Land vehicles – Skates – Wheeled skate
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-31
2001-07-24
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Skates
Wheeled skate
C280S011300, C036S115000, C036S118200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264214
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a sports boot and, more specifically, a sports boot adapted to the practice of skating, such as an in-line skate or an ice skate. The invention is also related to such a skate, as well as to the method for manufacturing a boot and skate.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
There exist several categories of boots intended for skating. Among them, one can find boots with upwardly extending shells having a journalled collar and an inner padded lining. This construction is a derivative of the alpine ski boot. In particular, the shell is made of a relatively rigid plastic material. There are numerous disadvantages to this type of construction. For example, these skates are considered to be “hot” to the wearer and provide little ventilation for the foot. These skates are also considered to be uncomfortable, due to the rigidity of the shell and of the collar that completely surround the foot and the lower part of the leg.
Another known type of construction, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,461, consists of providing a boot that is formed entirely by a flexible upper, at least partially ventilated, and mounted on a sole base, and to associate thereto discrete rigidifying elements, such as a heel reinforcement and a collar journalled externally on the reinforcement. The advantage of such a construction is that it provides greater flexibility along with maximum comfort and freedom of movement. Such a construction is also better adapted to foot ventilation. However, the rigid outer parts contribute to the lateral retention of the ankle and the lower part of the leg for reasons of stability and safety, while allowing a substantial front/rear bending freedom when skating. Nevertheless, even this type of construction has disadvantages: one of the main drawbacks is the relatively high cost of manufacturing due to the fact that one must design a truly flexible boot structure, and then associate thereto, via appropriate connection means, rigid external reinforcement elements. The design necessitates calling upon the traditional techniques of sewing, gluing, hot forming, “mold” mounting and other techniques used in the manufacture of traditional boots.
Patent application EP-A1-780 062, for example, describes another type of boot that can be adapted to in-line skating and that is a compromise between the upwardly extending shell category made entirely of a rigid plastic material, possibly punched with ventilation holes, and boots with flexible uppers that are partially reinforced with rigid plastic elements. The construction has a rigid outer shell base, a journalled collar attached onto the shell and a liner (or inner shoe) that is housed in the shell.
However, such a construction also has its drawbacks. One of them is that its construction remains a complex and expensive undertaking, and its assembly is delicate. Indeed, the collar has to be mounted rotationally on the shell base after the placement of the liner in the shell base. Then, it must be fixed to the inner padding via additional manual operations such as gluing, sewing, or on-site molding. Another drawback derives from the fact that a part of the flexible covering of the collar is sandwiched between the collar and the shell about a pivot point. This part is therefore subject to repeated friction, leading to the rapid wear and tear of the flexible divider part capable of providing a clearance between the collar and the shell and of quickly deteriorating the aesthetic appearance of the boot.
In addition, there exist numerous variations for skating boots, such as those described in the following documents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,466; International Patent Publication No. WO 95/15094; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,385,456; 5,331,752; 3,807,062; and International Patent Publication NO. WO 97/48458.
French Patent Publication No. 2 759 553, commonly owned with the instant application, is related to a boot having a rigid frame, constituted of at least one rigid sole part and one heel reinforcement, and it includes an upper that is at least partially flexible with a part in the shape of a cover corresponding to the shape of a rigid frame adapted to be threaded onto the rigid frame, the cover being equipped with means for connecting it to the rigid frame. An object of the invention is to provide a boot structure that reconciles the advantages and appearance of a flexible boot with the rigidity and ankle retention advantages of a rigid boot. The present invention proposes improving upon this type of construction. Consequently, French Patent Publication No. 2 759 553, is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of the instant invention is therefore to propose a boot that is more specifically adapted to the practice of in-line skating, that resolves the problems of stability, foot retention, and transmission of forces without providing too much stiffness, and that retains, at the same time, maximum comfort and ventilation.
Another object of the invention is to propose a boot that provides both good lateral retention as well as relative flexibility in the front/rear direction.
Yet another object is to propose an assembly method between the so-called “supple” or “flexible” elements and the so-called “rigid” or “stiff” elements, ensuring differing and generally opposing functions via simple, efficient, cost-effective and optionally detachable means.
A further object of the invention is to propose a boot construction method that is simple and whose assembly is quick and easy, with or without a minimum of traditional manual repeat operations, such as sewing, gluing, molding, “mold” mounting, or other operations.
Yet another object of the invention is to propose a boot that can be manufactured at low cost but whose technical quality and appearance are at least equal to those products that are currently available.
In order to achieve these objects, as well as others, the invention is related to a boot adapted to the practice of in-line skating, including:
a rigid shell base equipped with a rigid sole adapted to be attached on the frame of the skate, a heel reinforcement part and a longitudinal opening;
a flexible liner that is placed in the shell base that has a padded part surrounding the foot and at least one outer pocket portion;
the shell base has a rigid collar portion that extends the heel reinforcement; and
the outer pocket portion at least partially covers the collar portion so as to ensure, at least partially, the retention of the flexible liner in the shell base.
The shell base, as well as the collar extending therefrom, participates in the lateral retention of the foot and the ankle in the boot. The flexible liner ensures the careful enveloping and comfort. A structure of this type promotes ventilation by allowing air to enter via the longitudinal opening and air circulation in the space formed between the shell base and the flexible liner.
According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the pocket portion only partially covers the shell base such that it leaves at least a substantial part of the heel reinforcement of the shell base free. A structure of this type ensures an optimal enveloping of the top parts of the shell base that are less subject to friction and impacts so as to obtain a good cohesion of the liner/shell base assembly, and the low parts of the shell base that are capable of resisting friction and repeated impacts are left uncovered. Another advantage of the partial covering of the shell base is that it promotes the flexibility of the boot, with respect to a total covering that opposes a more substantial resistance to the bending of the boot. Another advantage is that it allows better air circulation by creating openings in the transition zones between the liner and the shell base with respect to a complete covering. Yet another advantage is that it helps in the lightness of the structure.
According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the rigid collar por
Bonaventure Laurent
Sirvain Bruno
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Mai Lanna
Phan Hau
Salomon S.A.
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