Ice skate
First Claim
1. In an ice skate having a blade secured to a boot with the boot providing lateral support for the ankle of a user and covering the achilles tendon region above a heel receiving portion of said boot, the improvement comprising a weakened area in the achilles tendon region straddling a vertical centerline of said boot and blade, said weakened portion reducing the strength of said boot above said heel receiving portion with respect to both lateral rigidity and forward and rearward flexing of the boot about the ankle, and a reinforcing member covering said weakened portion and secured to said boot to provide additional strength with respect to lateral rigidity at said weakened area, said reinforcing member being modified to accommodate said forward and rearward flexing of said boot about said ankle by means of a series of slits in said reinforcing member extending generally across said achilles tendon region and said weakened area.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Increased forward and rearward flex of a skate boot about the ankle joint is provided while maintaining sufficient lateral support. This flex is provided by preferably removing a portion of the skate in the achilles tendon region above the heel. The flex characteristics can further be improved by providing notched areas at the front of the skate to avoid buldging when the skate is flexed forwardly. A reinforcing member is applied over the cut-out region to provide supplementary lateral support but is of a shape to accommodate forward and rearward flexing. A skate of this design significantly reduces damage to the soft tissues adjacent the achilles tendon caused by restricted pivoting movement of the leg about the ankle.
64 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In an ice skate having a blade secured to a boot with the boot providing lateral support for the ankle of a user and covering the achilles tendon region above a heel receiving portion of said boot, the improvement comprising a weakened area in the achilles tendon region straddling a vertical centerline of said boot and blade, said weakened portion reducing the strength of said boot above said heel receiving portion with respect to both lateral rigidity and forward and rearward flexing of the boot about the ankle, and a reinforcing member covering said weakened portion and secured to said boot to provide additional strength with respect to lateral rigidity at said weakened area, said reinforcing member being modified to accommodate said forward and rearward flexing of said boot about said ankle by means of a series of slits in said reinforcing member extending generally across said achilles tendon region and said weakened area.
- 2. In an ice skate as claimed in 1, wherein said boot is made as a substantially one piece unit and said slits extending generally horizontally.
- 15. An ice skate having a blade secured to a boot, the boot being of the type which extends above and provides lateral support of the ankle region of the user, said boot including a body portion having an achilles tendon region above a heel receiving portion of said body portion, said achilles tendon region having a small weakened portion adjacent the vertical axis of the boot, said weakened portion being shaped to reduce boot resistance to forward and back pivoting movement about the ankle region, said body portion including a reinforcing member extending over said weakened portion and secured to said boot, said reinforcing member having a series of slits located over said weakened portion and extending across the vertical axis to accommodate forward and rearward flexing of the boot while increasing the lateral strength of said boot.
Specification