Abstract:
A skating boot adapted to be affixed to a chassis, the boot including a flexible, at least partially padded upper, shaped to envelope the foot and the lower leg, and a reinforcing portion including at least one rigid sole connected to the chassis and a heel reinforcement. The flexible upper includes a front foot covering portion having a rear scallop at least in the heel zone. A rear cuff, independent of the covering portion, includes a heel enveloping portion and a rising portion to envelope the lower leg. The front foot covering portion and the rear cuff are assembled detachably to form a flexible upper whose length can be adjusted. The boot is adaptable to a variety of sizes and foot morphologies, while ensuring a uniform enveloping and the same level of comfort, regardless of the adjustment length adopted.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/079,856, filed on May 15, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,004, issued on Apr. 18, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to skating devices, such as in-line skates, traditional roller skates, and ice skates. It is specifically related to boots that are adapted to such skates by an adjustment of their length and volume so as to accommodate a wide variety of sizes and foot morphologies. 
     2. Description of Background and Relevant Information 
     In-line skating is a sport which has become extremely successful and popular with a growing number of people. A large number of children also like to practice this sport. However, manufacturers generally offer a limited range of children&#39;s boots, citing development, manufacturing and budgeting costs as reasons therefor. As a result, it becomes difficult to find a boot which conforms correctly both to the size and the morphology of the child&#39;s foot, and at the same time, is comfortable, envelopes the foot and provides a good transmission of supports. In addition, in view of the fact that a child&#39;s foot grows both in size and volume, the skates soon become obsolete, usually after only a few months of wear. 
     Existing solutions consist of adjusting the shell size of the skating boot. U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,936 discloses, for instance, an in-line skate having a shell and a quarter portion assembled on the shell via sliding guide means. Such an assembly provides just a partial solution to the problem because only the reinforcing shell is adjustable in size. Such a shell is provided to receive an inner liner whose configuration has not been envisioned in U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,936. 
     Consequently, the problem of comfort and enveloping the foot has not been satisfactorily dealt with in the adjustable length/volume skate as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,936. In addition, the skate disclosed in this patent has the disadvantage of being hot, heavy and poorly ventilated, due to its structure which consists of an integrated rigid shell that has been derived from the field of downhill ski boots. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,362 discloses an athletic boot whose size can be adjusted. The boot has a molded construction, with a shell base on which a heel portion is adjusted at the rear, and a flexible tongue is adjusted towards the front. A collar is journalled about the heel portion. The adjustment mechanism is completed with straps made of a thermoplastic material that surround the instep in order to adjust its volume. Such a boot is essentially constituted of a rigid shell and has the same disadvantages as those cited in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,362 in which an inner liner is inserted. The proposed liner is equipped with slits arranged in appropriate areas, such as at the heel and in a frontal longitudinal position, so as to be able to accept variations in the size and volume of the shell. However, this adjustment is achieved at the expense of an adequate enveloping of the foot, and at the expense of comfort. 
     European Patent Application No. 878 141 A1 filed by the Applicant is related to a multi-sized boot which has a first part forming a cradle for heel retention that is extended by a sole, and a second part forming a more flexible vamp and having a plantar support. The first and second parts are adjusted along a relative, pre-determined longitudinal position and are connected via fixed connecting means. This type of solution is interesting but does not resolve the problem of adjusting the length of a child&#39;s skating boot, which includes the padding portion surrounding the foot. 
     U.S. Patent No. 5,842,293 is also related to a skate whose size can be adjusted. The skate has a boot made of two rigid plastic parts; a vamp portion equipped with lateral slots and a collar portion equipped with lateral buttons adapted to cooperate with the lateral slots. The parts are also equipped with serrated straps whose function is to adjust the width of each part individually, as well as to position the two parts relative to one another. Such a construction is fairly rudimentary and does not enable a very precise adjustment in volume. In addition, there is no mention of how the liner is adapted to the modification in volume of the two relatively rigid parts of the boot. It does not appear that this type of construction would guarantee comfort. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the this invention to solve the aforementioned problems. In particular, the invention proposes a boot that is adaptable to a variety of sizes and foot morphologies, while ensuring uniform enveloping and the same degree of comfort, regardless of how long an adjustment was made. 
     In order to achieve this as well as other objects, the inventive process envisioned the design of a flexible upper, including padding, constituted of two especially configured, detachably assembled parts, so as to promote an adjustment relative to the enveloping of the foot without risking any discomfort, creases, uncovered areas, etc. 
     More specifically, the invention is related to a skating boot, that can be adapted on a chassis, the chassis having: 
     a flexible upper whose shape is adapted to envelope the foot and the lower leg; 
     a reinforcing portion having at least one rigid sole connected to the chassis and a heel reinforcement, wherein: 
     the flexible upper has a front foot covering portion with a rear scallop freeing at least the heel zone; and 
     a rear cuff, independent of the covering portion, includes a heel enveloping portion and a rising portion for enveloping the lower part of the leg; 
     the front foot covering portion and the rear cuff being detachably assembled to form a flexible upper whose length can be adjusted. 
     In particular, the cuff is used like a frame of reference for positioning the leg, while the covering portion is displaced during adjustment with respect to such frame of reference. 
     According to another characteristic, the cuff has lateral cut out edges that free the area of the malleoli. Indeed, the area of the malleoli has been identified as being a sensitive zone that is not very tolerant of overthicknesses. Thus, the object of the invention is to cover the area of the malleoli with the covering portion within a predetermined range of adjustment that corresponds to the useful range of adjustment, so as to provide a uniform level of comfort. 
     According to a complementary characteristic, the front foot covering portion and the rear cuff are assembled by overlapping two sole thicknesses whose rigidity is greater than the rigidity of the remainder of the upper; the overlapping length can be modified depending on the desired adjustment of the upper. Such an assembly is simple and reliable. Because of its rigidity, the overlapping ensures a good retention and good support for the plantar support in the given zone. 
     According to another characteristic, the front foot covering portion and the rear cuff are, in addition, assembled by at least the partial overlapping of the lateral parts of each of the portions, which together delineate the volume of the flexible upper. Thus, the width of the foot can be adjusted by overlapping the lateral parts of the upper. This overlapping also ensures a good retention of the front foot portion and the cuff together. It also ensures a continuous enveloping of the foot without any non-covered zones that could cause discomfort in a localized manner. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment characteristic, the front foot covering portion has a sole portion and a vamp portion connected to the sole portion; the sole portion has a rigid tongue extending the sole portion towards the rear, beyond the vamp portion; the tongue having the ability to get housed during overlapping, at least partially, in the sole portion of the rear cuff. Such an assembly allows for a simplified adjustment of length that can be implemented without any great difficulty. 
     According to another interesting characteristic, the reinforcing portion has a first sub-assembly forming a rigid cradle that includes the heel reinforcement, which is affixed to the rigid sole; and a relatively more flexible, second sub-assembly, constituting a front foot covering vamp and having a plantar support; this plantar support being nested in the cradle and being connected thereto in a pre-determined longitudinal position that can be adjusted via adjustment and detachable connecting means arranged between the first and the second sub-assembly; the flexible upper being inserted inside the volume defined by the first and second sub-assemblies. 
     As a result, this simultaneously provides an adaptation of the reinforcing portion, as well as an adaptation of the enveloping portion, or flexible padded upper. This dual adaptation is unique as compared to the state of the art. It provides the possibility of adjusting, concomitantly, the characteristics relative to the transmission of forces and relative to safety, as well as the characteristics relative to the perception of sensations, proprioceptive properties and comfort. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The instant invention also has other advantageous characteristics that will become apparent from the following description, provided by way of example, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of an in-line skate with a boot according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the skate of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the shell portion that receives the skate according to the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the flexible upper according to the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the upper in its assembled configuration; 
     FIG. 6 shows a bottom detail of the upper of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a flexible upper according to a variation of the invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the variation of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a second variation of the invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a side view showing a boot assembled according to the variation of FIG.  9 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The in-line skate illustrated in FIG. 1 has a boot  1  and a rolling train  2  along which the boot is secured, either permanently, or detachably via appropriate connecting means (not shown). 
     The rolling train therefore has a chassis or frame  20 , generally with a inverted U-shaped section and a series of wheels  21  which are connected between the sides of the chassis via transverse axes  22  that are aligned in a substantially horizontal series. 
     As shown in a first example of FIG. 2, the boot is characterized by a flexible and pliable upper portion  3  and a reinforcing portion  4 . The main function of the upper is to promote the enveloping and comfort of the foot as well as the lower part of the user&#39;s leg. It is mainly obtained by assembling layers of breathable, light and wear resistant materials. The inside of the upper has a padding. 
     The flexible upper  3  according to the invention has two parts that are assembled together in order to ensure the adaptation of the upper to the size and morphology of a variety of feet. One of these parts is designed to be the covering portion  30  for the front of the foot, i.e., the forefoot. The other part  31  is constituted of a rising cuff, independent of the covering portion  30 . 
     The front foot covering portion  30  has a sole portion  32  and a vamp portion  33  which is connected to the sole portion  32  via connecting means, such as stitching, for example. The vamp portion extends towards the front to receive the toes and towards the rear, approximately up to the area of the malleoli. The covering portion is equipped with a rear scallop  34 . The scallop  34  is delineated by the upwardly extending lateral edges  35  of the vamp and by the rear edge  36  of the sole. The scallop forms a non-covered zone of the front foot covering portion, and corresponds substantially to the heel area of the foot, i.e., the lateral edges are positioned forwardly of the heel area of the foot. In the vertical direction, the upper edges  37  of the vamp portion form the upper limit of the covering portion. Preferably, the covering portion is a relatively low portion of the upper that ends below the area of the malleoli. 
     The cuff  31  forms the complementary portion overlapping the rear scallop  34  of the foot covering portion. The cuff has a heel enveloping part  38  that extends upwardly via a lower leg enveloping portion  39 . The cuff also has a heel support sole  56 . The cuff has truncated lateral edges  39   a  and a truncated sole edge  38   a . In a first example, the lateral edges  39   a  flare progressively upwards, ensuring a good enveloping for the lower part of the calf. Compared to the upper edges  37  of the covering portion, the cuff extends the upper upwardly beyond such edges. 
     The reinforcing portion  4  has a first sub-assembly or rigid cradle with a rigid outer sole  40  that constitutes the rigid base along which the chassis  20  of the skate is connected, which extends upwardly into the rear region via a heel reinforcement  41  whose dimensions and shape are adapted to maintain and protect the heel. In a potential variation, the chassis can be made all in one piece with the sole  40 . A collar  42  is journalled on the heel reinforcement  41 . As is well known, the collar ensures the lateral support of the ankle and the lower leg. Preferably, it has a rear abutment  43  that takes support on a complementary support surface of the reinforcement  41  so as to act like a rear support for the leg and like a referencing means that encourages the quest for rear balance. The collar is preferably journalled about transverse journal axes  44  located on the side of the collar in the area of the malleoli. 
     In a variation (not shown), the collar can be obtained all in one piece with the heel reinforcement  41  and weak section areas can be envisioned to allow the collar to bend with respect to the reinforcement. 
     A semi-rigid overlapping vamp  45  is provided in the front foot, that is assembled to the sub-assembly formed by the rigid sole  40  and the reinforcement  41 . The assembly is obtained in an adjustable manner as will be explained later. The vamp  45  has a plantar support  46  shown in dotted and dashed lines in FIG. 2, and rests on the inner surface of the rigid sole  40 . The vamp  45  has lateral portions  47  extending from the area of the toe of the boot up to the vicinity of the heel area, however, with a rear opening  48  in the heel so that the vamp ends in the lateral edges  49  adjacent to the walls of the heel reinforcement  41 . 
     The vamp  45  is adapted to be partially nested in the heel reinforcement  41  by the plantar support  46  and the lateral portions  47  that partially overlap with the heel reinforcement  41  and the rigid outer sole  40 . 
     As shall be shown in greater detail in FIG. 3, the plantar support  46  is engaged in the cradle of the reinforcing portion  4  by being connected via detachable connecting and adjustment elements  50 ,  51 ,  52 ,  53  arranged between the rigid outer sole  40  of the cradle and the plantar support  46 . The connection and adjustment elements  50 ,  51  each have a longitudinal slot  50   a ,  51   a  in the plantar support and a screw  50   b ,  51   b  that passes through the slot, from the outer sole and the chassis  20  with which they form common connecting elements. Preferably, the elements  50 ,  51  are located substantially in the longitudinal axis of the chassis. 
     Other additional adjustment elements can be added, such as the elements  52 ,  53 , of the same type as the elements  50 ,  51 , but off-centered with respect to such elements. In a different manner as compared to the elements  50 ,  51 , the elements  52 ,  53  only connect the vamp to the cradle, without any connection with the chassis. 
     Other variations can be envisioned in which only the connections  50 ,  51  are present, or only the connections  52 ,  53 . 
     During the adjustment, the vamp  45  is apt to become deformed in a transverse direction so as to be adapted to the transverse dimensions of the cradle due to the deformation zones or the least resistance zones  54 . These zones are preferably obtained in the plantar support  46  of the vamp in the zone corresponding to the range of overlapping with the heel reinforcement surfaces. These zones form longitudinally oriented deformable slots that allow an elastic deformation of the plantar support in the cradle. 
     FIGS. 4 through 6 show the details of the assembly formed by the padded flexible upper adapted to cover the foot and the lower leg in a first embodiment of the invention. The sole portion  32  of the covering portion  30  has a rigid tongue  55  that extends the sole portion towards the rear, beyond the vamp portion  33 . The tongue can be housed during overlapping in the sole portion  56  of the rear cuff  31 . Preferably, the tongue rests inside the sole portion  56  of the cuff, such that the edge  56   a  of the cuff passes under the sole portion  32  of the front foot covering portion  30 . The tongue is obtained from a relatively rigid material as compared to the rest of the upper so as to ensure a certain retention of the assembly during bending and in torsion. The sole portion is also preferably obtained in a relatively rigid material as compared to the rest of the upper. 
     In one embodiment, the lateral edges  39   a  externally overlap the edges  35  of the vamp. In other words, the overlapping occurs by the adjustment of the front foot covering portion  30  inside the cuff  31 . FIG. 6 shows, by way of example, a widened adjustment position A and a more narrowed position B. 
     The upper is adapted to be housed in the reinforcing portion. More specifically, the flexible covering portion  30  of the upper is positioned inside the space formed by the adjustable assembly of the outer sole  40  of the cradle and the independent vamp  45 . Similarly, the flexible rear cuff is positioned inside the volume reserved by the heel reinforcement  41  and the collar  42 . It is easy to understand that this finely tuned adjustment of the boot is rendered possible due to superpositioning the adjustments, in length and in volume, both for the outer reinforcing portion, as well as for the inner liner. 
     The structure of the covering portion can include, in its vamp portion  33 , two flaps  33   a ,  33   b  that delineate a central opening  57  for the introduction of the foot. Return elements  58  are fixed on the flaps in the vicinity of the edges of the opening  57  for the passage of a lacing (not shown). The return elements  58  can cooperate via an alternating cross-wise tightening of the lacing with the return elements  59  connected to the vamp of the reinforcing portion (FIG.  3 ). Such a lacing device has been described in European Patent Application No. 784 944 whose description is hereby incorporated into this application with reference thereto. An elastic strip  60  is also adjusted at the level of the instep to encourage the introduction of the covering portion  30  in the cuff  31  by exerting a tightening action on the edges of the opening  57 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a different embodiment of the invention in which the flexible upper  3  is adjusted lengthwise via a cuff  31  whose lateral edges  39   a  are introduced inside the front foot covering portion  30 , whereas the edge  56   a  of the cuff sole is kept outside the covering portion  30 , and the sole portion thus forms the external heel support in the cradle. To increase the range of mutual overlap of the two portions  30 ,  31 , the front foot covering zone  30  is equipped with an open edge portion  61  located on each side between the sole portion  32  and the vamp portion  33 . Thus, the edges of the cuff can be introduced through the open portions  61 , thereby improving retention during the mutual overlapping of the two parts of the upper  30 ,  31 . 
     FIGS. 9 and 10 represent another embodiment of the invention in which the covering portion  30  of the upper forms the outer part of the boot in the front foot area in the absence of a plastic vamp. A minimal toe reinforcement is ensured simply via a semi-rigid plastic joining piece  62  that is directly connected to the covering portion  30  via stitching. The advantage of such a boot structure is that it is lighter and breathes better than the aforementioned structure. 
     In a departure from the previous embodiments, the upper must be connected to the reinforcing portion  4  by connecting elements whose object is to keep the upper in place when the foot is biased while in use. These elements should be detachable so as follow the lengthwise adjustment of the upper. One can thus envision that the front foot covering portion  30  is adjustably and detachably connected directly on the outer sole  40 , the elements being of the type described in FIG.  3 . One can thus envision that the lengthwise and volume adjustment of the foot can be done by the relative displacement of the front foot  30  covering portion and the cuff  31 , used as a frame of reference in the boot, and consequently, with respect to the rigid sole  40 , between a position A and a position B such as illustrated in FIG.  10 . 
     As other potential embodiment variations, one can envision that the elements of the flexible upper, i.e., the front foot covering portion  30  and its cuff  31  be assembled via special detachable elements, such as a self-gripping mechanism of the Velcro type (i.e., hook and loop fasteners), for example, or even via strap and buckle assemblies, or even clipping or clicking means. 
     The thrust of the invention can be found in the arrangement of the upper or flexible and at least partially padded liner, constituted of a first portion covering the front foot and displaceable relative to a second portion forming a cuff, that in turn constitutes the frame of reference for the positioning of the upper with respect to the reinforcement structure of the boot. More specifically, the invention can be found in the combination of an upper having an adjustable configuration, inserted into a reinforcing portion which is itself adjustable. 
     Naturally, the instant invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment examples, but encompasses all embodiments that could be included in the following claims. 
     The instant application is based upon French Patent Application No. 99 00786, filed on Jan. 21, 1999, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 USC 119.