Walking boot having a detachable upper reinforcement, and reinforcement for such a boot

Abstract

A walking boot with a high upper, of the type having a tongue made of two lower and upper portions corresponding to the instep and to the lower leg, respectively, of a user wearing the boot. The tongue includes a structure that fastens a tongue reinforcement that extends along at least a part of the two portions of the tongue to increase the rigidity thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A walking boot comprising: 
 a tongue comprising a lower portion corresponding to an instep of a wearer of the boot and an upper portion corresponding to a lower leg of the wearer of the boot, the tongue further comprising a detachable tongue reinforcement and a structure that fastens the detachable tongue reinforcement to extend along at least a part of the lower and upper portions of the tongue to increase a rigidity of the tongue.    
     
     
         2 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the tongue reinforcement is in the form of an angle, the angle comprising two arms extending along respective portions of the tongue.  
     
     
         3 . A boot according to  claim 2 , wherein the tongue reinforcement is fastened on the tongue in the area of free ends of each of the arms.  
     
     
         4 . A boot according to  claim 2 , wherein the tongue reinforcement comprises, in an area of a junction of the two arms, a preferred zone of bending about a transverse axis.  
     
     
         5 . A boot according to  claim 2 , wherein the tongue reinforcement comprises softened lateral wings on at least one of the two arms.  
     
     
         6 . A boot according to  claim 3 , wherein the structure to fasten the reinforcement on the tongue are constituted of two gussets into which the two free ends of the arms of the reinforcement are inserted.  
     
     
         7 . A boot according to  claim 6 , wherein the free ends of the arms of the reinforcement are each received at a bottom of a corresponding gusset of the tongue.  
     
     
         8 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening structure is arranged on an outer surface of the tongue.  
     
     
         9 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement extends up to an upper end of the tongue.  
     
     
         10 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the boot upper has a more flexible construction than the lower portion of the upper.  
     
     
         11 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper comprises, between a lower portion and an upper portion, a more flexible zone that promotes bending of the foot in an area of the ankle.  
     
     
         12 . A boot according to  claim 1 , wherein the boot comprises a rigid sole.  
     
     
         13 . A boot according to  claim 12 , wherein the sole of the boot is capable of receiving ice crampons.  
     
     
         14 . A detachable tongue reinforcement for a walking boot with a high upper, said reinforcement comprising: 
 two arms forming an angle, each of the two arms having free ends provided to cooperate with corresponding means for fastening the tongue of the boot.    
     
     
         15 . A tongue reinforcement according to  claim 14 , comprising, in an area of a junction of the two arms, a preferred zone of bending about a transverse axis.  
     
     
         16 . A tongue reinforcement according to  claim 14 , further comprising softened lateral wings on at least one of the two arms.  
     
     
         17 . A tongue reinforcement according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the two arms has a curved profile in cross-section.