| 摘要 |
A spring structure for a ski boot includes a leaf spring element overlying the instep and shin cuff elements of the boot. The spring is affixed at its lower end to the toe element, hingedly mounted at an intermediate portion to a hinge pin affixed to the shin cuff, and coupled at its upper end to the shin cuff, preferably by an elastic strap. The lower portion of the spring structure is bowed inward and downward so that as the hinge pin moves forward in response to forward lean, the lower portion of the spring flexes inward and downward. The inward flexing of the lower portion of the spring produces a torque about the hinge pin and urges the upper portion of the spring to deflect outward. This outward deflection is resisted by the coupling of the upper spring end of the cuff, causing the upper portion to deflect concavely outward so that the spring assumes an "S" shape. The spring geometry provides a rising rate spring and prevents the top of the spring from contacting the shin of the wearer. The spring structure preferably includes a provision for adjustably preloading the upper coupling.
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