Sports shoe

Abstract

A sports shoe comprising a soft upper associated with a rigid shell and a rigid plate, externally associated with the shell and with the upper, and interacting with two fasteners.

1 . A sports shoe, characterized in that it comprises a soft upper associated with a rigid shell, at least one rigid plate which interacts with fasteners externally associated with said shell and said upper.  
     
     
         2 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said shell is open upward and partially wraps around the lateral regions of the foot, and has a pair of supporting wings.  
     
     
         3 . The shoe according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said pair of supporting wings protrude laterally to said shell approximately at the malleolar region, forming a front edge and a rear edge together with said shell.  
     
     
         4 . The shoe according to  claim 3 , characterized in that a first soft covering element which constitutes said upper is associated with said front edge.  
     
     
         5 . The shoe according to  claim 4 , characterized in that a first front plate, made of rigid material, is externally associated with said upper.  
     
     
         6 . The shoe according to  claim 5 , characterized in that said first plate is externally associated with said first covering element.  
     
     
         7 . The shoe according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said first plate is connected to said shell at a free end, by rivets provided at the front region of said shell.  
     
     
         8 . The shoe according to  claim 7 , wherein the first one of said two fastening levers, arranged at the upper part of said pair of supporting wings, is suitable to fasten a band, characterized in that at least one slot is formed in said band, said slot being suitable to guide the sliding of at least one pivot, which is associated with one of said supporting wings, during the opening and closure of said sports shoe.  
     
     
         9 . The shoe according to  claim 8 , characterized in that said pivot is provided with a head which protrudes beyond said slot and is larger than said slot, so as to keep said band associated with said pair of wings when the first fastening lever is open.  
     
     
         10 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the second lever of said two fastening levers is arranged at the instep, characterized in that said second fastening lever is arranged obliquely with respect to the plane of the sole, so as to allow said first front plate to adhere to the shape of the foot and lower leg of the user.  
     
     
         11 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein a rear quarter is rotatably connected to said shell, characterized in that a front rigid plate is externally associated with said shell and said upper.  
     
     
         12 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second soft covering element is associated with said rear edge of said shell.  
     
     
         13 . The shoe according to  claim 12 , characterized in that said quarter is arranged externally at said second rear covering element and is shaped complementarily to the rear part of the calf, a pair of wings protruding laterally from its lower end, said wings being suitable for rotary lateral connection to said shell, by means of pivots arranged along the same axis which lies transversely to the shell.  
     
     
         14 . The shoe according to  claim 13 , characterized in that said quarter is associated externally with said second covering element so that a backward rotation of said quarter is matched by a widening of said upper.  
     
     
         15 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a blocking device at the heel region of said shell, said blocking device being adapted to block the backward rotation of said quarter, said device being constituted by a block which is rotatably associated, at a first end, with a protrusion which protrudes to the rear of said shell.  
     
     
         16 . The shoe according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the second free end of said block interacts with the lower edge of said quarter so as to limit its backward movement, facilitating the forward flexing of the tibia with respect to the foot.  
     
     
         17 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second rear plate, made of rigid material, is externally associated with said upper.  
     
     
         18 . The shoe according to  claim 17 , characterized in that said second plate is associated externally with said second covering element advantageously by gluing and/or stitching and/or riveting.  
     
     
         19 . The shoe according to  claim 18 , characterized in that said second plate is connected to said shell at a free end, at the rear region of said shell.  
     
     
         20 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second lever of said two fastening levers, which is arranged downward, is coupled at its two ends laterally to said shell, proximate to the two regions located between the plantar arch and the heel, and is inclined by approximately 45° with respect to the plane of the sole.  
     
     
         21 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first and second covering elements are nonrigid, in that they can be deformed in order to allow to insert the foot in said upper.  
     
     
         22 . The sports shoe according to  claim 1 , comprising a rigid shell which is provided with an upward opening, characterized in that said soft upper is associated with said shell in an upward region, at the edges of said opening, said at least one rigid plate being externally associated with said upper, said plate being provided with means for adjustment and adaptation to the shape of the foot, the regions of said soft upper that are adjacent to said at least one rigid plate being fastenable and movable toward each other over said at least one rigid plate upon closing said fasteners.  
     
     
         23 . The shoe according to  claim 22 , characterized in that the regions of said upper that are adjacent to said at least one rigid plate assume an S-shaped configuration upon closure of said fasteners.  
     
     
         24 . The shoe according to  claim 22 , characterized in that a first front plate, made of rigid material, is externally associated with said upper.  
     
     
         25 . The shoe according to  claim 24 , characterized in that said upper forms, at the lateral edges of said first plate, a first pair of folds which are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of said first plate.  
     
     
         26 . The shoe according to  claim 25 , characterized in that as the closure of said fasteners increases, said upper slides on the upper surface of said first plate, increasing the extension of each fold of said first pair of folds and therefore increasing the tension of said upper.  
     
     
         27 . The shoe according to  claim 24 , characterized in that said means for adjustment and adaptation to the shape of the foot are constituted by at least one band or tubular element which is slidingly associated with said first plate so as to increase its dimensions at the regions of the foot where the wraparound action of said sports shoe is less pronounced.  
     
     
         28 . The shoe according to  claim 27 , characterized in that said band-like or tubular elements can slide along all or part of said first plate, said first plate having a connection to said upper which is such as to allow said sliding.  
     
     
         29 . The shoe according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said connection between said upper and said first plate is provided only in one or more connection points, said band-like or tubular elements being able to slide along said first plate between two consecutive connection points.  
     
     
         30 . The shoe according to  claim 22 , characterized in that said means for adjustment and adaptation to the shape of the foot are constituted by at least one element which is C-shaped and is elastically deformable so that it can be added or removed rapidly according to the requirements.  
     
     
         31 . The shoe according to claims  24  and  30 , characterized in that said C-shaped elements can slide along all or part of said first plate, said plate having a connection to said upper which is such as to allow said sliding or suitable guiding means.  
     
     
         32 . The shoe according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said connection between said upper and said first plate is provided only along a longitudinally arranged central band of said first plate which is suitable to form said guiding means.  
     
     
         33 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second rear plate, made of rigid material, is externally associated with said upper.  
     
     
         34 . The shoe according to  claim 33 , characterized in that said upper forms, at the lateral edges of said second plate, a second pair of folds which are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of said second plate.  
     
     
         35 . The shoe according to  claim 34 , characterized in that, as the closure of said one or more fastening levers increases, said upper slides over the upper surface of said second plate, increasing the extension of each fold of said second pair of folds and therefore increasing the tension of said upper.  
     
     
         36 . The shoe according to  claim 33 , characterized in that said means for adjustment and adaptation to the shape of the foot are constituted by at least one band or tubular element which is slidingly associated with said second plate so as to increase its dimensions at the regions of the foot where the wraparound action of said sports shoe is less pronounced.  
     
     
         37 . The shoe according to  claim 36 , characterized in that said band-like or tubular elements can slide along all or part of said second plate, said second plate having a connection to said upper which is such as to allow said sliding.  
     
     
         38 . The shoe according to  claim 37 , characterized in that said connection between said upper and said second plate is provided only in one or more connection points, said band-like or tubular elements being able to slide along said second plate between two consecutive connection points.  
     
     
         39 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said C-shaped elements can slide along all or part of said second plate, said plate having a connection to said upper which is such as to allow said sliding or suitable guiding means.  
     
     
         40 . The shoe according to  claim 39 , characterized in that said connection between said upper and said second plate is provided only along a longitudinally arranged central band of said second plate which is suitable to form said guiding means.  
     
     
         41 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one plate has a surface and/or edge which is contoured so as to shape, directly during manufacture, said at least one plate according to a chosen foot shape.  
     
     
         42 . The shoe according to  claim 41 , characterized in that said first front plate has a first narrower portion and a second narrower portion respectively at the ankle region and at the toe region, so as to adapt to the chosen foot shape.  
     
     
         43 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it provides for a detachable connection of said at least one plate to said upper and shell, thus allowing the user to choose each plate according to his foot shape.  
     
     
         44 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, having at the fear a quarter which is rotatably associated with said shell at one end, characterized in that said quarter is externally associated with said upper.  
     
     
         45 . A sports shoe, according to  claim 1 , comprising a rigid shell which is provided with an opening in an upward region, characterized in that said soft upper is associated with said shell in an upper region, at the edges of said opening, said at least one rigid plate being externally associated with said upper, said soft upper being able to be tensioned over said at least one rigid plate upon closing said fasteners.  
     
     
         46 . The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, provided in a rear region with a quarter which is rotatably associated with said shell at one end, characterized in that said quarter is externally associated with said upper.  
     
     
         47 . The shoe according to  claim 46 , characterized in that said upper forms a third pair of folds at said quarter.  
     
     
         48 . The shoe according to  claim 45 , characterized in that said soft upper is arranged uninterruptedly, starting from said edges of said shell, so as to cover said opening.  
     
     
         49 . The shoe according to  claim 48 , characterized in that said at least one rigid plate is associated with said soft upper in an upward region.  
     
     
         50 . The shoe according to  claim 49 , characterized in that at least upon closure of said one or more fastening levers said upper is folded at the longitudinal edges of said at least one rigid plate, forming a pair of mutually opposite flaps which affect at least partially the upper surface of said at least one plate.  
     
     
         51 . The shoe according to  claim 50 , characterized in that said flaps can slide toward each other during the closure of said fasteners levers, tensioning said soft upper.