Skate with improved comfort

• US 6,233,845 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benetton Group SPA (Benetton Family)
• Original Assignee: Benetton Group SPA (Benetton Family)
• Inventors: Belli, Nicola
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARNOLD III, TROY G
• Application Number:
  US09/446,146
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 36/3.A, 36/88, 36/93, 36/26
• US Class Current: 36/3.00A
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/00 Footwear characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 Linings therefor lining laminated with upper A43B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1675 with ventilation means in the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/08 with air-holes, with or without closures
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/34 with protection against heat or cold

Abstract

A skate with improved comfort, comprising a frame for supporting two or more wheels, with which a shoe is associated. The shoe has openings which are connected to the outside or to a vapor-permeable surface, and an innerboot, or upper, which comprises a phase-change material that releases or absorbs heat in preset temperature ranges.

Claims

1. A skate with improved comfort, comprising:

a fame with wheels pivoted to said frame;

a boot connected above said frame, said boot having a rind outer shell and a soft innerboot or upper arranged inside said shell, said boot having openings arranged between rigid portions of said shell, said innerboot or upper comprising an inner lining and an outer lining which are mutually attached to form said innerboot or upper, said inner lining of said innerboot or upper comprising a phase-change material that releases or absorbs heat in selected temperature ranges, and said outer lining comprising openings therein such that said inner lining is exposed to an outside environment at said openings of said outer lining, said openings of said outer lining being arranged at said openings between said rigid portions of said shell.

2. The skate according to claim 1, further comprising a rigid cuff articulated by means of lateral studs to said shell, said soft innerboot being arranged inside said shell and said cuff, said cuff having openings which overlap selected ones of said openings arranged between rigid portions of said shell.

3. The skate according to claim 2, further comprising protrusions of said cuff formed in a region above said studs laterally to said cuff and forming a duct for air at underlying openings of said openings arranged between rigid portions of said shell.

4. The skate according to claim 2, wherein said soft innerboot further comprises a padding arranged between said inner lining and said outer lining, said openings in said outer lining extending also in said padding of said innerboot to expose said inner lining to the outside environment.

5. The skate according to claim 1, wherein said rigid portions comprise one or more rigid extensions arranged at regions of a heel, of malleoli and of a tip of a foot.

6. The skate according to claim 1, wherein said phase-change material releases or absorbs heat in said selected temperature ranges by modifying a chemical state thereof from liquid to crystalline and viceversa.

7. The skate according to claim 6, wherein said phase-change material releases and absorbs heat between 28°

C. and 35°

C.

8. The skate according to claim 1, further comprising a fabric adapted to facilitate transpiration arranged at said outer lining at said openings arranged between said rigid portions of said shell.

9. The skate according to claim 1, wherein said phase-change material is embedded in fibers of said inner lining.

10. The skate according to claim 1, wherein said phase-change material is a spread layer of said inner lining.

11. A skate with improved comfort, comprising;

a frame with wheels pivoted to said frame;

a boot connected above said frame;

a rigid shell of said boot;

openings of said boot arranged between rigid portions of said rigid shell;

a soft innerboot of said boot arranged inside said rigid shell, said soft innerboot comprising an inner lining and an outer lining which are mutually attached to form said soft innerboot, said inner lining of said soft innerboot comprising a phase-change material that releases or absorbs heat in selected temperature ranges, and said outer lining comprising opens therein such that said inner lining is exposed to an outside environment at said openings of said outer lining, said openings of said outer lining being arranged at said openings between said rigid portions of said rigid shell.

12. A skate with improved comfort, comprising:

a frame with wheels pivoted to said frame;

a boot connected above said frame;

rigid extensions of said boot;

openings of said boot arranged between said rigid extensions of said boot;

a soft upper of said boot arranged inside said rigid extensions of said boot, said soft upper comprising an inner lining and an outer lining which are mutually attached to form said soft upper, said inner lining of said soft upper comprising a phase-change material that releases or absorbs heat in selected temperature ranges, and said outer lining comprising openings therein such that said inner lining is exposed to an outside environment at said openings of said outer lining, said openings of said outer lining being arranged at said openings arranged between said rigid extensions of said boot.