Ice skate blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11071903-B2
Application number	US-201615388679-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A blade for an ice skate (e.g., for playing hockey). The ice skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of a user and a blade holder for holding the blade. The blade may be designed to be lightweight yet strong and possibly provide other performance benefits to the user, including by being made of different materials (e.g., at least three different materials) that are strategically arranged and secured to one another.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A blade for an ice skate, the ice skate comprising a skate boot for receiving a foot of a user and a blade holder for holding the blade, the blade comprising:
a) a polymeric upper member comprising a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface opposite to the first lateral surface of the polymeric upper member; and
b) a metallic ice-contacting lower member secured to the polymeric upper member and comprising:
a metallic base comprising an ice-contacting surface, a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface opposite to the first lateral surface of the metallic base; and
a metallic anchor affixed to the metallic base and the polymeric upper member;

the metallic anchor being formed separately from the metallic base, assembled with the metallic base, and affixed to the metallic base before the metallic ice-contacting lower member is secured to the polymeric upper member;
wherein the first lateral surface of the polymeric upper member and the first lateral surface of the metallic base are substantially flush with one another and the second lateral surface of the polymeric upper member and the second lateral surface of the metallic base are substantially flush with one another.

2. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the metallic base comprises a first metallic material and the metallic anchor comprises a second metallic material different from the first metallic material.

3. The blade of claim 2 , wherein the first metallic material is a first stainless steel and the second metallic material is a second stainless steel different from the first stainless steel.

4. The blade of claim 3 , wherein a molybdenum content of the first stainless steel is greater than a molybdenum content of the second stainless steel.

5. The blade of claim 3 , wherein a vanadium content of the first stainless steel is greater than a vanadium content of the second stainless steel.

6. The blade of claim 3 , wherein the first stainless steel is martensitic and the second stainless steel is austenitic.

7. The blade of claim 2 , wherein a density of the first metallic material is different from a density of the second metallic material.

8. The blade of claim 7 , wherein the density of the first metallic material is greater than the density of the second metallic material.

9. The blade of claim 8 , wherein a ratio of the density of the first metallic material over the density of the second metallic material is at least 1.1.

10. The blade of claim 8 , wherein a ratio of the density of the first metallic material over the density of the second metallic material is at least 1.3.

11. The blade of claim 2 , wherein a corrosion resistance of the first metallic material is greater than a corrosion resistance of the second metallic material.

12. The blade of claim 2 , wherein a strength of the first metallic material is different from a strength of the second metallic material.

13. The blade of claim 12 , wherein the strength of the first metallic material is greater than the strength of the second metallic material.

14. The blade of claim 13 , wherein a ratio of the strength of the first metallic material over the strength of the second metallic material is at least 1.2.

15. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric upper member is a composite upper member comprising a polymeric matrix and fibers disposed in the polymeric matrix.

16. The blade of claim 15 , wherein the fibers are continuous fibers.

17. The blade of claim 15 , wherein the fibers are chopped fibers.

18. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the metallic anchor is welded to the metallic base.

19. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the metallic anchor is bonded by adhesion to the polymeric upper member.

20. The blade of claim 19 , wherein the adhesion is chemical adhesion of the metallic anchor and the polymeric upper member.

21. The blade of claim 19 , wherein the adhesion comprises an adhesive between the metallic anchor and the polymeric upper member.

22. The blade of claim 19 , wherein the polymeric upper member is overmolded onto the metallic anchor.

23. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the metallic anchor is mechanically interlocked with the polymeric upper member.

24. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the metallic ice-contacting lower member comprises a plurality of openings receiving respective portions of the polymeric upper member.

25. The blade of claim 24 , wherein at least two of the openings are disposed between the metallic base and the metallic anchor.

26. The blade of claim 24 , wherein the metallic anchor includes at least two of the openings.

27. The blade of claim 25 , wherein the metallic anchor includes at least two of the openings.

28. The blade of claim 24 , wherein the respective portions of the polymeric upper member comprise portions of pre-impregnated composite material extending through at least two of the openings.

29. The blade of claim 1 , wherein, in a cross-section of the blade normal to the ice-contacting surface, a height of the metallic anchor is less than a height of the metallic base.

30. The blade of claim 29 , wherein, in the cross-section of the blade normal to the ice-contacting surface, a ratio of the height of the metallic anchor over the height of the metallic base is no more than 0.7.

31. The blade of claim 1 , wherein, in a cross-section of the blade normal to the ice-contacting surface, a ratio of a height of the metallic anchor over a height of the blade is no more than 0.5.

32. The blade of claim 1 , wherein, in a cross-section of the blade normal to the ice-contacting surface, a height of the metallic anchor is less than a height of the metallic base for at least a majority of a length of the metallic anchor.

33. The blade of claim 1 , wherein, in a cross-section of the blade normal to the ice-contacting surface, a height of the metallic anchor is less than a height of the metallic base for at least a majority of a length of the blade.

34. The blade of claim 1 , wherein, in a cross-section of the blade normal to the ice-contacting surface, a height of the metallic anchor is substantially constant for at least a majority of a length of the blade.

35. The blade of claim 1 , wherein, in a cross-section of the blade normal to the ice-contacting surface, a ratio of the width of the metallic anchor over the width of the metallic base is no more than 0.7.

36. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the metallic anchor extends for at least a majority of a length of the blade in a longitudinal direction of the blade.

37. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the first lateral surface of the polymeric upper member comprises a projection projecting laterally outwardly relative to an adjacent portion of the first lateral surface of the polymeric upper member.

38. The blade of claim 37 , wherein, in a cross-section of the blade normal to the ice-contacting surface, the metallic anchor does not extend above the projection in a heightwise direction of the blade.

39. The blade of claim 38 , wherein, in the cross-section of the blade normal to the ice-contacting surface, the metallic anchor extends to the projection in a heightwise direction of the blade.

Assignees

• Bauer Hockey Corp
• Bauer Hockey Llc

Inventors

• Labonte Ivan
• Seguin Alexis
• Corbeil Jean-Francois
• Deschenes Candide

Classifications

• A63C1/303

  removably fastened to the blade holder · CPC title

• A63C1/02

  rigidly mounted on the sole of the boot · CPC title

• A63C1/32 Primary

  Special constructions of the simple blade · CPC title