress areas between the base layer 5 and the raised layer 2, it can significantly enhance the connection strength between the protective plate body and the shoe tongue.

[0044] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A ski boot tongue protector, characterized in that: The shoe includes a protective plate body (1), which has an arc-shaped structure. The protective plate body (1) is located in the ankle area of ​​the shoe tongue. Both ends of the protective plate body (1) extend to the instep and calf areas of the shoe tongue. The protective plate body (1) includes a raised layer (2). The surface of the raised layer (2) is provided with a plurality of ribs (3). The ribs (3) extend along the width direction of the raised layer (2).

2. Skiing shoe tongue protector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multiple ribs (3) are spaced apart along the arc length direction of the protruding layer (2).

3. The ski tongue guard of claim 1, wherein: The cross-section of the rib (3) is trapezoidal, and the width of the side of the trapezoidal structure facing the outside of the protrusion layer (2) is smaller than the length of the side of the trapezoidal structure facing the inside of the protrusion layer (2).

4. The ski tongue guard of claim 1, wherein: The two ends of the rib (3) and the upper end of the rib (3) are both smoothly transitioned.

5. The ski boot tongue protector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the raised layer (2) is provided with a plurality of grooves (4), and the rib (3) is formed by the recesses of the plurality of grooves (4) toward the interior of the raised layer (2).

6. The ski boot tongue protector according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inner wall of the groove (4) is micro-frosted.

7. The ski tongue guard of claim 5, wherein: The cross-section of the groove (4) is a trapezoidal structure with a smooth transition. The width of the trapezoidal structure near the inner side of the groove (4) is smaller than the width of the trapezoidal structure near the outer side of the groove (4).

8. The ski tongue guard of claim 1, wherein: The protective sheet body (1) also includes a base layer (5), and the connection between the base layer (5) and the raised layer (2) is stitched to the tongue.

9. Skiing shoe tongue guard according to claim 8, characterized in that: A seam groove (6) is provided at the connection between the substrate layer (5) and the raised layer (2).

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