Sports boot, particularly for skiing, skating or snow-boarding

Abstract

A sport boots, particularly for skiing, skating, or snow-boarding, in which an opening, a rear portion ( 3 ), and an opposed front portion ( 4 ) are identified, comprises a support element ( 5 ) which is provided substantially in the region of the opening ( 2 d ), and which can pivot between a first position, in which it is close to the rear portion ( 3 ), and a second position, in which it is towards the front portion ( 4 ), as well as connection means ( 6 ) between the support element and the front portion for bringing about pivoting of the support element as a result of forward bending of the front portion.

1 . A sports boot, particularly for skiing, skating or snow-boarding in which an opening, a rear portion, and an opposed front portion are identified, the boot comprising a shell, a bootleg pivotably mounted to the shell and a support element structurally independent from the shell and the bootleg, said support element being provided substantially in the region of the opening, and being pivotable between a first position, in which it is close to the rear portion, and a second position, in which it is moved towards the front portion, characterized in that connection means are provided between the support element and the front portion to directly connect the support element to the front portion for pivoting the support element from the first to the second position as a result of a forward bending of the front portion.  
   
   
       2 . A boot according to  claim 1  in which the support element is fixed to the rear portion outside the opening so as to move the rear portion towards the front portion as a result of the pivoting between the first and second positions.  
   
   
       3 . A boot according to  claim 2  in which the rear portion comprises a region of preferential deformability for permitting the movement of the rear portion towards the front portion.  
   
   
       4 . A boot according to  claim 3  in which a first, substantially vertical slit, open at the top of the opening, is provided in the region of preferential deformability.  
   
   
       5 . A boot according to  claim 4  in which the side edges of the first slit are turned outwards.  
   
   
       6 . A boot according to  claim 3  the region of preferential deformability constitutes a seat for housing the support element  
   
   
       7 . A boot according to  claim 6  in which the support element is coupled with the seat in a condition of resilient preloading.  
   
   
       8 . A boot according to  claim 1  in which guide means are provided and are active between the rear portion and the support element in order to guide and limit the pivoting between the first and second positions.  
   
   
       9 . A boot according to  claim 1  in which the support element is fixed to the shell of the boot, on which the rear portion is defined.  
   
   
       10 . A boot according to  claim 9  in which at least one lateral slit is provided on the shell to favour the flexibility of the shell in the region of the opening.  
   
   
       11 . A boot according to  claim 9  in which the support element is articulated to the shell.  
   
   
       12 . A boot according to  claim 1  in which the support element is fixed inside the opening so as to move away from the rear portion as a result of the pivoting between the first and second positions.  
   
   
       13 . A boot according to  claim 12  in which the support element is articulated on the bootleg or on the shell of the boot.  
   
   
       14 . A boot according to  claim 13  in which the support element is articulated on the bootleg or on the shell by pin fixing means mounted on opposite sides of the rear portion.  
   
   
       15 . A boot according to  claim 13  in which the support element is adjustable in height relative to the bootleg or to the shell.  
   
   
       16 . A boot according to  claim 1 , comprising an inner boot provided inside the bootleg, preferential yielding regions being provided in the inner boot so that a top portion of the inner boot can follow the pivoting of the support element as a result of the forward bending of the front portion and of the consequent pivoting of the support element.  
   
   
       17 . A boot according to  claim 16  in which the preferential yielding region comprises a rear vertical slot open at the top of the inner boot.  
   
   
       18 . A boot according to  claim 16  in which the preferential yielding region is located at ankle level.  
   
   
       19 . A boot according to  claim 16  in which the support element is fixed to the inner boot.  
   
   
       20 . A boot according to  claim 19  in which the support element is fixed to the inner boot on the side opposite the front portion.  
   
   
       21 . A boot according to  claim 1  in which the connection means comprise a first strap connected to the front portion and to the support element.  
   
   
       22 . A boot according to  claim 21  in which the first strap is wrapped around the support element on the side remote from the front portion.  
   
   
       23 . A boot according to  claim 22  in which the first strap is closed around the rear portion and is guided through a pair of guides provided on respective opposite sides of the support element, the first strap being tightened by a second strap guided between the guides and closed around the front portion.  
   
   
       24 . A boot according to  claim 23  in which the ends of the first strap are closed onto the support element adjustably and releasably.  
   
   
       25 . A boot according to  claim 24  in which the ends are closed by touch-close pull fastening means.  
   
   
       26 . A boot according to  claim 23  in which the first strap is wrapped around the rear portion in a direction (A) which is offset relative to the direction (B) in which it is also wrapped around the support element.  
   
   
       27 . A boot according to  claim 22  in which the first strap is restrained, at a first of its ends, on the bootleg or on the shell and carries, at its free end remote from the support element, a guide ring through which is guided a second strap which is closed around the front portion in order to tighten the first strap as a result of a bending of the front portion.  
   
   
       28 . A boot according to  claim 27  in which the second strap is restrained by a first of its ends on the bootleg or on the shell, is wrapped around the bootleg, extending through the guide ring for a first time, and is then closed onto itself, extending through the guide ring for a second time.  
   
   
       29 . A boot according to  claim 28  in which the second strap is restrained on the bootleg or on the shell on the inside thereof, the bootleg or the shell having a recess in the region of the opening to allow the second strap to extend between the inside and the outside of the bootleg or of the shell.  
   
   
       30 . A boot according to  claim 22  in which the connection means comprise a lever mechanism active on the bootleg in order to tighten the first strap.  
   
   
       31 . A boot according to  claim 30  in which a first end of the first strap is fixed to the bootleg, the opposite end of the first strap being fixed, on the opposite side of the support element, to one of the components of a lever fastening mounted on the bootleg.  
   
   
       32 . A boot according to  claim 31  in which the lever fastening component is mounted slidably on the bootleg.