ACTUATOR DEVICE FOR AN INSTEP PRESSER, PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN REAR ENTRANCE SKI BOOTS

Abstract: An actuator device for an instep presser, particularly use­ ful in rear entrance ski boots, comprises a cable (1) extending above a presser located inside the boot shell at the instep region and being attached with one end to a side point on the shell, and with the other end to an actuator element. A pecul­ iar aspect of the invention is that the actuator element includes a cable take-up reel (10) made rotatively rigid with a knob (20) carried, for rotational and axial movements, on a fixed body (15) associated with the shell. Also provided is a means of releasably preventing rotation of the knob (20), which comprises front tooth formations (30, 31), respectively provided on the fixed body (15) and knob (20).

Description: ACTUATOR DEVICE FOR AN INSTEP PRESSER, PARTICULARLY USEF: I REAR ENTRANCE SRI BOOTS This invention relates to an actuator device for an instep presser, particularly useful in rear entrance ski boots. At is known, it is essential with-rear entrance ski boots that the skiers foot instep be firmly secured. To this aim, a presser is provided on the boot shell interior which is operated to exert a desired locking pressure on the instep region. To achieve that locking action, US Patent No. 41 60 332 proposes to use a cable acting on the pressure element to squeeze it against the user's foot, which cable is controlled, i.e. placed under tension, through a pivotal movement of the boot rear quarter which acts in practice as a lever element to apply a pulling force on the cable. The above prior construction is quite simple, but is unpractical and awkward to use because, to vary the pull exerted by the cable actuating the pressure element, the quarter requires to be opened. In other prior embodiments, such as those disclosed in a prior European Patent Application No. 83106499.3 filed on July 4, 1983 by the same Applicant, and incorporated hereto for reference, the cable which extends above the presser acting on the foot instep is connected with one end to a mechanism, located at the boot rear, which is rotated to wind and unwind cable around a reel. The mechanism includes a pinion gear and gear wheel drive effective to greatly reduce the effort required to apply a desired tension. The latter embodiment has the advantage of favoring an improved utilization of the device by its user, since pressure can be adjusted with the boot on and closed but involves, on the other hand, a more complex construction and the need for assembling a large number of component parts. It is an object of this invention to obviate such prior shortcomings by providing a device for actuating the foot instep presser, which can combine the advantages of known embodiments with freedom from their disadvantages. A further object of the invention is to provide such an actuator device which affords the ability to continuously adjust the pressure to be exerted by the presser by operating the presser with the boot in the worn condition. It is another object of this invention to provide such an actuator device which enables adjustment with quick and easy movements and requires no skill on the part of its user. Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for actuating the foot instep presser which, owing to its peculiar construction, can afford an increased degree of reliability and be safe to use. These and other objects, such as will be apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an actuator device for an instep presser, particularly useful in rear entrance ski boots, comprising a cable extending above a presser located inside the boot shell at the toot, instep region and being attached with one end to a side point on the shell and with the other end to an actuator element, characterized in that said actuator element includes a reel made rotatively rigid with a knob carried, for rotational and axial movements, on a fixed body associated with said shell, and that a means is provided of releasably preventing rotation of said knob including front tooth formations, respectively provided on said fixed body and said knob. Further features and advantages will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of an actuator device for an instep presser, particularly useful in rear entrance ski boots, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawing, where: Figure 1 is a diagramatic perspective view showing, partly in section, a ski boot incorporating the device of this invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the inventive device; and Figure 3 is a diametrical section view taken through the cable take-up reel. With reference to the drawing views, an actuator device for an instep presser, particularly useful in rear entrance ski boots, according to the invention, comprises a cable 1 running inside a flexible sheath 2. The cable 1 is attached with one end, indicated at 3, to a side location within the boot shell 4 and runs above a foot instep presser, indicated at 5. The sheath 2 is connected, at its remote end from the fixed point 3, to a guide block 6 mounted on the inner side surface of the boot, at the opposed side to the fixed point 3. The cable 1 is connected, at its other end, to a reel 10, and specifically to the pulley portion 71 of the reel 10 which is accommodated rotatably inside a fixed body 15 attached to the rear portion of the boot shell 4 and provided with a yoke 16 which is coupled to a small bushing 17 located at the end of the sheath 2 to guide the cable 1 as it is wound or unwound from the pulley portion 11 of the reel 10. The reel 10 has an axial tang 12 which extends inside a bushing portion 18 defined axially within the fixed body 15. The reel 10 is made rotatively rigid with a knob 20 which is carried on the fixed body 15 for rotation and axial translation. ore in detail, the knob 20 has an outer cylindrical body handgrip 21 connected to an inner cylindrical body 22 which may be positioned around the bushing portion 18. From the outer cylindrical body 21 there extends an inner' radial partition 23 which is inserted, for sliding movement in an axial direction, into a slot 24 defined by a small cover 25 adapted to be rigidly attached to the reel 10 through a screw 26. The fixed body 15 has at the bottom of the bushing portion 18 a first front tooth formation 30 of sawtooth configuration which engages with a second front tooth formation 31 defined on the inner cylindrical body 22. Also provided is an elastic means comprising a spring 40 acting between the cover 25 and inner bottom 27 which joins the outer cylindrical body 21 and inner cylindrical body 22 together and holds the second tooth formation elastically pressed against the first front tooth formation 30, thus preventing the knob 20, and hence the reel 10, from turning. In order to impose a tension on the cable 1, it will be sufficient to turn the knob, for example, in a clockwise direction, whereupon owing to their particular configuration, the tooth formations 30 and 31 will slide on each other to allow rotation, whereas they engage each other in relative abutment to prevent rotation in the opposite direction with an action that may be likened to that of a ratchet gear. To relax the cable 1, the knob should be shifted axially to disengage the tooth formations 30 and 31 and turned in the opposite direction. It should be added to the foregoing that from the knob 20,. or more precisely, from the outer cylindrical body 21, there may extend axially a peg 50 which functions as a rotation end stop in cooperation with a corresponding fixed detent defined on the shell to allow the knob to rotate axially at most through an aUle of 360 degree. It may be appreciated from the foregoing description that the invention achieves its objects, and in particular, the fact should be emphasized that by connecting the cable 1 to the knob 20, with the interposition of the reel 10, the structure can be con.iderably simplified, without using additional gearing or similar, alternative arran6ementB,while rotation in the cable slackening direction can be effectively inhibited by mutual engagement of the front tooth formations 30 and 31. With the device of this invention, therefore, the user is enabled to adjust as desired through a wide rangesthe pressure to be applied by the presser 5, without becoming involved in complex or laborious operations, since disengagement of the knob from the fixed body 15 can be simply achieved through an axial movement that sets the front tooth formations 30 and 31 free. In practicing the invention, ant suitable dimensions, contingent shapes or materials may be used to meet individual requirements, though the best results have been obtained using plastic materials.

Claims: CLAIM 1. An actuator device for an instep presser, particularly useful in rear entrance ski boots, comprising a cable (1) extending above a presser (5) located inside the boot shell (4) at the foot instep region and being attached with one end to a side point (3) on the shell (4) and with the other end to an actuator element, characterized in that said actuator element comprises a take-up reel (10) for said cable (1) and made rotatively rigid with a knob (20) carried, for rotational and axial movements, on a fixed body (15) associated with said shell (4), and that a means is provided of releasably preventing rotation of said knob including front tooth formations (30,31), respectively provided on said fixed body (is) and said knob (20). 2. An actuator device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said cable (1) is arranged to slide within a flexible sheath (2) extending inside said shell (4) and being connected with one end to the inner side surface of said shell (4) and guided in a supporting block (6) attached to the side surface of said shell lying remote from said point (3) of attachment of said cable (1) to said shell (4). 3. An actuator device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said sheath (2) is rigidly connected, by engagement of a small bushing (17) with a yoke (16), to said fixed body (is) on the interior whereof said reel (iso) is carried rotatably. 4. An actuator device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said reel (10) has a pulley portion (11) whence there extends axially a tang (12) rotatably accommodated in a bushing portion (18) defined on said fixed body (15). 5. An actuator device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tang (12) is connected rigidly to a small cover (25) plugging said knob (20) and having a slot (24) adapted to be engaged, for axial sliding movement, by a radial tab (23) defined within said knob (20). 6. An actuator device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said knob (20) has an outer cylindrical body (21) joined, by the virtue of an internal base plate (27), to an inner cylindrical body (22) thereby rotatably engaging the exterior of said bushing portion (18). 7. An actuator device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said front tooth formations (30,31) are respectively provided on said fixed body (15) at the attachment area of said bushing portion (18) and on said knob (20) at the base of said inner cylindrical body (22). 8. An actuator device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an elastic means (40) acting between said small cover (25) and the internal base plate (27) of said knob (20) such as to relatively engage, and elastically hold said front tooth formations (30,31) together. 9. An actuator device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a travel end stop element for the rotation movement of said knob (20) including a peg (50) mounted to extend axially from said knob (20) and adapted to engage by contact with a detent defined on said shell.

Inventors: ALDINIO, GIUSEPPE, BAGGIO, GIORGIO
Applicants: NORDICA S.P.A
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A43B5
IPC codes: A43C11, A43B1, A43B5