Sports shoe, in particular ski boot for exercising ski sports

Abstract

A sports shoe has a lower boot portion to receive the user's foot and an upper boot portion to receive the user's lower leg. In the process, at least one first sensor in a front foot portion of the sole assembly is connected with at least one second sensor in a heel portion of the sole assembly via a multipolar flexible flat cable having an adjustable length as needed, such that a distance between the at least one first and second sensors can be adjusted to various sole lengths during the manufacturing of the sports shoe. This can be specified correspondingly for at least one third or fourth sensor in the upper boot portion and the at least one first or second sensor on the sole assembly of the sports shoe, such that an adjustment to the upper boot portion with various model-dependent height dimensions is facilitated during manufacturing.

1 . A sports shoe ( 1 ), in particular a ski boot for exercising ski sports, with a lower boot portion ( 27 ) intended to receive the user's foot and an upper boot portion ( 28 ) intended to receive the lower leg of this user, the upper portion of the boot ( 28 ) being connected to the lower portion of the boot ( 27 ), a sensor assembly ( 29 ) comprising several distributed pressure-sensitive sensors ( 9   a d), which are connected or can be connected with electrical cables ( 17   a - d ) to an electronic signal processing device ( 16 )
 wherein at least two sensors ( 9   a ,  9   b ) of the sensor assembly ( 29 ) are specified in the sole assembly ( 30 ) of sports shoe ( 1 ), and   wherein at least one first sensor ( 9   a ) is positioned in a front foot portion ( 31 ) of the sole assembly ( 30 ) and at least one second sensor ( 9   b ) is positioned in a heel portion ( 32 ) of the sole assembly ( 30 ),   wherein   the at least one first sensor ( 9   a ) in a front foot portion ( 31 ) of the sole assembly ( 30 ) is connected with the at least one second sensor ( 9   b ) in the heel portion ( 32 ) of the sole assembly ( 30 ) via a multipolar flexible flat cable ( 34   a ),   wherein the multipolar flexible flat cable ( 34   a ) can be designed with an adjustable length as necessary, such that   a distance ( 35   a ) between the at least one first sensor ( 9   a ) and the at least one second sensor ( 9   b ) can be adjusted to various sole lengths ( 36 ) during the course of manufacturing of the sports shoe ( 1 ).   
     
     
         2 . The sports shoe ( 1 ), in particular a ski boot for exercising ski sports, with a lower boot portion ( 27 ) intended to receive the user's foot and an upper boot portion ( 28 ) intended to receive the lower leg of this user, the upper portion of the boot ( 28 ) being connected to the lower portion of the boot ( 27 ), a sensor assembly ( 29 ) comprising several distributed pressure-sensitive sensors ( 9   a d), which are connected or can be connected with electrical cables ( 17   a - d ) to an electronic signal processing device ( 16 )
 wherein at least one first or second sensor ( 9   a ,  9   b ) of the sensor assembly ( 29 ) are specified in the sole assembly ( 30 ) of sports shoe ( 1 ), and at least one third or fourth sensor ( 9   c ,  9   d ) of the sensor assembly ( 29 ) is specified in the upper boot portion ( 28 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ),   wherein   the at least one third or fourth sensor ( 9   c ,  9   d ) in the upper boot portion ( 28 ) is connected with the at least one first or second sensor ( 9   a ,  9   b ) in the sole assembly ( 30 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ) via a multipolar flexible flat cable ( 34   b, c ) wherein the multipolar flexible flat cable ( 34   b, c ) can have an adjustable length as necessary, such that   c) between the at least one third or fourth sensor ( 9   c ,  9   d ) in the upper boot portion ( 28 ) and the at least one first or second sensor ( 9   a ,  9   b ) in the sole assembly ( 30 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ) can be changed as necessary, in particular in the upper boot portion ( 28 ) with model-dependent various heights ( 37 ) during the manufacturing of the sports shoe ( 1 ).   
     
     
         3 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flexible flat cable ( 34   a, b, c ) comprises a first flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ′) in conjunction with the at least one second, third, or fourth sensor ( 9   b ,  9   c ,  9   d ) and a second flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ″) in conjunction with the at least one first or second sensor ( 9   a ,  9   b ), and wherein an overlapping width ( 39   a, b, c ) between the first flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ′) and the second flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ″) can be adjusted such as a correspondingly manifested flexible flat cable ( 34   a, b, c ) can be adjusted to various sole lengths ( 36 ) and/or to various height dimensions ( 37 ) of the upper boot portion ( 28 ) as needed. 
     
     
         4 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein an end portion ( 40 ′) of the first flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ′) and an end portion ( 40 ″) of the second flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ″) with an overlapping width ( 39   a, b, c ) that can be installed as needed are arranged above each other and thereby continue or develop at least one electric cable in their overlapping portion ( 41   a, b, c ) between at least two sensors ( 9   a - d ) of the sensor assembly ( 29 ). 
     
     
         5 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein there is at least one adhesive surface ( 42 ) with a self-adhesive substance in the overlapping portion ( 41   a, b, c ). 
     
     
         6 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the adhesive surface ( 42 ) is located on at least one adhesive flap ( 43 ) on the first and/or second flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ′,  38 ″), this at least one adhesive flap ( 43 ) is or can be folded relatively to the first and/or second flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ′,  38 ″). 
     
     
         7 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein in the end portion ( 40 ′) of the first flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ′) and in the end portion ( 40 ″) of the second flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ″), there are electric contact points ( 44 ′,  44 ″), which are positioned to overlap, such that at least one of the electric connections between the first flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ′) and the second flexible flat cable portion ( 38 ″) is created. 
     
     
         8 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flexible flat cable ( 34   a, b, c ) at least between several individual sensors ( 9   a - d ) of the sensor assembly ( 29 ) is structured as a single piece and has a Z-shaped fold, said Z-shaped fold creating an adjustable distance ( 35   a, b, c ) between at least individual sensors ( 9   a - d ) of the sensor assembly ( 29 ) to various sole lengths ( 36 ) and/or to different height dimensions of various models ( 37 ) of a sports shoe ( 1 ). 
     
     
         9 . The sports shoe in accordance with one  claim 1 , wherein the flexible flat cable ( 34   a, b, c ) comprises a carrier film ( 45 ) made of plastic, on which carrier film ( 45 ) electric conducting tracks ( 46 ) are printed and at least the first or second sensor ( 9   a, b ) is printed. 
     
     
         10 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flexible flat cable ( 34   c ) defines a third flexible flat cable portion that extends between the at least one first sensor ( 9   a ) and the at least one third sensor ( 9   c ), which third sensor ( 9   c ) is positioned in a tongue portion ( 47 ) of a tongue ( 10 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ) positioned close to the shin of a user. 
     
     
         11 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flexible flat cable ( 34   b ) defines a fourth flexible flat cable portion that extends between the at least one second sensor ( 9   b ) and the at least one fourth sensor ( 9   d ), which fourth sensor ( 9   d ) is positioned in a calf portion ( 48 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ) positioned nearest to the calf of a user. 
     
     
         12 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flexible flat cable ( 34   d ) defines a fifth flexible flat cable portion, which extends between the at least one fourth sensor ( 9   d ) and a connector interface ( 23 ) with several electrical contact points ( 49 ). 
     
     
         13 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors ( 9   a - d ) is permanently connected to the sports shoe ( 1 ), in particular is glued, and there is at least one adjustment portion ( 50 ) in the flexible flat cable ( 34   a - d ) for compensation for or absorption of changes in distance between at least two of the sensors ( 9   a - d ) during use and the resulting elastic deformation of the sports shoe ( 1 ) caused by load. 
     
     
         14 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the adjustment portion ( 50 ) is formed with a U-shaped, Z-shaped, S-shaped, arched, or meandering partial portion of the flexible flat cable ( 34   a - d ). 
     
     
         15 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the adjustment portion ( 50 ) of the flexible flat cable ( 34   a - d ) is at least partially located in a cavity or gap in the material of the sports shoe ( 1 ). 
     
     
         16 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein there is a comb- or lattice-like support element ( 53 ) in the adjustment portion ( 50 ) to define or support a zigzag or wave-shaped partial portion of the flexible flat cable ( 34   a - d ). 
     
     
         17 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein there is at least one distancing element ( 54 ) in at least one redirection portion of a U-shaped or S-shaped partial portion of the flexible flat cable ( 34   a - d ). 
     
     
         18 . The sports shoe in accordance with wherein the flexible flat cable ( 34   a - d ) is glued or sewed to the sports shoe ( 1 ) along its length within distanced attachment portions and wherein intervening partial portions are loosely attached to the sports shoe ( 1 ). 
     
     
         19 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flexible flat cable ( 34   a c) serially connects the at least one third sensor ( 9   c ) in the tongue portion ( 47 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ), the at least one sensor ( 9   a ) in the front foot portion ( 31 ) of the sole assembly ( 30 ), the at least one second sensor ( 9   b ) in the heel portion ( 32 ) of the sole assembly ( 30 ) and the at least one fourth sensor ( 9   d ) in the calf portion ( 48 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ) in a mechanical sense. 
     
     
         20 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the flexible flat cable ( 34   a - c ) runs from the at least one third sensor ( 9   c ) in the tongue portion ( 47 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ) past the instep portion ( 55 ) and ideally past the toe portion ( 56 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ) to the at least one first sensor ( 9   a ) in the front foot portion ( 31 ) of the sole assembly ( 30 ), on via the mid-sole areas of the sole assembly ( 30 ) to the at least one second sensor ( 9   b ) in the heel portion ( 32 ) of the sole assembly ( 30 ) and on via the heel ball portion ( 57 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ) to the at least one fourth sensor ( 9   d ) in the calf portion ( 48 ) of the sports shoe ( 1 ). 
     
     
         21 . The sports shoe in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flexible flat cables ( 34   a, b, c ) comprises a carrier film ( 45 ) made of a polyurethane elastomer or a silicone material and an electric conductor track ( 46 ) made of printing ink that contains silver or carbon particles on it, such that at least one of the flexible flat cables ( 34   a, b, c ) is made to elastically extend and contract with respect to its length.