Selectable boot articulation system

摘要

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a ski boot system including an upper shell, lower shell, and an articulation system. The upper and lower shell function to enable a user to move their encased foot in various dimensions/orientations corresponding to anatomical supination, pronation, dorsiflexion, and plantarflexion. The articulation system selectively affects the articulation freedom between the upper and lower shells in locked and unlocked configurations. The articulation system includes a lower shell coupler and an upper shell coupler coupled to the lower and upper shells, respectively. The locked configuration of the articulation system includes engaging the upper and lower shell couplers to restrict freedom between the upper and lower shell. The lower shell coupler is coupled within a recess in the lower shell that substantially restricts movement to a single orientation corresponding to coronal rotation.

主权项

1. A ski boot system comprising:
an upper shell configured to encase a portion of a user's lower leg; a lower shell configured to encase a user's foot, wherein the lower shell is moveably coupled with the upper shell; an articulation system coupled to the upper and lower shell including a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, wherein the locked configuration restricts movement between the upper and lower shell in a plurality of orientations, and wherein the unlocked configuration enables articulation freedom between the upper and lower shell in a plurality of orientations corresponding to anatomical supination, pronation, dorsiflexion, and plantarflexion between the upper and lower shell, and wherein the articulation system is configured to enable a selective engagement of the locked configuration and the unlocked configuration directly by hand; wherein the articulation system includes an upper shell coupler and a lower shell coupler coupled to the upper and lower shell respectively, and wherein the locked configuration corresponds to an engagement between the upper shell coupler and the lower shell coupler, and wherein the unlocked configuration corresponds to a disengagement between the upper shell coupler and the lower shell coupler, and wherein the lower shell coupler is coupled within a recess of the lower shell so as to substantially restrict freedom between the lower shell coupler and the lower shell to coronal rotation corresponding to anatomical supination and pronation; and wherein the coupling between the lower shell coupler and the lower shell includes extending a transverse pin through the recess and the lower shell coupler, wherein the recess includes two spacers disposed on the transverse pin and on opposite transverse sides of the lower shell coupler, and wherein the two spacers include opposite concave curvatures oriented toward the lower shell coupler, and wherein the lower shell coupler includes corresponding outward oriented convex curvatures.