A ~PORT SHOE WITH A DYNAMIC TONGUE ASS~l~LY
, :
:
~ .
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION`
The present invention relates to internal fitting~
systems for sport~shoes ln general and in particular to a novel internal fitting system for a ski boot or the like.
A conventional ski boot as presently used in downhill skiing comprises a relatively rigid exterior lower shell member, àn upper~cuff member and~a relatively soft interior liner. The shell member and cuff member are designed to provide mechanical~protection and support for a foot, ankl~e and lower leg and~to provide a stable means for releas~ably securing the skl~ boot~to a ski. ~Frequently, the shell member and the cuff member~are-pivotably coupled in the proximity of the ankle. Boots~cons~tructed with a pivoting cuff member gen-; erally~provide restraint~against excess sideways and rearward bending at the ankle~while providing~limited forward bending~
of the leg relative to~the foot.~ Less commonlyl boots are constructed without a pivoting cuff member and forward bending is restricted or accomplished by providin;g for a separation of~
the upper forward~section of the cuf~f member.
The relatively-rigid exterior lower shell member A ~ ' ..
1~ 150 and upper cuff member ln conjunction with the relatively soft interior liner, in addition to providing mechanical support, must also provide a restraint against upward, forward, rearward and sideways movement of the foot. This restraint is desirable 5 to minimize foot discomfort and fatigue from recurring pressure areas and continual movement of the foot in the boot.
It is also necessary to control the skis during various ski-ing maneuvers and in various terrain and snow conditions.
Further, it is essential for min:imizing foot movement in order lO to maximize energy transmission between the foot and the release binding in a potential injury-producing fall.
In practice, the magnitude of restraint requirea from one moment to the next will vary as the skiing conditions and the maneuvers being executed change. Ideally, the boot 15 should provide for a close, though relatively loose, comfort-able fit that provides circulation and warmth during the track-ing phase of skiing while also providing for at least a momentary tighter fit during the turning phase or other force-ful maneuvers of skiing.
The design of conventional ski boots generally does not adequately compensate for the dynamic conditions that prevail in downhill skiing. With con-ventional boots, during a turn when skiing on packed snow, for-25 ward bending at the ankle is usually accompanied by a tendencyfor hindfoot upward movement and forefoot sideways movement ;~ because ski control and turning are usually accomplished by downward and sideways force applied to the forward leading edges of the skis. In powder snow, the forward leading 30 edges are kept raised for planing on top of the snow with a tendency for forefoot upward and sideways movement. When maneuvering in snow of different consistencies or in bumpy or mogly terrain, the skier alternates, frequently and rapidly, between forward and rearward bending in the boots. As a result 35 of this movement, ski control is significantly reduced. In most injury-producing fall conditlons, excess movement of a foot in a boot also reduces energy transmission between the , .
.: , ''' ~ ' ' ' ' ' `:
11~31~
, 3 `'. ; ' ~; foot and the release binding.
~ecause shell molds are expensive to manufacture, ,~ it has been the practice to supply a limit~d number of shell sizes. Manufacturers then rely upon buckles with numerous 5 and complex adjustments and liners of various configurations and constructions to provide a close, comfortable and warm fit, to compensate for innumerable foot sizes and shapes, an~
to achieve the necessary foot restraint. ~owever, tnese fitting arrangements are generally unsatisfactory. The use of 10 buckles with numerous and complex adjustments usually results in a nonconforming fit. The buckle closure required to pro-- vide a close fit usually results in uncomfortable pressure areas because of the consequent distortion of the relatively rigid shell. Additionally, conventional buckle arrangements 15 usually do not adequately restrain the foot from sideways l~ove-ment at the hindfoot and forefoot.
The use of liners of various configurations and constructions also frequently results in a nonconforming fit.
Because of the difficulty in supplying liner configurations 20 that will accommodate the wide range of variation of foot sizes and shapes such as a splay or wide forefoot, wide base, angulated heel, halux valgus, boney prominences, spurs, high longitudinal arch or one foot in size variance with the other foot, liners~are generally manufactured to conform to only a 25 limited range of size and shape. Manufacturers then rely upon various liner constructions to provide a close com~ortable fit. Among the constructions used there are included molded and sheet foam rubber, urethane foam, wax, cork, plastic beads, and other various flow materials. The numerous materials 30 usea is indicative of the unsatisfactory results obtained.
In spite of the above fitting arrangements, con-ventional boots do not provide adequate adjustment for comfort and restraint and a relatively large inventory of many shells and liner configurations and constructions is necessary to 35 satisfy customer requirements. Moreover, a satisfactory fit in the ski shop is still often unsatisfactory on the ski slope because the foot is not necessarily fitted for skiing , s 11~13~5~
conditions.
Considering the various possibilities, there are apparently three conventional boot parts that can provide for a dynamic internal fitting system for a 5~0rt shoe in general 5 and a ski boot in particular. They are as follows:
1. A mova~le cuff;
2. A movable foot bed; and
3. A movable tongue a~.sembly as disclosed in the present app1ication.
, ~
~ : :
:~ :
:
::: : : :: :~
; ,~, :
, 15~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENI'ION
In view of the foregoing, a principal object of the present invention is a sport shoe and boot fitting system, and in particular a ski boot fitting system which re~uces the 5 number of shell sizes, liner configurations and constructions required to achieve a close~ comfortable and warm fit, which provides necessary foot restraint over a wide range of foot sizes and foot shapes and which Idynamically adjusts the fit of the boot to a foot during all skiing maneuvers.
Another object of the present invention is a fitting system that requires only one adjustment to fit the boot to a foot.
Another object of the present invention is a fitting system that dynamically tightens the fit of the boot with for-15 ward lean and loosens the fit of the boot with rearward lean.
Still another object of the present invention is afitting system of the type described above in which the princi-pal means for dynamically adjusting the fit of the boot is a movable tongue assembly comprising an upper section and a lower 20 section, means for movably coupling the lower section to the upper section and m~ans for movably coupling the upper section to the boot.
~- Still another object of the present invention is a . ~
fitting system comprising a movable tongue assembly as described 25 above with means adjustably coupling the tongue assembly ~: :
to the boot for adjusting the fit of the boot to different sized feet.
.
In use, during forward lean, the upper section is rotated toward the toe of the boot about a pivot axis formed 30 by the means provided for coupling the upper section to the boot. As the upper section is pivoted forwardly, a lower por-tion of the upper section and the lower section are pivoted rearwardly and downwardIy for pressing a foot rearwardly and ; downwardly toward the heel of the boot. ~n one embodiment, the upper and lower sections are movably coupled at the lateral edges thereof and, in an alternative embodiment, the upper and lower sections are pivotably coupled at the mid-point thereof.
, ~ ., : : ~
~ ~ . , -, . : -15~
BRIEF D~SCRIPTION OF ~IE DRAWING
The above and other objects, features and advan-tages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing 5 in which: -Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a ski bootaccording to the present invention.Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a tongue assembly in a ski boot according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the coupling assembly coupling the tongue assembly to the boot.
Fig. 4A is a partial enlarged elevation view of a tongue-adjusting slot according to the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a front elevation view of the tongue assembly shown in Figs. 2 and 3O
Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of the tongue assembly of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a ~ross-sectional view of a ski boot -20 incorporating an alternative tongue assembly according to the present invention.
Fig. 8 is a front elevation view of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is a~partial cross-sectional view showing~
the adjustable coupling assembly coupling the tongue assem-~ly of ~igs. 7 and ~ to the ski boot.
: "
.
, . : , - ~ :
, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Referring to Figs. 1-6, there is provided in accordance with the present invention a ski boot designated generally as 1. In the ski boot 1 there is provided a lower shell member 2 and an upper cuff member 3. The lower shell member 2 is provided with a sole portion 4, a heel cup 5 and a forward overlying portion 6 for covering and protect-ing the forward portion and toes of a foot enclosed thereby.
The cuff member 3 is pivotably coupled to the shell member 2 as by a rivet or the like 7.
For war~th and comfort there is provided, extend-ing throughout the interior of the shell member 2 and cuff member 3, a liner designated generally as 8. The liner 8 is provided with a forward section 9 and a rearward section 10. The forward section 9 and the rearward section 10 are 15 split along a lateral line designated yenerally as 11 for facilitating the entry of a foot into the boot. To insure warmth and a close comfortable fit, the liner sections 9 and 10 are slightly overlapped, as shown by the dotted line at 12.
Immediately behind the instep portion of the boot, there is provided a movable tongue assembly designated gener-ally as 15. In the tongue assembly 15 there is provided an upper section 16~and a lower section 17. The lower section ~
17 is movably coupled~to the upper section~l6 at a first point 25 18 and at a second point 19 Iocated intermediate said sections 16 and 17 and near the right and left lateral edges thereof.
The shape of the lower~section 17 is such that it extends over a substantial portion of the instep and forefoot for ;~ minimizing forward and sldeways movement of a foot.
The upper and lower sections 16 and 17 are coupled at points 18 and 19 by resilient material used in fabricating the upper and lower sections. Alternatively, they may be pivotably coupled as by- a rivet with other suitable means being provided for providing a resilient coupling between 35 the two sections.
In addition to being resiliently coupled, upper .
-: ~ . ~, . . .
:
` ; ' ' .
1143~
and lower sections 16 and 17 are separated by a clearancespece designated generally as l9a along a line extending from the first point 18 over the instep portion thereof to the second point 19. The separation between the-upper and 5 lower sections 16 and 17 comprisles a predetermined distance along a line extending from the mid-point of the lower edge of the upper section and the mid-point of the upper edge of the lower section, which predetermined distance corresponds to a predetermined maximum distance of movement of said - 10 upper section 16 toward the toe of said boot relative to said lower section 17.
To movably couple the tongue assembly 15 to the boot 1, the upper section 16 is coupled to the lower shell member 2 by means of a pair of rivet-type pin members 20 and 15 21. For adjusting the position of the tongue assembly 15 relative to the heel cup 5, the pin members 20 and 21 are each provided with an internal head 21a and an external head 21b for fixedly attaching the upper section 16 in a tonyue-adjusting slot designated generally as 22. The tongue- -20 adjusting slot 22 is provided with a lower elongated slot portion 23 and a plurality of shorter slot portions 24, 25 and 26 extending generally upwardly and vertically there-fro~. Each of the slot portions 24, 25 and 26 are provided with a pair of inwardly projecting wall portions 27 and 28.
25 As seen more clearly in Fig. 4A, the inwardly projecting wall portions 27 and 28 are provided for securing the pins 20 and 21 in the slots 24, 25 and 26. The heads 21b on the ends of the pins 20 and 21 prevent the pins 20 and 21 from being withdrawn inwardly from the slots 24-26.
Typically, the upper and lower sections 16 and 17 of the tongue assembly 15 are fabricated with a padding 16a of a relatively soft interior foam-like material and a relatively rigid exterior shell 16b to which the interior padding 16a is affixed.
Referring to Fig. 6, during forward lean the upper section 16 is pivoted about the axis of the pin mem-bers 20 and 21 toward the toe of the boot 1. As shown by .
: . . . .
,. ~ ~ '' :
, ~ .
. . .
~4~1SC) the broken lines, as the upper section 16 is pivoted toward the toe of the boot 1, a lower portion of the upper section 16 and the lower section 17 are pivoted rearwardly and down-wardly for pressing a foot rearwardly and downwardly toward 5 the heel cup 5 at the lower rear end of the shell 2. During rearward lean the upper section 16 and lower section 17 are rotated in the opposite direction to relieve pressure from the foot. The space l9a between the upper and lower sec-tions 16 and 17 provides a clearance for permitting the 10 pivoting of the upper and lower sections 16 and 17 together during forward lean.
To adjust the tongue for different sized feet, the pins 20 and 21 are moved from one of the slots 24, 25 and 26 to another of the slots by pushing the pins past the wall 15 portions 27 and 28 and into the slot 23~ When the desired fit is achieved, the pins are again pushed past the wall sections 27 and 28 into the desired slot.
Referring to Figs. 7-11, there is provided in another embodiment of the present invention an alternative 20 movable tongue assembly designated generally as 30. For clarity, features of Figs. 7-11 which are identical to features shown in Figs. 1-6 bear the same identifying notation.
In the tongue assembly 30 there is provided an upper section 31 and a lower section 32. The upper-and lower sections 31~and 32 are movably resiliently coupled at the mid-point of the upper edge of said lower section 32 and the lower edge of said upper section~31. Extending from said mid-point to the lateral edges thereof, the upper and lower sections are split so as to provide a pair of clearance spaces 33 and 34 between the upper and lower sections 31 and 32.
Along the mid-line of the upper and lower sections 31 ~Id 32, the sections 31 and 32 are resiliently coupled by means of a resilient spring-like member 35. The spring-like 35 member 35 is coupled to the lower section 32 by means of one or more lower attaching members, such as a rivet 36. Similar-ly, the upper end of the member 35 is attached to the upper : : ' : .
:
~ : :
s~
section 31 by means of a removable attaching member such as a spring screw 37. As seen in Fig. 10, ~bove the spring screw 37 there is provided one or more holes 38. The hole~
38 are provided for moving the location of the spring screw 5 37 for changing the force requixed to change the shape of the resilient member 35.
As in the tongue assembly 15, the tongue assembly 30 is provided with a pad 16a comprising an interior padded foam-like material and an exterior rigid shell 16b to which 10 the padded material is attached. For attaching the upper section 31 to the shell 2, the upper section 31 is provided with a pair of pin members 20 and 21 for fitting in a slot 22 provided therefor in the shell 2 as described above with respect to the embodiment of Figs. 1-4.
In use, except for the fact that the upper and lower sections 31 and 32 of the embodiment of Fi~s. 7~11 move about an axis through the mid-point of the tongue sections rather than about an axis through the lateral edges thereof, a movement of the upper section 31 causes a corresponding 20 rearward and downward vement of the lower section 32 fox pressing a foot downwardly and rearwardly toward the heel cup 5 as described above with respect to the embodiment of Figs.
1-4.
While two embodiments of the present invention are 25 described, it is contemplated that still other changes and modifications to the embodiments will occur to those skilled - in the art and may be~made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the embodiments described be used only 30 for purposes of illustrating the invention and that the scope of the invention should be determined only by reference to the claims hereinafter provided and their equivalents.
~ , .
: .: ~ ; , , ~ . .