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"Improvement for a boot"

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an improvement for a boot, in particular a motorcyclist's boot. At present, most of the boots for motorcycling use, to which reference is made here by way of example, use for closing the bottom part of the leg zip fastening systems (called "zip fasteners" in short), in particular in the zone of the ankles or the heel. Reference may be made, for example, to the documents EP 1,256,286, DE 19523669, DE3204260 for known zip fastening systems. Zip fasteners are generally used to close the boot by moving two flaps or two parts thereof towards each other, resulting in the effect of joining together or closing the two parts of the boot, or adjusting the distance between the two flaps, so as to adapt the boot to the shape of the foot. However a zip fastener is not adjustable, because it is left opened or closed. For the purposes described it is obviously possible to have one or more zip fasteners which are arranged in various configurations and in different closing positions. Each of these solutions, however, has the same drawbacks. The zip fasteners are subject to stresses both at the time of closing, when the sliding piece is pulled, and during use, when the tractional forces present in the boot are transmitted to the zip fastener teeth. The reliability and the operating efficiency of the zip fasteners are negatively affected, not only for this reason, but also because of the dirt which inevitably accumulates there, the boots being practically in contact with the ground. Moreover a zip fastener, because of the way in which it is designed, during opening or closing, may only act in one direction and therefore represents a limitation of the boot closing or adjusting devices. It is also not easy, in view of the type of design of the present boots, to replace the zip fastener in the event of breakage, except by unstitching or ungluing parts of the boot. Finally, a zip fastener adjustment system is unable to move the edges of the fastener towards each other by more than the amount which can be obtained with the fastener completely closed. Therefore, the users with a too small or too large foot are at a disadvantage because of the size of the boot, since it is not possible to tighten the latter further once it is worn.

The object of the invention is to obtain a boot, in particular a motorcyclist's boot, which has an easy and safe closing system in the ankle zone and which is not subject to the limitations of closing systems of the zip fastener type.

This object is achieved with a boot, in particular a motorcyclist's boot, with a leg-piece and closing means for varying the dimensions of the boot in the zone of the heel, characterized in that said closing means comprise at least one elongated part which extends between two sides of the leg-piece above the heel, surrounding it at the rear and is able to be

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tightened around the heel in an adjustable manner.

The advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description of a boot according to the invention, which is presented solely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view, from the rear, of an unfastened boot according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a partial side view of the boot according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 shows a partial perspective view, from the rear, of one side of the boot according to Fig. 1 when fastened; Fig. 4 shows the other side of the boot according to Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view, from the rear, of an unfastened boot according to a first variant of the invention;

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view , from the rear, of an unfastened boot according to a second variant of the invention. With reference to Figures 1 to 4, a leather boot according to the invention is denoted by 10. The boot 10 has a leg-piece 12 which is open along one side 13 and closed along another side 14. The side 13 has a flap 16 which is directed towards the heel 11 of the boot 10 and, at the bottom, terminates in a strip 18 of non-extendable material (for example worked leather) with optional, vertical, linear through-incisions 20. The strip 18 is arranged on top of and combined with a strip of different (preferably elastic) material situated underneath (not shown). The incisions 20 in the strip 18 may widen and thus allow elongation of the underlying strip of elastic material in the horizontal direction, such that the overall width of the assembly consisting of the two strips may increase substantially.

The strip 18 extends towards the heel 11 with a flexible elongated part 22 which is able, as will be described below, surround the heel 11 (or its upper part) at the rear and can be tightened in an adjustable manner on both sides of the said heel 11 (Figs. 3 and 4). The flexible part 22 may be made, for example, of leather or plastic or rubber should it be required that it is longitudinally extendable. In its place, however, a rigid part may also be used. The part 22 has substantially the form of a tapered belt so that, when it is arranged above the zone in the region of the Achilles tendon, it has a narrowed zone 29 where a pass- through opening is also formed. The figures show a single eyelet 23 with opening in the region of the narrowed zone 29, but it is possible to envisage many such eyelets with a different shape and different arrangement. In order to form the opening 23 in the narrowed zone 29, above the heel 11, the flexible part 22 divides into two separate thin straps 24 which

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are substantially parallel and which beyond the heel 11 join together again in the form of an eyelet and are connected to a toothed lug 26 (see Fig. 3 and 4).

The opening 23 and/or narrowing of the flexible part 22 are such that the latter can be compressed in a direction Y (see Figs. 3 and 4) substantially perpendicular to its length at least on and/or above the heel 11 in the region of the Achilles tendon. Therefore the flexible part 22 does not prevent flexing of the material which forms the boot 10, in particular if, in the zone of the heel 11, the leg-piece 12 of the boot has a section 13 of more flexible and softer material. Flexing or bending of the section 13 is not impeded by the part 22, which is deformed, and therefore the boot 10, although fitting snugly, is very comfortable. For the same reason, the flexible part 22 does not create abnormal and troublesome pressure on the

Achilles tendon to where its tightening tension is mainly transmitted.

The part 22 may in fact be tightened around the heel 11 using adjustable tensioning means 30, for example such as known devices described in EP 1,611,811.

The user, in order to tighten and adapt the fit of the boot 10 to his/her own foot on and/or above the heel 11, must grip the part 22, pass it behind (or above) the heel 11 and fix it to the side of the boot 10 using the tensioning means 30. By operating the means 30, it is possible, in a known manner, to vary the tension of the part 22 on the zone 13 and therefore vary the space inside the boot 10 for the heel and the foot of the person wearing it.

It is clear that the advantages of the invention are many: any type of zip fastener is eliminated, this being, as already mentioned, a delicate component, the part 22 allows flexing of the heel zone, the position and the ease of closing the part 22 also allow an improvement in gripping of the heel, the design of the boot is simple and strong, in the event of breakage the components of the invention may be easily replaced, and closing adjustment which is not possible with a zip fastener is achieved. Let us now consider Figures 5 and 6, which show two variants of the invention 100,

200. Similar parts are indicated by the same reference numbers used previously.

In Fig. 5 the flexible part 22 still has an opening and an elongated shape, but instead of the toothed lug 26 now has a strip of Velcro (not shown) which is mounted on the side facing the heel 11 and which is retained on another strip of Velcro 50 which is fixed onto a tongue 52 which is in turn fixed to the side 14 of the leg-piece 12. It is sufficient to tension the part 22 around the heel 11 and arrange the two strips of Velcro on top of each other in order to fix it in position, in an adjustable manner, with all the advantages of the previous example.

In Fig. 6 the flexible part 22 again has an opening and an elongated shape. At its free end it comprises a ring 56 inside which a tongue 58, which is fixed to the side 14 of the leg-

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piece 12, can be inserted. The tongue 58 has a first strip of Velcro (not shown), which is mounted at its end on the opposite side to the heel 11, and a second strip of Velcro 60 at its base, close to the leg-piece 12. It is sufficient to insert the tongue 58 into the ring 56 and pull it towards the side 14 of the leg-piece 12, folding it over onto itself. The part 22 is arranged around the heel 11 and, by arranging the two strips of Velcro on top of each other, it is fixed in position, in an adjustable manner, again with all the advantages of the first example.

Other variants are possible, for example by envisaging tensioning means on both sides of the leg-piece and/or an elongated tightening part, which is permanently separable from the boot or fixed to it at two points.