SHELL FOR A SKI BOOT, IN PARTICULAR FOR A SKI TOURING BOOT

Abstract

A shell for a ski boot of the kind comprising an outer shell made of a substantially rigid material and an inner liner made of a substantially soft material is provided. The shell is provided with a gaiter made of a waterproof material, and the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell and the gaiter extends beyond the upper edge of the shell. Preferably, the base of the shell comprises a removable portion so that a through-opening is obtained in the base of the shell, which through-opening guarantees an easy access to the inner space of the shell for accurate securing of the gaiter to the inner surface of the shell.

Claims

1. A shell for ski boot, wherein the shell comprises a base and an upper, which is shaped so as to receive a user's foot, the upper having a bottom edge, at which the upper is connected to the base, and an upper edge, wherein said shell further comprises a gaiter made of a waterproof material, wherein the gaiter comprising a lower edge, an upper edge and a lateral wall between the lower edge and the upper edge, wherein the lower edge of the gaiter, when viewed in cross section, has a closed shape profile, the upper edge of the gaiter, when viewed in cross section, has a closed shape profile, and the lateral wall extends in a continuous way from the lower edge to the upper edge, wherein the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to an inner surface of the shell and the gaiter extends beyond the upper edge of the upper of the shell.

2. The shell for ski boot according to claim 1, wherein the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell in a permanent way.

3. The shell for ski boot according to claim 1, wherein the lower edge of the gaiter is directly secured to the inner surface of the shell.

4. The shell for ski boot according to claim 1, wherein the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell with the interposition of an intermediate connecting element.

5. The shell for ski boot according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate connecting element is made of a material more flexible than the material of the shell and wherein the intermediate connecting element extends beyond the upper edge of the upper of the shell, whereby the intermediate connecting element avoids direct contact between the gaiter and the upper edges of the upper of the shell.

6. The shell for ski boot according to claim 1, wherein the shell is provided with a front opening which extends in a substantially longitudinal direction and which divides a front portion of the shell into two separate flaps, and wherein the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell at a point closer to a tip of the shell than a foremost end of the front opening.

7. The shell for ski boot according to claim 6, wherein the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell with the interposition of an intermediate connecting element, wherein the intermediate connecting element is made of a material more flexible than the material of the shell and wherein the intermediate connecting element extends beyond the flaps of the shell at the front opening, whereby the intermediate connecting element avoids direct contact between the gaiter and the flaps of the shell.

8. The shell for ski boot according to claim 6, wherein the front opening follows a zigzag path about a longitudinal axis of the front portion of the shell.

9. The shell for ski boot according to claim 8, wherein one of the flaps of the shell has a tongue extending across the longitudinal axis of the front portion of the shell.

10. The shell for ski boot according to claim 9, wherein the tongue is arranged at an instep region of the shell of the shell.

11. The shell for ski boot according to claim 1, wherein the base of the shell comprises a removable portion, which defines a through-opening in the base of the shell for introducing the gaiter into the shell and securing the lower edge of the gaiter to the inner surface of the shell.

12. The shell for ski boot according to claim 11, wherein the removable portion of the base of the shell has an area equal to at least 20% of an overall surface of the base of the shell.

13. The shell for ski boot according to claim 12, wherein the removable portion of the base of the shell has an area equal to at least 40% of the overall surface of the base of the shell.

14. The shell for ski boot to claim 11, wherein the removable portion of the base of the shell is made as an insert made of a material other than a material of the shell.

15. A method for manufacturing a shell for ski boot, comprising the following steps: manufacturing by moulding a shell made of a substantially rigid material and comprising a base and an upper, which is shaped so as to receive a user's foot; removing a portion of the base of the shell, thus obtaining a corresponding through-opening in the base of the shell; introducing a gaiter made of a waterproof material into the shell through the through-opening, the gaiter comprising a lower edge, an upper edge and a lateral wall between the lower edge and the upper edge, the lower edge of the gaiter, when viewed in cross section, having a closed shape profile, the upper edge of the gaiter, when viewed in cross section, having a closed shape profile, and the lateral wall extending in a continuous way from the lower edge to the upper edge; securing the lower edge of the gaiter to an inner surface of the shell; and closing the through-opening.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the through-opening is closed by means of an insert made of a material other than the material of the shell.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell with the interposition of an intermediate connecting element, and wherein the gaiter and the intermediate connecting element are pre-assembled before they are introduced into the shell.

18. A method for manufacturing a shell for ski boot, comprising the following steps: manufacturing by moulding a shell made of a substantially rigid material and comprising a base and an upper, which is shaped so as to receive a user's foot, the mould used for moulding being shaped so as to define a through-opening in the base of the shell; introducing a gaiter made of a waterproof material into the shell through the through-opening, the gaiter comprising a lower edge, an upper edge and a lateral wall between the lower edge and the upper edge, the lower edge of the gaiter, when viewed in cross section, having a closed shape profile, the upper edge of the gaiter, when viewed in cross section, having a closed shape profile, and the lateral wall extending in a continuous way from the lower edge to the upper edge; securing the lower edge of the gaiter to an inner surface of the shell; and closing the through-opening.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the through-opening is closed by means of an insert made of a material other than the material of the shell.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell with the interposition of an intermediate connecting element, and wherein the gaiter and the intermediate connecting element are pre-assembled before they are introduced into the shell.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Further features and advantages of the invention will become more evident from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the annexed drawings in which:

[0035] FIG. 1 is a side view of the outer shell of a ski boot according to the invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 is a front view of the outer shell of a ski boot according to the invention; and

[0037] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the outer shell of a ski boot according to the invention, shown with a removable portion of the base removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The preferred embodiment of the invention described below refers to the application of the invention to a boot for ski touring. However, this embodiment shall not be understood in any way in a sense limiting the scope of the invention.

[0039] With reference to FIGS. 1-3, the ski boot according to the invention has an outer shell 1 made of a substantially rigid material and an inner liner (not shown in the Figures) made of a substantially soft material.

[0040] The ski boot further includes a cuff (not shown in the Figures), also made of a substantially rigid material and articulated to the outer shell 1 on the two opposite sides of said outer shell, substantially at the malleolar region.

[0041] The outer shell 1 comprises a base 1a and an upper 1b, which is shaped to accommodate the user's foot, while the cuff is shaped to accommodate the user's ankle and the lower part of the user's calf. In the shown embodiment, which refers to a ski touring boot, an outer sole 2, for instance made of rubber, is applied to the base 1b of the outer shell 1.

[0042] The outer shell 1 is provided with a front opening 3, which extends in a substantially longitudinal direction and which divides the front portion of the outer shell into two separate flaps 5a, 5b, and with a plurality of fastening elements (not shown in the Figures) which are transversely arranged over the front opening 3 of the outer shell.

[0043] According to the invention, the ski boot comprises a gaiter 7 made of a waterproof fabric, the lower edge 7a of which is secured to the inner surface of the outer shell 1 and the lateral wall 7b of which extends beyond the upper edge of the upper 1b of said outer shell 1 and ends with an upper edge 7c above the upper edge of the upper 1b of the outer shell 1.

[0044] The gaiter 7 has a substantially tubular shape, meaning that its lower edge 7a and its upper edge 7c, when viewed in cross section, have closed shape profiles and its lateral wall 7b extends in a substantially continuous way from the lower edge 7a to the upper edge 7c.

[0045] As clearly visible in FIG. 3, the gaiter 7 is shaped so as to be adapted to the profile of the inner surface of the outer shell 1. More particularly, as can also be seen in FIG. 2, the lower edge 7a of the gaiter 7 is secured to the inner surface of the outer shell 1 along its entire perimeter. The lower edge 7a can be secured to the surface of the shell either continuously or even discontinuously, at a plurality of points distributed along its perimeter.

[0046] In the fore part of the ski boot, the lower edge 7a of the gaiter 7 is secured to the inner surface of the outer shell 1 at a point closer to the tip of the outer shell than the foremost end of the front opening 3 of the outer shell, so that the gaiter extends along the whole front opening 3, between the flaps 5a, 5b of the outer shell.

[0047] As visible in FIG. 2, in the shown embodiment the front opening 3 does not have a rectilinear path, but rather follows a zigzag path about the longitudinal axis L of the front portion of the outer shell 1. In particular, at the instep region, the front opening 3 is arranged in a significantly offset position with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the front portion of the outer shell 1. As a result, at the instep region, one of the two flaps 5a, 5b—namely, the flap 5a at the medial side of the outer shell 1—has a tongue 5a′ which extends across the longitudinal axis L of the front portion of the outer shell 1. Thanks to the presence of this tongue 5a′, wrapping the instep across the longitudinal axis L of the front portion of the outer shell 1, tightening of the outer shell 1 of the ski boot on the user's instep by means of the corresponding fastening element is made easier and more effective.

[0048] The lower edge 7a of the gaiter 7 is preferably secured to the inner surface of the outer shell in a permanent way, more preferably by gluing. According to a particularly simple embodiment of the invention, the lower edge 7a of the gaiter 7 is glued directly to the inner surface of the outer shell 1.

[0049] However, in the shown embodiment, the lower edge 7a of the gaiter 7 is secured to the inner surface of the outer shell 1 with the interposition of an intermediate connecting element 9. The intermediate connecting element 9, made of a material more flexible than the material of the outer shell 1, makes the application of the gaiter 7 easier. Furthermore, as visible in FIGS. 1 and 2, the intermediate connecting element 9 extends beyond the edges of the front opening 3 and of the upper 1b, thus preventing any direct contact between the gaiter 7 made of waterproof fabric and the sharp edges of the outer shell 1.

[0050] As can be seen in FIG. 3, in order to ensure correct and accurate securing of the lower edge 7a of the gaiter 7 (and of the intermediate connecting element 9, if provided) to the inner surface of the outer shell 1 of the ski boot according to the invention along the entire profile of the outer shell, the base 1a of said outer shell 1 comprises a removable portion, so that, by removing the removable portion, a through-opening 11 is obtained in the base 1a of the outer shell 1, which through-opening guarantees an easy access to the inner space of the outer shell.

[0051] In order to perform its function efficiently, the removable portion of the base 1a of the outer shell 1 (and, consequently, the opening 11) will have an area equal to at least 20% of the overall surface of the base 1a of the outer shell 1, and preferably equal to at least 40% of the overall surface of the base 1a of the outer shell 1.

[0052] It should be noted that the removable portion of the base 1a of the outer shell 1 can be made of the same material as the outer shell, but can also be made as an insert made of a different material. In this case, the further advantage of having an insert made of a material particularly suited to specific needs in the base of the outer shell would be obtained.

[0053] Preferably, the method for manufacturing the outer shell 1 will comprise the following steps: [0054] manufacturing, for example by moulding, an outer shell 1 made of a substantially rigid material, the outer shell comprising a base 1a and an upper 1b; [0055] removing a portion of the base 1a of the outer shell, thus obtaining a through-opening 11 in the base of the outer shell; [0056] introducing the gaiter 7 (and the intermediate connecting element 9, if provided) into the outer shell 1 through the opening 11; [0057] securing the lower edge 7a of the gaiter 7 (possibly with the interposition of the intermediate connecting element) to the inner surface of the outer shell 1; [0058] closing the opening 11.

[0059] According to a variant, the method for manufacturing the outer shell 1 will comprise the following steps: [0060] making by moulding an outer shell 1 of a substantially rigid material, the outer shell comprising a base 1a and an upper 1b, the mould being shaped so as to define a through-opening 11 in the base of the outer shell; [0061] introducing the gaiter 7 (and the intermediate connecting element 9, if provided) into the outer shell 1 through the opening 11; [0062] securing the lower edge 7a of the gaiter 7 (possibly with the interposition of the intermediate connecting element) to the inner surface of the outer shell 1; [0063] closing the opening 11.

[0064] As mentioned above, the opening 11 can be closed either by means of the portion of the base of the outer shell that has been previously removed, or by means of an insert of the same shape and size but made of a material other than that of the outer shell 1.

[0065] It is to be noted that, in case the intermediate connecting element 9 is provided, the intermediate connecting element 9 and the gaiter 7 can be pre-assembled before their introduction into the outer shell 1.

[0066] It should also be noted that the embodiment described above in detail shall not be understood in any way in a limiting sense and several variants and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.