SPORTS BOOT CONSTRUCTION

• US 20100287793A1
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: K2 Corporation (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: K2 Corporation (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, William B., Waldron, Darren Hunter
• Application Number:
  US12/778,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287793A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/114
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0401 Snowboard boots

Abstract

A sports boot and a method for constructing the sports boot are disclosed comprising a unitary body and an external upper assembly. In the current embodiment, the unitary body has a sole portion, an upper portion, and an ankle cuff portion, and comprises injection-molded ethylene vinyl acetate. The external upper assembly is of composite construction from relatively rugged materials, and, in a current embodiment, includes side panels, forefoot panels, and one or more instep panels. The external upper assembly is attached to the unitary body to form the boot.

Claims

1. A sports boot comprising:

a unitary body comprising a sole portion and an upper portion extending upwardly from the sole portion, the upper portion including a toe portion configured to enclose a portion of a user'"'"'s foot, and a cuff portion configured to wrap about a user'"'"'s ankle, the upper portion defining an elongate opening extending from the toe portion;

a semi-rigid elongate support attached to the cuff portion of the unitary body;

an external upper assembly attached to the unitary body and covering only a portion of the unitary body; and

a closure means extending across the elongate opening.

2. The sports boot of claim 1, wherein the unitary body comprises injection-molded ethylene vinyl acetate.

3. The sports boot of claim 1, wherein the external upper assembly comprises a side panel, a forefoot panel and an instep panel that are preassembled prior to attachment to the unitary body.

4. The sports boot of claim 1, wherein the cuff portion includes an inner surface defining a recess that is shaped to receive the elongate support such that the elongate support is flush with the inner surface of the cuff portion.

5. The sports boot of claim 1, further comprising a tongue attached to a forefoot end of the elongate opening and extending upwardly along the elongate opening.

6. The sports boot of claim 1, further comprising a gusset attached to an interior surface of the unitary body and extends across the elongate opening.

7. The sports boot of claim 1, further comprising an inner liner sock that covers an interior surface of the unitary body.

8. The sports boot of claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing panel engaging a surface of the unitary body adjacent the elongate opening.

9. The sports boot of claim 8, wherein the reinforcing panel engages an exterior surface of the unitary body.

10. The sports boot of claim 8, wherein the closure means comprises a plurality of lace keepers attached to the reinforcing panel and a lace that slidably engages the lace keepers.

11. The sports boot of claim 8, wherein the unitary body is formed with a recess on the outer surface that is sized and configured to receive the reinforcing panel.

12. The sports boot of claim 1, further comprising a semi-rigid toe cap support that is attached to the toe portion of the unitary body.

13. The sports boot of claim 1, wherein the cuff portion of the unitary body comprises a plurality of thickened sections.

14. The sports boot of claim 13, wherein the thickened sections further comprise transverse channels for increasing the flexibility in a desired flexure direction.

15. The sports boot of claim 1, wherein the semi-rigid elongate support comprises a webbing that is rigid in the tensile direction.

16. A method of constructing a sports boot comprising:

injection molding a unitary body comprising a sole portion and an upper portion extending upwardly from the sole portion, the upper portion including a toe portion configured to enclose a portion of a user'"'"'s foot, and an upwardly extending back portion positioned to extend along a rear portion of a user'"'"'s leg, the upper portion defining an elongate opening extending from the toe portion to an upper end of the unitary body;

attaching a semi-rigid support to the back portion of the unitary body;

securely affixing a plurality of reinforcing panels to an outer surface of the unitary body;

forming an external upper assembly;

fixedly attaching the external upper assembly to the unitary body by attaching the external upper assembly to the plurality of reinforcing panels.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of attaching a webbing to the unitary body using at least some of the plurality of reinforcing panels.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the unitary body comprises an injection-molded ethylene vinyl acetate.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the external upper assembly comprises a composite construction having side panels that overlie a portion of the unitary body, forefoot panels that attach to the unitary body, and an instep panel that extends over the toe portion of the unitary body.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the unitary body comprises relatively thick portions that are not covered by the external upper assembly.