Abstract: An article of footwear which includes an outer bottom assembly, the bottom assembly including an outsole and a reinforcement layer. A damping layer is positioned between the outsole and the reinforcement layer, and at least one flange connects the outsole to the reinforcement layer.

Abstract: A roller skate including a frame provided to receive a plurality of wheels; a sole adapted to support the user's shod foot; a heel stiffener; a foot retaining arrangement, capable of being in an open state, which enables insertion of the user's foot and, in a closed state, enables adjustment of the foot retaining arrangement around the user's foot, the foot retaining arrangement including: a forefoot anchoring, an instep anchoring, the forefoot and instep anchorings each having a pivot zone about which the foot retaining arrangement pivots when it is moved between the open and closed states; a forefoot fastening device, an instep fastening device adapted to keep the retaining arrangement in the closed state; and an adjustment mechanism enabling adjustment of the retaining arrangement to the morphology of the user's foot.

Abstract: A skate having a base adapted to support a user's boot, a frame equipped with a plurality of wheels and having a transverse arch in its central portion, at least one rear quarter capable of sliding on the base and adapted to surround the heel zone and the lower leg of the boot. The base has two edges that project upwardly and surround the lower portion of the rear quarter, each of the vertical edges having a longitudinal groove capable of receiving a platform provided on the outer sides of the rear quarter, and attaching mechanism allowing the attachment of the rear quarter to the base in various positions.

Abstract: An article of footwear including an upper overlaying an outer bottom assembly, such assembly including, in the area of the heel, at least two support blocks made of a damping/shock-absorbing material and arranged on respective ones of the lateral and medial sides of the bottom assembly. Each of the support blocks extends vertically, substantially from the upper end to the lower end of the bottom assembly, the support blocks being deformable substantially independently of one another. Further, the outer bottom assembly includes an elastically deformable element that includes an upper portion that extends transversely relative to the bottom assembly and covers the upper end of each of the support elements, as well as at least two legs which extend laterally and medially, respectively, and externally cover respective ones of the support elements, substantially over their entire heights.

Abstract: An article of footwear provided to receive the user's foot and including a lacing device, the lacing device including a lace, at least two guides provided to enable a lace to slide relative thereto within a lacing zone, and a blocker capable of blocking relative movement of the lace, the blocker including a control member to unblock the lace. The article of footwear has an open position, facilitating insertion of the user's foot, and a tightened position firmly retaining the foot within the article of footwear. The switch from the open position to the tightened position is carried out via a traction on the lace, and the switch from the tightened position to the open position is carried out via a traction on the control member of the blocker.

Abstract: Rolling or gliding sports equipment, such as an in-line roller skate, including such equipment or skate adapted to receive an independent boot. The equipment/skate according to the invention includes a frame, a base connected to the upper portion of the frame, and has an upper surface provided to support the walking sole of the boot, a rear quarter receiving the heel portion of the boot, an upper portion equipped with a comfort element surrounding the user's lower leg, a device for tightening the forefoot pressing the front portion of the boot against the upper surface of the base, a device for tightening the lower leg which tightens the upper portion against the user's lower leg, a device for maintaining the instep exerting a force on the instep portion of the boot and a reinforcement ensuring a continuous support from a lateral side to a medial side, and from the instep zone to the upper portion of the boot.

Abstract: A roller skate including a frame provided to receive a plurality of wheels; a sole adapted to support the user's shod foot; a heel stiffener; a foot retaining arrangement, capable of being in an open state, which enables insertion of the user's foot and, in a closed state, enables adjustment of the foot retaining arrangement around the user's foot, the foot retaining arrangement including: a forefoot anchoring, an instep anchoring, the forefoot and instep anchorings each having a pivot zone about which the foot retaining arrangement pivots when it is moved between the open and closed states; a forefoot fastening device, an instep fastening device adapted to keep the retaining arrangement in the closed state; and an adjustment mechanism enabling adjustment of the retaining arrangement to the morphology of the user's foot.

Abstract: A frame for an article of sports equipment, such as a frame for a skate, such as a roller skate, including a front upper portion provided to receive the front portion of a boot, and a rear upper portion provided to receive the rear portion of a boot. The front upper portion and the rear upper portion are part of the same planar upper surface. The frame further includes two cylindrical holes provided to receive two fixing elements, the holes extending in the longitudinal plane of the frame and their respective axes being spaced from one another by a value E of between about 164 mm and 170 mm, more particularly equal to about 167 mm. Moreover, a substantially cylindrical cavity centered on the axis of the cylindrical hole is provided in the upper surface. The invention is also directed to a line of boots for a roller skate and to a line of frames therefor.

Abstract: A frame for a skate, and a skate having a frame, the frame including a lower longitudinally elongated member for supporting the wheels of the skate, a housing at opposite ends of the elongated member, each housing demarcated by a pair of lateral walls between which is assembled a respective wheel mounted on an axle. The elongated member further includes, or has attached thereto between the wheel housings, a lower arc demarcated by a surface facing a line defined by the contact points of the two wheels while supported on a planar surface. The arc extends over a length equal to or greater than a third of the distance between the two wheel axles at each of the ends of the elongated member of the frame.

Abstract: A skate having a base adapted to support a user's boot, a frame equipped with a plurality of wheels and having a transverse arch in its central portion, at least one rear quarter capable of sliding on the base and adapted to surround the heel zone and the lower leg of the boot. The base has two edges that project upwardly and surround the lower portion of the rear quarter, each of the vertical edges having a longitudinal groove capable of receiving a platform provided on the outer sides of the rear quarter, and attaching mechanism allowing the attachment of the rear quarter to the base in various positions.

Abstract: A frame for an article of sports equipment, such as a frame for a skate, such as a roller skate, including a front upper portion provided to receive the front portion of a boot, and a rear upper portion provided to receive the rear portion of a boot. The front upper portion and the rear upper portion are part of the same planar upper surface. The frame further includes two cylindrical holes provided to receive two fixing elements, the holes extending in the longitudinal plane of the frame and their respective axes being spaced from one another by a value E of between about 164 mm and 170 mm, more particularly equal to about 167 mm. Moreover, a substantially cylindrical cavity centered on the axis of the cylindrical hole is provided in the upper surface. The invention is also directed to a line of boots for a roller skate and to a line of frames therefor.

Abstract: A frame for a skate, and a skate having such frame, which includes a lower longitudinally elongated member for supporting the wheels of the skate, a housing at opposite ends of the elongated member, each housing demarcated by a pair of lateral walls between which is assembled a respective wheel mounted on an axle. The elongated member further includes, or has attached thereto between the wheel housings, a lower arc demarcated by an inwardly extending surface with respect to a line defined by the contact points of the two wheels on a planar surface. The arc extends over a length equal to or greater than a third of the distance between the two wheel axles at each of the ends of the elongated member of the frame.

Abstract: A frame for a sports article, especially a frame for a roller skate, including a front upper portion provided to receive the front portion of a boot, and a rear upper portion provided to receive the rear portion of a boot. The front upper portion and the rear upper portion are part of the same planar upper surface. The frame further includes two cylindrical holes provided to receive two fixing elements, the holes extending in the longitudinal plane of the frame and their respective axes being spaced from one another by a value E of between about 164 mm and 170 mm, more particularly equal to about 167 mm. Moreover, a substantially cylindrical cavity centered on the axis of the cylindrical hole is provided in the upper surface. The invention is also directed to a line of boots for a roller skate and to a line of frames therefor.

Abstract: Rolling or gliding sports equipment, such as an in-line roller skate, including such equipment or skate adapted to receive an independent boot. The equipment/skate according to the invention includes a frame, a base connected to the upper portion of the frame, and having an upper surface provided to support the walking sole of the boot, a rear quarter receiving the heel portion of the boot, an upper portion equipped with a comfort element surrounding the user's lower leg, a device for tightening the forefoot pressing the front portion of the boot against the upper surface of the base, a device for tightening the lower leg tightening the upper portion against the user's lower leg, and a device for maintaining the instep exerting a force on the instep portion of the boot and having a reinforcement ensuring a continuous support from a lateral side to a medial side, and from the instep zone to the upper portion of the boot.

Abstract: An in-line roller skate having a boot and a chassis, the chassis having a longitudinal bottom part on which are arranged a plurality of wheels equipped with rotating axles aligned along a reference plane, which is overlaid by a plate adapted to receive the sole of the boot, wherein the boot has an internal wedging element arranged at the bottom of the boot, in order to define the angular position &agr; of at least part of the foot relative to the plane by producing a height difference between the support plane of the heel of the foot and the plantar support plane at the level of the metatarsi.

Abstract: A skate having a fitting portion adapted to be fixed on the plate of a chassis supporting the gliding element for the practice of the so-called “aggressive” skating. The fitting portion includes a soft portion forming an upper, for a boot or low shoe, mounted on a rigid sole called the insole, a hard cradle adapted to receive the soft portion and formed of an integral shell cut at its front and lateral portion corresponding to the top of the foot and defining a sole adapted to be fixed on the chassis, from which extends, on the one hand, a heel stiffener capable of receiving a hinged rigid collar and, on the one hand, a protective band peripherally bordering the from and sides of the sole, in the extension of the heel stiffener, and an arrangement for assembling the soft portion on the hard cradle.