EP0521288A1 - Walking shoe with reinforcement of an articulated shaft collar - Google Patents

Abstract

This shoe consists of an upper 101 equipped with a rigid rear counter 103 and with a rigid shaft-collar reinforcement 107 articulated on the rear counter. According to the invention, the upper comprises a low part consisting of the rigid rear counter 103 and of a golosh 104 and comprises an upper part forming a shaft collar 105 integral with the bottom part 104 and made from a relatively flexible material. The clamping means 115, 116 of the shoe arranged respectively on the lower part 104 of the upper and on the shaft-collar reinforcement 107 are independent. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a walking shoe intended more particularly for trekking or long trekking in medium or high mountain. Such a shoe is intended for sustained use in all terrain, mountain, and therefore requires above all excellent footwear and good protection of the foot and ankle for the passage of rock gardens, scree and snowfields.

Traditionally such walking shoes have a high reinforced and thick leather upper, so as to protect the foot and ankle against scree, rocks, and to provide good ankle grip on uneven terrain and on slopes. Due to the rigidity of the material used, these walking shoes provide only little mobility in the longitudinal direction and therefore do not offer satisfactory comfort, in particular at the level of the flexion fold of the foot and the achilles tendon.

It is also known, for example from EP 0 030 225, to produce mountain boots, the upper of which is constituted by an extremely rigid plastic shell and which also comprises a collar reinforcement made of plastic material articulated on the upper. Such mountain boots are extremely rigid, despite the presence of more flexible leather parts at the rear of the upper, and do not allow any movement of the foot or its front / rear mobility relative to the ankle. In particular, practically no rotation of the collar reinforcement is possible due to the rigidity of the rod.

It is also known in ski boots to produce the upper in the form of a plastic shell on which a top part, also made of plastic, is articulated. In such a shoe, no movement or mobility of the foot relative to the ankle is sought, on the contrary, and the articulation of the upper part is simply intended to allow correct angular adjustment of the upper part of the shoe by relation to the hull according to the morphology of the skier.

By FR No. 89 11936, it has been proposed to produce such a walking shoe, with a low upper and a rigid collar mounted articulated at the upper end of the upper.

Unfortunately, such a shoe poses sealing problems between the low upper and the articulated collar.

The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome these drawbacks and to provide a walking shoe having at the same time qualities of comfort, protection and holding of the foot in transverse direction, and waterproofness, while allowing sufficient mobility and flexibility front / rear in the longitudinal direction of the shoe.

This object is achieved in the mountain boot according to the invention, which is of the type consisting of a rod provided with a rigid rear buttress and a rigid collar reinforcement articulated on the rear buttress, by the fact that the rod has a lower part, consisting of the rigid rear buttress and a slap, and that it comprises a upper part forming a collar secured to the lower part and made of a relatively flexible material.

In fact, the fact that the rod is high makes it possible to guarantee the desired seal while the fact that the collar part of the rod is made of a relatively flexible material makes it possible to guarantee sufficient freedom of flexion of the ankle relative to the foot and not impeding the mobility of the collar reinforcement.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the means for tightening the boot are disposed respectively on the lower part of the upper and on the collar reinforcement. In this way, the clamping zones of the shoe are eliminated at the level of the flexion of the foot and there is no longer any risk of injury to the foot at this level.

Advantageously also, means are provided to allow freedom of movement of the collar reinforcement with respect to the rear buttress in a vertical direction on the outside of the ankle, which allows a smooth movement of the foot during walking without risk of injury to the ankle by the rigid collar reinforcement.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une chaussure de marche selon l'invention en position fermée,
• la figure 2 est une vue de la chaussure de la figure 1 en position ouverte,
• les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues similaires aux figures 1 et 2 en position respectivement fermée et ouverte d'une chaussure selon un autre mode de réalisation,
• la figure 5 est une vue de détail montrant le montage du renfort de collier sur le contrefort.

In any case, the invention will be well understood and other characteristics thereof will be highlighted with the aid of the description which follows with reference to the appended schematic drawing showing, by way of nonlimiting examples, several preferred embodiments, and wherein:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a walking shoe according to the invention in the closed position,
• FIG. 2 is a view of the shoe of FIG. 1 in the open position,
• FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the respectively closed and open position of a shoe according to another embodiment,
• Figure 5 is a detail view showing the mounting of the collar reinforcement on the buttress.

As shown in Figure 1, the walking or hiking shoe according to the invention, is externally in the form of a shoe with high upper 1 and sole 2. The upper of this shoe consists of a lower part , comprising a rear buttress 3 made of rigid material, such as that known under the trade name pébax, a slap 4 covering the forefoot, as well as a high part or collar 5.

In the example shown, the slap 4 is made of thick leather, and therefore of a relatively rigid material, while the upper part or collar 5 is of more flexible but nevertheless resistant textile material, such as that known under the trade name cordura. The junction between the collar 5 and the slap 4 is produced substantially at the level of the flexion fold of the foot, by means of a seam line 6.

As shown in the figure, the rear buttress is provided at its rear part with a notch 3a, just above the heel, so as not to hinder the bending of the foot or the ankle towards the rear. The collar part 5 of more flexible material, therefore extends to the level of this notch 3a of the rear buttress.

The rear buttress also has, on each side of the foot, an elevation 3b used for the articulation of a collar reinforcement 7 as will be seen below. Like the rear buttress, the collar 5 has at the rear a notch 5a intended to facilitate bending movements of the ankle towards the rear. The collar reinforcement is constituted by a sort of cuff 7 made of rigid plastic material, such as pebax, and which is articulated at 8 on the raised areas 3b of the rear buttress.

Preferably, the rear buttress extends on both sides of the shoe and completely surrounds the heel, as shown in the drawing. It can also be constituted by a kind of U-shaped piece, the two branches of which extend vertically on each side of the shoe, and the middle part of which extends under the inner sole of the shoe (not shown in the drawing), without surrounding the heel. The two branches of this buttress then constitute the raised areas 3a on which the collar reinforcement is articulated.

The articulation of the collar reinforcement on the rear buttress 3 can be carried out in any way known per se. In the example shown, this articulation is produced by means of a nail 9 which passes through the collar reinforcement 7, and is planted in an associated boss of the rear buttress. The collar reinforcement 7, and the collar 5 have, like the rear stiffener, a notch respectively 7a, 5a intended to facilitate the bending movements of the ankle towards the rear and in particular to avoid the risks of injury at the level of the Achilles' tendon. Both the lower part and the upper part of the rod 1 have independent lacing means 15, 16 respectively. Indeed, the lacing means of the lower part 15 are arranged only on the slap 4 of the rod, while the lacing means 16 of the upper part are arranged only on the collar reinforcement 7 which is movable independently of the rod . As shown in Figure 2, the lacing means 15 consist of rings 17 and a hook self-locking 18, disposed at the junction 6 between the upper part and the lower part, and therefore substantially at the level of the bending fold.

The lacing means 16 of the upper part consist simply of hooks arranged on the front parts of the collar reinforcement 7. In the example shown, the same lace 19 passes through both the rings and hooks 17, 18 lacing 15 and hooks 19 lacing 16, but two laces could be provided for the two separate lacing systems. Two totally independent lacings are therefore obtained, the lacing 15.19 of the lower part used to tighten the shoe on the foot, while the lacing 16.19 of the upper part serves to tighten the collar reinforcement around the ankle.

Note that no lacing system is provided on the upper part proper of the upper of the shoe since the lacing of "this upper part" is disposed on the collar reinforcement 7 which is movable independently of the upper, this which therefore facilitates the flexion of the ankle. It will also be noted that the lacing means of the collar reinforcement 7 are arranged at the upper part of this collar reinforcement and therefore only tighten the upper part of the ankle, and that there are therefore no clamping means at the level of the flexion fold, this results in increased comfort for the user, and in particular a suppression of any tightening and compression zone at the level of the flexion fold of the foot. The user therefore has a feeling of greater freedom of movement of the ankle relative to the foot while having excellent grip of the ankle, in particular in transverse direction, thanks to the reinforcement of rigid collar 7.

It will also be noted that the lacing system 16 of the upper part can be replaced by any suitable clamping means, such as for example velcro type clamping means.

FIGS. 3 and 4 represent a hiking shoe according to another embodiment, in which similar elements are designated by the same references increased by 100. This hiking shoe is therefore made up like the hiking shoe of FIGS. 1 and 2, a high rod 101 and a sole 102.

Like the previous shoe, this shoe includes a rigid rear buttress 103, on which is articulated a collar reinforcement 107 made of also rigid material. This shoe also has an upper part of the upper or collar 105 made of a flexible textile material, such as for example that known under the trade name cordura. The essential difference of the shoe represented in these Figures 3 and 4, lies in the provision of an internal tightening system 110.

As shown more particularly in Figure 4, this internal clamping system 110 consists of two clamping quarters 110a extending at the level of the instep, and provided with clamping means 110b of the lacing type. This internal tightening 110 is the equivalent of the lacing system 15 of the lower part of the preceding shoe, and therefore extends like the latter substantially up to the level of the flexion fold of the foot.

In this embodiment, the slap consists of two parts 104a and 104b connected together by means of a zipper-type opening system 104c, the assembly covering the internal tightening system 110. The upper end of the portion 104b of the slap is also provided with hooking means 104d of the hook-and-loop type to come to close on the collar 105, in order to ensure the tightness of the shoe. In this case, the lacing means 16 of the upper part of the preceding shoe are replaced by tightening means 116 of the type constituted by a strap 117 which can be hung on a ring 118 and tightened to the desired tension by means of a jammer 119. Such a tightening system is described in a previous French patent application No. 91.07555 in the name of the applicant. Of course, this clamping system 116 could be replaced by any other suitable clamping means such as a clamping system by hook-and-loop means.

In this second embodiment, there is therefore also a total dissociation of the clamping means 110b of the lower part 103, 104 of the shoe and of the clamping means 116 of the collar reinforcement 107. As in the previous example, the fact that the collar 105 of the shoe is made of flexible textile material, allows a great freedom of movement of the ankle relative to the foot, while guaranteeing good protection of the latter, in particular in transverse direction thanks to the reinforcement of necklace 107.

Furthermore, in order to facilitate the comfort of use of such a shoe, it has, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, freedom of movement in the vertical direction of the collar reinforcement 7, 107, relative to the rear buttress 3, 103. Such freedom of movement is provided by a vertical light 20, 120 in which slides the axis 9a, 109a of the nail respectively 9, 109 of the articulation of the collar reinforcement 7, 107 on the buttress 3, 103. This light is formed in the collar reinforcement 7 and 107 respectively on the external side of the shoe, and allows this collar reinforcement to be lowered relative to the rear buttress, when walking.

Indeed, the unwinding of the foot is generally accompanied by a slight tilt of the ankle towards the outside, the freedom of movement of the collar reinforcement thus allowed on the outside of the shoe allows during the movement of unwinding of the foot, a slight lowering of this collar reinforcement, and therefore improves the feeling of comfort while eliminating any risk of ankle injury, by the upper end of the collar reinforcement 7, 107.

Finally, it will be noted that in the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rod 104 has a shortened tongue 104c which does not extend beyond the flexural fold of the ankle, which is made possible by the upper part 104b of the slap extending to the top of the collar 105, and closing the front of the upper of the shoe at this level. Greater freedom of movement is thus obtained.

In the example of Figures 1 and 2, the tongue 4c is preserved and extends to the top of the collar 5 of the rod, so as to guarantee the tightness of the assembly on the front.

Claims (10)

Walking / hiking shoe of the type consisting of a rod (1, 101) provided with a rigid rear buttress (3, 103) and a rigid collar reinforcement (7, 107) articulated on the rear buttress, characterized in that the rod has a bottom part consisting of the rigid rear buttress (3, 103) and a slap (4, 104) and has a top part forming a collar (5, 105) integral with the bottom part (4, 104) and a relatively flexible material. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping means (15, 16, 115, 116) of the shoe are disposed respectively on the lower part (4, 104) of the upper and on the collar reinforcement (7, 107). Shoe according to claim 2, characterized in that the clamping means (15, 16, 115, 116) of the upper and the collar reinforcement are independent. Shoe according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for tightening the upper (15, 115) extend substantially up to the level of the flexion fold. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the slap (4) is made of a relatively rigid material such as leather. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the collar (5, 105) is made of a relatively flexible textile material such as cordura. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the rigid rear buttress (3, 103) surrounds the heel and is notched at the rear just above the heel (3a, 103a). Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the collar comprises, at the rear at the level of the achilles tendon, at least one flexion fold. Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the articulation (8a, 108a) situated on the external side of the collar reinforcement is movable vertically on the rear buttress. Shoe according to claim 9, characterized in that the mobility of the joint (8a, 108a) is obtained by a vertical lumen formed in the collar reinforcement (7, 107).

Images