Dynamic inner lining shoe for boots

Abstract: In the inner lining shoe for boots, particularly ski boots, the fore tongue is anchored in a floating manner to the upper, so as to be displaceable in a controlled manner with respect to the upper, under the action of elastic return means. Elastically deformable means are also provided to prevent the deformation of the upper under stress, whilst permitting the bending of the leg portion with respect to the true upper.

Description: The present invention relates to the inner lining shoe for boots, particularly ski boots, to which specific reference shall be made in the following specification, it being meant that it has no limiting intention. It is known that the ski boots normally comprise an outer rigid casing, the sole of which is anchored to the ski, an inner sole and an inner lining shoe by which the foot is fully enveloped preventing any direct contact of the foot, the ankle and the lower part of the leg with the outer rigid casing Such a lining shoe is normally provided with a big fore tongue, movable with respect to the remaining shoe, to permit the foot introduction, in the same manner of the fore tongue of the normal footwear. It is also clear that such a shoe must form a wrapping around the foot and be in close contact with outer casing since it is the direct transmission means of the controls to be given to the ski starting from the foot of the skier. To date to fulfill these requirements other features have been sacrificed such as: the fitting comfort of the lining shoe which remains rather rigid; the fitting capability of the lining shoe to the several positions of closure of the outer casing (it is to be mentioned that also the outer casing in most of the cases comprises a leg portion divided in two halves which are openable wide apart and which are brought towards each other and fixed by means of suitable adjustable straps). the capability of the lining shoe of following the movements of the casing Otherwise stated, to date, the inner lining shoe was an essentially static and rather rigid envelope adapted for the foot enveloping mainly satisfacting the requirements of rigidly adhering to the casing and renouncing to features of greater comfort both as fittingness and in the use. FR-A-2230155 discloses an inner lining shoe for a ski boot including a fore tongue for which means are provided promoting the bending of the upper part of the tongue with respect to the lower one. The main object of the present invention is that of providing an inner lining shoe for boots permitting: a) a greater articulation for better following the movements of the rigid casing b) a greater fittingness of elastic type avoiding the deformations which are characteristics of rigid shoes, when the boot and consequently also the shoe is under stress. c) the elimination of localized pressures on critical areas of the foot when the outer casing is tightened on the shoe, such as for instance the pressure acting on the adducting tendon of the big toe. d) a greater adherence of the shoe to the inner sole of the casing preserving the freedom of the shoe. It has been now found and is the object of the present invention that the above purposes are achieved by means of an inner lining shoe according to Claim 1 In the preferred embodimento of the lining shoe of the present invention said tongue is displaceably anchored to the upper by elastic band means for the elastic return of the tongue towards the normal or resting position, and moreover in the same tongue a relief undercutting or opening is formed corresponding to the path of the adducting tendon of the big toe to prevent an undue localized pressure. Furthermore the sole of the lining shoe is engraved according to a pattern preventing sliding of the shoe with respect to the underlying inner surface of the sole of the casing. The above and other features of the present invention shall appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, having as already stated merely exemplifying but non limiting purpose, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-section side view of a ski boot including a lining shoe according to the invention; figure 2 is a front view, partially from above, of the lining shoe only;, figure 3 is a rear view of the lining shoe of figure 2; figure 4 is a detailed cross-section view of the part of the lining shoe to which the floating tongue is anchored. figure 5 is a cross-section view on the lines V-V of figure 4. figure 6 is a partial on enlarged scale view of the engraving pattern of the sole of the lining shoe. Referring firstly to figure 1, a ski boot 10 is shown comprising an outer rigid casing 11, a sole 12, and an inner lining shoe 13. Figure 1 is simplified as regard the structure of the boot, which normally comprises a leg portion vertically divided so as to permit the introduction of the foot and pivotally joined to the upper of the boot to permit the desired and adjustable inclination of the leg with respect to the foot and consequently with respect to the ski to which to boot is secured. Likewise the sole 12 normally comprises an inner sole, which a as rule can be removed and is the abutting portion for the lining shoe 13. Turning now to the lining shoe 13, being the object of the present invention, it comprises a sole 14, an upper 15, a tongue 16 and a leg portion 17. As it is clearly seen in figure 2, the tongue 16 is positioned at the fore opening of the upper 15 and of the leg portion, closing the same opening when the leg portion of the casing is closed and tightened around the lining shoe. As shown in the cross-section views of figures 4 and 5, the tongue 17 comprises an outer layer 18 of leather or like material and an inner padding 19. Also the upper and the leg portion of the lining shoe 13 have like structure. The fore end of the tongue 16 is anchored to the upper 15 near to the point of the lining shoe by means of an elastic band 20, having one end 21 fastened, by sewing or likewise, between the two layers forming the tongue and the opposide end 22 fastened, it too preferably by sewing, to the inner surface of the upper. The two edges 23 and 24 of the upper, near to the point, are connected by a crossing piece 25, preferably of leather, leather imitating or like material of remarkable strenght, in which a slot 26 is formed; in the slot 26 there is slidably housed the stem 27 of a floating anchoring pin, having an enlarged head 28 preventing it from coming out through the edges of the slot 26. It is evident that in such a manner the tongue 16 may be displaced away from the fore part of the lining shoe towards which it is anyhow returned by the elastic forte of the elastic band 20. In the tongue 16, at the bending area corresponding to the foot neck and more specifically to the fore portion of articulation of the leg to the foot, an insert of elastic material 29 is provided, preferably with quilting sewings promoting the bending corresponding to the articulation movements of the foot with respect to the leg. In the same area the tongue is provided with a relief opening 30, located at the portion of the foot at which the adducting tendon of the big toe comes to the surface, so as to avoid undue localized pressure acting onto the tendon. It is evident that instead of the opening or relief 30 an inner undercutting within the thickness of the tongue can be provided having enough depth to avoid the aforesaid localized pressure. From figure 3 it is moreover clearly seen the at junction between the upper and the leg portion of the shoe one or more inserts 31 of elastic or elasticized material are provided, preferably having like structure as the already described insert 29. The function of the inserts 31 is that of making the leg portion of the lining shoe capable of being articulated with respect to the upper, whereby the latter, when the manoeuvers of the skier cause the boot to be under stress and consequently also the inner lining shoe, no deformation at the upper takes place and no undesirable stresses are applied to the foot enveloped by the same lining shoe. It is particularly to be observed that the inserts 31, in which obviously the more rigid outer layer 18 is lacking, are located so to avoid pressures end/or localized stresses onto the malleoli. The broken line 36 in figures 1 and 3 clearly indicates the contour of the part of the lining shoe which is more rigid and with respect to which the leg portion is deformed and bent, leaving the malleoli and generally the articulation between the leg and the foot free from stresses and constriction. Lastly considering the sole of the lining shoe 14, it has an outer engraved bottom 33 as shown in figure 6, with alternated embossings 35 and reliefs 36, the former being variously shaped so as to prevent the same lining shoe from sliding with respect to the sole of the casing and thus with respect to the casing itself. In addition the lower part the lining shoe is connected to the sole in the manner clearly illustrated in figure 1 with the heel part 32 shaped so as to adhere as much as possible to the inner surface of the casing According to a preferred variation, the sole is provided with a cross shaped hollow 34, within which, when necessary, a fitting reducing element, correspondingly shaped, can be inserted. As it is shown in figure 1 the shaped hollow 34 is essentially corresponding to the metatarsal area of the foot whereby the introduction of the reducing element does act in a per se known manner to promote the fitting of a foot of lower size, although slightly lower, (not more than half a size number, to the lenght of the lining shoe 13. For instance the floating connection between the tongue and upper of the lining shoe can be realized in the different manner by which the anchoring is provided with a possibility of mutual sliding motion in one or more directions.

Claims: Inner lining shoe for ski-boots, said inner lining shoe (13) comprising a sole (14), a fore open upper (15) having an upper leg portion (17), and a tongue (16) at the said fore opening of the upper having the lower end fastened to the fore part of the upper, characterized in that, for said fastening of said lower end, fastening means (20,25,26,27) are provided by which said tongue (16) is anchored to the said upper fore part but is permitted to slide with respect thereto along an axis going from the fore part to the heel of the said inner lining shoe. Inner lining shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said fastening means comprise an elastic band (20) having one end (21) permanently fixed to the lower end of the tongue (16) by means of a pin (27) secured to said end (21) of said band (20) and passing through a longitudinal slot (26) formed in a cross piece (25) permanently fixed to the upper 15 of said shoe (13), the other end (22) of said band (20) being permanently fastened to the inner surface of said upper (15). Inner lining shoe according to claim 2, characterized in that said pin (27) is provided with an enlarged head (28) preventing the pin (27) from being disengaged from said slot (26). Inner lining shoe according to claim: 2, characterized in that said cross piece (25) is permanently connected at its side end edges to the two confronting edges of the opening formed in said upper. Inner lining shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said tongue (16), at the area corresponding to the portion of the foot neck at which the adducting tendon of the big toe is close to the foot surface, is provided with an area of reduced thickness having a longitudinally elongated shape. Inner lining shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that, at the area corresponding to the portion of the foot neck at which the adducting tendon of the big toe is close to the foot surface, an opening (30) having a longitudinally elongated shape is provided. Inner lining shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that at the border line between said upper (15) and said leg portion (17) at least one elastically deformable insert (31) is provided to promote the bending of the leg portion with respect to the upper (16), said at least one insert (31) being located above the line (36) with respect to which the bending of the leg portion with respect to the upper takes place, whereby the malleoli of the foot are free from stresses and constrictions. Inner lining shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said sole is externally provided with an antisliding engravure comprising embossed areas (35) and reliefs (36A), the embossed areas being alternatively shaped as bars (35A) and circles (35B) the centers of the circles being crosswise aligned with respect to the said sole.

Inventors: MAREGA ANTONELLO, MAREGA, ANTONELLO
Applicants: CALZATURIFICIO TECNICA SPA
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A43B5
IPC codes: A43B19, A43B23, A43B5