Lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like

Abstract

 A lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like, comprising a base element (2) designed to be rigidly connected to a flap of a portion to be fastened and whereto lever means (4) are hinged; a band (6) is in turn hinged to the lever means (4) and designed to allow the portion to close onto another portion whereon the band (6) engages; accidental release prevention means (10) which are associated with the lever means (4), are hinged at the point (5) where the lever means (4) are hinged to the base element (2), and are adapted to pass from a position for interfering with the base element (2) and preventing the rotation of the lever means (4) to a retracted position which allows the opening rotation of the lever means (4).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a lever for sports shoes, such as ski boots, skates, cycling shoes and snowboard bindings, and orthopedic devices such as corsets, orthotic devices and the like.

[0002] It is known that sports shoes usually have shoe closure levers connected to toothed bands which, in combination with the lever, achieve an adjustable closure of the shoe.

[0003] For example in the case of ski boots, skates, snowboard bindings and the like, it is very important that the closure provided by means of the lever be accidental release-proof, i.e., accidental impacts or other similar situations must absolutely not cause the lever to open in any way thus no longer ensuring the correct grip of the shoe around the foot of the user.

[0004] This situation is very dangerous; for example, in the case of ski boots or skates, in which the user often falls, it is important to avoid accidental opening of the locking levers, several whereof are usually provided on the ski boot or on the boot of the skate.

[0005] However, the devices for preventing the release of said levers must in any case be practical to use and must not make it difficult for the user to normally open a selected lever.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is to provide a lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like having means for preventing accidental opening.

[0007] Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like in which the means for preventing accidental opening do not hinder intentional opening by the user.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like whose outer dimensions are substantially unchanged with respect to conventional levers.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like whose opening system is in any case simple from a mechanical point of view.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like which is highly reliable, relatively easy to provide and has competitive cost.

[0011] These and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like, comprising a base element designed to be rigidly connected to a flap of a portion to be fastened and whereto lever means are hinged, a band being in turn hinged to said lever means, said band being designed to allow said portion to close onto another portion whereon said band engages, characterized in that it comprises accidental release prevention means which are associated with said lever means, are hinged at the point where said lever means are hinged to said base element, and are adapted to pass from a position for interfering with said base element and preventing the rotation of said lever means to a retracted position which allows the opening rotation of said lever means and the opening of said lever means.

[0012] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the lever according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional side view of the lever according to the present invention, in a first operating position;

Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the lever according to the invention, in a second operating position;

Figure 3 is a side view of the lever according to the invention, in a third open operating position; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lever according to the invention, illustrating the way in which said lever opens.

[0013] With reference to the above figures, the lever according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a base element 2 which is substantially plate-like and is designed to be connected to a flap of a sports shoe, an orthopedic aid or the like, and is provided with two lateral wings 3 whereto lever means 4 are pivoted.

[0014] The point where the lever means 4 are hinged to the wings 3 of the base element 2 is designated by the reference numeral 5. A toothed band 6 is hinged to the lever means 4 and its hinge point is designated by the reference numeral 7.

[0015] The lever means 4 are conveniently provided with means for preventing accidental release, designated by the reference numeral 10, which are accommodated in a substantially rectangular opening formed at one end of the lever means 4, specifically the end that is pivoted to the wings 3.

[0016] The accidental release prevention means 10 are also hinged at the hinge point 5 and are provided with a slot 12 through which there passes a pivot connecting the lever means 4 and the accidental release prevention means 10 to the pair of wings 3.

[0017] Conveniently, the release prevention means 10 are provided with a blind cavity 13 designed to accommodate one end of elastic means 14 which abut, with their opposite end, against a wall 15 which closes the substantially rectangular cavity that accommodates the accidental release prevention means 10.

[0018] Conveniently, the elastic means 14 are constituted by a helical spring which is accommodated in the blind cavity 13 and abuts against the wall 15 of the lever means 4.

[0019] Moreover, the accidental release prevention means 10 have a second slot 16 through which there passes a pivot which connects the lever means 4 to the toothed band 6 and therefore the accidental release prevention means 10.

[0020] As shown in the figures, the accidental release prevention means 10 have a tooth 20 at one end meant to make contact with the base element 2 and have, at the upper surface of the lever means 4, a protruding portion 21 which is conveniently provided with knurled regions 22 and is meant to be actuated by the hand of a user as shown in detail hereinafter.

[0021] With reference to the above cited figures, the operation of the lever according to the invention is as follows.

[0022] Figure 1 is a view of a position in which the lever is in a closed condition. This situation clearly shows that the tooth 20 of the accidental release prevention means 10 interferes with the base element 2 of the lever.

[0023] In this manner, any accidental release of the lever is prevented, since the hinge points 5 and 7 are in the rightward end position of the slots 12 and 16 of the accidental release prevention means 10 and this does not allow the rotation of the lever means 4 by action on the end of said lever means designated by the reference numeral 24.

[0024] The second operating position of the lever according to the invention is shown in Figure 2, in which the user has actuated the release prevention means 10, making them move in contrast with the elastic means 14, so that the hinge points 5 and 7 are now at the left end of the slots 12 and 16. In practice, the translatory motion toward the end 24 of the lever means 4 performed by the release prevention means 10 causes the tooth 20 to also move to the rear and arrange itself behind the hinge point 5; accordingly, the upward actuation of the end 24 of the lever means 4 can allow, in this case, the opening of the lever, with the overturning of the lever means 4, as shown in Figure 3.

[0025] In practice, in order to actuate the lever according to the invention so as to open it, it is necessary to perform two combined movements: a first movement is a translatory one, for example by means of the thumb, as shown in Figure 4, of the release prevention means 10, in order to allow the disengagement of the tooth 20 from the base element 2, when the user, with another finger of his hand, actuates upward the lever means 4, applying force in particular to the end 24 of said lever means.

[0026] Accordingly, the backward translatory motion of the release prevention means 10 allows the easy disengagement of the tooth 20 from the base element 2 and most of all allows the opening rotation of the lever means 4.

[0027] In practice it has been observed that the lever according to the invention allows to prevent, in a simple manner, accidental release of the lever means and therefore unintended opening of said lever.

[0028] Clearly, accidental opening of the lever is substantially impossible due to the fact that in order to perform the opening it is necessary to perform two consecutive separate actions, a first one consisting of a backward translatory motion of the release prevention means 10. However, to actually open the lever it is not only necessary to perform a backward translatory motion of the release prevention means but it is also necessary for the user to keep said release prevention means in their retracted position so as to allow the subsequent upward lifting of the end of the lever means.

[0029] Only the combined action of the two movements, in the cited order, allows to open the lever.

[0030] The lever thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; moreover all the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

[0031] In practice, the materials employed, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and to the state of the art.

[0032] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI99A001257 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0033] 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 interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A lever for sports shoes, orthopedic devices and the like, comprising a base element (2) designed to be rigidly connected to a flap of a portion to be fastened and whereto lever means (4) are hinged, a band (6) being in turn hinged to said lever means (4), said band (6) being adapted to allow said portion to close onto another portion whereon said band (6) engages, characterized in that it comprises accidental release prevention means (10) which are associated with said lever means (4), are hinged at the point (5) where said lever means (4) are hinged to said base element (2), and are adapted to pass from a position for interfering with said base element (2) and preventing the rotation of said lever means (4) to a retracted position which allows the opening rotation of said lever means (4).

2. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said accidental release prevention means (10) are accommodated in a substantially rectangular opening of said lever means (4) and are provided with a tooth (20) adapted to interfere with said base element (2) and with a portion (21) which protrudes from the upper surface of said lever means (4) for actuation on the part of a user.

3. The lever according to claim 2, characterized in that said release prevention means (10) are further provided with a blind cavity (13) adapted to accommodate elastic means (14) which abut, with a first end, within said blind cavity (13) and with a second end against an abutment element (15) which is formed in said lever means (4), said elastic means (14) allowing a translatory motion of said release prevention means (10) with respect to said lever means (4).

4. The lever according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said release prevention means comprise two slots (12, 16), a first one (12) of said slots being designed for allowing the passage of a connecting pivot for the connection of said release prevention means (10) at the point (5) where said lever means (4) are hinged to said base element (2), a second slot (16) being designed for allowing the passage of a second pivot for connection between said band (6), said lever means (4) and said release prevention means (10).

5. The lever according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first (12) and second (16) slots allow a translatory motion of said release prevention means (10) in contrast with said elastic means (14), in order to allow to lift said lever means (4) and open the lever (1).

6. The lever according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said protruding portion (21) of said release prevention means (10) is knurled.

7. The lever according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said elastic means (14) comprise a spring in which one end is accommodated in said blind cavity (13) and another end abuts against said abutment element (15) of said lever means (4).

Drawing