Outsole for a Cross-Country Ski Boot or Telemark Boot and Cross-Country Ski Boot or Telemark Boot Having Such an Outsole

Abstract

The invention relates to an outsole for a cross-country ski boot or telemark boot, consisting of a rear portion 11 , which comprises a shoe heel 13 , and a front portion 12 , which is of slightly dish-shaped configuration, the outsole 10 being produced so as to be continuously of relatively hard material, especially plastics, and being provided on the tread side, in the region of the front portion 12 and/or in the region of the rear portion 11 , with a tread layer 14 of relatively soft, especially rubber-like, material. An improvement of the bending flexibility is obtained in that the thickness d of the front portion 12 which is to be attached to the upper of the boot in a skin-like manner, at least in the region of the metatarsophalangeal zone M is significantly reduced relative to the remaining region of the outsole 10 , especially relative to a region 30 adjacent to the metatarsophalangeal zone M which extends towards the rear of the outsole 10 such that the bending elasticity, about an axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the outsole 10 in the metatarsophalangeal zone M, is at a maximum.

1 . Outsole for a cross-country ski boot or telemark boot, comprising a rear portion, which comprises a heel, and a front portion, which is of slightly dish-shaped configuration, the outsole being produced so as to be formed of relatively hard material and having a tread side, there being provided on the tread side, in the region of the front portion and/or in the region of the rear portion, a tread layer of relatively soft material, the thickness of the front portion, which is to be attached to the upper of the boot in a skin-like manner, at least in the region of the metatarsophalangeal zone is significantly reduced relative to the remaining region of the outsole, especially relative to a region adjacent to the metatarsophalangeal zone which extends towards the rear of the outsole such that the bending elasticity, about an axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the outsole in the metatarsophalangeal zone, is at a maximum. 
   
   
       2 . Outsole according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the front portion in the region of the metatarsophalangeal zone is from 1 mm to 4 mm. 
   
   
       3 . Outsole according to  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the rear portion between the heel and the metatarsophalangeal zone is from 2 mm to 8 mm. 
   
   
       4 . Outsole according to  claim 3 , wherein the thickness of the rear portion continuously increases, starting from the metatarsophalangeal zone, towards the rear of the outsole. 
   
   
       5 . Outsole according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal extension of the region of the front portion having a significantly reduced thickness his from 3 cm to 15 cm. 
   
   
       6 . Outsole according to  claim 1 , wherein the front portion in the region of the metatarsophalangeal zone forms a bending zone which is defined by at least one, generally smooth transverse strips which is aligned with transverse grooves formed in the tread layer. 
   
   
       7 . Outsole according to  claim 6 , wherein the bending zone of the front portion comprises at least one generally smooth longitudinal strips which is spaced apart in the transverse direction of the outsole and aligned with longitudinal grooves formed in the tread layer. 
   
   
       8 . Outsole according to  claim 7 , wherein the said longitudinal and/or transverse grooves, at least in the front portion of the outsole, are formed substantially only within the tread layer of softer or more flexible material. 
   
   
       9 . Outsole according to  claim 8 , wherein the base at least of a portion of the longitudinal and/or transverse grooves is limited by the front portion and, if applicable, also the rear portion of the outsole consisting of relatively hard material. 
   
   
       10 . Outsole according to  claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal groove(s) is/are of a depth that corresponds approximately to that of the transverse grooves. 
   
   
       11 . Outsole according to  claim 6 , wherein the transverse grooves, at least in the front portion, are, seen from the running side, each curved in a backwards direction. 
   
   
       12 . Outsole according to any of  claim 7 , wherein the said longitudinal and/or transverse strips limit, at least partly, recesses formed in an upper side of the front portion, wherein the said recesses project on the tread side of the front portion and support cleats formed in the tread layer. 
   
   
       13 . Outsole according to  claim 12 , wherein the height of the cleats decreases in the running direction such that the cleats are adapted to an inclination of the front portion at least in the region of the metatarsophalangeal zoned. 
   
   
       14 . Outsole according to  claim 1 , wherein the outsole is made from a plastics material having a Young's modulus from 200 MPa-250 GPa, the Young's modulus governing the thickness in the front portion in such a manner that, in percentage terms, the thickness is greater in the case of relatively high elasticity than in the case of relatively low elasticity. 
   
   
       15 . Outsole according to  claim 1 , wherein the tread layer is welded, injected or bonded to the outsole on the tread side. 
   
   
       16 . Outsole according to  claim 1 , wherein at the front end of the outsole there is formed an accommodating recess which is open towards the tread side, within which accommodating recess there is arranged at least one transverse pin for articulated connection to a ski binding. 
   
   
       17 . Outsole according to  claim 16 , wherein the accommodating recess is laterally limited by two wall portions in the outsole or by the tread layer of softer material. 
   
   
       18 . Outsole according to  claim 16 , wherein anchoring elements, connected to the transverse pin are integrated into the lateral boundaries of the accommodating recess. 
   
   
       19 . Outsole according to any of  claim 1 , wherein in the rear portion, is provided with material-reducing and weight-reducing recesses on the upper's side. 
   
   
       20 . Cross-country ski boot or telemark boot with an outsole, according to  claim 1  directly attached to the upper in a skin-like manner. 
   
   
       21 . Outsole according to  claim 6 , comprising a plurality of the transverse strips which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the outsole. 
   
   
       22 . Outsole according to  claim 7 , comprising a plurality of the longitudinal strips which are spaced apart in the transverse direction of the outsole.