SKATE BOOT WITH STIFFENING CUFF INSERT

Abstract

A skate boot has (i) a unitary, molded boot body formed of plastic material defining a sole, side walls, a rear wall and an upper cuff to surround the foot and lower leg region of a user, and (ii) a cuff insert at least partially embedded within the upper cuff of the boot body by molding the plastic material of the boot body about the cuff insert. The insert includes a rear section and two side sections to align with corresponding portions of the upper cuff of the boot body. The insert is a unitary molded structure that is harder than the boot body material. The insert provides targeted stiffening to the upper cuff region of the boot body so that the upper cuff maintains its shape and securement relative to the lower leg of the user as the user flexes their ankle to optimize performance of the skate boot.

Claims

1. A skate boot comprising: a boot body comprising (i) a sole extending from a heel end of the boot towards a toe end of the boot to receive a foot of a user thereon, (ii) two side walls extending upwardly from the sole at medial and lateral sides of the boot respectively to define a lower portion of a tongue opening of the boot between respective upper edges of the side walls, (iii) a rear wall extending upwardly from the sole between the side walls at the heel end of the boot, and (iv) an upper cuff having a rear portion above the rear wall and side portions extending forwardly from the rear portion towards respective front edges of the upper cuff to define an upper portion of the tongue opening between the front edges, (v) wherein the sole, the side walls, the rear wall, and the upper cuff collectively define a unitary molded structure formed of a plastic material having a first prescribed hardness; and a cuff insert at least partially embedded within the upper cuff of the boot body; wherein the cuff insert includes a rear section at the rear portion of the upper cuff of the boot body and two side sections extending forwardly from the rear section at the side portions of the upper cuff of the boot body; and wherein the cuff insert comprises a unitary structure formed of a second material having a second prescribed hardness that is harder than the first prescribed hardness.

2. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein the second prescribed hardness of the second material of the cuff insert is greater than 70 on the Shore D hardness scale.

3. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein the second material of the cuff insert is a fibre reinforced composite material.

4. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein the second material of the cuff insert comprises polycarbonate.

5. The skate boot according to claim 4 wherein the polycarbonate is reinforced with glass fibres.

6. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein the first prescribed hardness of the plastic material of the boot body is less than 70 on the Shore D hardness scale.

7. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein the plastic material of the boot body comprises polypropylene.

8. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein the plastic material of the boot body substantially fully spans an exterior side of the cuff insert.

9. The skate boot according to claim 8 further comprising a plurality of spacers formed on the exterior side of the cuff insert to protrude outwardly towards an exterior of the skate boot by a distance corresponding to a thickness of the plastic material of the boot body that spans the exterior side of the cuff insert.

10. The skate boot according to claim 9 wherein the spacers are situated at spaced apart locations along both side sections of the cuff insert and on the rear section of the cuff insert.

11. The skate boot according to claim 9 wherein the spacers are situated in proximity to a boundary edge of the cuff insert.

12. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein the cuff insert is at least partially exposed and uncovered by the plastic material of the boot body at an interior side of the boot body.

13. The skate boot according to claim 12 further comprising at least one flange portion formed at a bottom boundary of the cuff insert at a location spaced outwardly from an interior surface of the cuff insert so as to receive a portion of the plastic material of the boot body overlapping an interior of the flange portion at the interior side of the boot body.

14. The skate boot according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of apertures extending through the cuff insert between an interior side and an exterior side of the boot body, the plurality of apertures being occupied by the plastic material of the boot body.

15. The skate boot according to claim 14 wherein at least some of the apertures have an undercut area at the interior side of the boot body such that a boundary edge of the aperture is enlarged at the interior side of the boot body relative to the exterior side of the boot body.

16. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein the side sections of the cuff insert terminate at respective forward edges, the forward edges being spaced rearwardly of the front edges of the upper cuff of the boot body respectively.

17. The skate boot according to claim 16 further comprising a plurality of lace openings formed in the boot body along the front edges of the upper cuff of the boot body, the forward edges of the side sections of the cuff insert being rearward of the lace openings.

18. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein the side sections of the cuff insert terminate of respective forward edges, the forward edges being tapered and reduced in thickness relative to a remainder of the cuff insert.

19. The skate boot according to claim 1 wherein an upper edge of the cuff insert is located along a corresponding upper edge of the boot body.

20. A method of forming the skate boot according to claim 1 comprising: molding the cuff insert of the second material; placing the molded cuff insert into a boot mold; and injection molding the plastic material of the boot body into the boot mold about the cuff insert to form the boot body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the skate boot according to the present invention showing a lateral side of the boot;

[0026] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the skate boot showing a medial side of the boot;

[0027] FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 in FIG. 4;

[0029] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lateral side of the cuff insert of the skate boot according to FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the medial side of the cuff insert;

[0031] FIG. 7 is a top view of the cuff insert; and

[0032] FIG. 8 is a rear view of the cuff insert.

[0033] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Referring to the accompanying figures there is illustrated a skate boot generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The skate boot 10 is particularly suited for an ice skate, for example a hockey skate, or a roller skate of similar construction, or other athletic footwear in which similar performance benefits are desired.

[0035] In each instance, the skate boot 10 generally includes (i) a boot body 12 comprising a unitary structure molded of a plastic material so as to be generally continuous and seamless throughout, and (ii) a cuff insert 14 comprising a single unitary structure molded of a different material so as to be continuous and seamless throughout, in which the material of the cuff insert is harder and stiffer than the material of the boot body, and in which the cuff insert is partly embedded into the molded material of the boot body so as to impart additional stiffness at a targeted location within the boot body. The skate boot is generally formed by initially molding the cuff insert using one molded material, followed by placement of the molded cuff insert into a boot mold within which the boot body is injection molded using a different molded material so that the molded material of the boot body at least partially surrounds and captures the cuff insert within the boundaries of the boot body as described in further detail below.

[0036] In the preferred embodiment, the plastic material of the boot body 12 comprises polypropylene or another similar thermoplastic material that can be injection molded and which has a hardness that is preferably less than 70 on the Shore D hardness scale, and more preferably that is between 50 and 70 on the Shore D hardness scale. Also, according to the preferred embodiment, the material of the cuff insert is a polycarbonate or other similar thermoplastic material that can be injection molded and which may be formed as a composite with embedded fibers therein such as glass fibers for example. The material of the cuff insert preferably has a hardness that is preferably more than 70 on the Shore D hardness scale, and more preferably that is between 70 and 120 on the Shore D hardness scale.

[0037] The boot body is generally formed to include a sole 16 fully spanning a bottom side of the boot body from a heel end 18 of the boot to a toe end 20 of the boot for receiving the foot of the user thereon. The sole 16 also spans a full width at the bottom of the boot between laterally opposing sides of the boot.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, a front lip 22 extends upward from the toe end of the sole 16 to provide an upright surface against which a separate toe cap of a finished skate can be attached. In further embodiments, the boot body may include an integral toe cap receiving the toes of the user therein as part of the boot body.

[0039] The boot body also includes a pair of side walls 24 extending upwardly from the side edges of the sole 16 at opposing medial and lateral sides of the boot body to span substantially the full length of the boot body between the front lip 22 at the toe end and a rear wall 26 at the heel end of the boot body. Each side wall extends upwardly from the sole such that at least a forward portion of each side wall terminates at an upper edge 28 in which the upper edges 28 of the two side walls 24 are laterally spaced apart to define a lower portion of a tongue opening 30 of the skate boot therebetween. The tongue opening 30 is occupied by a tongue in the finished and assembled skate that incorporates the skate boot therein.

[0040] The rear wall 26 of the boot body extends upward from the heel end of the sole 16 so as to be generally U-shaped between the rear ends of the side walls 24 while being generally upright in orientation.

[0041] The boot body further includes an upper cuff 32 forming the top portion of the skate boot about the ankle region or lower leg of the user in use. The upper cuff 32 includes a rear portion 34 extending continuously upward from the rear wall 26 to a top edge 36 of the boot body at the heel end, and two side portions 38 extending forwardly from opposing sides of the rear portion 34 to terminate at respective forward edges 40 at the laterally opposing sides of the skate boot.

[0042] The forward edges 40 of the upper cuff 32 are sloped upwardly and rearwardly so as to be continuous with the upper edges 28 of the side walls while defining an upper portion of the tongue opening 30 therebetween. Typically, the upper edges 28 of the side walls are sloped upwardly and rearwardly so as to be closer to horizontal than vertical, that is less than 45 degrees from horizontal or from a plane of the sole. At a junction of the upper edges of the side walls 24 to the forward edges 40 of the upper cuff 32, the edges at opposing sides of the tongue opening transition to a more upright orientation so as to be closer to vertical than horizontal, that is more than degrees from horizontal or from a plane of the sole.

[0043] The upper cuff 32 includes a raised portion 42 at the top of the boot adjacent to each of the forward edges 40 of the side portions 38. In this instance, the top edge of the boot defined by the upper cuff is raised upwardly at the raised portions 42 relative to a remainder of the top edge of the boot body defined by the rear portion 34 and the remaining part of the side portions 38 rearward of the raised portions 42.

[0044] After assembly of outer finishing layers when the skate boot is incorporated into a finished skate, a row of lace apertures 44 are formed through the boot body at spaced positions along each side of the tongue opening adjacent to the upper edges 28 of the side walls and the forward edges 40 of the upper cuff. The lace apertures 44 receive laces inserted therethrough when subsequently lacing up a finished skate to be tensioned about the foot of the user in use.

[0045] The cuff insert 14 is configured to be partially embedded into the upper cuff 32 of the boot body and may extend by varying degrees into the side walls 24 or the rear wall 26 of the boot body as may be desired. In the illustrated embodiment, the cuff insert 14 is formed as a single body of material having (i) a rear section 46 fully received within the rear portion 34 of the upper cuff 32 of the boot body, and (ii) two side sections 48 primarily received within the side portions 38 of the upper cuff 32 of the boot body.

[0046] The rear section 46 of the cuff insert 14 has a top edge which is located directly adjacent the top edge of the boot body as defined by the upper cuff 32 of the boot body. An opposing bottom edge 50 of the rear section is spaced below the top edge approximately at the elevation of the transition between the upper edges 28 of the side walls to the forward edges 40 of the upper cuff of the boot body. More particularly the bottom edge 50 of the rear section is situated near in elevation to or slightly above a domed protrusion 52 formed in the boot body for alignment with the protruding ankle bone of the foot of the user that is received within the boot body in use.

[0047] The side sections 48 of the cuff insert 14 have respective top edges 54 situated at the same elevation as the top edge of the rear section so as to be spaced slightly below the top edge of the raised portions 42 at the front edges of the upper cuff 32 of the boot body while being at substantially the same elevation as the remaining top edge of the skate boot. The front edges 56 of the side sections of the cuff insert follow the slope of the corresponding forward edges 40 of the skate boot but at a location spaced rearward therefrom so that a portion of the skate boot protrudes forwardly beyond the forward edges of the cuff insert along the full height of the cuff insert. In this manner the front edges 56 are spaced rearwardly of the lace apertures 44 formed in the skate boot.

[0048] In this arrangement, the laces used for tightening the skate boot about the foot of the user primarily act on the more flexible material of the boot body 12 at a location forwardly of the cuff insert 14 to allow the protruding forward portions of the boot body to be flexed inwardly as the laces are tightened. The material of the boot body that protrudes forwardly of the front edge 56 and which protrudes above the top front corners of the cuff insert at the raised portions 42 of the boot body ensure that the forward and top corner edges of the cuff insert 14 are fully captured by the material of the boot body as the boot body is secured and tightened about the foot of the user. In this manner, the cuff insert 14 is mechanically captured by the boot body in addition to any bonding between the cuff insert and the boot body resulting from the boot body being injection molded about the cuff insert during manufacturing.

[0049] In the illustrated embodiment, the cuff insert 14 also includes an upper extension panel 57 extending upwardly in a continuous manner from each side section 48 of the cuff insert for alignment with the raised portions 42 in the boot body. The upper extensions panels 57 of the cuff insert span a majority of the area of the raised portions 42 to extend the stiffening function of the insert 14 into the raised portions 42 of the boot body.

[0050] According to the illustrated embodiment, the cuff insert 14 further includes lower extensions 58 extending from the bottoms of the side sections 48 of the cuff insert to extend into the side walls 24 of the boot body respectively. Each lower extension 58 is formed such that a front edge 60 of the lower extension is continuous with the front edge 56 of the side sections above; however, the slope of the front edge 60 of the lower extension transitions to a less vertical orientation to follow the corresponding slope change between the forward edges 40 of the boot body at the upper portion of the tongue opening and the upper edges 28 of the side walls of the boot body at the lower portion of the tongue opening. The front edges 60 of the lower extensions 58 of the cuff insert 14 remain spaced downwardly and rearwardly relative to the corresponding upper edges 28 of the boot body so that the lace apertures 44 in the boot body are again situated within the material of the boot body forwardly and upwardly of the corresponding edges of the cuff insert. The material of the boot body protruding beyond the front edges 60 of the lower extension similarly act to ensure that the cuff insert remains fully captured by the material of the boot body both mechanically and by adhesive bonding as the boot body is tightened about the foot of the user by the laces.

[0051] The bottom edge 62 of each lower extension is lower in elevation than the corresponding bottom edge 50 of the remainder of the cuff insert such that the lower extensions 58 extend lower in elevation than the domed protrusions 52 receiving the ankle bones of the user therein, at a location forwardly of the domed protrusions.

[0052] The cuff insert 14 has a substantially uniform thickness between an interior side 64 and an opposing exterior side 66 throughout with the exception of the boundary edges which are a region alongside the front edges 56 and 60. The region alongside the front edges is tapered forwardly to be reduced in thickness towards the front edges which also acts to ensure that the front edges of the insert are fully captured by the material of the boot body without creating a line of weakness within the boot body at the front edges of the cuff insert. Similarly, the bottom edge 50 along the rear section 46 and the bottom edges along the side sections 48 are tapered to be reduced in thickness towards the bottom of the insert 14 so that the flow of plastic material of the molded boot body better surrounds the bottom edges of the insert, while similarly avoiding creation of a line of weakness within the boot body at the bottom edges of the cuff insert. The top edges along the top boundary of the side sections 48 and the rear section 46 of the insert 14 are also tapered so that the plastic material of the boot body can better follow over and overlap the top of the cuff insert as best shown in FIG. 4.

[0053] The cuff insert further includes a plurality of spacers 68 in the form of protruding pegs or lugs formed on the exterior side 66 of the cuff insert at spaced apart positions. The spacers 68 extend outward from the exterior side 66 towards the exterior of the assembled skate. The spacers 68 are intended to abut the corresponding exterior boundary walls of the boot mold within which the cuff insert 14 is inserted prior to injection molding of the boot body. In this manner, the spacers 68 control the space between the exterior side 66 of the cuff insert and the corresponding exterior side of the boot body by arranging the spacers 68 to span the resulting thickness of the boot body that overlies the exterior side 66 of the cuff insert in the assembled skate boot. The combined thickness of the cuff insert and the spacers 68 corresponds approximately to the desired overall thickness of the finished skate boot such that the interior side surfaces of the cuff insert are positioned against corresponding interior side boundaries of the mold for forming the boot body.

[0054] In the finished boot body, the interior side 64 of the cuff insert is substantially flush with interior side surfaces of the surrounding boot body such that the interior side 64 of the cuff insert is partially or fully exposed and uncovered by the material of the boot body in the manufactured skate boot. However, the exterior side 66 of the cuff insert is fully covered by a uniform layer of the material of the boot body as controlled by the spacers 68.

[0055] The spacers 68 are spaced about the boundary edges of the cuff insert, primarily within the side sections 48 and the lower extension 58 of the cuff insert. In particular, a plurality of the spacers 68 are spaced apart along the top boundary edge 54 of each side section while being also spaced apart along the front edges 56 and 60. Additional spacers 68 are provided at spaced locations adjacent the bottom edge 62 of the lower extension and the corresponding bottom edge of the side sections 48 of the cuff insert.

[0056] At the rear of the cuff insert 14, one of the spacers 68 is also provided at a laterally central location along the bottom edge 50 of the rear section 46 of the insert 14 and another spacer 68 is provided at a laterally central location along the upper edge of the rear section 46 of the insert. Both spacers 68 on the rear section 46 similarly function to protrude rearwardly by a thickness of the overlapping boot body material for locating the insert spaced inwardly from the walls of the boot mold and substantially flush with the interior of the molded boot body similarly to the spacers 68 on the side sections of the cuff insert as described above.

[0057] The cuff insert 14 also includes flow apertures 70 that extend fully through the body of the cuff insert between the interior side 64 and the exterior side 66 at spaced apart locations. The flow apertures 70 include (i) apertures spaced apart vertically and horizontally within each of the side sections 48 of the insert 14, (ii) apertures in proximity to top ends of the front edges 56 of the side sections, (iii) apertures in proximity to the bottom ends of the front edges 60 of the lower extensions 58 at each side of the insert 14, and (iv) apertures spaced apart in an upright row at each side of the cuff insert at opposing sides of the rear section 46 towards the rear of the insert. The flow apertures 70 each allow a portion of the material of the boot body to be received therein during the injection molding process so that the flow apertures 70 are fully occupied by the material of the boot body in the manufactured skate boot.

[0058] Each flow aperture 70 further includes a counterbore 72 formed in the interior side of the cuff insert concentrically with each aperture. The counterbore 72 defines an undercut area at the interior side of the boot body such that a boundary edge of the aperture is enlarged at the interior side of the boot body relative to the exterior side of the boot body. When molding the boot body, the plastic material flows into each aperture 70 from the exterior to the interior of the cuff, and then expands into the undercut area formed by the counterbore 72 of each aperture. Accordingly, an enlarged head of plastic material is formed within each counterbore which functions like a fastener head to hold the insert 14 against the plastic material covering the exterior side of the insert 14.

[0059] The insert 14 also includes a pair of flange portions 74 formed along the bottom edge of the insert to protrude downwardly from the bottom edge of the insert, approximately at the junctions of the side sections 48 with the rear section 46 respectively. In this manner, the flange portions 74 are spaced apart along the bottom edge 50 at opposing sides of the rear section 46 of the insert. Each flange portion 74 is substantially flush with the exterior side of the insert 14, but is spaced outwardly from an adjacent portion of the interior surface of the insert 14 so as to define another undercut area at the interior side of the insert. The undercut area at the interior of each flange portion also receives a portion of the plastic material of the boot body overlapping an interior of the flange portion, between the flange portion and the interior side of the boot body. Each flange portion 74 is a downward protruding tab that is tapered to be reduced in thickness between interior and exterior surfaces thereof towards the distal end of the tab to assist flow of plastic material of the boot body into the space between the flange portion and the interior surface of the finished skate boot. Allowing plastic to flow into the undercut area at the interior of the insert 14 functions to hold the cuff insert 14 in place relative to the boot body at the bottom edge of the insert 14 to prevent the insert 14 from being pulled away from the upper cuff of the boot body towards the interior of the skate boot approximately at the location of the ankles of the user.

[0060] In other embodiments, the cuff insert 14 may be further provided with a plurality of notches (not shown) spaced apart along the top edge of the side sections 48 of the insert 14 in which each notch comprises an opening which is recessed downwardly from the top edge while remaining open to the top edge of the insert. The notches are spaced apart along each side of the insert to be primarily located nearer to the rear of the insert than the front of the insert. The notches would similarly serve to receive the injection molded material of the boot body therein during formation of the boot body such that the notches are fully occupied by the material of the boot body in the finished skate boot. The notches, similarly to the flow apertures above, mechanically locate and couple the cuff insert relative to the surrounding boot body so that the top edge of the cuff insert remains captured relative to the material of the boot body even when the interior side of the boot body remains mostly exposed at the interior of the skate boot.

[0061] As described herein, the skate boot is manufactured by initially molding the cuff insert within a corresponding insert mold so that the cuff insert 14 is formed of a first injection molded material, for example polycarbonate or a composite material of polycarbonate with glass fibers therein. The cuff insert 14 is then removed from the corresponding insert mold and is placed within a boot mold for forming the skate boot body 12 therein. The interior side 64 of the cuff insert is substantially abutted against corresponding interior side surfaces of the boot mold while the spacers 68 abut opposing exterior side surfaces of the boot mold. The material of the boot body is then injection molded into the boot mold so that the material flows over the exterior side of the cuff insert and readily flows into the flow apertures 70 and the counterbores 72, in addition to the undercut areas to the interior of each flange portion 74. The molded boot body 12 can then be removed from the boot mold. In the resulting skate boot 10, the boot body fully spans the exterior side of the cuff insert to provide a mechanical coupling and interlocking interface between the boot body and the cuff insert in addition to the bonding of the molded material of the boot body against corresponding surfaces of the cuff insert.

[0062] The remainder of a finished skate is then assembled about the manufactured boot body including formation of lace openings through the material of the boot body while avoiding penetration of lace openings through the region of the boot body occupied by the cuff insert. Tightening of the laces in the finished skate tensions the material of the boot body about the foot of the user while ensuring sufficient material of the boot body protrudes beyond the corresponding boundary edges of the cuff insert to positively capture the cuff insert within the boot body.

[0063] Since various modifications can be made in the invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.