Adjustable sports boot buckle

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an adjustable buckle for mounting on relatively movable portions of a sport boot comprising a catch adapted to be mounted on one of the movable portions, a latch adapted to be mounted on the other of the movable portions, said latch carrying hook means coupled to the latch via ratchet means and including manually operable pawl means to permit adjustment of the hook means relative to the latch.

[0002] A buckle comprising a latch with couplet to a hook via ratchet means is known from FR-A-2.475.372. In this buckle a pawl attached directly to the hook is meshing with teeth provided on the upper face of the latch. For adjusting this buckle in order to release the tension it is necessary to press on the pawl. As this pawl is mounted between two side walls of the latch this operation is not easy.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable buckle for sports boots which can be more easily and quickly adjusted. This is achieved by the features combined in the characterizing part of claim 1.

[0004] This buckle can be adjusted more easily than the buckle according to the prior art because the two pawls can be pressed together between thumb and index-finger to free the shaft and permit shifting the hook means along the shaft.

[0005] The invention will be better understood when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates a ski boot closed by four of the inventive adjustable boot buckles;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of one of the adjustable boot buckles shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial bottom view, generally enlarged and partially broken away, of the adjustable boot buckle;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the inventive boot buckle similar to Figure 3, but showing a modified ratchet arrangement;

Figure 5 is a side view of a modified adjustable boot buckle in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 is a view in cross section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 7 is a top view of the book buckle shown in Figure 5.

[0006] Referring to the invention in greater detail, with particular reference to Figure 1, a sports boot 10, here shown as a ski boot, normally formed of a suitable plastic, includes a boot lower 11, a boot upper or cuff 12, secured by rivets 13 to the lower 11. Movable portions or flaps 14, 15, and 16, 17, are respectively formed on the lower 11 and upper 12. Four buckles 18 are provided to close the ski boot 10. Each of the buckles 18 includes a catch 19 formed with teeth 19a for macro-adjustments of the buckle, and a latch 20, on the overlapping boot flaps.

[0007] Referring to the buckle 18 in greater detail, with particular reference to Figure 2, a hooking wireform 21 is suitably attached as shown to a carrier 22. A shaft 23 coupled by ratchet means' 60, described hereinafter, to the carrier 22, is pivoted by pin 24 to latch handle 25. A latch base 26, fastened by rivets or the like to the boot, pivotally supports the handle 25 via pin 27. An internal spring 27a maintains the latch closed against the boot and aids in positioning the wireform in the catch 19.

[0008] The adjustable feature of the boot buckle is shown in greater detail in Figure 3. The rectangular shaft 23 is formed with teeth 28 cut in channels 29 on opposite sides of the shaft. Pawls 30 provided with teeth 31 formed to mesh with the teeth 28, are pivoted on pins 32 in the carrier 22. Handles 33, adapted to be manually operated by the boot wearer, pivot the pawls to disengage the teeth 31 from the teeth 28, thereby permitting the carrier to be moved with respect to the shaft 23. Springs 34 bias the pawls 30 into engagement with the shaft 23. Slot 35 in a web 36 of the carrier 22 guides movement of the shaft 23 in the carrier. Note that with this arrangement, the carrier 22 and wireform 21 can be moved somewhat off center with respect to the shaft 23, thereby permitting better seating of the wireform 21 in the catch 19 when the latch and catch are not aligned with the boot closed.

[0009] In operation of the inventive buckle, one of the teeth 19a is selected from macro-adjustment of the boot tension. The buckle is then released by handle 25, and the pawls 33 are operated to slide the carrier 22 along the shaft 23 to provide for micro-adjustment of the boot tension.

[0010] A modified form of the inventive adjustment feature is shown in Figure 4 in which elements corresponding to those in Figure 3 are designated by primed numerals. In this embodiment, a rectangular shaft 23' is formed with angled teeth 28' in channels 29'. Pawls 30' include teeth 31' mating with the teeth 28'. With this arrangement, when a boot wearer wishes to tighten the boot slightly, as often occurs after a few ski runs, the wearer need merely push the carrier 20' along the shaft 23' in the direction indicated by the arrow 37. The pawls 30' will ratchet down the shaft 23' and hold the carrier 20' at a desired location. To loosen the boot adjustment, the handles 33' are manually operated and the carrier 20' moved upwardly along the shaft 23'.

[0011] Still a further embodiment of the inventive adjustable fastener is shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7. It is desirable to provide boot buckles conforming as closely as possible to the boot surface for both functional and aesthetic reasons. To this end, the buckle shown in Figures 5-7 include a number of parts similar to and identified by the same reference numerals as the buckle in Figure 2, but also includes a curved shaft 38 provided with teeth 39 in grooves 40 (Fig. 6). An enlarged portion 38a extending into the handle 25. The grooves 40 are configured to provide convex surfaces 41 and angled surfaces 42 for cooperating with teeth 43 on the pawls 44. The pawls are mounted similarly to the pawls 33 shown in detail in Fig. 3, and cooperate with the teeth 39. A carrier 45 includes upper and lower portions 46 and 47. The center of the upper portion 46 and lower portion 47 is formed to provide enlargements 46a and 47a to provide a guide housing for the shaft 38. These provide interior surfaces 46b and 47b cooperating with surfaces 38a on the shaft 28 to permit limited rotational or twisting movement-of the shaft with respect to the carrier. Depressed surfaces 46c and 47c limit the amount of rotation and movement. Note that the pawl teeth 43 are smaller than the channels 40 to permit such rotational movement. This arrangement also permits a limited amount of movement of the carrier to and from with respect to the axis of the shaft 38. Other desired tooth arrangements may be used for the ratchet device of the fastener, depending upon the particular alignment requirements of the latches and catches on the flaps of the boots.

[0012] A curved hooking device 48, contoured to the boot surface, includes arms 49 pivoted by pin 50 to the carrier 45. A hook 51 on the end of the hooking device 48 is selectively engageable with teeth 19a of the latch 19.

[0013] The adjustable fastener of Figures 5-7 provides macro-adjustments through selection of the teeth 19a engaged by the hooking device 48, and micro-adjustment by manual operation of the pawls 44 to permit movement of the carrier along the shaft 38.

[0014] It will be understood that the above decribed embodiments of the invention are merely exemplary and that persons skilled in the art may make variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An adjustable buckle for mounting relatively movable portions of a sports boot comprising a catch (19) adapted to be mounted on one of the movable portions, -a latch (20) adapted to be mounted on the other of the movable portions, said latch carrying hook means (21; 48) coupled to the latch (20) via ratchet means (60) and including manually operable pawl means (30; 30') to permit adjustment of the hook means (21; 48) relative to the latch (20) characterized by the fact that the ratchet means (60) include a shaft (23; 23'; 38) having teeth (28; 28'; 39) formed on two opposite sides thereof and the pawl means includes at least one manually operable spring biassed pawl (30; 30'; 44) pivoted on a carrier (22) of the hook means on the latch side of said shaft (23; 23') and cooperating respectively with the teeth (31) on each side of the shaft to secure the hook means (21) against movement in at least one direction.

2. An adjustable buckle as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the ratchet teeth (28) are symetrical and that the pawl is provided with teeth (31) meshing with the ratchet teeth (28) in such a way to prevent movement of the hook means relative to the catch in both directions.

3. An adjustable buckle as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the ratchet teeth (28') are serrated and that the pawl is provided with teeth (31') mating with the ratchet teeth (28') in such a way as to permit movement of the hook means away from the catch without manual operation of the pawl.

4. An ajustable buckle as claimed in any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the hook means (21/ 48) includes a wireform (21).

5. An adjustable buckle as claimed in any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the shaft (38) is curved to conform to the.surface of the boot.

6. An adjustable buckle as claimed in any one of claims 1 through 6, wherein the shaft (23; 23'; 38) has a generally rectangular cross section with teeth extending transversely therefrom.

Ansprüche

1. Verstellbare Schnalle zum gegenseitigen Halten von beweglichen Teilen eines Sportschuhes mit einer Zahnleiste (19) an einem der beweglichen Teile und einer Klinke (20) am anderen der beweglichen Teile, welche mit einem Haken (21; 48) an der Klinke (20) über eine Rasterung (60) einhakbar ist und von Hand betätigbare Backen (30; 30'; 44) aufweist, um eine Verstellung des Hakens (21; 48) zu der Klinke (20) zu ermöglichen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Rasterung (60) einen Schaft (23; 23'; 38) mit Zähnen (28; 28'; 39) an zwei gegenüberliegenden seiner Seiten aufweist sowie wenigstens eine handbetätigbare, federbeaufschlagte Backe (30; 30'; 44), die an einem Träger (22; 22'; 45) für den Haken auf der Klinkenseite des Schaftes (23; 23'; 38) schwenkbar gelagert ist und zwischen die Zähne (28; 28'; 39) auf jeder Seite des Schaftes eingreift, um den Haken (21; 48) gegen Verschiebung in wenigstens einer Richtung zu sichern.

2. Verstellbare Schnalle nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Rasterzähne (28) symmetrisch ausgebildet sind und dass die Backe mit Zähnen (31) versehen ist, welche so mit den Rasterzähnen (28) inenandergreifen, dass eine Verschiebung des Hakens gegenüber der Zahnleiste in beiden Richtungen verhindert wird.

3. Verstellbare Schnalle nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Rasterzähne (28') sägezahnartig ausgebildet sind und dass die Backe mit Zähnen (31') versehen ist, welche so mit den Rasterzähnen (28') ineinandergreifen, dass eine Verschiebung des Hakens weg von der Zahnleiste ohne Handbetätigung der Backe möglich ist.

4. Verstellbare Schnalle nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Haken ein Drahtbügel (21) ist.

5. Verstellbare Schnalle nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Schaft (38) gekrümmt ist, um sich der Oberfläche des Schuhes anzupassen.

6. Verstellbare Schnalle nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Schaft (23; 23'; 38) einen im wesentlichen rechteckigen Querschnitt aufweist mit sich quer hiervon erstreckenden Zähnen.

Revendications

1. Boucle réglable destinée à relier deux parties déplaçables relativement l'une à l'autre d'une chaussure de sport, comprenant un crochet (19) destiné à être monté sur l'une des parties déplaçables, un levier tendeur (20) destiné à être monté sur l'autre partie déplaçable, ledit levier tendeur portant des moyens d'accrochage (21; 48) reliés au levier tendeur (20) par l'intermédiaire d'un dispositif à crans (60) et comprenant un dispositif à cliquet actionnable manuellement (30; 30'; 44) pour permetrre l'ajustment des moyens d'accrochage (21; 48) relativement au levier tendeur (20), caractérisée par le fait que le dispositif à crans (60) comprend un arbre (23; 23'; 38) muni de dents (28; 28'; 39) sur deux côtés opposés et que le dispositif à cliquet comprend au moins un cliquet actionnable manuellement (30; 30'; 44) soumis à l'action d'un ressort et monté pivotant sur un support (22; 22'; 45) des moyens d'accrochage, sur le côté de l'arbre (23; 23'; 38) en regard du levier tendeur et coopérant respectivement avec les dents (28; 28'; 39) de chaque côté de l'arbre de manière à immobiliser les moyens d'accrochage (21; 48) dans au moins une direction.

2. Boucle réglable selon la revendication 1, caractérisée par le fait que les dents (28) sont disposées symétriquement et que le cliquet est pourvu de dents (31) s'engageant dans les dents de l'arbre (28) de manière à immobiliser les moyens d'accrochage relativement au crochet dans les deux directions.

3. Boucle réglable selon la revendication 1, caractérisée par le fait que les dents de l'arbre (28') sont des dents de loup et que le cliquet est pourvu de dents (31 pénétrant dans les dents de l'arbre (28') de manière à permettre un déplacement de moyens d'accrochage en direction du levier tendeur sans devoir actionner manuelle- . ment le cliquet.

4. Boucle réglable selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3, dans laquelle les moyens d'accrochage comprennent un étrier en fil métallique (21).

5. Boucle réglable selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3, dans laquelle l'arbre (38) est incurvé de manière à s'adapter à la surface de la chaussure.

6. Boucle réglable selon l'une des revendications 1 à 6, dans laquelle l'arbre (23; 23'; 38) présente une section générale rectangulaire avec des dents s'étendant transversalement à partir de cette section.

Drawing