Boots – shoes – and leggings – Boots and shoes – Occupational or athletic shoe
Patent
1984-07-02
1986-04-15
Kee Chi, James
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Boots and shoes
Occupational or athletic shoe
36 54, A43B 504
Patent
active
045818312
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ski boot of the type having a lower or foot part that receives the foot with a plate engaged over the instep and an upper or leg part receiving the lower leg and mounted on the lower part for swinging about an axis extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the boot in the area of the heel. The boot upper part is swingable between an upright position and a vorlage position and locking mechanism is provided to retain the upper part in the vorlage position during skiing.
2. Prior Art
In a known ski boot the locking of an upper or leg part of the boot into the vorlage position occurs automatically when such upper part is swung forward. When walking with such known ski boot, such locking often occurs unintentionally which requires that the locking mechanism be released manually before normal walking can be resumed.
In another known ski boot an ankle sleeve is hinged to the rear of a boot lower part and, for easy insertion of the foot and for walking, is swingable rearward about the pivot of the hinge. A disadvantage of this boot is that rearward tilting of the ankle sleeve during walking separates the sleeve and the lower part which can expose the foot to cold air or snow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a ski boot having a lower, foot-enclosing part with an instep plate and a swingable upper, leg-enclosing part that can be locked to the lower part in a vorlage position, but which can be released for comfortable walking without exposing the foot to cold air or snow.
In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism includes a lever pivotally mounted on the lower boot part and cooperating with a latch engageable with a catch carried by the upper boot part for locking the upper boot part in the vorlage position. The lever also cooperates with mechanism connected to the instep plate for pressing the instep plate inward when the upper part is locked in the vorlage position, but such mechanism releases the instep plate when the boot upper part is free to swing for walking. The lever can be biased to its released position to prevent unintentional locking of the boot upper part in the vorlage position.
Preferably, the upper portion of the boot lower part is telescoped inside the lower portion of the boot upper part. The overlapping portions of such parts are in close sliding engagement so that the foot is not exposed to cold air or snow regardless of whether the boot upper part is in its released walking position or its forward swung vorlage position. The overlapping portions of the two parts at the front and back of the boot can have arcuate segments equidistant from the axis of the pivot connecting the two parts. Such axis is preferably disposed in the area of the heel, a substantial distance above the boot sole and rearward of the axis of the ankle joint.
Preferably, the inward pressure applied against the instep plate when the upper part is locked in its vorlage position is adjustable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation of a ski boot in accordance with the present invention having an upper part pivoted on a lower part and mechanism for locking the upper part in a vorlage position, with parts shown in section and parts broken away, and FIG. 2 is a corresponding side elevation of the ski boot shown in FIG. 1 with parts in different positions.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevation of another ski boot in accordance with the present invention with parts shown in section, illustrating a modified form of locking mechanism.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevation of another ski boot in accordance with the present invention, with parts shown in section, illustrating another modified form of locking mechanism.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevation of another ski boot in accordance with the present invention, with parts shown in section, illustrating another modified form of locking mechanism, and FIG. 6 is a c
REFERENCES:
patent: 3883964 (1975-05-01), Check
patent: 4193215 (1980-03-01), Hensler
patent: 4196530 (1980-04-01), Delery
patent: 4406073 (1983-09-01), Spademan
Beach Robert W.
Brown Ward
Chi James Kee
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