Sport boot

• US 5,926,976 A
• Filed: 06/12/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Salomon SA (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Salomon SA (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fellouhe, Catherine, Cretinon, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US08/873,702
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 36/45, 36/91, 36/50.1, 36/169
• US Class Current: 36/45
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/41 combined with heel stiffener, toe stiffener, or shank stiffener
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/002 Mountain boots or shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/18 Joint supports, e.g. instep supports

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sport boot in which the functions of tightening and protecting the foot are preformed by implementing a tightening device cooperating with at least one movable flap found outside the upper and adapted to be pressed against the latter, wherein a transverse cutout is obtained on the flank of the upper, opposite the movable flap, and wherein a thin flexible plate closes this opening from the inside of the upper, the flap being housed in the cutout during a tightening action.

Claims

1. A boot comprising:

a sole;

an upper attached to and extending upwardly from said sole, said upper including opposite first and second flanks and a top having a front longitudinal opening, said front longitudinal opening being defined by longitudinally extending edges;

a tightening device for adjusting the tightness of said upper on the foot of a wearer of the boot by adjusting a spacing between said longitudinally extending edges, said tightening device comprising at least one movable flap secured with respect to said sole and extending freely upwardly from an attachment zone and being movable with respect to said first flank and being adapted to be positioned upon said first flank, said movable flap having a pair of lateral edges spaced apart a predetermined width;

said first flank of said upper having a transverse cutout defined by a pair of edges extending in a direction from said sole to said front longitudinal opening, said edges of said transverse cutout being spaced apart by a distance at least greater than said predetermined width of said movable flap;

said first flank of said upper further including a flexible plate, said flexible plate having edges positioned beneath said edges of said transverse cutout, whereby said flexible plate closes said transverse cutout; and

said movable flap being positioned upon said flexible plate in said transverse cutout, whereby said lateral edges of said movable flap are positioned between said edges of said flexible plate and whereby double thicknesses are avoided.

2. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

the boot has a tip for covering a forefoot of the wearer and a rear within which a heel of the wearer is to be nested; and

said transverse cutout and said movable flap are positioned between said tip and said rear.

3. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said flexible plate and said movable flap includes a respective fastening lug, said fastening lugs being mesh assembled with said sole.

4. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

the boot further comprises an insole positioned upon said sole; and

each of said flexible plate and said movable flap includes a respective fastening lug, said fastening lugs being mesh assembled with said sole and with said insole.

5. A boot according to claim 4, wherein:

said flexible plate is unitary with said insole.

6. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said edges of said flexible plate, positioned beneath said edges of said transverse cutout, are affixed to said edges of said transverse cutout.

7. A boot according to claim 6, wherein:

said edges of said flexible plate are affixed to said edges of said transverse cutout by means of adhesive.

8. A boot according to claim 6, wherein:

said edges of said flexible plate are affixed to said edges of said transverse cutout by means of stitching.

9. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said cutout flares out from said sole to said front longitudinal opening at least in a frontward direction.

10. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said distance between said edges defining said cutout increases in relation to increased distance from said sole.

11. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said flexible plate has an upper edge constituting at least a part of said longitudinally extending edges defining said front longitudinally extending opening.

12. A boot according to claim 11, wherein:

said tightening device comprises a lace; and

said upper edge of said flexible plate includes at least one guide for said lace.

13. A boot according to claim 12, wherein:

said movable flap flares out from said attachment zone to said front longitudinal opening; and

said movable flap includes at least one guide for said lace at said front longitudinal opening.

14. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said tightening device comprises a lace;

said movable flap flares out from said attachment zone to said front longitudinal opening; and

said movable flap includes at least one guide for said lace at said front longitudinal opening.

15. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said edges of said first flank defining said transverse cutout has a predetermined contour;

said flexible plate has a bead spaced from each of respective ones of said edges of said flexible plate and extending along at least said predetermined contours of said edges of said transverse cutout, said beads being positioned between respective edges of said cutout and said movable flap, said beads having a height corresponding substantially to a thickness of said first flank of said upper in an area of said transverse cutout and to a thickness of said movable flap.

16. A boot according to claim 15, wherein said lateral edges of said movable flap follow, at least partially, said predetermined contour of said transverse cutout.

17. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said flexible plate is made of plastic.

18. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said attachment zone from which said movable flap extends upwardly is located at a level of said sole.

19. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said flexible plate is a thin plastic flexible plate.

20. A boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said flexible plate has a thickness less than a thickness of a remainder of said upper.

21. A boot according to claim 1, further comprising:

a comfort lining positioned within said upper.

23. A boot according to claim 11, wherein:

the boot has a tip for covering a forefoot of the wearer and a rear within which a heel of the wearer is to be nested; and

said transverse cutouts and said movable flaps are positioned between said tip and said rear.

24. A boot according to claim 23, wherein:

each of said flexible plates and said movable flaps includes a respective fastening lug, said fastening lugs being mesh assembled with said sole.

22. A boot comprising:

a sole;

an upper attached to and extending upwardly from said sole, said upper including opposite first and second flanks and a top having a front longitudinal opening, said front longitudinal opening being defined by longitudinally extending edges;

a tightening device for adjusting the tightness of said upper on the foot of a wearer of the boot by adjusting a spacing between said longitudinally extending edges, said tightening device comprising a pair of movable flaps secured with respect to said sole and extending freely upwardly from respective attachment zones and being movable with respect to said first and second flanks and being adapted to be positioned upon respective ones of said first flank and said second flank, each of said movable flaps having a pair of lateral edges spaced apart a predetermined width;

each of said first flank and said second flank of said upper having respective transverse cutouts defined by a pair of edges extending in a direction from said sole to said front longitudinal opening, said edges of said transverse cutout being spaced apart by a distance at least greater than said predetermined width of a respective one of said movable flaps;

each of said first flank and said second flank of said upper further including a respective flexible plate, each said flexible plate having edges positioned beneath said edges of a respective one of said transverse cutouts, whereby each of said flexible plates closes a respective one of said transverse cutouts; and

each of said movable flaps being positioned upon a respective one of said flexible plates in a respective one of said transverse cutouts, whereby said lateral edges of each of said movable flaps are positioned between said edges of a respective flexible plate, and whereby double thicknesses are avoided.

25. A boot according to claim 22, wherein:

the boot further comprises an insole positioned upon said sole; and

each of said flexible plates and said movable flaps includes a respective fastening lug, said fastening lugs being mesh assembled with said sole and with said insole.

26. A boot according to claim 25, wherein:

at least one of said flexible plates is unitary with said insole.

27. A boot according to claim 22, wherein:

each of said flexible plates has an upper edge constituting at least a part of said longitudinally extending edges defining said front longitudinally extending opening.

28. A boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said tightening device comprises a lace; and

said upper edge of each of said flexible plates includes at least one guide for said lace.

29. A boot according to claim 28, wherein:

each of said movable flaps flares out from a respective one of said attachment zones to said front longitudinal opening; and

each of said movable flaps includes at least one guide for said lace at said front longitudinal opening.

30. A boot according to claim 22, wherein:

said tightening device comprises a lace;

each of said movable flaps flares out from said attachment zone to said front longitudinal opening; and

each of said movable flaps includes at least one guide for said lace at said front longitudinal opening.

31. A boot according to claim 22, wherein:

each of said flexible plates is made of plastic.

32. A boot according to claim 22, wherein:

said attachment zone from which each of said movable flaps extends upwardly is located at a level of said sole.

33. A boot according to claim 22, wherein:

each of said flexible plates is a thin plastic flexible plate.

34. A boot according to claim 22, wherein:

each of said flexible plates has a thickness less than a thickness of a remainder of said upper.

35. A boot according to claim 22, further comprising:

a comfort lining positioned within said upper.