Ice skate

• US 6,695,322 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bauer Hockey, LLC
• Original Assignee: Jas D Easton Incorporated
• Inventors: Goldsmith, Edward M., Grossman, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bottorff, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/230,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20030011150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 280/11.12, 280/11.14, 280/11.15, 280/11.16, 280/11.17, 280/11.18, 280/28, 280/28.14, 280/811, 361/15
• US Class Current: 280/11.12
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 1/00 Skates roller skates or skate boards A63C17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 1/22 with special foot-plates of the boot
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 1/30 with special blades
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 1/32 Special constructions of the simple blade

Abstract

An ice skate comprising a blade and a blade holder. The blade holder providing decreasing, non rigid, and/or no lateral support in a rearward region of the blade so that it may facilitate increased or freer flexibility of the blade and improved maneuverability. The blade is rigidly laterally supported at a front end section of the blade holder and preferably also at a back end section of the blade holder so that it may facilitate efficient transfer of force between the skater and the blade. One or more non-rigid support members may be employed to control, absorb and/or cushion the flexing of the blade. The ice skate may be tuned to reflect the desired performance requirements of the individual skater and/or use.

Claims

1. An ice skate comprising:

a blade including a first and second side, an upper surface, an ice engaging surface generally opposed to the upper surface and forward section;

a blade holder rigidly laterally supporting the blade at the forward section of the blade, a portion of the first side located behind the forward section being displaced from the blade holder;

an elastic non-rigid support member being interposed between the blade holder and the portion of the first side located behind the forward section of the blade that is displaced from the blade holder.

2. The ice skate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blade further comprises a rearward section located behind the forward section, the rearward section being rigidly laterally supported by the blade holder.

3. The ice skate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blade holder further comprises a groove adapted to snugly receive the blade.

4. The ice skate as set forth in claim 1, wherein a portion of the second side of the blade located behind the forward section is displaced from the blade holder.

5. The ice skate as set forth in claim 4, wherein an elastic non-rigid support member is interposed between the blade holder and the portion of the second side of the blade located behind the forward section and displaced from the blade holder.

6. The ice skate as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one side of the blade located behind the forward section is laterally unsupported.

7. The ice skate as set forth in claim 6, wherein the portion of at least one side of the blade located behind the forward section that is laterally unsupported is located behind the ball of the foot.

8. The ice skate as set forth in claim 7, wherein the portion of at least one side of the blade located behind the forward section that is laterally unsupported is located underneath the rearward metatarsal bones of the foot.

9. The ice skate as set forth in claim 7, wherein the portion of at least one side of the blade located behind the forward section that is laterally unsupported is located underneath the tarsal bones of the foot.

10. The ice skate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper surface is spaced apart from the blade holder so as to form a void between the upper surface and the blade holder.

11. The ice skate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elastic non-rigid support member is located behind the ball of the foot.

12. The ice skate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elastic non-rigid support member is located underneath the rearward metatarsal bones of the foot.

13. The ice skate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elastic non-rigid support member is located underneath the tarsal bones of the foot.

14. The ice skate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blade holder further comprises a groove and the elastic non-rigid support member is interposed between a portion of at least one side of the blade and the groove.

15. The ice skate set forth in claim 1, further comprising an ice skate boot in communication with the blade holder.

16. An ice skate comprising:

a blade holder including a front member generally underlying the toe region and the forward metatarsal area of the foot, a back member generally underlying the heel of the foot, a center section longitudinally extending from the front member to the back member, the center section having a portion being more laterally rigid toward the front member than the back member;

a blade being rigidly laterally supported at the front member of the blade holder, wherein at least one side of the blade located being the rigid lateral support is laterally unsupported and displaced from the blade holder.

17. An ice skate comprising:

a blade holder including a front member generally underlying the toe region and the forward metatarsal area of the foot, a back member generally underlying the heel of the foot, a center section longitudinally extending from the front member to the back member, the center section having a portion being more laterally rigid toward the front member than the back member;

a blade being rigidly laterally supported at the front member of the blade holder; and

an elastic non-rigid support member interposed between at least one side of the blade holder.

18. An ice skate comprising:

a blade holder including a front end section, a back end section and, a center section longitudinally extending between the front end section and the back end section, a portion of the center section located behind the ball of the foot having continuous decreasing lateral rigidity extending toward the heel of the foot;

a blade being rigidly laterally supported at the front end section of the blade holder, wherein at least one side of the blade located behind the rigid lateral support at the front end section of the blade holder is laterallly unsupported and displaced from the blade holder.

19. An ice skate comprising:

a blade holder including a front end section, a back end section and, a center section longitudinally extending between the front end section and the back end section, a portion of the center section located behind the ball of the foot having continuous decreasing lateral rigidity extending toward the heel of the foot;

a blade being rigidly laterally supported at the front end section of the blade holder; and

an elastic non-rigid support member interposed between at least one side of the blade and the blade holder.

20. An ice skate comprising:

a blade holder including an elongate body extending from a front end section to a back end section;

a blade including a front end and a back end, the front end being enclosed by the front end section, the back end being enclosed by the back end section, the blade being rigidly laterally supported at the front end section of the blade holder and a portion of at least one side of the blade located behind the front end section being laterally unsupported and displaced from the blade holder;

an elastic non-rigid support member being interposed between a portion of the blade located behind the front end section and the blade holder.

21. The ice skate as set forth in claim 20, wherein the blade holder further comprises a groove and the elastic non-rigid support member is interposed between a portion of at least one side of the blade and the groove.

22. An ice skate comprising:

a blade holder including a front member having a front end section, a back member having a back end section, the front member extending from the front end section toward the back member and the back member extending from the back end section toward the front member;

a blade including a front end and a back end, the front end being enclosed by the front member and the back end being enclosed by the back member, the blade being rigidly laterally supported at the front end section, a portion of at least one side of the blade located behind the front end section being laterally unsupported and displaced from the blade holder;

an elastic non-rigid support member interposed between a portion of the blade located behind the front end section and the blade holder.

23. The ice skate as set forth in claim 22, wherein the blade holder further comprises a groove and the elastic non-rigid support member is interposed between a portion of at least one side of the blade and the groove.

24. The ice skate as set forth in claim 22, wherein the elastic non-rigid support member is located behind the ball of the foot.

25. The ice skate as set forth in claim 22, wherein the elastic non-rigid support member is located underneath the rearward metatarsal bones of the foot.

26. The ice skate as set forth in claim 22, wherein the elastic non-rigid support member is located underneath the tarsal bones of the foot.

27. The ice skate as set forth in claim 22, further comprising an elastic non-rigid support member being interposed between the blade holder and a portion of both sides of the blade located behind the front end section.