WO1997047366A1

WO1997047366A1 - Snowboard shoe

Info

Publication number: WO1997047366A1
Application number: PCT/EP1997/002992
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luca Bertolo; Roberto Gorza
Original assignee: Nordica SpA
Current assignee: Nordica SpA
Priority date: 1996-06-14
Filing date: 1997-06-09
Publication date: 1997-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1998-12-14
Also published as: ITTV960040V0; ITTV960040U1; IT242114Y1

Abstract

A snowboard shoe including an upper which contains a first plate (30) arranged adjacent to the sole (31) and connected to a second plate (33) which is arranged externally and transversely to the sole in the central region (34) of the foot, the second plate having first engagement elements and second elements for temporary connection to a binding associated with a snowboard, the shoe also including a third plate (1) associable with the first and/or second plate and affecting the toe and heel regions of the foot. A shoe is thus obtained which allows the skier to achieve optimum control of the board.

Description

SNOWBOARD SHOE

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a snowboard shoe.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventional snowboard shoes comprise a rigid shell whereto a cuff is articulated, the shell having a tip and a heel wherewith adapted grip means interact, said grip means being associated with a binding which is in turn rigidly coupled at the board.

These conventional shoes, however, entail drawbacks, because they are very rigid and do not allow the user to nimbly perform the various weight shifts required for skiing.

It is thus known to provide snowboard shoes of a substantially soft kind, which however are coupled to snowboard bindings comprising at least two straps which allow to lock the shoe, respectively, in the front region of the foot and in the instep region; use of the two straps is indispensable in order to rigidly associate the user's foot with the deck and thus allow to correctly steer the board while skiing.

This solution, however, is not ideal, since drawbacks have been observed; the strap, located in the front region, in fact locks the foot by compressing it downwards, thus applying a vertical force; the strap acting at the instep region is generally constituted by a single element associated in an arrangement which is inclined by an angle of approximately 45° with respect to the horizontal plane of the board, counterclockwise rotation being considered positive .

The inclination given to this last strap is required in order to lock the instep, but it is not optimum, since the instep has a double curvature, namely a horizontal and a vertical curvatures, with respect to the foot sole.

The foot shape is in fact such that two different and distinct curvatures are observed: one occurs at the upper part and the other one occurs on the outer sides of the instep; this prevents the strap from adapting to the various positions that the instep will assume during the use of the implement.

Said strap also has a certain rigidity, which is required both to secure the foot during the sports practice and to withstand the many stresses and forces, and also has a certain softness in order to be able to adapt to the foot curvature, this property contrasting with the preceding ones.

As a partial solution to this drawback, snowboard shoes are conventionally provided for so-called "step-in" bindings, wherein coupling occurs laterally with respect to the shoe by means of adapted jaws. These shoes have, inside the upper, a first plate, designated by the reference numeral 230 in figure 1, which is shaped like an insole and is arranged adjacent to the sole 231. First holes 232 are formed at the first plate 230 and allow to connect a second plate 233 arranged outside the sole 231 at the shoe contact surface of the board.

The second plate 233 is arranged transversely to the sole in the central region 234 of the foot and is partially accommodated at an adapted first seat 235 formed on said sole .

Second holes 236 and third holes 237 are of course formed respectively on said sole and on the second plate and allow connection to the first plate 230 by means of adapted screws 238 and nuts 239.

Laterally to the second plate 233 there are provided a first pivot 240 and a second pivot 241, which are associable at first engagement means and second means for temporary connection to a binding rigidly coupled to a snowboard. However, also this known system has drawbacks.

The second plate 233 in fact does not allow the user to have adequate sensitivity in steering the board, because forces are transmitted from the foot to the board only at the central region of the foot and therefore in a limited region.

Deformability of the sole in fact does not allow optimum transmission of forces to the second plate 233 if said forces are applied directly by the toes or heel of the foot. Use of soft shoes also does not allow to achieve good lateral containment of the toe and heel, which once again cause instability for the user, who is unable to have the sensitivity required to use the sports implement.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An aim of the present invention is to solve the described problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art and thus providing a snowboard shoe which allows the user to transmit forces in an optimum manner to the board during sports practice.

Within the scope of this aim, an important object is to provide a shoe the sole whereof has a torsional rigidity which is more adapted to the specific sports activity.

Another important object is to provide a soft shoe allowing to achieve better and more effective control of the sports implement as well as reduced user's fatigue.

Another object is to provide a shoe which associates with the preceding characteristics that of being reliable and safe in use and has low manufacturing costs.

This aim, these objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a snowboard shoe comprising an upper which contains a first plate arranged adjacent to the sole and connected to a second plate which is arranged externally and transversely to said sole in the central region of the foot and has first engagement means and second means for temporary connection to a binding associated with a snowboard, characterized in that it comprises a third plate which is associable with said first and/or second plate and affects the toe and heel regions of the foot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a particular embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is an exploded view of some components of a conventional shoe; figure 2 is a view, similar to the preceding one, of some components of the snowboard shoe according to the present invention; figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along a plane lying longitudinally with respect to the shoe, of the interconnection of the first, second and third plates; figure 4 is a view, similar to the preceding one, of the configuration which can be assumed by the second plate.

WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 30 designates a first rigid plate arranged inside the snowboard shoe (not shown entirely) , which is constituted by a soft upper, likewise not illustrated, associated at an adapted sole 31.

A plurality of first holes 32 are formed at the first plate 30, and said first plate is arranged adjacent to the inner surface of the sole 31.

The shoe is also constituted by a second plate 33 arranged at the outer surface of the sole 31 so as to transversely affect it in the central region 34 of the foot.

At the outer surface of the sole 31 a first seat 35 is also provided for accommodating the second plate 33, said second plate being laterally provided with a first pivot 40 and with a second pivot 41, which interact with first engagement means and with second means (not shown) for temporary connection to a binding (likewise not shown) associated with the snowboard.

Second holes 36 and third holes 37 are provided respectively at the first seat 35 and at the second plate 33 for connection to the first plate 30 by means of adapted screws 38 and nuts 39.

According to the invention the shoe is also constituted by a third plate, designated by the reference numeral 1, the shape whereof lies substantially along the longitudinal axis of the sole 31, said third plate having a lattice-like configuration, which forms a central body 2 affecting the central region 34 of the foot and two wings having a first end 3 and a second end 4 which affect the toe region 5 and the heel region 6.

Adapted fourth holes 7 are also formed at the central body 2 of the third plate 1; their axis coincides with one or more of the third holes 37 formed on the second plate 33, of the second holes 36 formed on the sole 31, and of the first holes 32 formed on the plate 30.

Adapted fifth holes 8 and sixth holes 9 are also formed at the first end 3 and at the second end 4 of the third plate 1 and allow connection, again by means of the screws 38 and the nuts 39, to the first plate 30; seventh holes 10a and 10b and eighth holes 11a and lib are formed on said first plate and on the sole 31.

Thus the illustrated embodiment achieves optimum rigidity of the sole in all its parts and particularly at the heel and toe of the foot.

At said regions, in fact, the rigidity of the shoe increases, particularly of the sole which allows optimum transmission of forces at the binding for the board.

Adapted second seats 12a and 12b for the first and second ends of the third plate 1 are of course formed on the sole 31, so as to also allow easy walking on snow or on surrounding terrain once the shoe has been disconnected from the binding of the board.

It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a snowboard shoe having been obtained which allows to control the board also at the toe and heel regions, which are the most sensitive regions of the foot.

An increase in the torsional rigidity of the sole is also achieved, together with greater and more effective control of the sports implement, consequently reducing user's fatigue, thanks to the higher efficiency in force transmission.

The described embodiment therefore allows higher sensitivity in steering the sports implement.

Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein the second plate 133 has a central body 102 affecting the sole 131 transversely and in a downward region and wherefrom two wings 113a and 113b protrude longitudinally with respect to said sole and towards the toe region 105 and the heel region 106. The wings respectively have a first end 103 and a second end 104, whereat there are provided fifth holes 108 and sixth holes 109 for connection, by means of adapted screws 138 associable with nuts 139, to a first plate 130 arranged inside the sole 131.

The central body 102 of the second plate 133 can be accommodated at adapted first seats 135 formed on the sole

131; the two wings 113a and 113b are also accommodated at adapted second seats 112a and 112b which are again formed in the sole.

This embodiment, too, allows to achieve the intended aim and objects and has even lower production costs.

The materials and the dimensions constituting the individual components of the shoe may of course be the most pertinent according to specific requirements.

Claims

1. A snowboard shoe comprising an upper which contains a first plate (30) arranged adjacent to the sole (31) and connected to a second plate (33) which is arranged externally and transversely to said sole in the central region (34) of the foot and has first engagement means and second means for temporary connection to a binding associated with a snowboard, characterized in that it comprises a third plate (1) associable with said first and/or second plate and affecting the toe and heel regions of the foot.

2. A snowboard shoe, comprising an upper which contains a first plate (130) arranged adjacent to the sole (131) and connected to a second plate ( 133) which is arranged externally and transversely to said sole in the central region of the foot and has first engagement means and second means for temporary connection to a binding associated with a snowboard, characterized in that said second plate (133) has at least two wings (113a, 113b) affecting the toe (105) and heel 106 regions of the foot.

3. A shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said third plate (1) extends substantially along the longitudinal axis of said sole.

4. A shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said third plate (1) has a lattice-like configuration.

5. A shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said third plate (1) has a central body (2), affecting the central region (34) of the foot, and two wings having a first end (3) and a second end (4) which respectively affect the toe (5) and the heel (6) regions.

6. A shoe according to claim 5, characterized in that adapted fifth (8) and sixth (9) holes are formed at said first (3) and second (4) ends and have the same axis as seventh (10a, 10b) and eighth (11a, lib) holes formed on the first plate and sole (31) for connection to said first plate by means of adapted screws and nuts.

7. A shoe according to claim 2, characterized in that said two wings (113a, 113b) can be arranged at second seats (112a, 112b) formed below said sole.

8. A shoe according to claim 2, characterized in that said second plate (133) has a central body (102) affecting the central region (134) of the foot and wherefrom two wings (113a, 113b) protrude longitudinally with respect to said sole and affect the toe (105) and heel (106) regions of the foot.

9. A shoe according to claims 2 and 8, characterized in that said two wings (113a, 113b) have a first (103) and a second (104) ends whereon adapted fifth (108) and sixth (109) holes are provided which have the same axis as seventh and eighth holes formed on said first plate (130) and said sole for connection to said first plate by means of adapted screws and nuts.