U.S. patent application number 11/847364 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-06 for inner boot for a rigid boot.
This patent application is currently assigned to CALZATURIFICIO DAL BELLO Srl. Invention is credited to Carletto Battilana.
Application Number | 20080052962 11/847364 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38989817 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080052962 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Battilana; Carletto |
March 6, 2008 |
INNER BOOT FOR A RIGID BOOT
Abstract
An inner boot able to be inserted inside a rigid boot, which
comprises a rear zone having a lower portion, or heel zone,
comprising a first insert made of flexible and/or elastic material,
to allow an at least partial flexion of the inner boot and to
facilitate the insertion and/or removal of a user's foot into/from
inside the inner boot.
Inventors: |
Battilana; Carletto;
(Casella D'Asolo, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Vern Maine & Associates
100 MAIN STREET, P O BOX 3445
NASHUA
NH
03061-3445
US
|
Assignee: |
CALZATURIFICIO DAL BELLO
Srl
Casella D'Asolo
IT
|
Family ID: |
38989817 |
Appl. No.: |
11/847364 |
Filed: |
August 30, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/88 ; 36/117.3;
36/117.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 5/1616 20130101;
A43B 19/00 20130101; A43B 5/0405 20130101; A43B 23/047
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/88 ; 36/117.3;
36/117.5 |
International
Class: |
A43B 7/14 20060101
A43B007/14; A43B 5/04 20060101 A43B005/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 30, 2006 |
IT |
UD 2006 A 000204 |
Claims
1. An inner boot able to be inserted inside a rigid boot,
comprising a rear zone having a lower portion, or heel zone,
comprising a first insert made of flexible and/or elastic material,
to allow an at least partial flexion of said inner boot and to
facilitate the insertion and/or removal of a user's foot into/from
inside said inner boot.
2. The inner boot as in claim 1, further comprising an upper part,
or bootleg, and a lower part, or vamp, substantially made of a
first material, wherein said lower part or vamp comprises said
lower portion, or heel zone, and wherein said first insert is made
of a second material having greater flexibility and/or elasticity
than said first material.
3. The inner boot as in claim 2, further comprising a sole coupled
with said lower part or vamp, wherein said first insert is disposed
just above and/or adjacent to a rear edge of said sole.
4. The inner boot as in claim 3, wherein said upper part or bootleg
is able to be selectively positioned in a first position, in which
said upper part or bootleg is able to prevent the removal of said
foot from inside said inner boot and in which said first insert is
substantially not deformed, and in a second position, inclined with
respect to said first position, in which said upper part or bootleg
is able to allow the insertion/removal of said foot into/from
inside said inner boot and in which said first insert is
elastically deformed.
5. The inner boot as in claim 4, further comprising an aperture
disposed at an upper end of said upper part or bootleg, in order to
insert said foot inside said inner boot, wherein said aperture has
an area varying at least between a first area, in said first
position of said upper part or bootleg, such as to prevent the
removal of said foot, and a second area, in said second position of
said upper part or bootleg, greater than said first area, such as
to allow the insertion/removal of said foot.
6. The inner boot as in claim 3, wherein said first insert is
connected partly to said lower part or vamp, and partly to said
sole.
7. The inner boot as in claim 3, wherein said first insert extends
transversely from said sole and comprises an upper edge connected
to said lower part or vamp, and a lower edge connected to said
sole.
8. The inner boot as in claim 2, wherein said lower part or vamp
comprises a front portion or tongue, comprising a second insert
made of a third material having greater flexibility and/or
elasticity than said first material, so as to allow the flexion at
least of said upper part or bootleg with respect to said lower part
or vamp, and to facilitate the insertion and/or the removal of a
user's foot into/from inside said inner boot.
9. The inner boot as in claim 8, wherein said second material and
said third material are the same.
10. The inner boot as in claim 8, wherein said second material and
said third material are different.
11. The inner boot as in claim 8, wherein said first insert and
said second insert make a single insert which completely surrounds
said foot.
12. The inner boot as in claim 3, wherein said first insert and/or
said second insert extend for a pre-determined height of said
sole.
13. The inner boot as in claim 8, wherein said first insert and
said second insert are separated by a portion made of rigid
material.
14. The inner boot as in claim 2, wherein said first insert and
said second insert are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal
median axis of said lower part or vamp.
15. The inner boot as in claim 8, wherein said second insert
comprises two distinct parts, each disposed on one side of said
front portion or tongue.
16. The inner boot as in claim 8, wherein said first insert and/or
said second insert substantially constitute the whole of said lower
portion or vamp.
17. An inner boot able to be inserted inside a rigid boot,
comprising a front portion or tongue, comprising an insert made of
flexible and/or elastic material, to allow an at least partial
flexion of said inner boot and to facilitate the insertion and/or
the removal of a user's foot into/from inside said inner boot.
18. A rigid boot, such as for example a ski boot, a snowboard boot,
a trekking boot or suchlike, comprising an inner boot as in claim
1.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority to Italian Patent
Application No. UD 2006 A 000204, filed 30 Aug. 2006, and is herein
incorporated in its entirety by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention concerns an inner boot for a rigid
boot, such as for example a ski boot, snowboard boot, trekking boot
or other type of boot in general.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Inner boots are known for rigid sports boots, such as for
example a ski boot, snowboard boot, trekking boot or suchlike.
[0004] Inner boots are generally deformable, at least in some part,
so as to assist in the configurations that the boot can assume:
that is, they must be able to assume a closed position, which
prevents the foot from coming out and allows for example the sport
to be practiced, facilitating this, and at least an open position,
which facilitates and allows the foot to be inserted and
removed.
[0005] It is known to make inner boots which, in the upper part of
the bootleg have an insert made of flexible material which allows a
partial flexion thereof, to facilitate the insertion of the
foot.
[0006] However, the flexion achieved in these known solutions is
very limited.
[0007] Moreover, the flexion of the upper part of the bootleg, when
the foot is inserted, causes deformations of the lower part of the
bootleg which, instead of facilitating, tend to obstruct and impede
the insertion of the foot and, in the long term, ruin the
bootleg.
[0008] It is also known to make inner boots which, in substance,
have no bootleg, that is, they are "low", in order to eliminate
these problems of insertion, and which are inserted in the bottom
of the rigid boot. However, these "low" inner boots have the
disadvantage that the user's foot risks flattening the rear part of
the heel zone, causing inconvenience to the user, since he/she is
not always able to control the correct position for putting on the
boot.
[0009] Purpose of one embodiment of the present invention is to
achieve an inner boot which has great flexibility, to facilitate
putting on the boot and inserting and removing the foot, which does
not deform during these operations and which guarantees that
optimum closed conditions are maintained, for example during
sporting activity.
[0010] The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present
invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and
to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention is set forth and characterized in
claims.
[0012] In accordance with the above purpose, an inner boot
according to one embodiment of the present invention can be
inserted inside a rigid boot, such as for example a ski boot, a
snowboard boot, a trekking boot or other boot in general.
[0013] According to a characteristic feature of one embodiment of
the invention, the inner boot comprises, in the rear zone, a lower
portion, or heel zone, just above and/or adjacent to the rear edge
of the sole of the inner boot, comprising a first insert made of a
flexible and/or elastic material, which allows an at least partial
flexion of the inner boot, in particular when a user's foot is
inserted inside the inner boot.
[0014] The inner boot according to one embodiment of the invention
thus opens for a large extent backwards when the user thrusts with
his heel on the rear, rigid part of the inner boot.
[0015] In this way, the user is considerably facilitated when he
inserts his foot inside the inner boot, and hence inside the rigid
boot.
[0016] According to one form of embodiment of the invention, the
inner boot comprises an upper part, or bootleg, and a lower part,
or vamp, which are made substantially of a first material.
[0017] The lower part, or vamp, comprises said lower portion or
heel zone, and the first insert is made of a second material having
a greater flexibility and/or elasticity than said first
material.
[0018] According to a variant of one embodiment of the present
invention, in a front portion which is able to fit close to the
neck of the foot, the inner boot comprises a second insert made of
flexible material, which advantageously cooperates with the first
insert in order to facilitate the user even more when he inserts
his foot.
[0019] According to a variant, the second insert consists of two
elastic and/or flexible parts, each disposed on one side of the
front portion of the inner boot.
[0020] According to one form of embodiment of the invention, the
first insert and the second insert are substantially symmetrical
with respect to the longitudinal median axis of the vamp of the
inner boot.
[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the first
insert and the second insert are separated by a portion of more
rigid material, which confers structural characteristics on the
inner boot, assisting the correct flexion, without unwanted
deformations.
[0022] According to another variant of the invention, the first
insert and the second insert constitute a single flexible and
elastic insert which is able to fit close to the neck of the foot
and the heel, substantially with no break in continuity, completely
surrounding the foot.
[0023] According to another variant of the invention, said single
flexible and elastic insert constitutes substantially the whole
lower portion, or vamp, of the inner boot.
[0024] The first insert and the second insert can be made of the
same material, or of different flexible and/or elastic materials,
as required.
[0025] Another alternative embodiment of the invention provides
that the inner boot comprises, in its front portion, only the
second insert.
[0026] The first insert and/or the second insert can extend from
the sole of the inner boot, for a pre-determined height, according
to the overall characteristics of flexibility and elasticity
desired for the inner boot.
[0027] The features and advantages described herein are not
all-inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and
advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in
view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it
should be noted that the language used in the specification has
been principally selected for readability and instructional
purposes, and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject
matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] These and other characteristics of the present invention
will become apparent from the following description of a form of
embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to
the attached drawings wherein:
[0029] FIG. 1 is a lateral view of an inner boot according to the
present invention in a first position of use;
[0030] FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the inner boot in FIG. 1 in a
second condition of use; and
[0031] FIG. 3 is a lateral view of a variant of the inner boot in
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
attached drawings show an inner boot 10, which is able to be
inserted inside a rigid boot such as for example a ski boot, a
snowboard boot, a trekking boot or suchlike.
[0033] The inner boot 10 comprises a bootleg 11, which fits close
to the tarsus and/or lower tibia area of the user's leg, according
to the height and use of the rigid boot, and an vamp 12, which fits
close to the user's metatarsal zone and foot, which are made
substantially of a first material, such as for example imitation
leather with relative inner padding, or relatively rigid
plastic.
[0034] The vamp 12 has a rear zone 21 which has a lower portion 14,
or heel zone, which is provided with a first insert 15 made of a
second material having greater flexibility and/or elasticity than
the first material.
[0035] In this way, the first insert 15 allows the bootleg 11 to
flex with respect to the vamp 12 for the whole of its length,
facilitating the insertion of the foot, without the bootleg 11
deforming in a transverse direction and obstructing the passage of
the user's foot or in any case determining deformed zones which
might cause inconvenience to the user during use.
[0036] In fact, the stress of flexion exerted on the bootleg 11
leads to the flexion of the whole bootleg 11 and is discharged on
the vamp 12, in which the first insert 15 functions as a
preferential and pre-determined flexion zone. The overall structure
of the inner boot 10 therefore has at least a flexion zone, that
is, the first insert 15, which yields to the flexion stress in a
preferential manner. In this way, it is possible to pre-determine
the way in which the inner boot 10 flexes over all, preventing it
from flexing in an unwanted way.
[0037] To allow the foot to be inserted, the bootleg 11 is
selectively positionable in a first position, in which it prevents
the foot from coming out from inside the inner boot 10 and in which
the first insert 15 is substantially not deformed (FIG. 1), and a
second position, inclined with respect to the first position, in
which it allows the foot to be inserted/removed into/from the
inside, and in which the first insert 15 is elastically deformed,
that is, flattened (FIG. 2).
[0038] Once the bootleg 11 is no longer flexed in the second
position, the first insert 15 is free to recover its original
shape.
[0039] In order to insert the foot inside, the inner boot 10
comprises an aperture 16 disposed at an upper end of the bootleg
11.
[0040] The aperture 16 has a variable area, according to the
different positions assumed by the bootleg 11 with respect to the
vamp 12, at least between a first area, in the first position of
the bootleg 11 (FIG. 1), such as to prevent the foot coming out,
and a second area, in the second position of the bootleg 11 (FIG.
2), bigger than the first area, such as to allow the foot to be
inserted/removed.
[0041] The inner boot 10 also has a sole 13, coupled with the vamp
12, for example glued.
[0042] Therefore, the first insert 15 is disposed just above and/or
adjacent to a rear edge 23 of the sole 13.
[0043] The first insert 15 is connected partly to the vamp 12 and
partly to the sole 13.
[0044] In this case, the heel zone 14 of the vamp 12 is sectioned
to make a through aperture of a shape mating with and complementary
to the desired shape of the first insert 15, which is applied to
close the through aperture and is then fixed to the sole 13.
[0045] In this case, the first insert 15 extends transversely from
the sole 13 and comprises an upper edge 19 connected to the vamp
12, for example sewn, and a lower edge 20, connected to the sole
13, for example glued.
[0046] The vamp 12 comprises a front portion, or tongue 17 (FIG. 3)
which, according to a variant of the invention, comprises a second
insert 18 made of a third material, having greater flexibility
and/or elasticity than the first material, to allow the flexion at
least of the bootleg 11 with respect to the vamp 12 and thus
facilitate the insertion and/or removal of the foot into/from
inside the inner boot 10.
[0047] The second insert 18 is particularly advantageous to allow
the bootleg 11 an elastic recovery from the first position, acting
as an elastic return.
[0048] It comes within the field of the invention that the inner
boot 10 has a single elastic insert to facilitate insertion of the
foot, which can be, according to requirements, the first insert 15
of the heel zone 14 or the second insert 18 of the tongue 17, or it
may comprise both the first insert 15 and the second insert 18,
which cooperate to facilitate the insertion of the foot and
increase even more the flexibility of the inner boot 10.
[0049] According to a variant, said single elastic insert
substantially constitutes the whole vamp 12.
[0050] The invention also provides that the second material and the
third material are the same.
[0051] According to an advantageous variant of the invention the
second material and the third material are different, to allow a
targeted choice of the materials according to the zones of greatest
flexion stress of the inner boot 10.
[0052] According to a variant of the invention, the first insert 15
and the second insert 18 are separated by a portion 22 made of
rigid material.
[0053] It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may
be made to the inner boot 10 as described heretofore, without
departing from the field and scope of the present invention.
[0054] It is also clear that, although the present invention has
been described with reference to some specific examples, a person
of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other
equivalent forms of inner boot for a rigid boot, having the
characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming
within the field of protection defined thereby.
* * * * *