SPORTS SHOE

Abstract

A sports shoe that has a shell provided with at least one reinforcing member in the form of a flexible hollow body.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sports shoe that has increased stability.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sport shoes that are used with equipment, such as inline skates rails, ice skate vats or snap pedals of bicycles, are subject to high requirements concerning their stability. Stability may be affected, for example, by the distance required for mounting the rail of inline skates in the shoe, due to the trend towards larger rollers, larger than conventional inline skate sport shoes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sports shoe with increased stability provided in a simple and cost-effective manner.

Accordingly the present invention provides a sports shoe that includes a shell, and at least one reinforcing member coupled to the shell, and the reinforcing member being a flexible hollow body.

The present invention also provides a sports shoe that includes a shell, an inner shoe disposed inside of the shell, and first and second means for reinforcing the shell and the inner shoe, the first and second means for reinforcing providing stability to the shell and inner shoe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The FIGURE shows a side elevational view of a sports shoe in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

According to the invention, it is thus provided to equip a shell 2 of a sports shoe 1 with at least one reinforcing member 4 preferably in the form of a flexible hollow body. The reinforcing member 4 provides the advantage of increased stability with only a minor increase in weight. Because the reinforcing member 4 is flexible, it may adapt to different shells or shapes of shoes, and is therefore suited for a large number of different shoe constructions. The reinforcing member 4 may be attached anywhere on the shoe, which requires strengthening or reinforcement.

The materials used for the reinforcing member 4 may e.g. be aluminum, aluminum alloys, magnesium or other metals or metal alloys. Further, carbon, fiber glass or fiber fabric as well as plastics compositions or other solid materials, which are flexible, are also suitable. A particularly simple embodiment of the flexible hollow body is a tube, which may be in the form of a drinking straw.

Additionally, a plurality of reinforcing members 4 and 5 may be arranged on the shell 2 and/or the inner shoe 3. The reinforcing member 4 and 5 may be attached in any conventional manner, such as by gluing, riveting, screwing or the like. Alternatively, the reinforcing members can be incorporated in or on the shell 2 or the inner shoe 3, e.g. by laminating of carbon, fiber glass or other fiber fabric. Also, the reinforcing members may be formed integrally with the shell material during preparation thereof. The reinforcing members 4 and 5 may also ventilate the shoe or function as a guide for fixing members, such as shoelaces or fastening belts.

As explained above, it is possible to provide the shell 2 and/or the inner shoe 3 with reinforcing members 4 and 5 in order to reinforce the shoe construction. In the shown embodiment, the reinforcing members are arranged at the inner side of the shell 2. As was also explained above, it is further possible to integrate the reinforcing members 4, which are formed as flexible hollow bodies, in the shell 2 and/or the inner shoe 3.

In a preferred embodiment shown in the FIGURE, a further reinforcing member 5 in the form of a flexible hollow body is provided, which extends along the upper rim 6 of the shell 5. The reinforcing member 5 may follow the shape or the curve of the upper rim 6 due to its flexibility.

Claims

1. A sports shoe, comprising of: a shell; andat least one reinforcing member coupled to said shell, and said reinforcing member being a flexible hollow body.

2. A sports shoe according to claim 1, wherein an inner shoe is disposed within the shell.

3. A sports shoe according to claim 2, further comprising a second reinforcing member disposed on said inner show that is in the form of a flexible hollow body.

4. A sports shoe according to claim 2, wherein said hollow body is integrated into said shell or the inner shoe.

5. A sports shoe according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body is attached at an inner surface of said shell, said inner surface facing an inner shoe.

6. A sports shoe according to claim 1, wherein a second reinforcing member in the form of a flexible hollow body is arranged at an upper rim of said shell.

7. A sports shoe according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body is a flexible tube.

8. A sports shoe according to claim 1, wherein said flexible hollow body extends along an upper rim of said shell.

9. A sports shoe, comprising of: a shell;an inner shoe disposed inside of said shell; andfirst and second means for reinforcing said shell and said inner shoe, said first and second means for reinforcing providing stability to said shell and inner shoe.