Sole-support assembly for a boot

Abstract

A sole assembly for boots adapted to any of a plurality of sporting activities, which enables the user to customize his/her boot depending on the sport involved. A flexible sole is associated with a foot support with which a fastening arrangement, adapted to ensure a removable fastening of the support on the bottom surface of the sole, are associated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A support/sole assembly for boots adapted to any of a plurality of sporting activities, and particularly snowboard boots, in-line roller skate boots, alpine ski boots, walking and hiking boots, gliding boots, etc., said assembly comprising: 
 a boot liner;    a sole directly constituting a boot inner sole or an outer sole of said liner, said sole having an upper surface in direct or indirect contact with a foot of a wearer, and a bottom surface, said sole being made of a flexible material;    at least one support;    a fastening system ensuring a removable fastening of said support on said bottom surface of said sole, said fastening system including a fastening arrangement associated with said support.    
     
     
         2 . An assembly according to    claim 1   , wherein said sole includes, on a bottom surface, a fastening arrangement complementary of said fastening arrangement of said support.  
     
     
         3 . An assembly according to    claim 1   , wherein said sole includes a housing associated with said support.  
     
     
         4 . An assembly according to    claim 1   , wherein said support comprises at least two support elements affixed to one another.  
     
     
         5 . An assembly according to    claim 4   , wherein at least two support elements have different thicknesses.  
     
     
         6 . An assembly according to    claim 4   , wherein at least two of said support elements have different rigidities.  
     
     
         7 . An assembly according to    claim 4   , wherein at least one of said support elements is housed in a recess associated with said support.  
     
     
         8 . An assembly according to    claim 4   , wherein at least one said support element is housed in a through recess associated with said support.  
     
     
         9 . An assembly according to    claim 4   , wherein at least one of said support elements has a shock-absorbing function.  
     
     
         10 . An assembly according to    claim 9   , wherein said support comprises a support element having a shock-absorbing function in a heel area.  
     
     
         11 . An assembly according to    claim 9   , wherein said support comprises a support element having a shock-absorbing function in a metatarsophalangeal joint area.  
     
     
         12 . An assembly according to    claim 4   , wherein said support comprises a support element constituted of a rigid material, which comprises a portion encompassing a toe zone, a portion that encompasses a heel zone, and a portion that connects said zones by a lateral external zone of said sole.  
     
     
         13 . An assembly according to    claim 8   , wherein said support element is elongated and rigid, and is positioned between a heel and a metatarsophalangeal joint along an approximate longitudinal axis of a foot.  
     
     
         14 . An assembly according to    claim 2   , wherein said fastening system is of a self-gripping type.  
     
     
         15 . An assembly according to    claim 1   , wherein said fastening arrangement of said support is complementary with a fastening arrangement arranged on a reinforcement, said fastening arrangement being inserted between said support and said sole.  
     
     
         16 . An assembly according to    claim 2   , wherein said fastening arrangement of said sole is complementary with said fastening arrangement arranged on a reinforcement, said fastening arrangement being inserted between said support and said sole.