ICE SKATE BLADE

• US 20180178108A1
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Published: 06/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bauer Hockey, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bauer Hockey Incorporated (Old PSG Wind-down Ltd.)
• Inventors: LABONTE, IVAN, SEGUIN, ALEXIS, CORBEIL, JEAN-FRANCOIS, DESCHENES, CANDIDE
• Granted Patent: US 11,071,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 1/02 rigidly mounted on the sole of the boot
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 1/303 removably fastened to the blade holder
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 1/32 Special constructions of the simple blade

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.

Claims

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, and

b) a metallic ice-contacting lower member secured to the polymeric upper member and comprising;

a metallic base comprising an ice-contacting surface, and

a metallic anchor affixed to the metallic base and the polymeric upper member.

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.

12. 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.

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

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

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

18. 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.

19. The blade of claim 18, wherein the fibers are continuous fibers.

20. The blade of claim 18, wherein the fibers are chopped fibers.

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

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

25. The blade of claim 24, wherein the adhesion is chemical adhesion of the metallic anchor and the polymeric upper member.

26. The blade of claim 24, wherein the adhesion comprises an adhesive between the metallic anchor and the polymeric upper member.

27. The blade of claim 24, wherein the polymeric upper member is overmolded onto the metallic anchor.

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

31. 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.

32. The blade of claim 31, wherein given ones of the openings are disposed between the metallic base and the metallic anchor.

33. The blade of claim 31, wherein the metallic anchor includes given ones of the openings.

34. The blade of claim 32, wherein the metallic anchor includes individual ones of the openings.

35. The blade of claim 31, wherein the respective portions of the polymeric upper member comprise portions of pre-impregnated composite material extending through the given ones of the openings.

36. 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.

37. The blade of claim 36, 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.

40. 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.

43. 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.

44. 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.

45. 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.

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

50. 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.

55. The blade of claim 1, wherein:

the polymeric upper member comprises a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface opposite one another; and

the first lateral surface comprises a projection projecting laterally outwardly relative to an adjacent portion of the first lateral surface.

57. The blade of claim 55, 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.

58. The blade of claim 57, 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.

60. The blade of claim 1, wherein the polymeric upper member comprises a connector to connect the blade to the blade holder, and the connector is spaced apart from the metallic ice-contacting lower member.

61. The blade of claim 60, wherein the connector comprises a hook projecting upwardly from a top edge of the polymeric upper member.

62. The blade of claim 1, wherein the polymeric upper member comprises a plurality of connectors to connect the blade to the blade holder, and the connectors are spaced apart from the metallic ice-contacting lower member.

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66. 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, and

b) a metallic ice-contacting lower member secured to the polymeric upper member and comprising;

a metallic base comprising an ice-contacting surface; and

a metallic anchor welded to the metallic base and bonded to the polymeric upper member.

67. 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) an upper member; and

b) an ice-contacting lower member secured to the upper member and comprising;

a base comprising an ice-contacting surface; and

an anchor affixed to the base and the upper member,

the upper member comprising a first material, the base comprising a second material different from the first material, and the anchor comprising a third material different from the first material and the second material.

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