Ski boot with adjustable flexure means

Claim 2

A ski boot with means for adjusting the flex in the boot so that the flex in the boot can be changed by the wearer of the boot, said boot comprising: a shell having a closure system adapted for closing said shell about the foot of a skier; said shell having a split portion commencing at the top of said boot and extending toward the bottom of said boot, said split portion being defined in part by a pair of generally parallel opposed edges; clamping means for interconnecting the edges of said split portion at a desired point along the length of said split portion; whereby, upon exertion of pressure on said boot, the shell is adapted to separate along the length of said split portion from the top of the boot to the location where said clamping means connects the edges of said split portion.

Claim 3

A ski boot in accordance with claim 1 wherein said split extends from the top of said boot downward toward the front of said boot, said split occurring in a vertical plane which passes through the center line of the boot extending from the front to the rear of the boot.

Claim 4

A ski boot in accordance with claim 1 wherein ribs are located on said shell at least on each side of said split; and, said clamping means includes means for allowing said clamping means to travel along said ribs.

Claim 5

A ski boot in accordance with claim 1 and further including a liner disposed within said shell.

Claim 6

A ski boot in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shell comprises two complementary shell portions which are mated together.

Claim 7

A ski boot in accordance with claim 5 wherein said shell portions are mated together in a vertical plane which passes through a center line which extends from the front to the rear of the boot; said portions being fastened together along the length of the sole of said bOot and from the toe of said boot along the front of said boot for at least a portion of the length between the toe and top of said boot shell.

Claim 8

A ski boot in accordance with claim 6 wherein each shell portion includes a rib located at the edge of said portion which forms the vamp of said boot when the shell portions are assembled, and said ribs form a track upon which said clamping means travel when said shell portions are assembled.

Claim 9

A ski boot in accordance with claim 4 and further including a tongue disposed between said shell and said liner, said tongue being of sufficient areas to cover at least the maximum area of the liner that is exposed upon separation of said shell.

Claim 10

A ski boot having adjustable flex properties so that the flex in the boot can be changed by the wearer of the boot, said boot comprising: a sole section; a floor section disposed above said sole section; a semi-rigid vamp integral with said sole section, said vamp having a rear opening; a semi-rigid tongue member attached to said vamp near the lower-most portion of said rear opening, said tongue adapted to close said rear opening; securing means adapted to secure said tongue in the closed position; said vamp being split for at least a portion of the vamp, said split commencing at the top of said vamp; clamping means attached to said vamp and adapted to be positioned at selected locations along the length of said split portion for fastening said split vamp at a selected location; whereby, upon exertion of pressure on the vamp of said boot, the vamp is adapted to separate along the length of the split portion to the location of said clamping means.

Claim 11

A ski boot having adjustable flex properties so that the flex in the boot can be changed by the wearer of the boot, said boot comprising: a sole section; a floor section disposed above said sole section; a semi-rigid vamp integral with said sole section, said vamp having a rear opening; a semi-rigid tongue member attached to said vamp near the lower-most portion of said rear opening, said tongue adapted to close said rear opening; securing means adapted to secure said tongue in the closed position; said vamp being split for at least a portion of the vamp, said split commencing at the top of said vamp; clamping means attached to said vamp and adapted to be positioned at selected locations along the length of said split portion for fastening said split vamp at a selected location; whereby, upon exertion of pressure on the vamp of said boot, the vamp is adapted to separate along the length of the split portion to the location of said clamping means.

Claim 12

A ski boot in accordance with claim 9 wherein said floor section is spaced from said sole section by a plurality of spaced ribs.

Claim 13

A ski boot having means for adjusting the flexure of said boot, said boot comprising: a shell having a top, bottom and toe section; a liner disposed within said shell; a closure system attached to said shell and adapted for closing said shell and liner about the foot of a skier; said shell being split, said split extending from the top of said shell section downwardly for a predetermined portion; clamping means attached to said shell and adapted to be positioned along the length of said split portion, for fastening said shell together at a selected location along the length of said split portion; whereby, upon exertion of pressure on the shell of said boot, the shell is adapted to separate along the length of the split portion to the location of said clamping means.

Claim 14

A ski boot having means for adjusting the flexure of said boot, said boot comprising: a shell having a top, bottom and toe section; a liner disposed within said shell; a closure system attached to said shell and adapted for closing said shell and liner about the foot of a skier; said shell being split, said split extending from the top of said shell section downwardly for a predetermined portion; clamping means attached to said shell and adapted to be positioned along the length of said split portion, for fastening said shell together at a selected location along the length of said split portion; whereby, upon exertion of pressure on the shell of said boot, the shell is adapted to separate along the length of the split portion to the location of said clamping means.

Claim 15

A ski boot in accordance with claim 11 wherein said shell is split from the top of said shell for a predetermined length along a portion of the shell in a vertical plane which passes through a line which extends through the center from the front to the rear of the boot.

Claim 16

A ski boot having adjustable flexure means, said boot comprising: a semi-rigid shell comprising a vamp having a rear opening; a semi-rigid rear tongue member pivotally attached to said vamp near the lower-most portion of said rear opening, said tongue member adapted to close said rear opening; securing means adapted to secure said tongue member in the closed position; a liner member disposed within said shell and adapted to fit over the foot of a wearer of the boot; said shell comprising two complementary shell portions; said shell portions being joined together at the location of a vertical plane passing through the center line of the boot extending from the front to the rear of the boot; each shell portion having a rib which extends from the top of the shell portion to the toe of the boot, said ribs, when mated together upon assembly of said boot, forming a track; clamping means adapted to clamp said shell portions together along the length of said track and including means for adjusting the flex in said boot.

Claim 17

A ski boot having adjustable flexure means, said boot comprising: a semi-rigid shell comprising a vamp having a rear opening; a semi-rigid rear tongue member pivotally attached to said vamp near the lower-most portion of said rear opening, said tongue member adapted to close said rear opening; securing means adapted to secure said tongue member in the closed position; a liner member disposed within said shell and adapted to fit over the foot of a wearer of the boot; said shell comprising two complementary shell portions; said shell portions being joined together at the location of a vertical plane passing through the center line of the boot extending from the front to the rear of the boot; each shell portion having a rib which extends from the top of the shell portion to the toe of the boot, said ribs, when mated together upon assembly of said boot, forming a track; clamping means adapted to clamp said shell portions together along the length of said track and including means for adjusting the flex in said boot.

Claim 18

The ski boot of claim 13 wherEin said means for adjusting the flex in said boot comprises: said track being adapted to be separated at the location of said ribs from the top of said shell and extending at least a portion of the length of said track; and clamping means adjustably positionable along the length of said portion of said track adapted to be separated for clamping said ribs together at a selected position.

Claim 19

The ski boot of claim 14 and further including a tongue member connected to said shell and positioned between said liner and shell in at least the area of said track adapted to be separated.

Claim 20

The ski boot of claim 14 wherein each rib on each shell portion is flanged outwardly; and, said clamping means including a base member; two leg members extending outwardly from said base member; each of said base members being flanged inwardly; whereby, said clamping means is adapted to slide over said mated, flanged rib members, to one of a plurality of locations where said clamping means clamps said ribs together.