Alpine ski boot

Abstract

A rear-entry ski boot including a rigid shell base and an upper. The upper includes a cuff and a spoiler adapted to pivot between opened and closed positions. Also provided is means for automatically closing the spoiler after the leg is inserted into the boot, in response to pressure from the leg on the boot. The automatic closure means includes a flexible linkage element connected at an attachment point to the cuff, a guide element mounted on the upper and around which at least a portion of the linkage element is wound, a traction element journalled on the spoiler around a journal axis and which is connected to the linkage element, and an elastic apparatus for permanently maintaining a traction force on the linkage element for all positions of the spoiler with respect to the cuff. These elements form a self-latching elbow system which defines a dead point when the guide element, the journal axis and the attachment point are aligned. The spoiler may be substantially freely journalled when the traction element is positioned ahead of the dead point, and the spoiler cannot be substantially freely journalled to the open position when the traction element is positioned behind the dead point, thereby permitting latching of the spoiler and preventing accidental opening of the spoiler during skiing.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.