Patents by Inventor Klaus Walkhoff

Klaus Walkhoff has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6773024
    Abstract: The arrangement comprises a bottom part (1), which is mounted on the ski (3), and a top part (2), which can be fitted on the bottom part. The boot (4) can be connected to the top side (21) of the top part (2). The bottom part (1) comprises a base (13) which can be fastened on the body of the ski (3) and can be introduced into a correspondingly shaped central section (23) of the top part (2). In this central section (23), the base (13) is retained by means of a connecting devices (35). The central section of a flexible member (60) is retained between the base plate (10) and the body of the ski (3). This member (60) and the way it is secured on the ski are such that it acts as an automatically triggering brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignees: Sports Goods AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Publication number: 20030047911
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device that comprises a lower part (1) mounted on the ski (3) and an upper part (2) that can be mounted on said lower part. The shoe (4) may be linked with the upper face (21) of the upper part (2). The lower part (1) includes a base (13) mounted on the ski body (3) and being insertable into a correspondingly shaped middle section (23) of the upper part (2). The base (13) is held in said middle section (23) by means of a connection appliances (35). Between the base plate (10) and the ski body (3), the middle section of a flexible member (60) is held. Said member (60) and its support on the ski are adapted to have the effect of a brake that engages automatically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 5249377
    Abstract: A boot shell (10) has a part (46) which overlaps the forefoot, in which there is a longitudinal opening (48) in the instep region of the foot. This opening is spanned twice by a cable (54) in a meander-shaped arrangement in the transverse direction. The cable (54) is anchored on the boot shell (10) by means of its one end (58) in the region of the toe (38) of the boot and furthermore guided via deflection elements (60, 62). The cable (54) is a component of a BOWDEN pull-wire (56) and ends with its other end in a tensioning device (18) which is arranged on the rear shaft part (12). By means of a rotary knob (16) of the tensioning device (18), the front part of the boot shell (10) can be optimally adapted to the foot of the wearer by drawing together the region (46) which overlaps the forefoot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 5174051
    Abstract: A sport shoe, such as a ski boot, has a rear shaft part which can be pivoted backwards for putting on the ski boot. On this rear shaft part a tensioning device for a band is arranged, which band is anchored by means of its two ends on a front shaft part. The tensioning device has a take-up drum for the band which is connected to a drive shaft via a shiftable splined coupling. To rotate the drive shaft, a tensioning lever which can be pivoted to and fro, is connected to the drive shaft by a grip-roller freewheel coupling. A return rotation of the drive shaft is prevented by means of a return lock. The drive shaft and the return lock are accommodated in a housing which is displaceable, in its longitudinal direction, in relation to the rear shaft part. To release the take-up drum for the purpose of unwinding the band, the splined coupling is uncoupled by displacing the housing in relation to the take-up drum which is held in its position by a support bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignees: Raichle Sportschuh AG, Icaro Olivieri & C.
    Inventors: Klaus Walkhoff, Andreas Germann
  • Patent number: 5167083
    Abstract: Guide orifices for the clamping cables are provided above the joint on the heel part of the ski boot. The tongue part has guide eyelets in lateral rear end regions and passages approximately centrally between these guide eyelets and the longitudinal mid-plane of the boot. The clamping cables starting from the clamping device extend correspondingly from the guide orifices to the guide eyelets and under the tongue part to the respective passages. Between the passages, the clamping cables are guided over the tongue part. Their ends on this side are secured to the shell part at fastening points covered by the tongue part. The clamping cables constitute a guide for the tongue part, so that the ski boot can be closed solely by tightening the clamping cables by means of the clamping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 5088211
    Abstract: In the heel area of a ski boot a rubber torsion spring element is arranged, the core piece of which is anchored in a rotationally fixed manner on the lower shell of the ski boot by means of a bracket. An outer tubular piece, which surrounds the core piece coaxially, is connected to a tension member which engages with its end at the rear on a rear shaft part of the boot shell. The rear shaft part and a front shaft part are pivotable relative to the lower shell about an articulation axis into a forward lean position. The spring element damps the forward lean movement and, by means of the use of snappy rubber compounds, is extensively independent of the ambient temperature. Additionally, it allows the adjustment at least of the starting point of the spring or damping effect by means of a knurled nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 5065481
    Abstract: The shank of the clamping device is connected to the actuating element via a freewheel and is supported on the cover via a counteracting further freewheel. Located on the shank fixedly in the terms of rotation and displacement is the first coupling part which interacts with a second coupling part mounted at a fixed location. The latter is connected to the winding-up element for the clamping cables via a bevel gear. Formed on the actuating element is a slot-shaped groove which slides along the fixed guide pin during the pivoting of the actuating element. For tensioning the clamping cables, the actuating element is pivoted in such a way that the groove part is located at the guide pine. The shank is thereby lifted into the upper clamping position and the coupling is closed. During the pivoting of the actuating element to and fro, the clamping cables are wound onto the winding-up element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4937953
    Abstract: There is provided a ski boot having two support elements arranged between the shaft and the inner show of the ski boot which overlap the region of the instep in the nature of a saddle. Each support element is engaged by a pulling element which in each case grips across the other support element and is extended to a rotary lock by way of a reversing element. The pulling elements can be wound in the rotary lock so that the inner shoe, within the region of the support elements is painlessly and snugly forced or pressed against the foot. The front end regions of the support elements are supported on a guide element with free displaceability in the lengthwise direction of the boot and transverse thereto. The spacing of the support elements from the boot shaft is adjustable transversely to the boot sole by means of an adjusting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4901454
    Abstract: A ski boot is provided having a heel element rotatable about an axis in the heel piece which, by means of screw bolts, is secured on the wall of the sole of the boot within the region of the heel of the ski boot. The axis extends essentially perpendicularly to the surface of the sole of the boot. The foot covering of the rotatable heel element comes to bear on the support plate of the ski brake when the ski boot is secured to the ski by means of the front and back bindings. Because the heel element is rotatable, the friction relationship between the heel element and the support plate no longer impacts on the release characteristics of the front binding in the event of a fall occurring while turning or of a fall resulting from a head-forward fall during turning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4864744
    Abstract: There is provided a ski boot formed of plastic material and having a sole and a shaft consisting of a front shaft part having a shell and a rear shaft part articulated on the shell at the heel. The front shaft part is provided with zones of weakness in the arch and shin areas which increase the flexibility of the front shaft part in the longitudinal direction of the boot. Stiffening elements are provided in the zones of weakness extending transversely to the boot axis and having a variable effect on the flexibility of the front shaft part of the boot. The zones of weakness are formed by wave-like elevations and depressions on the front shaft part, the elevations projecting against the outer side of the boot so as to defined hollow spaces sealed against the front side of the boot and accommodating therein the stiffening elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1989
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4843740
    Abstract: There is provided a ski boot formed of plastic material and having a sole and a shaft consisting of a front shaft part having a shell and a rear shaft part articulated on the shell at the heel. The front shaft part is provided with zones of weakness in the arch and shin areas which increase the flexibility of the front shaft part in the longitudinal direction of the boot. Stiffening elements are provided in the zones of weakness extending transversely to the boot axis and having a variable effect on the flexibility of the front shaft part of the boot. The zones of weakness are formed by wave-like elevations and depressions on the front shaft part, the elevations projecting against the outer side of the boot so as to define hollow spaces sealed against the front side of the boot and accommodating therein the stiffening elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4793077
    Abstract: A shoe upper portion of a ski boot comprises a shell portion enclosing the foot and a tongue portion attached thereto. The tongue portion comprises an instep region and a shin region and a transition region therebetween. A corrugated or undulated wall section having elevations and depressions, i.e. corrugations, is located in the transition region. This wall section is composed of a different type of material than the remainder of the tongue portion and possesses a lower bending stiffness or flexural rigidity than the remainder of the tongue portion. This wall section is non-detachably joined to the remainder of the tongue portion and forms therewith a unitary structure. The larger bending or flexural elasticity of the wall section facilitates bending of the lower leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventors: Klaus Walkhoff, Erik O. Giese
  • Patent number: 4756099
    Abstract: A ski boot has a tongue part forwardly deflectable relative to the shank part connected to the sole of the boot, as the skier's lower legs move in the leaning forward direction. The deflectability of the tongue part can be limited by means of a limiting device consisting of laterally arranged limiting arrangements. By means of actuating elements, the limiting arrangements can be adjusted to different distances of deflection, permitting a more or less leaning forward stance depending on the needs of the skier. A ski boot with such a limiting device permits the skier to effortlessly adjust the degree of limitation in the leaning forward position in any desired way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4739563
    Abstract: A ski boot is provided having a clamping device mounted on the rear heel part for tightening and loosening a mechanical coupling arrangement connected to a restraining part arranged on the ski boot. The clamping device may be a hydraulic, pneumatic or electric driving system with an adjusting element for acting on the mechanical coupling arrangement. At least one actuating element is mounted on the top side of the clamping device, which can be depressed with the help of a ski pole so as to permit clamping of the retaining part with the desired tightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Assignees: Morgental Gudo AG, Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventors: Hermann Guggenberger, Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4730403
    Abstract: A sports shoe (1) is provided with air chambers underneath a comparatively rigid outer shell (2) such that pressure in these air chambers, i.e., the compression on the foot, can be adjusted by a pump system (5, 6). The design of the pump system is simple, easy to manufacture, compact and operationally reliable due to the valves (14, 15) of the pump system being enclosed in a common housing part (13) separated by a partition (20) from the membrane pump chamber (11). The valves (14, 15) are mounted coaxially in tandem sequence. The evacuating valve (15) can also serve as the pump suction valve and is provided at an end (37) with a manually displaceable stem which, during evacuation of the air chamber, wil make contact with the valve stem (b 32) of the pump pressure valve (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1988
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4644671
    Abstract: A saddle-shaped retention member is arranged within a ski boot and can be brought into contact with the middle region of the foot or with a portion of a padded inner shoe covering this middle foot region. Two cable strands engage this retention member, each of which extends on one side of a shell member of the ski boot. Each of these cable strands extends through a bore penetrating a pivot pin. A rear upper portion of the ski boot is pivotably fastened to the shell member by this pivot pin. These penetrating bores are arranged above the pivot axis of the rear upper portion in spaced relationship thereto. The cable strands are fastened to a tensioning lever which is pivotably mounted on the rear upper portion. Since the cable strands extend above the pivot axis of the rear upper portion, the retention member can move forwardly away from the heel region of the ski boot when the upper portion of the ski boot moves forward and entrains the rear upper portion with it toward the toe of the ski boot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1987
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4570364
    Abstract: Two adjusting mechanisms are arranged between a lower shaft portion having a sole and a shin portion covering the shin region of the leg of a wearer and forwardly and rearwardly pivotable about a transverse axis in relation to the lower shaft portion. Each adjusting mechanism is constructed in the manner of a turnbuckle and comprises two threaded rods having opposite-handed threads. One threaded rod is anchored on the shin portion while the other threaded rod is hingedly mounted on the lower shaft portion. The threaded rods can be displaced toward one another or away from one another by means of a rotatable housing permitting a variation of the distance between the engagement points of the adjusting mechanisms. In this manner, the position or attitude of the shin portion in relation to the lower shaft portion can be adjusted both backward and forward as well as to the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1986
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff
  • Patent number: 4539763
    Abstract: A substantially saddle-shaped pressure pad or restraining member is disposed in the interior of a shell member enclosing the foot region of a ski boot and between the latter and a padded inner shoe. Two cable runs or strands running along each side of the shell member and interconnected to form a single cable element engage the pressure pad. These cable strands pass through the pivot axis of a rear upper portion at two mutually opposed pivot points of this rear upper portion on the lower forward shell member. A tensioning mechanism is mounted on the rear side of this upper rear portion and comprises a tensioning lever which is pivotable about an axis. By pivoting this tensioning lever, the pressure pad can be tensioned or loosened. Since both cable strands pass through the pivot axis of the rear upper portion, the retaining force governed by the tensioning mechanism and applied to the foot of a wearer by the pressure pad is not affected by a pivoting motion of the rear upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1985
    Assignee: Raichle Sportschuh AG
    Inventor: Klaus Walkhoff