Device for connecting a skier's lower limb to a ski binding, and a footwear assembly incorporating the device

Abstract

A device for connecting the lower leg J ​​of a skier S with a foot P and ankle axis CC' to a ski binding F mounted on a ski PS, the device comprising a foot assembly (30) and a shin connection part (16) with at least one rigid rod (16-3), the at least one rigid rod having an upper end (16-1) with means of attachment (18) to the lower leg J ​​including fixing means (24), and a lower end (16-2) with a pivot connection part (20) pivoting about an axis AA' relative to the foot assembly (30), and comprising articulation means (22) with at least one degree of freedom, the articulation means being interposed between the upper end (16-1) of the at least one rigid rod (16-3) and the means of attachment (18) to the lower leg J. The invention also relates to a foot assembly equipped with this device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for connecting the lower limbs of a skier to a ski binding. The present invention also targets a footwear assembly integrating the device.

[0002] In the field of alpine skiing, more specifically in the fields of skis and ski boots, many constraints arise and often make skiing practice uncomfortable. In fact, the technology of ski boots has hardly evolved over time and only proposes approximately foot comfort, but in practice, it is necessary to improve the comfort of the skier. Currently, ski boots are made of relatively rigid plastic and include two articular movement rigidity parts. The vertical part of the ski boot receives the shin and part of the calf, and the horizontal part receives the actual foot. The range of ankle flexion of such boots is very limited, only a few degrees. Although adjustment means are provided to adjust this range, it is provided within a very limited range. In fact, there is a difference between the movement of the foot and the movement of the boot. In fact, for the comfort of the skier, a comfortable foam is interposed, and thus, parasitic movements occur depending on the type of foam according to the boot clamp.

[0003] Furthermore, regardless of foams, shape memory, self-forming, thermoformable materials, and other interfaces, comfort remains very limited in addition to the cost of such materials. These intermediate materials are currently necessary because it is their linings that are involved in heat insulation. It is also understood that the force exerted by the skier is not directly transmitted except by strongly restraining the boot, and inevitably, it is accompanied by overall discomfort and difficulty during several hours of practice. Therefore, the control is insufficient. Furthermore, the morphology according to whether the foot is narrow or wide, whether the kick is prominent, whether the ankle is thin or protruding is not considered, and even materials for custom forming cannot compensate for everything.

[0004] Also, since the boots are enclosed in a rigid sealing shell, they generally form a sealing barrier against outside and external snow or water. However, it should be noted that this rigid sealing shell forms a closed volume that is difficult to remove the humidity generated by the natural sweating phenomenon of the feet. Another significant disadvantage is the weight of such boots with a rigid shell, which is connected to a large amount of plastic for forming a surrounding shell to which the weight of the foam clamping member is added. Currently, the aerodynamic characteristics of ski boots are deteriorated by the very large external volume of the boots caused by the socks, foam, shell, and clamping member, leading to adding a competing company's suit along the boots to minimize the impact of the boot volume on the aerodynamic characteristics or adding aerodynamic attachments for specific competitions or records.

[0005] One zone of the foot is adjacent to the talus, which is particularly mechanically loaded and compressed during bending movements. During these forward movements, the upper part of the shell is pressed against the rod of the shell, and a large pressure is applied. This is the true source of discomfort and trauma. Similarly, the pressure on the ankle can crush the flesh and cause local heating. Depending on the skier's form, the outer shape of the boot, and the pressure, the pressure during bending also concentrates on the upper part of the lower limb, which may cause a certain degree of discomfort due to the concentration of force.

[0006] A significant lack of flexibility in the joint movement between the two parts clearly appears, inducing discomfort during the inherent forward / backward movement in ski practice. In addition to the rigidity of this connection between the two parts, the flexibility of this connection is frozen by the individual characteristics of the boots, such as geometry, the materials used, and the non-conforming arrangement of the boots. The properties of the plastic also vary depending on the temperature during the day or the season. However, the need for retention, flexibility, and bending can vary greatly depending on the skier and the level of practice, and depending on the training being practiced. Each of the two parts considered independently is uncomfortable for the foot, similar to the tibial part of the lower limb.

[0007] Also, with current ski boots, it is impossible to evolve over multiple seasons, and it should also be noted that for skiing, a pair of ski boots is required regardless of whether the season is hot or cold. Only the lining of the boots can be changed, but the shape of the boots remains unchanged and cannot be changed, so the thickness remains the same. The aesthetic aspect is completely hidden. The current solutions do not suggest the possibility of evolving ski practice, and for example, depending on the snow conditions and the specialized field of skiing, whether it is downhill skiing or cross-country skiing, "flexibility" is required, for example, boots with a certain bending amplitude.

[0008] Also, it has been observed that the repair of such existing ski boots can only be carried out by a professional when one of the elements deteriorates. Replacing the boots or repairing them promptly is still difficult. Also, considering the price, generally skiers have a pair of boots. Furthermore, modularity is difficult when it is hot at the beginning or end of the season, and the boot design includes a single type of lining and is of one thickness in a given material, so it is impossible to remove or change the boot lining.

[0009] A solution is sought, and there are walking boots that provide insulation and sealing while obtaining structural functions by means of strips and levers, but these members are connected to each walking boot. In this case, due to the intermediate element for the insulation and sealing of the boots, the foot-holding function is always parasitic, so the sensation is not satisfactory.

[0010] Another solution is to place the shell boot only for the foot, with a lever with a band being connected to the shell in a manner of joint movement, and by its other end being connected to the calf or at least the lower limb by a band with clamping means. The mechanical joint abutment limits the bending amplitude. This has a major drawback, namely the drawback of the axis of rotation. In fact, for satisfactory comfort and movement, the axis of rotation between the boot and the rod needs to be perfectly centered on the ankle of the practitioner. However, from each individual human form, even if the manufacturer calculates and tests, the results are only based on the average of the results obtained. Therefore, there is almost always a deviation between the pivot axis of the ankle and the pivot axis of the rod with respect to the footwear shell. As a result, this deviation necessarily causes a geometrically combined movement of translation and rotation between the band and the calf adjacent to the band, which, whether the amplitude is large or small, in any case of the alternating and repetitive type, will result in a handicap practice in the future and at least cause an injury.

[0011] The present invention proposes a device for connecting the lower limb of a skier to a ski binding, which replaces the part capable of receiving the tibia with a lighter and more comfortable system for holding the tibia, while eliminating the influence of the misalignment of the positioning adjacent to the ankle and the lack of parallelism between the tibia and the upper part, and aims to correspond to different functions of removing the generated moisture to ensure excellent ventilation of the foot without inserting elements that may interfere for better control during practice, adjustable thermal insulation and sealing.

[0012] The present invention is directed to a footwear assembly equipped with the connection device according to the present invention.

[0013] The present invention also proposes a footwear assembly that enables a skier to wear only a pair of boots, which avoids the foot constraints associated with wearing a shell, and in particular eliminates the pressure on the talus and / or ankle, includes a high calf connection, enables better control in practice, enables modification of the thermal insulation according to the practice season, ensures better comfort through much-needed ventilation, can be provided with a device for connecting the lower limbs of the skier to a ski binding that is lighter and more comfortable, and eliminates the influence of displacement adjacent to the ankle and the lack of parallelism between the calf and the upper part while adapting to different functions of connecting the skier's body to the ski for better control during practice.

[0014] The present invention can also improve the comfort of the practitioner and solve many technical problems by proposing much lighter devices and adaptability according to the season, ski conditions, type of ski practiced or training. The present invention enables quick repair without special tools, reduction of manufacturing costs, and use of a limited amount of materials.

[0015] For this purpose, the present invention has, as its object, a device for connecting the lower limbs of a skier with the axes of the feet and ankles to a ski binding mounted on a ski board, comprising a footwear assembly and a calf connection with at least one rigid rod, the at least one rigid rod having an upper end provided with means for attachment to the lower limb, including fixing means, and a lower end provided with a pivot connection that pivots about an axis with respect to the footwear assembly, and comprising articulation means having at least one degree of freedom, characterized in that these means are interposed between the upper end of the at least one rigid rod and the means for attachment to the lower limb.

[0016] For example, the fixing means can comprise a collar having at least one strip provided with self-gripping means at its ends.

[0017] According to one exemplary embodiment, the tibial connection portion can include two rigid rods, a left one and a right one. If necessary, the two left and right rods can be attached by their upper ends to the same attachment means, and each rigid rod can be articulated at its lower part around its own pivot connection, which is a right and a left one. As a variant, the tibial connection portion can include a rod with a semi - surrounding shape.

[0018] In a preferred example, the tibial connection portion can include a rigid semi - surrounding portion having, at its upper part, two transverse rods and, at its lower part, two transverse straps. If desired, the straps can extend obliquely facing the transverse rods and can be connected in particular by transverse connections.

[0019] Advantageously, the articulation means include degrees of freedom in translation. Preferably, the articulation means can include degrees of freedom in translation and free movement in rotation.

[0020] Advantageously, the articulation means comprises a mushroom - shaped pin with a body and a head, integral with means for fixing to the lower limb, and having a longitudinal aperture provided at the upper end of the rigid rod, through which the body of the pin passes, this aperture having a width less than the diameter of the head, so that the body of the pin slides within the longitudinal aperture while the head of the pin holds the upper end of the rigid rod of the tibial connection portion.

[0021] As a variant, the articulation means can include a flange on which the upper end of the rigid rod slides. If necessary, the flange can have a rectangular cross - section, the end of the rigid rod can be rectangular, and the width and length are smaller than the rectangular cross - section of the flange.

[0022] The present invention also has, as an object, a footwear assembly equipped with a connection device according to the present invention. The footwear assembly comprises a sole intended to receive a boot, the sole including at least one substantially vertical lateral lug, each end of the lateral lug being intended to receive a pivot connection of each rigid rod.

[0023] Preferably, the sole includes two lateral lugs, left and right. If necessary, each end of the lateral lug is intended to receive a pivot connection of each rigid rod, left and right. As a variant, each end of the lateral lug is intended to receive one of the pivot connections of a rigid rod having a semi-surrounding shape. If desired, one or several angular joints of the front part and / or the rear part can be positioned on or at each lateral lug.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each end of the lateral lug rises substantially adjacent to the axis of the ankle of the skier, so that the axis of the pivot connection is at least close to the axis of rotation of the ankle. As a variant, each lateral lug can extend such that the axis of the pivot connection is substantially offset with respect to the axis of the ankle, for example by being positioned on the talus of the foot. In one example, each lateral lug can extend obliquely, specifically towards the front of the sole. As a variant, each end of the lateral lug rises vertically while being offset with respect to the axis of the ankle.

[0025] In a preferred example of the present invention, the connection device has a hinge fixedly connected to a strap for tibial connection, for example by being attached to a lateral connection part. If necessary, each lateral lug is connected to the hinge to form a pivot connection.

[0026] For example, the sole comprises ends having an outer shape combined with the outer shape of a ski binding at the front part and the rear part.

[0027] Advantageously, the lightweight boots comprise a rigid sole provided with a first part of removable attachment means, the second part of these removable attachment means being carried by the base sole. For example, the removable attachment means can comprise screws, snaps, or slide fasteners.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the footwear assembly comprises at least one tube-shaped sealing sleeve with a shank, a lower opening, an upper opening, and an opening for an inlet. The sealing sleeve is made especially of waterproof fabric. If desired, the lower opening can have an outer shape suitable for the peripheral shape of the base sole, and the upper opening can be connectable to the attachment means. For example, a slide fastener type front or rear opening can be provided in the sealing sleeve, especially along a longitudinal vertical line.

[0029] Advantageously, the footwear assembly comprises a heat-insulating layer as a lining attached by adhesion or as a removable lining of the sealing sleeve to provide heat insulation.

[0030] According to one embodiment of the invention, the footwear assembly comprises a mechanical pump for ventilating the interior of the sleeve. Alternatively or cumulatively, perforations can be provided in the boot.

[0031] Advantageously, the footwear assembly comprises damping means interposed between at least one of the base sole and the rigid rod of the connection means. For example, the damping means can comprise a cylinder having a mechanical spring housed in two coaxial sliding cylindrical halves. As a variant, the damping means can include a gas cylinder, an oil cylinder, a hybrid cylinder, or a combination of two cylinders.

[0032] Advantageously, the footwear assembly comprises means for adjusting the alignment of the axis of the pivot connection with the axis of rotation of the ankle. For example, the adjustment means can be of the type having a single or double eccentricity housed in a ring. As a variant, the adjustment means can comprise a series of openings intersecting at 90°. If necessary, the footwear assembly can include means for locking the adjustment means in a given angular position. As a variant, the footwear assembly comprises means for adjusting the position of the axis of the pivot connection relative to the axis of rotation of the ankle.

[0033] The invention also aims to have a footwear assembly equipped with a device for connecting the lower limb of a skier having an ankle with a pivot axis to a ski binding mounted on a ski board, the footwear assembly comprising a base sole intended to receive a boot, the base sole including at least one substantially vertical lateral lug, the ends of each lateral lug being intended to receive a pivot connection by defining an axis, being mounted on the pivot connection by its lower end, and including at least one rigid rod provided at its upper end with means for attachment to the upper part of the lower limb.

[0034] In one embodiment of the invention, the ends of each lateral lug rise substantially adjacent to the axis of the skier's ankle, such that the axis of the pivot connection is at least close to the axis of rotation of the ankle. As a variant, each lateral lug can extend such that the axis of the pivot connection is substantially offset relative to the axis of the ankle.

[0035] Advantageously, the base sole comprises ends having an outer shape combined with the outer shape of the ski binding at the front and rear.

[0036] If desired, the lightweight boot comprises a rigid sole provided with a first part of removable attachment means, the second part of these removable attachment means being carried by the base sole.

[0037] Advantageously, the footwear assembly comprises at least one tube-shaped sealing sleeve with a shank, a lower opening, an upper opening, and an inlet opening.

[0038] Advantageously, the footwear assembly comprises a heat-insulating layer with a lining attached by adhesion or with a removable lining of the sealing sleeve to provide heat insulation.

[0039] According to one embodiment of the invention, the footwear assembly comprises a mechanical pump for ventilating the interior of the sleeve.

[0040] Advantageously, the footwear assembly comprises articulation means interposed between at least one rigid rod and attachment means.

[0041] Advantageously, the footwear assembly comprises damping means interposed between a base sole and at least one of the rigid rods of the connection means.

[0042] Preferably, the articulation means include two degrees of freedom in translation, one degree of freedom, and one degree of freedom in rotation.

[0043] Advantageously, the footwear assembly comprises means for adjusting the alignment of the axis of the pivot connection with the axis of rotation of the ankle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0044] Here, the present invention is merely illustrated by exemplary embodiments and in no way limits the scope of the present invention and is described based on the accompanying drawings.

[0045]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

[0046] Illustrated in a simplified manner in Figure 1 is the interaction between a footwear device A10 and the lower limb J of a skier S in a prior art embodiment. Thus, the prior art footwear device A10 is attached in a known manner to a ski board PS by means of a fastener F, by a sole A12 integrated with a shell A14 for receiving the foot P. A known type of footwear device A10 comprises a shin connection A16. This shin connection A16 consists of at least one rigid rod A16-3, which at its upper end A16-1 is provided with attachment means A18 intended to be positioned above the ankle C of the skier S and below the calf M, and at its lower end A10-2 is provided with pivot connection means A20 to the shell A14. Thus, this shin connection A16 can pivot about an axis AA', and the shin of the skier S can pivot with respect to the foot about an axis CC' which is the axis of the ankle C. It should be noted that in the embodiment shown, a single semi-surrounding rigid rod, which is completely equivalent for the two right and left rods and is connected together, is provided.

[0047] Depending on the anatomical structure of skier S, even with the same leg length, one skier necessarily differs from another, and these axes AA’ and CC’ can only exceptionally coincide. However, during practice, skier S continuously changes position with respect to the ski PS and the center of gravity when bending the shin and when tilting with a certain amplitude to move the body weight forward or backward. Furthermore, these variable tilts in the front plane / rear plane occur in phase with the position of the body, i.e., the position of the lower limbs that are more or less laterally tilted, which also continuously changes the pressure and force. Therefore, there is an axis deviation, which induces a translational movement of the attachment means A18 to the calf M of the shin connection A16 in each bending movement. These movements are limited but continuous, causing at least discomfort and in the worst case, injury, all the more so since the attachment means A18 is clamped, but the clamp of the said attachment means A18 is also minimal in order to maintain good control of the ski.

[0048] The present invention is schematically shown in FIG. 2, and hosiery, trousers, types of clothing are excluded for clarity of presentation. In this FIG. 2, elements common to the prior art with the same label but excluding A are found. According to the present invention, a device 10 for connecting the lower limb J of skier S to the ski binding comprises a shin connection 16 in the form of at least one rigid rod 16-3, the upper end 16-1 of which carries means 18 for attachment to the lower limb, and the lower end 16-2 of which carries a pivot connection 20. The present invention relates in particular to these attachment means 18 comprising articulation means 22 having at least one degree of freedom, in the main translation and in the translation and rotation in a better embodiment. Therefore, this configuration can be adapted to existing shell boots having a shin connection, simple boots having a shin connection connected to the said simple boots, or to a preferred embodiment of a footwear assembly with a sole as described below.

[0049] For this purpose, the attachment means 18 includes means 24 for fixing to the lower limb J in the form of a collar 26 of the type comprising at least one strip provided with self-gripping means at its ends, for example. These self-gripping means enable, in a known manner, adjustment of the clamping of the fixing means by the skier S on the lower limb. The shin connection 16 comprises at least one rigid rod 16-3, right and left, or semi-surrounding, each with an upper end 16-1. The articulation means 22 are interposed between each upper end 16-1 of the at least one rigid rod 16-3 and the attachment means 18. In this case, two rods, right and left, are provided, but it is also possible to form only one rigid rod in a semi-surrounding shape as already shown.

[0050] According to a preferred embodiment, the articulation means 22 include at least one degree of freedom selected between translation and rotation, and the translation is selected with respect to the main one. According to a more particular embodiment, these articulation means 22 consist, for each at least one rigid rod 16-3, of a mushroom-shaped pin 22-1 with a body 22-2 and a head 22-3. The pin 22-1 is integral with the means 24 for fixing to the lower limb J. The upper end 16-1 of the rigid rod 16-3 comprises another part of the articulation means 22, namely a longitudinal aperture 16-4. This aperture has a width smaller than the diameter of the head over at least a part of its periphery. Thus, the body 22-2 of the pin 22-1 slides within this longitudinal aperture 16-4, while the head of the pin 22-3 holds the upper end 16-1 of the rigid rod 16-3 of the shin connection 16. The upper end 16-1 of the shin connection 16 can then pivot and move translationally with respect to the fixing means 24, and the fixing means 24 are not loaded in any way with respect to the lower limb J.

[0051] As a practical matter, the fixing means 24 of the attaching means 18 of the shin connection portion can be arranged at a higher position, without trouble, on the upper part of the shin, i.e., below the knee, of the lower limb J. In the prior art, the higher the shin connection portion, the greater the movement of the attaching means with respect to the lower limb. This is no longer the case with the present invention, since the articulation means 22 interposed between at least one rigid rod 16-3 of the shin connection portion 16 and the attaching means 18 of the shin connection portion 16 of the lower limb J makes it possible to position the fixing means 24 between the lower part and the upper part of the lower limb J, and thus, preferably at the upper part, provides that at least one rigid rod 16-3 has an appropriate length. The advantage of positioning the fixing means with at least one rigid rod 16-3 having a long length is that it better controls the bending and movement of the foot P for the skier S and, due to the increase in the length of the increasing lever arm, makes the force transmitted to the shin smaller during a given bending moment. Preferably, for each shell 14, two rigid rods, right and left, are attached to the same attaching means 18 and thus, including the case where a single semi-surrounding rod is involved, are attached to the same fixing means 24, so that the rigid rods 16-3 are provided on each side of the lower limb J. The articulation means 22 other than the pins in the slide can include a simple flange on which the upper end of the corresponding rigid rod slides. The flange then has a rectangular cross-section and, while the end of the rod is also rectangular, has a slightly narrower width and a sufficiently short length so that the clearance is sufficient to allow translation and a given angular rotation. It is observed that the problems of continuous movement and the load on the attaching means 18 are solved and that the offset is compensated for by the articulation means 22, even if the axes CC’ and AA’ are not aligned, contributing to the overall comfort of this part of the connection device.

[0052] Also, when the joint movement means includes two degrees of freedom and thus includes translation and rotation, in this case, the pressure on pin 22-1 is such that, since the pin exerts its force radially, the force is not a point-specific force acting unevenly on the upper or lower part of the fixing means in the prior art arrangement, but is observed to be distributed evenly over the entire surface of the fixing means in a homogeneous manner. This also leads to an improvement in comfort due to this force distribution.

[0053] It is understood that the connection device 10 according to the present invention finds application in a shell having a prior art shin connection, a boot having a shin connection, and a footwear assembly described below.

[0054] However, a number of problems associated with the presence of the shell with weight, constraints on the talus, constraints on the pelvis, constraints related to the clamping of the shell, and in particular the constraint of the foot with impermeability to sweat removal, are not solved by the connection device according to the present invention. The connection device according to the present invention is provided with joint movement means 22 and is installable, and proposes a footwear assembly that solves the above-described problems that are not solved by the connection device regardless of whether or not it is equipped on the connection device 10.

[0055] In this same Figure 2, footwear assembly 30 according to the present invention is illustrated, which integrates at the bottom a device 10 for connecting the lower limb J to the ski binding F. The present invention also relates to a footwear assembly integrating such a device 10 for connecting the lower limb J to the ski binding F, the footwear assembly excluding the prior art shell A14. Thus, the footwear assembly 30 comprises a base sole 32 intended to receive the boot 34. This base sole 32 includes at least one substantially vertical transverse lug 32-1, the ends of each transverse lug 32-1 being intended to receive the pivot connection 20 of each rigid rod 16-3. The ends of each transverse lug 32-1 rise substantially adjacent to the axis CC' of the ankle of the skier S wearing it, such that the axis AA' coincides with or at least approaches the axis CC'. This base sole 32 comprises an end 32-2 and an end 32-3 at the front and rear respectively, each having an outer diameter combined with the outer shape of the ski binding F that receives it.

[0056] According to the present invention, in the footwear assembly 30 of the present invention, the foot P is itself housed in a lightweight boot 34, using for example leather and a rigid sole 34-2 for comfort, the foot P comprising a rod 34-1 surrounding the foot. The rigid sole 34-2 is advantageously a highly rigid sole, such as the sole of a bicycle shoe for an automatic pedal. This rigid sole 34-2 includes a first part 36-1 of removable attachment means 36, the second part 36-2 of these removable attachment means 36 being carried by the base sole. Thus, the lightweight boot 34 can be removably attached to the base sole 32. The removable attachment means 36 can be screws, snap or slide fasteners, or any similar means at the front and rear of the sole. The foot P is held in the lightweight boot by any known means for closing the upper, such as a lace, a wire micrometric closure, or a hook closure.

[0057] Accordingly, the footwear assembly 30, in a preferred embodiment, comprises a base sole 32 having two lateral lugs 32-1, which are right and left, and a shin connection 16 having two rigid rods 16-3, which are right and left, and which are either connected together or are a single monolithic rigid rod having a semi-surrounding shape. Each rigid rod 16-3 is articulated right and left about its own pivot connection 20 at its lower part 16-2, defining an axis AA'. Each rigid rod 16-3 is connected at its upper end part 16-1, right and left, to attachment means 18, and more specifically to articulation means 22 of means 24 for fixing said attachment means 18 to the lower limb J.

[0058] This footwear assembly 30 is completed by at least one tube-shaped sealing sleeve 38 having a shank 38-1, a lower opening 38-2, and an upper opening 38-3. The material used is preferably a waterproof fabric. The shank 38-1 can be manufactured to fit the shape, i.e., the outer shape of the lightweight boot and the lower limb J. The lower opening 38-2 has an outer shape suitable for the peripheral shape of the base sole 32 so as to provide a sealed mechanical connection between said lower opening 38-2 and said base sole 32. The high opening 38-3 can be connected to the attachment means 18, in particular the fixing means 24. An opening for an inlet, for example a rear opening of the slide fastener type, can more specifically be provided along a longitudinal vertical line. This slide fastener can advantageously be sealed. An opening is also possible at the front.

[0059] This footwear assembly can also comprise a heat-insulating layer 39, very partially shown in FIG. 2, which can be a lining of the sealing sleeve 38, attached by adhesion, or removable, or can be a separate complete sleeve. This heat-insulating layer 39 provides heat insulation.

[0060] Perforations are preferably provided within the lightweight boots to allow ventilation of the inside of the sealing sleeve and to allow the foot to breathe. Natural ventilation within the sealing sleeve 38 provides circulation on the one hand, so that the sealing sleeve maintains flexibility and a circulation space is provided, and on the other hand, provides circulation because a continuous suction / blowing effect occurs during permanent bending movements. If necessary, other options can be considered, especially if the sleeve is tight, waterproof and insulating as a neoprene material, and then a ball with a valve that can ventilate the interior and blow out the air sucked in from the outside can be installed, or a mechanical pump that drives the humid air during each bending movement that is continuously performed during practice. Any solution remains, presumably, a technical material that is waterproof and breathable at the same time.

[0061] Accordingly, the skier wears lightweight boots adapted to and integrated with the base sole 32. The attachment means 18 to the lower limb J, integrated with the base sole of the lower part, articulated by the lower pivot connection 20, provides control of the base sole 32 protected from humidity and external cold. Thus, the force is exerted on the base sole 32 rather than on the side of the boot when the rigid rod is adapted to the boot. The bending can be angularly limited, in particular by the stroke of the articulation means 22, so that, for example, the front and rear angular joints can be positioned on the lug. The choice of stroke is linked to the match between physiological possibilities and practice. This makes it possible to improve the control of the skis by the skier.

[0062] According to the improvement, referring to FIG. 3, it is also possible to provide an improvement in ski control by damping means 40 interposed between the base sole 32 and at least one of the rigid rods 16-3 of the connecting means 16. This type of damping means 40 can take any form, and in particular can take the form of a cylinder having a mechanical spring housed in two coaxial sliding cylindrical halves, but can also be more sophisticated such as a gas cylinder, an oil cylinder, a hybrid cylinder, or a combination of two cylinders. Since the lever arm is involved, the force is large. This type of damper allows for further improvement in ski control by the skier, especially during descent, during practice. The damping means can also be disengaged during a long stop while skiing downhill or during climbing with cross-country skis. During descent, in both types of training, the damping means are used for good control. The disengagement is done without tools. According to a particular configuration, it is also possible to place the damping cylinder at the front. Similarly, instead of two right and left rigid rods, a single semi-surrounding rigid rod is completely equivalent and this rigid semi-surrounding rod can be applied at the front instead of the rear.

[0063] According to an improved embodiment, it is also possible to adjust the coincidence of the ankle rotation axis CC’ and the axis AA’ by using means 42 for adjusting the coincidence of the ankle rotation axis CC’ and the axis AA’. For this purpose, referring to FIG. 4, the axis 20-1 of the pivot connection part 20 is mounted on the means 42 for adjusting the coincidence of the type with the eccentric part 20-2. If adjustment is desired to ensure a more perfect coincidence, an assembly with double eccentricity allows adjustment in a plane. Thus, it is already possible to adjust the position of the axis 20-1 of the pivot connection part by rotating the eccentricity within the ring, which further improves comfort by virtually eliminating the movement of the joint movement means 22 due to the coincidence of the axes AA’ and CC’. As a result, the joint movement means 22 can be installed with a very limited amplitude within the footwear assembly 30 according to the present invention. In this case, the footwear assembly 30 of the present invention allows for free visual access and contact with the ankle, and thus provides adjustment in a manner optimized with respect to the form of the skier, and it should be noted that it is possible to reach a virtually perfect coincidence, especially with double eccentricity. When the adjustment is executed, the locking means ensures that the eccentricity or double eccentricity is held at the determined angular position.

[0064] One variant of the means 42 for adjusting the coincidence of the axis AA’ and the ankle rotation axis CC’ can be seen in FIG. 5. This variant with the opening 20-4 intersecting at 90° is another possibility for adjustment. In this case, the plate 20-5 carries the set of the axis 20-1 of the pivot connection part and the opening 20-4, and the lug 32-1 carries the set of another opening 20-4 intersecting at 90°, making it possible to adjust the position of the axis 20-1 of the pivot connection part 20 to obtain the desired coincidence. This configuration corresponds to the possibility of double eccentricity movement of the aforementioned variant without these configurations being limited.

[0065] Shown in FIG. 6 is a device 50 for connecting the lower limb J of the skier S to the ski binding and the footwear assembly 60 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] The connecting device 50 is intended to surround the rear part of the skier's calf, and on its upper part, it is accompanied by two left and right rods 51-2 and 51-3 intended to be applied to both sides of the calf, and on its lower part, it is accompanied by two left and right straps 51-4 and 51-5 connected together by a horizontal connecting part 51-6 intended to be applied on the skier's foot, and comprises a shin connecting part 51 with a rigid semi-surrounding part 51-1.

[0067] The connecting device 50 includes attachment means 52 to the lower limb, which on the one hand includes fixing means 52-1 intended to be isostatically fixed to the lower limb of the skier. For example, the fixing means 52-1 can comprise at least one elastic band or a Velcro system that makes it possible to ensure this isostatic state. On the other hand, the attachment means 52 includes a semi-surrounding part 52-2 intended to surround the front part of the skier's shin where the fixing means 52-1 is attached. At the lateral ends of this semi-circular part 52-2, two left and right flanges 52-3 and 52-4 are fitted. Slots are provided in each of the left and right flanges 52-3 and 52-4, and the upper ends of each of the left rod 51-2 and the right rod 51-3 slide in these slots. The width of the slots in each of the flanges 52-3, 52-4 is larger than the width of the slots in the rods 51-2, 51-3 that slide therein, so that each pair of flange and rod forms articulation means 53 for the attachment means 52 with respect to the shin connecting part 51, including degrees of freedom in translation and rotation. The fixing means 52-1 is isostatic with respect to the lower limb, and the shin connecting part 51 and the connecting device 50 are also isostatic with respect to the lower limb. The articulation means 53 transmits only the force perpendicular to the shin due to the fact that the attachment means 52 can freely translate in a direction parallel to the shin and freely rotate with respect to the shin connecting part 51, such that it is uniformly distributed over the lower limb. As a variant, the slide and the rail can then form articulation means including only one degree of freedom in translation in order to replace each flange with a slide on which a rail mounted on a corresponding rigid rod slides.

[0068] The footwear assembly 60 includes a sole 61 from which two lateral lugs 61-1 and 61-2, one on the left and one on the right, extend. In the example described, the lugs 61-1, 61-2 extend diagonally from a substantially central point of the sole 61 towards the front of the sole. As a variant, it would be possible to consider that the lugs 61-1, 61-2 extend vertically from an eccentric point of the sole 61.

[0069] The loop 61-3 extends rearwardly from the sole 61 so as to be able to surround the heel of the skier. In the example described, the lateral ends of the loop 61-3 coincide with the lower ends of the lugs 61-1, 61-2.

[0070] The connecting device 50 includes a hinge 54 mounted on a lateral connection part 51-6 and has two lateral tabs 54-1 and 54-2, one on the left and one on the right. Thus, each tab 54-1, 54-2 is connected to one of the lugs 61-1, 61-2 to form a pivot connection part 55 of the shin connection part 51 with respect to the sole 61, and the pivot connection part 55 thus defines an axis AA'.

[0071] As in the example of FIG. 3, the footwear assembly 60 can include damping means 40 interposed between the shin connection part 51 and the sole 61. In the example of FIG. 6, a first hinge 51-6 is mounted on the part 51-1, a second hinge 61-4 is mounted on the loop 61-3, and the damping means 40 comprises a cylinder having a spring with both the cylinder and the piston connected to one of these hinges 61-6 and 61-4.

[0072] Accordingly, due to the orientation of the straps 51-4, 51-5 and the lugs 61-1, 61-2, it is observed that the axis AA’ is substantially offset with respect to the axis of rotation CC’ of the skier's ankle by being positioned above the talus bone of the skier's foot. This geometry makes it possible to relatively balance the distribution of stress points defined by the articulation means 53, the pivot connection 55 and the two hinges 51-6 and 64-4 around the axis of rotation CC’, and the lever arm of each of these stress points is thus of the same order of magnitude and the forces at these points are consequently homogeneous.

[0073] Accordingly, it is observed that the present invention makes it possible to dissociate the mechanical, thermal and sealing functions by distributing them over different elements each specialized in one or more of these functions. These functions are generally provided by the assembly of the rigid shell and the foam of a conventional ski boot which gives rise to the problems mentioned in the context of the description, but the present invention proposes to assign the mechanical function solely to the connection device and the thermal and sealing functions to the sleeve, and thus to specifically handle each of these functions without influencing or interfering with the other functions.

[0074] The representation of the connection device and the footwear assembly remains schematic but can be aesthetically and aerodynamically modified without departing from the scope of the invention. It is observed that the width of the device is significantly reduced compared to the shell.

Claims

**Claim 1** A device for connecting the lower limb (J) of a skier (S) with a foot (P) and an ankle axis (CC') to a ski binding (F) mounted on a ski board (PS), said device comprising a footwear assembly (30, 60) and a shin connection part (16, 51) with at least one rigid rod (16-3, 51-2, 51-3), said at least one rigid rod including fixing means (24, 52-1), attachment means (18, 52) to said lower limb (J), an upper end part (16-1), and a lower end part (16-2) including a pivot connection part (20, 55) along an axis (AA') with respect to said footwear assembly (30, 60), said device including articulation means (22, 53) having at least one translational degree of freedom that persists when the skier (S) is skiing, these means being interposed between the upper end part (16-1) of said at least one rigid rod (16-3, 51-2, 51-3) and the attachment means (18, 52) to said lower limb (J). **Claim 2** The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said articulation means (22, 53) include a rotational degree of freedom. **Claim 3** The device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that said articulation means (22) comprise a mushroom-shaped pin (22-1) with a body (22-2) and a head (22-3) integral with the fixing means (24) to said lower limb (J), and a longitudinal aperture (16-4) provided in the upper end part (16-1) of said rigid rod (16-3), through which the body of said mushroom-shaped pin (22-1) passes, said aperture having a width less than the diameter of said head, whereby the body (22-2) of said mushroom-shaped pin (22-1) slides within said longitudinal aperture (16-4) while the head (22-3) of said mushroom-shaped pin (22-1) holds the upper end part (16-1) of the rigid rod (16-3) of said shin connection part (16). **Claim 4** A footwear assembly (30, 60) equipped with the device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the footwear assembly (30, 60) comprises a base sole (32, 61) intended to receive a boot (34), and the base sole (32, 61) includes at least one substantially vertical lateral lug (32-1, 61-1, 61-2), and the ends of each lateral lug (32-1, 61-1, 61-2) are intended to receive the pivot connection parts (20, 55) of each rigid rod (16-3, 51-2, 51-3). The footwear assembly (30, 60) is characterized by this.

5. The ends of each lateral lug (32-1) rise substantially adjacent to the axis (CC') of the ankle of the skier (S), so that the axis (AA') is at least close to the axis (CC'). The footwear assembly (30) according to claim 4 is characterized by this.

6. Each lateral lug (61-1, 61-2) extends such that the axis (AA') of the pivot connection part (55) is substantially offset with respect to the ankle axis (CC'). The footwear assembly (60) according to claim 4 is characterized by this.

7. The base sole (32, 61) has an end (32-2) at the front and an end (32-3) at the rear, each having an outer shape combined with the outer shape of the ski binding (F). The footwear assembly (30, 60) according to claim 4 or 5 is characterized by this.

8. The boot (34) comprises a rigid sole (34-2) provided with a first part (36-1) of removable attachment means (36), and a second part (36-2) of these removable attachment means (36) is carried by the base sole (32, 61). The footwear assembly (30, 60) according to claim 4, 5 or 6 is characterized by this.

9. The footwear assembly (30, 60) according to any one of claims 4 to 7 is characterized by comprising at least one tube-shaped sealing sleeve (38) with a shank (38-1), a lower opening (38-2), an upper opening (38-3), and an opening for the inlet.

10. The footwear assembly (30) according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that it comprises means (42) for adjusting the coincidence of the rotation axis (CC') of the ankle and the axis (AA').

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