Mountain hiking boot with internal tightening device

• US 5,704,138 A
• Filed: 07/23/1996
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Salomon SA (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Salomon SA (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Donnadieu, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US08/681,388
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 36/50.1, 36/58.5, 36/85, 36/117.6
• US Class Current: 36/58.5
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/002 Mountain boots or shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1495 with arch-supports of the bracelet type

Abstract

Sport shoe, in particular for mountain hiking, of the type comprising an outer sole (2) on which an external upper (3), open to the front to allow insertion of the foot (4) and capable of being closed over the latter by a closing system, is mounted. The shoe comprises an internal tightening device (8) designed to ensure position-retention of the foot (4) inside the shoe (1) and acting on the foot (4) independently of the external upper (3), which is designed to ensure protection of the foot (4).

Claims

1. Mountain hiking boot (1) comprising:

(a) an outer sole (2) sufficiently flexible to allow at least partial unrolling of a foot of a wearer of said boot;

(b) an external upper (3) made of a material which is sufficiently rigid to assure mechanical protection of a foot but sufficiently flexible to allow partial unrolling of said foot, said upper having an open front allowing insertion of said foot (4), and comprising a closing system (5) for closure of said boot;

(c) an internal tightening device (8) disposed inside said upper (3) and being constituted by two internal quarters (8a, 8b) having lower ends (8c, 8d) attached to a side of said boot, each of said internal quarters (8a, 8b) being made of flexible material and being arranged only in an instep area approximately between a flexion crease (4a) of said foot (4) and an articulation axis of metatarsals (4b) of said foot, and each of said internal quarters having an upper free end portion which is spaced from and unconnected with said external upper, said tightening device being adapted to immobilize said foot against all horizontal movement in a longitudinal axial direction of said boot; and

(d) said upper free end portion (8e, 8f) of each internal quarter (8a, 8b) being fitted with attachment and tightening means incorporated therein and arranged beneath said external upper, whereby said internal quarters ensure positioning and tightening of said foot (4) inside said boot (1) independently of said external upper;

(e) said mechanical protection of said foot provided by said external upper (3) being dissociated from and independent of said foot tightening provided by said internal tightening device, respectively.

2. Mountain hiking boot according to claim 1, wherein said flexible material of which said tightening quarters (8a, 8b) are made is a netting.

3. Mountain hiking boot according to claim 1, said flexible material of which said tightening quarters (8a, 8b) are made is perforated.

4. Mountain hiking boot according to claim 1, wherein said tightening means (9) on said free ends (8e, 8f) of said tightening quarters (8a, 8b) are constituted by a lacing system.

5. Mountain hiking boot according to claim 1, wherein assembly of said tightening quarters (8a, 8b) is effected by a lacing system.