Sole/support assembly for a boot and a boot incorporating such sole/support assembly

Abstract

A sole and/or support 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, and a boot incorporating such sole/support assembly. 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 foot support assembly for boots adapted to any of a plurality of sporting activities, said assembly comprising: 
 an inner sole for supporting a foot of a wearer, said inner sole comprising a flexible material and having a bottom surface;    at least one customization element;    a fastening system enabling a removable fastening of said customization element onto said bottom surface of said inner sole.    
     
     
         2 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a boot liner, wherein said inner sole comprises a bottom portion of said liner.  
     
     
         3 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said inner sole is adapted to be used within an outer boot, and wherein said inner sole comprises a boot inner sole to be positioned within said outer boot.  
     
     
         4 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein said inner sole has an upper surface adapted to be exposed to an inner volume of the outer boot.  
     
     
         5 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said at least one customization element has a length less than a length of said inner sole.  
     
     
         6 . A sport boot according to  claim 1 , wherein at least said one customization element has a length substantially equal to a length of said inner sole.  
     
     
         7 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said fastening system comprises a first fastening component carried by said customization element and a second fastening component carried by a reinforcement, said second fastening component being inserted between said customization element and said inner sole.  
     
     
         8 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said fastening system comprises a first fastening component carried by said customization element and a second fastening component carried by said bottom surface of said inner sole, said first fastening component being complementary of said second fastening component.  
     
     
         9 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein said fastening system is a hook-and-loop fastening system, one of said fastening components comprising a hook portion and a second of said fastening components comprising a loop portion.  
     
     
         10 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 9 , said loop portion of said hook-and-loop fastening system is carried by said bottom surface of said inner sole.  
     
     
         11 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein said second fastening component carried by said inner sole is complementary with a fastening component carried by a reinforcement, said fastening component carried by said reinforcement being inserted between said customization element and said inner sole.  
     
     
         12 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said inner sole includes a housing, and wherein said customization element is positioned within said housing.  
     
     
         13 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one customization element comprises at least two support elements affixed to one another.  
     
     
         14 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said two support elements have different thicknesses.  
     
     
         15 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said two support elements have different rigidities.  
     
     
         16 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said two support elements is housed in a recess associated with said support.  
     
     
         17 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said two support elements is housed in a through recess associated with said customization element.  
     
     
         18 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said two support elements has a shock-absorbing function.  
     
     
         19 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said customization element further comprises a support element having a shock-absorbing function in a heel area.  
     
     
         20 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said customization element comprises a support element having a shock-absorbing function in a metatarsophalangeal joint area.  
     
     
         21 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said customization element comprises a support element comprising a rigid material, said support element comprising a portion encompassing a toe zone, a portion encompassing a heel zone, and a portion connecting said toe zone and said zone by a lateral external zone of said inner sole.  
     
     
         22 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 17 , 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.  
     
     
         23 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least said one customization element has a shock-absorbing characteristic.  
     
     
         24 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one customization element comprises a plurality of interchangeable customization elements, wherein respective ones of said plurality of interchangeable customization elements have different geometries for adaptation to distinct sporting activities.  
     
     
         25 . A foot support assembly according to  claim 24 , wherein said respective ones of said plurality of interchangeable customization elements have distinct features, said distinct features varying in terms of shock-absorption and/or rigidity.  
     
     
         26 . A sport boot comprising: 
 an upper and an external sole;    an inner sole for supporting a foot of a wearer, said inner sole being positioned within said upper and above said external sole, said inner sole comprising a flexible material and having a bottom surface;    at least one customization element;    a fastening system enabling a removable fastening of said customization element onto said bottom surface of said inner sole.    
     
     
         27 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , further comprising a boot liner, wherein said inner sole comprises a bottom portion of said boot liner.  
     
     
         28 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , wherein said inner sole has an upper surface exposed to an inner volume of the boot.  
     
     
         29 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , wherein each of said at least one customization element has a length less than a length of said inner sole.  
     
     
         30 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , wherein said customization element has a length substantially equal to a length of said inner sole.  
     
     
         31 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , wherein said fastening system comprises a first fastening component carried by said customization element and a second fastening component carried by a reinforcement, said second fastening component being inserted between said customization element and said inner sole.  
     
     
         32 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , wherein said fastening system comprises a first fastening component carried by said customization element and a second fastening component carried by said bottom surface of said inner sole, said first fastening component being complementary of said second fastening component.  
     
     
         33 . A sport boot according to  claim 32 , wherein said fastening system is a hook-and-loop fastening system, one of said fastening components comprising a hook portion and a second of said fastening components comprising a loop portion.  
     
     
         34 . A sport boot according to  claim 33 , wherein said loop portion of said hook-and-loop fastening system is carried by said bottom surface of said inner sole.  
     
     
         35 . A sport boot according to  claim 32 , wherein said second fastening component carried by said inner sole is complementary with a fastening component carried by a reinforcement, said fastening component carried by said reinforcement being inserted between said customization element and said inner sole.  
     
     
         36 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , wherein said inner sole includes a housing, and wherein said customization element is positioned within said housing.  
     
     
         37 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , wherein said at least one customization element comprises at least two support elements affixed to one another.  
     
     
         38 . A sport boot according to  claim 35 , wherein said two support elements have different thicknesses.  
     
     
         39 . A sport boot according to  claim 37 , wherein said two support elements have different rigidities.  
     
     
         40 . A sport boot according to  claim 37 , wherein at least one of said two support elements is housed in a recess associated with said support.  
     
     
         41 . A sport boot according to  claim 37 , wherein at least one of said two support elements is housed in a through recess associated with said customization element.  
     
     
         42 . A sport boot according to  claim 37 , wherein at least one of said two support elements has a shock-absorbing function.  
     
     
         43 . A sport boot according to  claim 42 , wherein said customization element further comprises a support element having a shock-absorbing function in a heel area.  
     
     
         44 . A sport boot according to  claim 42 , wherein said customization element comprises a support element having a shock-absorbing function in a metatarsophalangeal joint area.  
     
     
         45 . A sport boot according to  claim 37 , wherein said customization element comprises a support element comprising a rigid material, said support element comprising a portion encompassing a toe zone, a portion encompassing a heel zone, and a portion connecting said toe zone and said zone by a lateral external zone of said inner sole.  
     
     
         46 . A sport boot according to  claim 41 , 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.  
     
     
         47 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , wherein at least said one customization element has a shock-absorbing characteristic.  
     
     
         48 . A sport boot according to  claim 26 , wherein said at least one customization element comprises a plurality of interchangeable customization elements, wherein respective ones of said plurality of interchangeable customization elements have different geometries for adaptation to distinct sporting activities.  
     
     
         49 . A sport boot according to  claim 48 , wherein said respective ones of said plurality of interchangeable customization elements have distinct features, said distinct features varying in terms of shock-absorption and/or rigidity.