ADJUSTABLE SPORTS BOOT BUCKLE

Abstract: The adjustable buckle includes a catch (19) mounted on one boot portion and a latch (20) mounted on the other boot portion. A hooking device (21) included in the latch is coupled to a manually actuatable mechanism (18) for moving the hook (21) relative to the catch (19). A ratchet mechanism used to couple the hooking device (21) to the adjustable mechanism includes manually operable pawls (33) to permit micro-adjustment of the hook (21) relative to the catch (19).

Description: Adustable Soorts Boot Buckle The present invention relates to an adjustable buckle for mounting on relatively movable portion of a sport boot that enables the wearer to readily adjust the sports boot during athletic endeavors. Sports boots. for example, ski boots and ice hockey boots formed of plastic materials, are closed by buckles. Ordinarily two portions of the boot. for example, overlapping flaps. are provided with a catch on one portion and a latch on the other. Several buckles are normally used to close the boot. The fit of sports boots must be accurately controlled by the wearer. Often the boot must be tightly fitted and thus under a high tension for one type of activity, while more loosely fitted and under a lower tension for another type. Moreover the foot tends to change in size slightly during the day. Thus it is essential for the buckles to be readily adjustable under all conditions, for example, on a mountain while skiing to permit the wearer the option of tightening or loosening the boot a precise amount at any time. A boot buckle that has been widely and satisfactorily used and has fulfilled many of the needs of sports boot wearers, is shown in U.S.Patent N- 4.051.611, issued in the name of Edward L.Chalmers, one of the present inventors, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. However, micro-adjustment of the patented buckle requires rotation of a wireform and its holder on a threaded shaft. It would be advantageous to provide a simpler and more rapid adjustment of the buckle and yet retain the required precision of boot tensioning. The present invention provides an adjustable buckle for sports boots which can be easily and quickly adjusted with precision on or off a ski mountain, for example. This is achieved by the features combined in the characterizing part of claim 1. In a typical embodiment of the invention, the buckle latch includes a shaft attached to the manually actuatable mechanism for moving the shaft relative to the catch. A hooking device, for example, a wireform, extends from a carrier which is coupled by ratchet means to the shaft. In this embodiment the shaft is provided with suitable teeth and the carrier includes pawls cooperating with the teeth. Manually operated handles on the pawls facilitate adjustment of the hook and carrier relative to the shaft, thereby permitting fine or micro-adjustment of the buckle. The invention will be better understood when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 illustrates a ski boot closed by four of the inventive adjustable boot buckles; Figure 2 is a view in perspective of one of the adjustable boot buckles shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a partial bottom view, greatly enlarged and partially broken away, of the adjustable boot buckle; Figure 4 is a bottom view of the inventive boot buckle similar to Figure 3, but showing a modified ratchet arrangement; Figure 5 is a side view of a modified adjustable boot buckle in accordance with the present invention; Figure 6 is a view in cross section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows; and Figure 7 is a top view of the boot buckle shown in Figure 5. Referring to the invention in greater detail, with particular reference to Figure 1, a sports boot 10, here shown as a ski boot, normally formed of a suitable plastic, includes a boot lower 11, a boot upper or cuff 12, secured by rivets 13 to the lower 11. Movable portions or flaps 14, 15, and 16,17, are respectively formed on the lower 11 and upper 12. Four buckles 18 are provided to close the ski boot 10. Each of the buckles 18 includes a catch 19 formed with teeth 19a for macro-adjustments of the buckle, and a latch 20, on the overlapping boot flaps. Referring to the buckle 18 in greater detail, with particular reference to Figure 2, a hooking wireform 21 is suitably attached as shown to a carrier 22. A shaft 23 coupled by ratchet means, described hereinafter, to the carrier 22, is pivoted by pin 24 to latch handle 25. A latch base 26, fastened by rivets or the like to the boot, pivotally supports the handle 25 via pin 27. An internal spring 27a maintains the latch closed against the boot and aids in positioning the wireform in the catch 19. The adjustable feature of the boot buckle is shown in greater detail in Figure 3. The rectangular shaft 23 is formed with teeth 28 cut in channels 29 on opposite sides of the shaft. Pawls 30 provided with teeth 31 formed to mesh with the teeth 28, are pivoted on pins 32 in the carrier 22. Handles 33, adapted to be manually operated by the boot wearer, pivot the pawls to disengage the teeth 31 from the teeth 28, thereby permitting the carrier to be moved with respect to the shaft 23. Springs 34 bias the pawls 30 into engagement with the shaft 23. Slot 35 in a web 36 of the carrier 22 guides movement of the shaft 23 in the carrier. Note that with this arrangement, the carrier 22 and wireform 21 can be moved somewhat off center with respect to the shaft 23, thereby permitting better seating of the wireform 21 in the catch 19 when the latch and catch are not aligned with the boot closed. In operation of the inventive buckle, one of the teeth 19a is selected for macro-adjustment of the boot tension. The buckle is then released by handle 25, and the pawls 33 are operated to slide the carrier 22 along the shaft 23 to provide for micro-adjustment of the boot tension. A modified form of the inventive adjustment feature is shown in Figure 4 in which elements corresponding to those in Figure 3 are designated by primed numerals. In this embodiment, a rectangular shaft 23' is formed with angled teeth 28' in channels 29'. Pawls 30' include teeth 31' mating with the teeth 28'. With this arrangement, when a boot wearer wishes to tighten the boot slightly, as often occurs after a few ski runs, the wearer need merely push the carrier 20' along the shaft 23' in the direction indicated by the arrow 37. The pawls 30' will ratchet down the shaft 23' and hold the carrier 20' at a desired location. To loosen the boot adjustment, the handles 33' are manually operated and the carrier 20' moved upwardly along the shaft 23'. Still a further embodiment of the inventive adjustable fastener is shown in Figures 5,6 and 7. It is desirable to provide boot buckles conforming as closely as possible to the boot surface for both functional and aesthetic reasons. To this end, the buckle shown in Figures 5-7 includes a number of parts similar to and identified by the same reference numerals as the buckle in Figure 2, but also includes a curved shaft 38 provided with teeth 39 in grooves 40 (Fig.6). An enlarged portion 38a extends into the handle 25. The grooves 40 are configured to provide convex surfaces 41 and angled surfaces 42 for cooperating with teeth 43 on the pawls 44. The pawls are mounted similarly to the pawls 33 shown in detail in Fig.3, and cooperate with the teeth 39. A carrier 45 includes upper and lower portions 46 and 47. The center of the upper portion 46 and lower portion 47 is formed to provide enlargments 46a and 47a to provide a guide housing for the shaft 38. These provide interior surfaces 46b and 47b cooperating with surfaces 38a on the shaft 38 to permit limited rotational or twisting movement of the shaft with respect to the carrier. Depressed surfaces 46c and 47c limit the amount of rotation and movement. Note that the pawl teeth 43 are smaller than the channels 40 to permit such rotational movement. This arrangement also permits a limited amount of movement of the carrier to and from with respect to the axis of the shaft 38. Other desired tooth arrangements may be used for the ratchet device of the fastener, depending upon the particular alignment requirements of the latches and catches on the flaps of the boots. A curved hooking device 48, contoured to the boot surface, includes arms 49 pivoted by pin 50 to the carrier 45. A hook 51 on the end of the hooking device 48 is selectively engageable with teeth 19a of the latch 19. The adjustable fastener of Figures 5-7 provides macroadjustments through selection of the teeth 19a engaged by the hooking device 48, and micro-adjustment by manual operation of the pawls 44 to permit movement of the carrier along the shaft 38. It will be understood that the above described embodiments of the invention are merely exemplary and that persons skilled in the art may make variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims: Claims 1. An adjustable buckle for mounting on relatively movable portions of a sports boot comprising a catch (19) adapted to be mounted on one of the movable portions, a latch (20) adapted to be mounted on the other of the movable portions, said latch including hook means (21;48) and a manually actuatable mechanism 118;45) for moving the hook means relative to the catch, ratchet means (28,30;28',30';39,44) coupling the hook means (21;48) to the manually actuatable mechanism, the ratchet means including manually operable pawl means (30;30') to permit adjustment of the hook means (21) relative to the catch (19). 2. An adjustable buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratchet means include a shaft (23;23' ;38) having teeth (28;28 ;39) formed thereon and the pawl means includes at least one manually operable spring biased pawl (30;30' 44) on the hook means cooperating with the teeth to secure the hook means against movement in at least one direction. 3. An adjustable buckle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ratchet teeth (28) are formed to prevent movement of the hook means relative to the catch in both directions. 4. An adjustable buckle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the teeth (28') on the shaft and the pawl (30') are formed to permit movement of the hook means away from the catch without manual operation of the pawl. 5. An adjustable buckle as claimed in any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein the hook means includes a wireform (21). 6. An adjustable buckle as claimed in any one of claims 2 through 4, wherein the shaft (38) is curved to conform to the surface of the boot. 7. An adjustable buckle as claimed in any one of claims 2 through 4, wherein the shaft (23;23';38), the teeth, the hook means (21;48) and the pawl (30;44) are formed to enable the hook means to be moved in and out of alignment with the shaft, thus enabling a more secure attachment of the hook means to the catch (19). 8. An adjustable buckle as claimed in any one of claims 1 through 7, wherein the shaft (23;23';38) has a generally rectangular cross section with teeth extending transversely therefrom.

Inventors: CHALMERS II, EDWARD L., EVEREST III, DAVID C.
Applicants: LANGE INTERNATIONAL S.A.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A43C11
IPC codes: A43C11