U.S. patent application number 12/721215 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-16 for ski-boot.
This patent application is currently assigned to CALZATURIFICIO S.C.A.R.P.A. S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Davide PARISOTTO.
Application Number | 20100229425 12/721215 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40957810 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100229425 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PARISOTTO; Davide |
September 16, 2010 |
SKI-BOOT
Abstract
A ski-boot comprising an outer rigid shell, to receive the
user's foot, and a rigid bootleg, shaped to wrap round the user's
ankle, is hinged on the top part of the shell in order to be able
to swing about a first reference axis that locally substantially
coincides with the articulation axis of the user's ankle; the shell
having a front half-shell and a rear half-shell rigidly fixed to
one another; the front half-shell having a substantially ogival
shape for covering the user's toe substantially up to the beginning
of the plantar arch area of the foot and being made of at least one
plastic polymer by injection moulding; the rear half-shell being
designed to completely cover the remaining part of the foot,
starting substantially from the plantar arch area of the foot and
being made of a composite material containing fibres embedded in a
resin matrix.
Inventors: |
PARISOTTO; Davide; (Via
Enrico Fermi, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN, LLP
P.O. BOX 10500
MCLEAN
VA
22102
US
|
Assignee: |
CALZATURIFICIO S.C.A.R.P.A.
S.p.A.
Asolo
IT
|
Family ID: |
40957810 |
Appl. No.: |
12/721215 |
Filed: |
March 10, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/117.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 5/0474 20130101;
A43B 5/0456 20130101; A43B 5/0492 20130101; A43B 5/0472 20130101;
A43B 5/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/117.1 |
International
Class: |
A43B 5/04 20060101
A43B005/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 10, 2009 |
EP |
09425098.2 |
Claims
1. A ski-boot comprising an outer rigid shell shaped so as to
receive the user's foot, and a rigid bootleg which is shaped so as
to wrap round the user's ankle and is hinged on the top part of the
shell so to be able to swing about a first reference axis that
locally substantially coincides with the articulation axis of the
user's ankle; wherein the shell is formed by a front half-shell and
a rear half-shell rigidly fixed to one another; the front
half-shell having a substantially ogival shape for covering the
user's toe substantially up to the beginning of the plantar arch
area of the foot and being made of at least one non-reinforced
plastic polymer; the rear half-shell being designed to completely
cover the remaining part of the foot, starting substantially from
the plantar arch area of foot and being made of a composite
material containing fibres embedded in a resin matrix.
2. A ski-boot according to claim 1, wherein the front half-shell is
provided with a transverse elastically deformable portion which
extends from one side to the other of the shell, approximately
astride of the metatarsal region of the foot, and is structured so
as to enable the front half-shell to deform locally in an elastic
way in order to enable the entire shell to bend in an area
corresponding to the metatarsal region of the user's foot.
3. A ski-boot according to claim 2, wherein the elastically
deformable portion of the front half-shell is defined by a
programmed deformation bellows which extends from one side to the
other of the shell, roughly astride of the metatarsal region of the
foot.
4. A ski-boot according to claim 1, wherein the shell is provided
at the bottom with a front sole and a rear heel made of anti-slip
elastomeric material; the front sole being stably fixed on the
front half-shell of the shell; the rear heel being, instead, stably
fixed on the rear half-shell of the shell.
5. A ski-boot according to claim 4, wherein the heel is attached to
the rear half-shell via a metal supporting bracket which, in turn,
is rigidly fixed on the rear half-shell, on the area corresponding
to the heel of the foot.
6. A ski-boot according to claim 5, wherein the metal supporting
bracket is structured so as to be able to couple in a rigid and
stable, but easily releasable, manner with the heel piece of a
ski-coupling device.
7. A ski-boot according to claim 5, wherein the metal supporting
bracket is substantially L-shaped so that a first portion of the
bracket prolongs underneath the rear half-shell towards the toe of
the ski-boot, remaining locally adherent to the outer surface of
the rear half-shell, whilst the second portion of the bracket
prolongs upwards, remaining always locally adherent to the outer
surface of the rear half-shell.
8. A ski-boot according to claim 7, wherein the rear heel consists
of a wedge of anti-slip elastomeric material, which is fixed
directly on the second portion of the bracket, on the opposite side
of the rear half-shell.
9. A ski-boot according to claim 1, wherein the shell is also
provided inside with an insole made of foamed plastic polymer,
which is positioned on the bottom of the shell, astride of the
front half-shell and the rear half-shell so to coat substantially
the entire internal surface of the shell which is to support the
sole of the user's foot.
10. A ski-boot according to claim 1, wherein it also comprises a
bootleg locking device which, according to the skier's choice and
alternatively, is able to clamp the bootleg rigidly to the shell so
to prevent any relative movement between the two elements; to
engage the bootleg to the shell so to allow only positive
oscillations of the bootleg which, starting from a pre-set resting
position, bring the bootleg up toward the toe of the shell; or else
to release the bootleg from the shell so to allow the bootleg to
freely oscillate both forwards and backwards.
11. A ski-boot according to claim 10, wherein the bootleg locking
device comprises: a supporting plate fixed on the outer surface of
the bootleg immediately above the area of the rear half-shell that,
in use, is to receive the heel of the foot; an anchorage plate
fixed on the outer surface of the rear half-shell, in a position
corresponding to the area of the rear half-shell that, in use, is
to receive the heel of the foot; and an coupling lever which is
hinged on the supporting plate next to its proximal end so to be
able to freely rotate about a second reference axis locally
substantially parallel to the first reference axis, and which has
the distal end shaped so to be able to engage in a rigid and
stable, but easily releasable, manner to said anchorage plate so as
to rigidly constrain the bootleg to the rear half-shell.
12. A ski-boot according to claim 5, wherein the anchorage plate of
the bootleg locking device is made in one piece with the metal
supporting bracket connecting the heel to the rear half-shell.
13. A ski-boot according to claim 1, wherein the bootleg is made of
a composite material containing fibres embedded in a resin
matrix.
14. A ski-boot according to claim 1, wherein the front half-shell
is made of at least one non-reinforced plastic polymer by means of
a process of injection moulding.
15. A ski-boot according to claim 1, wherein it also comprises an
internal shoe-liner made of soft and thermally insulating material,
which is positioned inside the shell and the bootleg and is shaped
so to envelop and protect both the foot and the bottom part of the
user's leg.
16. A ski-boot according to claim 1, wherein it also comprises
manually-operated closing means which are appropriately distributed
on the shell and/or on the bootleg, and are structured so to be
able to selectively tighten the shell or the bootleg so as to
immobilize the user's leg stably inside the ski-boot.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a ski-boot.
[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a
ski-boot for alpine skiing or telemark, to which the following
description refers purely by way of example, without this implying
any loss of generality.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] As is known, ski-boots for alpine skiing or telemark are
generally made up of: a rigid shell made of plastic material, which
is shaped in as to receive the skier's foot, and is provided at the
bottom with a front sole and a rear heel made of anti-slip
elastomeric material; a rigid bootleg made of plastic material,
which is shaped so as to wrap round the ankle of the skier and is
hinged to the top part of the shell so as to be able to rotate
about a reference axis substantially coinciding with the
articulation axis of the ankle; an internal shoe-liner made of soft
and thermally insulating material, which is inserted in a removable
manner inside the shell and the bootleg and is shaped so as to
envelop and protect both the foot and the bottom part of the
skier's leg; and a number of manually operated closing members,
which are appropriately distributed on the shell and on the bootleg
and are structured so as to be able to tighten both the shell and
the.bootleg so to immobilize the skier's leg stably inside the
ski-boot.
[0004] In addition to the above, ski-boots for alpine skiing or
telemark are moreover provided with a manually-operated collar
locking device which can, according to the skier's choice and
alternatively, [0005] clamp the bootleg rigidly to the shell so as
to prevent any relative movement between the two elements; [0006]
engage the bootleg to the shell so as to allow only positive
oscillations of the bootleg about the ankle articulation axis,
which, starting from a pre-set resting position, bring the bootleg
up towards the toe of the ski-boot; or else [0007] completely
release the bootleg from the shell so to allow the bootleg to
freely oscillate about the articulation axis of the ankle both
forwards and backwards.
[0008] In the telemark sporting activity it is moreover
indispensable to be able to lift in an accentuated way the heel of
the ski-boot from the underlying ski, always keeping the toe of the
ski-boot firmly anchored to the ski, thus the top part of the shell
of telemark ski-boots is also provided with a programmed
deformation bellows, which extends astride of the metatarsal region
of the foot so to allow the rear part of the shell to bend forwards
with respect to the toe of the shell so as to favour the natural
movement of the skier's foot.
[0009] In more recent years, some manufacturers of ski-boots have
marketed ski-boots for alpine skiing or telemark in which the
bootleg is integrally made of a composite material basically
constituted by one or more superimposed layers of glass fibres
and/or carbon fibres appropriately intertwined and/or superimposed
on one another and embedded in a matrix of epoxy resin of a
thermosetting type.
[0010] Said solution enables a slight reduction in the overall
weight of the ski-boot, simultaneously increasing the structural
stiffness of the ski-boot in the area of the ankle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Aim of the present invention is to further reduce the
overall weight of ski-boots for alpine skiing or telemark, without
however jeopardizing the flexibility of the shell. The latter being
a characteristic that is essential for practising alpine skiing and
telemark properly and in safe conditions.
[0012] In compliance with the above aims, according to the present
invention a ski-boot is provided as claimed in the attached
Claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The present invention will now be disclosed with reference
to the accompanying drawings, which show a non-limitative
embodiment thereof, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a side view of a ski-boot for telemark made
according to the teachings of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the ski-boot shown in FIG. 1;
and
[0016] FIG. 3 is a section view of the front part of the ski-boot
shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, indicates as a whole a
ski-boot, and in particular a ski-boot specifically structured for
practising the sport activities of alpine skiing or telemark.
[0018] The ski-boot 1 basically comprises an outer rigid shell 2,
which is shaped so as to receive the skier's foot and is provided
at the bottom with a front sole 3 and a rear heel 4 made
preferably, though not necessarily, of anti-slip elastomeric
material; and a rigid bootleg 5, which is shaped so as to wrap
round the user's ankle and is hinged on the top part of shell 2 in
order to be able to freely swing about a rotation axis A which is
substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal mid plane of the
ski-boot and which locally substantially coincides with the
articulation axis of the user's ankle.
[0019] More specifically, bootleg 5 is fixed in a freely swivelling
manner on the shell 2 via two connecting hinges 6, which are
positioned on the outer and inner lateral sides of shell 2, aligned
along the axis A.
[0020] The ski-boot 1 is moreover provided with an internal
shoe-liner 7 made of soft and thermally insulating material, which
is positioned inside shell 2 and bootleg 5 preferably, though not
necessarily, in a removable manner and is shaped so as to envelop
and protect both the foot and the bottom part of the user's leg;
and a number of manually operated closing members 8 which are
appropriately distributed on shell 2 and on bootleg 5, and are
structured so as to be able to selectively tighten shell 2 and/or
bootleg 5 so as to immobilize the user's leg stably inside the
ski-boot 1.
[0021] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bootleg 5 consists of
shell 5 having preferably, though not necessarily, a monolithic
structure and which is made of a composite material constituted by
one or more superimposed layers of glass fibres and/or carbon
fibres and/or aramidic fibres, appropriately intertwined and/or
superimposed on one another and embedded in a matrix of epoxy
resin, phenolic resin, or polyester resin of a thermosetting
type.
[0022] Preferably, though not necessarily, shell 5 is also provided
with a surface layer made of mono-oriented polyester-polyarylate
fibres (commercially known as VECTRAN) embedded in the matrix of
thermosetting resin. Said surface layer forms the entire internal
surface 5a of shell 5, i.e. the surface of shell 5 facing shell 2
and the shoe-liner 7, and performs the dual function of absorbing
the mechanical vibrations in the contact areas between bootleg 5
and the shell 2 and of preventing any splinters of composite
material deriving from possible breaking of the shell 5 from
reaching the user's leg.
[0023] Unlike currently known ski-boots for alpine skiing or
telemark, shell 2 is, instead, formed by a front half-shell 9 and a
rear half-shell 10, fixed in a rigid and unmovable way to one
another.
[0024] The front half-shell 9 has a substantially ogival shape,
covers completely the user's toes approximately up to the beginning
of the plantar arch area and is entirely made of at least one
non-reinforced plastic polymer, via a process of injection moulding
of a known type. In other words, front half-shell 9 is entirely
made of at least one homogeneous plastic polymer that does not
enclose reinforcement fibres, such as, for example, high-density
polyurethane and/or polyester and/or polyether amide (commercially
known as PEBAX) and/or other similar plastic polymers, through a
process of injection moulding.
[0025] Instead, the rear half-shell 10 completely covers the
remaining part of the user's foot, starting substantially from the
boundary between the plantar arch and the metatarsal region of the
foot, and is entirely made of a composite material constituted by
one or more superimposed layers of glass fibres and/or carbon
fibres and/or aramidic fibres, appropriately intertwined and/or
superimposed on one another and embedded in a matrix of epoxy
resin, phenolic resin, or polyester resin of a thermosetting
type.
[0026] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the front half-shell 9 of
shell 2 is moreover provided with a transverse elastically
deformable portion 9a which extends from one side to the other of
the shell 2, approximately astride of the metatarsal region of the
foot, and is structured so as to enable the front half-shell 9 to
deform locally in an elastic way in order to enable the entire
shell 2 to bend in the metatarsal region of the foot and favour
possible bending of the user's foot.
[0027] More specifically, sole 3 is stably fixed on the bottom wall
of front half-shell 9, and front half-shell 9 is divided into a
front portion and a rear portion, both of which are substantially
rigid and undeformable, and into an elastically deformable
intermediate portion 9a that extends on the top wall of the front
half-shell 9 from one side to the other of the shell 2, roughly
above the metatarsal region of the foot and almost reaching sole 3
so to separate and joint together the front portion and the rear
portion of front half-shell 9.
[0028] In the example shown, in particular, the elastically
deformable portion 9a of front half-shell 9 is formed by a
programmed deformation bellows 9a extending from one side to the
other of the shell 2, roughly astride of the metatarsal region of
the foot, and almost reaching sole 3, and which is structured so as
to allow the user's toes to freely bend by a few degrees.
[0029] In addition to what set above, in the example shown bellows
9a, i.e. the elastically deformable portion 9a of front half-shell
9, extends from one side to the other of shell 2 following a
slightly oblique arched path, so that the end on the inner side of
shell 2 is located further forwards with respect to the end set on
the outer side of shell 2 so as to follow the natural bending axis
of the foot.
[0030] Finally, front half-shell 9 is preferably, though not
necessarily, also provided with a projecting appendage 9b of a
substantially duck-bill shape, which prolongs in cantilever manner
from the toe of the ski-boot 1 remaining substantially coplanar to
the sole 3 and is structured in so to be able to couple in a rigid
and stable, but easily releasable manner with the forward piece of
any known-type ski-coupling device.
[0031] With reference to FIG. 3, rear half-shell 10, instead,
substantially has the shape of a tub without one of the smaller
side walls, and is telescopically inserted inside the front
half-shell 9 so to form a single body with the latter.
[0032] In the example shown, the rear half-shell 10 is moreover
provided with a plane projecting tongue or flap 10a, which prolongs
in cantilever manner inside the front half-shell 9 remaining
locally tangential to the bottom wall of the front half-shell 9, on
the opposite side of sole 3, more or less as far as the bottom of
the front half-shell 9, and adheres stably to the bottom wall of
the front half-shell 9 throughout the contact area with the front
half-shell 9.
[0033] Preferably, though not necessarily, the rear half-shell 10
is moreover provided with a surface layer made of mono-oriented
polyester-polyarylate fibres (commercially known as VECTRAN)
embedded in the matrix of thermosetting resin. Said surface layer
forms the entire internal surface 10b of the rear half-shell 10,
i.e. the surface of the rear half-shell 10 directly facing the
shoe-liner 7, and performs the dual function of absorbing the
mechanical vibrations in the contact areas between shell 2 and
shoe-liner 7 and of preventing any splinters of composite material
deriving from possible breaking of the rear half-shell 10 from
reaching the user's foot.
[0034] With reference to FIG. 3, finally shell 2 is preferably,
though not necessarily, also provided with an insole 11 made of
foamed plastic polymer, which has the function of absorbing the
mechanical vibrations in the contact areas between shell 2 and
shoe-liner 7, and is fixed in an unmovable manner on the bottom of
the shell 2, astride of the front half-shell 9 and the rear
half-shell 10 so as to coat substantially the entire internal
surface of shell 2 which is to support the sole of the user's
foot.
[0035] In the example shown, in particular, insole 11 has
preferably, though not necessarily, the shape of a tray, and is
made of ethylene-vinyl-acetate foam with closed cells (commercially
known as EVA).
[0036] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the example illustrated,
moreover, heel 4 of shell 2 is an element which is completely
separate from the rear half-shell 10, and which is attached to the
rear half-shell 10 by means of a metal supporting bracket 12 which,
in turn, is rigidly fixed on the outside of the rear half-shell 10,
on the area corresponding to the heel of the foot, and is
preferably, though not necessarily, structured so as to be able to
couple in a rigid and stable, but easily releasable, manner with
the heel piece of any known type ski-coupling device.
[0037] In the example shown, in particular, the metal supporting
bracket 12 is substantially L-shaped so that a first portion 12a of
the bracket extends underneath the rear half-shell 10, towards the
toe of the ski-boot, remaining locally adherent to the outer
surface of the rear half-shell 10, whilst the second portion 12b of
the bracket prolongs upwards, remaining always locally adherent to
the outer surface of the rear half-shell 10, up to almost reach the
attachment of Achilles tendon after passing completely over the
heel of the foot.
[0038] Heel 4, instead, consists of a wedge of anti-slip
elastomeric material, which is fixed directly on the horizontal
portion 12a of the bracket, on the opposite side of the rear
half-shell 10.
[0039] Finally, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, ski-boot 1 is
preferably, though not necessarily, also provided with a
manually-operated bootleg locking device 13 which, according to the
skier's choice and alternatively, is able to rigidly clamp the
bootleg 5 to the shell 2 so to prevent any relative movement
between the two elements; engage the bootleg 5 to the shell 2 so as
to allow only positive oscillations of the bootleg 5 about the axis
A, which, starting from a pre-set resting position, bring bootleg 5
up toward the toe of shell 2 of ski-boot 1; or else release bootleg
5 from shell 2 so as to allow the bootleg 5 to freely oscillate
about the axis A both forwards and backwards.
[0040] More specifically, in the example shown, the bootleg locking
device 13 comprises: [0041] a top supporting plate 14 which is
fixed on the outer surface of bootleg 5 in a position corresponding
to the bottom part of the calf, i.e. immediately above the area of
rear half-shell 10 that, in use, is to receive the heel of the
foot; [0042] a bottom anchorage plate 15 which is rigidly fixed on
the outer surface of rear half-shell 10 underneath the supporting
plate 14, i.e. in a position corresponding to the area of rear
half-shell 10 that, in use, is to receive the heel of the foot; and
finally [0043] an coupling lever 16 which lies substantially in the
longitudinal mid plane of the ski-boot, is hinged on the supporting
plate 14 next to its proximal end so to be able to freely rotate
about an axis B that is locally substantially parallel to axis A,
while always remaining on the longitudinal mid plane of the
ski-boot, and has the distal end shaped so to be able to engage in
a rigid and stable, but easily releasable manner, to the anchorage
plate 15 so as to constrain the, bootleg 5 rigidly to the rear
half-shell 10.
[0044] More specifically, in the example shown, the coupling lever
16 is positionable by the user in three different operating
positions, in which the distal end of the coupling lever 16 comes
to bear upon the anchorage plate 16 or upon the rear half-shell
10.
[0045] In the first operating position, the distal end of coupling
lever 16 is engaged to the anchorage plate 15 so as to rigidly
clamp the bootleg 5 to the rear half-shell 10 and prevent any
relative movement between the two elements. In the second operating
position, the distal end of coupling lever 16 is set bearing upon
the surface of the rear half-shell 10, immediately above the
anchorage plate 15, and can bear upon the anchorage plate 15 so as
to allow only oscillations of the bootleg 5 about axis A which,
starting from a pre-set resting position, bring the bootleg 5 up
toward the toe of the ski-boot 1, i.e. to the front half-shell 9.
Finally, in the third operating position, the distal end of
coupling lever 16 is set bearing upon the surface of the rear
half-shell 10, immediately underneath the anchorage plate 15 so as
to release the bootleg 5 from the rear half-shell 10 and allow the
bootleg 5 to freely oscillate about axis A both forwards and
backwards.
[0046] In the example shown, in particular, the anchorage plate 15
is preferably, though not necessarily, made in one piece with the
metal supporting bracket 12 that connects the heel 4 to the rear
half-shell 10, and is provided with a cylindrical transverse pin
15a which is fixed to the body of the metal supporting bracket 12
at a given distance from the surface of the rear half-shell 10 and
so to be parallel to the rotation axis B of the lever; whilst the
distal end of coupling lever 16 is provided with a transverse
groove or indent (not visible in the figures), which extends on the
lever body parallel to axis B and is sized so as to receive and
trap temporarily the transverse pin 15a.
[0047] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in addition to what above,
the bootleg locking device 13 is preferably, though not
necessarily, also provided with a closing lace 18 which has its two
ends fixed to two opposite side flaps of the bootleg 5 so as to
completely surround the bootleg 5, and is centrally engaged to the
coupling lever 16; and a pair of driving elements 19 which are
fixed on the outer surface of the bootleg 5 on opposite sides of
the top supporting plate 14 and are slidably engaged by the two
stretches of the closing lace 18.
[0048] The driving elements 19 are designed to keep the two
terminal portions of closing lace 18 which cross over each other on
the front part of bootleg 5, in a position astride of the two
opposite side flaps of bootleg 5, so that the positioning of
coupling lever 16 in any of the three operating positions described
above will enable tensioning of the closing lace 18, which, in
turn, pulls the two opposite side flaps of bootleg 5 one against
the other so to tighten the bootleg 5 against the shoe-liner 7 and
block the user's ankle stably inside the ski-boot 1.
[0049] In other words, the bootleg locking device 13, according to
the skier's choice and alternatively, is able to [0050] clamp the
bootleg 5 rigidly to the shell 2 so to prevent any relative
movement between the two elements; [0051] engage the bootleg 5 to
the shell 2 so as to allow only positive oscillations of the
bootleg 5 about axis A; or else [0052] release the bootleg 5 from
the shell 2 so to allow the bootleg 5 to freely oscillate about
axis A both forwards and backwards; and also simultaneously tighten
the bootleg 5 so to immobilize the user's leg stably inside the
ski-boot 1, as any other manually operated closing member 8 present
on the ski-boot 1.
[0053] In the example shown, in particular, the ski-boot 1 is
provided with only one other manually operated closing member 8,
which is designed to tighten the shell 2 so to immobilize the
user's foot stably inside the ski-boot 1.
[0054] Said closing member 8 is preferably, though not necessarily,
constituted by a traditional clamping hook 8 with manually operated
tensioning leverage, which is positioned crosswise on the outer
surface of the rear half-shell 10, astride of the longitudinal
opening (not illustrated) that allows the user to inserted his foot
inside the shell 2.
[0055] The clamping hook 8 is a component already widely known in
the field and hence won't be further described.
[0056] Operation of ski-boot 1 is practically identical to that of
any other ski-boot for alpine skiing or telemark currently on the
market and hence does not require any further explanations.
[0057] On the other hand, the advantages deriving from the
particular structure of ski-boot 1 for alpine skiing or telemark
are really remarkable. The division of shell 2 into a front
half-shell 9 made of plastic polymer and a rear half-shell 10 made
of composite material enables drastic reduction in the overall
weight of the ski-boot, without jeopardizing the possibility of
elastic deformation of shell 2, which is essential for the
alpine-ski and telemark sporting activities.
[0058] In addition, construction of the front portion of shell 2 in
normal plastic polymer prevents the mechanical stresses that are
transmitted from the ski-boot 1 to the forward piece of the
ski-coupling device from causing an unexpected and sudden crumbling
of the parts made of composite material.
[0059] The fact that the anchorage plate 15 is made in one piece
with the metal supporting bracket 12 which connects the heel 4 to
the rear half-shell 10 and is moreover structured so to be able to
couple in a rigid and stable, but easily releasable, manner with
the heel piece of the ski-coupling device, enables all mechanical
stresses transmitted by bootleg 5 to be discharged directly on the
heel piece of the ski-coupling device, without involving the rear
half-shell 10.
[0060] In this way, during normal use, the rear half-shell 10 is
not subjected to repetitive bending loads that could cause failure
due to fatigue of the composite material, making possible a drastic
reduction in the thickness of the wall of composite material to the
advantage of lightness and of reduction in the production costs of
the rear half-shell 10.
[0061] Clearly, changes may be made to the ski-boot 1 for alpine
skiing or telemark herein described and illustrated, without
however departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0062] For example, in a simplified embodiment, the front
half-shell 9 of shell 2 may be deprived of the elastically
deformable portion 9a.
* * * * *