MULTIPLE-FUNCTION OPERATING DEVICE PARTICULARLY FOR SKI BOOTS

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multiple-function operating device particularly for ski boots, which comprises a containment body (1) which is associatable with a ski boot and supports a lever (2) which is accessible from the outside and is operatively connected, with the interposing of a ratchet-like assembly (6), with a central axle (7) rotatably supported by said containment body (1). The peculiarity of the invention lies in that it comprises a selector (10) which can be operated from the outside of the containment body (1) and can be selectively coupled with a first (32) and at least a second (34) winding pulley, respectively of a first (35) and a second cable (36) and the like. Members (50, 51) are furthermore provided for removably locking the rotation of said pulleys (32,34) in the direction of unwinding of the cables (35, 36).

Description: The present invention relates to a multiple-function operating device particularly for ski boots, as disclosed in EP-A-0166961. As is known, operating devices are already currently employed in ski boot, which are assigned to, e.g., the closing of the quarters, to the tightening of the foot presser, or to other functions normally required in a boot, which are substantially composed of a ratchet-lever which acts on a winding pulley for a cable or a band which performs the required actuation. This arrangement has the advantage of allowing the actuation, i.e. the winding of the cable or of the band on the pulley, with subsequent partial rotations. In the case in which in the same boot it is necessary to perform a plurality of actuations, such as e.g. the closing of the boot and the actuation of the foot instep presser, a single actuation device must be necessarily applied for each function, with obvious problems both regarding the accommodation of the same devices on the boot and regarding the structural complexity. Another disadvantage of the solution of the prior art furthermore lies in that the presence of more than one separate actuation device causes severe limitations during the design of the shape of the boot, since it is necessary to take into account the spaces required for the accommodation of the same devices. A further disadvantage which can be ascribed to the solution of the prior art is constituted by the fact that by arranging the various actuation devices in different regions, the user may have trouble in operating one device or the other, since a device may necessarily have to be positioned in a region which is poorly accessible by the user. The aim proposed by the invention is indeed to eliminate the above described disadvantages by providing a multiple-function operating device, specifically designed for ski boots, which allows the possibility of centralizing in a single region of the boot all the actuations required to close the boot or to secure the foot, thus allowing to perform with a single device all the required actuations. Within the scope of the above described aim, a particular object of the invention is to provide a device which, by accommodating in a single zone all of the control elements, allows one to have wide margins of freedom in designing the shape and the aesthetics of the same boot. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device which, by centralizing more than one function, can be positioned in a region or point of the boot which is easy to reach, thus always allowing the user a comfortable position during actuation. Not least object of the present invention is to provide an actuation device which, though assigned to a plurality of functions, allows the possibility of performing all the required actuations individually and indipendently from each other. Not least object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-function actuation device which, by virtue of its peculiar structural characteristics, is capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use. This aim and the objects described, as well as others which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a multiple-function operating device particularly for ski boots, according to the invention, comprising a containment body, associable with a ski boot and supporting a lever, accessible from the outside and operatively connected, with the interposition of a ratchet assembly, to a central axle rotatably supported by said containment body, characterized in that it comprises a selector, actuable from the outside of said containment body and selectively couplable with a first and at least a second winding pulley, respectively of a first and at least a second cable and the like, there being furthermore provided means for removably locking the rotation of said pulleys in the direction of unwinding of the cables. Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a multiple-function operating device, particularly for ski boots, illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, where: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross section view of the operating device, according to the invention, with the selector positioned to operate the first pulley; Fig. 2 is a cross section view of the operating device, with the selector positioned to operate the second pulley; Fig. 3 is a cross section view of a detail of the device illustrating the selector in a neutral position disengaged from both pulleys; Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the lever. With reference to the above described figures, the multiple-function operating device, particularly for ski boots, according to the invention, comprises a containment body, generally designated with the reference numeral 1, which preferably, but not necessarily, has a substantially cylindrical elongated shape. Said containment body 1 is preferably, but not necessarily, supported on the rear portion of the rear quarter of a ski boot. Proximate to its upper end, the containment body supports a lever, generally indicated by the reference numeral 2, which has an arm 3 protruding from the containment body 1 through a slit 4. The lever 2 has a central body 5, which is coupled, with the interposition of a ratchet-like assembly or ratchet pawl, generally indicated by the reference numeral 6 and of a per se known kind, with a central axle 7, which is rotatably supported inside the containment body 1. The ratchet-like assembly is intended to couple the lever 2 rigidly in rotation when operated in one direction, allowing instead the uncoupling of the rotation in the return phase of the lever, which return can be provided, in a per se known manner, by elastic means. A selector engages with the central axle 7 slideably and rigidly in rotation, and is generally designated with the reference numeral 10, which has a bush-like body 11 accommodating in its interior the axle 7, which, by means of a key 12, slideably engages with a longitudinal slit 13 provided on the central axle 7, so as to have the selector 10 rigidly coupled in rotation with respect to the axle 7, but with the possibility of sliding in an axial direction. The selector 10 is upwardly provided with a sliding ring 15, retained in position by means such as a Sieger ring 17; the sliding ring 15 is provided with a tab 18 which protrudes on the outside of the containment body 1 passing through a longitudinal opening 19 defined by the containment body 1. A selector button 20 is connected to the tab 18, which button is provided, on the side facing the containment body 1, with a positioning ball 22 pushed by a spring 23 which is accommodatable in positioning recesses 24, defined on the outer surface of the containment body 1, so as to define preferential accommodation positions for the button 20 and consequently for the positioning of the selector inside said containment body 1. Proximate to its lower end, the selector 10 is provided with a coupling gearwheel 30 which is selectively engageable with the gearwheel 31, correspondingly defined by a first pulley 32, and with the gearwheel 33, correspondingly defined by a second pulley 34. The gearwheels 31 and 33 are spaced apart from each other by an amount at least equal to the axial height of the teeth of the coupling gearwheel 30, so as to create an intermediate neutral or free position, as will be better described hereinafter. The pulleys 32 and 34 perform the winding respectively of a first cable or the like 35 and of a second cable or the like 36, which are accommodated in respective slots 37 and 38 defined by the pulleys. Said pulleys are selectively engageable in rotation with the axle 7 by means of the positioning of the selector, according to the coupling which is provided by the gearwheel 30 with the gearwheel 31 or 33. The first pulley 32 is accommodated coaxially and externally to the selector 10 and is kept in position by means of an upper spacer 40, arranged inside the containment body 1 and an intermediate spacer 41 which axially separates the pulleys 32 and 34. On the first pulley 32 act first removable means for blocking the rotation of the pulley in the direction of unwinding, which advantageously are composed of a first pin-spring 50 having an end fixed to the same pulley and the other end arranged on the internal surface of the containment body, so that a rotation of the pulley in the direction of unwinding is blocked by the radial expansion of the first pin-spring 50. A button is furthermore provided, which is accessible from the outside and is not illustrated in the drawings, which permits release of the pin-spring 50 allowing, when required, the rotation of the pulley in the direction of unwinding of the cable. Similarly, on the second pulley 34 second blocking means are provided, composed of a second pin-spring 51 having an end fixed to the same pulley and the other end acting on the internal surface of the containment body 1; also in this case, a button is provided, which is accessible from the outside and is not illustrated in the drawings, for releasing the blocking action exerted by the second pin-spring 51, if the unwinding of the second cable 36 is desired. On the first pulley 32 act furthermore first automatic cable rewinding means which are composed of a first spiral spring 60 connected between the pulley 32 and the internal wall of the containment body 1, which in practice is elastically loaded by the unwinding of the cable and is therefore capable of automatically recovering the initial part of the cable, until the biasing action exerted by the cable itself balances the spring. The subsequent cable locking action is performed by acting on the lever 2. Similarly, second automatic rewinding means for the second cable are provided, which are composed of a second spiral spring 61 connected to the second pulley 34 and to the internal wall of the containment body 1, and acting similarly to what has been previously described. The device is furthermore completed by anti-friction means which act on the pulleys and support the axle so as to reduce the forces. In practical operation, the above described operating device allows the centralization of all of the required actuations, since it is possible, by virtue of the selector 10, to select the cable on which the traction is to be exerted. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the selector, by means of the selection button 20, is arranged in its lower position with the coupling gearwheel 30 coupled with the gearwheel 31 of the first pulley 32, so that the rotation generated on the axle 7 by means of the lever 2, causes the rotation in the direction of winding of the first pulley 32, with the consequent recovery of the cable or band 35, which is e.g. assigned to closing the quarters. Once the required tightening action has been performed, it is sufficient to move the selector 10, by means of the selection button 20, causing the coupling gearwheel 30 to engage with the gearwheel 33 of the second pulley 34. By repeating the alternate oscillation action of the lever 2, in this case the second pulley is made to rotate, and consequently the second cable or band, which is, e.g., connected to the foot instep presser, is wound. When the pulleys are not coupled with the gearwheel, the rotation in the direction of unwinding is prevented by the removable blocking means composed of the pin-springs 50 and 51 which therefore maintain traction on the cable. To perform the releasing and therefore allow the rotation of the pulleys in the direction of unwinding of the cable, it is sufficient to position the selector in the free position with the coupling gearwheel 30 not engaging any of the gearwheels of the pulleys 32 and 34, and then act on the release buttons of the pin-springs 50 and 51 to allow the unwinding of the cables. It should also be noted that during the rotation of the pulleys in the direction of unwinding of the cables the spiral springs 60 and 61 of the automatic rewinding means are loaded, so that at the subsequent actuation a significant part of the length of the cable is automatically recovered by the rotation of the axle performed by virtue of the elastic recovery of the spiral springs 60 and 61. From what has been described, it can be seen that the invention achieves the proposed objects, and in particular the fact is stressed that a device is provided which allows centralization of all of the actuations in a point which is convenient for the user, allowing him the possibility, by simply acting on the selection button 20, to perform each of the selected actuations, independently from one another when required. Furthermore, another important feature of the invention is constituted by the fact that means for the elastic recovery of the initial portion of the length of the cable are provided, consequently expediting all the required actuations.

Claims: Multiple-function operating device particularly for ski boots, comprising a containment body (1), associable with a ski boot and supporting a lever (2), accessible from the outside and operatively connected, with the interposition of a ratchet assembly (6), to a central axle (7), rotatably supported by said containment body, characterized in that it comprises a selector (10), actuable from the outside of said containment body (1) and selectively couplable with a first (32) and at least a second (34) winding pulley, respectively of a first (35) and at least a second (36) cable and the like, there being furthermore provided means (50, 51) for removably locking the rotation of said pulleys (32, 34) in the direction of unwinding of the cables (35, 36). An operating device, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said selector (10) has a bush-like body (11) arranged coaxially around said central axle (7), said bush-like body (11) being rigidly coupled in rotation with said central axle (7) and axially movable with respect to said central axle (7). An operating device, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a sliding ring (15) rigidly associated with said selector (10) and having a tab (18) protruding from said containment body (1), to said tab (18) there being connected a selection button (20) for the motion in an axial direction of said selector (10). An operating device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said selection button (20) is provided with elastic positioning means composed of a ball (22) pushed by a spring (23) and engageable in positioning seats (24) provided on the outer surface of said containment body (1). An operating device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a coupling gearwheel (30) rigidly defined on said selector (10) and selectively associatable with a gearwheel (31), correspondingly defined by said first pulley (32), and with a gearwheel (33) matchingly defined by said at least one second pulley (34). An operating device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said gearwheels (31, 33) of said pulleys (32, 34) are separated from one another by a length which is substantially equal or greater than the axial length of the teeth of said gearwheel (30) to define a free position in which said selector (10) is uncoupled from said pulleys (32, 34). An operating device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said removable blocking means are composed of pin-springs (50, 51) having one end connected with the respective pulley (32 or 34) and the other end acting on the internal surface of said containment body (1), to prevent the rotation of the respective pulley in the direction of unwinding, buttons being provided which are accessible from the outside of said containment body (1) for disabling said pin-springs (50, 51). An operating device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises automatic rewinding means for the initial portion of said cables (35, 36), composed of spiral springs (60, 61) having one end connected to the respective pulley (32, 34) and the other end connected to said containment body (1).

Inventors: GORZA, ROBERTO, POZZOBON, ALESSANDRO
Applicants: NORDICA S.P.A.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A43B5
IPC codes: A43B5, A43B23, A43B21, A43C11