Sole for a sport boot and a sport boot having such a sole

• US 6,216,366 B1
• Filed: 01/15/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1996
• 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, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US09/231,812
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 36/31, 36/97, 361/02, 361/172, 361/173, 36/76.R, 361/08, 361/15, 121/46.B, 121/46.D
• US Class Current: 36/97
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/16 Pieced soles with several layers of different material A43B13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/049 with an upper made of composite material, e.g. fibers or core embedded in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0492 Telemark boots

Abstract

A sole, especially for a sport boot, adapted to sports that require a foot movement or to gliding sports. The sole, especially an external sole, is constituted by a front part and a rear part. The rear part covers at least the base of the heel zone and is rigid and substantially non-flexible. Preferably, the rear part extends substantially up to the so-called metatarsophalangeal bending zone. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a sole, especially a sole such as described hereinabove. In addition, it relates to a boot having a sole such as described hereinabove.

Claims

1. A sole for a sport boot, said sole comprising:

a front part;

a rear part, distinct from said front part, said rear part being connected to and extending rearwardly from and beyond said front part and including a heel zone, a plane extending substantially continuously through the sole from a rear end of said rear part to a front end of said front part;

said front part and said rear part are made from different materials, said rear part being rigid and substantially non-flexible and having a flexural modulus of elasticity between 260 MPa and 200 GPa;

said front part being less rigid than said rear part.

2. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said front part is flexible.

3. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said front part is provided with at least one coupling element, distinct from and secured to said front part, for attachment to a gliding support.

4. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said front part is provided with at least one coupling element, distinct from and secured to said front part, for attachment to a cross-country ski.

5. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said front part includes a median longitudinal axis, said rear part includes a median longitudinal axis;

said median longitudinal axes of said front and rear parts are not coextensive and intersect at an angle.

6. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, in combination with:

a stiffener extending above said sole and adapted to extend behind a heel inserted within the sport boot, said stiffener being unitary with said sole.

7. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 6, wherein:

said rear part and said stiffener are made of different materials.

8. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said rear part and said stiffener have different rigidities.

9. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 8, wherein:

said rigidity of said rear part is greater than the rigidity of said stiffener.

10. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 9, wherein:

said rear part and said stiffener are made of different materials.

11. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 8, wherein:

said rear part and said stiffener are made of different materials.

12. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said sole is adapted to be an external sole for the sport boot.

13. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said rear part extends to a rearwardmost end of the sole.

14. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said front part and said rear part are non-unitary.

15. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said front part and said rear part are connected together with an adhesive.

16. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said front and rear parts are connected together at an overlapping zone, said overlapping zone extending longitudinally over a distance of at least twice a boot size.

17. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 1, wherein:

said front and rear parts are connected together at an overlapping zone, said overlapping zone extending longitudinally over a distance of no greater than three times a boot size.

18. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 17 wherein:

said distance of said overlapping zone extends no greater than 21 mm.

19. A sport boot comprising:

a sole comprising;

a front part;

a rear part, distinct from said front part, said rear part being connected to and extending rearwardly from and beyond said front part and including a heel zone, a plane extending substantially continuously through the sole from a rear end of said rear part to a front end of said front part;

said front part and said rear part are made from different materials, said rear part being rigid and substantially non-flexible and having a flexural modulus of elasticity between 260 MPa and 200 GPa;

said front part being less rigid than said rear part.

20. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 19, wherein:

said rear part extends to a rearwardmost end of the sole.

21. A sport boot according to claim 19, further comprising:

a stiffener extending above said sole and adapted to extend behind a heel inserted within the sport boot, said stiffener being unitary with said sole.

22. A sport boot according to claim 19, wherein:

said front part and said rear part are non-unitary.

23. A sport boot according to claim 19, wherein:

said front part and said rear part are connected together with an adhesive.

24. A sport boot according to claim 19, wherein:

said front and rear parts are connected together at an overlapping zone, said overlapping zone extending longitudinally over a distance of at least twice a boot size.

25. A sport boot according to claim 19, wherein:

said front and rear parts are connected together at an overlapping zone, said overlapping zone extending longitudinally over a distance of no greater than three times a boot size.

26. A sport boot according to claim 25, wherein:

said distance of said overlapping zone extends no greater than 21 mm.

27. A sport boot comprising:

an external sole comprising;

a front part;

a rear part extending rearwardly from and beyond said front part and including a heel zone, said rear part comprising a rigid and substantially non-flexible plastic material, said front part comprising a plastic material having a rigidity less than a rigidity of said non-flexible plastic material of said rear part;

said rear part being connected to said front part substantially at a metatarsophalangeal bending zone, whereby said front and rear parts overlap and form an overlapping zone at least partially in a predetermined zone, said predetermined zone comprising one of;

(1) said metatarsophalangeal bending zone and (2) a zone rearward of said metatarsophalangeal bending zone; and

a plane extending substantially continuously through the sole from a rear end of said rear part to a front end of said front part.

28. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said rear part has a flexural modulus of elasticity between 260 MPa and 200 GPa.

29. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said rear part extends to a rearwardmost end of the sole.

30. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said front part and said rear part are made from different materials.

31. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said front part and said rear part are non-unitary.

32. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said front part and said rear part are connected together with an adhesive.

33. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said front part of said sole extends forwardly vertically beneath a front end of the boot.

34. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said front part of said sole is a unitary member and said rear part of said sole is a unitary member, said front part extending forwardly from said overlapping zone to a front end of the boot.

35. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said overlapping zone extends longitudinally over a distance of at least twice a boot size.

36. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said overlapping zone extends longitudinally over a distance of no more than three times a boot size.

37. A sport boot according to claim 36, wherein:

said distance of said overlapping zone extends no greater than 21 mm.

38. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said overlapping zone has a rigidity less than the rigidity of said rear part and greater than the rigidity of said front part.

39. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said front part is flexible.

40. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

in said overlapping zone, said front part extends beneath said rear part.

41. A sport boot according to claim 29, wherein:

said front part is provided with at least one coupling element, distinct from and secured to said front part, for attachment to a gliding support.

42. A sport boot according to claim 29, wherein:

said front part is provided with at least one coupling element, distinct from and secured to said front part, for attachment to a cross-country ski.

43. A sport boot according to claim 27, wherein:

said front part includes a median longitudinal axis, said rear part includes a median longitudinal axis;

said median longitudinal axes of said front and rear parts are not coextensive and intersect at an angle.

44. A sport boot according to claim 27, further comprising:

a stiffener extending above said sole and adapted to extend behind a heel inserted within the sport boot, said stiffener being unitary with said sole.

45. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 44, wherein:

said rear part and said stiffener are made of different materials.

46. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 44, wherein:

said rear part and said stiffener have different rigidities.

47. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 46, wherein:

said rear part and said stiffener are made of different materials.

48. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 46, wherein:

said rigidity of said rear part is greater than the rigidity of said stiffener.

49. A sole for a sport boot according to claim 48, wherein:

said rear part and said stiffener are made of different materials.

50. A plurality of soles for use in a plurality of respective sport boots, wherein:

each of said plurality of soles comprises;

a front part comprising a first material;

a rear part comprising a second material, said rear part extending rearwardly from said front part and including a heel zone, said second material of said rear part being rigid and substantially non-flexible, said first material of said front part having a rigidity less than a rigidity of said second material of said rear part;

said rear part being connected to said front part substantially at a metatarsophalangeal bending zone and said front and rear parts overlap, and forming an overlapping zone, at least partially in a predetermined zone, said predetermined zone comprising one of;

(1) said metatarsophalangeal bending zone and (2) a zone rearward of said metatarsophalangeal bending zone;

said front parts of at least two of said plurality of soles having identical lengths and said rear parts of said at least two of said plurality of soles having identical lengths;

said at least two of said plurality of soles having different lengths by virtue of said overlapping zones of said at least two of said plurality of soles having different lengths.

51. A plurality of soles according to claim 50, wherein:

each of said plurality of soles further include a stiffener extending above said sole and adapted to extend behind a heel inserted within the sport boot, said stiffener being unitary with said sole.

52. A plurality of soles according to claim 50, wherein:

said rear part of each of said soles extends to a rearwardmost end of the sole.

53. A plurality of soles according to claim 50, wherein:

said second material of said rear part of each of said soles has a flexural modulus of elasticity between 260 MPa and 200 GPa.