Shoe for practicing sports involving gliding over the snow or for walking

Abstract

Boot ( 1 ) intended for the practice of sports involving gliding on snow or walking, characterized in that it includes an outer shell ( 2, 2′, 20, 26, 26′, 34, 42 ) made of a rigid material, the shell ( 2, 2′, 20, 26, 26′, 34, 42 ) including a rear cradle ( 22, 28, 28′, 39, 44 ) provided to hold the heel of the user, the rear cradle ( 22, 28, 28′, 39, 44 ) being extended forward by a blade-shaped portion ( 6 ) defining a bending zone, the rear cradle ( 22, 28, 28′, 39, 44 ) comprising a peripheral wall ( 5, 31 ) and a bottom, the bottom of the cradle and the blade-shaped portion partially defining the sole assembly of the boot, and characterized in that it includes an inner liner ( 20 ).

1 . Boot ( 1 ), particularly intended for the practice of sports involving gliding on snow or walking, characterized in that it includes an outer shell ( 2 ,  2 ′,  20 ,  26 ,  26 ′,  34 ,  42 ) made of a rigid material, the shell ( 2 ,  2 ′,  20 ,  26 ,  26 ′,  34 ,  42 ) including a rear cradle ( 22 ,  28 ,  28 ′,  39 ,  44 ) provided to hold the heel of the user, the rear cradle ( 22 ,  28 ,  28 ′,  39 ,  44 ) being extended forward by a blade-shaped portion ( 6 ) defining a bending zone, the rear cradle ( 22 ,  28 ,  28 ′,  39 ,  44 ) comprising a peripheral wall ( 5 ,  31 ) and a bottom, the bottom of the cradle and the blade-shaped portion partially defining the sole assembly of the boot, and characterized in that it includes an inner liner ( 20 ). 
     
     
         2 . Boot ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the shell ( 2 ,  2 ′,  20 ,  26 ,  26 ′,  34 ,  42 ) includes a front cradle ( 21 ,  27 ,  27 ′,  38 ,  45 ,  47 ), the blade-shaped portion connecting the rear cradle to the front cradle, the blade-shaped portion extending in the area of the metatarsus of a user. 
     
     
         3 . Boot ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the rear cradle and the blade-shaped portion are unitary elements. 
     
     
         4 . Boot ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the rear cradle and the blade-shaped portion are separate elements. 
     
     
         5 . Boot ( 1 ) according  claim 1 , characterized in that the thickness of the peripheral wall ( 5 ) of the rear cradle is less than 1.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . Boot ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it includes a front cradle, and in that the thickness of the peripheral wall of the front cradle is less than 1.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the thickness (ep) of the blade-shaped portion ( 6 ) in the bending zone (Z) is less than 4.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         8 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the thickness (ep) of the peripheral wall ( 5 ) tapers off between the bottom ( 6 ) and the upper opening ( 7 ). 
     
     
         9 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the minimum width of the bending zone (Z) is at least greater than 5.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         10 . Boot according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the minimum width of the bending zone (Z) is between 20 and 30 millimeters, and is preferably on the order of 25 millimeters. 
     
     
         11 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the shell is entirely made of composite materials, and in that the thickness (ep) of the peripheral wall ( 5 ) is between 0.5 and 1.2 millimeters. 
     
     
         12 . Boot according to  claim 11 , characterized in that it is made entirely of carbon fibers, and in that the thickness (ep) of the peripheral wall ( 5 ) is between 0.5 and 0.8 millimeters. 
     
     
         13 . Boot according to  claim 11 , characterized in that at least the peripheral wall ( 5 ) is made of glass fibers, and in that the thickness (ep) of said peripheral wall ( 5 ) is between 0.8 and 1.2 millimeters. 
     
     
         14 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the blade-shaped portion ( 6 ) is made of composite materials, and in that it includes unidirectional fibers of the composite material in the bending zone (Z). 
     
     
         15 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the bending zone (Z) defines a front cradle and a rear cradle, the materials of the front and rear cradles being different from one another, the blade-shaped portion ( 6 ) being made of carbon fibers. 
     
     
         16 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that lightening holes are provided in the rear cradle. 
     
     
         17 . Boot according to  claim 1 , taken together with  claim 16 , characterized in that at least the cradle is made of a plastic material, and in that the thickness (ep) of the cradle is less than or equal to 1.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         18 . Boot ( 1 ) according  claim 1 , characterized in that the bending zone (Z) defines a front cradle and a rear cradle, the shell comprising the front cradle and the rear cradle, the shell comprising a means for fixing the front and rear cradles in the area of overlap of the front and rear bottoms of the cradles. 
     
     
         19 . Boot ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the bottom of the rear cradle extends beneath the bottom of the front cradle, the fixing means being arranged beneath the front cradle. 
     
     
         20 . Boot ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the front bottom extends beneath the rear bottom, the fixing means being arranged beneath the rear cradle. 
     
     
         21 . Boot according to  claim 18 , characterized in that the fixing means ( 33 ,  33 ′) is removable. 
     
     
         22 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the shell is a unitary element. 
     
     
         23 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the shell comprises a stiffening blade ( 35 ) extending at least beneath the bending zone (Z), said stiffening blade ( 35 ) being adapted to assume an active position in which said stiffening blade ( 35 ) thickens the sole assembly in the bending zone (Z), and an inactive position in which the end ( 37 ) of the stiffening blade ( 35 ) is free. 
     
     
         24 . Boot according to  claim 23 , characterized in that the free end ( 37 ) of the stiffening blade ( 35 ) extends rearward of the bending zone (Z). 
     
     
         25 . Boot according to  claim 24 , characterized in that the free end ( 37 ) of the stiffening blade ( 35 ) is adapted to be retained in the active position by a removable retaining means ( 40 ). 
     
     
         26 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises protective upright panels ( 12 ) in the area of the malleoli. 
     
     
         27 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the bending zone (Z) defines a front cradle and a rear cradle, and in that the front cradle has a central upper recess ( 8 ). 
     
     
         28 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the shell comprises through holes adapted to receive fixing screws ( 11 ), and in that it comprises inner shoulders arranged around the through holes, adapted to house the heads of said fixing screws ( 11 ). 
     
     
         29 . Boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the bending zone (Z) defines a front cradle and a rear cradle in the shell ( 42 ), and in that the boot comprises two straight stays ( 43 ) connecting the walls of the rear cradle ( 44 ) to the walls of the front cradle ( 45 ), respectively. 
     
     
         30 . Ski boot according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the bending zone (Z) defines a front cradle and a rear cradle in the shell ( 42 ′), and in that the boot comprises a Y-shaped stay ( 46 ) connecting the walls of the rear cradle ( 44 ) to the front cradle ( 47 ).