ARTICULATED INNER SLEEVE FOR SKIING SHOES

Abstract

The present invention relates to an inner liner for a sliding sports shoe comprising an upper formed by an upper part (11) intended to at least partially surround the lower leg and a lower part (12) extending the upper part and intended to at least partially surround the foot, said upper being provided with a central opening (20), said liner being characterized in that the upper part (11) and the lower part (12) join on either side of said opening (20) at the instep, delimiting hollowed-out zones (10), each of these zones being at least partially closed by two deformable connecting elements (31, 32) forming an articulation between the upper part (11) and the lower part (12). Abstract figure: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: ARTICULATED INNER SLIPPER FOR SPORTS SLIDE SHOES

[0001] The invention relates to the field of sliding sports shoes, and in particular to inner liners intended for sliding sports shoes such as alpine skiing, ski touring, cross-country skiing and snowboarding.

[0002] Ski boots (alpine and touring) are generally formed of a rigid outer shell comprising an upper collar articulated on a lower shell. Inside this shell is housed a liner which is often removable. The upper of the liner generally comprises an upper part intended to at least partially surround the lower leg and the shin of the user, and a lower part intended to surround the foot.

[0003] In order to facilitate the skier's walking when he has taken off his skis in downhill skiing, or when he is wearing his skis and moving forward in the ascent phases of cross-country skiing, it is provided that the collar of the outer shell can pivot relative to the bottom of the shell. This pivoting or movement can be oriented backwards or forwards. However, the upper part of the inner liner, which is not flexible enough, cannot completely follow the tilting of the collar and tends to hinder the movement of the skier's leg backwards or forwards.

[0004] Traditional inner slippers have a central opening at the front closed by a tab. Although there is generally a small piece of fabric on either side of this opening, at the junction between the upper and lower parts of the slipper, at the height of the instep, this piece is insufficient to allow free movement of the upper part of the slipper in relation to its lower part. This textile piece is rather used in order to guarantee the waterproofing of the slipper in this area and to prevent water or snow from entering the foot.

[0005] Consequently, the skier often finds himself hampered by the fact that his boots do not lend themselves to easy and comfortable walking, which even proves problematic when using ski lifts, in particular when it is necessary to access or exit them via stairs. Similarly, when ski touring, the natural movement of the leg is disturbed and hindered, resulting in a greater effort to move forward with skis on your feet.

[0006] Patent application US 2008 / 0052962 describes an inner liner for a ski boot comprising an upper part and a lower part, as well as a central opening. An insert, arranged on the upper on either side of the central opening, in the instep area, is made of a more flexible and / or elastic material than the materials of the rest of the upper, in order to facilitate the flexion of the upper part of the shoe in relation to its lower part.

[0007] Patent FR2781129 describes an inner liner for a ski boot, the upper of which comprises upper and lower parts, as well as a central opening closed by a tongue. On either side of this central opening, the upper comprises two lateral recesses in an area located at the junction between its upper and lower parts, close to the instep. These recesses are each filled by a cut-out piece, which is assembled to the rest of the upper by stitching. These pieces, positioned on either side of the central opening, in the instep area, do not have the function of facilitating the movement of the liner forwards and backwards in order to facilitate walking. In addition, this liner is provided with a sealing element which is attached to the front part of the upper, covering the front part of the liner and which has a stiffening effect.Therefore, the structure of this shoe is neither suitable nor intended to facilitate the skier's walking or the practice of ski touring.

[0008] In this context, the invention aims to overcome the technical problems previously raised by known slippers by proposing a slipper architecture designed to allow more movement towards the rear and / or the front of the upper part relative to the lower part. In particular, the invention consisted of modifying the upper of the slipper to create a specific notch in the instep area and to partially close this notch with added elements, possibly elastically deformable.

[0009] More specifically, the object of the invention is achieved by means of an inner liner for a sliding sports shoe comprising an upper formed of an upper part intended to at least partially surround the lower leg and a lower part extending the upper part and intended to at least partially surround the foot, said upper being provided with a central opening, said liner being characterized in that the upper part and the lower part meet on either side of said opening at the instep, delimiting hollowed-out zones, each of these zones being at least partially closed by two deformable connecting elements forming an articulation between the upper part and the lower part.

[0010] According to a first advantageous characteristic, the hollowed-out zones are two in number and positioned respectively on the medial side and on the lateral side of the shoe.

[0011] Preferably, the two connecting elements are elastically deformable and are formed from two strips of a fabric with elastic properties which overlap, at least partially.

[0012] According to an advantageous characteristic of the slipper of the invention, each connecting element is connected to both the upper part and the lower part of the slipper.

[0013] According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the two connecting elements have substantially perpendicular orientations.

[0014] According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, it is provided that a first connecting element extends in the extension of the upper part while the second connecting element extends in the extension of the lower part.

[0015] Preferably, the second connecting element joins, at its front end, the lower part of the rod.

[0016] According to yet another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the outer periphery of at least one of the two connecting elements has a convex profile.

[0017] According to another characteristic of the slipper of the invention, the inner periphery of the two connecting elements is secured to both the upper part and the lower part by seams and, preferably, these seams extend in continuous extension of one another.

[0018] According to a specific embodiment variant of the invention, the hollowed-out area, which is located at the instep, has a concave profile in the lower part and a convex profile in the upper part.

[0019] The upper and lower parts of the inner liner of the invention are articulated at the instep, which makes it possible to separate the movement of the upper part from that of the lower part and thus facilitate the walking of the alpine skier with his boots in the unshod position or the practice of ski touring.

[0020] The two elements ensuring the connection, preferably elastic, between the upper and lower parts of the shoe, in the manner of springs, allow their relative movement. In particular, these elements promote the rebound and pivoting of the upper part around a horizontal axis passing through the instep which correspond exactly to the movements of the leg when walking.

[0021] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description which follows, with reference to the attached and detailed drawings below.

[0022] [Fig.l] represents an external perspective view of the front of a preferred embodiment of the inner liner of the invention.

[0023] [Fig.2] represents a side view of the slipper of [Fig.l].

[0024] [Fig.3] represents a side view of the slipper of [Fig.2] with its upper part in tilted backward position.

[0025] [Fig.4] represents a front view of the shoe of [Fig.l].

[0026] [Fig.5] represents an exploded interior view of the upper of the shoe of [Fig.l] before mounting a sole.

[0027] [Fig.6] represents an interior plan view and in assembled position of the rod of the shoe of [Fig.l] before mounting a sole.

[0028] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs in the description and in the figures.

[0029] Naturally, the embodiments of the inner shoe of the invention illustrated by the figures presented above and described below are given only as non-limiting examples. It is explicitly provided that different embodiments can be proposed and combined with each other to propose others.

[0030] The invention relates to the field of sliding shoes and, in particular, to the liners housed inside shoes intended for sliding sports such as alpine skiing, ski touring, cross-country skiing and snowboarding...

[0031] Shoes intended for these sporting activities generally comprise a rigid outer shell (not shown) formed of an upper collar articulated on a lower shell.

[0032] This shell contains an inner liner, generally removable, shown in Figures 1 to 6. This inner liner can be made of a flexible and deformable material and generally comprises an upper formed by an upper part 11 intended to at least partially surround the lower leg of the user, and a lower part 12 extending the upper part and intended to at least partially surround the foot of the user. The limit between the upper 11 and lower 12 parts of the liner is materialized by the dotted plane P shown in [Fig.2]. This plane P passes substantially through the axis of the malleoli and the instep of the user.

[0033] The upper 11 and lower 12 parts of the upper meet substantially at the height of the regions of the malleoli and the instep of the user. In addition, the upper is provided with a substantially vertical central opening 20 (the slipper being placed on a horizontal plane). This central opening is positioned opposite the tibia and the instep of the user and facilitates the insertion of the foot into the slipper. The opening generally extends towards the front of the slipper, in its lower part, in the direction of the toes. The opening 20 is closed at the front by a movable tongue 2 projecting upwards, and lateral flaps 13.

[0034] The upper of traditional slippers is, in a known manner, formed by assembling several layers. In particular, the upper comprises at least one inner layer (also called an inner comfort lining), which is more flexible and intended to come into contact with the leg and the foot, a more rigid outer layer intended to ensure the transmission of forces from the leg and the foot to the outer shell of the shoe and then to the ski, and one or more intermediate layers of padding interposed between the outer and inner layers.

[0035] The invention addresses the problem of the movement of a skier's leg forwards and backwards, which is generally hindered by an inner liner whose structure does not allow sufficient freedom for such relative movement between its upper and lower parts.

[0036] This problem arises, in particular, when skiers are walking while practicing Alpine skiers who, having taken off their skis, must travel on foot with their ski boots on for a short distance to reach, for example, the center of a resort or access various facilities located near the slopes such as ski lifts. This problem also arises during ski touring when the skier has to climb a slope on skis with sealskins.

[0037] It turns out that the shell of certain ski boots includes a mechanical device intended to release the articulation between the collar and the upper of the lower shell to facilitate walking. This device, which allows switching to "walking mode", is generally called "Ski / Walk". Thus, when the skier has activated this device, the collar of the shell can tilt backward and / or forward relative to the lower shell. The collar is then no longer locked onto the lower shell and can thus pivot more freely.

[0038] However, unlike the shell, the upper part of current inner liners is connected to the lower part without having any relative freedom of movement and it cannot therefore follow the movement of the collar of this shell. On the contrary, due to the construction of the upper of the liner, and the permanent connection between its upper and lower parts, the upper part of the liner then opposes a resistance to the movement which hinders the pivoting of the leg backwards and / or forwards. Consequently, the skier is hindered in his walking or, more generally, in the flexion movements of his leg, which raises difficulties in movement.

[0039] Indeed, on the current shoe, either the lateral areas of the upper near the instep are not sufficiently hollowed out, or the parts which fill the lateral recesses are always too large (in terms of dimensions, materials used, etc.) to sufficiently free the upper part of the shoe from its lower part. Consequently, in order to guarantee maximum movement of the upper part relative to the lower part, the invention has sought to reduce as much as possible the quantity of material at the junction between these parts, while retaining sufficient material to guarantee the waterproofing of the shoe in this area.

[0040] In order to resolve this problem, the invention consists of producing the slipper in such a way that the upper part 11 and the lower part 12 join, on either side of the central opening 20, at the level of an instep zone, being connected by local articulations.

[0041] The invention has further sought to bring the hollowed-out areas 10 located at the junction between the upper 11 and lower 12 parts of the shoe closer to the position of the malleoli. In fact, the axis of the malleoli constitutes the natural axis of pivoting of the leg relative to the foot. These hollowed-out areas can then be at least partially filled by adding intermediate elements which will not hinder the pivoting of the upper part in relation to the lower part, but will at least partially ensure the filling of these areas in order to guarantee watertightness.

[0042] For this purpose and according to the invention, these hollowed-out lateral zones 10 are at least partially closed by two deformable and, preferably, elastically deformable connecting elements 31, 32. Thus, the upper 11 and lower 12 parts of the liner are then connected, at the hollowed-out zones 10, by these two connecting elements 31, 32 forming a local articulation with spring effect.

[0043] More specifically, the slipper of the invention comprises, on its inner side, a first set of so-called medial connecting elements, and, on its outer side, a second set of so-called lateral connecting elements. These connecting elements have a role comparable to tendons and allow the articulation of the upper part of the slipper relative to its lower part while ensuring the necessary retention between these two parts.

[0044] These two connecting elements 31, 32 are preferably formed of two strips which overlap at least partially. According to the invention, the connecting elements are made of a stretchable fabric with elastic properties. The connecting elements 31, 32 are of elongated shape, preferably having a length greater than or equal to twice their width.

[0045] As illustrated in particular in Figures 5 and 6, the upper connecting elements 31 take substantially the shape of a downwardly turned triangle, while the lower connecting elements 32 take substantially the shape of a half-pear. These shapes are chosen so as to best follow the shape of the hollowed-out lateral zones 10 as well as that of the periphery of the upper of the slipper. Without departing from the scope of the invention, any other shape of the connecting elements could be envisaged, in particular simpler shapes, for example rectangular, oval, ovoid, etc.

[0046] The invention is not, however, limited to the presence of two connecting elements and it is possible to provide alternative embodiments in which the slipper comprises more than two elongated connecting elements, then forming a network or a web ensuring the desired elastic articulation, without however hindering the movement of the upper part relative to the lower part of the slipper.

[0047] As illustrated by the figures, the two connecting elements 31, 32 have substantially perpendicular orientations. In particular, the invention provides that a first connecting element 31 extends in the extension of the upper part 11 of the liner, while the second connecting element 32 extends in the extension of the lower part 12.

[0048] As illustrated by [Fig.6], each of these connecting elements 31, 32 is connected to both the upper part 11 and the lower part 12 of the slipper. Thus, the upper end 31a of the connecting element 31 is secured to the structure of the upper of the slipper in its upper part 1 while its lower end 31b is secured to the structure in its lower part 12. Jointly, the upper end 32a of the connecting element 32 is secured to the structure of the slipper in its upper part 11 while its lower end 32b is secured to the lower part 12 of the slipper. The upper end 31a of the connecting element 31 is secured above the upper end 32a of the connecting element 32. The upper end 32a of the connecting element 32 is, for its part, located further back than its lower end 32b. In this configuration, the connecting element 31 is therefore oriented substantially vertically while the connecting element 32 is oriented substantially horizontally, in the rest position of the slipper, placed flat on the ground.

[0049] As illustrated, again by [Fig. 6], the connecting elements 31, 32 are secured to the walls of the upper of the slipper only on their inner periphery by seams 41, 42 which extend in continuous extension of one another. The connecting elements 31, 32 thus share a common median seam line 40 with the upper of the slipper. Consequently, the sealing of the slipper is ensured in the hollowed-out lateral zones 10.

[0050] According to an alternative embodiment not shown, the two connecting elements 31, 32 could only be secured to the upper of the liner via their two ends, respectively 31a, 31b and 32a, 32b. The sealing would then no longer be optimized in this area but the movement of the upper part of the liner relative to its lower part would be improved. Indeed, in this case, the absence of a peripheral seam would offer greater freedom of pivoting towards the front and / or the rear of the upper part of the liner.

[0051] The outer periphery of at least one of the two connecting elements and here, the outer periphery of the two elements 31, 32, has a convex profile which follows the direction of pivoting of the upper part 11 during walking. If necessary, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention not shown, it would be possible to reverse the profile of the outer periphery of the connecting elements, their inner periphery always being sewn to both the upper 11 and lower 12 parts.

[0052] According to a specific embodiment variant of the invention, the hollowed-out lateral zones 10 of the upper, located at the level of the instep, have a concave profile in the lower part 12 and a convex profile in the upper part 11, as illustrated by figures 2 and 3.

[0053] The two connecting elements 31, 32 overlap, in an area located between the malleoli and the instep of the user, at the junction between the upper 11 and lower 12 parts of the slipper. According to the embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the upper connecting element 31 is covered by a portion of the lower connecting element 32. The upper connecting element 31 is therefore positioned further inward, facing the user's foot, while the lower connecting element 32, is, for its part, positioned further outwardly, opposite the internal face of the external shell of the shoe. However, the mutual overlap of these two connecting elements could be reversed, without departing from the scope of the invention, by providing that the upper connecting element 31 is positioned further outwardly than the lower connecting element 32.

[0054] When the skier is walking or when ski touring, the upper part 11 of the liner tilts alternately forward and backward relative to its lower part 12 which remains fixed. During this movement, the upper connecting element 31 is stressed and lengthens in its longitudinal direction by putting itself under tension. From then on, the connecting element 31 tends to return elastically to its starting position in the manner of a spring, thus facilitating the return movement of the upper part 11 of the liner towards the lower part 12 and therefore of the leg towards its neutral position. Conversely, when the upper part 11 of the liner pivots forward, the lower connecting element 32 is stressed and also lengthens in its longitudinal direction. Thus, in this forward-pivoted position, the connecting element 32 is put under tension.From then on, it tends to return to its original position or its resting position, thus facilitating the return movement of the upper part of the shoe and therefore of the leg to its neutral position. The rotational movement of the leg relative to the foot is thus facilitated due to the energization of the articulation of the shoe by the elastic connecting elements 31, 32.

[0055] Furthermore, the connecting elements work in traction only along their longitudinal axis. They do not deform in transverse directions. Thus, no parasitic deformation of the material positioned in the lateral hollowed-out zones 10, therefore here no deformation of the connecting elements 31, 32, comes to hinder and resist the pivoting movement of the upper part of the liner, as could do a solid element positioned in any open lateral zone. Only the material necessary (namely here the two connecting elements) for the articulation of the upper and lower parts of the liner is positioned in these hollowed-out zones.

[0056] Thus, thanks to the invention, in these two pivoting situations, respectively, backwards and forwards, nothing hinders or disturbs the pivoting of the upper part 11 of the shoe relative to its lower part 12. The removal of material at the level of the hollowed-out lateral zones 10 combined with the specific positioning and profile of the two connecting elements 31, 32, makes it possible to obtain the best compromise between guaranteeing sealing and optimizing the amplitude of the forward / backward pivoting in the instep area. Walking is thus more fluid, more comfortable and more efficient than with the shoes of the prior art.

Claims

Claims

1. Inner liner for a sliding sports shoe comprising an upper formed of an upper part (11) intended to at least partially surround the lower leg and a lower part (12) extending the upper part and intended to at least partially surround the foot, said upper being provided with a central opening (20), said liner being characterized in that the upper part (11) and the lower part (12) join on either side of said opening (20) at the instep, delimiting hollowed-out zones (10), each of these zones being at least partially closed by two deformable connecting elements (31, 32) forming an articulation between the upper part (11) and the lower part (12).

2. Inner slipper according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the hollowed-out zones (10) are two in number and positioned respectively on the medial side and on the lateral side of the slipper.

3. Slipper according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two connecting elements are elastically deformable.

4. Inner slipper according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each connecting element (31, 32) is connected to both the upper part (11) and the lower part (12) of the slipper.

5. Inner slipper according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each connecting element (31, 32) is formed from a strip of fabric with elastic properties.

6. Inner shoe according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two connecting elements (31, 32) overlap at least partially.

7. Inner shoe according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two connecting elements (31, 32) have substantially perpendicular orientations.

8. Inner slipper according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first connecting element (31) extends in the extension of the upper part (11) while the second connecting element (32) extends in the extension of the lower part (12).

9. Inner shoe according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the second connecting element (32) joins, at its front end, the lower part of the upper.

10. Inner slipper according to one of the preceding claims, ca-

11.

12.

13. characterized in that the outer periphery of at least one of the two connecting elements (31, 32) has a convex profile. Inner slipper according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner periphery of the two connecting elements (31, 32) is secured to both the upper part (11) and the lower part (12) by seams (41, 42). Inner slipper according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said seams (41, 42) extend in continuous extension of one another. Inner slipper according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hollowed-out zone (10) has a concave profile in the lower part (12) and a convex profile in the upper part (11).

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