Ski boot key

A ski boot key for operating ski boot pivotal closure latches comprises a rigid elongate member having a first opening at one end for fitting over the end of a ski boot side closure latch and a second, larger opening at the opposite end for fitting over the end of a ski boot rear toggle latch. The appropriate end of the key is placed over a skit boot latch and leverage is applied by grasping the opposite end of the key and urging it in a direction to force the latch towards its closed position. The key can also be used in an opposite direction to release the latches.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to a ski boot key or closure device 
for operating ski boot latches or clasps. 
Ski boots for downhill skiing are generally formed of relatively rigid 
plastics material, and enclose the wearer's foot and ankle region for 
support when skiing. The boots have openings for allowing the foot to be 
inserted or removed, with pivotal closure latches or clasps for drawing 
the sides of the opening together and fastening them in a closed position. 
One type of ski boot has a single opening extending along one side of the 
boot from a position close to the toe region up to the top edge of the 
boot, with a series of spaced pivotal clasps or buckles extending along 
one side of the opening which are connected to loops secured along the 
opposite overlapping side of the opening to draw the sides together into a 
closed, tightened position when pivoted into a flat position. Other types 
of ski boots have opposite side openings extending upwardly from the ankle 
region and drawn together by one or more similar pivotal fasteners or 
clasps connected to loops extending across the back of the boot. This type 
of boot generally also has a rear pivotal closure or toggle latch for 
tightening the boot around the ankle region. 
Ski boot closure latches are typically relatively stiff and difficult to 
close, particularly in cold, snowy or icy conditions, or if adjusted to a 
very tight fit. Also, in use, ski boots tend to become caked with snow and 
ice, stiffening the closures or clasps and making them difficult to 
release and reclose. The skier will normally be wearing padded gloves 
which also adds to the difficulty of closing two or more rigid, pivotal 
clasps. These factors typically make handling of ski boot closures or 
clasps rather awkward, and particularly difficult for those having limited 
dexterity or strength as a result of cold or for other reasons, for 
example women, children or anyone with a limited grip. Thus, there is a 
tendency to have the clasp positioned at a looser or slacker setting than 
is advisable for good ankle support and control. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide a means for operating ski boot 
latches or clasps more easily. 
According to the present invention, a ski boot key or operating device is 
provided which comprises a rigid, generally flat, elongate member having 
an opening at one end for fitting over the end of a pivotal ski boot side 
closure clasp or latch so that a person holding the opposite end of the 
member can apply leverage to the latch to draw it into a closed position 
more readily. Preferably, the member has a first opening at one end for 
fitting over a side closure latch and a second, larger opening at the 
opposite end for fitting over a rear closure latch or clasp. The openings 
will be just large enough to fit over the ends of the respective latches 
and apply the desired leverage. 
The key may be of any suitable, sufficiently rigid material such as metal 
or relatively rigid plastics material, for example a plastics material of 
the type used in making ski boots or ski boot latches. Preferably, a 
tether is attached at one end to the key and includes a suitable clasp at 
the opposite end for attachment to a belt, loop or other region on the 
skier's clothing, so that the key is readily available for use and the 
risk of losing the key while skiing or dropping the key in the snow on use 
is reduced. The tether is preferably long enough to allow the key to 
remain attached to the clothing while the user is operating it to close or 
release the ski boot fastening latches or clasps, so that if it is dropped 
it will not be lost in the snow. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the key comprises a generally 
flat planar web of plastics material having generally rectangular openings 
of different sizes according to the side and rear ski clasp or latch 
sizes. The central area of the web between the openings may be recessed 
with the outer rim surrounding the recess and the openings being thicker 
for strengthening. The rim surrounding the openings must be narrow enough 
to permit it to be passed relatively easily over the end of a ski boot 
latch in a closed, latched position. Keys of various colors may be 
provided for color co-ordinating. 
The ski boot key of this invention thus provides a readily available boot 
operating device which can be easily carried around while skiing, for 
example in a pocket, and secured to a belt or the like via a tether for 
security. This device will enable the latches or clasps to be closed 
relatively easily simply by slipping the appropriate opening over the end 
of a latch and using leverage to urge it closed, and may be used in a 
similar manner to release or open the latches. Thus, the latch can be 
adjusted to the appropriate tight setting and still be closed relatively 
easily. This will reduce the tendency of those people encountering 
difficulty in closing boot latches or clasps to have their boots too 
loose, which could entail some risk of injury.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 illustrates a ski boot key or latch operating device 10 for closing 
the clasps or fastenings of a ski boot. FIG. 2 illustrates a typical ski 
boot 12 with which the device 10 can be used. The ski boot 12 in FIG. 2 
has a toe region 14 and an ankle or cuff region 16, and includes a pivotal 
side closure clasp or latch 18 which is secured to loop 20 which extends 
around the rear of the boot. When the latch or clasp 18 is pivoted into 
the flat position illustrated in FIG. 2, loop 20 is extended around the 
boot to draw it into a closed position around the wearer's ankle region. 
The boot 12 also has a pivotal rear toggle clasp or latch 22 which is 
secured to wire 23 which extends from the latch around the ankle region of 
the boot to fasten the boot more securely around the wearer's ankle when 
in the upright, closed condition illustrated. In the following 
description, the use of key 10 to operate the latches of a ski boot of the 
type illustrated in FIG. 2 is explained. However, it will be understood 
that the key 10 can be used to operate the closure latches or clasps of 
other types of ski boot, including those with only side latches which 
extend from the toe region to the upper edge or cuff of the boot. 
The key or operating device 10 basically comprises an elongate, flat or 
planar member 26, preferably molded from a rigid plastics material such as 
the type of plastics material used in making ski boots or latches. The 
member 24 has a first, generally rectangular opening 28 at one end 
designed to fit over the end of a ski boot side opening latch, and a 
second, generally square or rectangular opening 30 at the opposite end 
which is of larger dimensions and which is sized to fit over the end of a 
ski boot rear opening latch. The dimensions of the openings 28,30 will 
depend on the dimensions of the closure latches or clasps on the boot with 
which they are to be used. Generally, side and rear closure latches do not 
vary much in dimensions between manufacturers, and keys having the same 
dimensions may be provided with appropriately dimensioned openings to fit 
most side and rear latches. Keys 10 in various different colors may be 
provided so that they can be color-co-ordinated with boots and/or other 
ski apparel. 
The member 26 has a central, recessed area 32 between the opposite end 
openings, and a small circular tether hole 34 is provided in the recessed 
area 32 adjacent the smaller opening 28. A tether line 36 is secured at 
one end through tether hole 34, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and has a 
suitable clasp or catch 38 at its opposite end for securing it to a 
suitable loop, belt, buttonhole or the like on a skiers clothing. 
The member 26 is preferably relatively lightweight, but sufficiently rigid 
to withstand the leverage forces applied to the member in closing the 
latches, as explained below. The thickened rim 40 surrounding recessed 
area 32 and openings 26 and 28 adds to the rigidity of the member. In one 
particular example, the rim was of 1/4 inch thickness while the material 
in the recessed area 32 was 1/8 inch thick, with recesses of equal depth 
on opposite side faces of the member. The smaller opening 28 had 
dimensions of the order of 1 inch by 5/8 inch, while the larger opening 30 
had dimensions of the order of 1.25 inches square. The larger opening was 
slightly larger across its lower end adjacent the central area 32 to 
enable it to be slipped over the rear latch more easily. Preferably, the 
corners of each of the openings are slightly rounded. 
The key or operating device 10 is used to apply leverage to the pivotal 
latches to urge them towards their closed or latched positions. The 
closing operation is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 illustrates the 
closure of the rear opening toggle latch. The larger opening 30 of the key 
10 is placed over the end 42 of the open toggle latch 22, as illustrated 
in dotted outline. The free end of the key is then urged upwards as 
indicated by the arrow, with the lower edge of opening 30 acting on the 
edge 43 of latch 22 to urge it inwards into the closed position shown in 
dotted outline. The key acts to apply leverage to the latch. Clearly, the 
thickness of the rim at the end of opening 30 must be small enough to 
enable it to be passed over the end 42 and tightening screw 44 of the 
latch 22 when the latch is in the closed position. There will typically be 
a small amount of free play in the latch when in the closed position 
illustrated in FIG. 3, and this will generally be sufficient to enable the 
key to be removed from the latch relatively easily when positioned as 
illustrated in solid outline in FIG. 3. 
The key may also be used in the opposite direction, with the free end 
pointing generally downwards, to apply leverage to open or release the 
latch, as illustrated in FIG. 6. By pushing the free end of the key in the 
direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, the opposite end of the key applies 
leverage to urge the latch 22 outwardly towards the open position 
illustrated in dotted outline. 
FIG. 4 illustrates the closure of a side latch, while FIG. 5 illustrates 
opening of the latch. In order to close the latch, the smaller opening 28 
of the key is placed over the end 46 of the latch in its released position 
(see FIG. 4). Again, leverage is applied by urging the free end of the key 
in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4, with the top and bottom edges of 
opening 28 acting on the inner and outer faces of latch 18 to urge it 
inwardly into the solid line, closed position illustrated, allowing the 
overlapping side edges 48,50 of the boot to be drawn together and 
tightened. 
Leverage may also be applied to open or release the latch by reversing the 
direction of the key on the latch, as indicated in FIG. 5. The opening 28 
is placed over the end of the latch in its closed position as illustrated 
in FIG. 5, and the free end of the key is then urged inwardly in the 
direction of the arrow to urge the latch into its open/released position. 
The key described above provides a relatively simple and effective tool for 
closing ski boot latches easily even when they are stiff or caked with 
snow or ice. Significantly less force is required to apply the necessary 
leverage to close the latches than would be needed to close the latches 
directly by hand, as has been done up to now. This key will therefore be a 
useful addition to anyone's standard skiing equipment, and will be 
particularly desirable for people who normally encounter difficulty when 
attempting to close ski boot latches or to re-open the latches to remove 
ski boots, for example women, children, or people having disabilities 
which tend to weaken their hands or reduce dexterity. The key can be 
attached securely to the user's clothing and kept in a pocket, for 
example, until needed. It can be used while still attached to the 
clothing, since the tether 36 is designed to be long enough to extend from 
the attachment point to the ski boot latches with some free play when the 
user bends down to remove the boot. Thus, it will not be lost even if 
inadvertently dropped in the snow. 
Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above 
by way of example only, it will be understood by those skilled in the 
field that modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiment without 
departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the 
appended claims.