U.S. patent application number 09/181329 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-23 for sole for a sport boot.
This patent application is currently assigned to SOLOMON S.A.. Invention is credited to GIRARD, FRANCOIS, GIRAULT, ERIC.
Application Number | 20010015024 09/181329 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27546417 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010015024 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GIRARD, FRANCOIS ; et
al. |
August 23, 2001 |
SOLE FOR A SPORT BOOT
Abstract
A sport boot sole of the type having on its lower surface two
connecting members, offset one with respect to the other in the
longitudinal direction of the boot, and arranged substantially
transversely, wherein the first connecting member is arranged in
the area of the front end portion, and the second connecting member
is arranged behind the first connecting member, and substantially
in front of the metatarsophalangeal articulation zone (.DELTA.).
Advantageously, the first connecting member is arranged in the area
of the front end portion of the toes or right in front of this end
portion.
Inventors: |
GIRARD, FRANCOIS; (VEYRIER
DU LAC, FR) ; GIRAULT, ERIC; (SEVRIER, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN
1941 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
|
Assignee: |
SOLOMON S.A.
|
Family ID: |
27546417 |
Appl. No.: |
09/181329 |
Filed: |
October 28, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/117.3 ;
280/614; 280/615; 280/625; 36/115; 36/116; 36/117.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 5/0411 20130101;
A63C 9/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/117.3 ;
36/115; 36/116; 36/117.1; 280/614; 280/615; 280/625 |
International
Class: |
A43B 005/04; A43B
005/16; A63C 009/00; A63C 009/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 29, 1997 |
FR |
97.13749 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sport boot sole of the type comprising on its lower surface
two connecting members offset one with respect to the other in the
longitudinal direction of the boot and arranged substantially
transversely, wherein the first connecting member is arranged in
the area of the front end portion and the second connecting member
is arranged behind the first connecting member, and substantially
in front of the metatarsophalangeal articulation zone.
2. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting member
is arranged in the area of the front end portion of the toes or
right in front of this end portion.
3. A sole according to claim 2, wherein the first connecting member
is arranged in the area of the front end portion of an assembly
form of the boot.
4. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the second connecting
member is distanced by about 50 mm from the first connecting
member.
5. A sole according to claim 1, wherein the two connecting member
are anchored separately in the sole.
6. A sole according to claim 1, wherein each connecting member is
constituted by a transverse axle.
7. A sole according to claim 1, wherein at least one flexion slot
is provided in the sole in the area of each connecting member.
8. A boot comprising a sole according to claim 1.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to the design of sport boots,
especially gliding sports, such as cross-country skiing or skating,
or other sports, such as biking, in which the boot must be attached
to the sport article while preserving a possibility of foot
movement during the practice of the sport.
[0003] 2. Description of Background and Material Information
[0004] In the aforementioned sports, and especially in
cross-country skiing, different methods of fastening the boot to
the sport article have been investigated.
[0005] Thus, the conventional binding method consists in attaching
the boot to the cross-country ski by means of a stirrup cooperating
with a front overlapping part of the sole and pressing this part
against the cross-country ski.
[0006] Such a binding method prevents the complete movement of the
foot since the foot is attached to an entire front part.
[0007] To overcome this drawback, different systems have been
proposed to articulate the boot on the cross-country ski around an
axle attached transversely to the boot.
[0008] Different positions of this axle, at the front of the boot,
at the level of the metatarsal zones, etc., have been tested with a
more or less degree of satisfaction.
[0009] The problem, in fact, is that while preserving a comfort of
use, a compromise must be found between two completely
contradictory requirements, namely:
[0010] a maximum movement or lifting of the foot, necessary for
obtaining a great impulse or a wide stride, depending on the sport
practiced, which implies a certain flexibility of the sole during
bending, this flexibility varying according to the type of sport
practiced; and
[0011] an optimum control and steering of the gliding member or
sport article which, in theory, can only be obtained through a
permanent "contact" between the foot and the former, and/or a
certain torsional rigidity of the sole, and therefore it is not
compatible with a flexion or movement of the foot.
[0012] This problem was partially resolved in the document FR 2 739
788, which provides an assembly of a boot and a device for binding
a boot to a sport article, in which the boot has two anchoring
means constituted by transverse axles arranged, one at the front of
the boot, and the other substantially in the area of the
metatarsophalangeal articulation zone, and in which the binding
device is provided so as to allow the rotation of the boot around
the first anchoring axle and to exert a constant elastic return on
the second anchoring axle in the direction of the sport
article.
[0013] Thus, providing means for the elastic return of the boot
towards the sport article, not at the front of the boot as in
currently known devices, but at the rear of the binding devices of
the boot, allows controlling the boot with respect to the gliding
member even when the boot is raised.
[0014] Such a boot/binding system therefore allows reconciling the
problems of lifting and control/steering of the boot with respect
to the sport article, and therefore allows, in principle, an
optimum movement of the foot.
[0015] The document FR 2 739 788 provides a positioning of the
second transverse axle in the area of the metatarsophalangeal
articulation zone.
[0016] However, experience shows that a positioning of such an axle
right at the level of this articulation poses problems concerning
comfort, since the flexion of the foot at this level occurs around
a hard spot.
[0017] The positioning of the first axle is not obvious either.
Indeed, the more this axis is positioned towards the front, the
greater the clearance, but if this axle is arranged too far towards
the front, the movement of the foot will be hindered since the
athlete will not have the feeling of a pure rotation.
[0018] On the other hand, the movement will not be optimum either
if the first axle is placed too far back with respect to the end
portion of the boot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0019] An object of the present invention, therefore, is to
overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and to propose a sole for a
sport boot that reconciles the requirements for control
movement/foot steering without having a negative effect on
comfort.
[0020] This object is achieved in the sport boot sole according to
the invention which is of the type having, on its lower surface,
two connecting members offset one with respect to the other in the
longitudinal direction of the boot and arranged substantially
transversely, whereby the first connecting member is arranged in
the area of the front end portion, and that the second connecting
member is arranged behind the first connecting member, and
substantially in front of the metatarsophalangeal articulation
zone.
[0021] Indeed, it is guaranteed through this arrangement that the
second connecting member will only operate at the end of a rolling
movement on the metatarsophalangeal articulation; consequently, it
will not hinder this movement.
[0022] According to a preferred embodiment, the first connecting
member is arranged in the area of the front end portion of the toes
or right in front of this end portion.
[0023] Such an arrangement also allows guaranteeing a rolling
movement on the toes without the presence of hard spots.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0024] The invention will be more clearly understood and other
characteristics thereof will become apparent with reference to the
following description and the annexed drawings, in which:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a sole according to the
invention; and
[0026] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] The sole designated by the reference numeral 1 in the
figures has a guiding groove 3 with a substantially rectangular
transverse section, arranged along the longitudinal axis 2 of the
sole and receiving two transverse pins or axles, constituting two
connecting members, respectively, front 10 and rear 20.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the first axle 10 is arranged in the
area of the front end portion of the sole whereas the second axle
20 is arranged in front of the metatarsophalangean journal axis
.DELTA..
[0029] Preferably, the first axle 10 is arranged in the area of the
front end portion of the toes.
[0030] In practice, this position is predetermined by the end
portion of the assembly form used to constitute the boot upper
during manufacturing. This form is shown as 30 in FIG. 2, as well
as the relative position of the axle 10 with respect to its end
portion 31.
[0031] The second axle 20 is arranged behind the first axle 10, in
the longitudinal direction and so as to be in front of the
metatarsophalangean journal axis A.
[0032] This position is shown particularly in FIG. 1.
[0033] In practice, for sizes equal to or greater than the
mondopoint size 23 (i.e., a size corresponding to a foot length of
230 mm), a distance "d", between the two axles 10 and 20 and equal
to 50 mm, allows meeting this requirement and reconciling a freedom
of foot movement while preserving a satisfactory steering.
[0034] According to preferred embodiments, the axles 10, 20 are
anchored independently one of the other in the boot so as not to
hinder the flexion of the sole.
[0035] Likewise, flexion slots 5, 6, 7, 8 can be provided between
the two axles 10, 20, and behind the second axle 20 for sole
flexibility.
[0036] It is noted that the position of the connecting parts 10, 20
at the front of each journal zone of the foot allows avoiding the
formation of hard spots during foot movement, and therefore ensures
a perfect comfort for the user.
[0037] The present invention is not limited to the only embodiment
described herein by way of non-limiting example, but it covers all
equivalent embodiments.
[0038] It also applies to all types of sport boots in which similar
or equivalent problems must be resolved.
[0039] The instant application is based upon the French Patent
Application No. 97 13749, filed Oct. 29, 1997, the disclosure of
which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference thereto in its
entirety, and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 USC
.sctn.119.
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