COUPLING DEVICE FOR FASTENING A MOUNTAIN SHOE UPON A SKI OR OTHER SPORT EQUIPMENT FOR MOVING ON SNOW OR ICE

TECHNICT-L FIELD

The present invention relates to a coupling device for fastening a mountain shoe upon a ski or other sport equipment for moving on snow or ice .

In particular, the present invention regards a coupling device that is able to anchor a ski boot or ski- mountaineering boot on a ski for downhill skiing, a crampon, a snowshoe or other sport equipment for moving on snow or ice; use to which the following description refers purely by way of example, without this implying any loss of generality.

BACKGROUND ART

As is known, the most widely used ski boots are provided with: a rigid shell made of plastic material that is shaped in such a way as to receive the foot of the skier; a rigid cuff made of plastic material, which is shaped in such a way as to receive the ankle of the skier and is hinged to the top part of the shell in a position corresponding to the articulation of the ankle,- and finally a series of closing clasps that are appropriately distributed on the shell and on the cuff and are structured in such a way as to be able to grip both the shell and the cuff so as to immobilize the leg of the skier within the boot.

The bottom part of the shell of the boot is moreover shaped in such a way as to form a grooved sole that is structured in such a way as to be able to engage in a stable, but easily releasable, manner to the central segment of the ski for downhill skiing or other sport equipment for moving on snow or ice, with the possibility of remaining stably resting on the body of the sport equipment, or else be able to slew with respect to the body of the equipment itself .

In greater detail, the sole of the ski boot is provided at the front with a rigid projecting appendage that extends in cantilever fashion beyond the ogival end of the shell that covers the toes of the foot, remaining underneath the sole of the foot, and is structured in such a way as to be able to engage in a stable, but easily releasable, manner to the aforesaid coupling device, which, in turn, is rigidly fixed on the central segment of the ski for downhill skiing or other similar sport equipment.

As regards, instead, the above-mentioned coupling device, it is structured so as to be able to, selectively and alternatively, clamp the sole of the boot parallel to and facing the surface of the central segment of the ski, or else to allow the boot to slew with respect to the ski about a horizontal axis of rotation that traverses the rigid projecting appendage of the sole remaining underneath the sole of the foot and is locally perpendicular to the vertical midplane of the ski for downhill skiing or other sport equipment for moving about on snow or ice .

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The aim of the present invention is to provide a coupling device for the anchorage of a ski-

mountaineering boot to a ski for downhill skiing, which will be able to maximize the thrust transmitted by the skier to the ski when, when climbing uphill, the skier has to advance on the snow and must be able to impress on the boots an oscillatory movement with respect to the skis, which remain, instead, resting on the ground.

According to the present invention, there is consequently provided a coupling device for fastening a mountain shoe upon a ski or other sport equipment for moving on snow or ice, as specified in Claim 1 and preferably, but not necessarily, in any one of the dependent claims.

Moreover provided according to the present invention is a mountain boot, as specified in Claim 17 or Claim 18.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A non- limiting embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ski boot, of a ski for downhill skiing, and finally of a coupling device for fastening the boot to the ski made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

- Figure 2 illustrates in perspective view the ski boot, the ski for downhill skiing, and the coupling device of Figure 1 in a possible working configuration;

Figure 3 illustrates in perspective view a second embodiment of the coupling device illustrated in Figures

1 and 2 in combination with the ski for downhill skiing illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and a different type of ski boot ;

- Figure 4 is a front view of the ski boot and of the coupling device illustrated in Figure 3, with parts in cross section and parts removed for reasons of clarity;

whilst

- Figures 5 and 6 illustrate in perspective view a third embodiment of the coupling device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 in combination with the ski for downhill skiing and the ski boot illustrated in the same figures.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the number 1 designates as a whole a coupling device that is able to anchor in a stable, but easily releasable, manner a ski boot, a ski -mountaineering boot, or a similar mountain boot 2, on a sport equipment 3 which is specifically structured for moving on snow or ice, and is provided with a supporting central portion 3a to which the boot 2 mentioned above is designed to be stably fixed by means of the coupling device 1.

The sport equipment 3 can be, for example, a ski for downhill skiing, a ski for cross-country skiing, a crampon, or a snowshoe (traditionally called "ciaspa").

In particular, in the example illustrated, the sport equipment 3 specifically structured for enabling moving about on snow or ice it is constituted by a traditional ski 3 for downhill skiing, which will not be described any further given that it is widely known in the sector. The boot 2 is instead constituted by a traditional ski boot or ski -mountaineering boot 2 basically comprising a rigid or semi-rigid shell 4 made of plastic material, which is shaped in such a way as to receive the foot of the user and is internally provided with a plane surface 4a, on which the sole of the foot rests with the possible interposition of an innersole or arch support of a known type (not illustrated) ; a rigid cuff 5 made of plastic material, which is shaped in such a way as to receive the ankle of the skier and is hinged to the top

part of the shell 4 in a position corresponding to the articulation of the ankle,- and finally a series of closing clasps 6, which are appropriately distributed on the shell 4 and on the cuff 5 and are structured in such a way as to be able to grip both the shell 4 and the cuff 5 so as to immobilize the leg of the skier within the boot 2.

In addition to the above, the bottom part of shell 4 is shaped in such a way as to form a sole 7, preferably, but not necessarily grooved and provided with a heel 8, which is structured so as to be able to engage in a stable, but easily releasable, manner to the central supporting segment 3a of the ski 3 for downhill skiing.

More specifically, the sole 7 and, more in general, the bottom part of the shell 4 of the boot 2 are structured so as to be able to engage in a stable, but easily releasable, manner to the coupling device 1 which, in turn, is firmly anchored to the central segment 3a of the ski 3, and is structured in such a way as to be able, selectively and alternatively, to keep the shell 4 of the boot rigidly connected to the body of the ski 3 with the sole 7 substantially parallel to the central segment 3a of the ski 3, or else allow the shell 4 of the boot 2 to turn freely with respect to the body of the ski 3 about an axis A of rotation, which is locally parallel to the surface of the ski 3 immediately underneath the sole 7 of the boot 2 and locally perpendicular to the vertical midplane of the ski 3 itself. Said vertical midplane is generally parallel to the horizontal direction of normal advance of the sport equipment on the snow.

Unlike currently known solutions, the coupling device 1 is, however, structured in such a way that the axis A of

rotation of the boot 2 will intersect the shell 4 above the sole 7, in a position corresponding to the metatarsal-phalange area of the foot, and that the plane surface 4a of the shell 4 on which the sole of the foot rests comes to occupy a position between the axis A of rotation of the boot 2 and the body of the ski 3.

In greater detail, with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the coupling device 1 comprises a rigid load-bearing structure 9, which is anchored on, and extends in cantilever fashion from, the central segment 3a of the ski 3 for downhill skiing on the opposite side of the surface of contact with the snow, and a boot platform 10, which is instead positioned above the central segment 3a of the ski 3, at a pre-set distance therefrom within the load-bearing structure 9, and is hinged in a rocking way to the load-bearing structure 9 in such a way as to be able to turn with respect to the latter about the aforesaid axis A of rotation.

The boot platform 10 is moreover structured in such a way as to be able to engage in a stable, but easily releasable, manner to the sole 7 of the boot 2, and in such a way that the axis A of rotation will be above the boot platform 10 with respect to the ski 3, will be locally perpendicular to the vertical midplane of the ski 3 itself, and finally will intersect the shell 4 of the boot 2 fixed on the boot platform 10 itself above the sole 7, in a position corresponding to the metatarsal-phalange area of the foot.

In the case in point, the boot platform 10 is basically formed by: a rigid floating plate 11, which extends horizontally above the central segment 3a of the ski 3 for downhill skiing, between the axis A of rotation of the platform and the central segment 3a, and is provided

with a top plane face 11a, on which the sole 7 of the boot 2 is designed to bear upon,- and a pair of projecting appendages 12, which extend in cantilever fashion from the two sides of the floating plate 11, i.e., on opposite sides of the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11 and of the vertical midplane of the ski 3, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11, remaining locally parallel and facing one another, until the axis A of rotation of the platform is reached.

In greater detail, the floating plate 11 extends above the central segment 3a of the ski 3 at a distance preferably, but not necessarily, comprised between 5 and 40 millimetres, whilst the top plane face 11 of the floating plate 11 directly faces the axis A, at a distance therefrom preferably, but not necessarily, comprised between 10 and 80 millimetres.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the boot platform 10 is moreover provided with manually actuated or semiautomatic clamping means 13, which are selectively designed to clamp rigidly the sole 7 and, more in general, the bottom part of the shell 4 of the boot 2 bearing upon the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11.

In the example illustrated, in particular, the sole 7 of the boot 2 is provided at the front with a rigid projecting appendage 7a, which extends in cantilever fashion beyond the ogival end 4b of the shell 4 that covers the toes of the foot, remaining underneath the sole of the foot itself, and the boot platform 10 is provided with a front element 13a, which is rigidly fixed on the front part of the floating plate 11 and is shaped in such a way as to form, on the front edge of

the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11, a groove or seat designed to be engaged by the projecting appendage 7a of the sole 7. Clamping of the heel 8 of the boot 2 on the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11 is instead provided by means of a manually operated clamping mechanism 13b, which is fixed on the floating plate 11, on the opposite side of the front element 13a, and is structured in such a way as to be able to engage the heel 8 of the boot 2, and then push the heel 8 so that it comes to bear upon the top face 11a of the floating plate 11 and the projecting appendage 7a of the sole 7 so that it comes to bear upon the front element 13a, thus clamping the entire shell 4 of the boot 2 in a stable, but easily releasable, manner on the floating plate 11.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, in the example illustrated the load-bearing structure 9 is instead formed basically by a base 14 rigidly anchored on the central segment 3a of the ski 3, on the opposite side of the surface of contact with the snow, and by a pair of supporting arms 15, which extend in cantilever fashion from the base 14, parallel and facing one another, on opposite sides of the vertical midplane of the ski 3, in such a way as to form a fork that embraces the front part of the boot platform 10, or rather the front part of the floating plate 11, where the two projecting appendages 12 are located, and then extend in cantilever fashion beyond the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11 until the distal ends of the two projecting appendages 12 are reached.

The load-bearing structure 9 finally comprises a pair of transverse connection pins 16, with axis A, which are designed to connect in a freely rotatable way the distal ends of the two supporting arms 15 with the distal ends

of the two immediately adjacent projecting appendages 12 in such a way that the entire boot platform 10 hangs from the two supporting arms 15, enabling the latter to oscillate or rock about the axis A.

With reference to Figure 1, the coupling device 1 is finally provided with a manually actuated or semiautomatic clamping member 17, which is structured in such a way as to be able, selectively and alternatively, to prevent any oscillation of the boot platform 10 about the axis A, hence rigidly clamping the shell 4 of the boot 2 to the central segment 3a of the ski 3, or else allow the boot platform 10 to oscillate freely about the axis A, with the shell 4 of the boot 2 that controls the movement of oscillation about the axis A itself.

In particular, in the example illustrated, the clamping member 17 is rigidly fixed directly on the central segment 3a of the ski 3, immediately underneath the rear part of the floating plate 11, where the heel 8 of the boot 2 rests, and is provided with a mobile clamping element 17a, which is selectively designed to engage the rear end of the floating plate 11, in such a way as to connect the floating plate 11 rigidly to the body of the ski 3, preventing any movement of oscillation of the entire boot platform 2 about the axis A.

Operation of the coupling device 1 can be easily inferred from what has been described above and does not therefore require any further explanation, except to point out that the location of the axis A of rotation of the boot 2 above the sole 7, in a position corresponding to the part of the shell 4 occupied by the metatarsal- phalange portion of the foot, renders the movement of the leg and of the foot of the athlete who advances climbing on the snow much more similar to the movement

typically made by a cyclist who is pedalling.

Said arrangement improves the kinematic efficiency of the movement enormously, enabling a sensible reduction of the muscular fatigue of the athlete given the same effort exerted.

In addition, positioning of the axis A of rotation of the boot 2 in the region corresponding to the metatarsal-phalange area of the foot, prevents exposure of the tip of the foot to excessive stresses.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the coupling device 1 described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, with reference to the variant embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the coupling device 1 is without the boot platform 10, and the load-bearing structure 9 is configured in such a way as to be able to engage directly to the shell 4 of the boot 2 set above the central segment 3a of the ski 3, at a pre-set distance therefrom, allowing the latter to turn freely about the axis A.

In greater detail, the load-bearing structure 9 is again formed by a base 14, rigidly anchored on the central segment 3a of the ski 3, on the opposite side of the surface of contact with the snow, and by a pair of supporting arms 15, which extend in cantilever fashion from the base 14 parallel to and facing one another, on opposite sides of the vertical midplane of the ski 3, in such a way as to form a fork that, in this case, embraces the front part of the shell 4 positioned above the central segment 3a of the ski 3 at a pre-set

distance therefrom.

In this case, however, the load-bearing structure 9 also comprises two projecting pins 18, which extend in cantilever fashion from the distal ends of the two supporting arms 15 towards one another, so that they share the axis A, and are structured in such a way as to fit in a freely rotatable way within purposely provided blind holes 19 made directly in the body of the shell 4, in such a way that the entire boot 2 hangs directly from the two supporting arms 15 of the load-bearing structure 9.

In greater detail, the blind holes 19 are made on the two opposite sides of the shell 4 of the boot 2, in a position corresponding to the portion of the shell 4 occupied by the metatarsal -phalange area of the foot, extend sharing a reference axis locally perpendicular to the vertical midplane of the shell 4 in such a way as to set themselves both sharing the axis A when the boot 2 is positioned above the central segment 3a of the ski 3, ready for engaging with the ski 3.

To render fixing of the boot 2 to the distal ends of the two supporting arms 15 more convenient, in this variant, one or both of the supporting arms 15 can be hinged on the base 14 in such a way as to be able to divaricate with respect to one another with a butterfly-wing movement, and the load-bearing structure 9 is provided also with a manually actuated closing member 20, which is able to divaricate or grip the two supporting arms 15 in such a way as to bring the distal ends of the two supporting arms 15 and the corresponding projecting pins

18 so that they bear upon the shell 4 of the boot 2 positioned between the arms, above the central segment

3a of the ski 3, with the sole 7 at a pre-set distance

from the surface of the ski 3 lying immediately underneath .

Alternatively, the two blind holes 19 can be made in a position corresponding to the distal ends of the two supporting arms 15, whilst the two projecting pins 18 extend in cantilever fashion from the two opposite sides of the shell 4 of the boot 2, in a position corresponding to the portion of the shell 4 occupied by the metatarsal-phalange area of the foot, sharing a reference axis locally perpendicular to the vertical midplane of the shell 4, in such a way that they both share the axis A when the boot 2 is positioned above the central segment 3a of the ski 3, ready for coupling with the ski 3.

According to a different embodiment, one or both of the projecting pins 18 are mounted on the distal ends of the two supporting arms 15 in an axially slidable way, and can be positioned, selectively and alternatively, in an extracted position in which the tip of the projecting pin 18 is at the maximum distance from the body of the supporting arm 15 and is able to engage the corresponding blind hole 19 present on the body of the shell 4, or else in a retracted position in which the tip of the projecting pin 18 is at the minimum distance from the body of the supporting arm 15, and the projecting pin 18 does not project inwards from the fork formed by the two supporting arms 15 to such an extent as to hinder insertion or removal of the boot 2 into or from the groove of the aforesaid fork.

Obviously, in either case the clamping member 17 is rigidly fixed directly on the central segment 3a of the ski 3, immediately underneath the heel 8 of the boot 2, and is structured in such a way as to be able to engage

directly to the heel 8 or to the sole 7 of the boot 2, clamping it rigidly to the body of the ski 3.

With reference to the variant embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the coupling device 1 can instead be structured in such a way that the axis A of rotation of the boot 2, i.e., the axis of rotation of the boot platform 10 with respect to the load-bearing structure 9, is positioned immediately above the portion of the shell 4 of the boot 2 that encloses the metatarsal- phalange area of the foot. Also in this case, obviously, the plane surface 4a of the shell 4 on which the sole of the foot rests is positioned between the axis A of rotation of the boot 2 and the body of the ski 3.

In other words, the coupling device 1 is structured in such a way that the axis A of rotation of the boot 2 is positioned above the sole 7, vertically aligned with the metatarsal-phalange area of the foot.

In the case in point, the load-bearing structure 9 that extends in cantilever fashion from the central segment 3a of the ski 3 for downhill skiing, and the boot platform 10 hinged to the load-bearing structure 9 are structured in such a way that the axis A of rotation of the boot 2 is located above the ski 3 and the boot platform 10, is locally perpendicular to the vertical midplane of the ski 3 itself, and finally extends immediately above the portion of the shell 4 of the boot 2 that encloses the metatarsal-phalange area of the foot. Said shell 4 must obviously be fixed on the boot platform 10.

In greater detail, with reference to Figures 4 and 5, the boot platform 10 has, instead of the projecting appendages 12, a single projecting appendage 21 of a

hooked shape, which extends in cantilever fashion from the front end of the floating plate 11 (i.e., from the end of the floating plate 11 that is set immediately underneath the projecting appendage 7a of the boot 2) remaining locally coplanar to the midplane of the ski 3, or in any case to a reference plane perpendicular to the axis A of rotation of the boot 2, and terminates above the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11, in a position corresponding to the stretch of the floating plate 11 designed to support the portion of the shell 4 that encloses the metatarsal-phalange area of the foot.

In greater detail, in the example illustrated, the distal end of the projecting appendage 21 terminates above the portion of the shell 4 that encloses the metatarsal-phalange area of the foot, at a pre-set distance from the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11, the value of which is preferably, but not necessarily, comprised between 60 and 80 millimetres.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5, in this variant embodiment, the load-bearing structure 9 is, instead, provided with a single supporting arm 22 of a hooked shape, which extends in cantilever fashion from the base 14, remaining locally coplanar to a reference plane, preferably, but not necessarily, coinciding with the midplane of the ski 3 , and in any case perpendicular to the axis A of rotation of the boot 2, and terminates in a position corresponding to the axis A, above the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11.

In the example illustrated, in particular, the supporting arm 22 is provided with a longitudinal groove, which extends coplanar to the plane of lie of the projecting appendage 21 of the boot platform 10 and is designed to house the projecting appendage 21 itself

when the floating plate 11 extends horizontally, above the central segment 3a of the ski 3 for downhill skiing.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5, the load-bearing structure 9 is finally provided with a transverse connection pin 23, which extends, with axis A, through the distal end of the supporting arm 22 and of the projecting appendage 21, in such a way as to connect in a freely rotatable way the projecting appendage 21 of the boot platform 10 to the supporting arm 22 of the load-bearing, structure 9, thus enabling the entire boot platform 10 to oscillate or rock freely about the axis A hanging from the load-bearing structure 9.

Also in this variant embodiment the coupling device 1 is obviously provided with the clamping member 17, which, if need be, has the function of clamping the boot platform 10 rigidly to the ski 3, in such a way as to prevent rotation of the platform itself about the axis A.

Finally, as regards the means 13 for clamping the boot on the floating plate 11, instead of being rigidly fixed on the front part of the floating plate 11, the front element 13a which is superimposed on the projecting appendage 7a of the sole 7 of the boot 2 is pivoted on the front part of the floating plate 11 in such a way as to be able to turn freely with respect to the latter about a reference axis that is locally perpendicular to the top plane face 11a of the floating plate 11 itself, and lies preferably, but not necessarily, on the midplane of the ski 3.