Skate and skate boot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11547923-B2
Application number	US-201816135555-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2018
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A skate boot comprising an outer shell with a heel portion for receiving the heel of the foot; an ankle portion for receiving the ankle, the ankle portion comprising a rear portion for facing at least partially the lower part of the Achilles tendon; and medial and lateral side portions for facing the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively. The skate boot also comprises a tendon guard extending upwardly from the ankle portion of the outer shell for facing at least partially the upper part of the Achilles tendon, the tendon guard comprising a recess for receiving an insert. The tendon guard has a first flexion mode when no insert is received in the recess and a second flexion mode when the insert is received in the recess. The second flexion mode is different from the first flexion mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A skate, comprising:
a skate boot for receiving a foot of a user to skate, the skate boot being securable on the user's foot using a lace, the skate boot comprising an interior that defines a cavity to receive and engulf the entire user's foot and an ankle of the user and that is configured to contact a medial side of the user's foot, a lateral side of the user's foot, the user's ankle, and a heel of the user's foot, the skate boot comprising an exterior that is opposite to the interior of the skate boot and faces outwardly away from the user's foot and ankle; and
a blade holder located underneath the skate boot;
wherein: a given part of the skate boot has a flexibility while the user skates; the skate boot comprises a flexibility-adjusting element that is configured to adjust the flexibility of the given part of the skate boot; and the flexibility-adjusting element is independent from the lace and is spaced from the interior of the skate boot and the exterior of the skate boot.

2. The skate defined in claim 1 , wherein the flexibility-adjusting element comprises an insert for insertion into the given part of the skate boot.

3. The skate defined in claim 2 , wherein the flexibility-adjusting element has a hardness value between 20 Shore A and 70 Shore D.

4. The skate defined in claim 1 , wherein the given part of the skate boot comprises a body and wherein the flexibility-adjusting element is removable from and mountable to the body of the given part of the skate boot to adjust the flexibility of the given part of the skate boot.

5. The skate defined in claim 1 , wherein the given part of the skate boot comprises a body including a recess and wherein the flexibility-adjusting element comprises an insert received in and removable from the recess.

6. The skate defined in claim 5 , wherein the insert includes a protrusion or groove shaped to cooperate with a corresponding groove or protrusion on the body of the given part of the skate boot.

7. The skate defined in claim 1 , further comprising a blade attached to the blade holder.

8. The skate defined in claim 1 , wherein the given part of the skate boot is a tendon guard connected to a rear ankle portion of the skate boot and configured to face an upper part of the user's Achilles tendon.

9. The skate defined in claim 8 , wherein the flexibility-adjusting element comprises an insert for insertion into the tendon guard.

10. The skate defined in claim 1 , wherein the flexibility of the given part of the skate boot is dependent on at least one dimension, shape, density, thickness or hardness value of the flexibility-adjusting element.

11. A skate, comprising:
a skate boot for receiving a foot of a user to skate, the skate boot being securable on the user's foot using a lace, the skate boot comprising an interior that defines a cavity to receive and engulf the entire user's foot and an ankle of the user and that is configured to contact a medial side of the user's foot, a lateral side of the user's foot, the user's ankle a heel of the user's foot, the skate boot comprising an exterior that is opposite to the interior of the skate boot and faces outwardly away from the user's foot and ankle; and
a blade holder located underneath the skate boot;
wherein: a given part of the skate boot has a flexibility while the user skates; the skate boot comprises a flexibility-adjusting element that is manipulable by a user to adjust the flexibility of the given part of the skate boot; and the flexibility-adjusting element is spaced from the lace, the interior of the skate boot and the exterior of the skate boot.

12. The skate defined in claim 11 , wherein the given part of the skate boot is a tendon guard connected to a rear ankle portion of the skate boot and configured to face an upper part of the user's Achilles tendon.

13. The skate defined in claim 12 , wherein the flexibility-adjusting element comprises an insert for insertion into the tendon guard.

14. The skate defined in claim 11 , wherein the flexibility-adjusting element comprises an insert for insertion into the given part of the skate boot.

15. The skate defined in claim 14 , wherein the flexibility-adjusting element has a hardness value between 20 Shore A and 70 Shore D.

16. The skate defined in claim 11 , wherein the given part of the skate boot comprises a body and wherein the flexibility-adjusting element is removable from and mountable to the body of the given part of the skate boot to adjust the flexibility of the given part of the skate boot.

17. The skate defined in claim 11 , wherein the given part of the skate boot comprises a body including a recess and wherein the flexibility-adjusting element comprises an insert receivable in and removable from the recess.

18. The skate defined in claim 17 , wherein the insert includes at least one protrusion or groove shaped to cooperate with a corresponding groove or protrusion on the body of the given part of the skate boot.

19. The skate defined in claim 11 , wherein the flexibility of the given part of the skate boot is dependent on at least one dimension, shape, density, thickness or hardness value of the flexibility-adjusting element.

20. The skate defined in claim 11 , further comprising a blade attached to the blade holder.

21. A skate, comprising:
a skate boot for receiving a foot of a user to skate, the skate boot being securable on the user's foot using a lace, the skate boot comprising an interior that defines a cavity to receive and engulf the entire user's foot and an ankle of the user and that is configured to contact a medial side of the user's foot, a lateral side of the user's foot, the user's ankle, and a heel of the user's foot, the skate boot comprising an exterior that is opposite to the interior of the skate boot and faces outwardly away from the user's foot and ankle; and
a blade holder located underneath the skate boot;
wherein: a given part of the skate boot has a flexibility while the user skates; the skate boot comprises a flexibility-adjusting element spaced from the lace; and the flexibility-adjusting element is configured to adjust the flexibility of the given part of the skate boot and is spaced from the interior of the skate boot and the exterior of the skate boot.

22. The skate defined in claim 21 , wherein: the given part of the skate boot comprises a tendon guard connected to a rear ankle portion of the skate boot and configured to face an upper part of the user's Achilles tendon.

23. The skate defined in claim 1 , wherein: the given part of the skate boot comprises molded material forming a molded void; the molded void is configured to receive the flexibility-adjusting element; and at least part of the molded material is configured to be disposed between the molded void and the user.

Assignees

• Bauer Hockey Llc

Inventors

• Labonte Ivan

Classifications

• A43B5/1691 Primary

  characterised by the higher part of the upper, e.g. surrounding the ankle, by the quarter or cuff · CPC title

• A43B5/0405

  Linings, paddings or insertions; Inner boots · CPC title

• A43B5/0415

  Accessories (A43B5/0403, A43B5/0413, A43B5/0494 take precedence) · CPC title

• A63B2071/1275

  for the ankle · CPC title

• A63B71/1225 Primary

  for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet · CPC title