Ski boot
The ski boot design addresses the balance of rigidity and flexibility by using oblique flaps and panels to secure the cuff to the shell, enhancing precision and control during skiing.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023010221
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-20
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-09-26
AI Technical Summary
Alpine ski boots with a rigid external structure face challenges in achieving the right balance between rigidity and flexibility, leading to loss of precision in skiing, especially at high speeds due to shell deformation during leg flexion.
A ski boot design featuring a rigid external structure with a shell and cuff that includes sliding flaps and oblique tightening mechanisms to minimize shell deformation, using oblique flaps and panels to secure the cuff to the shell, ensuring a stable fit and reduced swelling during leg flexion.
Enhances skiing precision by reducing shell deformation and improving proprioception, allowing for better control and stability even at high speeds.
Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Ski boot
[0001] The present invention relates to footwear comprising an external structure within which a liner is inserted. This type of footwear is notably used for winter sports. The external structure is primarily rigid and provides support for the user's foot, while the internal liner is more flexible and serves to ensure foot comfort.
[0002] The present invention relates more particularly to alpine ski boots, especially those of the so-called "wrap" construction. The "wrap" construction is characterized by a rigid external structure comprising two main and distinct elements: the shell and the cuff. The shell constitutes the lower portion of the external structure and receives the user's foot. The cuff constitutes the upper portion; it is attached to the shell and its function is to support the user's lower leg.
[0003] The other major characteristic of the "wrap-around" construction is that the adaptation of the shoe's internal volume to the user's foot is achieved through the relative sliding of flaps, each extending from one side of the shoe. Such flaps, sometimes called overlaps in English terminology, can be present at the shell and at the cuff. For the shell flaps, they are referred to as horizontal flaps because their overlapping area is located on the top of the foot and is oriented in a substantially horizontal direction. For the cuff flaps, they are referred to as vertical flaps because their overlapping area is located in front of the user's shin and is oriented in a substantially vertical direction.
[0004] Generally, the connection between the cuff and the shell is made at the user's ankles. Placing the connection there has the advantage of allowing the cuff to articulate with the shell in a manner that corresponds to the articulation of the lower leg with the foot. One of the challenges in designing a ski boot is finding the right rigidity for the boot's external structure. For alpine skiing, the ankle joint should ideally be locked. However, it is not desirable to completely prevent all ankle movement. Indeed, a minimum degree of leg flexion is necessary for the skier to control the ski, particularly for shock absorption.
[0005] Depending on the intended use of the ski boot, the designer establishes a compromise between rigidity and a certain degree of flexibility in the external structure. The present invention relates particularly to boots in which the cuff is rigidly fixed to the shell. In this type of construction, it is the deformation of the external structure, i.e., the shell and the cuff, that allows the user A certain degree of leg flexion. For skiers who are very aggressive, for example because they ski at high speeds, this shell deformation during the phases when they flex their legs leads to a loss of precision in their skiing. Indeed, leg flexion is accompanied by a widening of the shell in the instep area.
[0006] The object of the invention is to overcome this drawback and consequently to improve the precision of ski control by a skier, even at high speed.
[0007] The object of the invention is achieved by providing a ski boot comprising a rigid external structure inside which a comfort liner is inserted; Said rigid external structure being made up of a shell which has a sole oriented in a horizontal plane Ph and which is designed to receive the foot of a user and a cuff which is fixed to the shell and which is designed to surround the lower leg of the user; Said shell comprising a medial horizontal flap and a lateral horizontal flap adapted to slide over each other to reduce the volume of said shell; Said cuff comprising a sleeve of substantially cylindrical shape surmounting a lateral tab which is located opposite the lateral malleolus of the user and a medial tab which is located opposite the medial malleolus of the user;Said sleeve comprising a lateral vertical flap and a medial vertical flap capable of overlapping so as to tighten the sleeve against the lower leg of the user; Said collar further comprising an oblique flap which is issued from said medial tab or said lateral tab and which partially covers said medial horizontal flap and / or said lateral horizontal flap and an oblique tightening means applying a tightening force which is exerted on a circumference Cl of said oblique flap, said circumference Cl belonging to a plane PI which makes an angle with the horizontal plane Ph of between 30° and 50°.
[0008] The object of the invention is also achieved by providing a ski boot which, in addition to the characteristics listed in the preceding paragraph, includes any technically acceptable combination of the following characteristics: - The said collar further includes a panel which extends the said medial tab towards the bottom of the shoe. - Said medial panel is fixed to the shell at the level of the heel area of the latter by means of medial fixing means placed at a distance D36 from the horizontal plane Ph, the distance D36 being less than 8 cm, preferably less than 7 cm. - Said oblique clamping means comprises a medial component fixed on said oblique flap or on said medial tab and a lateral component fixed on the shell. - The said collar further includes a side panel which extends said side tab towards the bottom of the shoe. - Said side panel is fixed to the hull at the heel area of the latter by means of a medial fixing means placed at a distance D38 from the horizontal plane Ph, the distance D38 being less than 8 cm. - Said oblique clamping means comprises a medial component fixed on said oblique flap or medial tab and a lateral component fixed on said lateral panel. - Said oblique clamping means comprises a loop and a lever. - Said oblique clamping means comprises a cable and a device cable reel.
[0009] The invention will be better understood upon reading the description associated with the drawing in which:
[0010] [Fig.1] Fig.1 is a view showing the lateral face of a ski boot according to a first embodiment of the invention.
[0011] [Fig.2] Fig.2 is a view showing the medial face of the ski boot of the [Fig.l].
[0012] [Fig.3] Fig.3 is a schematic view representing a section along the plane PI of the ski boot in figures 1 and 2.
[0013] [Fig.4] Fig.4 is a view showing the lateral face of a ski boot according to a second embodiment of the invention.
[0014] [Fig. 5] [Fig. 5] is a view showing the medial face of the ski boot of the [Fig.4],
[0015] [Fig.6] Fig.6 is a view showing the lateral face of a ski boot according to a variant of the first embodiment of the invention.
[0016] [Fig.7] Fig.7 is a view showing the medial face of the ski boot of the [Fig.6].
[0017] Figures 1 to 3 show a ski boot according to a first embodiment of the invention. As is known, a ski boot has a rigid outer structure inside which an internal comfort liner is inserted. The latter is not visible in the figures. Only the rigid outer structure is shown.
[0018] This is a shoe with a so-called "wrap-around" construction. That is to say, the volumetric adaptation of the rigid external structure is achieved through the relative sliding of two portions of this external structure over one another. It is also a shoe whose rigid external structure comprises two main elements: the shell 2 and the collar 3.
[0019] The shell 3 receives the user's foot. It includes, in particular, a sole 21, oriented along the substantially horizontal plane Ph, a lateral side 22 and a side medial 23. The lateral flank 22 and the medial flank 23 meet at the front of the shoe where they form a shell 25 for the toes and at the rear, where they form a heel counter 27. The upper part of the shell is covered by the collar; the dotted line 28 represents the upper limit of the shell.
[0020] The lateral flank 22 comprises several zones named in relation to the areas of the user's foot opposite which they are located. These include, in particular, a lateral heel portion 222, a lateral malleolus portion 223, and a lateral horizontal flap 221 that forms the upper free end of the lateral flank 22. For clarity, the lateral malleolus and heel portions are represented by drawing their upper boundary 271 with dashed lines. Similarly, the medial flank 23 comprises a medial heel portion 232, a medial malleolus portion 233, and a medial horizontal flap 231 that forms the upper free end of the medial flank 23.
[0021] The collar 3 comprises a substantially cylindrical sleeve 31 designed to receive the lower leg of the user. The sleeve 31 has a medial vertical flap 33 and a lateral vertical flap 32 that overlap and can slide over each other to reduce or increase the diameter of the sleeve and thus adapt the boot to the shape of the user's leg. The collar is attached to the shell 2 by means of fastening means located on the medial and lateral sides of the boot. These fastening means connect portions of the collar, referred to as the medial tab 35 and lateral tab 34, to the shell 2. Furthermore, the medial tab 35 covers the medial malleolus portion 233 of the shell 2, and the lateral tab 34 covers the lateral malleolus portion 223 of the shell.
[0022] In the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 3, the medial vertical flap 32 is broken down at its end into two parts, namely an upper medial vertical flap 321 and an lower medial vertical flap 322.
[0023] Several tightening means are placed on the boot to generate the sliding of the various flaps against each other and thus ensure that the boot is tightened on the user's foot and lower leg. In the presented construction, there are five of them, and they are mostly made up of hooks, the use of which is very common for ski boots. Each hook includes a loop actuated by a lever via a toggle mechanism, this first sub-assembly being fixed to the first flap. The loop cooperates with a rack whose plurality of teeth allows for a plurality of loop positions, the rack being fixed to the other flap. The forefoot hook 42, the instep hook 41, the lower cuff hook 43, and the upper cuff hook 44 are of this type. The last tightening means 45 is of a different type. It is a leg bottom strap which features a simple pull loop and a hook and loop covering.
[0024] According to the invention, the collar further comprises a medial panel 36 which extends the medial tab 35 downwards towards the bottom of the shoe. The medial panel 36 extends downwards and also forwards along the front of the shoe. Indeed, as can be seen in [Fig. 2], the medial panel 36 extends a few centimeters along the longitudinal direction of the shoe. Medial fastening means 361 and 362 of the collar to the shell, on the medial side, are located on the lower part of the medial panel 36. One of these means, the posterior medial fastening means 362, is substantially positioned vertically above the medial malleolus portion 233. Another of these means, the anterior medial fastening means 362, is positioned in front of said posterior means. These fastening means may consist of rivets or a screw with a threaded insert.When in place, these fixing means secure the medial panel 36, i.e. the lower part of the collar 3, to the shell 2, without any possibility of relative movement as is the case when the collar is articulated on the shell at the level of the malleolus.
[0025] The collar further comprises a medial oblique flap 37 which is extended from the medial panel 36 and / or the medial tab 35 and which extends along a circumference CL. The circumference CL corresponds to the circumference of the shoe placed in the plane PI which makes an angle
[31] of between 30° and 50° with the plane Ph. The circumference CL is also called PCT for "short heel perimeter". Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe along the plane PL. It can be seen that the ratchet 411 is fixed to the free end of the oblique flap 37, and it cooperates with the loop 412 of the instep hook 41, which loop is fixed to the lateral side 22.
[0026] The clamping force exerted by the hook 41 is along the circumference Cl and, as it is applied between the lateral side 22 and the oblique flap 37, it secures the medial side 23 of the shell. This considerably reduces the risk of the medial side deforming and moving away from the user's foot during leg flexion. This improves proprioception and steering precision for the skier.
[0027] A slot 39 is provided between the oblique flap 37 and the medial vertical flap 32. This slot allows for relative movement of these two flaps with respect to each other. In the present case, the slot 39 is located between the oblique flap 37 and the lower medial vertical flap 322.
[0028] In order for the oblique flap 37 to satisfactorily perform this function of containing the deformation of the medial flank, it is preferable that the medial fixing means 361 and 362 be placed at the level of the lower area of the medial flank, near the sole 21. In the described embodiment, the distance D36 separating the medial fixing means from the horizontal plane Ph is less than 8 cm. On the lateral side, the collar is fixed in the usual way at the level of the malleolus, i.e. at a distance from the horizontal plane of about 10 cm or more.
[0029] Thanks to the special construction of the cuff 3, which includes a medial panel 36 extending very low on the shell 2 so as to cover a whole portion of its medial side, and an oblique flap 37 that encircles the shell at the instep area, the swelling of the shell when the skier flexes their leg is significantly reduced. Furthermore, the vertical extension of the medial face of the cuff 3 is very substantial, as it extends from the top of the boot, at the level of the lower leg strap 45, to the bottom of the medial panel 36, at the level of the medial fastening means 361, 362. This improves the precision of the ski control by the user.
[0030] Figures 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the invention. This differs from the embodiment described in [Fig. 1] to [Fig. 3] by the configuration of the collar 3. Indeed, as can be seen in [Fig. 4], the lateral tab 34 of the collar extends towards the sole 31 and forms a lateral panel 38 which, similarly to the medial panel 36, encircles the lateral side 22. For this purpose, lateral fastening means 381 and 382 are arranged on the lower part of the lateral panel 38. These fastening means are positioned at a distance D38 from the plane Ph. In the example shown, D38 is less than 8 cm.
[0031] On the other hand, another difference exists between the second and first embodiments of the invention concerning the instep hook 41. In fact, this hook is not fixed to the lateral side 22 of the shell, but to the lateral panel 38 of the collar. All other features of the shoe in Figures 4 and 5 are identical to those of the shoe in Figures 1 to 3, including the inclination of the plane PI containing the circumference Cl of the instep hook 41.
[0032] Figures 6 and 7 show a variant of the first embodiment of the invention in which the hook-type clamping means are replaced by two devices comprising a cable. The first of these devices clamps the shell and includes a first reel 46 fixed to the shell. The second clamps the collar and includes a second reel 47 fixed to the collar.
[0033] The invention has been described using several embodiments and variations. This is by no means an exhaustive description, and the invention also aims to protect any equivalent construction covered by the claims.
Claims
Demands
1. Ski boot comprising a rigid external structure inside which is inserted a comfort liner, - Said rigid external structure consisting of a shell (2) which has a sole (21) oriented along a horizontal plane Ph and which is intended to receive the foot of a user and a cuff (3) which is fixed to the shell and which is intended to surround the lower leg of the user, - Said shell comprising a medial horizontal flap (231) and a lateral horizontal flap (221) capable of sliding one over the other to reduce the volume of said shell.- Said collar comprising a sleeve (31) of substantially cylindrical shape surmounting a lateral tab (34) which is located opposite the lateral malleolus of the user and a medial tab (35) which is located opposite the medial malleolus of the user, Characterized in that - said collar further comprises an oblique flap (37) which is issued from said medial tab (35) or from said lateral tab (34) and which partially covers said medial horizontal flap (231) and / or said lateral horizontal flap (221); - in that an oblique tightening means (41) applies a tightening force which is exerted on a circumference Cl of said oblique flap, said circumference Cl belonging to a plane PI which makes an angle with the horizontal plane Ph of between 30° and 50°; and - in that said oblique clamping means (411) comprises a medial component (411) fixed on said oblique flap or on said medial tab and a lateral component (412) fixed on the shell.
2. Ski boot according to claim 1 characterized in that said collar further comprises a panel (36) which extends said medial tab towards the bottom of the boot.
3. Ski boot according to claim 2 characterized in that said medial panel (36) is fixed to the shell at the level of the heel area thereof by means of medial fixing means (361, 362) placed at a distance D36 from the horizontal plane Ph, the distance D36 being less than 8 cm.
4. Ski boot according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said collar further comprises a side panel (38) which extends said side tab towards the bottom of the boot.
5. Ski boot according to the preceding claim characterized in that said side panel is fixed to the shell at the level of the heel area thereof by means of a lateral fixing means placed at a distance D38 from the horizontal plane Ph, the distance D38 being less than 7 cm.
6. Ski boot according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said oblique tightening means comprises a buckle and a lever.
7. Ski boot according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5 characterized in that said oblique tightening means comprises a cable and a cable winding device (46).