Mountain boot, particularly for ski-climbing

Abstract

 The invention relates to a boot comprising in combination : an outer body (11) which extends, for an only relatively short distance, above the heel of the wearer, and an inner shoe portion (12) with a leg portion extending for a long section outside said outer body, which leg portion is removably bindable to the free upper edge of the outer body by a flap which surmounts it and which is secured to it by releasable locking means, the rear part of said leg portion also incorporating an insert (15) - which is relatively yieldable elastically - of anatomical shape substantially corresponding to the shape of the heel and ankle of the wearer.

Description

[0001] As is known, ski-climbing entails the use of boots made in such a way as to enable them to be fitted to the wearer's skis and at the same time to ensure safe and comfortable progress over any type of terrain when the ski-climber is obliged to proceed on foot.

[0002] The presently used boots have a structure which represents a compromise between the requirements of the skier and the requirements of the ski-climber.

[0003] In particular, they feature a rigid rear upward extension from the leg of the boot which serves as a support for the skier when skiing on fresh snow, when the skier has to place his weight on the rear portion of the skis in order to keep the tips out of the snow.

[0004] Boots of this kind, however, are not very comfortable in use; for the skier wearing them has to place his weight entirely on his ankles, which rest against a substantially rigid area represented by the rear part of the boot and the aforesaid upward extension.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a boot that is more comfortable in use than the known .type and which also offers additional advantages as explained hereinafter.

[0006] To attain this purpose the present invention proposes a boot characterized in that it comprises, in combination, the following: an outer body which extends for an only relatively short distance; above the heel of the wearer, and an inner shoe portion with a leg portion protruding for a long section outside said outer body; the leg portion is removably bindable to the free upper edge of the outer body by means of a flag surmounting said body and secured to it by releasable locking means; the rear part of said leg portion also incorporates a relatively rigid insert of anatomical shape essentially corresponding to that of the heel and ankle of the wearer.

[0007] The ankle is in this way supported very comfortable, that is to say with a certain degree of flexibility, in the very extensive area not affected by the rigidity of the outer body but comprising only the leg of the shoe portion with its insert which possesses a certain degree of elastic yield.

[0008] The ins' rt can be housed inside a pocket between the upper of the shoe portion and an impermeable covering, the said pocket having a horizontal admittance aperture which can be closed for example with a "VELCRO" closure, or a hinged closure.

[0009] In this way the wearer can, if desired, when its function is no longer required, remove the insert from the pocket of the shoe portion with a quick movement.

[0010] Preferably, the releasable locking means which secure the inner shoe portion to the outer body consist of two strips of "VELCRO" applied to the outer body and to the flap of the shoe portion respectively.

[0011] The structural and functional characteristics of the invention and its advantages over the known art will be made clearer by the following exemplifying description referred to the attached drawings, in which :

FIGURE l.is a vertical sectional view illustrating a boot embodied according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the same boot as in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view illustrating only the inner shoe portion with its insert.

[0012] With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, the said boot is indicated overall by 10 and structurally consists of an outer body 11, which is substantially rigid, and a soft inner shoe portion 12.

[0013] The outer body 11 can be made of plastics material, while the inner shoe 12 is composed by an inner upper 13, for example made of leather, and an outer waterproof covering 14, for example of nylon.

[0014] As FIGURE 1 of the drawings clearly shows, the outer body 11 is relatively low and the inner shoe portion 12 has a long portion protruding from it for a long section. In order sufficiently and comfortably to support the wearer's ankle during skiing or ski-climbing, the rear portion of said leg portion houses a buttress insert 15, which possesses a certain degree of elastic yield and can be made of a suitable moulded plastics material.

[0015] The insert 15 has an anatomical configuration which substantially follows the contour of the heel and ankle of the wearer, as can be clearly seen from the drawings. Said insert 15 also features on its outer face ribbings 16, one of which is central and two of which are lateral, which impart to it an adequate rigidity. The wearer can himself reduce the thickness of the rib- rings in order, if wished, to make the insert a little more elastic, and also to allow adjustment of the slant of the insert with respect to the sole of the inner shoe, until the desired position of the leg is obtained.

[0016] The insert 15 can be contained in a freely removable manner within a pocket or gusset 17 extending from the sole of the shoe portion to almost as far as the upper border thereof. In its upper portion the pocket 17 has an aperture 18 which can be closed by a flap 19 provided on its inside face with a strip of "VELCRO" fabric 20 engageable with a corresponding strip 21 applied to the covering 14. In this way the insert 15 can, if wished, be quickly removed during progress, either on foot or with skis.

[0017] According to the present invention, the leg portion of the shoe portion 12 is anchored to the free upper edge of the outer body 11 by a flap 22 provided with a strip of "VELCRO" fabric 23, which engages a corresponding strip 24 secured to the outer body 11. Once the shoe portion has been inserted into the outer body 11, the flap 22 can be turned down from the position of FIGURE 3 so as to surmount the edge of the outer body 11, in the position shown in FIGURE 1,. In this way, the shoe portion 12 is stably bound to the outer body 11, with no possibility of reciprocal slipping; this binding is completed with front lacing means 25 of conventional type.

[0018] All the foregoing shows that the ankle of the skier or ski-climber is supported in a very comfortable manner, that is to say with a certain degree of flexibility (springing) in the very extensive area not involving the outer body 11 but only the leg portion of the shoe portion with its insert.

Claims

1. A boot characterized by the fact that it comprises in combination : an outer body which extends, for an only relatively short distance, above the heel of the wearer, and an inner shoe portion with a leg portion extending for a long section outside said outer body, which leg portion is removably bindable to the free upper edge of the outer body by a flap which surmounts it and which is secured to it by releasable locking means, the rear part of said leg portion also incorporating an insert - which is relatively yieldable elastically - of anatomical shape substantially corresponding to the shape of the heel and ankle of the wearer.

2. A boot according to Claim 1, characterized by the fact that said insert is housed within a pocket which extends vertically for almost the entire height of the shoe portion and which is formed between the upper of the shoe portion and a waterproof outer covering thereof.

3. A shoe portion according to Claim 2, characterized by the fact that said insert is housed within said pocket in a freely removable manner through a horizontal aperture, adjacent to the upper border of the shoe portion and adapted to be closed with a closure.

4. A boot according to Claim 3, characterized by the fact that said closure is of the flap type featuring "VELCRO" fabric.

5. A boot according to Claim 1, characterized by the fact that said insert has ribbings on its outer face.

6. A boot according to Claim 1, characterized by the fact that said releasable locking means comprise two strips of "VELCRO" fabric secured respectively to the flap and to the outer body.

Drawing