Device for fastening the foot of the skier in a ski boot

Abstract

 The device is constituted by a mechanical compressor (3) comprising in its interior control means the activation whereof can be effected directly by the skier by pulling a tensioning element such as a cable (19). The compressor (3) supplies compressed air to an air chamber (2) adapted to fasten the foot. During said step the mechanical compressor (3) is activated and simultaneously a spring (28) is loaded, adapted to allow the reciprocating control of said compressor (3) allowing only the inflation of the air chamber (2) and replacing said cable (19) in operating position. The reduced dimensions of the mechanical compressor preferably allow its positioning at the wedge of the boot. Furthermore valve (30), for the discharge of the fluid compressed within the air chamber (2), is actuatable by the skier.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for fastening the foot of the skier in a ski boot having in its interior one or more air chambers.

[0002] Among the devices used for fastening the foot of the skier in a boot it is known to use one or more air chambers the inflation whereof allows to effect a pressure at the foot, achieving thereby its fastening inside the boot.

[0003] EP patent application No. 86112047.5 by the same applicant discloses the use of electropneumatic means associated with the boot and connected to an electric power source which are controllably actuatable to supply one or more air chambers with pressurized fluid.

[0004] Though said device is undoubtedly valid, the relatively small dimensions of the motor impose a low capacity pump, thus considerably extending the time required to obtain the necessary pressure to fasten the foot.

[0005] Furthermore, the device can be also operated by a manual pump but to do so the skier must bend over the boot assuming an uncomfortable and unstable position.

[0006] Still, those controls are located on rather exposed parts of the boot to be easily accessible by hand and they also occupy useful room needed to accommodate other mechanisms such as flexibility variators, inclination variators and other foot fastening devices.

[0007] The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages described above in known types, by providing a device which allows the rapid inflation of one or more air chambers arranged internally to a ski boot, the skier being able to perform this operation in an easy manner and in a comfortable position.

[0008] Within the scope of the above described aim, another important object is to provide a device which associates with the preceding characteristics that of having a small size, and of being accommodatable in any regions of the boot without impeding other mechanisms and also of enhancing the styling of the boot by avoiding bulges or unaesthetical protrusions.

[0009] Another important object is to obtain a hihghly reliable and easily operated device.

[0010] The aim and the objects described above, as well as others which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a device for fastening the foot of the skier in a ski boot having at least one air chamber acting on the foot, characterized in that it comprises a compressor having an air outlet connected to said air chamber, said chamber having a discharge valve, said compressor being adapted to deliver pressurized air to said chamber, said compressor further having control means comprising a traction element manually operatable by said skier and cooperating with a resilient element to provide compressed air into said air outlet.

[0011] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a particular but not exclusive embodiment, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein.

figure 1 is a schematic view of a ski boot provided with the device according to the invention;

figure 2 is a view, sectioned along a middle longitudinal plane of the device.

[0012] With reference to the above described figures, a ski boot, indicated by the numeral 1, having in its interior one or more air chambers, indicated by the numeral 2, is provided with a device comprising a mechanical mini-­compressor 3 accommodatable at the wedge 4 of the boot 1.

[0013] The air chamber 2 is adapted to act on the foot, in a per se known manner, for a fastening action.

[0014] This is in fact a region otherwise unused and is larger proximate to the region of the heel 5 of the boot 1.

[0015] The mechanical mini-compressor 3 comprises a box-like body 6 accommodating in its interior a reciprocating pump 7 actuated by means of a connecting rod 8 interacting with the eccentric tang 9 of a pinion 10.

[0016] An elastically deformable cap 11 is connected to the connecting rod 8, the reciprocating pump 7 comprises an aspiration valve 12 and a delivery valve 13.

[0017] At the delivery valve 13, an air outlet 14 is connected to a nozzle 15 having an inner valve.

[0018] The nozzle 15 is then connected by means of a second delivery duct 16 to the air chamber 2.

[0019] Internally to the mechanical mini-compressor 3, control means are present for the activation thereof, said means comprising a winder shaft 17 freely pivoted inside the box-­like body 6 and having an axis substantially parallel to that of the pinion 10.

[0020] Said winder shaft 17 has an annular groove 18 whereto the end of a tensioning element, constituted by a cable 19, is connected.

[0021] The cable 19 protrudes from the box-like body 6, accommodates inside a sheath 20 and protrudes therefrom at an external lateral region of the boot, at the end of said cable there being associated a handle 21.

[0022] Laterally to the annular groove 18, the winder shaft 17 has a multi-start threading 22, in the direction of the pinion 10, a complementarily threaded insert 23 being rotatably associated thereon.

[0023] Upon a rotation of the winder shaft 17, the insert 23 translates in the direction opposite to that of the anular groove 18.

[0024] A spring 29, preferably of the omega shaped type, is interposed between the insert 23 and a gear 26 coaxial to the insert 23 and pivoted to the same pivot 32 of the winder shaft 17. The insert 23 has first front teeth 24 meshing with second teeth 25, provided on the gear 26, when the insert has translated completely.

[0025] The teeth 24 and 25 are preferably saw teeth so that, upon a rotation of the winder 17 in the opposite direction the teeth 24 and 25 disengage easily.

[0026] The gear 26 has a peripheral crown 27, externally toothed, meshing with the pinion 10 toothing.

[0027] On the opposite side with respect to the thread 22, an end of an elastically deformable element is associated with the winder shaft 27, and is constituted by a spiral spring 28 the other end whereof is associated with the pivoting pivot of said winder shaft 17.

[0028] A third discharge duct is furthermore associated with the air chamber 2, and a discharge valve 30, protruding externally to the boot 1 and actuatable by the user, is associated with its end.

[0029]  The operation of the device is as follows: the spring 28 at rest has imparted to the winder shaft such a rotation as to wind the cable 19 for several turns on the annular groove 18, the insert 23 having simultaneously disengaged from the second teeth 25 of the gear 26.

[0030] In this condition, if the user, gripping the handle 21, pulls the cable towards him, a rotation in, for istance, a clockwise direction is imparted to the winder shaft 17, which simultaneously controls the translatory motion of the insert 23, until it meshes with the second teeth 25 of the gear 26, and winds up the spring 28.

[0031] When the insert 23 is meshed with the gear 26, the latter transmits the motion to the pinion 10 which then causes the rotation of the eccentric tang 9 which imparts a reciprocating motion to the connecting rod 8.

[0032] The reciprocating pump 7 therefore compresses the air inside the chamber 12 through the air outlet 14 and the delivery duct 16.

[0033] The function of the spring 28 is to cause the anticlockwise rotation of the winder shaft 17 and consequently allow the rewinding of the cable 19 disengaging at the same time insert 23 from the gear 26.

[0034] Thus, by repeatedly pulling and releasing the cable 19 compressed air is produced from the air outlet 14, allowing the skier to actuate the device remaining in upright position.

[0035] The omega shaped spring 29 allows the insert 23 to translate relatively to the gear 26 and initially prevents it to rotate together with the winder 17.

[0036] Once the teeth 24 mesh with the teeth 25, the spring 29 allows the insert 23 to rotate together with the shaft 17.

[0037] Releasing the cable 19, the spring 28 rotates the shaft 17 in the opposite direction displacing the insert 23 towards the right (referring to fig. 2) and thus disengaging the teeth 24 and 25.

[0038] The insert 23 can be disengaged from the gear 26 because, advantageously the teeth 24 and 25 are saw teeth; moreover, the friction in the pinion-gear assembly 10, 16 is greater than the friction between the insert 23 and the winder 17.

[0039] As the insert 23 abuts against the pulley of the shaft 17, it rotates together with the shaft itself.

[0040] To release the air from the chamber 2 it is sufficient to act on the discharge valve 30 which is provided with an external push button 31.

[0041] It has thus been observed that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, a device having been obtained which allows the rapid inflation of one or more air chambers placed internally to a boot, allowing the skier to perform said operation in an easy manner and in a comfortable position.

[0042] Because of its particular structure, the device has a small size allowing its accommodation at the region of the wedge adjacent to of the heel of the boot, a region not usually employed.

[0043] The boot styling is thus not affected by the device, it being possible to apply thereto other devices such as for example flexibility variators, inclination variators and other foot fastening devices.

[0044] Naturally the invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept.

[0045] The materials, as well as the dimensions of the individual components of the device, may also be the most suitable according to the specific requirements.

[0046] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. Device for fastening the foot of the skier in a ski boot having at least one air chamber (2) acting on the foot, characterized in that it comprises a compressor (3) having an air outlet (14) connected to said air chamber (2), said chamber (2) having a discharge valve (30), said compressor (3) being adapted to deliver pressurized air to said chamber (2), said compressor further having control means comprising a traction element (19) manually operatable by said skier and cooperating with a resilient element to provide compressed air into said air outlet (14).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said compressor (3) comprises a box-like body (6) accommodating in its interior a reciprocating pump (7) actuated by means of a connecting rod (8) interacting with an eccentric tang (9) of a pinion (10), said compressor (3) being positioned at the wedge (4) proximate to the region of the heel (5) of said boot (1).

3. Device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that internally to said compressor (3) control means are present for the activation thereof, said means comprising a winder shaft (17), pivoted to a pivot placed inside said box-like body and having an axis substantially parallel to that of said pinion (10).

4. Device according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that said winder shaft (17) has an annular groove (18) whereto is connected the end of a tensioning element constituted by a cable (19) protruding from said box-like body and accommodating in a sheath (20), at the other end said cable (19) protruding at an external lateral region of the boot, a handle (21) being associated therewith.

5. Device according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that laterally to said annular groove (18) said winder shaft (17) has, in the direction of said pinion (10), a thread (22) with coarse pitch and multiple starts, a complementarily threaded insert (23) being rotatably associated thereon, movable once said winder shaft (17) is caused to rotate.

6. Device according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that said insert (23) has, at the end directed in the opposite direction with respect to said annular groove (18), first front teeth meshing (24), upon said translation, with second teeth (25) facing the same and protruding from a gear (27) pivoted on the same pivot (32) as said winder shaft (17).

7. Device according to claims 1 and 6, characterized in that said gear (27) has a peripheral crown, externally toothed, meshing with complementary teeth protruding radially to the axis of said pinion (10).

8. Device according to claims 1 and 7, characterized in that, laterally to said annular groove (18), an end of an elastically deformable element is associated with said winder shaft (17) in the opposite direction with respect to said pinion (10), and comprises a spiral spring (28), associated at the other end with said pivoting pivot (32) of said winder shaft (17), said spiral spring (28) loading during the step of translatory motion of said insert (23) in the direction of said gear (27).

9. Device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said discharge valve (30) protrudes from said boot proximate to said handle (21).

10. Device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said mechanical compressor (3) is accommodated at the wedge of the boot (1).

Drawing