Long distance skiing footwear having the sole provided with a reinforcing element

Abstract

 A long distance skiing foorwear (2) having the sole provided with a reinforcing element (1 ) and further comprising, at least near its toe, a second lower reinforcing element (3), separated from the higher first element (1) by a diaphragm (4) of the same plastic or rubber material forming the footwear end engageable by the binding means of the ski.

Description

[0001] This invention realates to a long distance skiing footwear having the sole provided with a reinforcing element.

[0002] Long distance skiing footwear, formed of injecton molded plastics, are well known: in order to meet the requirements implied by this kind of sports, it was already suggested to include a reinforcing element inside the sole giving the footwear longitudinal flexibility characteristics at the plantar zone allowing an easy walking and at the same time a certain transversal stiffness ensuring the directional control of the ski.

[0003] The one-piece reinforcing element of these well known ski footwears is inserted into the plastic or rubber material forming the sole or the upper of the footwear and it extends from the heel to the toe, where it is provided with vertical axis cylindric recesses for the engagement with corresponding little pins foreseen in the front part of the ski bindings.

[0004] For this reason the well known reinforcing elements have both the functions of reinforcing the footwear, giving it the longitudinal flexibility and transversal stiffness referred above, and of absorbing the stresses occurring during the use and that are due to the peculiar way of coupling ski bindings with footwear, obtained with little pins.

[0005] In fact if the reinforcing element is missing and the little pins engage directly with the naturally yielding plastic or rubber reinforcing element, they shortly cause, due to the high stresses, the laceration of the material and consequently the no use of the footwear.

[0006] Practically it has been noted that, if the use of the footwear is not correct and in particular if the skier doesn't take- care over introducing the pins into the corresponding recesses, he can lacerate their edges and so the water should infiltrate and, with the passing of the time, reach the inner of the footwear and the skier's foot. Not only, but this phenomen enhances with the time both for the tendency, due to the use, of the reinforcing element to lose the tight touch with the rubber or plastic surrounding material, and for the presence of the infiltrating water which can ice and quicken this phenomen.

[0007] According to the invention this drawback is eliminated with a long distance skiing footwear having the sole provided with a reinforcing element characterized in that it comprises, at least near its toe, a second lower reinforcing element, separated from the higher first element by a diaphragm of the same plastic or rubber material forming the footwear and engageable by the binding means of the ski.

[0008] Advantageously this second lower reinforcing element can be provided with cylindric recesses for the engagement with little pins of the traditional ski bindings, said recesse ending above near the said diaphragm.

[0009] In short in the footwear according to the present invention, the splitting in two of the functions, that previously were carried out by one reinforcing element, is obtained. Now this element carries out the only function of a reinforcing element for the sole of the footwear, and a beneath second element has been used to connect the ski binding with the footwear. This second element may end to the zone of the toe and it is wholly separated from the first element. In this way the major advantage has been obtained of having eliminated any direct connection between the outer of the footwear and the first reinforcing element, and consequently any infiltration of the water inside the footwear.

[0010] Secondly the presence of the other reinforcing element strengthens the front zone of the footwear and therefore it allows the application of very high stresses to ensure a more firm engagement with the toe of the footwear.

[0011] Further features and advantages will be apparent from the detailed description of the long distance skiing footwear with reference to the accompanying exemplary drawings where:

Figure 1 is a partially perspective sectional view of a long distance skiing footwear according to the invention, and

Figure 2 shows it in partial longitudinal section.

[0012] with reference to the drawing figures the skiing footwear according to the invention is preferably of the polyurethane type with the sole provided with a reinforcing element 1 as disclosed in European Patent Application N.80106969.1 (Publication N.0029206). Near the toe of the footwear the reinforcing element 1 is more distant from the lower surface of the sole 2 arid it allows that, within the thickness of the polyurethane material forming the footwear, a second reinforcing element 3 is inserted, separated from the element 1 by a diaphragm 4 of the same polyurethane material.

[0013] In the case of normalized ski bindings provided with three pins protruding upward, the reinforcing element 3 and the polyurethane underlying coat 6 are provided with corresponding cylindric recesses 7 ending near the diaphragm 4 therefore excluding any communication between the outer and the reinforcing element 1.

[0014] For different kind of ski bindings, different engagement means could be foreseen, which in any case end to the reinforcing element 3 without perforating the diaphragm 4 and causing infiltrations of water inside the footwear.

Claims

1. Long distance skiing footwear (2) having the sole provided with a reinforcing element (1) characterized in that it comprises, at least near its toe, a second lower reinforcing element (3), separated from the higher first element (1) by a diaphragm (4) of the same plastic or rubber material forming the footwear end engageable by the binding means of the ski.

2. Long distance skiing footwear according to the claim 1 characterized in that the second lower reinforcing element (2) is provided with cylindric recesses (7) for the engagement with little pins (5) of the traditional ski bindings, said recesses ending above near the said diaphragm (4).

Drawing