Patent Application
20060037215
This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. ยง 119 from Korean Patent Application No. 2004-65399, filed on Aug. 19, 2004, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for tightening a top of a foot in a leisure sports boot fixing a heel to a sole, and more particularly to, an apparatus for tightening a top of a foot which can tighten a tightening band for fixing an upper portion of an ankle in a boot to make the foot and the boot adhered to each other in order to prevent edge control failure by foot movement in the boot in a snowboard controlling a speed and a direction by movement of gravity center and up/down right/left motions of feet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Snowboarding has gained great popularity every year and has been widely distributed as leisure sports. As popularity of snowboarding gests grown as sports, there are increasing demands on precise equipments for high level operations.
Referring to
That is, the boot 20 is put on the frame 32 with its heel adhered to the heel fixing means 34, and the plurality of bands 36 and 38 are expanded or contracted through a detachable hole 40, thereby connecting the boot 20 to the board 10.
To enjoy snowboarding, the user wears liners 50 for ankle protection before wearing the boots 20. After wearing the liners 50, the user tightens bands (not shown) of the liners 50 to make the liners 50 and the feet adhered to each other.
In a state where the user wears the liners 50 for protecting the upper portions of the ankles to efficiently enjoy snowboarding, the user prevents movement of the feet and the liners 50 by tightening the bands (not shown), wears the boots 20 over the liners 50, tightens tightening bands 60 to make the feet, the liners 50 and the boots 20 adhered to each other, and fixes the boots 20 on the board 10 by using the binders 30. As a result, the feet, the liners 50, the binders 30, the boots 20 and the board 10 are adhered to each other, so that the user can enjoy snowboarding.
However, when snowboarding on snow, the user takes various postures on the snowboard 10 to change a direction or increase a speed. Especially, in order to increase the speed with the least resistance, the user descends in a state where the snowboard is inclined at a predetermined angle to the front or rear portion. Here, loads are concentrated on the ankles or tiptoes.
When the user inclines one side edge of the snowboard 10 by inclining himself/herself to the rear portion for rear or heel side rotations, supporting means can be installed near calves to reduce muscular loads. Conversely, when the user inclines the other side edge of the snowboard 10 for front or tiptoe side rotations, as shown in
Especially, if the heels are not adhered to the bottoms of the boots 20, it is very disadvantageous in freestyle postures requiring strong force of the ankles and feet such as rapid rotations or high difficulty performance. That is, the user cannot show various and difficult techniques.
In addition, when the user mostly uses muscles of the ankles or calves, he/she may be injured. It would cause a big problem in dangerous situations.
The aforementioned problems are also generated in golf, mountain climbing, or inline skating.
In the case of golf, the player fixes both feet on the ground and moves only the waist and shoulders in swing. Therefore, if the feet move or are separated from the ground, the user cannot take a stable posture. Generally, when a beginner concentrates on the tiptoes in swing, the heels of the feet are separated from golf boots, so that he/she cannot take a stable posture.
In the case of mountain climbing boots, even if the user tightens tightening bands, heels are separated from the boots on a slope, and thus loads are applied to tops and ankles of the feet.
The present invention is achieved to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for tightening a top of a foot in a leisure sports boot fixing a heel to a sole which allows the user to take various postures, reduces loads on muscles of an ankle and a calf by making the foot and the boot adhered to each other even when the user is inclined to the front, and precisely transfers wanted techniques of the user to tiptoes.
In order to achieve the above-described object of the invention, an apparatus for tightening a top of a foot in a leisure sports boot having a sole forming the bottom of the boot; a boot upper rim forming the top end of the boot and having a U-shaped front surface; a boot upper being extended between the sole and the boot upper rim, and consisting of an outside upper forming an outer appearance and an inside upper adhered to a foot; a top of foot protection upper installed inside the U-shaped boot upper rim; and a tightening band tied between the boot upper rims in a zigzag shape outside the top of foot protection upper, the apparatus includes: a top of foot tightening means installed inside the top of foot protection upper, for compressing the top of the foot to the sole; a wire passing through the top of foot tightening means, and pulling the top of foot tightening means to the top of the foot so that the heel can be fixedly adhered to the sole; and a wire fixing device connected to both ends of the wire, for selectively pulling or releasing the wire.
A pair of sole holes are formed on the sole of the boot to pass through the right and left sides, bottom end holes and rear holes are formed in pairs on the bottom end and the rear portion of the inside upper of the boot, four holes are formed at one side top end of the inside upper of the boot, the wire fixing device is installed on the wire passing through the four holes, and the wire passing through the bottom end holes and the rear holes draws the top of foot tightening means inside the boot.
The wire fixing device includes a round inside plate, and a round outside plate performing a relative rotation to the inside plate. A plurality of rotary gears are installed inside the inside plate, when the outside plate is rotated in the clockwise direction, the wire is drawn into the inside plate and tightened, and, when the outside plate is outwardly pulled from the inside plate, rotation of the rotary gears is stopped and the wire is loosened.
Preferably, a tube is further installed outside the wire, for preventing a friction resistance of the wire.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for tightening a top of a foot in a leisure sports boot having a sole forming the bottom of the boot; a boot upper rim forming the top end of the boot and having a U-shaped front surface; a boot upper being extended between the sole and the boot upper rim, and consisting of an outside upper forming an outer appearance and an inside upper adhered to a foot; a top of foot protection upper installed inside the U-shaped boot upper rim; and a tightening band tied between the boot upper rims in a zigzag shape outside the top of foot protection upper, the apparatus includes: a pair of fixed band units having their one-side portions fixed to both side edges of the sole and their other-side portions provided with a ring unit; and a movable compression band unit formed with a predetermined length, installed so that the tightening band can pass through both ends, and outwardly drawn when the tightening band is pulled, one side of the middle portion of which passing through the ring unit, both ends of which outwardly sliding from the boot upper through the boot upper rim.
One-side portions of the fixed band units are fixed to the edges of the bottom end of the boot upper.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for tightening a top of a foot in a leisure sports boot having a sole forming the bottom of the boot; a boot upper rim forming the top end of the boot and having a U-shaped front surface; a boot upper being extended between the sole and the boot upper rim, and consisting of an outside upper forming an outer appearance and an inside upper adhered to a foot; a top of foot protection upper installed inside the U-shaped boot upper rim; and a tightening band tied between the boot upper rims in a zigzag shape outside the top of foot protection upper, the apparatus includes: a top of foot compression band being formed with a predetermined length, and having its one end fixed to one side edge of the sole and its other end outwardly slide from the boot upper through the boot upper rim; a connection ring unit having its one end fixed to the other side edge of the sole and its other end formed in a ring shape, so that the top of foot compression band can pass through the ring; and coupling members installed at the end and center of the top of foot compression band, respectively.
Preferably, the coupling members are a pair of male and female Velcro magic tapes.
One end of the top of foot compression band is fixed to the edge of the bottom end of one side boot upper.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for tightening a top of a foot in a boot consisting of a sole and an upper, the apparatus includes: a top of foot tightening band installed outside the upper, for compressing the top of the foot to the sole; a wire passing through the top of foot tightening band and pulling the top of foot tightening band to the top of the foot, so that the heel can be fixedly adhered to the sole; and a wire fixing device connected to both ends of the wire, for selectively pulling or releasing the wire.
Preferably, the top of foot tightening band is installed inside the upper.
In accordance with the present invention, the apparatus for tightening the top of the foot in the leisure sports boot fixing the heel to the sole improves edge control capability.
The above aspects and features of the present invention will be more apparent by describing certain embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
a and 2b are partially-cut side views illustrating variations of a fixing state of a heel in the conventional boot in edge control;
a and 7b are using state views illustrating variations of a fixing state of the boot and the heel in edge control in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;
An apparatus for tightening a top of a foot in a leisure sports boot fixing a heel to a sole in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The aforementioned drawings all illustrate a snowboard boot. The size and shape of the snowboard boot 100 are dependent upon a specific binding system. Here, a general boot will now be exemplified.
As illustrated in the drawings, the snowboard boot 100 is connected to a binder 104 and adhered to the surface of a snowboard 102 (partially shown). The boot 100 includes a sole 110 and a boot upper rim 120 at its upper and lower portions. A boot upper 130 is extended from the sole 110 to the boot upper rim 120. The boot upper 130 safely covers the foot and the circumference of the ankle of the user.
The boot upper 130 consists of an outside upper 132 made of a natural or synthetic leather for forming an outer appearance, and an inside upper 134 made of a soft fiber material, for contacting the foot. If necessary, a waterproof layer or cushion layer is additionally formed between the outside upper 132 and the inside upper 134.
The boot upper 130 tightly fixes the foot of the user by a tightening band 140. Here, a groove is formed at the front portion of the boot upper 130 by using the boot upper rim 120 as a boundary. Therefore, the boot upper rim 120 is U-shaped when seen from the front portion. A top of foot protection upper 150 for protecting the top of the foot when the tightening band 140 is tightened is installed in the groove.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, an inner packaging drawing unit 122 through which the tightening band 140 passes is incorporated with the boot 100 in the length direction of the boot 100 on the boot upper rim 120, and a plurality of inner packaging holes 124 are formed so that the tightening band 140 can be outwardly extended through the inner packaging drawing unit 122.
Still referring to FIGS. 4 to 9, a pair of outer packaging drawing units 126 are externally protruded from the boot upper rim 120 corresponding to the ankle of the user, and a plurality of outer packaging holes 128 are formed on the outer packaging drawing unit 126. The tightening band 140 passes through the inner packaging holes 124 and the outer packaging holes 128. The ankle of the user can be firmly fixed by tightening the tightening band 140.
The tightening band 140 is tied outside the top of foot protection upper 150 in a zigzag shape, and fixed by knots. In accordance with the present invention, as depicted in
The boa latching system 160 includes a round inside plate 162 adhered to the top of foot protection upper 150, and a round outside plate 164 performing a relative rotation to the inside plate 162. A plurality of rotary gears (not shown) are installed inside the inside plate 162. Accordingly, when the outside plate 164 is rotated in the clockwise direction, the tightening band 140 is pulled into the inside plate 162 to tightly fix the boot 100.
Conversely, when the outside plate 164 is outwardly pulled from the inside plate 162, prevention of the rotation and inverse rotation of the rotary gears (not shown) is released, to loosen the tightening band 140.
In accordance with the present invention, a top of foot tightening unit 200 for tightening the top of the foot inside the boot 100 is installed in addition to the top of foot protection upper 150 installed outside the boot 100.
The top of foot tightening unit 200 consists of a top of foot tightening means 210 positioned on the top of the foot, for compressing the top of the foot, a wire 220 connected to one side of the top of foot tightening means 210, for pulling the top of foot tightening means 210, and a wire fixing device 230 connected to both ends of the wire 220, for selectively fixing or unfixing the wire 220.
The top of foot tightening means 210 is formed in a predetermined size and shape to cover the top of the foot of the user. As illustrated in
A ring-shaped rivet 216 is installed outside the tightening hole 212 in order to firmly pull the top of foot tightening means 210 without transforming the tightening hole 212 by the wire 220. The top of foot tightening means 210 can be made of a natural leather or a synthetic vinyl such as polyurethane, but is preferably made of silicon to stably protect the top of the foot.
Still referring to
Accordingly, one side of the pair of wires 220 passing through the tightening holes 212 of the top of foot tightening means 210 passes through the bottom end holes 242, and the other side thereof passes through the rear holes 244, so that the top of foot tightening means 210 can be inclined at a predetermined angle to the sole 110 for stably protecting the top of the foot.
A variety of tightening devices can be used for the wires 220 passing through the top end holes 246c and 246d. Preferably, the wire fixing device 230 of the present invention is the boa latching system 160. The boa latching system 160 can easily tighten and loosen the wire 220.
Referring to
In addition, the wire fixing device 230 is installed at one side top end of the boot upper 130 because the binder 104 is installed at the bottom end of the side of the boot 100. That is, the binder 104 is installed at the side of the boot 100, so that the user can easily operate the wire fixing device 230.
The binder 104 can be formed in various structures and shapes according to the specific binding system. It is thus impossible to decide an installation space of the binder 104 at the side of the boot 100. Therefore, the position of the wire fixing device 230 can be changed. A plurality of magnetic wire fixing device mounting units can be installed at the side of the boot 100 in order to freely change the position of the wire fixing device 230 according to the various structures and shapes of the binder 104.
The operation of the apparatus for tightening the top of the foot in the leisure sports boot fixing the heel to the sole in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention will now be briefly described.
The user wears the boots by using the boa latching systems. First, the user wears liners 106 and firmly fixes the liners 106 to the feet by using the bands, or puts the liners 106 into the boots 100 and wears the boots 100 over the liners 106. After wearing the boots 100 over the liners 106, the user pulls the tightening bands 140 by rotating the outside plates 164 of the boa latching systems 160 in the clockwise direction.
The user fixes the top of foot tightening units 200 to the ankles by using the wire fixing devices 230. For this, the user rotates the wire fixing devices 230 in the clockwise direction, so that the wires 220 can be wound inside the wire fixing devices 230 and pulled to the wire fixing devices 230. When the wires 220 are pulled to the wire fixing devices 230, the wires 220 passing through the bottom end holes 242 and the rear holes 244 are tightly pulled, and the top of foot tightening means 210 compress the tops of the feet closely to the soles 110. Accordingly, even when the user edge-controls the snowboard 102 to the front portion, as shown in
In accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, a top of foot tightening unit 300 includes a fixed band unit 310 fixed to the sole 110, and a movable band unit 320 being supported on the fixed band unit 310 and outwardly sliding on the boot 100. One side of the fixed band unit 310 is fixed to the sole 110 or the inside of the inside upper 134, and the other side thereof is provided with a ring unit 312. Both ends of the movable band unit 320 are provided with an outer packaging drawing unit 126. The movable band unit 320 is formed with a predetermined length, for passing through the ring unit 312 of the fixed band unit 310. The outer packaging unit 126 is outwardly protruded from the boot 100 to slide. An outer packaging hole 128 is formed inside the outer packaging drawing unit 126, so that the tightening band 140 can pass through the outer packaging hole 128.
The operation of the apparatus for tightening the top of the foot in the leisure sports boot fixing the heel to the sole in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention will now be briefly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The user draws the tightening bands 140 by using the boa latching systems 160. After wearing the boots 100 over the liners 106, the user rotates the outside plates 164 in the clockwise direction, so that both tightening bands 140 can be wound inside the inside plates 162 of the boa latching systems 160 and drawn by the same tension.
When the tightening bands 140 are pulled toward the centers of the outer packaging drawing units 126 through the outer packaging holes 128 of the outer packaging drawing units 126, the movable band units 320 outwardly slide. When the movable band units 320 installed to pass through the ring units 312 outwardly slide, the ring units 312 of the fixed band units 310 are pulled to the soles 110, and thus the interval between the ring units 312 is reduced. Therefore, the movable band units 320 passing through the ring units 312 compress the ankles of the user, to firmly fix the heels to the soles 110.
In accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention, a special fixing device such as a boa latching system is not used. Here, a top of foot tightening unit 400 includes a top of foot compression band 410 fixed to the sole 110 or one side bottom end of the inside upper 134, and formed with a predetermined length, a connection ring unit 420 installed at the sole 110 or the other side bottom end of the inside upper 134, and formed in a ring shape so that the top of foot compression band 410 can pass through the ring, and a coupling member 430 for fixing the top of foot compression band 410.
The coupling member 430 includes Velcro magic tapes. A male Velcro magic tape 432 and a female Velcro magic tape 434 are installed at the end and center of the top of foot compression band 410, for fixing the top of foot compression band 410. The female and male of the Velcro magic tapes 432 and 434 can be changed. In this embodiment, the coupling member 430 consists of the Velcro magic tapes, which is not intended to be limiting. It is also possible to use slide fasteners or buttons which can detachably connect the top of foot compression band 410.
The apparatus for tightening the top of the foot in the leisure sports boot fixing the heel to the sole can be applied to mountain climbing boots, inline skating boots and golf boots as well as snowboard boots.
As described above, the technical ideas of the present invention are based on the structure of installing the top of foot tightening means for covering the ankle inside the boot and compressing the top of the foot to fix the heel to the sole in addition to the tightening band installed at the front portion of the boot for controlling the boot, and easily connecting or disconnecting the top of boot tightening means by selectively pulling or loosening the wire connected to the top of foot tightening means by the wire fixing device, so that the user can efficiently edge-control the snowboard by movement of gravity center and up/down right/left motions of feet. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the basic technical ideas of the present invention. For example, the apparatus for tightening the top of the foot can use the general tightening band instead of using the wire and the wire fixing device. That is, the apparatus for tightening the top of the foot includes a pair of fixed band units having their one-side portions fixed to both side edges of a sole of a boot and their other-side portions provided with a ring unit, and a movable compression band unit formed with a predetermined length, installed so that the tightening band can pass through both ends, and outwardly drawn when the tightening band is pulled, one side of the middle portion of which passing through the ring unit, both ends of which outwardly sliding from a boot upper through a boot upper rim.
As discussed earlier, in accordance with the present invention, the apparatus for tightening the top of the foot have the following advantages:
First, the user can stably perform edge control by pulling the tightening bands for fixing the ankles in the boots. Therefore, the user can freely perform high level techniques such as rapid rotations or difficult performances when snowboarding on snow.
Second, loads on muscles of the ankles or calves are reduced by fixing the heels to the soles. Accordingly, the user is hardly injured, and can properly cope with accidents.
Third, the force or sense of the user are precisely transferred to the tiptoes without loss. As a result, the user can confidently show techniques.
The foregoing embodiment and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. Also, the description of the embodiments of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims, and many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2004-0065399 | Aug 2004 | KR | national |
