Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CLAMP FOR SKI BOOTS AND SIMILAR
The present invention relates to a clamp for ski
boots and similar.
More specifically, the present invention relates to
a clamp for ski boots and similar having a rigid plastic
outer shell, to which the following description refers
purely by way of example.
As is known, ski boots with a rigid plastic outer
shell are equipped with a number of clamps by which to
clamp the boot in such a manner as to immobilize the
user s leg inside the boot.
At present, known clamps comprise: a supporting
plate fixed rigidly to a first end of the outer shell of
the boot; a lock lever hinged at one end to a pair of
brackets projecting from the supporting plate; and a lock
arm having a first end hinged to the central portion of
the lock lever, and a second end shaped to engage an
anchoring plate fixed rigidly to a second portion of the
outer shell of the boot.
The lever is hinged to the supporting plate so as to
rotate between a lock position, in which the body of the
lock lever is parallel to and facing the supporting
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plate, so that part of the arm is located astride the
brackets on the supporting plate, and the free end of the
lock arm is at a minimum distance from the supporting
plate; and a release position, in which the body of the
lock lever is rotated frontwards with respect to the
supporting plate, so that the whole lock arm is located
downstream from the brackets on the supporting plate, and
the free end of the lock arm is at a maximum distance
from the supporting plate.
1o Unfortunately, the structure of known clamps
seriously limits the amount of forward travel the free
end of the lock arm is permitted when the lock lever is
switched from the lock to the release position.
To increase travel of the lock arm, the distance
between the point at which the lock lever is hinged to
the supporting plate, and the point at which the lock arm
is hinged to the lock lever, would have to be increased,
thus resulting in an unacceptable increase in the force
required of the user on the lock lever to clamp the boot.
SLJMMA,RY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide
a clamp for ski boots and similar, designed to eliminate
the aforementioned drawbacks.
According to the present invention, there is
provided a clamp for ski boots and similar, comprising a
supporting plate fixed to the outer shell of the boot; a
lock lever hinged at a first end to said supporting
plate; and a lock arm fixed at a first end to said lock
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lever; said clamp being characterized in that the first
end of said lock arm is hinged to slide freely along a
central portion of the body of said lock lever.
A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention
will be described by way of example with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a schematic view, with parts removed
for clarity, of a clamp for ski boots and similar, in
accordance with the teachings of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a plan view, with parts in section
and parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 1 clamp;
Figure 3 shows a schematic view, with parts removed
for clarity, of the Figure 1 and 2 clamp in the release
position;
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 show detailed views of four
variations of a component part of the Figure 1-3 clamp
for ski boots and similar.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, number 1
indicates as a whole a clamp particularly suitable for
ski boots, mountaineering boots, roller-blade skate
boots, ice-skate boots, and numerous other types of
sports boots comprising an outer shell of rigid material
(e.g. plastic), so as to enable the user to clamp the
boot quickly and effectively to immobilize the leg inside
the boot.
Clamp 1 comprises a supporting plate 2 fixed rigidly
to a first portion of the outer shell (not shown) of the
boot; a lock lever 3 hinged at one end 3a to supporting
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plate 2; and a lock arm 4 having a first end 4a hinged so
as to slide freely along a central portion 3b of the body
of lock lever 3, as explained in detail later on, and a
second end 4b shaped to engage a known anchoring plate 5
fixed rigidly to a second portion (not shown) of the
outer shell of the boot.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2 in particular,
lock lever 3 is hinged to two flat parallel facing
brackets 2a projecting from supporting plate 2, so as to
l0 rotate freely about an axis A of rotation perpendicular
to the mid-plane M of the lever, and has a central
opening 6 extending from end 3a inwards of the body of
lock lever 3 and parallel to mid-plane M of the lever.
More specifically, end 3a of lock lever 3 is located
between the two flat brackets 2a on supporting plate 2,
and central opening 6 divides end 3a into two parallel
facing appendixes, each of which is hinged to a
respective bracket 2a by a cylindrical pin 7 extending
parallel to axis A through the body of bracket 2a and the
appendix.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, at central
portion 3b of its body, lock lever 3 comprises two
contoured transverse slots 8, each formed in a
corresponding appendix of end 3a of lock lever 3. The two
contoured slots 8 are obviously located on opposite sides
of mid-plane M of the lever, and extend along the same
axis parallel to axis A, so as to be aligned with each
other.
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With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, lock arm 4 is
divided into two longitudinal portions, to which
correspond the two ends 4a and 4b of lock arm 4.
The longitudinal portion comprising end 4a of the
5 arm - hereinafter indicated 9 - is shaped to engage and
slide along central opening 6 formed in the body of lock
lever 3 , and has on the end, i . a . at end 4a of the arm,
two cylindrical pins 10 extending on opposite sides of
the body of longitudinal portion 9, so as each to engage
l0 and slide along a respective contoured slot 8.
Both pins 10 extend coaxially with an axis B
parallel to the axis A of rotation of lock lever 3, so as
to slide freely, inside contoured slots 8, between a
first work position (Figures 1 and 2) in which pins 10
rest against the inner lateral surface portions of the
two contoured slots 8 closest to cylindrical pins 7, and
axis B is at a minimum distance from axis A; and a second
work position (Figure 3) in which pins 10 rest against
the inner lateral surface portions of the two contoured
slots 8 furthest from cylindrical pins 7, and axis B is
at a maximum distance from axis A. In addition, pins 10
are shaped to rotate freely about axis B inside the two
contoured slots 8, so as to allow lock arm 4 to rotate
freely with respect to lock lever 3.
In other words, end 4a of lock arm 4 is hinged to
slide freely along central portion 3b of the body of lock
lever 3, in which the two contoured slots 8 are formed.
With reference to Figures 1 and 3, the second
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longitudinal portion of lock arm 4 comprising end 4b of
the arm - hereinafter indicated 11 - is shaped to permit
fast engagement and troublefree release of anchoring
plate 5 by the free end, and is preferably, though not
necessarily, connected to longitudinal portion 9 by a
known mechanical articulated joint 12 enabling the two
portions to move with respect to each other.
Operation of clamp 1 as described and illustrated is
easily deducible from the foregoing description with no
further explanation required.
The advantages of clamp 1 are obvious: the fact that
lock arm 4 is mounted to slide along central portion 3b
of the body of lock lever 3 greatly increases the forward
travel of the free end 4b of lock arm 4 when lock lever 3
is switched from the lock position to the release
position, thus simultaneously reducing the effort
required of the user on lock lever 3 to clamp the boot .
In the example shown, as lock lever 3 is rotated into the
lock position, pins 10 connecting lock arm 4 to the lever
move along respective contoured slots 8 towards the axis
A of rotation of lock lever 3, so as to reduce the arm
(i.e. the distance between axes A and B) of the resisting
force transmitted by lock arm 4 to the lever.
Clearly, changes may be made to the clamp as
described and illustrated herein without, however,
departing from the scope of the present invention.
In particular, in the variations shown in Figures 4,
5, 6 and 7, contoured slots 8 of lock lever 3 are so
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shaped that pins 10 of lock arm 4 remain stationary as
they slide along the slots, and axis B does not lie in
the same plane through axis A at all times.
In particular, the path of axis B may be in the form
of a broken line (Figure 4), an arc (Figure 5), or a
straight line (Figures 6 and 7), but lying in a plane not
intersecting the axis A of rotation of lock lever 3.
Contoured slots 8 may also be shaped so that, when
axes A and B are a minimum distance apart, axis B is
1o closer than axis A to supporting plate 2, so as to
produce a torque by which to keep the lever in the lock
position.
