Patent ID: 6131313
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: A43B

Abstract:
A ski boot comprising a rigid foot portion having a rigid base and a rigid upper for surrounding a foot of a wearer;a rigid leg element for surrounding essentially a lower portion of a leg of the wearer including a pivot;the foot portion and the leg element being connected through the pivot to constitute a forward leaning retention position for said wearer;a release and retention mechanism for changing the rigid leg element from a retention position into a substantially vertical release stop position, said release stop position being the result of a predetermined rearward force of the wearer's leg on the leg element, the release mechanism comprising an upper arm linkage pivotally connected to the leg element and engaged to a lower arm linkage through a slot, said lower arm linkage being connected to the foot portion, said upper and lower arm linkage including contact portions at locations offset from the axis of the upper and lower arm linkages, the release mechanism converting said rearward force into a substantially downward force which force causes the upper arm linkage to travel downwardly in said slot to a position where said contact portions of the lower arm linkage and upper arm linkage contact one another in order to force the linkage arms to pivot outwardly from said boot to position the wearer's leg into said release stop position.