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Title:
A THERMALLY INSULATIVE SKI BOOT
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2019/200430
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A thermally insulative ski boot covering comprising a body of unitary construction having an integrally formed vamp, toe box, longitudinal arch ladder, quarter and openable heel counter. These continually adjoining body parts comprise insulative material to provides whole-of-foot thermally insulative encapsulation including by having adequate coverage across the heel (which thermally insulates the Calcaneal branches of the Peroneal artery) and at the toes and which does not interfere with the bindings or purchase when walking.

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WO/2021/021556COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR
JPS54130266FOOT COVER
Inventors:
PRICE BENJAMIN (AU)
Application Number:
PCT/AU2019/050340
Publication Date:
October 24, 2019
Filing Date:
April 17, 2019
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
PRICE BENJAMIN (AU)
International Classes:
A43B3/16; A43B3/18; A43B5/04; A43B5/18; A43B7/34; A63C13/00
Foreign References:
US5893220A1999-04-13
US3875687A1975-04-08
JPS5975103U1984-05-22
CH631632A51982-08-31
US20080295357A12008-12-04
CA2864552A12014-12-11
EP0024143A11981-02-25
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
PATENTEC PATENT ATTORNEYS (AU)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. A thermally insulative ski boot covering com prising a body of unitary construction having an integrally formed vamp, toe box, longitudinal arch ladder, quarter and openable heel counter, the longitudinal arch ladder connecting between medial and lateral rear edges of the toe box, thereby exposing a bal l void, the vam p extending to the quarter at one side, the quarter having quarter surface fasteners, the quarter not extending past a calf line, the vamp extending to the heel counter at an opposite side, the heel counter having a longer length than that of the quarter so as to be able to extend round the calf line and having heel counter surface fasteners for attachment to the quarter surface fasteners, thereby encircling a heel void, wherein the vam p overlays a throat line to form top line with the heel counter, the top l ine being substantially horizontal in that a top l ine plane intersecting the top line lies less than 20° from the horizontal and when ski boot is inserted into the covering in use, a toe binding thereof extends under the toe box, the ball thereof is substantial ly exposed by the ball void, a heel binding thereof extends under the heel counter, a heel thereof is covered rearwardly by the heel counter and is substantially exposed

thereunderneath by the heel void and the l ongitudinal arch ladder transitions under the arch thereof.

2. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ski boot covering is integrally formed from at least one first piece stitched to at least one second piece at a stitch line, the stitch line intersecting between the vam p portion and the toe box portion.

3. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal arch ladder locates more than 30% along a longitudinal length of the covering from a front of the toe box.

4. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein the l ongitudinal arch ladder comprises a thickness of more than 2 m m.

5. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heel counter continually adjoins the vamp and com prise the same type of thermally insulative material as that of the vamp.

6. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein the l ongitudinal arch ladder continually adjoins the toe box and comprise the same type of thermal ly insulative material as that of the toe box.

7. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 5, wherein the thermal ly insulative material comprises neoprene.

8. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 7, wherein the neoprene comprises a thickness of more than 3 m m.

9. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein the quarter is laterally located and wherein the heel counter extends medially round the calf line.

10. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 9, wherein the quarter surface fasteners are located on an inner surface of the quarter and wherein the heel counter surface fasteners are located on an exterior surface thereof.

11. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the toe box comprises a frictional ly enhancing material.

12. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 11, wherein the frictionally enhancing material com prises a coating of at least one of rubber, sil icon and latex.

13. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprises neoprene.

14. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 13, wherein the neoprene com prises a thickness of greater than 2 mm .

15. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 13, wherein the neoprene com prises at least one of a metallic layer and metallic infusion.

16. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one of a metallic layer and infusion comprises copper.

17. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rear edge of the quarter comprises a pull tab extending rearwardly therefrom.

18. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering comprises a length of between 300 and 350 mm along a longitudinal axis thereof.

19. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 18, wherein the ball void comprises a length of between 100 and 130 mm along a longitudinal axis of the covering.

20. A ski boot covering as claimed i n claim 18, wherein the heel void comprises a length of between 130 and 170 mm along a longitudinal axis of the covering.

21. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 18, wherein the longitudinal arch ladder comprises a width of between 50 and 70 m m.

22. A ski boot covering as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heel counter comprises a height at the calf l ine of greater than 6cm.

Description:
A thermally insulative ski boot

Field of the I nvention

[1] This invention relates generally to thermally insulative coverings, m itts and the l ike for ski boots.

Background of the Invention

[2] Thermally insulative coverings for ski boots of various configurations exist including that which is d isclosed in U .S. Pat. No. 3875687 A ( Henderson) which discloses insulating covering for use on ski boots in unusual ly cold weather with provision at toe a nd heel for ski bindings.

[3] U.S. Pat. No. 20080295357 A1 ( Long) discloses a n insulating footwear cover which has an upper, and a wea r-resistant sole portion extending beneath the bottom of the boot or shoe. The sole portion additional ly overlaps a portion of the sides of the upper providing a wear-resistant patch over areas of the cover that are most susceptible to wear.

[4] U.S. Pat. No. 5893220 (M il ler) provides a thermal ski boot cover made of elastomeric fabric, which covers primarily the toe portion of the b oot, with the fabric ends of wrapped around the back of the foot and secured using releasable attaching means such as hook and loop fasteners. A bottom strip is present, which is sewn to each side of the boot cover and extends under the ski boot to hold th e cover in place.

[5] A need exists for a ski boot covering which is easy to don and remove, which exposes the toe and heel bindings for ski connection and which maxim ises surface area coverage of the boot for maxim ising thermal insulation properties thereof and/or does not substantially affect footing purchase when walking.

[6] The present invention seeks to provide a thermally insulative ski boot covering, which will overcome or substantial ly amel iorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

[7] It is to be understood that, if a ny prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an adm ission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Austral ia or any other country.

Summa ry of the Disclosure

[8] There is provided herein a thermal ly insulative ski boot covering com prising a body of unitary construction having an integra lly formed vam p, toe box, longitudinal arch ladder, quarter and openable heel counter. [9] The longitudinal arch ladder is con nected between medial and lateral rear edges of the toe box, thereby exposing a ball void through which a toe binding and bal l of a ski boot is exposed. The vam p term inates at the quarter and the quarter has surface fastener s thereon. The quarter does not extend past an imaginary calf l ine. However, the heel counter has a longer length than that of the quarter, so as to thereby be able to extend around the calf l ine and has heel counter surface fasteners thereon for attachmen t to the quarter surface fasteners, thereby encircling a heel void through which a heel and heel bindings of the ski boot are exposed. The vam p overlays a throat line to form a top line with the heel counter.

[10] Preferably the quarter locates lateral ly and ha s the surface fasteners on an in ner surface thereof which overlays the heel counter surface fasteners of the distal end of the heel counter extending thereunderneath .

[11] Unl ike the aforedescribed prior art configurations, the present configuration allows for a ski boot covering which is easy to don and remove, which exposes toe and heel bind ings for ski connection whilst providing effective thermal insulation (as is evident from the tem perature drop-off observations shown in Figures 13 and 14) and which does not substantial ly affect purchase when walking .

[12] Specifical ly, with reference to M il ler for exam ple, the primary design consideration of M iller is for weather shielding whereas the present invention seeks to maxim ise thermal insulation properties without interfering with bindings.

[13] For exam ple, the underside strip of M iller transitions under the bal l of the boot, thereby interfering with the purchase thereof when walking. Conversely, the present covering com prises a longitudinal arch ladder which is more rearwardly located so as to go under the arch of the boot between the ball and heel voids, thereby leaving both the ball and the heel of the boot entirely or at least substantially exposed.

[14] With reference to Figure 6, the longitudinal arch ladder may locate rearwardly more than 30% of the length of the binding from the front. For exam ple, for the exem plary length of 330 m m, the longitudinal arch ladder may start more than 100 mm from the front of the covering, such as at a pproximately 118 mm as shown, thereby substantially exposing the ball of the boot so as to not be tread upon in use.

[15] Furthermore, the configuration of M iller requires a very thin strip for wal king on, unlike the longitudinal arch l adder wh ich can be of a thicker more insulative material (such as neoprene) as the present longitudinal arch ladder is not stepped upon whilst walking, thereby al lowing for enhanced thermal insu lation underfoot without affecting footing purchase when wal king.

[16] Furthermore, M iller specifically states that the downward slope of the rearward upper edge is critical as it leaves the entire boot shaft exposed for access for boot adjustment mechanisms.

[17] However, such configuration exposes the heel to thermal loss. As such, the vam p and the openable heel counter of the present covering forms a topline which is not rearwardly sloped l ike M il ler and does not leave the heel exposed. With reference to Figure 6 , a topl ine intersecting plane is substantial ly horizontal (i.e . less than 20° or 10° from the horizontal) so as to adequately cover the heels.

[18] Furthermore, the present covering adequately covers the toes of the ski boot. I n a preferred em bodiment, the unitary construction covering is made from the constituent pieces is shown in Figures 11 and 12 such that stitching between the vam p and the toe box allows for fine control of the shape and/or configuration of the toe box al lowing the toe box to lie closely against the toe box right down to the toe binding extending therefrom, thereby adequately covering the toe box unlike M il ler which leaves a portion of the toe box exposed (see Figure 1 of M il ler).

[19] Furthermore, prior art coverings such as M iller em ploy strips of material to hold the ski boot cover to the boot whereas the present covering may be of integral construction in that the longitudinal arch ladder and the heel counter may be continuously adjoining and made of the same material as the vam p and/or toe box so as to more effectively enhance thermal insulation behind the heel and under the arch of the boot as compared to the non - insulative straps of M il ler.

[20] As such, the present covering provides whole-of-foot thermal ly insulative encapsulation by having adequate coverage across the heel (which thermal ly insulates the Calcaneal branches of the Peroneal artery) and the toes with a high-grade neoprene barrier.

[21] Furthermore, an interior surface of the toe box may com prise a frictional ly enhancing material such as a coating of rubber, silicon, latex or the l ike for sticking to the toe of the ski boot in use to prevent the toe box from riding up from the toe of the boot.

[22] Furthermore, in a preferred em bodiment, the quarter of the present covering is laterally located and com prises the quarter surface fasteners on an inner surface thereof which lies over and attaches to the distal end of the heel counter there underneath having corresponding heel counter surface fasteners on an outer surface thereof. [23] Such a manner of fastening prevents ingress of snow from the direction of travel and loosening of the attachment as com pared to the arrangement of M il ler which has the opposite configuration.

[24] According to one aspect, there is provided a thermal ly insulative ski boot covering com prising a body of unitary construction having an integral ly formed vam p, toe box, longitudinal arch ladder, quarter a nd openable heel counter, the longitudinal arch ladder connecting between medial and lateral rea r edges of the toe box, thereby exposing a ball void, the vam p extending to the quarter at one side, the quarter having quarter surface fasteners, the quarter not extending past a calf line, the vamp extending to the heel counter at an opposite side, the h eel counter having a longer length than that of the quarter so as to be able to extend round the calf line and having heel counter surface fasteners for attachment to the quarter surface fasteners, thereby encircling a heel void, wherein the vam p overlays a throat line to form top l ine with the heel counter, the top line being substantial ly horizontal in that a top line plane intersecting the top line lies less than 20° from the horizontal and when ski boot is inserted into the covering in use, a toe bindin g thereof extends under the toe box, the bal l thereof is substantially exposed by the ball void, a heel binding thereof extends under the heel counter, a heel thereof is covered rearwardly by the heel counter and is substantial ly exposed thereunderneath by the heel void and the longitudinal arch ladder transitions under the arch thereof.

[25] The ski boot covering may be integral ly formed from at least one first piece stitched to at least one second piece at a stitch l ine, the stitch l ine intersecting between th e vam p portion and the toe box portion.

[26] The longitudinal arch ladder may locate more than 30% along a longitudinal length of the covering from a front of the toe box.

[27] The longitudinal arch ladder may com prise a thickness of more than 2 mm .

[28] The heel counter may continually adjoin the vam p and com prise the same type of thermally insulative material as that of the vam p.

[29] The longitudinal arch ladder may continually adjoin the toe box and com prise the same type of thermal ly insulative material as that of the toe box.

[30] The thermally insulative material may com prise neoprene.

[31] The neoprene may com prise a thickness of more than 3 m m.

[32] The quarter may be laterally located and the heel counter may extend medial ly round the calf line. [33] The quarter surface fasteners may be located on an inner surface of the quarter and wherein the heel counter surface fasteners may be located on an exterior surface thereof.

[34] An inner su rface of the toe box may com prise a frictional ly enhancing material .

[35] The frictionally enhancing material may com prise a coating of at least one of rubber, sil icon and latex.

[36] The body may com prise neoprene.

[37] The neoprene may com prise a thickness of greater than 2 m m .

[38] The neoprene may com prise at least one of a metall ic layer and metal lic infusion.

[39] The at least one of a metall ic layer and infusion may com prise copper.

[40] A rear edge of the quarter may com prise a pull tab extending rearwardly therefrom .

[41] The covering may com prise a length of between 300 and 350 m m along a longitudinal axis thereof.

[42] The ball void may com prise a length of between 100 and 130 m m along a longitudinal axis of the covering.

[43] The heel void may com prise a length of between 130 and 170 mm along a longitudinal axis of the covering.

[44] The longitudinal arch ladder may com prise a width of between 50 and 70 mm .

[45] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[46] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fal l within the scope of the present invention, preferred em bodiments of the disclosure wil l now be described, by way of exam ple only, with reference to the accom panying drawings in which :

[47] Figure 1 shows a left side elevation view of a thermally insulative ski boot covering in accordance with an em bodiment;

[48] Figure 2 shows an underside view of the covering;

[49] Figure 3 shows a front perspective view of the covering;

[50] Figure 4 shows a front perspective view of the covering when open;

[51] Figure 5 shows a rear perspective view of the covering when open;

[52] Figure 6 shows a side elevation view of the covering with exam ple you dimensions in accordance with an em bodiment;

[53] Figure 7 shows a top view of the covering;

[54] Figure 8 shows an underside view of the covering;

[55] Figure 9 shows a front elevation view of the covering; [56] Figure 10 shows a rear elevation view of the covering;

[57] Figures 11 and 12 show flat pieces sewn together for the formation of the covering of unitary construction; and

[58] Figures 13 and 14 shows thermal drop-off results for the covering at toe and heel regions respectively.

Description of Embodiments

[59] A thermally insulative ski boot covering 100 com prises a body of unitary construction.

[60] The ski boot covering 100 may be provided in m irrored left and right-handed configurations. A left-handed configuration ski boot covering 100 may be formed by stitching together to flat pieces 117 along corresponding edges 115, 116 is shown in Figure

II. A flat toe piece 118 may then be stitched to the corresponding edges 115, 116 as shown.

[61] The body has an integrally formed vam p 101, toe box 103, longitudinal arch ladder

II I, quarter 106 and heel counter 105.

[62] As is shown in Figure 2, the longitudinal arch ladder connected betwee n medial and lateral rear edges of the toe box 103, thereby exposing a bal l void 111. The vam p 101 term inates at the quarter 106, the quarter 106 not extending past the imaginary calf l ine 113 shown in Figure 3.

[63] The quarter 106 com prises surface fasteners 106, preferably on an interior surface thereof.

[64] The heel counter 105 has a longer length than that of the quarter 106 as il lustrated in Figure 4. The heel counter 105 extends around the calf line 113 as shown in Figure 3 and has heel counter surface fasten ers 120 as shown in Figure 5 for attachment to the quarter surface fasteners 119 of the quarter 106, thereby encircl ing a heel void 112.

[65] The vam p 101 overlays an imaginary throat l ine 114 of the body to form a topline 108 with the heel counter 105.

[66] The manufacture of the covering 100 from the constituent pieces 117 118 shown in Figures 11 and 12 allows the heel counter 105 to continually adjoin the vam p 101 and com prise the same type of thermally insulative material as that of the vamp 101 for enhanced thermal insulation . Sim ilarly, and the longitudinal arch may ladder 111 continually adjoin the toe box 103 and com prise the same type of thermal ly insulat ive material as that of the toe box 103 for enhanced thermal insulation. The toe box 103 and the vam p 101 may sim ilarly com prise the same type of thermally insulative material . [67] With reference to Figure 6, the topline 108 is substantial ly horizontal such that the heel is substantial ly covered by the heel counter 105. For example, a topline intersecting plane l26 may lie within 20° of the horizontal 125, preferably less than 10° of the horizontal 125.

[68] With further reference to Figure 6, there is shown the hee l counter 105 of sufficient height so as to adequately cover the rear of the heel of the boot in use. In this regard, the heel counter 105 preferably has a height of greater than 6 cm and further preferably a height of greater than 9 cm . The em bodiments sh own in Figure 6 shows the heel counter 105 com prising a height of a pproximately 93 mm .

[69] Stitching 109 may interface the vam p 101 and the toe box 103 and may com prise a welded seal backing for watertightness. I n em bodiments, a flat seam may be em ployed to enhance aerodynam ic performance across the interface of the vam p 101 of the toe box 103.

[70] The stitching 109 may interface the at least one flat piece 117 form ing the vamp 101, the quarter 106 and the heel counter 105 and the at least one second flat piece 118 form ing the toe box 103. As such, the un itary construction of these pieces and the sti tching 109 therebetween al lows for the fine control of the shape and/or configuration of the toe box 103, thereby al lowing the toe box 103 to l ie snugly against the entire toe of the boot covering the toe with just the toe binding exposed there underneath.

[71] The quarter 106 may com prise a plastic pul l tab 104 extending from a rear edge thereof.

[72] In embodiments, an interior surface of the toe box 103 may com prise gripping 113, such as a ru bberised, silicon, latex or the like coating to enhance the frictional en gagement of the toe of the ski boot in use.

[73] In a preferred em bodiment, the left-handed configuration of the covering 100 com prises the quarter 106 at the lateral side thereof is shown in Figu re 1 and the right - handed configuration of the covering 100 therefore com prises the m irrored version thereof.

[74] Furthermore, in a preferred em bodiment, the quarter 106 has the quarter surface fasteners 119 on an inner surface thereof whereas the heel counter 105 com prises the heel counter surface fasteners 120 on an outer surface thereof.

[75] As such, each covering 100 may be opened by grabbing rear edges of each quarter 106 (or the pull ing tabs 104 respectively thereof) and pull ing each quarter 106 forwardly. Each covering 100 may be closed in the opposite manner.

[76] In a preferred em bodiment, the body com prises 3.5 mm thickness neoprene. [77] In a further preferred em bodiment, the neoprene com prises a metal lic layer o r infusion, such is of copper.

[78] In em bodiments, the body com prises layering of a com bination of nylon and neoprene wherein nylon is sa ndwiched or bonded between two outer neoprene layers, thereby enhancing instal lation.

[79] Figure 13 shows observed temperature drop-offs from just over 25°C over a period of 8000 seconds within an interior toe region for an uncovered ski boot 124, a ski boot 123 com prising the covering 100 and a ski boot 122 com prising the covering 100 com prising the metal lic foil l iner from the assessment by the U niversity of New South Wales Canberra entitled "SN UX - Smart Boot Thermal Assessment" of Decem ber 2018 by Tahtal i et at the entire contents of which I herein incorporated by reference.

[80] Figure 14 shows observed temperature drop -offs at a heel region for the control uncovered ski boot 124 and the ski boot 123 covered with the covering 100.

[81] The thermally insulative properties provided by the particular configuration of the covering 100 is evident in contradistinction to that of the uncovered control boot 124 both at the toe and heel regions .

[82] The foregoing description, for purposes of expla nation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough u nderstanding of the invention. Flowever, it will be apparent to one skil led in the art that specific details are not required in order to practi se the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific em bodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of ill ustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to lim it the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The em bodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best util ize the invention and various em bodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contem plated. It is intended that the fol lowing claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.




 
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