Tongue for a boot, and boot provided with such tongue

A boot provided with a tongue, the tongue having a lower portion and an upper portion joined by an intermediary portion. The tongue has a main flexible panel to which a semi-rigid reinforcement is affixed, the reinforcement having an elongated body that extends substantially along a longitudinal median line and over the length of the panel, the reinforcement having at least one lateral extension, each extension originating from the elongated body in the area of the lower and/or upper portion, and extending at least partially up to the area of the intermediary portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon French Patent Application No. 01 09960, filed Jul. 20, 2001, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is directed to a tongue adapted to cover the instep and a portion of the user's lower leg in a boot with a high upper, particularly for a boot of the flexible type. The invention is also directed to the boot provided with the tongue. The invention is more specifically directed to a tongue, and a boot incorporating such tongue, adapted to practicing a sport.

Such a boot can be used in a field such as snowboarding, skiing, water skiing, snowshoeing, roller skating, ice skating, skateboarding, mountain climbing, walking, or the like.

2. Description of Background and Relevant Information

Traditionally, in the field of snowboarding, a flexible boot includes a sole and a high upper. The upper has an opening, extended by a slit to ease the passage of a user's foot. Here, a flexible upper designates an upper made from materials that are not completely rigid, and that allow a certain bending of the leg.

The slit extends between a lateral quarter and a medial quarter of the boot. The slit allows a relative spacing of the quarters from one another. A tongue blocks the slit at least partially when the quarters are brought close together.

Because the tongue is flexible, the upper portion of the upper can bend easily, particularly toward the front. This allows the user to bend the lower leg easily toward the front.

It has been proposed to reinforce the tongue by means of a reinforcement that extends substantially over the length of a flexible panel of the tongue in order to limit the forward bending of the upper and of the lower leg. Towards that end, the reinforcement is made of a semi-rigid or rigid frame having at least one bending zone. An abutment limits the bending value of the reinforcement and, consequently, of the upper.

In the reinforcement, before the action of the abutment, only the bending zone becomes deformed. Thus, the tongue adapts itself to the deforming of the upper.

As soon as the abutment acts, the entire reinforcement opposes a forward bending of the upper. A much more substantial bending force is then required in order to continue the bending of the upper.

The reinforcement avoids or substantially reduces the risk of excessive forward bending of the lower leg. Thus, certain shocks are avoided or are less serious. The reinforcement also gives the user a support that allows a better transmission of sensory information.

Nevertheless, it has been noted that it is difficult to anticipate the action of the abutment. The activation of the latter is relatively abrupt, which oftentimes hinders the steering of the board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In particular, the invention has an object of making progressive the passage of the tongue, and of the boot provided with the tongue, from a flexible state to a more rigid state.

For the purpose of achieving this object, the invention proposes a boot having a sole and a high upper, the upper having an upper opening extended forwardly by a slit, a tongue blocking the slit, the tongue having a lower portion and an upper portion corresponding to the instep and to the lower leg, respectively, of a user wearing a boot provided with the tongue, the lower and upper portions being connected by an intermediate portion.

The tongue of the boot has a main flexible panel to which a semi-rigid reinforcement is affixed, the reinforcement having an elongated body that extends substantially along a longitudinal median line and over the length of the panel, the reinforcement having at least one extension, each extension originating from the elongated body in the area of the lower and/or upper portion, and extending at least partially up to the area of the intermediate portion.

The invention also relates to the tongue and to the reinforcement. By taking support on the lateral and medial quarters of the upper, the lateral and medial extensions of the reinforcement make the tongue conform substantially to the shape of the upper. As a result, the tongue remains concave in a transverse plane, in the area of the intermediate portion, on the side of its inner surface.

This concave shape of the intermediate portion directly influences the bending rigidity of the tongue.

Without a tightening of the upper, the extensions can distance themselves, which consequently allows the forward bending of the tongue and of the upper.

When the upper is tightened, the extensions are transversely maintained, which slightly tensions the panel. The latter remains in tension when the lower leg tends to bend forwardly, with the tension being proportionate to the bending force.

This is the reason why the passage from a flexible state to a more rigid state of the tongue is progressive. The rigidity is proportionate to the bending force and correlates to the tightening of the upper.

Since the user perceives the progressive variation of the rigidity of the tongue, he can advantageously anticipate the level of maximum rigidity. As a result, he is not taken by surprise, and it is easier to steer the board.

Another advantage provided by this tongue is a progressive shock absorbing effect of the forward bending movements. This avoids or dampens certain shocks or certain vibrations. The articulation of the ankle is better protected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention, which is described hereinafter with reference toFIGS. 1-4, relates more particularly to a snowboard boot. The invention, however, applies to other fields, such as those mentioned above.

As shown inFIG. 1, a snowboard boot1is provided to receive the user's foot. In a known manner, the boot1has a sole2and an upper3. The boot1extends lengthwise between a heel4and a front end5, and widthwise between a lateral side6and a medial side7. The upper3has a lower portion10provided to surround the foot, and an upper portion11provided to surround a portion of the lower leg.

The boot1is structured to allow a good foot rolling movement when walking, as well as a tilting of the lower leg when steering a board. That is the reason why the sole2and the upper3are relatively flexible.

An upper opening12of the upper3is extended forwardly by a slit13, the latter extending between a lateral quarter14and a medial quarter15of the upper3. The slit13allows a relative spacing of the quarters14,15from one another, which makes it easier to put the boot on or take it off.

A tightening means of the type having a lace or the like allows the tightening the upper3, as well as untightening.

The tightening means, for example, has low keepers20that are spread out over the lateral14and medial15quarters, and optionally at the base21of the slit13.

Each of the low keepers is shown in the form of a loop, made by folding a strap portion, in which a bushing having a low coefficient of friction can be housed. Alternatively, other types of keepers can be used.

The tightening means also has high keepers22spread out over the upper portion11of the upper3, on the lateral side6and on the medial side7. The high keepers22are shown in the form of hooks.

It is to be understood that other structures could be provided to obtain the low20and high22keepers.

The tightening means also has a lace23that follows a path set by the keepers20,22. For example, the lace23alternatively connects a keeper located on the lateral side6to a keeper located on the medial side7, in the lower portion10as well as in the upper portion11of the upper3. The lace23also traverses the low keeper20located at the base21.

Alternatively, other paths could be envisioned for the lace23. In any case, a tensioning of the lace23allows a tightening of the upper3, by bringing close together the lateral14and medial15quarters of the upper3. Thus, for the boot illustrated inFIG. 1, the lateral and medial quarters of the upper are spaced apart in both the tightened and less tightened or untightened positions of the upper.

Other structures could be provided for the tightening means, such as a series of loops associated with levers on one side of the boot, and hooks for receiving the loops on the other side of the boot.

In order to block the slit13, a tongue30extends substantially from the base21of the slit13up to the top of the upper3.

As shown inFIG. 2, the tongue30extends longitudinally from a lower end31to an upper end32, and transversely from a lateral edge33to a medial edge34.

The tongue30has an inner surface35, turned inwardly toward the upper3when it is arranged in the area of the slit13.

Similarly, the tongue30has an outer surface36, turned outwardly of the upper3when it is arranged in the area of the slit13.

Between the lower end31and the upper end32, the tongue30has a lower portion40and an upper portion41corresponding to the instep and lower leg, respectively, of the user wearing the boot I provided with the tongue30.

The lower40and upper41portions are connected by an intermediate portion42.

The tongue30has a main flexible panel45, the periphery of which is formed by the lower end31, the lateral edge33, the upper end32and the medial edge34. The flexible panel45is made preferably of one or several layers of non-extensible flexible materials, for instance, fabric, leather, plastic, or the like.

The tongue30also has a reinforcement46that is affixed to the main panel45by a means shown in the form of a stitching47. The latter is peripheral to the reinforcement46.

It is to be understood that any other affixing means could be used, such as gluing or welding, or a mounting that is removable by means of pockets or the like.

The reinforcement46is preferably arranged over the panel45, i.e., on the side of the outer surface36of the tongue30. However, it could have been arranged underneath, on the side of the inner surface35, or integrated into the thickness of the panel45.

The reinforcement46has an elongated body48that extends substantially along a longitudinal median line L of the panel45, and substantially over the length of the panel45.

The reinforcement46is semi-rigid. Preferably, it is constituted of plastic that gives it a rigidity greater than that of the panel45, but nevertheless allows reversible deformations during a bending of the tongue30. This is seen particularly in the area of the intermediary portion42of the tongue30.

According to the invention, the reinforcement46has a lateral extension60and a medial extension61, each extension60,61originating from the elongated body48at the level of the lower portion40and extending at least partially up to the area of the intermediary portion42.

It could be provided, of course, that one or both extensions60,61come from the elongated body48, in the area of the upper portion41of the tongue30. Furthermore, a single extension60,61could be provided.

As seen better inFIG. 3, the reinforcement46is preferably symmetrical with respect to the median L, but it could also be asymmetrical depending on the desired effects.

The extensions60;61are connected to the body48at their respective bases62,63, in the same area in the lower portion40.

In this same context, the respective ends64,65of the extensions are located at the same longitudinal level, in the area of the intermediary portion42. InFIGS. 1 and 4it can be seen that, in the non-limiting illustrated embodiment, the extensions60,61extend rearwardly and upwardly from the elongated body48of the reinforcement. Also,FIGS. 3 and 4, e.g., show that the reinforcement, in the illustrated embodiment, is contained within, i.e., spaced from, the outer periphery of the tongue30.

Each extension60,61extends along the panel45, both toward the upper end32and toward the lateral33or medial34edge, respectively, of the tongue30. Each extension60,61lengthens the body48of the reinforcement46much like the wings lengthen the body of a swallow. In the non-limiting illustrated embodiment, each of the extensions60,61has an elongated shape widened between a respective connected end or base62,63and a respective free end64,65.

As is better understood by means ofFIG. 4, the tongue30is concave in a transverse plane, in the area of the intermediary portion42, on the side of the inner surface35. Naturally, the transverse plane is substantially perpendicular to the median line L.

The structure of the tongue is such that the lateral60and medial61extensions are each substantially located at the base of the concave portion of the intermediary portion42, and the elongated body48passes through the apex of this portion.

The tongue30is also concave in a longitudinal plane, in the area of the intermediary portion42, on the side of the outer surface36. This structure of the tongue30allows it to conform to the shapes of the user's instep and front part of the lower leg.

When the latter bends the lower leg forwardly, the upper3tends to bend forwardly. As a consequence, the upper end32of the tongue tends to come closer to the lower end31.

When the tightening means maintains the upper3closed and tight, the lateral14and medial15quarters of the upper3press on the lateral60and medial61extensions of the reinforcement46.

Since the semi-rigid extensions60,61are affixed to the flexible panel45, they naturally put the latter under a slight tension.

Consequently, a forward bending force exerted on the tongue30increases the tension of the portions of the flexible panel45that are between an extension60,61and the upper end32. Since the panel45is substantially inextensible, the greater the forward bending force, the more the flexible panel45is tensioned. In a forward bending, the rigidity of the tongue30is therefore proportional to the bending force.

The reaction exerted by the tongue30on the lower leg will therefore vary progressively.

This is true to a certain limit depending on the physical characteristics of the tongue.

Thus the user can better anticipate the behavior of the board. Additionally, the tongue30promotes shock absorption.

When the tightening means no longer tightens the upper3, or is looser, the rigidity of the tongue30is reduced.

The user can adjust the rigidity of the tongue30and consequently of the upper3by adjusting the tightening of the upper. This enables him or her, for example, to adapt the boot to a type of steering.

Generally speaking, the invention is embodied with materials and according to implementing techniques that are known to those skilled in the art.

The invention is not limited to the example described hereinabove, and includes all technical equivalents that fall within the scope of the following claims.

Specifically, numerous forms can be given to the lateral60and medial61extensions, such as that of an elongated tree leaf, a flat ruler, or the like.

The body of the tongue reinforcement can be of a variable length and of a variable thickness.

The reinforcement can have a plurality of lateral and medial extensions.

The reinforcement is not necessarily symmetrical along a longitudinal median line.