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  Sports shoe, in particular ski shoe and tightening means thereforeUSPTO Application #: 20070271824Title: Sports shoe, in particular ski shoe and tightening means therefore Abstract: The invention relates to a sports shoe (1) with an outer shell (2) made of injection moulded plastic, in particular a ski shoe with at least one tightening means (12) arranged in the upper end section of the shoe collar (5) running ring-like around the upper end section of the shoe collar (5), and with at least one adjusting means (13) for tightening or limiting the width of the entry opening into the sports shoe (1) as necessary. For this a first and a further tightening element (15, 16) are arranged above one another in vertical direction within a section of the length of the tightening means (12), where the tightening elements (15, 16) run essentially parallel to one another. The first tightening element (15) is designed to bear against the peripheral sections of the comparatively flexible inner shoe (3) or its tongue (17) and the further tightening element (16) is designed to bear against the upper end section of the shoe collar (5) made of a relatively rigid plastic. In this way pressure points can be avoided or reduced on the leg of the user and the level of comfort when using the sports shoe (1) can be increased. (end of abstract) Agent: William Collard Collard & Roe, P.C. - Roslyn, NY, US Inventors: Helmut Holzer, Gerhard Trinkaus, Jason Roe USPTO Applicaton #: 20070271824 - Class: 036087000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Boots And Shoes, Made Of Material Other Than Leather, Plastic The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070271824. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Applicants claim priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 of AUSTRIAN Patent Application No. A 334/2006 filed on Feb. 28, 2006. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The invention relates to a sports shoe, comprising an outer shell made from a relatively rigid plastic, an inner shoe mounted at least partly therein, which is comparatively flexible, and an annular tightening means for the shoe collar, as described in claims 1 and 26. [0004] 2. Prior Art [0005] A generic sports shoe, in particular a ski shoe with an annular tightening means for the shoe collar is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,594 A. Said tightening means for limiting the width or tightening the upper end section of the shoe collar consists in this case of several, in particular three strap elements arranged in a row and connected or connectable at their ends in a chain-like manner. The central or middle strap element of the tightening means which is closed in a ring-like manner in the position of use is designed to be elastically extensible. The strap elements connected to the end sections of the elastic strap element can be connected together securely at their ends facing away from the elastic strap element by means of a fastener-like adjusting means, whereby the effective length of the tightening means can be adjusted individually. In the position of use in which the tightening means is active, due to the elastic strap section a relatively constant pressure is exerted directly onto the shoe collar and indirectly onto the section of the inner shoe surrounding the lower leg of the user. This means that an activated tightening means with the interconnection of the outer, hard shoe collar exerts a specific preloading force on the inner shoe and thus consequently on the lower leg of the user. This elastic strap section is designed to prevent any loosening of the shoe collar and the formation of spaces between the lower leg and the shoe collar even after a long period of use during which many loading and unloading movements occur. In particular, by means of this design the pressure between the leg of the user and shoe can be kept constant even over a long period. By means of this known design of tightening means with an elastic strap section any unwanted loosening of the shoe collar can be counteracted during the progressive use of the sports shoe, but the wearing comfort of the ski shoe is not improved in this way. [0006] From U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,067 A a generic sports shoe with a tightening means for the upper neck section is also known. This strap-like tightening means extends from the rear section of the relatively rigid collar of the sports shoe in a ring shape up to the front collar section of the sports shoe, and in the actively tightened state supports the front side of the tongue of the comfort inner shoe inserted into the sports shoe, so as to prevent the widening of the inner shoe in the tongue section. However, this known design is not wholly satisfactory [0007] For sports shoes with a relatively flexible elastic inner shoe and an outer shell body that is comparatively rigid and surrounds the inner shoe at least partly, it is particularly important for the inner shoe to provide the user of the sports shoe with a high degree of comfort. The main purpose of the outer shell body is to transfer force to a sports device effectively, as in the case e.g. of ski shoes, roller or ice skates, snowboards and the like. In order to prevent unpleasant pressure points on the foot of the user, the known inner shoes are provided with thick padding and the inner shoes are tailored as precisely as possible to the shape of the foot of the respective user by using foaming procedures. These measures only produce partly satisfactory results however, and the individual foaming or fitting procedures are labour intensive, in particular time consuming and expensive. Furthermore, inner shoes are known which have board-like reinforcing elements stitched or adhered onto the outside. In addition, in known inner shoes partial recesses or depressions are provided for specific parts of the foot, e.g. for the knuckles, in order to prevent unpleasant pressure points on the foot of the respective user. With respect to the structure of the inner shoe these measures increase the production costs of the sports shoe and such preventative measures cannot be adjusted to individual needs or the diverse foot shapes of different users. Moreover, these types of inner shoe cannot be altered afterwards. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The underlying objective of the invention is to create a sports shoe comprising a flexible elastic inner shoe and comparatively hard outer shell, which provides an increased level of comfort with respect to wear and use, and because the level of comfort is greater over a long period local pressure points on the leg, in particular on the shin of the user, can be prevented. [0009] This objective of the invention is achieved by mean of a sports shoe with improved tightening means according to the features of claim 1. A particular advantage is that the first or upper tightening element acts with a specific preloading on the section of the inner shoe projecting over the shoe collar, and the further tightening element can exert a defined amount of force on the upper end section of the shoe collar. In particular, a one piece, multiple-strand tightening means is created which, taking into account its position of use, with its upper tightening element acts on the inner shoe in particular on the front section of the inner shoe in the region of the tongue, whilst the lower section of the tightening means is allocated to the upper end section or the so-called neck of the shoe collar. In this way, advantageously the forces to be transferred between the foot of the user and the sports shoe, in particular those between the shin and the sports shoe, can be better distributed or more evenly distributed. In particular, in a surprisingly simple manner local pressure points on the foot of the user, in particular in the region of the transitional section between the upper edge of the shoe collar and the upper neck of the inner shoe, are avoided or considerably reduced. Mainly in this way a much more even transfer of pressure is obtained between the upper end section of the relatively hard or rigid shoe collar and the section of the inner shoe projecting over the shoe collar. In particular, by means of the at least partly double-stranded tightening means the structural transitional stage between the upper end of the collar and the inner shoe mounted therein is smoothed out to a certain extent. This means that by means of the improved tightening means a more even or harmonious direction of pressure or force is created in the transitional section between the collar neck and the inner shoe. Furthermore, by means of this design of the tightening means any undesirable slipping and any associated loosening of the tightening means is counteracted, as there is a precise allocation of the tightening elements on the one hand to the inner shoe and on the other hand to the shoe collar. By means of the at least partial splitting of the tightening strap in the region of the transitional stage between the collar neck and the inner shoe any unwanted slipping of the tightening means, in particular during the use of the sports shoe, in upwards direction or in downwards direction is reliably counteracted. This means that the position of the tightening strap selected by the user of the sports shoe is reliably maintained even after lengthier or intensive, changing pressure loads. A further advantage is that with respect to the pressures acting between the shoe collar or the inner shoe and the foot of a user there is relatively uniform and harmonious loading and path characteristic curve, which means that special measures are not necessarily required on the inner shoe or on the shoe collar. As a result, the tightening means described can be used successfully for a large number of sports shoes with a comparatively rigid outer shell and a relatively soft inserted inner shoe. [0010] By means of the specifically allocated tightening elements according to claim 2 the tightening effect of the latter on the upper end section of the sports shoe can be made optimum use of and the respective requirements or the existing, structure of the sports shoe can be taken into account more effectively. [0011] A development according to claim 3 is also advantageous, as thereby the tightening or pretensioning of the tightening elements can be adjusted as well as possible to the respective conditions or individual requirements. For example, this can be achieved in a simple manner by altering and defining the effective length of the first and/or further tightening element. [0012] By means of the measures according to claim 4, the tightening means exerts a corresponding amount of prestressing on the upper section of the shoe even after a long period of use, and the tightening means maintains the intended and correct position relative to the upper collar section of the sports shoe for a long period. In particular, even with the alternating loading and unloading of the upper collar section of the sports shoe any undesirable slipping or displacement of the tightening means is more or less prevented. This can be achieved by means of the elastic extensibility and/or the increased friction closure of the elastic tightening element relative to the upper collar section of the sports shoe. [0013] In the embodiment according to claim 5, it is advantageous that the direction of pressure is as uniform as possible or is relatively harmonious in the transition zone between the upper limiting edge of the shoe collar and the upper edge section of the inner shoe. In particular, a relatively even transfer of pressure onto the lower leg of the user of the sports shoe can be achieved. [0014] In the design according to claim 6 it is advantageous that any twisting or torsion of the tightening means about its longitudinal axis is suppressed effectively even in the inactive position of the tightening means. Furthermore, a good distribution of pressure is achieved by means of the strap-like tightening elements. [0015] By way of the measures according to claim 7 a localised and effective allocation of the first and further tightening elements can be achieved. In particular, in this way the force effects of the tightening elements relative to the respective shoe sections can be separated clearly and sufficiently. [0016] By way of the measures according to claim 8 the tightening or tensioning force acting on the inner shoe or on its tongue can be introduced or transferred more effectively. In particular, linear pressure points between the upper tightening element and the inner shoe are prevented as far as possible. [0017] By means of the design according to claim 9 the desired or correct position of the tightening means relative to the sports shoe can be better maintained. [0018] The measures according to claim 10 result in a reliable positioning of the tightening means and at the same time an effective pressure loading of the respective shoe sections. [0019] By way of the measures according to claim 11 it is possible to stabilise the optimum or intended position of the tightening means and to achieve a pressure loading of the inner shoe or its tongue that covers as large an area as possible with the upper tightening element. [0020] By way of the measures according to claim 12 an increased pressure or minimum pressure or a minimum pretensioning is exerted on the comparatively rigid shoe collar, before the first or upper tightening element can act on the inner shoe or its tongue section. In this way it is ensured that by way of the tightening means a much greater preloading is exerted on the upper end section of the shoe collar than on the upper end section of the inner shoe, whereby the shoe collar is closed correctly or is tightened to fit by the user. [0021] By way of the measures according to claim 13 for a plurality of different models and sizes of sports shoes a good ratio is created between the build up of pressure on the shoe collar and the build up of pressure on the inner shoe or its tongue. Continue reading... Full patent description for Sports shoe, in particular ski shoe and tightening means therefore Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Sports shoe, in particular ski shoe and tightening means therefore patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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