Skate boot

• US 20040016150A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bauer Hockey, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bauer Nike Hockey, Inc. (Nike, Inc.)
• Inventors: Labonte, Ivan, Langevin, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 6,871,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/115
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1666 characterised by the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/16 with elevated heel parts inside
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/20 Ankle-joint supports or holders
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/0054 by compression moulding, vulcanising or the like; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/126 Uppers

Abstract

A lasted skate boot for ice skates or in-line roller skates, the lasted skate boot comprising an upper having an outer shell molded of synthetic material and an inner lining mounted inside the outer shell. The outer shell comprises a heel counter, an ankle portion, medial and lateral quarters and reinforcing elements provided on the heel counter, ankle portion, medial quarter or lateral quarter. Each of the reinforcing elements comprises a ridge formed on one of the inner or outer surface of the outer shell and a groove registering with the ridge, the groove being formed on one of the inner or outer surface of the outer shell. The outer shell may also comprise an ankle portion having an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to the upper part, the lower part merging with the heel counter. The lower and upper parts of the ankle portion follow the rear profile of the Achilles tendon.

Claims

1. A lasted skate boot comprising an upper for enclosing a human foot, the foot having a heel, an Achilles tendon having an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to the upper part, the lower part merging with the heel, the foot also comprising an ankle with a medial malleolus and a lateral malleolus, a plantar surface, medial and lateral sides and toes;

(a) said upper comprising an outer shell and an inner lining mounted inside said outer shell;

(b) said inner lining comprising a surface facing the heel, the ankle and the medial and lateral sides of the foot, said inner lining is less rigid than said outer shell; and

(c) said outer shell being molded of synthetic material and comprising a heel counter receiving the heel of the foot, an ankle portion receiving the ankle and medial and lateral quarters receiving the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively, said medial and lateral quarters extending forwardly from said heel counter and said ankle portion, said medial and lateral quarters having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one of said medial and lateral quarters comprising reinforcing elements, each of said reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

2. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 wherein said ankle portion comprises medial and lateral sides facing the medial malleolus and the lateral malleolus, said medial and lateral sides having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one of said medial and lateral sides comprising reinforcing elements, each of said reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

3. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 wherein said heel counter comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, said heel counter further comprising reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

4. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 wherein said ankle portion comprises an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to said upper part, said lower part merging with said heel counter, said upper part following the upper part of the Achilles tendon and said lower part following the lower part of the Achilles tendon.

5. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 wherein said ankle portion comprises a lateral depression for receiving the lateral malleolus and a medial depression for receiving the medial malleolus.

6. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 5 wherein said lateral depression is below said medial depression.

7. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 further comprising an insole facing the plantar surface of the foot and an insole fastener for affixing said insole to said outer shell.

8. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 7 wherein said insole fastener is selected from the group consisting of stitches, glue, nails, adhesives and tacks.

9. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 further comprising a toe box facing the toes of the foot and a toe box fastener for affixing said toe box to said medial and lateral quarters.

10. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 9 further comprising a tongue extending upwardly and rearwardly from said toe box and an insole facing the plantar surface of the foot.

11. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 10 wherein said toe box fastener is selected from the group consisting of stitches, glue, nails, adhesives and tacks.

12. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper further comprising a protective overlay, said overlay recovering a portion of said medial and lateral quarters.

13. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer shell is made of a homogenous synthetic material.

14. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer shell comprises an outer layer and an inner layer, said outer layer being more rigid than said inner layer.

15. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1 further comprising lacing members disposed in an upper portion of said medial and lateral quarters and a rear cover secured to a rear portion of said outer shell.

16. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 15 wherein said lacing members are selected from the group consisting of lacing loops and eyelets.

17. An ice skate comprising the lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1.

18. An in-line roller skate comprising the lasted skate boot as defined in claim 1.

19. A lasted skate boot comprising an upper for enclosing a human foot, the foot having a heel, an Achilles tendon having an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to the upper part, the lower part merging with the heel, the foot also comprising an ankle with a medial malleolus and a lateral malleolus, a plantar surface, medial and lateral sides and toes;

(a) said upper comprising an outer shell and an inner lining mounted inside said outer shell;

(b) said inner lining comprising a surface facing the heel, the ankle and the medial and lateral sides of the foot, said inner lining is less rigid than said outer shell; and

(c) said outer shell being molded of synthetic material and comprising a heel counter receiving the heel of the foot, an ankle portion receiving the ankle and medial and lateral quarters receiving the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively, said medial and lateral quarters extending forwardly from said heel counter and said ankle portion, wherein said ankle portion comprises an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to said upper part, said lower part merging with said heel counter, said upper part following the upper part of the Achilles tendon and said lower part following the lower part of the Achilles tendon.

20. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 wherein said medial and lateral quarters comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one of said medial and lateral quarters comprising reinforcing elements, each of said reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

21. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 wherein said heel counter comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, said heel counter further comprising reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

22. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 wherein said ankle portion comprises medial and lateral sides facing the medial malleolus and the lateral malleolus, said medial and lateral sides having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one of said medial and lateral sides comprising reinforcing elements, each of said reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

23. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 wherein said ankle portion comprises a lateral depression for receiving the lateral malleolus and a medial depression for receiving the medial malleolus.

24. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 23 wherein said lateral depression is below said medial depression.

25. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 further comprising an insole facing the plantar surface of the foot and an insole fastener for affixing said insole to said outer shell.

26. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 25 wherein said insole fastener is selected from the group consisting of stitches, glue, nails, adhesives and tacks.

27. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 further comprising a toe box facing the toes of the foot and a toe box fastener for affixing said toe box to said medial and lateral quarters.

28. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 27 further comprising a tongue extending upwardly and rearwardly from said toe box and an insole facing the plantar surface of the foot.

29. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 28 wherein said toe box fastener is selected from the group consisting of stitches, glue, nails, adhesives and tacks.

30. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 wherein said upper further comprising a protective overlay, said overlay recovering a portion of said medial and lateral quarters.

31. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 wherein said outer shell is made of a homogenous synthetic material.

32. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 wherein said outer shell comprises an outer layer and an inner layer, said outer layer being more rigid than said inner layer.

33. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19 further comprising lacing members disposed in an upper portion of said medial and lateral quarters and a rear cover secured to a rear portion of said outer shell.

34. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 33 wherein said lacing members is selected from the group consisting of lacing loops and eyelets.

35. An ice skate comprising the lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19.

36. An in-line roller skate comprising the lasted skate boot as defined in claim 19.

37. A molded outer shell for use in an upper of a lasted skate boot having a sole component, said molded outer shell comprising a heel counter receiving the heel of a human foot, an ankle portion receiving the ankle and medial and lateral quarters receiving the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively, said medial and lateral quarters extending forwardly from said heel counter and said ankle portion, said medial and lateral quarters having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one of said medial and lateral quarters comprising reinforcing elements, each of said reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

38. A molded outer shell as defined in claim 37, wherein said heel counter comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, said heel counter further comprising reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

39. A molded outer shell as defined in claim 37, wherein said ankle portion comprises medial and lateral sides facing the medial malleolus and the lateral malleolus, said medial and lateral sides having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one of said medial and lateral sides comprising reinforcing elements, each of said reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

40. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 37 wherein said ankle portion comprises a lateral depression for receiving the lateral malleolus and a medial depression for receiving the medial malleolus.

41. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 40 wherein said lateral depression is below said medial depression.

42. A molded outer shell as defined in claim 37 wherein said outer shell further comprises a lower skirt portion foldable to overlap the sole component of the lasted skate boot.

43. A molded outer shell as defined in claim 37 wherein said ankle portion comprises an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to said upper part, said lower part merging with said heel counter, said upper part following the upper part of the Achilles tendon of the foot and said lower part following the lower part of the Achilles tendon of the foot.

44. A molded outer shell for use in an upper of a lasted skate boot having a sole component, said molded outer shell comprising a heel counter receiving the heel of a human foot, an ankle portion receiving the ankle and medial and lateral quarters receiving the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively, said ankle portion comprising an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to said upper part, said lower part merging with said heel counter, said upper part following the upper part of the Achilles tendon of the foot and said lower part following the lower part of the Achilles tendon of the foot.

45. A molded outer shell as defined in claim 44 wherein said medial and lateral quarters comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one of said medial and lateral quarters comprising reinforcing elements, each of said reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

46. A molded outer shell as defined in claim 44 wherein said ankle portion comprises medial and lateral sides facing the medial malleolus and the lateral malleolus, said medial and lateral sides having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one of said medial and lateral sides comprising reinforcing elements, each of said reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

47. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 44 wherein said ankle portion comprises a lateral depression for receiving the lateral malleolus and a medial depression for receiving the medial malleolus.

48. A lasted skate boot as defined in claim 47 wherein said lateral depression is below said medial depression.

49. A molded outer shell as defined in claim 44 wherein said heel counter comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, said heel counter further comprising reinforcing elements having a ridge formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces and a groove registering with said ridge, said groove being formed on one of said inner or outer surfaces.

50. A molded outer shell as defined in claim 44 wherein said outer shell further comprises a lower skirt portion foldable to overlap the sole component of the lasted skate boot.