Downhill snow sport boot assembly
AssigneeWilliam H. Kaufman Inc.
InventorsWilliam H. Kaufman, Edward L. Chalmers, Thomas W. Corlett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is the assembly of a flexible walking boot and a boot brace made of a rigid material for receiving and holding the boot within it so that the assembly can be used for downhill skiing or snowboarding. The brace has a sole plate for insertion into a conventional downhill ski or snowboard binding. Lateral support is provided by upright members extending along the leg from the sole plate of the brace. Forward resistance is provided by resilient bias means located at the pivotal attachment of the upright members to the brace, which attachment is preferably beneath the heel. The skier's heel is held down by means of an adjustable heel counter positioned at the rear of the brace.
Claims28
A downhill snow sport boot assembly, comprising:
- a boot made of flexible materials allowing the wearer to walk normally, the boot having sole, toe, heel, and forefoot portions, and a leg shaft;
- and
- a boot brace made of rigid material for receiving and holding the boot within it, the boot brace having a sole plate with toe and heel portions, the sole plate being adapted to be insertable into a downhill ski or snowboard binding, and a boot receiving structure, comprising:
- a forefoot receiving means attached to the toe portion of the sole plate for receiving and holding the toe of the boot in the brace;
- inner and outer rigid lateral support members pivotally attached to and extending upwardly from the heel portion of the sole plate so that the support members extend laterally along the leg shaft of the boot positioned in the brace;
- resilient bias means attached to the heel portion of the sole plate at the pivotal attachment of the lateral support members, said pivotal attachment being beneath the heel portion of the boot, the resilient bias means providing a gradient of resistance to the forward rotation of the lateral support members;
- releasable adjustable forefoot securement means extending across the boot brace for securing the forefoot portion of the boot in the brace;
- releasable adjustable leg shaft securement means extending across an upper portion of the lateral support members for securing the leg shaft of the boot in the brace;
- and
- heel hold down means at the rear of the brace for securing the heel of the boot in the brace, the heel hold down means comprising a stiff heel counter being attached to means for firmly engaging a rear portion of the boot to hold the heel against the sole plate during use.
A downhill snow sport boot assembly, comprising:
- a boot made of flexible materials allowing the wearer to walk normally, the boot having sole, toe, heel, and forefoot portions, and a leg shaft;
- and
- a boot brace made of rigid material for receiving and holding the boot within it, the boot brace having a sole plate with toe and heel portions, the heel portion having a heel riser attached to and extending upwardly from it, the sole plate being adapted to be insertable into a downhill ski or snowboard binding, and a boot receiving structure, comprising:
- a forefoot receiving means attached to the toe portion of the sole plate for receiving and holding the toe of the boot in the brace;
- inner and outer rigid lateral support members pivotally attached to and extending upwardly from the heel riser so that the support members extend laterally along the leg shaft of the boot positioned in the brace;
- resilient bias means attached to the heel riser at the pivotal attachment of the lateral support members, said pivotal attachment being behind the heel portion of the boot, the resilient bias means providing a gradient of resistance to the forward rotation of the lateral support members;
- releasable adjustable forefoot securement means extending across the boot brace for securing the forefoot portion of the boot in the brace;
- releasable adjustable leg shaft securement means extending across an upper portion of the lateral support members for securing the leg shaft of the boot in the brace;
- and
- heel hold down means at the rear of the brace for securing the heel of the boot in the brace, the heel hold down means comprising a stiff heel counter being attached to means for firmly engaging a rear portion of the boot to hold the heel against the sole plate during use.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.