Abstract:
Latching apparatus and unlatching means for use with a ski boot of the type having a shell base and an upper. The upper is adapted to open to allow for entry of the foot into said ski boot. The latching apparatus has at least two positions, an open position in which the upper is left to open to allow for entry of the foot, and a closed position in which the upper is closed around the lower portion of the leg. The latching apparatus is associated with the unlatching means whereby the unlatching means allows for opening of the latching apparatus without the skier having to bend down.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to rear entry ski boots which comprise a latch closure mechanism for closing the upper around the lower leg of the skier, and relates more particularly to a lever which makes it possible to more easily open the latch at will. 
     2. Description of Relevant Materials and Background 
     In a known manner, rear entry ski boots comprise a rigid shell base on which is journalled at least in part, around a horizontal transverse axis, an upper which is composed of a cuff and a rear spoiler. The rear spoiler is itself journalled around a transverse horizontal axis which can be coincident with the axis of the cuff, attached to the upper and/or the rigid shell base in a manner so as to be able to pivot rearwardly to allow for the introduction of the foot into the boot with a frontward movement. 
     For insertion of the foot in the boot to be efficient for skiing, as well as comfortable, it is necessary to assure closure and latching of the upper on the lower leg of the skier by connection of the rear spoiler to the cuff. 
     To achieve this the cuff is provided on both sides with generally adjustable anchorage points. A hook and pin system may be provided for a cable which passes from one side to the other of the rear spoiler through guides, and can be stretched and pulled tight by means of a latching or manipulation lever journalled on the rear spoiler which latches or locks in the closed position. This lever is in the general configuration of a solid plate, flat or arched, and which occupies a relatively substantial portion of the width of the dorsal part of the rear spoiler. Instead of being solid, the lever can also be in the form of a &#34;U&#34; or horseshoe between the arms of which may be provided an adjustment element capable of assuring functions other than closure of the boot. Such a lever is described in French Application No. 84 029 900, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto. 
     Furthermore, the same lever may be adapted, in addition to closure of the upper around the lower leg, to assure the tightening and hold down of the foot in the shell base by means of a single manipulation. 
     The latching action of the lever is obtained by an elbow or over the center toggle latch formed by guiding the cable through a direction change on the rear spoiler, over the journalled axis of the lever on the rear spoiler and the connection of the cable to the free end of the lever. By moving back the lever from the open position until the dead point, one obtains closure and then, after passing through the dead point, latching into the closed position. 
     When seeking maximum simplicity and ease in the manipulation of the closure and latching of the boot, it becomes desirable to eliminate all manual intervention of the skier as is shown for example in French Patent Application No. 83 20 413 which discloses apparatus having a closure and latching lever with a spring return, for example. Opening of the boot requires a voluntary intervention by the skier to unlatch the latch. 
     Likewise, in certain apparatus wherein closing and latching can be performed directly with the other foot without the skier having to bend down, a voluntary intervention of the skier is still necessary on the lever to cause unlatching. By virtue of the elbow apparatus, unlatching has always necessitated a &#34;voluntary&#34; intervention which can hardly be anything other than manual, to lift the lever above the dead point, which in effect requires that the skier must bend down to reach the free end of the lever. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a latching system for ski boots wherein the boot may be opened by the skier without having to bend down. 
     According to the invention, the above objective is achieved by means of the inventive latching apparatus and associated unlatching means for use with a ski boot. The ski boot is formed of a shell base and an upper. The upper is adapted to open in a manner so as to allow for entry of the foot. The latching apparatus has at least two positions, an open position in which the upper is left to open to allow for entry of the foot, and a closed position in which the upper is closed around the lower portion of the leg. The latching apparatus is associated with the unlatching means whereby the unlatching means allows for opening of the latching apparatus without the skier having to bend down. 
     The unlatching means may comprise an unlatching lever associated with the latching apparatus whereby force exerted on the unlatching lever causes the latching apparatus to move to the open position. 
     The latching apparatus comprises a cable and a latching lever. The latching lever is associated with the cable whereby closure of the latching lever draws the cable to close the upper. The latching lever has an open position, a dead point ahead of a closed position, and a closed position. The unlatching lever is adapted to exert a force on the latching lever to move the latching lever from the closed position and past the dead point towards the open position. The tension of the cable when the latching lever is in the closed position is sufficient to open the latching lever after it is moved through its dead point by the unlatching lever. The latching lever serves as an over-the-center toggle, and the unlatching lever is positioned to &#34;break&#34; the toggle to the open position upon the application of pressure onto the unlatching lever. 
     The ski boot may furthermore be of the type which includes a foot hold down for exerting pressure on the instep of the foot. The foot hold down is regulated by means of a second cable which may be distinct from or the same as the first cable. The second cable is operated by means of a hold down lever. The hold down lever is an over the center toggle having open, closed and dead point positions. The hold down lever and the latching lever are positioned to pivot in the same general direction upon application of force to the unlatching lever. 
     The unlatching lever and latching lever may in one embodiment both be pivotably mounted on the boot to pivot around a common axis. In this embodiment the unlatching lever acts as a mechanical lever having its longer lever arm exposed in a manner so that it can be kicked by the skier&#39;s other boot, thereby exerting a force on the latching lever to move the latching lever from the closed position past the dead point towards the open position. 
     According to another embodiment the unlatching lever is pivotably mounted on the boot along a pivot axis different from the pivot axis of the latching lever. The unlatching lever acts as a mechanical lever having longer and shorter lever arms, the longer lever arm being exposed in a manner so as to be kicked by the skier&#39;s other boot, thereby exerting a force through the shorter lever arm on the latching lever to move the latching lever past the dead point towards the open position. 
     The unlatching lever may be mounted between the latching lever and the boot whereby force exerted on the unlatching lever pushes the latching lever to pivot away from the boot towards the open position. In this embodiment the unlatching lever has an upper exposed portion, and an intermediate portion positioned to exert a force on the latching lever as the unlatching lever pivots. 
     The unlatching lever may be protected within an enclosure covered by a flexible membrane whereby the unlatching lever is effectively exposed to a force being exerted thereon through the membrane, but is nevertheless protected from the elements. 
     The latching lever may have a &#34;U&#34; configuration to allow for placement of an adjustment mechanism between the two arms of the &#34;U&#34;. 
     Although described generally, it is intended that the latching apparatus be affixed to a boot. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings given by way of non-limiting example only in which: 
     FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 respectively illustrate three embodiments of latching levers according to the invention, FIG. 3a illustrating in cross-section a detailed portion of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 4 illustrates in partial cross-section an unlatching lever coupled to the latching lever; 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the extreme phases of operation of the apparatus of FIG. 4 on a boot, and respectively show a boot latched closed, and in the unlatched position for opening of the upper of the boot; 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a boot to which the invention may be applied, but which furthermore comprises a separate second (foot hold down) lever which is latchable for holding down the foot in the shell base; 
     FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 schematically illustrate, for the same type of boot, the operation of the apparatus, FIG. 8 illustrating unlatching, FIG. 9 the opening of the upper and the loosening of the boot, and FIG. 10 the latching of the latching lever and the simultaneous hold down of the foot by means of force exerted on a single lever; and 
     FIGS. 11 and 12 show two alternative embodiments of the apparatus of FIG. 4. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     It is an aim of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and the apparatus of the invention allows a skier, without bending down, to undo his boots by &#34;breaking&#34; the latching system, for example by simple action of the other foot, irrespective of whether the latching procedure is automatic or likewise foot-controlled. 
     FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a rear entry ski boot which in a conventional manner comprises a rigid shell base 1 which is formed of a single piece with sole 2. An upper constituted by a cuff 4 and a rear spoiler 5 is journalled around a transverse axis 3 which is at least approximately horizontal on shell base 1. The boot preferably includes an interior slipper 6 made of a foam material. 
     The closure of the upper on the lower leg of the skier is achieved by the cooperation of cable 7 and a manipulation lever 8. Cable 7 is laterally anchored on both sides of cuff 4, for example, with at least one adjustable hook and pin over-the-center selectively adjustable toggle 9 as is well known, or can be guided on or in cuff 4 by surrounding the front portion of the lower leg of the wearer. Cable 7 then passes through lateral guides 10 of rear spoiler 5 before dropping once again on both sides of the dorsal zone of rear spoiler 5 until being connected by anchoring or by going through the lower end of manipulation lever 8. Lever 8 is journalled at its upper end around a transverse pivot axis or pin 11 on spoiler 5 and is manipulable in the direction of opening (arrow F) against a spring mechanism (not shown). This opening and closing (which may or may not be automatic by virtue of the spring) and latching in closure of the apparatus on cuff 4 is known in itself and need not be further developed. 
     In FIG. 1, lever 8 has a &#34;U&#34; shape which provides a space between its arms for an adjustment element (unnumbered), for example, which adjusts the hold down in shell base 1, as is known. In FIGS. 2 and 3, on the other hand, lever 8 is shown in solid form, with no cutout. 
     In the three cases, the boot is shown in the closed and latched position by means of an elbow or toggle formed by guide 10 of cable 6 on rear spoiler 5, the journal axis 11 of lever 8 on rear spoiler 5, and the connection of cable 7 to lever 8, as was previously described. 
     According to the invention, lever 8 is associated with an unlatching lever 12 which may be journalled on the same axis 11 of rear spoiler 5 as latching or manipulation lever 8. The relative position of the portions which form the bearing on axis 11 of each of levers 8 and 12 is without significance, but the illustration of FIG. 4 corresponds to the case where the journalling of the second lever 12 is between the journal bearings of latching lever 8. 
     Second lever 12, which is referenced herein as the unlatching lever, is shown in this embodiment in a general fashion as an extension of latching lever 8 on the opposite side of journal 11 and its general direction forms an angle with the second lever such that when the latching lever is in the latched position, second lever 12 or at least its end 13 which can preferably have the general shape of a spatula or spoon, sufficiently projects or is exposed with respect to the contour of rear spoiler 5 such that it can be activated without difficulty by the other leg of the skier. To this end, it will be noted that when the end 13 is in the form of a spatula or spoon, the rounded on convex shape surface of this element faces the exterior of the upper such that the opening impact by a kick of the foot is in all cases assured. Likewise, in FIGS. 4 and 12, end 13 of lever 12 is preferably provided with a rounded portion 13&#39; which makes it possible to obtain an approximately horizontal force component when an opening force is applied by the other foot on the rounded end of the unlatching lever. 
     Generally, at the level of journal 11, on rear spoiler 5, the two levers 8 and 12 are coupled to rotate together, at least, in one direction, such that the latching of lever 8 moves unlatching lever 12 towards its projecting or &#34;outlet&#34; position (arrows F in FIG. 4). In the opposite direction, rotation of unlatching lever 12 towards its recessed position causes the unlatching of latching lever 8 (position shown in chain lines in FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 4, this coupling can be achieved by portions 14 and 15 of each of levers 8 and 12 cooperating in positive abutment, at an appropriate distance from journal axis 11 such that the lever arm between abutments 14 and 15, and axis 11 allows both for latching and unlatching which is sure and easy to obtain without exerting excess force. 
     Operation of the system is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. In FIG. 5, the boot is latched and latching lever 12 protrudes outwardly. Pressure, for example exerted by the other foot on lever 12 toward the rear spoiler, (broken arrow) causes the lifting of lever 8 by breaking the toggle or elbow, configuration formed between points 10, 11, and 8 and the unlatching of the boot (solid arrow). The position of FIG. 6 is thus reached where a pressure on lever 8 in the same manner (broken arrow) re-establishes the latching by means of elbow 10, 11, 8 again making unlatching lever 12 protrude. 
     For esthetic reasons and essentially for reasons of protection, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a, unlatching lever 12, above journal 11, can be positioned in a cavity or enclosure of rear spoiler 5 and hidden by a flexible membrane 16. In this arrangement, end 13 of the lever does not &#34;extend out&#34; or protrude in the strict sense, although this term can however be utilized by analogy with what has preceded. Unlatching occurs by pressure on the surface of flexible membrane 16 (broken arrow in FIG. 3a), which biases end 13 of unlatching lever 12, such that pressure on membrane 16 acts more reliably, and slipping is prevented. The membrane is preferably channelled in the horizontal direction. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a boot having substantially the same characteristics as in the previous embodiment but which, in addition, includes above latching lever 8, a separate lever 17 to activate an internal hold down mechanism of the foot in the shell. Hold down lever 17 is journalled on rear spoiler 5, on or preferably above axis 11, as shown, also in an elbow, and controls in a manner which is in itself known, by means of a cable 18, the pressure on the instep of the skier by a foot hold down 19. In particular, as shown, latching lever 8 is latched and foot hold down lever 17 is lifted, thus out of action, and hides the upper end of unlatching lever 12. 
     The operation of this assembly is more or less similar to the preceding embodiment and is illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. In FIG. 8, latching lever 8 and foot hold down lever 17 are latched and unlatching lever 12 protrudes. Pressure exerted on lever 12 (broken arrow) causes simultaneous unlatching of levers 8 and 17, the latching lever 8 pushing hold down lever 17 upwardly together with it, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 9. When the boot has just been put on and, before latching, it is in the position illustrated in FIG. 10. Action on hold down lever 17 in the direction of the broken arrow, for example by the other foot, causes the hold down of the foot and the latching of the two levers 17 and 8, the first causing the second to rotate. 
     In what has preceded, latching lever 8 and the unlatching lever 12 has been shown common journal axis 11 on rear spoiler 5. This arrangement, although it appears preferable, is however not necessary. As illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, unlatching lever 12 can have a journal axis 11&#39;on rear spoiler 5, which is distinct from axis 11 and situated at a level below it, as shown, or at a higher level. The force to be exerted for unlatching will occur in one direction or the other as indicated by arrows F depending upon whether abutment 15 of unlatching lever 12 cooperates with abutment 14 of latching lever 8, on the same or the opposite side of leer end 13, with respect to axis 11&#39;. 
     From the description which has preceded, it is seen that in all cases where a rear entry boot can be latched by a closure latch for closing the cuff on the lower leg of the skier, the unlatching lever makes it possible by simple intervention of the other foot, without the skier having to bend down, to break the toggle which assures latching. This is even the case wher the latching lever is associated with a second lever which activates an internal foot hold down apparatus. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particulars disclosed, and extends to all equivalence within the scope of the claims. For example, although the invention has been described with respect to a particular type of hold-down mechanism, and cable system, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those particulars and that the concept of the invention can be applied to such systems generally.