Sports boot

Abstract

Sports boot comprising: an inner boot (3); an exogenous shell (1), the dimensions of which allow said inner boot (3) to be inserted into or extracted from it, said exogenous shell strengthening said inner boot and allowing it to be attached to a piece of sports equipment; wherein said exogenous shell comprises a sole (10), a forward part of an upper (11) able to pivot with respect to said sole (10) about a first articulation (110), and a rear part of an upper (12) which is able to pivot with respect to said sole (10) about a second articulation (120).

Claims

1. Sports boot comprising: an inner boot; an exogenous shell, whose dimensions allow said inner boot to be inserted into or extracted from it, said exogenous shell strengthening said inner boot and allowing it to be attached to a piece of sports equipment; said exogenous shell comprising a sole and an upper; the upper having a forward part and a separate rear part; said inner boot having an attached pivot protruding on an outer side close to an ankle, said exogenous shell comprising a housing for accommodating the pivot, wherein one portion of a circumference of said housing is an indentation formed on the forward part of the upper, and another portion of the circumference of this housing is an indentation formed on the rear part of the upper; wherein both the indentation on the forward part of the upper and the indentation on the rear part of the upper form a closed housing for lodging the pivot therein; and wherein said housing can be opened and respectively closed by pivoting said forward part of the upper or said rear part of the upper.

2. Sports boot according to claim 1, wherein said pivot comprises an annular groove for accommodating said indentations.

3. Sports boot according to claim 1, wherein said exogenous shell comprises a forward part of an upper capable of pivoting with respect to the sole around a first articulation and/or a rear part of an upper capable of pivoting with respect to said sole around a second articulation.

4. Sports boot according to claim 3, wherein inner boot can be inserted into the exogenous shell and respectively extracted from the exogenous shell by pivoting said rear part of the upper.

5. Sports boot according to claim 3, comprising buckles for holding said forward part of the upper and said rear part of the upper closed and tight one against the other.

6. Sports boot according to claim 1, including a reinforcement provided to an interior surface of the exogenous shell and configured to be located adjacent to an Achilles tendon that is articulated relative to the sole of the exogenous shell and that can be fastened to the rear part of the upper.

7. Sports boot according to claim 1, wherein said sole comprises holes for evacuating water.

8. Sports boot according to claim 1, wherein said sole comprises a relief pattern, the inner boot comprising a sole with a corresponding relief pattern, so as to position laterally and vertically said inner boot in the exogenous shell.

9. Sports boot according to claim 1, wherein the inner boot comprises a lace.

10. Sports boot according to claim 9, comprising a lace-stopper that enables the lace to be tensed by fastening said stopper onto a fixed point.

11. Sports boot comprising: an inner boot; an exogenous shell, whose dimensions allow said inner boot to be inserted into or extracted from it, said exogenous shell strengthening said inner boot and allowing it to be attached to a piece of sports equipment; said exogenous shell comprising a sole and an upper; the upper having a forward part and a separate rear part; said inner boot having an attached pivot protruding on an outer side close to an ankle, said exogenous shell comprising a housing for accommodating the pivot, wherein one portion of the circumference of said housing is an indentation formed on the forward part of the upper, and another portion of the circumference of this housing is an indentation formed on the rear part of the upper, wherein both the indentation on the forward part of the upper and the indentation on the rear part of the upper form a closed housing for lodging the pivot therein, and wherein said housing can be opened and respectively closed by pivoting said forward part of the upper or said rear part of the upper, wherein said sole comprises a continuous inner relief pattern constituted by ribs separated by grooves extending longitudinally along an entire length of the sole, the inner boot comprising a sole with a corresponding relief pattern, so as to position laterally and vertically said inner boot in the exogenous shell.

12. Sports boot comprising: an inner boot; an exogenous shell, whose dimensions allow said inner boot to be inserted into or extracted from it, said exogenous shell strengthening said inner boot and allowing it to be attached to a piece of sports equipment; said exogenous shell comprising a sole and an upper; wherein said upper comprises a forward part and a separate rear part; said inner boot having an attached pivot protruding on an outer side close to an ankle, said exogenous shell comprising a housing for accommodating the pivot, wherein one portion of a circumference of said housing is an indentation formed on the forward part of the upper, and another portion of the circumference of this housing is an indentation formed on the rear part of the upper, wherein both the indentation on the forward part of the upper and the indentation on the rear part of the upper form a closed housing for lodging the pivot therein; and wherein said housing can be opened and respectively closed by pivoting said forward part of the upper or said rear part of the upper; wherein said rear part of the upper comprises an interior surface facing into the exogenous shell; and said sports boot further including a reinforcement part provided to the interior surface of the rear part of the upper and located adjacent to an Achilles tendon that is articulated relative to the sole of the exogenous shell and that can be fastened to the rear part of the upper.

13. Sports boot comprising: an inner boot; an exogenous shell, whose dimensions allow said inner boot to be inserted into or extracted from it, said exogenous shell strengthening said inner boot and allowing it to be attached to a piece of sports equipment; said exogenous shell comprising a sole and an upper; wherein said upper comprises a forward part and a rear part; wherein said rear part of the upper comprises an interior surface facing into the exogenous shell, wherein said rear part is articulated on a first axis that is fixed and stationary relative to the sole; and said sports boot further including a reinforcement part provided to the interior surface of the rear part of the upper and configured to be located adjacent to an Achilles tendon, wherein said reinforcement part is articulated on a second axis that is fixed and stationary relative to the sole of the exogenous shell and that can be fastened to the rear part of the upper, and wherein said reinforcement part is separately articulated with reference to the rear part of the upper.

14. Sports boot comprising: an inner boot; an exogenous shell, whose dimensions allow said inner boot to be inserted into or extracted from it, said exogenous shell strengthening said inner boot and allowing it to be attached to a piece of sports equipment; said exogenous shell comprising a sole and an upper; wherein said upper comprises a forward part and a rear part; wherein said rear part of the upper comprises an interior surface facing into the exogenous shell, wherein said rear part is articulated on an axis that is fixed and stationary relative to the sole; wherein said sole comprises a continuous inner relief pattern constituted by longitudinally-extending ribs separated by longitudinally-extending grooves extending continuously along an entire length of the sole, the inner boot comprising a sole with a corresponding relief pattern, so as to position laterally and vertically said inner boot in the exogenous shell, said sports boot further including a reinforcement part provided to the interior surface of the rear part of the upper and configured to be located adjacent to an Achilles tendon, wherein said reinforcement part is articulated relative to the sole of the exogenous shell and that can be fastened to the rear part of the upper, and wherein said reinforcement part is separately articulated with reference to the rear part of the upper.

15. The sports boot according to claim 1, further comprising buckles for holding said forward part of the upper and said rear part of the upper closed and tight one against the other.

16. The sports boot according to claim 1, wherein an inner side of said sole is ribbed.

17. The sports boot according to claim 1, further comprising a ribbed sole.

18. The sports boot according to claim 12, wherein said rear part is articulated relative to the sole, and wherein said reinforcement part is separately articulated with reference the rear part of the upper.

19. The sports boot according to claim 13, wherein said forward part is articulated relative to the sole and wherein said reinforcement part is separately articulated with reference to the forward part of the upper.

20. The sports boot according to claim 14, wherein said forward part is articulated relative to the sole and wherein said reinforcement part is separately articulated with reference to the forward part of the upper.

21. The sports boot according to claim 12, wherein said forward part is articulated relative to the sole, and wherein said reinforcement part is separately articulated with reference to the forward part of the upper.

22. The sports boot according to claim 13, wherein the rear part is behind the inner boot.

23. Sports boot comprising: an inner boot; an exogenous shell, whose dimensions allow said inner boot to be inserted into or extracted from the exogenous shell, said exogenous shell strengthening said inner boot and allowing said inner boot to be attached to a piece of sports equipment; said exogenous shell comprising a sole and an upper, wherein said upper comprises a forward part and a rear part, wherein said rear part of the upper comprises an interior surface facing into the exogenous shell, wherein an opening is formed at the interior surface of the rear part, and wherein said rear part is articulated on a first axis that is fixed and stationary relative to the sole; and a reinforcement part provided to the interior surface of the rear part of the upper and configured to be located adjacent to an Achilles tendon, wherein said reinforcement part is articulated on a second axis that is fixed and stationary relative to the sole of the exogenous shell separately from the rear part of the upper, wherein the reinforcement part includes a tenon configured to be removably inserted into the opening such that when the exogenous shell is in a closed position, the tenon is inserted into the opening in order to fasten the reinforcement part to the rear part of the upper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Examples of embodiments of the invention are indicated in the description illustrated by the attached figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a complete ski boot with the inner boot and the closed exogenous shell.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates an exogenous shell on its own in closed position.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrate an exogenous shell on its own with the rear part of the upper being open.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates an exogenous shell on its own with the rear part and the forward part of the upper being both open.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates an inner boot on its own, capable of working with the exogenous shell of the preceding figures.

(7) FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate different views of a detail of the fastening of the inner boot to the exogenous shell.

(8) FIG. 8 illustrates a view from below of the sole of the exogenous shell.

(9) FIG. 9 illustrates a view from above of the sole of the exogenous shell.

EXAMPLE(S) OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(10) The illustrated sports boot is a ski boot. The invention could also apply to other types of sports boots, for example skating boots, snowboard boots etc.

(11) The sports boot illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises an inner boot 3, illustrated in more detail in FIG. 5, and an exogenous shell 1 illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4. The inner boot 3 is designed to keep the foot warm and to make it possible to walk comfortably in town, at the ski restaurant or in the snow. The exogenous shell 1 is designed to rigidify this inner boot and to enable it to be introduced into a ski binding or into another piece of sports equipment. The foot and the ankle are held by the inner boot, which is provided for example with laces, and with a greater pressure by the exogenous shell when the latter is closed.

(12) The inner boot 3 comprises different soft padding materials 35 ensuring thermal insulation, waterproofing and comfort. The sole of the inner boot and the reinforcing rings above the base and/or the upper can however be made of rigid synthetic materials. The inner boot is however not entirely protected by the exogenous shell 1 and must therefore be made of waterproof materials. For example, the inner boot can be made of leather, Goretex, nylon etc. with soft padding of synthetic or natural materials.

(13) The external shell 1 is itself made of rigid synthetic material. It has a structure that is to a large extent perforated to make it lighter and to allow the inner boot to be seen.

(14) The dimensions of the exogenous shell enable the inner boot to be inserted into or extracted from it. As is seen in FIG. 2, it comprises a sole 10, a forward part 11 of an upper capable of pivoting with respect to said sole 10 around a first articulation 110 and a rear part 12 of an upper capable of pivoting with respect to said sole 10 around a second articulation 120. In a variant embodiment, not illustrated, it is also possible for only one of the two parts of the upper to be articulated. The inner boot can be inserted into the exogenous shell respectively extracted by pivoting the forward part 11 and/or the rear part 12 of the upper, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. In one embodiment, the inner boot could however be extracted or inserted by pivoting only the rear part 12, with the forward part remaining in the position illustrated in FIG. 3; however, the pivoting of the forward part makes the extraction easier and further enables the height and space requirement of the exoskeleton to be reduced if it remains on the ski. Reference number 18 illustrates a reinforcement around the Achilles tendon pivoting around an axis 180 connected with the basis of the exogenous shell and which, in closed position, is fastened against the inner side of the rear part 12 of the upper by means of a tenon 182 inserted in an opening of this rear upper.

(15) The exogenous shell 1 can be closed and tightened by means of shoe buckles, in this example two buckles 112, 113 that make it possible to tense cables holding the forward part 11 of the upper tight against the rear part 12 of the upper.

(16) The inner boot illustrated in FIG. 5 comprises a base 31, an upper 30 and a sole 37. Reference 35 indicates padding. It is closed by means of a lace 36 with a lace-stopper 34 that enables the lace to be tensed and the lace-stopper 34 to be hooked onto a fixed point on the tongue 33.

(17) The inner boot 3 further comprises a pivot 300 on the outer side of the ankle that enables it to be fastened to the exogenous shell. A similar pivot could also be provided on the inner side of the ankle but during use proves a hindrance for walking, so that for many types of boot it is preferable to omit it.

(18) The exogenous shell comprises a housing 14 on the inner side of the ankle in order to accommodate this pivot. The housing is constituted by an indentation 140 in a semi-circle on the forward part 11 of the upper and of a similar indentation 141 on the rear part 12 of the upper, that come to slide in a groove 301 in the pivot 300. The housing 14 can thus be opened respectively closed by pivoting the forward part 11 of the upper and/or the rear part 12 of the upper of the exogenous shell. The pivot 300 thus constitutes a rigid fastening point between the inner boot 3 and the exogenous shell 1, capable of transmitting the forces efficiently between these two parts of the boot.

(19) In a variant embodiment, not represented, the base 31 of the inner boot is articulated relative to the upper 30 of this inner boot around the two pivots, so as to allow a limited flexion of the upper.

(20) FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate two views of the sole 10 of the exogenous shell 1. As is seen in FIG. 8, the sole 10 comprises a front plate 102 and a rear plate 103 that constitute replaceable wear parts fastened under the sole. Holes 100 through the sole 10 allow water and snow that accumulates inside the exogenous shell to be evacuated.

(21) The inner side of the sole 10 is provided with a relief pattern constituted here by ribs 101 separated by grooves and collaborating with corresponding grooves and ribs under the sole 37 of the inner boot, in order to ensure an accurate lateral positioning of the inner boot 3 in the exogenous shell 1 and a transmission of forces between these two parts of the boot. This construction further makes it possible to ensure a constant positioning of the inner boot in the exogenous shell, even if the sole 37 becomes worn when used for walking; indeed, the bottom of the grooves under the sole 37 is unlikely to become worn, so that the vertical position of the inner boot remains unchanged even if the ribs of the sole 37 become worn.

(22) The exogenous shell advantageously comprises a structure that is to a large extent perforated to allow the inner boot to be seen. In one embodiment, the sole of the exogenous shell is comprised of two parts that are welded, glued or mechanically assembled to one another; by varying the longitudinal fastening position, it is possible to produce soles of different shoe sizes from a single mold.

REFERENCE NUMBERS USED IN THE FIGURES

(23) 1 exogenous shell 10 sole 100 holes in the sole 101 longitudinal ribs on the inner side of the sole 102 toe plate 103 heel plate 11 forward part of the upper 110 pivoting point of the forward part of the upper 112-113 buckles 114-115 tightening cables 12 rear part of the upper 120 pivoting point of the rear part of the upper 14 housing for pivot 140 front of the housing for the pivot 141 rear of the housing for the pivot 16 front of the sole 17 rear of the sole 18 reinforcement around the Achilles tendon 180 axis of the reinforcement around the Achilles tendon 181 lock for reinforcement around the Achilles tendon 3 inner boot 30 upper of the inner boot 300 pivot on the upper of the inner boot 301 groove 31 base of the inner boot 33 tongue 34 lace-stopper 35 padding 36 laces 37 sole of the inner boot