Anchoring plate for a closure device for a sports footwear

Abstract

An anchoring plate for a closure device for a sports footwear and a closure device for a sports footwear incorporating such anchoring plate are provided. The anchoring plate comprisesin addition to a body provided with hooking seats for the hooking member of the tensioning member of a closure devicean extendable member which is movably connected to the body and is provided with at least one additional hooking seat. In this way, a closure device incorporating the anchoring plate can move from a configuration in which the user's foot is firmly held inside the sports footwear to a configuration in which the user's foot has a certain freedom of movement inside the footwear, and in either of the configurations the elements of the closure device are retained in some way, so as not to be of hindrance to the user.

Claims

1. An anchoring plate for a closure device for a sports footwear, comprising a body provided with a plurality of hooking seats arranged in different positions, wherein the anchoring plate further comprises an extendable member which is movably connected to the body of the anchoring plate, so that the extendable member is movable from a retracted position to an extracted position relative to the body of the anchoring plate wherein the extendable member is provided with at least one hooking seat, the at least one hooking seat being provided with a restraining element.

2. The anchoring plate according to claim 1, wherein the restraining element acts as a safety element preventing accidental release from the hooking seat of the extendable member.

3. The anchoring plate according to claim 2, wherein the extendable member has a proximal end and a distal end and wherein the at least one hooking seat of the extendable member is obtained by bending the distal end of the extendable member into a hook shape having a mouth oriented towards the proximal end of the extendable member.

4. The anchoring plate according to claim 2, wherein the restraining element is an elastic retaining member.

5. The anchoring plate according to claim 3, wherein the retaining member is an elastic restraining element.

6. The anchoring plate according to claim 2, wherein the restraining element is an elastic retaining member comprising an elastic tab which is defined by a corresponding U-shaped opening in the body of the extendable member and comprising a bulge oriented towards the mouth of the hooking seat and facing the same.

7. The anchoring plate according to claim 1, wherein the restraining element is a mechanical restraining element.

8. The anchoring plate according to claim 1, wherein the extendable member is translatable relative to the body of the anchoring plate from the retracted position to the extracted position and vice versa.

9. The anchoring plate according to claim 1, wherein the extendable member is pivotable relative to the body of the anchoring plate from the retracted position to the extracted position and vice versa.

10. The anchoring plate according to claim 1, wherein the body of the anchoring plate is shaped as a rack comprising a plurality of teeth arranged in series and defining corresponding hooking seats.

11. A closure device for a sports footwear, comprising a supporting plate, a closure lever pivotally connected to the supporting plate, a tensioning member pivotally articulated to the closure lever and provided with a hooking member, and an anchoring plate provided with hooking seats for the hooking member of the tensioning member, wherein the anchoring plate further comprises an extendable member which is movably connected to the body of the anchoring plate, so that the extendable member is movable from a retracted position to an extracted position relative to the body of the anchoring plate wherein the extendable member is provided with at least one hooking seat, the at least one hooking seat being provided with a restraining element.

12. The anchoring plate according to claim 11, wherein the restraining element acts as a safety element preventing accidental release of the hooking member of the tensioning member from the hooking seat of the extendable member.

13. The closure device according to claim 12, wherein the extendable member has a proximal end and a distal end and wherein the at least one hooking seat of the extendable member is obtained by bending the distal end of the extendable member into a hook shape having a mouth oriented towards the proximal end of the extendable member.

14. The closure device according to claim 12, wherein the restraining element is an elastic retaining member.

15. The closure device according to claim 13, wherein the retaining member is an elastic restraining element.

16. The closure device according to claim 12, wherein the restraining element is an elastic retaining member comprising an elastic tab which is defined by a corresponding U-shaped opening in the body of the extendable member and comprising a bulge oriented towards the mouth of the hooking seat and facing the same.

17. The closure device according to claim 11, wherein the restraining element is a mechanical restraining element.

18. The closure device according to claim 11, wherein the extendable member is translatable relative to the body of the anchoring plate from the retracted position to the extracted position and vice versa.

19. The closure device according to claim 11, wherein the extendable member is pivotable relative to the body of the anchoring plate from the retracted position to the extracted position and vice versa.

20. The closure device according to claim 11, wherein the body of the anchoring plate is shaped as a rack comprising a plurality of teeth arranged in series and defining corresponding hooking seats.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Further features and advantages of the invention will become clearer from a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention itself, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a sports footwear provided with a plurality of closure devices according to prior art;

[0022] FIG. 2a is a front view of an anchoring plate according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown with the extendable member in the retracted position;

[0023] FIG. 2b is a front view of the anchoring plate of FIG. 2a, shown with the extendable member in the extended position;

[0024] FIG. 2c is a rear view of the anchoring plate of FIG. 2b;

[0025] FIG. 2d is a side view of the anchoring plate of FIG. 2b;

[0026] FIG. 3a is a front view of a closure device for sports footwear incorporating the anchoring plate of FIGS. 2a-2d, shown in a first configuration;

[0027] FIG. 3b is a front view of a closure device for sports footwear incorporating the anchoring plate of FIGS. 2a-2d, shown in a second configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] With reference to FIGS. 2a-2d, an anchoring plate 1 for a closure device for sports footwear is schematically shown.

[0029] Said anchoring plate 1 comprises a body 3 which is provided with at least a through hole 19 for the passage of fastening elements for fastening said body to the shell of a sports footwear and which has a plurality of hooking seats arranged in different positions, so that the tensioning member of a corresponding closure device can engage with the body of said anchoring plate 1 in a plurality of different positions. For instance, the body 3 of the anchoring plate 1 may be configured as a rack comprising a plurality of teeth 5 arranged in series and defining corresponding hooking seats 7 for the hooking member of a tensioning member of a closure device.

[0030] Depending on the used hooking seat 7, the shell of the sports footwear can be tightened to a greater or lesser extent depending on the morphology of the foot of the specific user.

[0031] According to the invention, the anchoring plate 1 further comprises an extendable member 9 which is movably connected to the body 3 of said plate, so that it can move from a retracted position (FIG. 2a) to an extracted position (FIGS. 2b-2d).

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2c, for this purpose it is possible for example to provide that the extendable member 9 is provided with an elongated slot 11 and that the anchoring plate 1 includes a pin 13 passing through said slot 11 and penetrating into the body 3 of said plate, so that the pin 13 slides within the slot 11between the two opposite ends of said slotwhen the extendable member 9 moves from the retracted position to the extracted position and vice versa.

[0033] It is evident that other arrangements for connecting the extendable member 9 to the body 3 can also be used. For example, it is possible to provide that the extendable member is pivotally connected to the body 3, so as to move from the retracted position to the extracted position and vice versa through a rotation movement instead of a translation movement.

[0034] At its distal end, the extendable member 9 is provided with at least one hooking seat 15 for the hooking member of a tensioning member of a corresponding closure device. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, said hooking seat 15 is obtained by bending the distal end 9a of the extendable member 9 into a hook shape.

[0035] According to the invention, said at least one hooking seat 15 of the extendable member 9 is provided with a restraining element 17 adapted to retain at their inside said hooking member of said tensioning member.

[0036] Said restraining element 17 acts as a safety element preventing accidental release from said hooking seat 15.

[0037] Preferably, said restraining element is an elastic restraining element 17, so that the user has to overcome the elastic force of said restraining element 17 to insert the hooking member of a tensioning member into said at least one hooking seat 15 and to extract said hooking member therefrom.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic restraining element is obtained by cutting a U-shaped opening 17a in the body 9 of the extendable member and thus defining an elastic tab 17b. Said elastic tab is then deformed to obtain a bulge 17c (clearly visible in FIG. 2d) oriented towards the distal end 9a bent into the hook shape of the extendable member 9 and facing it, so as to obtain a narrowing at the mouth of the hooking seat 15.

[0039] It is evident that the elastic restraining element can also be obtained in any other way within the reach of the person skilled in the art, and it is also evident that the restraining element could also be of a different nature, for instance a mechanical restraining element. For example, the hooking seat 15 could be provided with a mechanical element that can be made to move from a first position in which it leaves the access to said hooking seat free to a second position in which it blocks the access to said hooking seat.

[0040] In FIGS. 3a and 3b a closure device 21 incorporating an anchoring plate 1 according to the invention is shown.

[0041] In a manner known per se, said closure device 21 comprises a supporting plate (not visible in the Figures), provided with through holes for the passage of fastening elements for fastening said supporting plate to the shell of a sports footwear. A closure lever 25 is pivotally connected to the supporting plate by means of rotation pins and has a gripping portion 25b that the user can grasp for controlling the rotation of the closure lever itself. The closure device 1 also comprises a tensioning member 27 which at a first end is hinged to the closure lever 25 and at the second, opposite end has a hooking portion provided with a hooking member 29.

[0042] More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment the hooking member of the tensioning member 27 comprises a transverse bar 29 adapted to engage in one of the hooking seats 7 of the body 3 of the anchoring plate 1 or in the at least one hooking seat 15 of the extendable member 9 of said anchoring plate.

[0043] The supporting plate and the anchoring plate 1 of the closure device 21 are intended, in use, to be fastened to the shell of a sports footwear, on opposite sides of the longitudinal opening of said shell.

[0044] In FIG. 3a, the closure device 21 is shown in a first configuration in which the hooking member 29 of the tensioning member 27 is engaged in one of the engagement seats 7 of the body 3 of the anchoring plate 1 and in which the extendable member 9 of the anchoring plate is in the retracted position.

[0045] In this configuration, the two portions of the shell at the opposite sides of the longitudinal opening will be maintained close to each other and the user's foot will be firmly held inside the shell of the sports footwear.

[0046] In FIG. 3b, the closure device 21 is shown in a second configuration in which the hooking member 29 of the tensioning member 27 are engaged in the hooking seat 15 of the extendable member 9 of the anchoring plate, which extendable member 9 is in the extracted position.

[0047] In this configuration, the two portions of the shell at the opposite sides of the longitudinal opening may be more distant from each other than in the configuration of FIG. 3a, so that the user's foot will have a certain freedom of movement inside the shell of the sports footwear.

[0048] It is evident from FIGS. 3a and 3b that in both configurations of the closure device incorporating the anchoring plate according to the invention the tensioning member 27 and its hooking member 29 is retained in some way, so as not to be of hindrance to the user.

[0049] Furthermore, in the configuration of FIG. 3b, due to the presence of the restraining element 17 of the hooking seat 15 of the extendable member 9, accidental release from said hooking seat 15 will be prevented and the hooking member 29 of the tensioning member 27 will be firmly held, even in the case in which the user walks or climbs a slope.

[0050] It is therefore evident that the invention allows to fully achieve the above mentioned objects.

[0051] It is also evident that the above disclosure referring to the illustrated preferred embodiment has been given by way of non-limiting example, and that several modifications and variations are available to the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection as defined in the appended claims.

[0052] In particular, although sometimes in the present description reference has been made to a ski boot, it is obvious that the invention could be likewise applied to other kinds of sports footwear comprising a substantially rigid shell provided with a longitudinal opening and one or more closure devices arranged along said longitudinal opening and transversely to it.