Shell, particularly for a ski boot

Abstract: A shell, particularly for a ski boot, constituted by a box-like main body (2) which is open in an upward region and is rigidly coupled to a sole (5). The shell has, at the foot instep region, two arc-like partially overlapping plates (8a,8b), each of which is rotatably pivoted to the shell by pivots (9a,9b) arranged laterally to the shell on an axis which is approximately parallel to the resting plane of the sole. The rotation of the two plates is limited by a pivot and slot connection arranged in the region in front of the heel.

Description: The present invention relates to a shell, particularly for a ski boot. The manufacture of boots having overlapping flaps has been widespread for several years. According to such technology, a significant portion of the surface of the flaps overlaps; after the boot is fastened, the flaps ensure an optimum wraparound effect and watertightness of the boot. The boots are generally made of plastics and are therefore manufactured by injecting melted material into the mold. During sports practice, the boot must ensure the structural strength required to correctly control the ski and at the same time ensure that there are no infiltrations of water toward the foot. These two characteristics greatly influence the manufacture of the boot, because structural strength requires components of considerable thickness and stiffness, while watertightness and comfort require a reduced thickness in order to have a structure which is flexible and can easily shape itself to fit the foot. During the insertion and extraction of the foot from the boot, the structure must undergo deformation without preventing or hindering the sliding of the foot in the boot; in particular, the two flaps must undergo deformation and slide with respect to each other. This last action is also affected by the friction generated between the mutually contacting surfaces of the two flaps. All this usually entails the manufacture of a plastic boot whose characteristics are a compromise and only partially satisfy the above described requirements. Ski boots with scarcely flexible flaps, which allow limited shaping and afford good retention of the foot but compromise excessively the insertion and extraction of the foot, which are generally difficult and entail forcing, are in fact commonly manufactured. Moreover, skiing is rather uncomfortable in pauses between a downhill run and the next one or whenever one has to move without wearing skis on one's feet, since some difficulty in walking is observed. US-5,519 951 discloses a ski boot of the overlapping-flap type having a sole, an overlying body which is open at the front, and an open region, located at the foot instep, in which there are two pressure distribution plates arranged on the outer surface of the frontally open body. The two plates run from the region of the boot tip to beyond the open region, where they bend upward, and are associated at the open region of the foot instep so that they can perform a longitudinal translatory motion with respect to the frontally open body and move transversely to the axis of the boot. They can also overlap so as to close the open region and the frontally open body. In the boot, at least one of said pressure distribution plates must be rotatably associated by virtue of at least one fixed hinge which is arranged laterally to the open region of the foot instep. The fixed hinge thus allows the rotary motion of one plate away from the other plate, so as to facilitate the opening of the foot instep region and of the open body. When the boot is opened, the plates perform an outward combined rotary and translatory motion, moving mutually apart and also diverging and lifting, in their motion, the two partly overlapping flaps of the boot. The main drawback of this conventional type of ski boot is the fact that user must apply, while inserting the foot, a force which is proportional to the opening of the flaps and is required in order to overcome the friction between the various surfaces involved. Another drawback is the fact that some ski boots are constituted by a shell which is structurally weak because it is constituted by many mutually interacting parts. For the same reason, the cost of manufacturing the shell is high because the shell is structurally complex. The aim of the present invention is therefore to solve the noted technical problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art, by providing a ski boot shell which increases the passage space for foot insertion and extraction so as to allow easy entries and exits of the foot with respect to the ski boot. An important object is to provide a ski boot shell which achieves the intended aim without increasing the user's insertion effort. Another important object is to provide a ski boot shell which allows to use a small number of plates, thus reducing manufacturing costs and increasing the structural strength of the entire shell. Another object is to provide a ski boot shell which improves the wraparound effect on the foot in the boot. Another object is to provide a ski boot shell which is structurally simple and has low manufacturing costs. This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a shell, particularly for a ski boot comprising a main body which is open in an upward region, characterized in that it comprises, at the foot instep region, two partially overlapping plate portions, each of said plate portions being rotatably pivoted to said shell by means of first rotary connection means arranged laterally to said shell on an axis which is approximately parallel to the resting plane of said sole, the rotation of said two plate portions being limited by second guided connection means arranged in the region in front of the heel. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of some embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figures 1 and 2 are side views of a shell of a ski boot according to the invention, respectively in the closed position and in the open position; Figure 3 is a front view of the shell of the preceding figures; Figures 4 and 5 are side views of a boot provided with the shell, according to the invention, shown in the closed position and in the open position, respectively; Figures 6 and 7 are side views of a boot, according to a second aspect of the invention, shown in the closed position and in the open position, respectively; Figures 8 and 9 are side views of a shell of a ski boot according to the invention, shown respectively in the closed position and in the open position; Figure 10 is a front view of the shell of Figs. 8, 9; Figure 11 is a side section view of a detail of Fig. 10; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the plate of the shell of Figs. 8-11; Figure 13-14 are side views of a ski boot, having the shell illustrated in Figs. 8-12, shown respectively in the closed position and in the open position; Figures 15-16 are side views of a ski boot according to a further aspect of the invention; Figures 17-18 are side views of a shell according to a further aspect of the invention; Figure 19 is a front view of the shell of Figures 17-18; Figure 20 is a perspective view of a shell according to a further aspect of the invention; Figure 21 is a perspective view of a shell according to still a further aspect of the invention. With reference to the figures, the numeral 1 designates a shell which is particularly usable for a ski boot. The shell 1 is constituted by a main body, designated by the reference numeral 2, which is box-shaped, is open in an upward region, and is rigidly coupled, in a downward region, to a standardized sole, designated by the reference numeral 5. The shell 1 has, at the foot instep, designated by the reference numeral 7, two plates 8a and 8b which are arc-like, partially overlap each other and are arranged so as to partially close the upper part of said main body 2. Each of the two plates 8a and 8b is rotatably pivoted to said shell by first rotary connection means which are constituted, in this embodiment, by two hinges which are constituted by first pivots, designated by the reference numerals 9a and 9b, which are arranged laterally to the shell 1 on an axis which is approximately parallel to the resting plane of the sole 5 and adjacent to the front perimetric edge 51 of each plate in a region 10 which is adjacent to the sole 5. Each of the two plates 8a and 8b is limited in its forward rotation by the presence of second guided connection means which are arranged in front of the heel 4 approximately in the malleolar region 11. Said second guided connection means are constituted by two second pivots, designated by the reference numerals 12a and 12b, which are associated with the respective plates 8a and 8b and can slide within two respective slots, designated by the reference numerals 13a and 13b respectively, which are formed at the malleolar region 11 of said main body 2. Each of said slots 13a and 13b has a plan shape which is rectangular or arc-like and preferably centered at the hinge 9a and 9b, thus allowing the plates 8a and 8b to rotate through a certain angle formed by the ends of said slots 13a and 13b about said two hinges 9a and 9b. The two plates 8a and 8b can be fastened to the main body 2 by means of a first closure device, designated by the reference numeral 14, which may be constituted by conventional mechanical means, such as one or more closure levers. A quarter, designated by the reference numeral 53 in Figures 4 and 5, for surrounding the calf and tibia regions is rotatably associated above the shell 1. The quarter 53 can be fastened by means of second and third closure devices, designated by the reference numerals 55a and 55b. During opening, the quarter 53 can rotate backward in order to further facilitate the insertion of the foot in the boot. A soft innerboot for foot containment, designated by the reference numeral 56, is arranged inside said shell 1 and said quarter 53. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a second embodiment of a quarter, designated by the reference numeral 153, which is associable with a shell 101. Appropriate lifting and rotation means, designated by the reference numeral 157, for two plates 108a and 108b are formed on the quarter 153 below the point where pivoting to the shell 101 occurs and proximate to the slots designated by the reference numerals 113a and 113b. The lifting and rotation means 157 are constituted by two protrusions which protrude toward the tip of said shell 101 and whose upper perimetric edge, designated by the reference numeral 158, is arranged in contact with the facing lower perimetric edge 159 of said two plates 108a and 108b. The lifting and rotation means can be activated by arranging the quarter 153 vertically. The quarter can be locked in this position by resting the lower end, designated by the reference numeral 160, on the upper end 161 of said two plates 108a and 108b. Operation is thus as follows: with reference to the above cited figures, the foot of the user can be easily inserted in the boot simply by disengaging the closure devices 14, 55a and 55b. The first pressure applied by the foot, as it enters, causes the mutual spacing of the two plates 8a and 8b and simultaneously lifts said plates about the hinges 9a and 9b. The dual movement of the plates provides, without excessive efforts, a wide opening for the access of said foot. Once the foot has been inserted, by acting on said closure devices, the second pivots 12a and 12b are returned toward the lower ends of the slots 13a and 13b while increasing the overlap of the two plates 8a and 8b. Figures 6 and 7 show a ski boot provided with a quarter 153. The ski boot provided with the second embodiment of the quarter 153, shown in Figures 6 and 7, is even easier to put on, because the rotation of the quarter 153 in the vertical position entails the lifting and simultaneous rotation of the plates 108a and 108b on the part of the two protrusions that constitute said lifting and rotation means. It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a shell having been devised which increases the passage space for foot insertion and extraction so as to allow easy and quick entries and exits of the foot into and out of the ski boot. The ski boot shell according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims. For example, with reference to Figures 8-14, the numeral 201 designates a shell which is particularly usable for a ski boot which is not shown in full in the figures. The shell 201 is constituted by a main body, designated by the reference numeral 202, which is box-shaped, is open in an upward region, and is rigidly coupled, in a downward region, to a standardized sole, designated by the reference numeral 205. A single plate 209 is associated with the shell 201 at the foot instep, designated by the reference numeral 208. The plate is composed of two flaps, designated by the reference numerals 210a and 210b, which are arc-like, can partially overlap each other and are arranged so as to partially close the upper part of said main body 202. Each of said two flaps 210a and 210b is transversely connected to the other one, at the front, by means of a bridge, designated by the reference numeral 211, which is arc-like and elastically deformable. Bridge 211 is connected, at its lateral ends, to each of said two flaps 210a and 210b, at connection regions 212a and 212b obtained at the ends of the front perimetric edges 214a and 214b which cannot overlap. In this manner, front perimetric edges 214a and 214b can be arranged, in the mutual overlap region, on top of part of said bridge by the elastic deformation thereof in the connection regions 212a and 212b. The two flaps 210a and 210b are associated with shell 201 by means of first connection means which are constituted, in this embodiment, by two first fixed pivots, designated by the reference numerals 215a and 215b, which are arranged within two respective first through holes 216a and 216b formed laterally to the shell 201, proximate to the connection regions 212a and 212b. Each of said two flaps 210a and 210b is limited in its forward rotation by the presence of second guided connection means which are located in front of the heel 204, approximately in the malleolar region 217. The second guided connection means is constituted by two second pivots, designated by the reference numerals 219a and 219b, which are associated with the respective flaps 210a and 210b at two second through holes 220a and 220b and can slide within two respective slots, designated by the reference numerals 221a and 221b respectively, which are formed proximate to the malleolar region 217. Each of said slots 221a and 221b has a plan shape which is rectangular or arc-like and preferably centered at said first fixed pivots 215a and 215b, thus allowing the flaps 210a and 210b to rotate through a certain angle formed by the ends of said slots 221a and 221b about the two first fixed pivots 215a and 215b. The forward rotation of the flaps 210a and 210b is allowed by the deformability of bridge 211 proximate to the connection regions 212a and 212b, because the bridge is not only rigidly coupled to the main body 202 by the first fixed pivots 215a and 215b but its front side, designated by the reference numeral 222, abuts against a suitable recess 223 of said shell 201. The two flaps 210a and 210b can be fastened to the main body 202 by means of a first closure device, designated by the reference numeral 224, which can be constituted by conventional mechanical means, such as one or more closure levers. A quarter, designated by the reference numeral 253 in Figures 6 and 7, for surrounding the calf and tibia regions is rotatably associable above said shell 201. The quarter 253 can be fastened by means of second and third closure devices, designated by the reference numerals 255a and 255b. During opening, the quarter 253 can rotate backward in order to further facilitate the insertion of the foot in the boot. A soft innerboot for containing the foot, designated by the reference numeral 256, is arranged inside shell 201 and quarter 253. Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a second embodiment of a ski boot which comprises a quarter, designated by the reference numeral 353, which is associated with a shell 301. A lifting and rotation means, designated by the reference numeral 357, for two flaps 310a and 310b is formed on the quarter 353 below the point where pivoting to the shell 301 occurs and proximate to the slots designated by the reference numerals 321a and 321b. The lifting and rotation means 357 is constituted by two protrusions which protrude toward the tip of said shell 301 and whose upper perimetric edge, designated by the reference numeral 358, is arranged in contact with the facing lower perimetric edge 359 of said two flaps 310a and 310b. The lifting and rotation means can be activated by arranging the quarter 353 vertically. The quarter can be locked in this position by resting the lower end, designated by the reference numeral 360, on the upper end 361 of said two flaps 310a and 310b. Operation is thus as follows: with reference to the above cited figures, the foot of the user can be easily inserted in the boot simply by disengaging the closure devices 224, 255a and 255b; the first pressure applied by the foot as it enters causes the mutual spacing of the two flaps 210a and 210b and simultaneously lifts said plates about the region that is adjacent to the bridge 211. The dual movement of the plates provides, without excessive efforts, a wide opening for the access of said foot. Once the foot has been inserted, by acting on the closure device, the second pivots 219a and 219b are returned toward the lower ends of the slots 221a and 221b while increasing the overlap of the two flaps 210a and 210b. The ski boot according to the embodiment of Figures 15-16 is even easier to put on, since the rotation of the quarter 353 in the vertical position entails the lifting and simultaneous rotation of the flaps 310a and 310b on the part of the two protrusions that constitute said lifting and rotation means. Figures 17-19 illustrate a ski boot shell according to a further aspect of the invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 401. The shell comprises a main body 402 having two overlapping flaps 410a and 410b in a manner similar to the embodiments described above. The flaps 410a and 410b are associated with the main body 402 by means of a respective pivot, or screw, 415 and are mutually connected together by means of a stud 444. Stud 444 is associated with flap 410b and engages a slot 445 provided on flap 410a. Slot 445 is arranged in order that, while the flaps 410a and 410b are brought forward, when the foot is inserted into the boot, stud 444 is at the end of slot 445 preventing the flaps 410a and 410b from separating from each other, as if the shell had a single flap. Also during the backward motion, when the boot is closed on the foot, the flaps will behave in a similar manner, while, when fastening the boot, the flaps will get close together thus improving the enveloping of the foot by the shell and compensating the hollow regions created by the different shapes and dimensions of the feet. Stud 444 may be provided in one piece with the respective flap improving the aesthetic appearance of the boot. Flaps 410a and 410b are connected to the main body 402 also by means of pegs 419 associated with the flaps and adapted to slide in respective slots 420 provided in the main body 402 approximately at the rear end of the overlapping flaps 410a and 410b. Figure 20 illustrates a shell 501 similar to shell 401 but for a slightly different arrangement of the flaps 510a and 510b that are not connected by a stud as in the above-described shell. Flaps 510a and 510b are rotatably connected to the main body 502 at about the central area of the foot rather than at the tip area as in the preceding embodiment. The absence of a stud improves the widening of the boot while inserting the foot. The maximum opening of the boot is a function of the length of the flaps 510a and 510b. Both flaps 510a and 510b are connected to the main body 502 also by means of pegs 519 associated with the flaps and adapted to slide in respective slots 520 provided in the main body 502. Figure 21 illustrates a shell 601 similar to shell 501 but wherein only one of the flaps, the left hand flap 610a, is connected to the main body 602 by means of a peg 619 associated with the flap and adapted to slide in slots 620 provided in the main body 602, while the other flap 610b is associated with the main body 602 by means of fasteners, such as rivets, 630 and 631. The shell according to the invention may have further modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims. All the details may be replaced with technically equivalent elements and the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the specific needs and to the state of the art. 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: A shell, particularly for a ski boot comprising a main body (2) which is open in an upward region, characterized in that it comprises, at the foot instep region (7), two partially overlapping plate portions (8a/b), each of said plate portions being rotatably pivoted to said shell by means of first rotary connection means (9a/b) arranged laterally to said shell on an axis which is approximately parallel to the resting plane of said sole, the rotation of said two plate portions being limited by second guided connection means (12a/b) arranged in the region in front of the heel. The shell according to claim 1, characterized in that said first rotary connection means comprises two hinges constituted by first pivots arranged laterally to said shell and on an axis which is approximately parallel to the resting plane of said sole and adjacent to the front perimetric edge of each plate portion. The shell according to claim 1, characterized in that said guided connection means comprises two second pivots associated with said plate portions and sliding within two respective slots formed at the front region of the heel approximately in the region above the malleoli. The shell according to claim 3, characterized in that each of said slots has a rectangular plan shape whose longitudinal axis is orientated in a direction which is oblique with respect to the resting plane of said sole, thus allowing said plate portions a partial rotation defined by the ends of said slots. The shell according to claim 3, characterized in that each of said slots is shaped like a circular arc which is centered at said first pivot, thus allowing said plates a partial rotation defined by the ends of said slots. The shell according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a closure device which comprises means for fastening said two underlying plates and a quarter which is rotatably associated with said shell and can rotate backward during opening. The shell according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a quarter is rotatably associated with said shell in an upward region, a lifting and rotation means for said two plates being formed on said quarter below the point where pivoting to said shell occurs and proximate to said slots. The shell according to claim 7, characterized in that said lifting and rotation means comprises two protrusions which protrude toward the tip of said shell and whose upper perimetric edge is arranged in contact with the facing lower perimetric edge of said two plates, said means being activated by arranging said quarter vertically. The shell according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that when said quarter is placed in the vertical position, it is locked in said position by virtue of the resting of the lower end of said quarter on the underlying upper end of said two plates. The shell according to claim 1, characterized in that it has, at the foot instep region, a single plate (209) comprising two arc-like flaps (210a/b) which constitute said plate portions and can partially overlap and are transversely connected at the front by an arc-like elastically deformable bridge (211), each of said two flaps being associated with said shell by means of first connection means (215a/b) arranged laterally to said shell and limited in its rotation by second guided connection means (219a/b) arranged in the region in front of the heel, said bridge abutting at the front against said shell and being arranged partially below said two flaps. The shell according to claim 10, characterized in that said bridge is connected, at its lateral ends, to each one of said two flaps at connection regions provided at the ends of the front perimetric edges that cannot mutually overlap. The shell according to claim 11, characterized in that said first connection means comprises two first fixed pivots arranged within two respective first through holes which are formed laterally to said shell, proximate to said connection regions. The shell according to claim 10, characterized in that said guided connection means comprises two second pivots associated with the respective flaps at two second through holes and can slide within two respective slots formed proximate to said region in front of the heel, proximate to the malleoli. The shell according to claim 13, characterized in that each of said slots has a rectangular plan shape whose longitudinal axis is orientated in a direction which is oblique with respect to the resting plane of said sole, thus allowing said plates a partial rotation defined by the ends of said slots. The shell according to claim 13, characterized in that each of said slots is shaped like a circular arc which is centered at said first fixed pivots, thus allowing said pair of flaps a partial rotation defined by the ends of said slots. The shell according to one or more of the preceding claims 10 to 15, characterized in that the forward rotation of said flaps is allowed by the deformability of said bridge (211) proximate to said connection regions, said bridge being rigidly coupled to said main body by said first fixed pivots and abutting against a recess which is provided proximate to the tip of the foot. The shell according to one or more of the preceding claims 10 to 16, characterized in that once said plate (209) is associated with said shell, the front ends of said two flaps partially overlap each other and partially overlap said underlying bridge. The shell according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a closure device which comprises means for fastening said two underlying plates and a quarter which is rotatably associated with said shell and can rotate backward during opening. The shell according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a quarter is rotatably associated with said shell in an upward region, lifting and rotation means for said two flaps being formed on said quarter below the point where pivoting to said shell occurs and proximate to said slots. The shell according to claim 19, characterized in that said lifting and rotation means comprises two protrusions which protrude toward the tip of said shell and whose upper perimetric edge is arranged in contact with the facing lower perimetric edge of said two flaps, said means being activated by arranging said quarter vertically. The shell according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that when said quarter is placed in the vertical position, it is locked in said position by virtue of the resting of the lower end of said quarter on the underlying upper end of said two flaps. The shell according to claim 1, characterized in that said overlapping plate portions comprise two overlapping flaps (410a/b) each pivoted to said main body by means of respective pivots (415), one of said flaps having a stud (444) adapted to engage a slot provided in the other one of said flaps. The shell according to claim 22, characterized in that at least one of said flaps is connected to said main body also by means of a peg associated with the flap and adapted to slide in a slot provided in the main body approximately at the rear end of the flap. The shell according to claim 22, characterized in that said flaps are rotatably connected to the main body at the tip area of the foot. The shell according to claim 22, characterized in that said flaps are rotatably connected to the main body at about the central area of the foot.

Inventors: CAERAN FRANCESCO, CAERAN, FRANCESCO
Applicants: NORDICA SPA, NORDICA S.P.A
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A43B5
IPC codes: A43C11, A43B23, A43B11, A43B5