SKATE BLADE WITH IMPROVED PROPERTIES

Abstract

Skate blade (10), which has an outside edge and an inside edge (2, 3), in the middle region (1) of which the outside edge and the inside edge (2, 3) are parallel and have the same height, and the blade has an anterior region (4) in front of the middle region (1), where the height (z) of the edges (2, 3) increases in forward direction relative to the height (z=0) assumed at the middle region, and it has a posterior region (5) behind the middle region (1), where the height (z) of the edges (2, 3) increases in rearward direction relative to the height (z=0) assumed at the middle region, and the width coordinate (y) of at least one edge (2, 3), at least in the anterior or in the posterior region (4,5) increases along and arched curve with the distance from the middle region (1) relative to the vertical central plane (6) interpreted at the middle region (1), and at every location in front or behind the middle region (1), where the width of blade (10) exceeds the value assumed at the middle region (1), both edges (2, 3) have height coordinate (z) exceeding zero at identical length coordinates (x).

Claims

1. Skate blade (10) for skating shoes, which has right edge (2) and a left edge (3), the blade (10) can be divided along its length to three adjoining regions, namely a rear region (5), a central region (1) and a front region (4), a coordinate system with mutually normal directions x, y and z can be associated with a central plane (6) halving the blade at the central region (1), wherein direction x designates the distance in forward direction of an edge point, direction y designates the lateral distance of an edge point from the central plane (6) and direction z designates the height of an edge point from the height of the edge in the central region (1), in which at any edge point with a coordinate x the height (z) of the edges (2,3) are the same, in the central zone (1) the height z of both edges (2,3) is zero, and in at least one of the rear and front regions (5, 4) the width of the blade increases with the increase of the absolute value of the coordinate x along an arched curve, characterised in that in at least one of the front and/or rear regions (5, 4) in which the width is increasing along the arched curve, said increase is asymmetric with respect to the central plane (6).

2. The skate blade as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the asymmetric widening concerns the rear region (5).

3. The skate blade as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the asymmetric widening of the blade is different in the rear and front (5, 4) regions.

4. The skate blade as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the asymmetric widening of the respective edges (2, 3) in the associated regions has a varying extent of curvature along the length of the region.

5. The skate blade according to claim 2, characterized in that said asymmetric widening takes place only at the rear region (5).

6. The skate blade according to claim 1, wherein a right blade (11) attached to the right shoe and a left blade (14) attached to the left shoe belong to a pair of skating shoes, characterized in that the right and left blades (11, 14) have corresponding edge sections that have different curvatures.

7. The skate blade according to claim 1, characterized in that it is assembled from two parts, which parts meet along the central plane (6).

8. The skate blade according to claim 7, characterized in that the two parts are joined at a number of discrete locations by means of rivets.

9. The skate blade according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective front and rear regions (4, 5) of both blades (11, 14) contain only one widening edge (12, or 13; and 15, 16) but at the opposite side in the other region (5, 4), and the orientation of these widening edges is different on the right blade (11) relative to the left blade (14).

Description

[0036] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show the front view and rear view of the skate blade 10 according to the invention, where the coordinate X, corresponding to the longitudinal direction, is depicted, together with a coordinate Y corresponding to the crosswise direction, and a coordinate Z corresponding to the height direction. The blade 10 has a middle region 1, where the two edges 2, 3 of the blade 10 are parallel and are located at the lowermost position, meaning that value of the height Z coordinate is zero all along the region. This design can be found in most of the known solutions, and the parallel alignment of the two edges 2,3 ensures that no supplementary braking force acts on the blade 10 while moving forward or backward when the weight of the skater loads both edges, which otherwise could happen if the edges are not parallel. Skaters use this middle region 1 for accelerating (striving) and for moving straight ahead. The length of the middle region 1 could vary corresponding to the skill of the skater and to the nature of use, the most frequent dimension being in the range 30-130 mm.

[0037] In case of the shape designed as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the width, i.e. the size in the coordinate y, of the blade 10 increases gradually along a slight arch at the anterior region 4 in front of the middle region 1, while the height, i.e. the size corresponding to coordinate z, of the edges 2,3 also increases slowly along an arched curvature. The same is true for the posterior region 5 behind the middle region 1, except that the width and height increases in the direction of coordinate x. The rate of changes are preferably different for the anterior region 4 and the posterior region 5, and the curvature of arch and the arched increase (curvature) of elevation, as well as the length of middle region 1, can be selected freely between given limits based on the style and requirements of the skater. The anterior region 4 and the posterior region 5 have role primarily when making turns during skating, when the skater loads only the edge towards the direction of the arch (curvature) of the turn, meaning that only one of the edges 2,3 is loaded. Accordingly, the curvature of the width of blade 10 interpreted in direction y, can be actually interpreted and established separately for each of the edges 2 and 3, if it is possible to make sure that same height coordinates z belong to the same coordinate x for both edges 2, 3.

[0038] The different change of width of blade 10 at the left and right sides is allowed (or required sometimes) by the willingness or the desire of the skater to turn right with different style, curvature of path or momentum relative to the left turn. For the sake of clarity, let us take the central plane interpreted in plane x-z in the middle region 1 of the blade 10 as a halving plane providing the starting (zero) line of the dimensions in direction y. Let us mark the distances of edge 3 (the upper edge according to FIG. 2) calculated from the central plane with coordinates +y , and mark the distances in the direction y of the other (lower) edge 2 with negative sign, i.e. with coordinates y. In the anterior region 4 and/or in the posterior region 5 the edges 2 and 3 of blade 10 must be at the same height z for every length coordinate x, but their width, i.e. the width coordinates y or +y of edges 2,3 may be different. It is even possible theoretically, that the width increases only for the right or only for the left edge 2,3 in the function of the length coordinate x either at the anterior region 4 or at the posterior 5 region.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows the axonometric view of another shape of design of the blade 10 according to the invention, where the middle region 1 is much shorter. Such skates are used where turning or spinning is required often and in small arches.

[0040] The arch of widening of the respective edges 2,3 facilitates turning in the given direction, and allows turning in arch (radius of curvature) much smaller than usual. FIG. 3 shows a blade 10 of skate, which is made of alloyed steel or similarly hard material preferably with a width corresponding to the maximum thickness of edges 2,3 diverging in forward or rearward direction, from which an upper region 7 (FIG. 3) with a constant thickness can be established by means of grinding or other machining operation, the thickness (width) of which preferably corresponds to that of the middle region 1. Preferably two connecting sections 8 and 9 of the blade 10 are located on the top of the upper region 7, by which the blade 10 can be coupled with the sole connector (not shown in the drawing).

[0041] It could be beneficial to prepare the blade 10 from two half blades (not shown in the drawing), because of the independent design of the left side and right side of the blade 10, where each half has a planar surface at one side corresponding to the central plane, and the thickness determining the other side follows the desired arched design of the associated edges 2 and 3. The half blades can be connected rigidly to each other (e.g. by means of riveting) to form a single rigid blade 10.

[0042] The respective edges 2,3 (as has been mentioned already) could have lots of different designs according to the requirements, about which a couple of examples are shown below.

[0043] In case of Example 1, the length of the middle region 1 is 100 mm, while the anterior and posterior regions are 90 mm long alike. The blade 10 in the example has a symmetrical design relative to the central plane 6. The change of width of edges 2,3 is also identical at front and at the rear, but their heights are different.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Length 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 X (mm) Total 4.69 4.33 4.02 3.75 3.52 3.33 3.19 3.08 3.02 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 thickness (mm) Half 2.35 2.17 2.01 1.88 1.76 1.67 1.60 1.54 1.51 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 thickness Y (mm) Blade 11.70 7.71 5.41 3.64 2.50 1.75 1.29 0.75 0.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 height Z (mm) Length 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 X (mm) Total 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.02 3.08 3.19 3.33 3.52 3.75 4.02 4.33 4.69 thickness (mm) Half 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.51 1.54 1.60 1.67 1.76 1.88 2.01 2.17 2.35 thickness Y (mm) Blade 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.30 0.70 1.20 1.64 2.50 4.05 6.29 9.71 15.96 height Z (mm)

[0044] The height-length and width-length diagrams for the design of blade 10 corresponding to Example 1 are shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

[0045] Example 2 and the associated Table 2 refer to a blade 10, which has a shorter middle region 1, which is only 60 mm long. The total length of blade 10 is also 280 mm in this case. The symmetry of the increase of thickness at the anterior and posterior regions is true also in this example.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Length 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 X (mm) Total 4.35 4.10 3.90 3.72 3.56 3.42 3.30 3.20 3.12 3.06 3.02 3.00 3.00 3.00 thickness (mm) Half 2.18 2.05 1.95 1.86 1.78 1.71 1.65 1.60 1.56 1.53 1.51 1.50 1.50 1.50 thickness Y (mm) Blade 11.70 7.71 5.41 3.64 2.50 1.75 1.29 0.98 0.65 0.42 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 height Z (mm) Length 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 X (mm) Total 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.02 3.06 3.12 3.20 3.30 3.42 3.56 3.72 3.90 4.10 4.35 thickness (mm) Half 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.51 1.53 1.56 1.60 1.65 1.71 1.78 1.86 1.95 2.05 2.18 thickness Y (mm) Blade 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.19 0.40 0.60 0.85 1.23 1.64 2.50 4.05 6.29 9.71 14.95 height Z (mm)

[0046] The height-length and width-length diagrams for the design of blade 10 corresponding to Example 2 are shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

[0047] Example 3 and the associated Table 3 refer to a blade 10, which has an even shorter middle region 1, which is only 40 mm long. The total length of blade 10 is also 280 mm in this case. The symmetry of the increase of thickness at the anterior and posterior regions is true also in this example.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Length 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 X (mm) Total 4.35 4.15 3.98 3.80 3.65 3.51 3.39 3.27 3.18 3.12 3.07 3.04 3.02 3.00 thickness (mm) Half 2.18 2.08 1.99 1.90 1.83 1.76 1.70 1.64 1.59 1.56 1.54 1.52 1.51 1.50 thickness Y (mm) Blade 11.70 7.71 5.41 3.64 2.50 1.75 1.30 1.05 0.80 0.58 0.35 0.15 0.02 0.00 height Z (mm) Length 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 X (mm) Total 3.00 3.00 3.02 3.04 3.07 3.12 3.18 3.27 3.39 3.51 3.65 3.80 3.98 4.15 4.35 thickness (mm) Half 1.50 1.50 1.51 1.52 1.54 1.56 1.59 1.64 1.70 1.76 1.83 1.90 1.99 2.08 2.18 thickness Y (mm) Blade 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.15 0.42 0.66 0.95 1.25 1.55 1.90 2.60 4.05 6.29 9.71 14.95 height Z (mm)

[0048] The height-length and width-length diagrams for the design of blade 10 corresponding to Example 3 are shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9.

[0049] Example 4 refers to a blade with asymmetric blade design, where the distance (width) measured in direction y of edges 2,3 of the blade 10 is not the same relative to the central plane 6. In case of such a design, the turning to the left and turning to the right is influenced and facilitated by the blade 10 differently. In addition to the introduced example, the asymmetry of the edges 2,3 of the blade can be accomplished with many other curvatures, and the dimensioning depends primarily on the preferences of the skater.

[0050] The coordinates of the blade corresponding to Example 4 are summarised in Table 4, and at the same time, the diagrams shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 show the change of coordinates +y and y in the function of coordinate x. Finally, FIG. 12 shows a diagram that illustrates the height z of edges 2,3 in the function of coordinate x.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Length 150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 X (mm) Upper 2.46 2.31 2.17 2.04 1.93 1.83 1.74 1.67 1.61 1.56 1.53 thickness + Y (mm) Lower 1.98 1.90 1.83 1.77 1.71 1.66 1.62 1.58 1.55 1.53 1.51 thickness Y (mm) Blade 17.86 9.01 5.51 3.06 1.56 0.98 0.72 0.50 0.35 0.18 0.08 height Z (mm) Length 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 X (mm) Upper 1.51 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.51 1.53 1.56 1.61 thickness Y (mm) Lower 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.51 1.53 1.55 thickness Y (mm) Blade 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.05 0.11 0.20 height Z (mm) Length 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 X (mm) Upper 1.67 1.74 1.83 1.93 2.04 2.17 2.31 2.46 thickness Y (mm) Lower 1.58 1.62 1.66 1.71 1.77 1.83 1.90 1.98 thickness Y (mm) Bladed 0.31 0.45 0.74 1.94 4.17 7.53 12.15 19.68 height Z (mm)

[0051] The design of edges 2,3 of the blade 10 according to the invention can be varied within a wide range in harmony with the requirements and individual preferences of the skater. The shapes of design can be changed without deviating from the essential concept of the invention as long as the parallel alignment and the z=0 height of edges 2,3 are kept in the middle region 1, and then the width y of at least one of the edges 2,3 increases within the anterior region 4 and/or within posterior region 5 along axis x corresponding to a continuous arched curvature departing from the middle region 1.

[0052] The blade 10 designed according to the invention ensures the usual possibilities while moving along a straight path, and at the same time, the increase of the width along a curved arch provides rather significant advantages during turning, which become evident in the aesthetics of skating and in the improved manoeuvrability.

[0053] In FIGS. 13a-d and in the associated FIGS. 14a and b a futher shape of design is illustrated, which has particularly beneficial turning properties. The direction of movement is shown with an arrow in FIGS. 15a-d. As sown in FIG. 13a, the anterior region 4 of right blade 11 beneath the right leg of the skater has an edge parallel with the central plane at the left side, while at the right side, it has an anterior edge section 12 which widens in forward direction along an arch. The scale is distorted in lateral direction in the drawing for the sake of better understanding. At the posterior region 5, a rear edge section 13 is established at the opposite side, i.e. at the left blade side as viewed in direction of movement.

[0054] In case of the other, i.e. the right blade 14, the conditions are opposite relative to the left blade 11, meaning that there is an arched front edge section 15, which becomes wider to the left, and there is a rear edge section 16, which becomes wider to the right.

[0055] Naturally, in the line of the mentioned edge section, the blade is locate at elevated location in direction z, therefore, these sections do not touch the ice surface while moving along a straight path, and therefore, they do not cause braking affect.

[0056] The effect and advantages of the blade design described here can be observed in FIG. 14a and FIG. 14b. The sketch in FIG. 14a shows the left blade 14 and the right blade 11 in case of moving in a left turn. The thin line indicates the path of the movement. It is known, that the leg towards the direction of the curvature of the turn is always in front and the other leg is behind during skating, and the leaning of the leg makes the blade lean forward at the front leg, while the leaning of the rear leg is opposite. As can be seen in FIG. 14a, the anterior edge section 15 touching the ice at the left leg accurately follows the arch of the turn, thus facilitating an efficient turning. At the same time, the outside leg, which is the right leg in this case, the posterior edge section 13 (or its part) touches the ice, and this also follows and facilitates turning. The other two edge sections 16 and 12 have no significance when turning in forward direction. If the skater strides backwards and turns along the same arch, then the edge section 16 and 12, which did not touch the ice formerly, will ensure the same effect.

[0057] FIG. 14b shows a turn with opposite curvature, where the right leg is in front and the left leg is behind. When proceeding forward, the edge section 12 of right blade 11 and the edge section 16 of left blade 14 touches the ice, and follows the arch of the route well, and facilitates the movement and the turning. Now the edge sections 15 and 13 do not touch the ice, and their arch is indifferent. When the direction of movement is reversed, then the roles of the edge sections are exchanged.

[0058] FIGS. 15a-d and FIGS. 16a, b show a further shape of design, where only the rear sections 5 of the blades are arched, but in both directions. At the anterior sections 4 the blades have parallel edges. Similarly to the above shape of design, the edge sections 13 and 16, that become wider outwards and rearwards along an arch, are present at the posterior section 5, but edge sections 17 and 18 are also present at the other sides. The right rear arch section 18 of the left blade 14, as well as the right edge section 17 of the right blade 11 is aligned tangentially to the arch of the movement when turning to the left.

[0059] Although in case of this shape of design the anterior blade region is parallel, the arched design of the posterior blade region facilitates turning, and this design has significant advantages also relative to the traditional parallel design.

[0060] A further conclusion can be considered based on FIGS. 14a and b and FIGS. 16a and b. The left leg moves along an arch having smaller radius relative to the right leg when turning to the left, while the situation is opposite, when turning to the right. Consequently, it does not mean that the same curvature should be present on the otherwise parallel edge section 16, 18 of the left blade 14 in the case shown in FIGS. 15a-d, where the edge sections 13, 17 of the right blade 11 are symmetrical to each other. This is because the left leg and the right leg move along different arches, and this justifies the fact, that the radius of curvature of the arched section on the left blade is slightly different from that of the right blade.

[0061] Naturally, the mentioned asymmetry is very beneficial also in case of edges being right and left of the central plane of the same blade, for the first version of which an example is given by the case depicted in FIGS. 13a-d, where one side of the anterior section of each blade is arched, while the other side is arched at the posterior section.

[0062] Therefore, the solution according to the invention efficiently utilizes the fact, that only the middle region 1 of the skate blade touches the ice when moving along a straight path, and the edges have to be parallel only at this region, while the blade sections in front and behind the middle region are elevated gradually, and very advantageous turning properties are made possible by a gradual change of their width here, and it is particularly beneficial to have a slightly asymmetric design within these possibilities. The asymmetry may refer to the differences between the right and left blades, as well as to the asymmetry of edge sections established at the two sides of a blade.