LEVER CLOSURE DEVICE

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns a lever closure device for footwear, in particular sports footwear, in particular for a ski boot.

BACKGROUND

In footwear, particularly in ski boots used here as an example, toothed rack-and-pinion fastening levers are very common for closing or bringing together two flaps. Other devices use wires that can be wound around a reel to tighten the boot parts, see for example WO2005072208 and recent developments in WO2024089603. The reel can be locked or made idle by pulling a circular knob, which, when turned, can pull the wire around the reel.

However, wire and reel devices have very complicated and expensive internal structures. Above all, they are bulky overall and protrude significantly from the boot, making them prone to impact during use.

SUMMARY

The main object of the invention is to eliminate or mitigate these drawbacks by creating a different device of the aforementioned type.

A closure device for footwear (e.g. for ski boots) is then proposed, comprising:

• • a support structure;
  • a reel rotatably pivoted on the structure to wind a flexible member by turning in a first direction;
  • a lever hinged on the structure in an oscillating manner about a fulcrum;
  • an arm that
    • has a first end hinged to the lever at a point distant from the fulcrum and
    • a free second end, opposite the first, capable of engaging the reel and making it rotate in the first direction,
    • and is able to transmit a traction force from the lever to the reel;
  • a retaining member movably mounted on the structure to move between
    • a first position in which it leaves the reel idle, and
    • a second position in which it engages the reel to prevent it from rotating in a direction opposite to the first.

With this configuration, the device can be built very narrow, almost flat, and with fairly simple components. The lever allows turning the reel with an intuitive and effortless movement.

In a simple embodiment, the retaining member is pivoted on the support structure so as to rotate and move between said first and second positions.

In an embodiment, the device comprises an elastic member for biasing the retaining member towards the second position, so as to automatically lock the reel.

In an embodiment, the lever is mounted rotatable about the fulcrum between at least two positions:

• • a first rest position, in which the second end of the arm does not engage the reel, and
  • a second traction position, in which the fulcrum is further from the reel than in the first position and the arm engages the reel to make it rotate in the first direction.

In a more preferred embodiment, the lever is mounted rotatable about the fulcrum between three positions: the two positions defined above and a third release position in which the fulcrum is closer to the reel than in the first position, the arm does not engage the reel, and the lever acts on the retaining member to move it towards the first position. Thus, the lever has a multiple function: winding the flexible member and unlocking the reel.

In an embodiment, the device comprises an elastic member to push the lever toward the first position. This elastic member may have a force application point on the arm or the lever. In an embodiment, this elastic member has one end fixed on the arm or the lever, and the other end fixed on the support structure. The function of the elastic member is to restore the lever after its actuation and always return it to its rest position. Another function is to help create contact between the perimeter of the reel and the second end of the arm (e.g. creating contact between a toothing of the reel and a toothing on the arm). If the lever has a third position, another function is to maintain, after the user's voluntary actuation, the rest position from which the user can move the lever to release the flexible member.

In an embodiment, which simplifies construction, the reel is pivoted on the support structure about a first axis, and the retaining member is pivoted on the support structure in a swinging manner about a second axis, and the first axis is parallel to and offset from the second axis.

In an embodiment, which simplifies the construction, the lever is pivoted on the support structure in an oscillating manner about a third axis, and the arm has its first end hinged to the lever about a fourth axis.

In a more preferred embodiment, which simplifies the construction, at least three, and even more preferably all, of the first, second, third and fourth axes are parallel and offset with respect to each other.

In an embodiment, the device comprises unlocking means operable by a user for pushing the retaining member toward (its) first position, in order to unlock the reel.

In an embodiment, said means comprise a member which is movably mounted on the support structure and comprises a first portion for moving the retaining member and a second portion located outside the support structure, and the two portions are arranged so that a manual displacement of the first portion results in a displacement of the second portion which moves the retaining member.

In an embodiment, said means are characterized in that the arm comprises a pusher member adapted to cooperate with a portion of the retaining member so that the pusher member pushes the second portion only when the lever is in the third position to move the retaining member from the second position to the first position. This exploits the already present members without adding other components to the device.

In an embodiment, which simplifies the construction, the pusher member is a protruding part of said first end, preferably eccentric with respect to the fourth axis.

In an embodiment, said portion is a protruding part of the retaining member, preferably eccentric with respect to the second axis.

In an embodiment, the second axis and the fourth axis are parallel, the protruding portion of the pusher member is a radial protrusion of the first end of the arm, and said portion is a radial protrusion of the retaining member facing the pusher member, and the radial protrusion of the arm can touch and push the radial protrusion of the retaining member only when the lever is moved from the first rest position to the third release position.

In an embodiment, the device comprises an elastic member

• • for generating a force adapted to make the reel rotate in the first direction and
  • for tensioning each time the reel rotates in the opposite direction.

This elastic member advantageously acts on the reel to create a pre-tensioning of the flexible member or its rapid winding, preventing for example the user from tripping if the flexible member is left dangling from the device.

In an embodiment, the device comprises a cover, placed against the support structure to enclose the components and the axes.

In an embodiment, which simplifies construction, the reel has an external circular toothing and the second end of the arm comprises at least one tooth for engaging the external circular teeth and rotating the reel.

In an embodiment, which simplifies construction, the reel has an external circular toothing and the retaining member comprises at least one tooth for engaging the external circular toothing and blocking the rotation of the reel.

Another aspect of the invention is a footwear item, particularly a sports footwear item, particularly a ski boot, comprising a closure device according to the invention. Specifically, the boot comprises a shell and a cuff, wherein at least one of the shell and the cuff is equipped with a first flap and a second flap; and the closure device is applied to the boot to bring the first flap closer and against the second flap by a wire pulled by the closure device. The closure device can be mounted, for example, on the cuff and/or on the shell.

In an embodiment, the flexible member is a wire, a lace, a webbing or a chain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages of the invention will be further clarified by preferred embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a closure device;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the device;

FIGS. 3-5 show three different operating configurations of the device in cross-sectional view according to the II-II plane;

FIG. 6 shows a ski boot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The closure device 10 comprises a support structure or casing 20, a reel 40, a lever 60, an arm 30 and a retaining member 80. The device 10 is preferably mounted on a ski boot 100 (FIG. 6), taken here as an example of sports footwear, and in any case it can be used on other types of footwear.

The structure 20 serves as a platform for the other components and is useful for applying the device 10 to an object.

The boot 100 comprises a known shell 12 and a known cuff 14 equipped with a first flap 18 and a second flap 16. The closure device 100 can be mounted, for example, on the cuff 14 and/or on the shell 12.

The reel 40 is rotatably pivoted on the structure 20 about an axis X1 to wind a wire 42 in a counterclockwise direction. The terms clockwise and counterclockwise are not limiting but are used here only to simplify the understanding of FIGS. 3-5, where a clockwise rotation of the reel 40 results in the unwinding of the wire 42 while a counterclockwise rotation results in the winding of the wire 42 onto the reel 40.

The wire 42 is used to put under traction for example a component of the boot 100, for example a flap of the cuff 14 or of the shell 12, or to bring two flaps of the cuff 14 and/or of the shell 12 closer to each other.

The forced rotation of the reel 40 is aided by an external circular toothing composed of a circular series of teeth 44 (only one indicated for simplicity).

The lever 60 has one end 62 pivoted on the structure 20 in oscillating manner about a fulcrum or axis X2. The other opposite end 64 of the lever 60 is free and can be operated manually, as will be explained below.

The arm 30 has

• • a first end 32 hinged to the lever 60 about an axis X3 at a point distant from the axis X2 and
  • a second free end 34, opposite the first end 32, capable of engaging the reel 40 and causing it to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. For this purpose, the second end 34 preferably comprises one or more teeth 36 (only one is indicated for simplicity) capable of engaging at least one of the teeth 44 to rotate the reel 40 in a counterclockwise direction. The teeth 36 and teeth 44 are shaped to slide over each other when the reel 40 rotates in a clockwise direction in FIGS. 3-5.

The retaining member 80 has at least one tooth 82 and is rotatably mounted on the structure 20 about an axis X4 in order to be able to rotate between

• • a first position in which it leaves the reel 40 idle, and
  • a second position in which a tooth 82 engages one of the teeth 44 of the reel 40 and prevents it from rotating clockwise. The teeth 44 and teeth 82 are designed to slide over each other when the reel 40 rotates counterclockwise.

For the compactness of the device 10 and to simplify the mechanisms, the axes X1, X2, X3 and X4 are preferably parallel to each other, but not necessarily. For example, the X2 axis could be rotated 90 degrees and orthogonal to the plane passing through the axes X1, X4; and the X3 axis could be rotated 90 degrees and orthogonal to the plane passing through the axes X1, X4.

The device 10 preferably comprises an elastic member 84 (e.g. a leaf spring) to elastically push the retaining member 80 towards the second position, so that the reel 40 does not rotate if the wire 42 is pulled.

The lever 60 allows controlling manually the operation of the device 10. For this purpose the lever 60 is mounted rotatable about the X2 axis between at least two positions:

• • a first central rest position, in which the second end 34 of the arm 30 is unable to engage the reel 40 (FIG. 3),
  • a second traction position (FIG. 4), in which the X3 axis is further from the reel 40 than in the first position and the arm 30 engages the reel 40 to rotate it in a counterclockwise direction (at least one tooth 44 engages a tooth 82),
  • and in a more preferred embodiment, a third release position (FIG. 5), in which the X3 axis is closer to the reel 40 than in the first position, the second end 34 of the arm 30 fails to engage the reel 40 and the lever 60 is designed to act on the retaining member 80 to move it to the first position and thus leave the reel 40 idle.

In an embodiment, the interaction between the lever 60 and the retaining member 80 is achieved by a pusher member adapted to cooperate with a portion of the retaining member 80 such that the pusher member pushes such portion only when the lever 60 is in the third position in order to move the retaining member 80 from the second position towards the first position.

In particular, the pusher member is a part 48 protruding radially towards the X4 axis of said first end 32, e.g. a tooth, and is preferably an eccentric part with respect to the X3 axis.

In particular, the aforementioned portion is a part 86 radially protruding from the retaining member 80 towards the X2 axis, e.g. a tooth, and is preferably an eccentric part with respect to the X4 axis.

The part 48 of the arm 30 faces the part 86 of the retaining member 80 and the two parts 48, 86 are sized so that the part 48 can touch and push the part 86 only when the lever 60 is moved from the first rest position to the third release position.

Preferably, the device 10 comprises an elastic member 66 for pushing the lever 60 towards the first position, to automatically set it ready for use.

Preferably, the device 10 comprises a guide 90 for guiding the second end 34 along a trajectory that ensures the engagement of the teeth 36 with the teeth 82 when the second end 34, pulled by the lever 60, moves relative to the reel 40.

Preferably, the device 10 comprises an elastic member 88, e.g. a spiral spring, to rotate the reel 40 counterclockwise and to tension itself each time the reel 40 rotates in the reverse direction. This facilitates the automatic rewinding of the wire 42.

Operation

Without manual intervention, the device 10 is designed so that the lever 60 is in the first position and the reel 40 is blocked by the retaining member 80 to prevent the wire 42 from being pulled from the outside (FIG. 3).

To wind the wire 42 onto the reel 40, the user pulls the lever 60 towards the second position (FIG. 4, arrow F). By doing so, the arm 30 moves relative to the reel 40 so that the second end 34 travels part of the external circumference of the reel 40. During this passage at least one tooth engages a tooth 44 and the reel 40 is rotated counterclockwise. At the same time, the teeth 82 slide onto the teeth 44 while the retaining member 80 yields and moves slightly away from the reel 40, to then regain its initial position under the thrust of the elastic member 84. By returning the lever 60 to the first position and repeating the operation, the reel 40 can be rotated by a desired angle.

To quickly unwind or wind the wire 42 from the reel 40, the lever 60 is manually rotated to the third position (FIG. 5). The part 48 pushes the part 86 and rotates the retaining member 80 into the first position, overcoming the opposition of the elastic member 84: now the reel 40 is idle. If the reel 40 does not have the wire 42 wound on it, the elastic member 88 is tensioned and automatically rotates the reel 40 to wind the wire 42.

In a variant, the retaining member 80 can be operated to function also or only by acting on unlocking means, e.g. a lever mechanism or a button external to the structure 20, thereby releasing the lever 60 from this function.

In an embodiment, in the structure 20 there is slidably mounted a member 200, which a user can push or pull from outside the structure 20 to correspondingly move the retaining member 80.

In other embodiments, the arm 30 and the retaining member 80 interact with the reel 40 by means other than the teeth 44, 34, and 82, e.g. with cooperating pins, gears, or grooves.

In other embodiments the wire 42 is replaced by an equivalent flexible member.