SKI BOOT WITH HEEL SUPPORT

Abstract

 A ski boot comprising:
a sole base (2),
a connecting structure (10) for securing the ski boot to a ski binding of a ski, the connecting structure (10) defining a pivot axis (A) for a pivoting movement of the ski boot relative to the ski,
an interface (30) attached to or formed by the sole base (2) and located in or below the sole heel portion (4), and
a heel support (40) arranged below the sole heel portion (4) and having a free heel tread surface (41) facing downwardly away from the sole base (2),
wherein the heel support (40) is removably connected to the sole base (2) by means of the interface (30).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a ski boot comprising a heel support for supporting a skier beneath the heel. The invention is useful for all types of ski boots configured for walking and climbing with skis. The ski boot may in particular be configured for Nordic skiing and/or roller skiing. As a Nordic ski boot it may advantageously be configured for classic cross-country skiing and/or roller skiing. A Nordic ski boot can, as an alternative, be configured for light touring skiing which involves cross-country skis and Nordic touring boots which are slightly wider in the lateral direction than the skis and boots for classic cross-country skiing. The invention is further directed to a ski boot system comprising the ski boot and at least two heel supports interchangeably attachable to the ski boot.

[0002] Ski boots for Nordic skiing typically comprise a sole base which extends from a sole heel portion to a sole forefoot portion and provides strength and torsional stiffness but is still sufficiently flexible for cross-country skiing and ease of walking. One or more outsole elements are attached to the sole base beneath the sole forefoot portion and beneath the sole heel portion. Outsole elements beneath the sole forefoot portion serve to connect the ski boot to the ski while allowing for pivoting movement relative to the ski. Outsole elements attached to the sole heel portion serve to cushion the footstep and/or to provide better grip.

[0003] EP 2 724 634 B1 discloses a ski boot of this type. Forefoot and heel outsole elements are permanently bonded to the sole heel and forefoot portions of the sole base which can then be secured to a boot upper. The outsole elements are made of a relatively soft material, such as rubber or a similar synthetic material, so as to cushion the foot during cross-country skiing. When this material is softer it gives a smoother, softer feeling in icy conditions. It is also more comfortable during walking before and after skiing, especially on hard surfaces like cement and asphalt. If the material is harder it gives a more stable, direct, rigid contact platform that is an advantage in unstable softer snow conditions.

[0004] It is an object of the invention to improve ski boots configured for walking and/or climbing with skis, and Nordic ski boots in particular, with respect to their function of supporting the heel under conditions which may change from use to use and/or from user to user.

[0005] The invention is accordingly directed to a ski boot suited for cross-country or Nordic skiing and/or closely related sports such as roller skiing. The ski boot comprises a sole base having a sole forefoot portion and a sole heel portion located along a longitudinal axis of the ski boot, and a connecting structure for securement of the ski boot to a binding of a ski or roller ski board, preferably but not exclusively, a ski and ski binding for cross-country or Nordic skiing or roller skiing. The connecting structure defines a lateral pivot axis below the sole forefoot portion for a pivoting movement of the ski boot relative to the ski. If secured to the ski binding the ski boot is secured to the respective binding in the pivot axis. The pivot axis is fixed vertically and/or in the longitudinal direction relative to the toe piece of the binding when the ski boot is secured to the binding. The engagement of the connecting structure and the toe piece of the associated binding can be designed in such a way that the ski boot is fixed with respect to any translational movement relative to the toe piece, apart from movements due to any play in the engagement. In advantageous embodiments, the engagement enables a rotary movement only about the pivot axis.

[0006] The ski boot furthermore comprises a heel support located below the sole heel portion and an interface connecting the heel support to the sole base. The heel support has a free heel tread surface facing downwardly away from the sole base. The interface is located in or below the sole heel portion. The interface may be manufactured separately from the sole base and attached to the sole base. The sole base may, alternatively, form the interface, i.e. the sole base and the interface may be formed together, for example, by laminating or moulding the sole base with the interface or by moulding the interface onto the sole base or by generative forming.

[0007] The invention proposes to secure the heel support to the sole base removably by means of the interface. The heel support can be detached from the sole base in a nondestructive way. The heel support is reusable if not worn or destroyed during regular use, i.e. it can be detached and re-attached if desired. The securement via the interface may be designed such that the heel support can be mounted and/or removed only by the aid of a hand tool such as a screwdriver and the like. In preferred embodiments, however, the securement via the interface is designed such that the heel support can be mounted and removed simply by hand without need for any tool. Securing the heel support removably allows for exchange of the heel support against another heel support with only a few hand movements and, preferably, without the need for any tool. The new heel support must of course match with the interface.

[0008] The invention enables optimization of the ski boot to account for changing snow conditions and/or for changing from one type of skiing, e. g. Nordic classic, to another one, e. g. skate skiing, and/or from skiing to walking without skis and vice versa. It furthermore allows for easy and rapid exchange of a worn heel support against a spare one. A skier can easily and rapidly exchange one heel support against another one. For example, the new heel support may simply substitute a heel support that has become worn. In further developments two or more heel supports are provided each designed to be secured interchangeably to the ski boot, each by means of the interface, wherein the various heel supports differ in shape, such as the shape of the treading surface, and/or in dimension such as vertical thickness, and/or in at least one material property, such as modulus of elasticity, hardness, and/or damping.

[0009] The invention is accordingly directed also to a system comprising a first heel support and at least one further, second heel support. The heel supports of the system are designed to be secured interchangeably to a ski boot, via the common interface of that ski boot, wherein the first heel support and the second heel support differ in shape and/or dimension and/or in at least one material property. The second heel support may alternatively serve only as a spare that is identical with the first heel support and used to replace the first heel support once worn or damaged. The system may comprise one or more additional heel supports which differ from the first and second heel supports in at least one of shape, dimension, and one or more material properties or may serve only as spares. If the first heel support and the second heel support differ in shape and/or dimension, a respective ski boot comprising the interface can be adapted by the skier to better match with heel portions of different ski or board bindings and/or the ski boot can be adapted to the anatomy of the individual skier. As a further example, a skier may choose to change from a first heel support to a softer or harder second heel support to adapt to changing snow conditions.

[0010] The heel support and the interface are engaged releasably. The engagement may include or consist of a positive (form-fit) retaining engagement. In such embodiments the heel support is connected to the sole base by means of the positive fit of interface and heel support.

[0011] The interface and the heel support may engage in a force or non-positive fit in addition to the positive retaining engagement in order to tighten the heel support to the interface and/or the sole base with a clamping force. The additional force-fit may be implemented as further engagement of the interface and the heel support, outside the positive retaining engagement. More preferred, the positive retaining engagement may provide, at the same time, for a force-fit or non-positive engagement of the interface and the heel support thereby tightening the heel support to the interface and/or the sole base. In those embodiments the positive retaining engagement generates a clamping force in a direction normal to an underside of the sole heel portion.

[0012] In the positive retaining engagement the interface and/or the heel support may engage one behind the respective other in a cutting plane which intersects the sole heel portion and the heel support, thereby holding the heel support at the sole base. If the positive retaining engagement also provides for force-fit engagement, the interface and the heel support may advantageously be designed such that the engagement from behind provides for the force-fit engagement, i.e. that a tensioning or clamping force is generated in the engaging behind thereby tightening the heel support firmly to the interface and/or directly to an underside of the sole heel portion.

[0013] The cutting plane intersecting the sole heel portion and the heel support can be normal (orthogonal) to the heel tread surface. The cutting plane can be a cross-section orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the ski boot or it can be a longitudinal section or a section inclined to the longitudinal axis of the ski boot with an included angle of more than 0° and less than 90°.

[0014] As mentioned, the heel support may engage behind the interface and/or the interface may engage behind the heel support in the referenced cutting plane, thereby retaining the heel support at the sole base. The heel support may be clamped in this engaging behind. In developments the heel support engages around the interface in the referenced cutting plane and/or the interface engages around the heel support in the referenced cutting plane. Those developments include the interface engaging behind the heel support as a first engaging behind, when seen from the sole heel portion towards the heel tread surface of the heel support, and the heel support engaging behind the interface as a second engaging behind, when seen from the heel tread surface of the heel support towards the sole heel portion. The heel support may clamp the interface in its engaging around the interface and/or may be clamped by the interface in the first engaging behind.

[0015] The interface may protrude downwardly from the sole heel portion such that a gap is formed between an underside of the sole heel portion and the interface. To obtain a vertically flat superstructure the heel support may engage behind the interface into this gap which is formed between the interface and directly the underside of the sole heel portion. The heel support may be girded, in the gap, by the interface and directly the sole heel portion in a positive retaining engagement only or in a combined form-fit and force-fit engagement.

[0016] In advantageous embodiments the heel support is retained movably, preferably slidably, in the retaining engagement with the interface. The heel support may be movable relative to the interface and the sole base from an initial position to a use position and back to the initial position while being retained at the sole base in the retaining engagement. The retaining engagement may be releasable by moving the heel support back toward and beyond the initial position of engagement.

[0017] The heel support may be secured to the sole base in a releasable plug-in or plug-on connection with the interface, the heel support being the male or the female member of the plug connection. The heel support may be plugged in or on the interface in a direction towards the underside of the sole heel portion, e. g. a direction normal to the underside of the sole heel portion. The direction of plugging may, for example, be orthogonal to the heel tread surface provided by the heel support or inclined at an angle of less than 20° to an axis orthogonal to the heel tread surface. More preferred is a connection in which the interface and the heel support form a slider joint allowing the heel support to smoothly slide forth and back along the interface, wherein a locking mechanism for locking the heel support releasably in a locking engagement is provided in addition, for example a locking engagement of the heel support and the interface.

[0018] The interface may guide the heel support from an initial position of guiding engagement into a final position of guiding engagement. The guiding engagement may be provided outside of the retaining engagement. In expedient embodiments, however, the positive retaining engagement also provides for the guiding engagement. The guiding engagement of interface and heel support expediently provides for a translational degree of freedom of movement of the heel support relative to the interface and accordingly relative to the sole base. In principal, the guiding engagement may provide for two or more degrees of freedom of movement. In preferred embodiments, the interface and the heel support are forming a slider joint and may in particular form a prismatic joint. A slider joint may provide for a translational and/or rotational movement of the heel support relative to the interface whereas a prismatic joint does only allow for a linear movement of the heel support. It is advantageous if a direction of movement defined by the slider joint is parallel or inclined at an angle of at most 20° to the heel tread surface of the heel support. Most preferred is a prismatic joint having a joint axis parallel to the longitudinal direction. In the respective joint the interface may engage behind the heel support, as seen from the underside of the sole heel portion towards the heel tread surface, to guide the heel support slidably and retain it on the sole base at the same time. The respective joint may provide for retaining the heel support at the sole base directly, as preferred, or at a distance determined by the interface.

[0019] If the interface guides the heel support from an initial position of guiding engagement to the use position, the use position may also be a position of the guiding engagement. The heel support may advantageously be in the guiding engagement with the interface continuously from the initial position to the use position.

[0020] In advantageous embodiments at least one of the interface and the heel support comprises a guideway and the respective other one comprises a guided member engaging the guideway in the guiding engagement. The guideway prescribes the direction of a sliding mobility of the heel support, preferably an axial and/or lateral sliding direction, to guide the heel support slidably in the direction of sliding mobility. The heel support is forming a slide that slides along the guideway, preferably a continuous guideway provided by the interface. As mentioned above, the retaining engagement, preferably the positive retaining engagement, may be designed as the guiding engagement. The interface and/or the heel support may engage behind the respective other one in cutting planes orthogonal to the direction of sliding mobility, the heel support being retained by the interface while being able to slide in the guiding engagement, for example in an axial and/or lateral sliding direction including directions that comprise an axial and a lateral directional component. The guideway may be straight, as preferred, or curved. If the guideway is curved or comprises one or more curved sections, the respective cutting plane is orthogonal to the direction of sliding mobility only locally along the guideway.

[0021] The heel support may form a tongue and groove joint with the interface and/or it may form a tongue and groove joint with both the sole base and the interface in combination, the heel support being slidable in the respective tongue and groove joint in the direction of sliding mobility.

[0022] The heel support may be held in the use position by frictional force alone. In preferred embodiments, the heel support is however releasably locked in the use position by a releasable locking engagement including a positive engagement of a locking member and a locking counter member. One of the interface and the heel support forms or supports the locking member and the respective other forms or supports the locking counter member. The heel support may immovably be locked relative to the interface in the use position by the locking engagement of the locking member and the locking counter member. The locking engagement may be releasable against an elastic restoring force of the locking member and/or against an elastic restoring force applied to the locking member. A positive locking engagement, which prevents that the heel support may come loose during regular use, may be supported by frictional force. The engagement between the interface and the heel support may accordingly comprise a form-fit engagement for guiding the heel support from the initial position of engagement into the use position while retaining it and the releasable locking engagement, as another form-fit engagement, for locking the heel support in the use position. Either one or both of the two positive engagements may be supplemented by a respective force-fit engagement.

[0023] The interface and/or the heel support may be configured to automatically arrest the heel support when it reaches the use position, i.e. the interface and/or the heel support may be configured for self-locking in the use position. A reversible elastic snap-in engagement is an expedient example of a releasable locking engagement.

[0024] The locking member may be biased elastically into locking engagement with the locking counter member thereby locking the heel support in the final position. The locking engagement is then releasable against an elastic restoring force of the locking member. The locking member may itself be resiliently flexible. It can be formed or supported by the interface but is preferably a component of the heel support.

[0025] One of the locking member and locking counter member may be provided with or as a latching element such as a protrusion, for example shaped as a pin or rib or some other protruding element, while the respective other one is provided with or as a latching counter element, for example also a protrusion or a cavity such as a deepening or through-hole. The latching element and the latching counter element engage behind each other relative to a direction of movability of the heel support out of the use position towards the initial position in order to prevent the latch, i.e the locking engagement, from being released unintentionally under forces that occur during normal use. The latching element and the latching counter element may engage behind each other only to prevent the heel support from moving out of the use position towards the initial position. The latching element and the latching counter element may furthermore be designed such that the locking engagement prevents the heel support also from moving counter to the locked direction, i.e. out of the use position in a direction away from the initial position. Such a movement may in addition or preferably as an alternative be prevented by a stop provided on the interface outside the locking engagement.

[0026] The locking member may comprise a tongue that is bendable elastically and provided with a protrusion and/or a cavity that is snapped in and/or snapped on the locking counter member, in the use position of the heel support, to establish the releasable locking engagement. The tongue may, in principle, extend in a direction inclined or even orthogonal to the direction of relative movability of the heel support. Preferably, the tongue extends in the direction of movability. It may, in particular, protrude counter to the direction of movement into the use position, up to a free end, the protrusion and/or the cavity being located at or close to the free end of the tongue.

[0027] In expedient embodiments the locking member is movable out of the locking engagement, against an elastic restoring force, downwards away from an underside of the sole heel portion to release the locking engagement. If the locking member comprises the tongue, the tongue is bendable downwards away from the underside of the sole heel portion.

[0028] The locking member, preferably the tongue, may form a partial area of the heel tread surface.

[0029] The invention is furthermore directed to a ski boot system comprising the ski boot as disclosed herein, a first heel support and a second heel support. The first heel support and the second heel support are configured to be attached to the ski boot interchangeably. The first heel support and the second heel support each is a heel support as disclosed herein. The heel supports may differ from one another to adapt the ski boot, for example, to different skiers and/or different skiing styles and/or different conditions with respect to the profile of the terrain and/or the underground. The heel supports may alternatively be the same, one serving as a spare for the other.

[0030] The ski boot system may comprise the connecting structure as a first connecting structure and may furthermore comprise a second connecting structure. The connecting structures may differ from one another, for example, in design and/or material. The ski boot sole and the connecting structures may be designed to allow for mounting, selectively, the first connecting structure or the second connecting structure. The second connecting structure, if mounted, may define a lateral second pivot axis below the sole forefoot portion for a pivoting movement of the ski boot relative to the ski. If the second connecting structure is mounted the ski boot can be secured to the respective binding in the second pivot axis. The first pivot axis may be axially from the second pivot axis, for example, rearward closer to the metatarsophalangeal joints of a skier's toes. Instead of or in addition to an axial offset, the first pivot axis can be vertically offset from the second pivot axis, for example, offset downwards.

[0031] The ski boot system may comprise the ski boot as a first ski boot and may comprise furthermore a second ski boot with an interface compatible with the heel supports of the system. The interface of the second ski boot may advantageously be an interface as disclosed herein. The interfaces of the ski boots of the system may in particular be identical. The ski boots of the system may differ with respect to their connecting structures. They may differ, for example, with respect to the location of the pivot axes defined respectively by the connecting structures.

[0032] The first heel support and the second heel support may differ from each other to compensate for differences that a ski boot comprising the first connecting structure may have with respect to the same or another ski boot comprising instead the second connecting structure, i.e., differences caused by the connecting structures.

[0033] The first heel support and the second heel support may in particular differ in vertical thickness.

[0034] The first heel support and the second heel support each may comprise an engagement portion designed to positively engage with the interface of the respective ski boot in the retaining engagement. The heel supports may each furthermore comprise a covering forming the heel tread surface, respectively. The engagement portions may have the same shape and dimensions to ensure compatibility with the interface and/or the sole base. The engagement portions may be identical also with respect to material properties. The coverings may differ in shape, such as the shape of the heel tread surface, and/or in dimension, such as vertical thickness, and/or in at least one material property, such as modulus of elasticity, hardness, and damping.

[0035] Advantageous features are also described in the claims and each combination of the claims.

[0036] The invention is explained below by way of example with reference to figures. Features disclosed there, each individually and in any combination of features, advantageously develop the subjects of the claims and also the embodiments and aspects described above. There is shown:

Fig. 1

a side view of a ski boot sole with a sole base, a connecting structure, an interface and a removable heel support being mounted,

Fig. 2

a view of the sole base in combination with a modified interface and a modified heel support positioned for mounting,

Fig. 3

a view showing the heel support engaged with the interface of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4

another view showing the heel support engaged with the interface of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5

a view showing the heel support and the interface of Fig. 2 positioned for engagement,

Fig. 6

another view showing the heel support and the interface of Fig. 2 positioned for engagement,

Fig. 7

the sole base with the interface of Fig. 2 and interchangeable heel supports in a side view,

Fig. 8

a view showing an underside of a ski boot sole with the connecting structure of Fig. 1 and the heel support of Figs. 2 mounted to the sole base,

Fig. 9

a view showing the underside of the ski boot sole of Fig. 8 with another connecting structure and another heel support mounted to the sole, and

Fig. 10

a comparison of the sole with the connecting structure of Fig. 1 mounted (upper part) and the connecting structure of Fig. 9 mounted (lower part).

[0037] Fig. 1 is a side view of a sole 1 of a ski boot. The sole 1 comprises a sole base 2. The sole 1 may consist of the sole base 2 or comprise one or more outsole elements attached to the sole base 2. A connecting structure 10 and a heel support 40 are both mounted on the underside of the sole base 2. The sole base 2 may be formed in one-piece of a polymer material that is re-enforced with fibers and/or formed structures and/or particles. Sole base 2 may be laminated or molded. It may have a laminate structure or contain one or more laminate layers. The ski boot furthermore comprises an upper (not shown). The sole 1 and the upper enclose a boot internal space for accommodating a skier's foot. The upper may be formed separately and joined with the sole 1 or formed with the sole 1, for example with the sole base 2, in one piece, for example by an additive or generative process.

[0038] The ski boot may be divided into three general regions, namely, a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and heel region. Sole 1, in the example embodiment its sole base 2, comprises correspondingly a sole forefoot portion 3, a sole midfoot portion, and a sole heel portion 4 located along a longitudinal axis X of the sole 1 and the ski boot. Sole forefoot portion 3 corresponds with the toes and the joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. Sole midfoot portion corresponds with the arch area of the foot, and sole heel portion 4 corresponds with the rear portions of the foot, including the calcaneus bone. Sole 1 also includes a lateral side and a medial side that correspond with opposite sides of sole 1 and the ski boot, and an upstanding portion 7 that wraps up around the back and the sides in the heel portion 4. The upstanding portion 7 may be provided with holes 8 on the lateral and medial sides, as illustrated, to enable an ankle cuff or part of an ankle cuff to be connected to sole base 2 in a hinged manner.

[0039] The connecting structure 10 is mounted on the sole base 2 in the sole forefoot region 3. The ski boot can be secured to a ski binding of a ski or roller ski board via the connecting structure 10. Once secured the connecting structure 10 defines a lateral pivot axis A below the sole forefoot portion 3 for pivoting movement of the ski boot relative to the ski or board. If secured to the ski binding the ski boot is secured to the binding in the pivot axis A. When referring to a ski or ski binding a roller ski board and compatible binding shall be included as equivalents.

[0040] Heel support 40 provides a free heel tread surface 41 that faces downwards away from the sole heel portion 4. When skiing or skating the heel tread surface 41 comes in contact with a ski binding plate 9 mounted on a ski, for example, a ski for Nordic skiing. Heel support 40 may be profiled at tread surface 41 to improve certain characteristics of the ski boot, for example, for better control of the ski during skating.

[0041] The sole 1 furthermore comprises an interface 30 located in the sole heel portion 4 at the underside of sole base 2. Heel support 40 is secured to sole base 2 by means of the interface 30. The securement is designed such that heel support 40 can easily and rapidly be removed and exchanged against another heel support configured to match with the interface 30. The securement allows for non-destructive removal and replacement of heel support 40 by hand and the aid of a simple hand tool, such as a screw driver or the like, or preferably without the aid of any tool.

[0042] Interface 30 and heel support 40 are engaged releasably in a positive (form-fit) retaining engagement. In the positive retaining engagement heel support 40 engages behind interface 30, when seen from the heel tread surface 41 towards the underside of sole heel portion 4. The interface 30 comprises a retaining member which engages behind a retaining counter member of heel support 40 to effect the positive retaining engagement. Heel support 40, for example the retaining counter member, may protrude into a gap formed between the underside of the sole heel portion 4 and the retaining member of interface 30, thereby engaging behind interface 30. The retaining member of interface 30, vice versa, engages behind heel support 40 when seen from sole heel portion 4 towards the heel tread surface 41 of heel support 40.

[0043] Advantageously, the heel support 40 may be retained in a sliding manner at the sole base 2 of sole 1 in the engaging behind. That is, the interface 30 and the heel support 40 may form a slider joint in the positive retaining engagement. In the slider joint, the heel support 40 is guided back and forth in a sliding direction by the interface 30 and is expediently also retained on the sole heel portion 4 by the interface 30. The slider joint allows reciprocal movement of the heel support 40 between an initial position and a use position relative to the interface 30 and the base of the sole 2. The heel support 40 is in retaining engagement in the initial position and in the use position and may advantageously be in continuous retaining engagement on its path between these two positions. The slider joint may allow only for translational movements. It may provide the heel support 40 with only one degree of freedom of movement. In the example embodiment, the slider joint allows only for movements in the longitudinal direction, for example movements parallel to the longitudinal axis X in which case the interface 30 and heel support 40 are forming an axial prismatic joint.

[0044] In the example of Fig. 1, the initial position of engagement is rear of the use position. Once heel support 40 has been brought into the positive retaining engagement with interface 30 and the slider joint established thereby heel support 40 is moved forward from this initial position of engagement into the use position. Interface 30 may comprise a stop to block heel support 40 from moving beyond a final position which can in particular be the use position.

[0045] The sole 1 is shown with heel support 40 in its position of use. Heel support 40 is fixed in the use position against a movement back towards the initial position by means of locking engagement with interface 30. The locking engagement is releasable against an elastic restoring force by hand and the aid of a simple hand tool, such as a screw driver or the like, or preferably without the aid of any tool.

[0046] The sole base 2 may be formed originally with the interface 30. Alternatively, as in the example embodiment, the interface 30 may be provided as an interface structure manufactured separately from and immovably connected to the sole base 2, for example by adhesive bonding or some other type of bonding. Interface 30 is located between sole heel portion 4 and heel support 40. It may be joint with sole base 2 in direct contact. The interface 30 overall has the shape of a plate. It is relatively thin but strong and stiff enough to firmly retain the heel support 40 in the positive retaining engagement at the sole base 2.

[0047] Fig. 2 shows the sole base 2 in combination with a modified heel support 40 and a modified interface 30 in an oblique rear view. The sole base 2, interface 30 and heel support 40 are shown separately and positioned and aligned relative to each other. The interface 30 is positioned directly below the sole heel portion 4 so that it can be moved against and mated with the sole heel portion 4 with a short vertical stroke. The heel support 40 is shown in a position from which it can be moved axially rearwardly into the positive retaining engagement with the interface 30, that is, into the initial position of engagement.

[0048] Interface 30 and heel support 40 are modified in that the direction of moving the heel support 40 from the initial position of engagement into its use position has been reversed, i.e., the heel support 40 is moved rearwardly from its initial position of engagement to the use position. The modified interface 30 includes a stop 35 at its rear end to prevent the heel support 40 from moving rearwardly beyond the use position. In each of Figs. 2 through 9, the sole base 2 is provided with the modified pair of interface 30 and heel support 40. However, the two interfaces 30 and heel supports 40 differ only with respect to the position of the stop 35 and the reversal of the direction in which the heel support 40 is moved from the initial engagement position to the use position. The interface 30 and heel support 40 of Fig. 1 and the interface 30 and heel support 40 of the further figures are identical with respect to the retaining engagement and the locking engagement. Basically, it can be the same interface 30 that is merely connected to the sole base 2 in a position rotated 180°. The heel support 40 may accordingly also be the same as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Features described below with respect to the modified interface 30 and modified heel support 40 apply, mutatis mutandis, to the interface 30 and heel support 40 of Fig. 1.

[0049] The sole base 2 is formed with a platform 27 arranged in the sole heel portion 4 and there forming the underside of the sole base 2. The platform 27 has a downward facing surface 28, for example a planar surface 28, to which the interface 30 will be attached and preferably bonded. The interface 30 has an upward facing surface 38, for example a planar surface 38, facing the platform 27. To facilitate positioning or to properly position and align the interface 30 correctly with respect to the sole base 2, the interface 30 may comprise one or more positioning elements 39. Each respective positioning element 39 co-operates with an associated positioning counter element of the sole base 2. In the example embodiment the interface 30 comprises a first and a second positioning element 39. With these positioning elements 39 and associated positioning counter elements engaged, the interface 30 is positioned and aligned with respect to the sole base 2 and can be pressed against and connected to the platform 27, for example materially bonded, preferably glued. The positioning elements 39 are protrusions which protrude from the upward facing surface 38 of the interface 30 towards the downward facing surface 28 of the platform 27. The positioning counter elements of the sole base 2 are cavities, such as through-holes or deepenings, each arranged and shaped to match with an associated one of the positioning elements 39. The positioning elements 39 may alternatively be provided as cavities, such as through-holes or deepenings, in the interface 30. The positioning counter elements would then be provided as protrusions which protrude from the downward facing surface 28 of the platform 27 towards the upward facing surface 38 of the interface 30.

[0050] The platform 27 may ensure that the mating surface 28 and thereby the interface 30 is exposed from the underside of the sole base 2 or can enlarge an already existing exposure in order to make it easier to handle the heel support 40 when mounting it. The platform 27 and the interface 30 both may advantageously be thin, as measured in the vertical direction, to reduce any increase in height which could result from providing the interface 30. The interface 30 without the positioning elements 39 may, for example, have an overall thickness of less than 12 mm or less than 8 mm.

[0051] The interface 30 has guideways 34 that extend axially. These may be lateral guideways 34, a left guideway 34 and a right guideway 34. Guideways 34 may project freely to the sides. Heel support 40 comprises associated guided members 44 for engaging the guideways 34. These may be lateral guided members 44, a left guided member 44 for engaging the left guideway 34 and a right guided member 44 for engaging the right guideway 34. The respective guided member 44 reaches behind the associated guideway 34 thereby retaining the heel support 40 at the interface 30 and via the interface 30 at the sole base 2 in sliding engagement with the interface 30.

[0052] In reaching behind, the guided members 44 may protrude into an axially extending gap 33 which, in advantageous embodiments, remains between the respective guideway 34 and the underside of the sole heel portion 4, here, between the guideways 34 and the downward-facing surface 28 of the platform 27. Each of the guideways 34 is a retaining member and each of the guided members 44 is a retaining counter member, as mentioned above in connection with Fig. 1. The gap 33 is not created until the interface 30 is connected to the sole base 2. However, Fig. 2 gives a good impression of how the respective gap 33 is determined.

[0053] The heel support 40 may engage around the guideways 34 with its guided members 44 to create the positive retaining engagement. Heel support 40 may clamp interface 30 in the engagement around. If a gap 33 is formed between the underside of the sole heel portion 4 and the guideways 34 of interface 30, the guided members 44 of heel support 40 may alternatively or in addition be clamped in the gap 33. The respective clamping engagement, if realized, is configured such that heel support 40 is not prevented from sliding.

[0054] In forming the guideways 34, the interface 30 may taper in a step-like manner in cross-section outwardly to the left and right away from the underside of the sole heel portion 4, or in other words, the interface 30 may rise between the guideways 34 in a raised manner toward the sole heel portion 4. In the lateral direction between the guideways 34, the interface 30 may form a flat plateau and correspondingly the left and right gaps 33 towards the sole heel portion 4.

[0055] The guided members 44 may project upwardly from the heel support 40 toward the sole heel portion 4 and may project inwardly toward each other in their upper end portion, the respective inward projection forming a retaining section. The respective retaining section may form an upper end of the respective guided member 44. In cross-section of the heel support 40, the guided members 44 may be hook-shaped, for example having the shape of an angle, in particular a right angle.

[0056] The left and right guided members 44 may each include an upstanding lateral guide section that may engage the interface 30 on the left and right sides in sliding contact with the guideways 34. An axially elongated lateral guide section may be provided on the left side and/or the right side of the heel support 40, from which an elongated retaining section or, more expediently, two or more axially shorter and axially spaced apart retaining sections project inwardly and engage behind the respective guideway 34 in the retaining engagement. In principle, the left lateral guideway section and/or the right lateral guideway section may also be axially short and two or more lateral guideway sections axially spaced from one another and each provided with an equally short retaining section may be provided on the respective side of the heel support 40.

[0057] Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing the sole heel portion 4 from behind. Fig. 3 is a view from below and Fig. 4 is a view slightly from above. The interface 30 assumes the same position relative to the sole heel portion 4 as shown in Fig. 2, i.e., it is positioned for mounting to the platform 27 but is not yet mounted so that the downward facing surface 28 and a rear positioning counter element 29 of the platform 27 are visible. The interface 30 is however in positive retaining engagement with the heel support 40. The slider joint is established to illustrate the retaining engagement between the interface 30 and the heel support 40. The guided members 44 engage behind the guideways 34 thereby retaining the heel support 40 slidably at the interface 30. The heel support 40 is in an intermediate position of engagement between the initial position and the use position.

[0058] It can also be seen the axially extending left gap 33 and the axially extending right gap 33 remaining between the underside of the sole heel portion 4 and the respective guideway 34 when the interface 30 is joined to the sole base 2. In the retaining engagement, the guided members 44 of the heel support 40 slidably engage into these gaps 33.

[0059] Heel support 40 comprises an engagement portion 42 designed to positively engage the interface 30 in the positive retaining engagement. The engagement portion 42 comprises the guided members 44. The engagement portion 42 may be in the form of a thin plate from which the guided elements 44 project in a hook-like manner to engage behind the guideways 34 in the positive retaining engagement.

[0060] Heel support 40 may furthermore comprise a covering 43 forming the heel tread surface 41. The covering 43 may cover at least a part of the engagement portion 42 in a plan view of the heel tread surface 41. The covering 43 may be made of a material that is, for example, softer and/or has a smaller modulus of elasticity than the material from which the engagement portion 42 is made. The division of the heel support 40 into an engagement portion 42 and a covering 43, which differ in one or more material properties, facilitates the fulfillment of different requirements, such as strength and/or good sliding properties on the side of the engagement portion 42 and grip and/or relief for the heel when stepping on the underside of the covering 43.

[0061] Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing the sole heel portion 4 mainly from the side. Fig. 5 is a view from the front and below, while Fig. 4 is a view from slightly above and behind. The interface 30 and heel support 40 assume the same positions relative to the sole heel portion 4 and to each other as in Fig. 2.

[0062] When heel support 40 reaches its use position it is locked in the use position by a releasable locking engagement. The locking engagement may be established automatically when the heel support 40 has reached the use position. The heel support 40 may comprise a locking member 45 and the interface 30 may comprise a locking counter member 36 which engage with one another in the locking engagement. To engage automatically, at least one of these members 36 and 45 may be forced to yield against an elastic restoring force during the sliding movement of the heel support 40 and snap into the locking engagement once the use position is reached.

[0063] The interface 30 may comprise a spring member acting on the locking member 45 such that the locking member 45 yields against the restoring force created by the spring member of the interface 30. Alternatively, the heel support 40 may comprise a spring member acting on the locking counter member 36 such that the locking counter member 36 yields against the restoring force created by the spring member of the heel support 40. In more advantageous embodiments, a spring member in addition to the locking member 45 or in addition to the locking counter member 36 is not present. Rather, the locking member 45 or the locking counter member 36 is designed as a spring member yielding against its own elastic restoring force. The locking element 45 or the locking counter element 36 may in particular be bending elastic.

[0064] Expediently, the heel support 40 is provided with the elastic member of the locking engagement. Accordingly, the locking member 45 can be moved out of the locking engagement by its own elastic deformation, in the example embodiment by elastic bending, and can snap forward from its elastically deformed state into the locking engagement with the locking counter member 36. The locking counter member 36 can be an immovable part of the interface 30.

[0065] The locking member 45 may be formed as a tongue which is elastically bendable and provided with a latching element 46, such as a protrusion or a recess. The latching element 46 snaps into the locking engagement with the locking counter member 36 once the heel support 40 has been moved into the use position.

[0066] The heel support 40 may include slots 49, for example a left slot 49 and a right slot 49, extending from a root region toward an outer peripheral edge of the heel support 40. The slots 49 may freely terminate at the outer peripheral edge of the heel support 40 and define, on either side thereof, the locking element 45 in the form of a tongue projecting freely from the root region. The slots 49 may extend parallel to the direction of movement of the heel support 40. In the example embodiment, the slots 49 extend correspondingly in the axial direction and are laterally spaced from each other over the lateral width of the locking member 45. Advantageously, the slots 49 may extend from their root region, which is also the root region of the tongue-like locking member 45, against the direction of movement into the use position.

[0067] The latching element 46 protrudes from the locking member 45 upwards towards the sole base 2 or the interface 30 once locked in the use position. The latching element 46 may be disposed close to the free end of the locking member 45. The free end of the locking member 45 provides for an actuating element 48 which facilitates exerting a force on the locking member 45 to release the locking engagement by bending the locking 45 downward away from the interface 30 and the locking counter member 36.

[0068] The interface 30 comprises the locking counter member 36 which protrudes from the lower side of the interface 30 downwards. It may be provided, as in the example embodiment, with a recess into which the latching element 46 can snap to lock the heel support 40 in the use position.

[0069] In the locking engagement the locking counter member 36 blocks the latching element 46, and thereby the heel support 40, against a movement towards the initial position of engagement. The locking counter member 36 may furthermore block the latching element 46 against a movement beyond the use position, as in the example embodiment. Blocking the latching element 46 against the movement towards the initial position is however sufficient in the example embodiment since the heel support 40 is prevented from moving beyond the use position also by the stop 35 of the interface 30.

[0070] The interface 30 is a thin structure, as measured in the vertical direction, not only for the reasons mentioned already above but also to reduce its weight. To give rigidity, this thin structure may comprise one or more stiffening elements 37 such as ribs and the like. One or more of the one or more stiffening elements 37 may serve as a respective guiding element in addition to the guideways 34 to guide the heel support 40 during its movement towards the use position.

[0071] The engagement portion 42 of heel support 40 is a thin structure as measured in the vertical direction. To increase its rigidity, it may comprise one or more stiffening elements 47 such as ribs and the like. One or more of the one or more stiffening elements 47 may serve as a respective guiding element which engages with a stiffening or guiding element 37 of the interface 30 in a sliding contact when the heel support 40 is moved from the initial position to the use position. The guided members 44, too, may be designed to stiffen the heel support 40.

[0072] When the heel support 40 is brought into the positive retaining engagement with the interface 30, namely by the retaining engagement of the guideways 34 and the guided members 44, the heel support 40 can be pushed towards the use position. In the example embodiment it is pushed backwards towards the stop 35. During the sliding movement in the retaining engagement the heel support 40 is guided axially by the interaction of the guideways 34 and the guided members 44 and/or by the interaction of the stiffening or guiding elements 37 and 47. Guiding the heel support 40 by means of the stiffening or guiding elements 37 and 47, if realized, may support or relieve the guideways 34 and guided members 44 from the task of guiding the heel support 40 axially.

[0073] During the movement of the heel support 40 towards the use position, the latching element 46 comes into axial contact with the locking counter member 36. The locking counter member 36 and/or the latching element 46 may be formed with a gradually rising ramp at the side facing the respective other one such that the locking member 45 is smoothly bend downwards to allow for the latching element 46 to yield and, once the heel support 40 has reached the use position, to snap forward into the locking engagement with the locking counter member 36.

[0074] The locking engagement can be released by grasping the locking member 45 at its free end, which serves as an actuating element 48, and moving its latching element 46 out of the locking engagement by bending the locking member 45 elastically. In modified embodiments, the locking engagement may be implemented by an elastically deformable component of the interface 30. In other embodiments, the locking engagement may be implemented by means of a locking element provided separately and thus in addition to the interface 30 and heel support 40, wherein the additional locking element must be actuated not only to release but also to establish the locking engagement.

[0075] In the example embodiment, the heel support 40 slides from its initial position rearward towards the use position. A rearward sliding movement beyond the use position is blocked not only by means of the releasable locking engagement but also by means of the axial stop 35 of interface 30, the stop 35 protruding downward at the rear end of the interface 30. In principle, only one of the two blocking means is required. In advantageous embodiments, the axial stop 35 is the effective blocking means and the blocking counterpart 36 is only effective for blocking an unwanted movement back towards the initial engagement position.

[0076] Heel support 40 can be removed and exchanged by another heel support by releasing the locking engagement and sliding heel support 40 back from the use position towards and beyond the initial position.

[0077] Fig. 7 shows the sole base 2 in combination with the modified interface 30 and modified heel support 40, as a first heel support, and a further heel support 50, as a second heel support. The first heel support 40 comprises the free downward facing heel tread surface 41 and the second heel support 50 comprises a free downward facing heel tread surface 51. When secured to the ski binding the respective heel tread surface 41 or 51 will contact a heel piece of the ski binding or directly the ski.

[0078] The heel supports 40 and 50 are configured to be mounted to the sole base 2 removably so that the heel support which is mounted can be removed non-destructively and the aid of a simple hand tool, such as a screw driver or the like, or preferably without the aid of any tool, and replaced by the other heel support.

[0079] The heel supports 40 and 50 may be identical in all respects, so that one of the heel supports 40 and 50 may simply serve as a substitute for the other to replace the other, for example, in the event of wear. In further developments, the heel supports 40 and 50 may differ from each other in at least one characteristic. In the example embodiment, the heel supports 40 and 50 differ in thickness, measured transversely to the underside of the sole base 2. A ski boot with the sole base 2, together with the heel supports 40 and 50, forms a ski boot system that offers the possibility of optionally mounting either the first heel support 40 or the second heel support 50.

[0080] The second heel support 50 may comprise an engagement portion 52 and a covering 53. The covering 53 covers at least a part of the engagement portion 53 in a plan view of the heel tread surface 51. The engagement portion 52 is designed to positively engage with the interface 30 in the positive retaining engagement described above with respect to the heel support 40. The first heel support 40 and the second heel support 50 are identical as far as the engagement with the interface 30 is concerned and can be interchanged. The engagement portion 52 may be identical in all respects to the engagement portion 42 of the first heel support 40.

[0081] If the heel supports 40 and 50 differ in at least one characteristic, the difference may expediently be in the coverings 43 and 53. The coverings 43 and 53 may differ in shape, such as the shape of the heel tread surfaces 41 and 51, and/or in dimension, such as vertical thickness, and/or in at least one material property, such as modulus of elasticity, hardness, and damping. In the example embodiment the coverings 43 and 53 differ in vertical thickness, so that the distance between the interface 30 and the heel tread surface 41 and 51 of the respective heel support 40 and 50 can be varied. The difference in thickness of the heel supports 40 and 50 compensates for variations with respect to the position of the pivot axes A and B relative to the sole 1.

[0082] Fig. 8 is a view of a sole 1 showing its underside where the connecting structure 10 and the first heel support 40 are mounted. The sole 1 comprises the sole base 2 and a forefoot outsole element 6 attached to the underside of the sole base 2. The outsole element 6 may be joint to the sole base 2, for example, by adhesive bond or some other type of bonding. The jointing may be supplemented by positive and/or non-positive locking.

[0083] The connecting structure 10 is mounted to the sole 1 in surface contact with a first mounting area 15 of the sole 1. The first connecting structure 10 covers the first mounting area 15, i.e. the first mounting area 15 is not visible in Fig. 8. The first mounting area 15 is a downward facing surface of the sole 1. More specifically, it is a downward facing surface of the sole base 2. The connecting structure 10 may be mounted directly to the sole base 2 in the first mounting area 15 of the sole 1. The ski boot differs in such embodiments from prior art ski boots which comprise connecting structures mounted to outsole elements such as the forefoot outsole element 6 and not directly to a sole base such as sole base 2. The forefoot outsole element 6 may comprise a recess in the region where the connecting structure 10 is located to allow for directly jointing the connecting structure 10 to the sole base 2.

[0084] The connecting structure 10 is joint to the sole base 2 by non-positive locking. The joint connection is a screw connection, as preferred, but could instead be formed as a riveted joint or the like. The non-positive locking could be complemented by positive locking. It may be complemented by bonding. A connection that can be released in a non-destructive way is however advantageous. A purely non-positive locking, in particular a pure screw connection, is a preferred joint between the connecting structure 10 and the sole base 2.

[0085] The connecting structure 10 is formed in one piece as a cleat and may in particular be a metal cleat. It comprises an attachment base 11 with through-holes 12 for fastening elements such as screws or rivets that penetrate the attachment base 11 and the sole base 2 to fasten the connecting structure 10 to the sole base 2. The connecting structure 10 furthermore comprises a bearing structure 13 that protrudes downwardly from the attachment base 11 to define the pivot axis A at a vertical distance from the sole 1. The bearing structure 13 accommodates engaging members 14, a left and a right engaging member 14, moveably in the lateral direction parallel to the pivot axis A. The engaging members 14 may be formed as pins. They may be biased, for example spring-loaded, each to an outward position and can be suppressed towards one another, against the biasing or spring force. To secure the ski boot to the ski binding the ski boot is pressed towards a toe piece of the ski binding such that the engaging members 14 first yield against the biasing force and then snap forward into respective holes or deepenings of the toe piece of the ski binding thereby securing the ski boot to the toe piece of the ski binding and establishing the pivot axis A of the ski boot relative to the ski.

[0086] In the example embodiment, the left and right engaging members 14 are movable laterally relative to the ski boot. In modifications the engaging members 14 may be immovable relative to the rest of the connecting structure 10. In such modifications the toe piece of the ski binding may provide for the movability to enable a snap-in securement of connecting structure 10 to the ski binding. In further modifications the protruding engaging members 14 could be substituted by holes or deepenings in the bearing structure 13 and the ski binding provided with corresponding engagement pins or the like that protrude laterally to engage into the holes or deepenings of the modified connecting structure 10. In yet further embodiments, the connecting structure 10 may comprise a rigid lateral bar to define pivot axis A.

[0087] The sole 1 may comprise a second mounting area 25 with one or more second fastening elements 26 for mounting a second connecting structure in surface contact with the second mounting area 25, as will be explained below. The second mounting area 25 is located axially further forward than the first mounting area 15.

[0088] Fig. 9 shows a variant of the ski boot which differs from the ski boot of which the sole 1 is illustrated in Fig. 8 in that a second connecting structure 20 has replaced the connecting structure 10 (first connecting structure) and the second heel support 50 has replaced the heel support 40 (first heel support). The second connecting structure 20 is mounted to the second mounting area 25 of the sole 1. The first mounting area 15 for mounting the first connecting structure 10 is no longer occupied and visible in the view of figure 9. The first mounting area 15 is circumscribed by an inner rim of the forefoot outsole element 6, the inner rim defining a recess 19 of the forefoot outsole element 6.

[0089] First fastening elements may be arranged within the first mounting area 15 of the sole base 2. The first fastening elements, each formed as a cavity such as a deepening or preferably as a through-hole, are not shown in Fig. 9 since they are not required in the second ski boot variant. The sole base 2 is provided with the first fastening elements at least in the first variant of the ski boot in which the first connecting structure 10 is mounted in surface contact with the first mounting area 15 and fastened by means of pins or rivets or preferably by means of screws protruding through the through-holes 12 of the first connecting structure 10 (Fig. 8) and through or into the first fastening elements of the sole base 2.

[0090] If the sole base 2 comprises the first fastening elements also in the second variant of the ski boot, in which the second connecting structure 20 is mounted, such first fastening elements are not needed for the second variant or needed only to facilitate exchanging the second connecting structure 20 against the first connecting structure 10. If provided as through-holes, the first fastening elements 16 may be sealed to prevent the ingress of moisture. Sealing can be provided by filling the respective through-hole with sealing mass. Alternatively, the ski boot system may comprise a modified forefoot outsole element to substitute the forefoot outsole element 6 of the example embodiment. The modified forefoot outsole element does not comprise the recess 19 and covers the not used first mounting area 15 of the sole base 2. The modified forefoot outsole element may comprise protrusions which protrude into the through-holes to seal the same and at the same time provide for additional hold on the sole base 2.

[0091] The sole 1 may comprise the second fastening elements 26 assigned to the second connecting structure 20 either only if the second connecting structure 20 is mounted, i.e. in the second variant, or in both variants. The sole 1 of the example embodiment comprises the second fastening elements 26 not only in the second variant but also in the first variant, as can be seen in the Fig. 8. The second mounting area 25 is provided on the underside of the forefoot outsole element 6. The second fastening elements 26 are provided each as a through-hole in the forefoot outsole element 6. The forefoot outsole element 6 may comprise at least one second fastening element 26 to the left and at least one second fastening element 26 to the right of the longitudinal axis X.

[0092] If the sole 1 comprises the sole base 2 and the forefoot outsole element 6, as in the example embodiment, the sole base 2 may comprise second fastening elements in alignment with the second fastening elements 26 of the forefoot outsole element 6. The second fastening elements of the sole base 2 may be provided as cavities, such as through-holes or deepenings, arranged in alignment with the second fastening elements 26 of the forefoot outsole element 6 in order to allow a pin, screw shaft or rivet shaft to protrude through the second fastening elements 26 and into or through the corresponding cavities of the sole base 2 in order to fasten the second connecting structure 20 via the forefoot outsole element 6 to the sole base 2. The second connecting structure 20 may in a modification be fastened by means of the second fastening elements 26 only to the forefoot outsole element 6 and connected to the sole base 2 indirectly via the forefoot outsole element 6. A direct connection via the second fastening elements 26 and corresponding cavities in the sole base 2 is however preferred.

[0093] The second connecting structure 20 is a conventional connecting structure used already in Nordic skiing. It comprises an attachment base consisting of two sidebars 21. One of the sidebars 21 is arranged left of the longitudinal axis X and the other sidebar 21 is arranged to the right of the longitudinal axis X. The sidebars 21 protrude from the underside of the sole 1 in a direction transverse to the second pivot axis B. The sidebars 21 are interconnected by means of an engaging member 24 which defines the second pivot axis B and engages with a toe piece of a second ski binding when the ski boot is secured to the second ski binding. The engaging member 24 may be formed as a rod or bar which extends in the lateral direction between the two sidebars 21. The engaging member 24 may on both ends be embedded in the sidebars 21 or joint thereto in some other way in order to hold the two sidebars 21 together. The connecting structure 20 as a whole is thereby provided as a compact mounting unit.

[0094] The second mounting area 25 is arranged further forward than the first mounting area 15. The second mounting area 25 may advantageously be arranged in its entirety forward of the first mounting area 15, with no overlap, as in the example embodiment. The connecting structures 10 and 20 are sufficiently short in the longitudinal direction to avoid a major axial overlap. They may be short enough to avoid any axial overlap of the two mounting areas 15 and 25. The connecting structures 10 and 20 may be short enough to allow for mounting both connecting structures 10 and 20 on the sole 1 separately at the same time, the first connecting structure 10 behind the second connecting structure 20. In practice, however, only one of the two connecting structures 10 and 20 is mounted.

[0095] The pivot axis A defined by the first connecting structure 10 is axially rearwardly offset compared to the pivot axis B defined by the second connecting structure 20. The pivot axis A may be offset axially backwards by more than 10 mm or more than 20 mm relative to the pivot axis B. The pivot axis B may be located below or axially near the tip of the skier's foot, as is common. The pivot axis A, on the other hand, may intersect the longitudinal axis X of the sole 1 at a point in a mid-section between the tip of a skier's foot and a center of the ball girth cross-section of the foot, as seen in a plan view of the sole 1. The mid-section in which the intersection is located may advantageously extend along the longitudinal axis X from the exact midpoint between the tip and the center of the ball girth cross-section forward and rearward by at most 10 mm or, more preferably, forward and rearward by at most 7 mm. The pivot axis A may intersect the longitudinal axis X of the sole 1 at a point axially offset from the tip of the skier's foot by preferably at least 30 mm and/or preferably at most 55 mm.

[0096] The pivot axes A and B can also have a transverse, at least predominantly vertical offset to each other. More specifically, a first pivot axis plane which is parallel to the longitudinal axis X and contains the pivot axis A may have a transverse offset from a second pivot axis plane which is parallel to the longitudinal axis X and contains the pivot axis B. The transverse offset is measured orthogonally to one of the two planes by a point on the pivot axis, e.g. the first pivot axis A, extending in the one of the two planes, the point being laterally within the boundaries of the respective connecting structure, e.g. the first connecting structure 10.

[0097] One of the heel supports 40 and 50 may be thicker than the other to compensate for the transverse offset. This does not mean that the difference in thickness is exactly the transverse offset since the difference in thickness may compensate for other or further variations caused by the axial offset of the pivot axes A and B. Other factors such as individual factors and preferences of the skier may also play a role.

[0098] In Fig. 10 the position of the first pivot axis A and the position of the second pivot axis B are compared with respect to the transverse or vertical direction. In the upper part of figure 10 sole 1 is shown with the first connecting structure 10 and the associated first heel support 40 mounted. In the lower part the sole 1 is shown with the second connecting structure 20 and the associated second heel support 50 mounted. The two variants, namely, sole 1, connecting structure 10 and heel support 40 in the upper part and sole 1, connecting structure 20 and heel support 50 in the upper part, are each shown in a horizontal side view which is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis X of the respective ski boot. Each of the two variants is shown in a position it assumes when its connecting structure and thereby the respective ski boot is secured to the associated ski binding of a ski which is laying on a planar horizontal underground. It is assumed that the longitudinal axis X is a horizontal. The respective ski boot rests on the heel tread surface 41 and 51 of the associated heel support 40 and 50 and can pivot about its pivot axis A and B, respectively.

[0099] X_A is a pivot axis plane which contains the first pivot axis A and is parallel to the underground at least in the longitudinal direction. X_B is a pivot axis plane that contains the second pivot axis B and is parallel to the underground at least in the longitudinal direction. The first pivot axis A and also its pivot axis plane X_A are plotted in relation to the second pivot axis B and its pivot axis plane X_B. One can conceive the lower part of figure 14 as a superposition of the lower and the upper part with only the first connecting structure 10 and the first heel support 40 omitted. The comparison in the example embodiment reveals that the first pivot axis A is positioned lower than the second pivot axis B. The offset h_AB is the transverse distance between the two pivot axis planes X_A and X_B.

[0100] The first heel support 40 may be thicker than the second heel support 50 to compensate for the transverse offset h_AB. This does not mean that the difference in thickness is exactly h_AS since the difference in thickness may compensate for other or further variations caused by the axial offset of the pivot axes A and B. Other factors such as individual factors and preferences of the skier may also play a role.

[0101] The sole base 2 may be the same for the first connecting structure 10 and the second connecting structure 20. It may include all of the fastening elements for selectively mounting either the first connecting structure 10 or the second connecting structure 20. If the number of fastening elements, such as through-holes, is to be reduced, a first sole base 2 may be provided for the first connecting structure 10 and a second sole base 2 may be provided for the second connecting structure 20, the two sole bases 2 differing only in that the first sole base 2 has no fastening elements for the second connecting structure 20 and the second sole base 2 has no fastening elements for the first connecting structure 10. Advantageously, the interface 30 may be identical in each of the variants.

[0102] Figs. 1 and 7 show the sole base 2 without any forefoot outsole element. A forefoot outsole element, such as the forefoot outsole element 6, can be attached and fastened to the sole base 2 by means of a positive and/or a force-fitting engagement and/or by bonding. A forefoot outsole element, such as the forefoot outsole element 6, may furthermore be moulded to and around the sole forefoot portion 3. In the first variant of the sole 1, i.e. with the first connecting structure 10 mounted, the sole 1 may do without a forefoot outsole element so that the sole forefoot portion 3 is formed by the sole base 2 alone.

Claims

1. A ski boot, preferably for Nordic skiing, the ski boot comprising:

1.1 a sole base (2) having a sole forefoot portion (3) and a sole heel portion (4) arranged along a longitudinal axis (X) of the ski boot,

1.2 a connecting structure (10; 20) for securing the ski boot to a ski binding of a ski, the connecting structure (10; 20) defining below the sole forefoot portion (3) a pivot axis (A) for a pivoting movement of the ski boot relative to the ski,

1.3 an interface (30) attached to or formed by the sole base (2) and located in or below the sole heel portion (4), and

1.4 a heel support (40; 50) arranged below the sole heel portion (4) and having a free heel tread surface (41; 51) facing downwardly away from the sole base (2),

1.5 wherein the heel support (40; 50) is removably connected to the sole base (2) by means of the interface (30).

2. Ski boot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heel support (40; 50) is connected to the sole base (2) by means of a positive retaining engagement with the interface (30), the heel support (40; 50) being movable relative to the interface (30) and the sole base (2) from an initial position to a use position and back to the initial position while being retained at the sole base (2) in the retaining engagement, and wherein the retaining engagement is releasable by moving the heel support (40; 50) back toward and beyond the initial position.

3. Ski boot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heel support (40; 50) is connected to the sole base (2) by means of a positive retaining engagement, preferably the retaining engagement of the preceding claim, in which at least one of the interface (30) and the heel support (40; 50) engages behind the other in a cutting plane intersecting the sole heel portion (4) and the heel support (40; 50).

4. Ski boot according to the preceding claim, wherein the heel support (40; 50), in engaging behind the interface (30), engages into a gap (33) between the interface (30) and the sole heel portion (4).

5. Ski boot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interface (30) comprises one or more guideways (34), the respective guideway (34) being vertically spaced from an underside (28) of the sole heel portion (4) to form a free gap (33) between the sole base (2) and the respective guideway (34), and wherein the heel support (40; 50) engages behind the respective guideway (34) and engages in the gap (33) so that a positive retaining engagement results, in which the heel support (40; 50) is retained at the sole base (2) and the respective guideway (34) slidably guides the heel support (40; 50).

6. Ski boot according to any one of the claims 2 to 5, wherein the heel support (40; 50) and/or the interface (30) is/are elastically deformed in the retaining engagement, and the elastic deformation in the retaining engagement generates a clamping force that acts on the heel support (40; 50) toward an underside (28) of the sole heel portion (4).

7. Ski boot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heel support (40; 50) is retained at the sole base (2) by means of a retaining engagement in which the interface (30) and/or the heel support (40; 50) engage(s) behind the other, and wherein the heel support (40; 50) is movable in the retaining engagement relative to the interface (30) and the sole base (2) in a direction of movement from an initial position to a use position and in the opposite direction back to the initial position, the direction of movement having an axial direction component and/or a lateral direction component.

8. Ski boot according to the preceding claim, wherein at least one of the interface (30) and the heel support (40; 50) forms a guideway (34) extending in the direction of movement for slidably guiding the heel support (40; 50) in the direction of movement.

9. Ski boot according to the preceding claim, wherein the guideway (34) is formed in the retaining engagement.

10. Ski boot according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with at least one of claims 2 and 7, wherein one of the interface (30) and the heel support (40; 50) forms or supports a locking member (45) and the respective other forms or supports a locking counter member (36), wherein the heel support (40; 50) is locked in the use position by a locking engagement of the locking member (45) and the locking counter member (36), thereby immovably locking the heel support (40; 50) in the use position relative to the interface (30), the locking engagement being releasable against an elastic restoring force of the locking member (45) or against an elastic restoring force applied to the locking member (45).

11. Ski boot according to the preceding claim, wherein the locking member (45) is a tongue which is elastically bendable and provided with a latching element (46), such as a protrusion (46) or a recess, the latching element (46) snapping into the locking engagement with the locking counter element (36) once the heel support (40; 50) has been brought in the use position.

12. Ski boot according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the locking member (45), preferably the tongue of the preceding claim, forms a partial area of the heel tread surface (41; 51).

13. Ski boot according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the locking member (45) is movable out of the locking engagement, against the elastic restoring force, downwards away from an underside (28) of the sole heel portion (4).

14. Ski boot system comprising:

14.1 the ski boot of any one of the preceding claims, the heel support (40) being a first heel support (40), and

14.2 a second heel support (50),

14.3 wherein the second heel support (50) has one or more of the features described in any one of the preceding claims with respect to the first heel support (40), and

14.4 wherein the second heel support (50) is configured to be attached to the ski boot in place of the first heel support (40).

15. Ski boot system according to the preceding claim, wherein the heel supports (40, 50) each comprise an engagement portion (42, 52) shaped to form a positive retaining engagement with the interface (30), and a covering (43, 53) forming the heel tread surface (41, 51) and covering at least a part of the engagement portion (42, 53) in a plan view of the heel tread surface (41, 51), wherein the covering (43) of the first heel support (40) and the covering (53) of the second heel support (50) differ in shape, such as the shape of the heel tread surface (41; 51), and/or in dimension, such as vertical thickness, and/or in at least one material property, such as modulus of elasticity, hardness, and damping.

Drawing