Innerboot, particularly for skates

Abstract: An innerboot, particularly for skates comprising a rigid shell associated with a supporting frame for two or more in-line wheels or for an ice-skating blade. The innerboot is of the soft type and is constituted by a rigid cuff (18) that affects at least the calf and the malleolar regions and is interposed between a padding (11) lying inside the innerboot and an optional outer covering. The innerboot has holes (21) for pivoting to the underlying rigid shell.

Description: The present invention relates to an innerboot, particularly for skates which comprise a rigid shell associated with a supporting frame for a plurality of in- line wheels or for ice-skating blade. Conventional skates have a rigid shell and a separate quarter made of rigid plastics, which require, in order to increase user comfort, the insertion of an innerboot made of soft material in the shell and the quarter. In order to allow to insert the foot in the innerboot, a slit is conventionally provided on said innerboot, at the front tibial region of the instep and at the metatarsal region, the slit being adapted to form two flaps that can be spaced apart from each other for inserting the foot and can be overlapped to allow to close the shoe. The need to have rigid elements is due to the fact that it is necessary to transmit as effectively as possible the forces from the leg to the foot and then to the wheels or blade of the skate, but this negatively affects foot comfort. However, these conventional skates are not free from drawbacks; during sports practice, relative movements of the innerboot with respect to the quarter occur which decrease the sensitivity of the user with respect to skate control; these conventional skates also have poor lateral support, especially at the ankle region. EP-A-0 657 112 discloses a comfort innersock designed to be inserted in a ski boot shell. In a front-entry or central-entry embodiment, the innersock comprises: a one-piece foot covering with a vamp and an upper; a reinforcement mounted on the outer wall of the foot covering and extending from the sole below the heel upwardly to the malleolar regions and rearwardly below the calf region; and a comfort-enhancing support liner extending at the front shin region and connected by pivot-sliding connections to the reinforcement. Alternatively to the pivot-sliding connections, the comfort-enhancing support liner may be internally connected to an extension of the reinforcement which extends from the rear at one lateral side and wraps around the front shin region to be arranged at the opposite lateral side. In a rear-entry embodiment, the innersock of EP-A-0 657 112 comprises: a one-piece foot covering with a vamp and an upper; a reinforcement mounted on the outer wall of the foot covering and extending from the sole below the heel upwardly to the malleolar regions and forwardly at the front shin region; and a comfort-enhancing support liner extending at the rear calf region and connected by pivot-sliding connections to the reinforcement. A principal aim of the present invention is therefore to solve the described problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art, by providing an innerboot that allows to achieve optimum stability of the user's foot during all stages of skating, so as to allow optimum transmission of the forces from the leg to the skate. Within the scope of this aim, an important object is to provide an innerboot that allows to specifically achieve perfect lateral support for the skate. Another object is to provide an innerboot that has optimum insertion and comfort for the user's foot during sports practice and is reliable and safe in use. Another object is to provide an innerboot that has low costs and can be produced with conventional machines and equipment. In accordance with the invention, there is provided an innerboot for skates as defined in the appended claims. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a particular embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a side view of a skate according to the invention, wherein the innerboot is shown in dashed lines; figure 2 is a perspective view of an innerboot; figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along the plane III-III of figure 1; figure 4 is a sectional view, taken along the plane IV-IV of figure 1. With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 designates a soft innerboot, particularly for skates, having a rigid shell 2 for partially containing the innerboot 1 itself. The shell 2 has a sole 3 from which a wall 4 for lateral containment of the innerboot 1 rises along the edge. The shell 2 has a toe cup 6 at a first region 5 of the toe of the innerboot 1 and a heel cup 8 at a second region 7 of the heel. The heel cup 8 rises laterally so as to partially affect a third malleolar region 9 of the user's foot. A frame 10 can be associated below the sole 3 of the shell 2 and supports two or more in-line wheels or an ice-skating blade. The frame is illustrated only partially in figure 1. At the front, at a fifth foot instep region 14 and up to the vicinity of the first toe region 5, the innerboot 1 has a slit adapted to form two flaps 15a and 15b that can be spaced apart from one another to insert the foot and can be mutually overlapped to allow to close the innerboot 1 by virtue of conventional means. A tongue 16 is provided between the two flaps 15a and 15b and is formed by a second padding layer 17 that is preferably thicker than the first layer 11 of padding of the innerboot 1. The innerboot 1 is inserted in the shell 2 and, in the particular illustrated embodiment, is formed by at least one inner padding 11 with which an optional outer covering 12 can be associated. A cuff 18, made of rigid material and essentially U-shaped in plan view, is located between said padding and said covering. The cuff 18 is associated, by means of an optional seam and/or gluing and/or molding in place, outside the padding 11 at a fourth region 13 of the calves and reaches approximately the pair of flaps 15a and 15b of the innerboot 1. The cuff 18 is laterally provided with two wings 19 facing each other, which protrude towards the sole 3 of the shell 2, and affect the third malleolar region 9. If the innerboot 1 is provided with the optional outer covering 12, the cuff 18 is interposed in a sandwich-like manner between the padding 11 and the outer covering 12. The two wings 19 have means 20, for pivoting to the shell 2, constituted by two first holes 21 formed at the end portion of the two wings 19, which is laterally adjacent to the upper part of the heel cup 8, when the innerboot 1 is inserted in the shell 2. The heel cup 8 is provided with two second holes 22 having the same axis as the two first holes 21 and adapted to allow the insertion of appropriate elements, such as conventional studs or rivets, for the rotary connection of the cuff 18 to the shell 2. Conveniently, a coupling element 23 for the pivoting of a conventional linkage-based braking system can be associated with the cuff 18 to the rear and above the second heel region 7. Operation is as follows: in producing the innerboot, the cuff 18 is interposed between the padding 11 and the optional outer covering 12, the innerboot 1 is inserted in the shell 2, and the cuff 18 is rotatably connected to said shell 2 by using appropriate studs or rivets inserted in the two first and second holes. It has been observed that the innerboot thus provided has achieved the intended aim and objects and is adapted to preserve the characteristics and the fundamental structural elements of the skate that is associable therewith; the rigid shell allows to keep the foot secured and to provide good stability thereof inside said shell during all stages of skating, whereas the cuff, associated with said innerboot and rotatably connected to the shell, allows to fully exploit the thrust of the user and most of all ensures the lateral rigidity that is necessary for optimum control of said skate. The innerboot according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all within the scope of the appended claims. The materials and the dimensions constituting the individual components of the device may of course also be the most appropriate according to the specific requirements. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: Innerboot for skates which comprise a rigid shell (2), said innerboot comprising an inner padding (11) and a pivoting rigid cuff (18) that affects at least the calf and the malleolar regions, said rigid cuff (18) being arranged externally to said inner padding (11), said innerboot having means (21) for pivotally connecting said cuff of said innerboot to said shell. Innerboot according to claim 1, characterized in that said shell comprises a lateral containment wall (4), a toe cup (6), and a heel cup (8), characterized in that said cuff (18), made of a rigid material, is substantially U- shaped in plan view and is externally associated with said padding at said calf region. Innerboot according to claim 1, characterized in that said cuff (18) is laterally provided with two wings (19) that face each other and protrude towards a sole (3) of said shell (2) so as to affect a third malleolar region, said two wings having said means for pivoting to said shell. Innerboot according to claim 3, characterized in that said pivoting means are constituted by two first holes (21) formed at the end portion of said two wings (4), said end portion being laterally adjacent to the upper part of said heel cup. Innerboot according to claim 4, characterized in that said heel cup (8) has two second holes (22) that have the same axis as said two first holes (21) and are adapted to allow the insertion of elements, such as studs or rivets, for the rotatable connection of said cuff (18) to said shell (2). Innerboot according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cuff (18) is associated with said padding (11) by stitching. Structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cuff (18) is associated with said padding (11) by gluing. Innerboot according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cuff (18) is associated with said padding (11) by molding in place. Innerboot according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a coupling element (23) for the pivoting of a linkage braking system is associated with said cuff (18) to the rear and above a second heel region (7). Innerboot according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said rigid cuff (18) is interposed between said inner padding (11) and an outer covering (12).

Inventors: POZZOBON ALESSANDRO, POZZOBON, ALESSANDRO
Applicants: BENETTON SPA, BENETTON GROUP S.P.A.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A43B5
IPC codes: A43B5