U.S. patent application number 10/205138 was filed with the patent office on 2003-03-06 for clamp for ski boots and similar.
Invention is credited to Berlese, Remigio.
Application Number | 20030041418 10/205138 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11459095 |
Filed Date | 2003-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030041418 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Berlese, Remigio |
March 6, 2003 |
Clamp for ski boots and similar
Abstract
A clamp for ski boots and similar, having a supporting plate
fixed rigidly to a first portion of the outer shell of the boot; a
lock lever hinged at one end to the supporting plate; and a lock
arm having a first end hinged to slide freely along a central
portion of the body of the lock lever, and a second end shaped to
engage an anchoring plate fixed rigidly to a second portion of the
outer shell of the boot.
Inventors: |
Berlese, Remigio;
(Montebelluna, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FROMMER LAWRENCE & HAUG
745 FIFTH AVENUE- 10TH FL.
NEW YORK
NY
10151
US
|
Family ID: |
11459095 |
Appl. No.: |
10/205138 |
Filed: |
July 25, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/68SK |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43C 11/1433 20130101;
Y10T 24/2183 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/68.0SK |
International
Class: |
A43C 011/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 27, 2001 |
IT |
TO2001A000750 |
Claims
1) A clamp (1) for ski boots and similar, comprising a supporting
plate (2) fixed to the outer shell of the boot; a lock lever (3)
hinged at a first end (3a) to said supporting plate (2); and a lock
arm (4) fixed at a first end (4a) to said lock lever (3); said
clamp (1) being characterized in that the first end (4a) of said
lock arm (4) is hinged to slide freely along a central portion (3b)
of the body of said lock lever (3).
2) A clamp as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said lock
lever (3) comprises, at the central portion (3b) of its body, at
least one contoured slot (8); and the first end (4a) of said lock
arm (4) is mounted to slide freely inside said at least one
contoured slot (8).
3) A clamp as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first
end (3a) of said lock lever (3) is hinged to a pair of flat
brackets (2a) projecting from said supporting plate (2), so as to
rotate freely about a first axis of rotation (A) perpendicular to
the mid-plane (M) of the lock lever.
4) A clamp as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said lock
lever (3) has a central opening (6) extending from said first end
(3a) of the lock lever inwards of the body of the lock lever, and
parallel to the mid-plane (M).
5) A clamp as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said lock
arm (4) is divided into two longitudinal portions (9, 11); and the
longitudinal portion (9) comprising the first end (4a) of said lock
arm (4) is shaped to engage and slide along said central opening
(6).
6) A clamp as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said
central opening (6) divides the first end (3a) of said lock lever
(3) into two parallel facing appendixes, each having a respective
contoured slot (8); the two contoured slots (8) being located on
opposite sides of the mid-plane (M) of the lock lever and aligned
with each other; and the longitudinal portion (9) of the lock arm
(4) comprising the first end (4a) of the lock arm having a pair of
pins (10) extending on opposite sides of the body of said
longitudinal portion (9), so as each to engage and slide along a
respective contoured slot (8).
7) A clamp as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said lock
arm (4) has a second end (4b) shaped to rapidly engage and easily
release an anchoring plate (5) also fixed to the outer shell of
said boot.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a clamp for ski boots and
similar.
[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a clamp
for ski boots and similar having a rigid plastic outer shell, to
which the following description refers purely by way of
example.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] As is known, ski boots with a rigid plastic outer shell are
equipped with a number of clamps by which to clamp the boot in such
a manner as to immobilize the user's leg inside the boot.
[0004] At present, known clamps comprise: a supporting plate fixed
rigidly to a first end of the outer shell of the boot; a lock lever
hinged at one end to a pair of brackets projecting from the
supporting plate; and a lock arm having a first end hinged to the
central portion of the lock lever, and a second end shaped to
engage an anchoring plate fixed rigidly to a second portion of the
outer shell of the boot.
[0005] The lever is hinged to the supporting plate so as to rotate
between a lock position, in which the body of the lock lever is
parallel to and facing the supporting plate, so that part of the
arm is located astride the brackets on the supporting plate, and
the free end of the lock arm is at a minimum distance from the
supporting plate; and a release position, in which the body of the
lock lever is rotated frontwards with respect to the supporting
plate, so that the whole lock arm is located downstream from the
brackets on the supporting plate, and the free end of the lock arm
is at a maximum distance from the supporting plate.
[0006] Unfortunately, the structure of known clamps seriously
limits the amount of forward travel the free end of the lock arm is
permitted when the lock lever is switched from the lock to the
release position.
[0007] To increase travel of the lock arm, the distance between the
point at which the lock lever is hinged to the supporting plate,
and the point at which the lock arm is hinged to the lock lever,
would have to be increased, thus resulting in an unacceptable
increase in the force required of the user on the lock lever to
clamp the boot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a clamp
for ski boots and similar, designed to eliminate the aforementioned
drawbacks.
[0009] According to the present invention, there is provided a
clamp for ski boots and similar, comprising a supporting plate
fixed to the outer shell of the boot; a lock lever hinged at a
first end to said supporting plate; and a lock arm fixed at a first
end to said lock lever; said clamp being characterized in that the
first end of said lock arm is hinged to slide freely along a
central portion of the body of said lock lever.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be
described by way of example with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view, with parts removed for
clarity, of a clamp for ski boots and similar, in accordance with
the teachings of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 shows a plan view, with parts in section and parts
removed for clarity, of the FIG. 1 clamp;
[0013] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view, with parts removed for
clarity, of the FIG. 1 and 2 clamp in the release position;
[0014] FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 show detailed views of four variations
of a component part of the FIG. 1-3 clamp for ski boots and
similar.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, number 1 indicates as a
whole a clamp particularly suitable for ski boots, mountaineering
boots, roller-blade skate boots, ice-skate boots, and numerous
other types of sports boots comprising an outer shell of rigid
material (e.g. plastic), so as to enable the user to clamp the boot
quickly and effectively to immobilize the leg inside the boot.
[0016] Clamp 1 comprises a supporting plate 2 fixed rigidly to a
first portion of the outer shell (not shown) of the boot; a lock
lever 3 hinged at one end 3a to supporting plate 2; and a lock arm
4 having a first end 4a hinged so as to slide freely along a
central portion 3b of the body of lock lever 3, as explained in
detail later on, and a second end 4b shaped to engage a known
anchoring plate 5 fixed rigidly to a second portion (not shown) of
the outer shell of the boot.
[0017] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, lock lever 3
is hinged to two flat parallel facing brackets 2a projecting from
supporting plate 2, so as to rotate freely about an axis A of
rotation perpendicular to the mid-plane M of the lever, and has a
central opening 6 extending from end 3a inwards of the body of lock
lever 3 and parallel to mid-plane M of the lever.
[0018] More specifically, end 3a of lock lever 3 is located between
the two flat brackets 2a on supporting plate 2, and central opening
6 divides end 3a into two parallel facing appendixes, each of which
is hinged to a respective bracket 2a by a cylindrical pin 7
extending parallel to axis A through the body of bracket 2a and the
appendix.
[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, at central portion 3b of
its body, lock lever 3 comprises two contoured transverse slots 8,
each formed in a corresponding appendix of end 3a of lock lever 3.
The two contoured slots 8 are obviously located on opposite sides
of mid-plane M of the lever, and extend along the same axis
parallel to axis A, so as to be aligned with each other.
[0020] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, lock arm 4 is divided
into two longitudinal portions, to which correspond the two ends 4a
and 4b of lock arm 4.
[0021] The longitudinal portion comprising end 4a of the
arm--hereinafter indicated 9--is shaped to engage and slide along
central opening 6 formed in the body of lock lever 3, and has on
the end, i.e. at end 4a of the arm, two cylindrical pins 10
extending on opposite sides of the body of longitudinal portion 9,
so as each to engage and slide along a respective contoured slot
8.
[0022] Both pins 10 extend coaxially with an axis B parallel to the
axis A of rotation of lock lever 3, so as to slide freely, inside
contoured slots 8, between a first work position (FIGS. 1 and 2) in
which pins 10 rest against the inner lateral surface portions of
the two contoured slots 8 closest to cylindrical pins 7, and axis B
is at a minimum distance from axis A; and a second work position
(FIG. 3) in which pins 10 rest against the inner lateral surface
portions of the two contoured slots 8 furthest from cylindrical
pins 7, and axis B is at a maximum distance from axis A. In
addition, pins 10 are shaped to rotate freely about axis B inside
the two contoured slots 8, so as to allow lock arm 4 to rotate
freely with respect to lock lever 3.
[0023] In other words, end 4a of lock arm 4 is hinged to slide
freely along central portion 3b of the body of lock lever 3, in
which the two contoured slots 8 are formed.
[0024] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the second longitudinal
portion of lock arm 4 comprising end 4b of the arm--hereinafter
indicated 11--is shaped to permit fast engagement and troublefree
release of anchoring plate 5 by the free end, and is preferably,
though not necessarily, connected to longitudinal portion 9 by a
known mechanical articulated joint 12 enabling the two portions to
move with respect to each other.
[0025] Operation of clamp 1 as described and illustrated is easily
deducible from the foregoing description with no further
explanation required.
[0026] The advantages of clamp 1 are obvious: the fact that lock
arm 4 is mounted to slide along central portion 3b of the body of
lock lever 3 greatly increases the forward travel of the free end
4b of lock arm 4 when lock lever 3 is switched from the lock
position to the release position, thus simultaneously reducing the
effort required of the user on lock lever 3 to clamp the boot. In
the example shown, as lock lever 3 is rotated into the lock
position, pins 10 connecting lock arm 4 to the lever move along
respective contoured slots 8 towards the axis A of rotation of lock
lever 3, so as to reduce the arm (i.e. the distance between axes A
and B) of the resisting force transmitted by lock arm 4 to the
lever.
[0027] Clearly, changes may be made to the clamp as described and
illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of
the present invention.
[0028] In particular, in the variations shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and
7, contoured slots 8 of lock lever 3 are so shaped that pins 10 of
lock arm 4 remain stationary as they slide along the slots, and
axis B does not lie in the same plane through axis A at all
times.
[0029] In particular, the path of axis B may be in the form of a
broken line (FIG. 4), an arc (FIG. 5), or a straight line (FIGS. 6
and 7), but lying in a plane not intersecting the axis A of
rotation of lock lever 3.
[0030] Contoured slots 8 may also be shaped so that, when axes A
and B are a minimum distance apart, axis B is closer than axis A to
supporting plate 2, so as to produce a torque by which to keep the
lever in the lock position.
* * * * *