Ski boot having cantable sole

Abstract

A ski boot for anchoring to a ski via a ski binding system includes a rigid foot enclosure including a bottom wall having a first mating surface. The ski boot also includes a sole block configured to selectively couple to the rigid foot enclosure. The sole block includes a second mating surface configured to mate with the first mating surface, the second mating surface defining a mating surface plane. The sole block also includes a traction surface configured to engage a ground surface, the traction surface defining a traction surface plane. The sole block is configured to support an insert fitting, the insert fitting defining at least one of a) a pair of opposed sockets or b) a pair of arcuate cut-away portions. A non-zero cant angle is defined between the mating surface plane and the traction surface plane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ski boot for anchoring to a ski via a ski binding system, the ski boot comprising:
 a rigid foot enclosure including a bottom wall having a first mating surface; and   a sole block configured to selectively couple to the rigid foot enclosure, the sole block including 
 a second mating surface configured to mate with the first mating surface, the second mating surface defining a mating surface plane, and 
 a traction surface configured to engage a ground surface, the traction surface defining a traction surface plane, 
   wherein the sole block is further configured to support an insert fitting, the insert fitting defining at least one of a) a pair of opposed sockets or b) a pair of arcuate cut-away portions, and   wherein a non-zero cant angle is defined between the mating surface plane and the traction surface plane.   
     
     
         2 . The ski boot of  claim 1 , wherein the sole block is configured such that when the ski boot is anchored to the ski via the ski binding system, the traction surface plane extends parallel to a ground surface plane defined by a ground surface in contact with a bottom surface of the ski and the mating surface plane extends at the cant angle relative to the ground surface plane. 
     
     
         3 . The ski boot of  claim 1 , wherein the sole block is configured to be coupled to the rigid foot enclosure via threaded fasteners. 
     
     
         4 . The ski boot of  claim 1 , wherein the sole block comprises a rigid body and a pliable member affixed to the rigid body, the pliable member defining at least a portion of the traction surface. 
     
     
         5 . The ski boot of  claim 1 , wherein the insert fitting defines the pair of opposed sockets located on opposite lateral sides of the insert fitting, the pair of opposed sockets defining a pivot axis of the ski boot, and wherein the sole block is configured to support the insert fitting such that the pivot axis extends at the cant angle relative to the mating surface plane. 
     
     
         6 . The ski boot of  claim 1 , wherein the insert fitting defines a pair of arcuate cut-away portions located on opposite lateral sides of the insert fitting, the arcuate cut-away portions defining a pin axis of the ski boot, and wherein the sole block is configured to support the insert fitting such that the pin axis extends at the cant angle relative to the mating surface plane. 
     
     
         7 . The ski boot of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sole block comprises a toe sole block, the mating surface plane comprises a first mating surface plane, the traction surface comprises a first traction surface, the traction surface plane comprises a first traction surface plane, and the insert fitting comprises a toe insert fitting that includes the pair of opposed sockets;   the rigid foot enclosure defines a third mating surface;   the ski boot further comprises a heel sole block configured to selectively couple to the rigid foot enclosure, the heel sole block including 
 a fourth mating surface configured to mate with the third mating surface, the fourth mating surface defining a second mating surface plane, and 
 a second traction surface configured to engage the ground surface, the second traction surface defining a second traction surface plane; 
   the heel sole block is configured to support a heel insert fitting, the heel insert fitting defining the pair of arcuate cut-away portions; and   the second mating surface plane extends at the cant angle relative to the second traction surface plane.   
     
     
         8 . A ski boot for anchoring to a ski via a ski binding system, the ski boot comprising:
 a rigid foot enclosure including a toe portion and a bottom wall having a first mating surface adjacent the toe portion; and   a sole block configured to selectively couple to the rigid foot enclosure, the sole block including 
 a second mating surface configured to mate with the first mating surface, the second mating surface defining a mating surface plane, and 
 a traction surface configured to engage a ground surface, the traction surface defining a traction surface plane, 
   wherein the sole block is configured to support an insert fitting such that the insert fitting defines a pair of opposed sockets, the opposed sockets defining a pivot axis of the ski boot relative to the ski binding system, the pivot axis extending parallel to the traction surface, and   wherein a non-zero cant angle is defined between the pivot axis and the mating surface plane.   
     
     
         9 . The ski boot of  claim 8 , wherein the sole block is configured such that when the ski boot is anchored to the ski via the ski binding system, the traction surface plane extends parallel to a ground surface plane defined by a ground surface in contact with a bottom surface of the ski and the mating surface plane extends at the cant angle relative to the ground surface plane. 
     
     
         10 . The ski boot of  claim 8 , wherein the mating surface plane extends at the cant angle relative to the traction surface plane. 
     
     
         11 . The ski boot of  claim 8 , wherein the sole block further comprises a flange defining an engagement surface extending at the cant angle relative to the pivot axis. 
     
     
         12 . The ski boot of  claim 8 , wherein the sole block comprises a rigid body and a pliable member affixed to the rigid body, the pliable member defining at least a portion of the traction surface. 
     
     
         13 . The ski boot of  claim 8 , wherein
 the rigid foot enclosure includes a heel portion, the bottom wall includes a third mating surface adjacent the heel portion, the sole block comprises a toe sole block, the mating surface plane comprises a first mating surface plane, the traction surface comprises a first traction surface, the traction surface plane comprises a first traction surface plane, and the insert fitting comprises a toe insert fitting;   the ski boot further comprises a heel sole block configured to selectively couple to the rigid foot enclosure, the heel sole block including 
 a fourth mating surface configured to mate with the third mating surface, the fourth mating surface defining a second mating surface plane, and 
 a second traction surface configured to engage the ground surface, the second traction surface defining a second traction surface plane; 
   the heel sole block is configured to support a heel insert fitting such that the heel insert fitting defines a pair of arcuate cut-away portions located on opposite lateral sides of the insert fitting, the arcuate cut-away portions defining a pin axis of the ski boot; and   the pin axis extends at the cant angle relative to the second mating surface plane.   
     
     
         14 . The ski boot of  claim 13 , wherein the second mating surface plane extends at the cant angle relative to the second traction surface plane. 
     
     
         15 . The ski boot of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the ski binding system comprises a first ski binding system;   the toe sole block further comprises a toe flange configured to engage a second ski binding system, the toe flange defining a toe engagement surface configured to contact the second ski binding system, the toe engagement surface extending at the cant angle relative to the pivot axis; and   the heel sole block further comprises a heel flange configured to engage the second ski binding system, the heel flange defining a heel engagement surface configured to contact the second binding system, the toe engagement surface extending at the cant angle relative to the pin axis.   
     
     
         16 . A sole block for a ski boot, the ski boot having a first mating surface configured to engage the sole block, the sole block comprising:
 a second mating surface configured to mate with the first mating surface, the second mating surface defining a mating surface plane; and   a traction surface configured to engage a ground surface, the traction surface defining a traction surface plane,   wherein the sole block is configured to support an insert fitting such that the insert fitting defines one of   a) a pair of opposed sockets, the opposed sockets defining a pivot axis of the ski boot, the pivot axis extending parallel to the traction surface, and a non-zero cant angle is defined between the pivot axis and the mating surface plane, or   b) a pair of arcuate cut-away portions located on opposite lateral sides of the insert fitting, the arcuate cut-away portions defining a pin axis of the ski boot, the pin axis extending parallel to the traction surface, and a non-zero cant angle is defined between the pin axis and the mating surface plane.   
     
     
         17 . The sole block of  claim 16 , wherein the sole block is configured to be coupled to the ski boot via threaded fasteners. 
     
     
         18 . The sole block of  claim 16 , further comprising a rigid body and a pliable member affixed to the rigid body, the pliable member defining at least a portion of the traction surface. 
     
     
         19 . The sole block of  claim 16 , wherein the mating surface plane extends at the cant angle relative to the traction surface plane. 
     
     
         20 . The sole block of  claim 19 , further comprising a flange defining an engagement surface that extends at the cant angle relative to the traction surface plane.