Buckle for a sports boot and a sports boot having such buckle

A ski boot comprising:

• a first part and a second part, both of said parts adapted to extend along a wearer's foot and/or lower leg;
• at least one buckle adapted to move said first part relative to said second part for tightening the boot on the wearer's foot and/or lower leg, said buckle comprising:
• a base fixed on said first part;
• a lever having a lengthwise dimension greater than a widthwise dimension, said lever being articulated on said base about an axis, said lengthwise dimension extending in a direction different from a direction said axis extends;
• a hooking element;
• a rod connecting said hooking element to said lever;
• said lever having a contour comprising a surface, said surface having an area greater than 27 cm2.

A ski boot comprising:

• two and only two buckles mounted on the ski boot for tightening a wearer's foot and lower leg within the ski boot;
• a first part and a second part adapted to extend along the wearer's foot;
• at least one of said two buckles being adapted to move said first part relative to said second part for tightening the boot on the wearer's foot and/or lower leg, said buckle comprising:
• a base fixed on said first panel;
• a lever having a lengthwise dimension greater than a widthwise dimension, said lever being articulated on said base about an axis, said lengthwise dimension extending in a direction different from a direction said axis extends;
• a hooking element;
• a rod connecting said hooking element to said lever;
• said lever having a contour comprising a surface, said surface having an area greater than 27 cm2.

A ski boot comprising:

• a lower shell adapted to extend over a wearer's foot, said lower shell comprising first and second parts;
• a lower leg portion connected to said lower shell, said lower leg portion of the ski boot adapted to extend along a user's lower leg, said lower leg portion comprising first and second parts;
• one and only one buckle mounted on said lower shell to tighten the wearer's foot within said lower shell;
• one and only one buckle mounted on said lower leg portion to tighten the wearer's lower leg within said lower leg portion;
• each of said buckles comprising:
• a base fixed on said first part of said lower shell or on said first part of said lower leg portion;
• a lever having a lengthwise dimension greater than a widthwise dimension, said lever being articulated on said base about an axis, said lengthwise dimension extending in a direction different from a direction said axis extends;
• a hooking element;
• a rod connecting said hooking element to said lever;
• said lever having a contour comprising a surface, said surface having an area greater than 27 cm2.

A buckle adapted to move two parts of an article of footwear relative to each other for tightening the boot upon the foot and/or lower leg of a wearer, said buckle comprising:

• a base adapted to be fixed on a first of the two parts of the article of footwear;
• a lever articulated on said base said lever having a contour demarcating a surface, said surface having an area greater than 27 cm2;
• a hooking element adapted to engage an element mounted on the second of the two parts of the article of footwear;
• a rod connecting said hooking element to said lever;
• and
• a rack fixed to the second of the two parts of the article of footwear, the rack having a plurality of teeth, each of said teeth extending along a width of the rack, the width of the rack having a width greater than 25 mm.