Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPORT BOOT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a sport boot and moxe
particularly to a
sport boot having a removable liner that includes a midsole attached thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the sport of snowboarding it is desirable to have boots that provide
both
support and mobility. When riding a snowboard it is important that the rider
has sufficient
resistance against undesirable ankle rotation about both longitudinal and
latitudinal axes to
minimize potential injury to the anl~le joint. The most common and most sever
ankle
injuries are typically caused by inversion, i.e., the internal rotation of the
ankle joint, and
eversion, i.e., the external rotation of the ankle joint. For snowboarding,
regulation of
dorsiflexion, i.e., the toe-down motion of the foot at the ankle, and plantar
flexion, i.e., the
toe-up motion of the foot at the ankle, is important since it provides a rider
with more
power to steer and guide the snowboard. However, the boot cannot be too rigid
where it
hinders the rider's ability to naturally flex the anl~le joint and to maintain
necessary balance
and control.
[0003] When riding a snowboard it is also desirable that the rider has
sufficient
resistance to impact forces applied to the bottom of the foot and unnecessary
foot
movement above the snowboard. Positioning the cushioning materials and foot
support
apparatus in close proximity to the foot will improve comfort and bottom foot
support,
providing greater boot performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In accordance with the present invention, a sport boot is provided that
is
suitable for, but not limited to, use as a snowboard boot. The sport boot
includes an outer
shell and an inner liner received within the outer shell. The outer shell
includes an outsole
and a protective upper affixed to the outsole. The inner liner includes a
cushioning rnidsole
and a flexible upper affixed to the midsole. Unlike conventional sport boots
that fix the
midsole between an insole board and a shank in the outer shell, the sport boot
of the
present invention incorporates the midsole into the inner liner directly under
the rider's
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foot to provide a level and more stable platform. With the midsole built into
the inner
liner, there is an improved relationship between the horizontal plane the
rider's foot lies in
and the horizontal plane of the midsole. When positioned in this manner, the
rider's foot
and the midsole more effectively remain in two parallel planes.
[0005] Positioning the midsole in the inner liner also allows a shocle
absorbing
component and a support shame to be brought closer to the rider's foot to
maximize the
resistance to impact forces and improve foot support.
[0006] In an embodiment of the present invention, the inner liner includes at
least one
stabilizer having a base and at least one finger-like stabilizing element that
extends along
the flexible upper. The stabilizer regulates eversion and inversion of the
ankle, and resists
flexion substantially perpendicular to the ankle axis, i.e., the axis
extending from the
medial to the lateral side of the foot. A tongue stiffener may also be
included in the inner
liner to regulate flexion about the ankle axis, i.e., in the direction of the
plantar and
dorsiflexion plane.
[0007] Various additional aspects of this invention will become apparent to
those
skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments,
when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a break-away perspective view of a sport boot according to an
embodiment of the present invention, showing an outer shell and an inner liner
received
within the shell.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the sport boot of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the sport boot of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a sport boot according to another
embodiment
of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the sport boot of FIG. 4.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a sport boot according to another
embodiment
of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of the sport boot of FIG. 6.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of an inner liner according to an
embodiment of
the present invention.
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[0016] FIG. 9 is a front view of a tongue and tongue stiffener that is
attached to the
inner liner shown in FIG. 8.
[0017] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a midsole according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the
inner liner.
[0019] FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of another alternate embodiment of the
inner
liner.
[0020] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a stabilizer taken along lines 13-
13 in FIG.
8.
[0021] FIG. 14 is a partially hidden view showing an inner net within an inner
liner of
the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] Referring now to the drawings, the preferred embodiments of the present
invention will be described in detail. FIG. 1 illustrates a sport boot 20 that
is suitable for,
but not limited to, use as a snowboard boot. Accordingly, because sport boot
20 may be
worn for snowboarding purposes, a person wearing sport boot 20 shall be
referred to herein
as a rider. The term "binding" as used herein shall refer to a conventional
snowboard
binding that is used to attach a rider's sport boot to a snowboard.
[0023] Sport boot 20 includes an outer shell 22 and an inner liner 24
removably
received within outer shell 22. Outer shell 22 generally includes an outsole
26 and a
protective upper 28 affixed to outsole 26. Outsole 26 is fastened to
protective upper 28 in
any suitable manner, such as with an adhesive, stitching and the like. Outsole
26 functions
to protect inner liner 24 from the under-foot environment and as a means of
providing
traction. Superior traction is achieved through the use of an aggressive multi-
height tread
pattern formed from a polymeric material, such as rubber or a thermoplastic
urethane
(TPU). Although various tread patterns may be employed, the tread pattern on
outsole 26
preferably provides improved tactile control and a low profile for weight
reduction.
[0024] Protective upper 28 is made from natural and/or synthetic materials,
such as
water-resistant fabrics or textiles, leather, suede, composites, polymers or a
combination of
some or all of these materials. More specifically, protective upper 28
includes a water-
resistant skin 30 disposed around the mudguard portion of outer shell 22 just
above outsole
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26. Skin 30 is secured to outsole 26 and repels moisture to keep the inside of
outer shell 22
dry when the mudguard portion of outer shell 22 drops below the snowline.
Additionally,
a wear guard 32 made of one or more layers of an abrasion-resistant material,
such as a
TPU, may be provided over a toe box area 34 (FIG. 2) of outer shell 22 to
reduce wear
caused by the snowboard bindings. Wear guard 32 may be disposed adjacent skin
30,
under skin 30, or partially under skin 30 with portions of wear guard 32
protruding through
skin 30 (FIG. 4) or exposed adjacent skin 30 over toe box 34 (FIG. 2).
[0025] Protective upper 28 also includes a water-resistant jacket 36 that
extends
upwardly from skin 30 across the lateral and rear portions of outer shell 22.
Jacket 36 is a
relatively thin, Iight membrane that is constructed from a durable and
preferably abrasion
resistant material to protect inner liner 24 from external contaminants and
wear. Protective
upper 28 may also include a throat covering 38 having a zipper closure 39.
Throat
covering 38 provides a water-resistant cover over inner liner 24 and the
zipper closure 39
allows a rider to quickly open and close outer shell 22 without compromising
the water-
resistant properties of jacket 36 and throat covering 38.
[0026] Alternatively, protective upper 28 may include a more conventional
lacing
system for tightening outer shell 22 around inner liner 24. As shown in the
embodiment of
the present invention illustrated in FIG. 4, a sport boot 220 is provided that
includes a
lacing system 239. Lacing system 239 includes a double row of lace guides 241
that
extend from toe box 234 upward toward the collar of jacket 236. A lower set of
lace
guides 243 include a hole through which a lace 245 is directed. In contrast,
an upper set of
lace guides 247 function as a lace hook and merely redirect lace 245 as it is
strung between
the rows. Lace guides 243, 247 are preferably made from a rigid material, such
as plastic
or metal; however, they may be made from flexible webbing such as nylon. Lace
guides
243, 247 are attached to upper 228 in any suitable manner, such as by an
adhesive,
stitching and the like. A flexible outer tongue 249 extends from toe box 234
upward
toward the collar of jacket 236 to protect a rider's foot from the pressure of
lace 245. It
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other tightening means
may be employed
to close outer shell 22, including, but not limited to, straps, buckles and
the like.
[0027] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, outer shell 22 is also provided with
a rear
support spine 44 to deflect pressure and reduce wear caused by the snowboard
binding.
Support spine 44 includes an external wear guard 46 and an internal semi-rigid
support
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member (not shown) that are disposed over and affixed to jacket 36. External
wear guard
46 is made of a durable, abrasion resistant material, such as leather, and is
preferably
embossed to further enhance the abrasion resistance of the material. The
internal support
member is made of a formable material, such as thermoplastic elastomers (TPE);
however,
any suitable material that supports the spine of boot 20 and deflects pressure
away from the
rider's ankle will suffice.
[0028] An alternate embodiment of support spine 44 is shown attached to sport
boot
220 illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this embodiment, sport boot 220 includes
an internal
support member (not shown) and an external wear guard 244, which form a
support spine
244 that extends upwardly from outsole 226 to the collar of upper 228.
External wear
guard 246 is made of a durable, abrasion resistant material, such as leather,
and preferably
includes a plurality of longitudinally embossed ribs 247 that enhance the
abrasion
resistance of wear guard 246. The internal support member is made of a
formable material,
such as a TPU; however, any suitable material that supports the spine of boot
220 and
deflects pressure away from the rider's ankle will suffice.
[0029] Another alternate embodiment of support spine 44 is shown in the
embodiment
of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this embodiment, a
sport boot 320
is provided that includes a support spine 344. Support spine 344 is a semi-
rigid, curved
plate 344 that is affixed over a jacket 336, such as by adhering or stitching
support spine
334 to jaclcet 336. Support spine 344 is formed of a strong, durable material,
such as TPU,
that is both abrasion resistant and capable of deflecting pressure applied to
the rear of boot
320. The outer rearward facing surface of support spine 344 may include a
plurality of
ridges 335 formed therein to further enhance the abrasion resistance of
support spine 344.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, inner liner 24 generally includes a
cushioning
midsole 48 and a flexible upper 50 affixed to midsole 48. Liner 24 is adapted
to surround
the foot and the lower part of a rider's leg and performs various functions,
including, but
not limited to, absorbing shock and thermally insulating the rider's foot.
[0031] Midsole 48 functions as the uppermost layer of the bottom of sport boot
20 with
the purpose of providing stability and cushioning for a rider's foot. Unlike
conventional
sport boots that fix the midsole between an insole board and a shank in the
outer shell, the
present invention incorporates midsole 48 onto inner liner 24. Incorporating
midsole 48
into inner liner 24 positions midsole 48 directly under a rider's foot to
provide a level and
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more stable platform for the foot. With midsole 48 built into inner liner 24,
there is an
improved relationship between the horizontal plane a rider's foot lies in and
the horizontal
plane of midsole 48. When attached in this manner, a rider's foot and midsole
48 more
effectively remain in parallel planes, which improves the overall comfort and
performance
of sport boot 20.
[0032] Midsole 48 is made of a flexible cushioning material, such as Ethylene
Vinyl
Acetate (EVA), and extends upward to form an overlapping area that is affixed
to upper 50
with a suitable adhesive and/or stitching. The thickness and cushioning
properties of
midsole 48 far surpass that of the thin, non-cushioning soles found in the
removable liners
of conventional sport boots. The bottom surface of midsole 48 preferably
includes at least
one traction surface 52, which is made from high friction rubber or TPE.
Traction surface
52 is placed in position under the forefoot and heel areas of the midsole 48
to inhibit
movement of inner liner 24 within outer shell 22 by using a rider's body
weight to increase
friction therebetween. Traction surface 52 can take virtually any shape,
including, but not
limited to, the wing shaped traction pod 52 illustrated in FIG. I and the
thin, longitudinally
extending traction strips 252 illustrated in FIG. 10.
[0033] Midsole 48 also includes a support shank 54, which is designed to
maintain
curvature underfoot. Unlike traditional sport boots that place the shank on
the outsole, the
shank in the present invention is relocated to midsole 48, closer to a rider's
foot. When
attached to midsole 48, shank 54 is not distorted by the external environment
or the relative
position of the outsole. Support shank 54 matches the natural curve of a
rider's foot to
improve foot support and reduce foot fatigue.
[0034] Referring to FIG. I0, an alternate embodiment of midsole 48 is shown.
In this
embodiment, a midsole 248 is provided that includes at least one shock
absorbing
component 255, which may be positioned in either the heel or forefoot areas of
midsole
248, or both. An exemplary shock absorbing component is disclosed in U.S.
patent
number 6,029,962, which describes a shock absorbing component having at least
one pair
of inwardly directed hemispherical domes that cooperatively engage one another
to absorb
shock and provide cushioning when the component is compressed. The close
proximity of
midsole 248 and shock absorbing component 255 to the rider's foot provides
improved
shock attenuation. Positioning shock absorbing component closer 255 to the
rider's foot
also reduces rebound and provides greater impact absorption.
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[0035] Referring again to FIG. 8, upper 50 includes an outer layer 56 made
from
fabrics or textiles, leather, suede, polymers, composites or a combination of
some or all of
these materials. Outer Layer 56 is preferably backed by an inner cushioning
and thermal
layer (not shown) to provide comfort and insulation to a rider's foot during
use. Outer
layer 56 defines a liner throat line 58 adjacent to which a tongue 60 is
disposed. Tongue
60 extends upwardly, from a toe box area 62 of inner liner 24 to a single
opening 64 within
which a rider's foot is inserted.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 9, inner Liner 24 also includes a tongue stiffener 66
that is
secured to the outwardly facing side of tongue 60. Tongue stiffener 66 is made
from a
relatively stiff, yet bendable material, such as a thermoplastic or a TPU.
Tongue stiffener
66 is a generally elongated member that extends from the upper portion of
tongue 60
toward toe box 62. Tongue stiffener 66 is slightly tapered about its
midsection to facilitate
bending of tongue 60. However, tongue stiffener 66 is provided with a
plurality of
longitudinally extending ribs 68 that project outward from tongue stiffener 66
to increase
its rigidity. Tongue stiffener 66 regulates plantar flexion, maintains
flexural durability of
sport boot 20 and deflects binding strap pressure away from the top of a
rider's foot during
use. Tongue stiffener 66 is preferably edge sewn to tongue 60a however, any
suitable
adhesive ox glue could be used to adhere tongue stiffener 66 to tongue 60.
[0037] As shown in the alternate embodiments of inner liner 24, which are
illustrated
in FIGS. 11 and 12, tongue stiffeners 266 and 366 may optionally include a
post 269 and
369, respectively, which extend outwardly therefrom. In boots that include an
outer shell
with a flexible outer tongue, such as boot 220 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, post
269, 369
extends through a hole in outer tongue 249 to inhibit lateral movement of
outer tongue 249
relative to the inner tongue located on the inner liner during use.
[0038] Referring again to FIG. 8, a means for tightening inner liner 24 on a
rider's foot
is arranged on the surface of outer layer 56 adjacent tongue 60. In a
preferred embodiment,
the tightening means is a lacing system having a plurality of spaced apart
lace loops 70 that
extend along throat line 58 of outer layer 56. Lace loops 70 are formed from
the terminal
end of a corresponding lacing strap 72 that extends across a portion of outer
layer 56 or are
fixed directly to outer layer 56 proximate throat line 58. Lacing straps 72,
which are made
from fabrics, textiles, leather, suede, polymers or composites, provide
enhanced foot
support and increase heel hold of a rider's foot within inner liner 24. Lacing
straps 72 may
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function as a single structure as shown in FIG. 8, or may extend from a panel
that includes
multiple lacing straps as shown in FIGS. I I and I2. The lacing system in
general provides
good closure of inner liner 24 around a rider's foot, exacting fit, and
increasing heel hold.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other tightening means
may be
employed to close inner liner 24, including, but not limited to, straps,
buckles, zippers and
the like.
[0039] Lacing straps 72 cooperate with other panels that overlay outer layer
56 to form
an exoskeleton for inner liner 24. Referring particularly to FIG. 8, the
exoskeleton
includes at least one flex stabilizer 74 that is located on the lateral and
one medial portions
of upper 50 over outer layer 56. Flex stabilizer 74 and the other panels that
overlay outer
layer 56 regulate movement and flexibility of inner liner 24 and provide
support for a
rider's foot. It will be appreciated that the shape and position of the panels
overlaying
outer layer 56 are not limited to those shown in FIGS. 8, 11 and 12, and may
include other
shapes and sizes that regulate flex and support inner liner 24 as needed.
[0040] Stabilizer 74 is made from a stiff, yet bendable material, such as
composites,
thermoplastics and TPE's, and includes a base 76 and at least one finger-like
stabilizing
element 78 that extends from base 76 along upper 50. In the embodiment shown
in FIG. 8,
stabilizer 74 begins at the bottom of upper 50 with a tapered edge (not shown)
that is
located along the net line of the sole of a rider's foot, and extends forward
toward toe box
62 and backward toward the heel area of inner liner 24. Base 76, which is the
thickest
portion of stabilizer 74, is designed to stiffen the area around the sides of
a rider's foot and
the area proximate the rider's ankle. Finger-like stabilizing elements 78 are
thinner in
dimension than base 76 and exhibit a cross-section that is ribbed, as shown in
FIG. 13,
having a center portion that is thicker than the edges. The finger-like
stabilizing elements
78 are positioned along upper 50 in such a manner as to resist inversion and
eversion of the
ankle, but are curved in such a manner as to regulate flexion in the plantar
and dorsiflexion
planes. Stabilizer 74 is affixed to upper 50 over outer layer 56 in any
suitable manner,
such as by an adhesive, stitching and the like.
[0041] An alternate embodiment of stabilizer 74 is shown FIG. 11. In this
embodiment, an inner liner 224 is provided that includes a stabilizer 274 that
is positioned
over outer Iayer 256 between the lower and upper lacing straps 272. Stabilizer
274
includes at least one finger-like stabilizing element 278 that extends
upwardly from a base
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276 along the sides of upper 250. Unlike stabilizer elements 78 described
above, stabilizer
elements 278 are relative flat and exhibit a substantially uniform cross
section. However,
as described above, finger-lilce stabilizing elements 278 are arranged along
upper 250 in
such a manner as to resist inversion and eversion of a rider's ankle. In
contrast to stabilizer
74, stabilizer 274 does not extend forward toward the toe box area 262 of
inner liner 224.
[0042] Another alternate embodiment of stabilizer 74 is shown FIG. 12. In this
embodiment, an inner liner 324 is provided that includes a stabilizer 374 that
is positioned
over outer layer 356 around the Achilles area of a rider's foot. Stabilizer
374 includes at
least one finger-like stabilizing element 378 that extends diagonally from a
base 376 of
stabilizer 374 along the sides of upper 356. Like stabilizer elements 278
described above,
stabilizer elements 378 are relative flat and exhibit a substantially uniform
cross section.
Additionally, as described above, finger-like stabilizing elements 378 are
arranged along
upper 356 in such a manner as to resist inversion and eversion of a rider's
ankle. However,
in contrast to stabilizer 74, stabilizer 374 includes an aperture 375 that
allows base 376 of
stabilizer 374 to bend, but also regulate flexion in the plantar and
dorsiflexion planes.
[0043] Referring to FIG. 14, another embodiment of the present invention is
shown. In
this embodiment, an inner liner 424 is provided that is substantially similar
to any one of
inner liners 24, 224 and 324. Inner liner 424 includes a flexible heel hold
member 481
having a heel portion 483 and an upper portion 485. Heel portion 483 includes
a left side
heel portion 487 and a right side heel portion (not shown) that is
substantially similar to the
left side heel portion. The left side heel portion 287 is connected to the
right side heel
portion along the rear portion of heel hold member 481. Upper portion 485
extends
upwardly from heel portion 483 along the rear portion of heel hold member 481
to an
attachment loop 488. Heel hold member 481 may be made of any flexible, yet
durable
materials, including, but not limited to, foam rubber, neoprene, fabric or a
combination of
some or all of these materials.
[0044] As illustrated in FIG. I4, the left and right side heel portions
include an ankle
hole 489 around which is positioned a half moon-shaped ankle pad 491. A bottom
portion
of the left and right side heel portions are attached to inner liner 424
proximate midsole
448. Heel hold member 481 also includes a reinforced edge 493 having attached
thereto at
least one lace loop 495 that receives a portion of the inner liner lace as it
is threaded
through the lace loops (not shown) of inner liner 424. As inner liner 424 is
secured onto
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the foot of a rider, the inner liner lace draws the rider's foot tightly into
heel hold member
48I. Once inner liner 424 is properly secured onto the rider's foot, heel hold
member 48I
inhibits movement of the rider's foot within inner liner 424 giving greater
control of the
boot and providing muscular-skeletal support.
[0045] Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have
been
described, the invention is not limited to the illustrations described and
shown herein,
which are deemed to be merely illustrative of the best modes of carrying out
the invention.
A person of ordinary skill in the art will realize that certain modifications
and variations
will come within the teachings of this invention and that such variations and
modifications
are within its spirit and the scope as defined by the claims.
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