Swim or scuba diving fin

The invention relates to a swim or scuba diving fin, comprising a footpocket portion for receiving the foot of a user and a blade portion, which is a front extension of the footpocket portion.

Swim or scuba fins may be of two main types , the so-called full foot fins and open heel fins. In full foot fins , the footpocket portion also extends to the heel portion, like in a conventional shoe, an upper foot receiving opening being provided therein. The foot fits therein thanks to the elasticity of the footpocket material , particularly in the upper portion. The elasticity of the material and the typical provision of an open toe footpocket make it unnecessary to provide a different fin for each foot size, and the fin footpockets may be adapted to several different foot sizes, without affecting comfort of use. The following typical fin footpocket sizes, particularly for adults, are currently provided to fit the following foot size ranges using one footpocket: 27/30 - 31/33 - 34/35 - 36/37 - 38/39 - 40/41 - 42/43 - 44/45 - 46/47 (measures given according to the Italian measure numbering) .

In this case, to cover the whole conventional range of normal foot sizes at least 9 different sets of fins have to be provided, having two different footpocket sizes, particularly in full foot fins. Full foot fins are designed to be directly worn with bare feet or with thin finsocks .

In the other type of fins , the footpocket is also open at the rear, and has no heel portion at all. The

foot fits therein through an opening that faces toward the rear end, whereby the footpocket has an appearance similar to footwear known as slippers . The foot is held in the footpocket by means of a heel strap connected in a length-adjustable and/or possibly removable manner to the two opposite walls of the footpocket. The strap is generally made of an elastic material and may be progressively clamped to hold the foot in the footpocket and prevent it from coming out of it, while maintaining a certain elastic compliance .

Open heel footpockets may be made of a relatively more rigid material , because they do not require any elastic deformability for foot fit. This provides functional advantages, thanks to the more rigid dynamic foot-blade connection through the footpocket and to the direct transmission of the propulsion effort to the blade with no losses caused by footpocket' s elasticity. On the other hand, the comfort of the footpocket is impaired. Open heel fins are often used in combination with socks or boots which are part of scuba diving suits. These socks or boots, having a neoprene upper, are relative thick and their material has a poor slip behavior when in contact with the footpocket material . While socks have no rigid sole , the boots have a sole made of a relatively rigid material , such as plastic , with an uper made of neoprene or the like connected thereto.

Regarding adaptation to different foot sizes, open heel fins also allow the use of one fin for a certain range of foot sizes, like full foot fins. Here size adaptation is assured by the heel strap, which is adjustable in length and has a specific predetermined intrinsic elasticity.

However, size adaptation of open heel footpockets is much wider than full foot footpockets , at least with respect to foot length. Due to the large number of possible different foot shapes, e.g. short and thick- set, short and thin, long and thick-set, long and thin, with a low and gentle instep, or with a high instep, etc . , footpockets , even in open heel fins , should be able to allow adaptation to foot sizes in directions other than the longitudinal direction, and therefore should have a certain elastic adaptability or a design allowing such adaptability. The foot shape is generally of help, because the foot approximately has a wedge shape, thence the footpocket receptacle itself substantially has a wedge, streamlined shape toward the front end of the footpocket. This always allows the foot to wedge in the footpocket thanks to the adjustable length of the heel strap, and to the elasticity of such strap.

The two types of fins, i.e. full foot fins and open heel fins provide opposite advantages .

The invention has the object of providing a swim and scuba diving fin that uses relatively simple and inexpensive arrangements to further reduce the need of manufacturing different fins for different foot sizes, thereby increasing adaptability of the footpocket to different foot sizes .

Furthermore, the invention has the object of providing a fin of the above mentioned type, so that the fin provides the functional and comfort advantages of both full foot fins and open heel fins .

The invention fulfills the above objects by providing a fin as described hereinbefore, wherein the footpocket has a heel section which is completely

separated from the remaining section of the footpocket and is or may be removably connected to said remaining section of the footpocket and/or to the blade or blade base portion that is integral therewith, in such a manner as to allow adjustment of the distance of said heel section from the remaining section of the footpocket.

The separation plane may be situated in any position with respect to the length of the footpocket portion. However, advantages have resulted from locating the separation plane between the rear heel section and the front footpocket section associated to the blade in such a position, that the length of the footpocket section corresponds to the length of said section in open heel fins.

Advantageously, the connection means are provided on each side of the heel section and consist of an elastic extension in the form of a strap end, which is permanently or removably engaged with the remaining section of the footpocket and/or with a blade base portion branching off the footpocket, using means for adjusting the point of attachment of said strap end- like extension to the remaining section of the footpocket, so as to allow the heel section to be moved toward and/or away from the remaining section of the footpocket.

The two strap ends may be two heel strap ends like those traditionally used in open heel fins , said heel section being fastened to the strap, in the median portion thereof .

As an alternative, the two strap ends are formed of one piece with the heel section, each branching off one of the side edges of said heel section, facing

toward the corresponding side edges of the remaining section of the footpocket.

The means for joining together said strap ends and the associated means for adjusting the point of attachment of the latter to the remaining section of the footpocket or to a blade or blade base portion connected thereto may be of any type, for instance of the type that is commonly used for removable and adjustable connection in traditional heel straps in open heel fins , such as those set forth in US 6,185,794.

These means for fastening and adjusting the length of the two strap ends may be connected to the front footpocket section in such a manner as to pivot about a transverse axis, substantially parallel to the plane defined by the sole portion of said front footpocket section .

Furthermore, said connection axis may be downwardly staggered toward said sole portion, i.e. in an area in which the front footpocket section is generally more rigid.

According to another advantageous feature, the two end straps are connected to the rear heel section by a higher elasticity portion. This portion may be obtained without altering the material of the end straps, by providing a corrugated, zigzag or bellows shape of said end straps at the connection thereof with the rear heel section of the footpocket. Thanks to the above features , the fin has a more enveloping foot receptacle, thanks to the provision of a heel section, which offers the advantages of full foot fins, but adaptability of the footpocket to the

various foot sizes is increased, thanks to an easier introduction of the foot in the footpocket, i.e. an easier wearing of the fin, which additionally offers the typical advantages of open heel fins . The fin of this invention allows one footpocket to easily fit three (6 or more) different foot sizes. This size range cannot be exceeded because the foot size transverse to the length becomes also relevant, therefore the footpocket has to be wider to prevent excessive lateral compression of the foot. This allows to reduce the number of fins with footpockets of different sizes to cover the range of normal foot sizes, thereby affording considerable stock savings, an increased customer satisfaction and a reduced environmental impact, due to the reduced disposal of potentially obsolete fins, that cannot be resold.

In accordance with an improvement which makes size adaptation even more convenient and generates a mechanical connection between the separate heel section and the remaining section of the footpocket, which substantially coincides with the front footpocket section connected to the blade, the heel section also has, at the footpocket sole, at least one extension of the side corresponding to the sole, which extension projects toward the sole portion of the remaining section of the footpocket and cooperates with means for removable connection of said sole extension to the sole portion of the remaining front footpocket section. This extension and these connection means are advantageously of the type that allows adjustment of the point of attachment of said sole extension to the sole portion of the front footpocket section, with respect to the length of said extension.

Several types of connection means may be provided. For example, the extension may be a member to be inserted in a corresponding seat on the sole portion of the front footpocket section and/or in the thickness of said sole portion, removable means being provided for securing said extension in said seat, which allow said extension to be locked in a plurality of different positions of insertion in said seat.

The extension of the sole portion may be also obviously provided in the front footpocket section, whereas the seat is provided in the sole or on the sole of the heel section.

In an advantageous embodiment, the extension of the sole in the heel section has two or more apertures along the longitudinal axis, which may elastically engage, thanks to the intrinsic elasticity of the material of such extension, with a large-headed pin or ridge or the like, or two or more large-headed pins or ridges or the like, projecting out of the bottom side of the sole portion of the front footpocket section.

In this case, in addition to allowing easier location of the heel section at such a distance from the front footpocket section as to fit the desired foot size, a mechanical connection is also provided between the sole portions of the heel section and the front footpocket section.

Two or more extensions of the sole portion may be also obviously provided at the heel section and/or the front footpocket section, in combination with two or more axially coincident seats , at least some of which have means for removable attachment in predetermined positions of insertion in the corresponding seats at predetermined distances of the heel section from the

front footpocket section.

As an alternative to the above, the latch or interlocking pin/s or ridge/s may be provided on the extension/s and not on the sole portion of the front footpocket section, whereas the latch or interlocking recesses , indentations or apertures may be provided in the sole portion of the front footpocket section, and not in the extension/s .

According to an improvement which improves the mechanical connection between the sole portions of the heel section and the front footpocket section, the sole of the front footpocket section has an extension on the side facing toward the heel section, which extension has such a length as to at least partially overlap the sole portion of the heel section in any position of the adjusted distance of the heel section from the front footpocket section. Thus, the length of the front footpocket section associated to the blade is not equal to the length of the same section in open heel fins, but is greater than it, to form an abutment surface for at least a portion of the sole of the heel section.

This sole extension has such a shape that it overlaps at least a portion of the length and width of the heel support and cooperates with means for removable connection to the sole portion of the heel.

Advantageously, this extension and these connection means are of such a type as to allow adjustment of the point of attachment of said extension of the sole portion of the heel section and particularly said connection means are located in such positions as to always provide a sufficient abutment surface for the heel sole, so that said extension of the front footpocket section does not excessively

project out of the heel section in the closest position of the heel section and the front footpocket section.

Like the means for connecting the extension of the heel section described above, several different connection means may be provided.

In an advantageous embodiment, the extension of the front footpocket section has two or more apertures along the longitudinal axis , which may elastically engage, thanks to the intrinsic elasticity of the material of such extension, with one or more large- headed pins, ridges or the like, projecting out of the bottom side of the sole portion of the heel section.

As an alternative, the latch or interlocking pin/s or ridge/s may be provided on the extension of the sole of the front footpocket section, whereas the latch or interlocking recesses , indentations or apertures may be provided in the sole portion of the heel section, and not in the rear extension.

Besides providing a mechanical connection between the sole portions of the heel section and the front footpocket section, the above features improve the comfort and the performances of the fin in the operating conditions, i.e. during swimming, when the instep performs oscillatory motions that exert a stress on the separation between the front footpocket section and the rear heel section: the extension of the footpocket and the means for connection to the rear heel section allow the inventive fin to respond to the stresses caused by propulsion, during swimming, in much the same manner as traditional full foot or open heel fins , with no fin sole deformation occurring due to the separation between the front footpocket section connected to the blade and the rear heel section.

Further improvements will form the subject of the dependent claims .

The characteristics of the invention will appear more clearly from the following description of one embodiment, which is shown in the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a fin according to this invention, showing said fin with the footpocket sole lying on a horizontal surface. Figure 2 is a bottom plan view, i.e. taken on the fin side corresponding to the footpocket sole side.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the footpocket as shown in the previous figures.

Figure 4 shows a variant embodiment of the fin as shown in the previous figures.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the footpocket section of a fin as shown in Figure 4, taken along a median longitudinal plane, perpendicular to the footpocket sole. Figure 6 is a plan view showing the sole of the footpocket section of the fin as shown in the variant of Figures 4 and 5. figure 7 is a top plan view of a further variant embodiment of the fin, having an extension of the sole of the footpocket section toward the heel section.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the footpocket of the fin according to the variant of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the footpocket section of a fin as shown in Figures 7 and 8 , taken along a median longitudinal plane, perpendicular to the footpocket sole.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of an enlarged detail of the means for connection of the heel section

to the rear extension of the footpocket section as shown in Figures 7 , 8 and 9 taken along a median longitudinal plane, perpendicular to the footpocket sole. Figure 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the heel section and the rear part of the footpocket of a fin according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 12 is a lateral view of the part of the footpocket and of the heel section of the fin acording to the embodiment of figure 11.

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the footpocket section of a fin according to the embodiment of figures 11 and 12, taken along a median longitudinal plane, perpendicular to the footpocket sole.

Figure 14 is a view on the rear end wall of the heel section of the fin according to the embodiment of the figures 11 to 13, the said heel section being mounted at the rear end of the open footpocket and being fastened in a position corresponding to the foot size Large (L) .

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the fin according to figures 11 to 14.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 , a first embodiment of the fin according to this invention comprises a blade 2 and a footpocket 1. The blade 2 is formed of one piece with a front section 201 of the footpocket 1. The construction of the blade 2 with the front section 201 of the footpocket 1 integral therewith shall be intended without limitation, as the principle of this invention can be extended to fins in which the blade portion is separable from the footpocket portion.

A separate heel section 101 is connected to the

footpocket portion 1, which has such a length as to accommodate the whole front portion of the foot, to the leg. Such heel section has the same shape as the heel portions of closed fin footpockets or boots . A toothed 401 end strap 301 branches off each of the two opposite side walls of the heel section 101. This toothed strap may be engaged in a buckle-like connector, denoted by numeral 3 , which is coupled to the front footpocket section 201. Such connector is of the same type as those used for fastening heel straps in common open heel fins, and particularly allows the end straps to be fed therethrough by a pulling motion, intended to shorten them, or to move the heel section 101 toward the front footpocket section, and stops the feeding of such end straps 301 in the opposite direction, means being advantageously provided to release feeding of the end straps 301 in this direction, i.e. to lengthen them or moving the heel section 101 away from the front footpocket section 201. In Figure 4, which shows a variant embodiment, these buckles 3 comprise a base portion 103, which is secured or coupled to the front footpocket section and a lever 203 designed to release feeding of the end straps 301 in said direction of the heel section 101 away from the front footpocket section 201.

Like in prior art open heel fins , the buckles 3 are coupled to respective large-headed pins 4, which project out of each of the two opposite side walls of the front footpocket section 201 and have a substantially horizontal orientation, i.e. parallel to the sole of said front footpocket section 201 and perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal plane perpendicular to said sole. The

buckles 3 have snap fit seats for said pins 4 (not shown) and when they are coupled thereto they can pivot about said pins.

Still like open heel fins , these pins are provided in the lower portion of the side walls of the front footpocket section 201 which is generally more rigid, and in fins with longitudinal side ribs , they branch off said ribs .

In accordance with another advantageous feature, the end straps may be arranged to be connected to the heel section 101 by a portion having a higher elasticity in terms of strap extension. Such higher elasticity allows to limit any early breaking or tearing caused by elastic stresses on the strap material, particularly at the connection with the heel section 101.

Advantageously, when the end straps 301 and the rear heel section 101 are made of one piece and from the same material, this connecting portion, providing a higher extension elasticity, may consist of a leading portion 501 of the end strap 301, having a corrugated, zigzag or bellows shape .

While the provision of end straps 301 made of one piece with and from the same material as the rear heel section 101 affords savings in terms of both material and manufacturing process , the invention shall not be intended to be limited to this embodiment, as it can be extended to the embodiment in which a traditional heel strap, like those used, for instance, in open heel fins , is attached by gluing or welding or the like to the heel section 101, or a traditional heel strap is fastened to the heel section by means of external loops extending along the outer periphery of the heel section

101 through which the traditional heel strap is passed.

The end straps may be also made at least partly or wholly of a different material from that of the heel section, regardless of their being formed of one piece with or separated and later glued or otherwise attached to the heel section, or of their being mechanically connected thereto, for example by means of loops.

As an alternative to the above, a variant may be also provided in which the heel section 101 supports the buckles 3 for the side straps , which branch off the front footpocket section 201. Here, the straps may be formed of one piece with said front footpocket section, or may be glued, welded or otherwise attached thereto or mechanically connected to said front footpocket section, for instance by the provision of a line of holes for engagement with large-headed pins , or teeth 401 for engagement with the front footpocket section by buckles 2 , as shown .

Figures 4 to 6 show a second embodiment of the fin according to the invention. This second embodiment may include one or more of the features or variants as described in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 and only differs therefrom for the provision of an additional connector member for connecting the rear heel section 101 to the front footpocket section 201, which is provided in the sole portions of said two sections 101, 201.

The connector member is an extension 601 of the sole of the heel section 101, extending from the sole edge facing toward the front footpocket section 201 toward said front footpocket section 201.

Such extension 601 has means for removable connection to the sole of the front footpocket section

201, which means are denoted in Figure 6 by numerals 701 and 901.

A variant embodiment may be obviously further provided, in which the extension 601 extends backwards from the sole of the front footpocket section 201 toward the heel section 101.

According to an advantageous feature, said sole extension 601, here without limitation a sole extension of the heel section 101, may be removably secured by complementary means 701, 901 on said extension and on the sole of the remaining footpocket section, here the front footpocket section 201, and in such a manner as to allow adjustment of the distance between the front footpocket section 201 and the rear heel section 101. Adjustment may occur in discrete steps or in a continuous manner.

In the embodiment of the figures, the sole extension 601 of the heel section 101 has a line of through holes 701 extending in the longitudinal direction of the footpocket, and which holes are designed for snap engagement by elastic force fit with a large-headed pin 901 which projects out of the bottom side of the sole of the front footpocket section 201.

Thanks to this feature, the sole of the heel section 101 and the sole of the front footpocket section 201 may be connected together at a predetermined distance from each other. Thus, several different lengths may be set for the footpocket 1 , corresponding to different foot sizes, with one fin being used to fit several different foot sizes and a distance between the front footpocket section and the heel section may be set, which at least approximately corresponds to one size. Adaptation to anatomic changes

and to larger transverse sizes is advantageously assured by the elasticity of the material that forms the footpocket and particularly the front footpocket and by the possibility of adjusting the position and distance of the heel section, and to clamp the latter against the front footpocket section by means of the side straps 301.

The extension 601, in combination with the connector members 701, 901, sets an average length that corresponds to a typical length for a certain foot size. Fine size adaptation to the shape of the user's foot, in terms of both length and width, is assured by the elasticity of the material of the footpocket 1 and to the end straps 301. Many variants may be provided of the means for connecting the sole of the heel section 101 to the sole of the front footpocket section 201.

Thus , for instance , the holes may be formed in the sole of the front footpocket section 201, with the large-headed pin being provided on the extension.

To assure a substantial coplanarity of the support surfaces of the front footpocket section sole, the heel section sole and the sole extension, the sole of the footpocket section which has to be fixed to the extension, here the front footpocket section 201, has a recess or an indentation 801 for receiving the extension 601, which is recessed with respect to the remaining support surface of the sole to an extent substantially corresponding to the thickness of such extension 601.

The extension 601 itself may be formed of one piece with the heel section 601 or glued, welded or otherwise attached to the heel section and the material

that forms the extension may be either identical to the material of the heel section, or different.

Instead of providing one central extension 601, like that shown in Figures 4 to 6, two extensions or more than two extensions may be provided, each extending from the sole of one of the two footpocket sections 101, 201 or a certain number of these extensions is permanently connected or formed of one piece with a footpocket section, whereas the remaining extensions are permanently connected or formed of one piece with the other footpocket section, .

Other variants may consist in that the indentation or recess 801 has an undercut cross section, i.e. narrowing toward the top of the sole, e.g. a dovetail section and the corresponding extension has a complementary cross section, whereby said extension is slideably guided in the longitudinal direction, but is permanently engaged in the indentation against separation in a direction perpendicular to the sole. In yet another alternative, a pocket or slit may be provided, whose shape is complementary to that of the extension 601, which pocket is formed in the thickness of the sole and the corresponding extension 601 may be inserted and removably secured therein, such as by snap, force fit or interlocking engagement, or by using removable transverse pins .

The advantages of this embodiment are apparent, as mentioned above, and are complemented by an improved resistance of the fin when it is worn, thanks to the connection between the soles of two footpocket sections .

Figures 7 to 10 show a further embodiment of the fin according to the invention. This embodiment may

include one or more of the features or variants as mentioned above and differs therefrom in that the member for mutual connection of the sole of the heel section 101 to the sole of the front footpocket section is an extension 611 of the side of the sole of the front footpocket section 201 facing toward the heel section.

The extension 611 extends from the edge of the sole facing toward the rear heel section 101 toward the rear heel section 101 to at least partly overlap it, through one or more, preferably all of the possible positions of the heel section relative to the front footpocket section.

In accordance with an advantageous feature, this extension 611 of the sole of the front footpocket section has such a shape that it overlaps at least a portion of the length and width of the heel sole and forms an abutment surface for at least a portion of said sole. Particularly, considering that the fin of this invention allows one footpocket to fit several different foot sizes, the extension 611 has such a length that, by adjusting the distance of the heel 101 from the front footpocket section 201 to the smaller size of the fin model, the edge of the extension does not project, or projects to a small extent beyond the rear edge of the heel 101. Conversely, by adjusting the distance of the heel 101 from the front footpocket section 201 to the larger size of the fin model, the extension 611 overlaps a portion of the sole of the heel 101 to form a sufficient abutment surface for the sole of the heel 101. The extension 611 may particularly have a shape that is complementary to the

shape of the sole of the rear heel section 101 or such that in any condition of adjustment of the distance of the heel from the footpocket, no portion of the extension projects beyond the sole of the whole fin. A variant embodiment may be obviously further provided, in which the extension 611 extends forward from the sole of the rear heel section 201 toward the footpocket section 201.

The extension 611 may be also removably attached to the heel section 101 by fastener means 711, 911 which are similar to the fastening means 701, 901 of the extension 601 and are provided on said extension and on the sole of the rear heel section respectively, in such a manner as to allow adjustment of the distance between the front footpocket section 201 and the rear heel section 101.

Adjustment may occur in discrete steps or in a continuous manner.

In the embodiment of the figures, the sole extension 611 of the front footpocket section 201 has a line of holes 711 extending in the longitudinal direction of the footpocket 1 , and which holes are designed for snap engagement by elastic force fit with at least one large-headed pin 911 which projects out of the bottom side of the sole of the rear heel section 101. Particularly, the holes 711 on the sole of the extension 611 or on the sole of the heel support are blind holes .

Many variants may be provided of the means for connecting the sole of the heel section 101 to the extension 611 of the front footpocket section 201.

For instance, the holes may be formed in the sole of the rear heel section, with at least one large-

headed pin being provided on the extension 611.

Furthermore, the sole of the rear heel section 101 which has to be attached to the extension 611, may have an indentation for receiving the extension 611, which is at least as thick as this extension 611, to assure coplanarity of the support surfaces of the sole of the front footpocket section 201, the extension 611 and the sole of the heel section 101.

The extension 611 may be formed of one piece with the front footpocket section 201 or may be glued, welded or otherwise attached to the sole portion of the footpocket 201 and the material of which the extension 611 is made may be identical to that of the sole of the front footpocket section or may be the same soft and elastic material that forms the heel or the upper portion of the footpocket 1.

The extension 611 is preferably made from the same material as the sole .

Other variants may consist in that the indentation has an undercut cross section, i.e. narrowing toward the top of the sole, e.g. a dovetail section and the corresponding extension 611 has a complementary cross section, whereby said extension 611 has a shape that allows it to be slideably guided in the longitudinal direction, but is permanently engaged in the indentation against separation in a direction perpendicular to the sole.

In yet another alternative, a pocket or slit may be provided, whose shape is complementary to that of the extension 611, which pocket is formed in the thickness of the sole and the corresponding extension 611 may be inserted and removably secured therein, such as by snap, force fit or interlocking engagement, or by

using removable transverse pins.

It is worth noting that in this variant the extension shall have substantially the same width as the sole of the section wherewith it is associated. These features allow to connect the sole of the heel section 101 to the sole of the front footpocket section at a predetermined distance, but an abutment surface is generated between the front portion of the fin and the heel , which improves the comfort and performances of the fin during use, while providing the same response to stresses as a traditional full foot or an open heel fin, so that the propulsion effort is directly transmitted to the blade with no losses due to the separation of the footpocket from the heel . Like the variant of the previous embodiment as shown in Figures 4 to 6, in this variant the engagement holes which define the predetermined positions of the heel section relative to the front footpocket section are arranged in such a manner that the distance between the heel section and the front footpocket section corresponding to the condition of engagement of each of the holes, substantially corresponds to the size of the space defined by the heel section and the front footpocket section of a predetermined size. Furthermore, the end straps allow fine adjustment of the footpocket.

In figures 11 to 15 a further embodiment of the fin according to the invention is illustrated. This embodiment has the advantage to enhance the comfort of the fin. Furthermore also the stiffness or strength of the connection between the heel section and the foot pocket is improved.

This further embodiment provides that the sole of

the footpocket section 201 has an extension 611 which overlaps the sole of the heel section 101 and also, at least partially or completely, the rear end wall of the heel section indicated with 1101. The means for removably attaching or fastening the said extension 611 of the footpocket section 201 to the rear end wall 1101 of the heel section 101 are provided respectively for the part on the extension 611 at the end part of the extension 611 overlapping the said rear end wall 1101 of the heel section 101 and for the part of the said attaching or fastening means at the said rear end wall 110 of the heel section 101.

Many different kinds of fastening means can be provided between the extension 611 of the sole of the foot pocket section 201 and the rear end wall of the heel section 101.

The advantage of the above described embodiment resides in the fact that the fastening means being at the rear end wall of the heel section a higher comfort is obtained, since the user does not act on this means with his weight as in the previous examples.

As illustrated in the figures 11 to 15, the end section of the extension 611 of the sole of the footpocket section 201 has three teeth 1611 which are space one with respect to the other according to the length corresponding to three different sizes of the foot. As particularly shown the three sizes are M for medium indicated by 1611 M, L for large indicated by 161IL and XL for extralarge indicated by 161IXL. The three teeth which projects from the rear side of the end section of the extension 611 which overlaps the rear end wall of the heel section, cooperate with a retention hole 90. The retention hole 90 is provided in

a bridge like element 91 which is secured to the rear end wall of the heel section 101 and which bridge like element forms a passage 92 for the end section of the extension 611 of the sole of the footpocket which passage is delimited laterally and at the rear side by the bridge like element 91 and at the front side by the rear end wall of the heel section 101. The retention hole 90 being provided in the part 190 of the bridge like element being opposed to the said rear end wall of the heel section 101.

In this condition the extension 611 of the sole of the footpocket is made of elastically deformable material. The material is deformable to such an extent that the teeth 1611 can be forced inside in and outside from the passage 92 delimited by the bridge-like element 91 and into the hole 90 of the part 190 of the said bridge like element 91, allowing thus to regulate the distance of the heel section 101 from the footpocket section 201. The material of the extension 611 can be also flexible in such a way as to conform to the outside shape of the heel section 101 at the different fastening positions of the said extension 611 to the said heel section 101. As it appears from the figures 11 to 15, the bridge like element is a part which is bonded to the heel section by physical and or chemical adhesion. As an alternative the said bridge like element 91 might also be made one piece with the heel section. The same apply also for the extension 611 of the sole of the footpocket which can also be made of two parts having different physical features . So for example the end section overlapping the rear end wall

1101 of the heel section 101 can be made of elastically flexible and compressible material such as rubber or plate material having a rubber-like behaviour and the part of the extension 611 connecting the said end part with the sole of the footpocket and overlapping the sole of the heel section 101 can be made of a material being more stiff. The above mentioned combinations of physical features of the different parts of the extension 611 of the sole of the footpocket can be obtained by using different materials which are bonded together by physical and/or chemical adhesion or by differentiating the thickness of the extension.

As it appears clearly from the above description, this last embodiment can also be provided in combination withy other features which has been described in relation of one or more of the other disclosed embodiments.