DEVICE FOR CLOSING QUARTERS, PARTICULARLY FOR SKI BOOTS

Abstract: The device for closing quarters, particularly for rear entry ski hoots comprises a ratched lever (1) associated with the rear portion of the rear quarter (3), and coupled to a rack plate (10). The rack plate (10) is longitudinally slideable on the quarter (3) and engages with the midportion of a cable (11), connected at at least one of its ends to the front quarter (9).

Description: The present invention relates to a device for closing quarters, particularly for rear-entry ski boots. As is known, the closing of rear-entry ski boots is generally effected by means of levers arranged transversely with respect to the longitudinal extension of the quarters. The levers are composed of elements generally connected to the front quarter and rearwardly encircling the rear quarter. These devices, however, give rise to laterally protruding projections which, besides being annoying for the user, may also be subject to accidental blows which might give rise to an unwanted opening thereof. Another disadvantage resides in the fact that, generally, two separate levers must be used and moved individually and adjusted progressively in order to obtain a satisfactory closure. DE-A-3 406 591 shows a rear entry ski boot having a vertically slidable plate guided on the rear quarter and a first cable interconnected between a lower portion of the front quarter and the lower end of the slidable plate. A second cable is provided which is interconnected between the upper portion of the front quarter and a middle portion of a lever having an upper end which is pivotable in one of a series of pivoting axes provided at the upper end of the slidable plate. With this construction, a downward pivoting actuation of the lever mutually closes the quarters and additionally provides a slight blocking action of the lower portion of the front quarter (which is slidable connected to the ski boot shell), and an upward pivoting actuation of the lever simultaneously releases the rear quarter and the blocking action of the lower portion of the front quarter. DE-A-3 201 702 discloses a ski boot with a foot instep presser having one end of a cable connected thereto. The other end of the cable is connected to a toothed rack plate which is slidably guided on either the front or rear quarter of the ski boot. An engaging pawl is provided for blocking the return motion of the rack plate, which is slidably moveable by the end of a skier's pole which acts upon an abutment provided on the rack plate at its end opposite to where the cable is connected thereto. The pawl is also releaseable by an actuation of the skier's pole. The aim proposed by the invention is indeed to eliminate the above described disadvantages, by providing a device for closing quarters, particularly for rear-entry ski boots, which allows the possibility of having a single operating lever capable of achieving a secure closure of the boot, while avoiding a separation of the elements which compose the same device, so that the user, in the subsequent closing action, need not bring together beforehand the various component elements. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a closing device which allows the user the possibility of performing quickly and simply the adjustment of the desired securing action, without having to perform subsequent reopenings and adjustments, since the desired securing action can be obtained with continuity. A further object of the present invention is to provide a closing device which can be obtained with a limited number of component elements which are easy and quick to assemble together. Not least object of the present invention is to provide a device for closing quarters, particularly for rear-entry ski boots, which, besides giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use, is competitive from a purely economic point of view. The above described aim, as well as the objects mentioned and others which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a device for closing quarters, particularly for rear-entry ski boots, according to the invention, as defined in the appended claims. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a device for closing quarters, particularly for rear-entry ski boots, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the closing device applied to a ski boot, in closed position; Fig. 2 is a view of the closing device applied to a ski boot, in open position; Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the device with a cable rewinding assembly; Fig. 4 is a lateral elevation view of the device, with means for adjusting its length, applied to a ski boot, in open position; Fig. 5 is a view of the device of Fig. 4, in closed position; Fig. 6 is a schematic longitudinal cross section view of the ratchet lever during operation; Fig. 7 is a cross section view of the ratchet lever in uncoupled position; Fig. 8 is a cross section view taken along the line VII-VII of Fig. 6; Figs. 9 and 10 are cross section views of the cable rewinding assembly. With reference to the above described figures, the device for closing quarters, particularly for rear-entry ski boots, according to the invention, comprises a actuation lever of a per se known kind, which is generally indicated with the reference numeral 1, and is hinged to a small base 2 with the possibility of oscillating about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the rear quarter 3, to which it is applied, and is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the base of the boot. A peculiarity of the invention resides in the fact that said actuation lever couples with a rack plate, indicated by the reference numeral 10, which is slideable between the hinging head of the same lever and the small base 2, along a direction which is substantially longitudinal with respect to the extension of the quarter 3. The actuation lever (ratchet lever) 1, as is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, is provided, on the face which is hidden from view in the closed position, with a pawl device constituted by a retention lever 4 pushed by a first torsion spring 5, which couples with the saw-teeth 10a of the rack 10. A pusher lever 6 is provided, spaced apart from the hinging point of the lever 4 which is preferably pivoted on the axis of rotation of the ratchet lever 1, and is pushed by a second torsion spring 7 which is intended to engage with the abutment projection of the teeth 10a to exert the pushing action, when an alternate oscillation is imparted to the ratchet lever 1, which in practice causes the consecutive motion of the rack 10. As is illustrated in Fig. 7, the complete opening of the lever ratchet 1 achieves the uncoupling of the retention lever 4, so that the rack 10 can slide freely, since it is no longer retained. At one end of the rack plate 10, and precisely at the lower end, the mid-portion of a cable 11 is connected which extends laterally from the rack plate 10 and which is slideably accommodated in guiding channels 12 which are defined either on the rear quarter 3 or in the box-like body composing the ratchet lever 1. The cable 11 is provided, at its free ends, with a fixed point on a lateral part of the front quarter indicated with the reference numeral 9. Advantageously, but not necessarily, at one fixing end of the cable 11, as is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, means are provided for adjusting the useful length of the cable itself, generally indicated with the reference numeral 15, which are advantageously realized by means of a threaded bush 16 connected to an operating ring 17 which can be accessed from the outside of the boot. A threaded pawl 18, which is connected to the end of the cable 11, engages with the internal thread of the threaded bush 16. In order to perform the closure of the boot, it is sufficient to perform an alternate oscillating motion of the ratchet lever 1 to achieve a downward thrust of the rack plate 10, which in practice tightens the cable 11 and brings towards each other and reciprocally secures together the rear quarter and the front quarter. With the above-described arrangement, that is, with the cable arranged at both sides of the rack plate 10, upon translation of a portion of the rack plate 10, a corresponding double-variation of the useful working length of the cable 11 is obtained. As is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, in order to allow a quick release of the device, the ratchet lever 1 is provided, at its free end, with a slot 30 which can be coupled in a snap-together manner with a coupling tooth 31 of a button 32 supported by the rear part of the quarter and provided with a fin 33 which is easily accessible and can be operated, if required, directly with the point of a ski-stick. As is illustrated in Fig. 1, in closed position the coupling tooth 31 couples in a snap-together manner with the slot 30, keeping the ratchet lever 1 secured close to the rear quarter. When release or uncoupling is required, it is sufficient to exert a pressing action on the fin 33, overcoming the elastic biasing force exerted by the spring 34 which pushes the button 32, thus performing the uncoupling of the coupling tooth 31 from the slot 30; in this condition, the springs which act on the levers 4 and 6 for operating the rock plate create a thrust in the direction of the opening of the ratchet lever 1. In many cases, there also is the need to allow a sufficient opening of the boot in order to facilitate the entry of the foot: for this purpose, in order to avoid the requirement of a repeated actuation of the ratchet lever 1, in order to achieve rewinding of a significant length of cable, a rewinding assembly is provided on the boot, which rewinding assembly is indicated by the reference numeral 50 in Figs. 3 and, illustrated in cross section, in Figs. 9 and 10, which is substantially composed of a box-like body 51 associated, e.g., with the front quarter. Inside the outer box-like body 51, a spool 52 is rotatably provided, having grooves 53 for winding thereon the cable. A rewinding spring 55 acts on the spool 52, which spring has a fixed point 55a on the outer containment body and is connected to the spool, so that the spring itself is reloaded during the unwinding of the spool and has the function of rewinding the cable for a certain length, until the elastic energy of the spring is no longer sufficiently opposed by the tension of the cable. The spool 52 is provided with a central pivot 56 which ends upwardly with an expansion 57 provided with a dentellation 58 which can be coupled with a dentellation 59 defined on a button 60 shaped so as to be prevented from rotating with respect to the box-like body 51, in practice the button 60 can simply be provided with a polygonal shape and protrude from a matching polygonal hole 61 defined by the box-like body. The button 60 can be moved against the biasing action of a biasing spring 63 which acts between the button itself and the expansion 57. The motion of the button uncouples the dentellations 58 and 59 from each other, thus allowing the free rotation of the spool, while, by releasing the button, the coupling between the dentellations blocks the rotation of the spool. Thus, during the opening of the quarter it is possible, after having provided the uncoupling of the ratchet lever 1, to act on the button 60 and move the quarters apart, thus achieving a remarkable opening of the same quarters. In order to close the quarters, one acts, first of all, on the button 60 which, once the quarters are close together, recovers most of the cable, then, in order to perform the securing, one acts on the ratchet lever which performs the securing of the foot with the required force. In practical use, therefore, the user, once the quarters have been brought together and the rewinding assembly has recovered part of the cable, continues to perform the alternate oscillation of the ratchet lever which, in practice, has the thrust lever pushing the rack plate while the retention lever blocks it in the position thus reached until the user achieves the required closing action. In order to achieve the opening, it is sufficient to open the lever by rotating it upwards, so that the hook which keeps the rack plate blocked disengages from the plate itself, so that the latter, being free, slides upwards along the quarter, allowing a slackening of the cable with a consequent mutual opening of the quarters. As already mentioned previously, the opening of the quarters can be further increased also by acting on the button 60 which allows the quick unwinding of a significant amount of cable. From what has been described, it can thus be seen that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, and in particular the fact is stressed that a device for closing quarters of ski boots is provided which entails the use of a single lever which can be operated with a downward pushing motion, which allows to achieve a gradual closing securing action between the quarters. Furthermore, the component elements of the closing device never separate and therefore, when the user needs to perform the closure, he need not couple any elements to each other beforehand, but it is sufficient for him to act with an alternate oscillation on the ratchet lever 1, until the required securing action is achieved. In practice, the materials employed, so long as compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions and the contingent shapes, may be any according to the requirements.

Claims: Device for closing quarters, particularly for rear-entry ski boots which comprise a front quarter (9) and a pivoting rear quarter (3), said device comprising an actuation lever (ratchet lever 1) pivoted to one (3) of said quarters and a cable (11), said cable being interconnected between the other one (9) of said quarters and a movable plate (rack plate 10) which is longitudinally slideable along said one (3) of said quarters, said movable plate being slideably actuated by means of said actuation lever, said device being characterized in that said movable plate is a rack plate (10) provided with a series of saw teeth (10a) and said actuation lever is a ratchet lever (1) provided with a pusher lever (6) for engaging said saw teeth (10a) of said rack plate upon a pivoting actuation of said ratchet lever to thereby slidably move said rack plate (10), said ratchet lever being furthermore provided with a pawl device (4,5) connected thereto which engages said saw teeth for blocking a return sliding movement of said rack plate, said pawl device disengaging from said saw teeth to allow a return motion of said rack plate upon a releasing pivoting actuation of said ratchet lever. Closing device, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said ratchet lever (1) is rotatably pivoted about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of said one (3) of said quarters and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the plane of the base of the boot, about a base (2) fixed to said one (3) of said quarters. Closing device, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said cable (11) has ends coupled to lateral portions of the other (9) of said quarters. Closing device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cable (11), at least at one end thereof, is connected to said other (9) of said quarters (9) with the interposition of means for adjusting its useful length (15). Closing device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cable (11) extends for at least a portion thereof adjacent to both sides of said rack plate (10). Closing device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cable (11) extends in guiding channels (12) provided at an upper part of said one (3) of said quarters, laterally of said rack plate (10). Closing device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ratchet lever (1) is provided, at its free end, with a slot (30) removably connectable with a coupling tooth (31) defined by a quick-release button (32) associated with said one (3) of said quarters to retain said ratchet lever (1) in a closed position. Closing device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said rack plate (10) is slideably accommodated between said ratchet lever (1) and said base (2). Closing device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pawl device comprises a retention lever (4) biased by a torsion spring (5), said retention lever (4) being releaseable from said saw teeth (10a) of said rack plate (10) by rotating said ratchet lever (1) towards the upper end of said one (3) of said quarters. Closing device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, on said other (9) of said quarters, a cable rewinding assembly (50), comprising a box-like body (51) accommodating in its interior a takeup spool (52) for said cable (11), on said spool (52) there acting a rewinding spring (55) provided with fixed points (55a) on said box-like body (51) and on said spool (52), said spool (52) having a pivot (56) upwardly provided with a dentellation (58), coupleable with the inner dentellation (59) of a button (60), said button (60) being slidable axially to said box-like body (51) for releasing the coupling between said dentellations (58,59).

Inventors: BAGGIO, GIORGIO, SARTOR, MARIANO
Applicants: NORDICA S.P.A.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A43C11
IPC codes: A43B5, A43C11