Goalie skate

• US 8,109,536 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bauer Hockey, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bauer Hockey Incorporated (Old PSG Wind-down Ltd.)
• Inventors: Labonté, Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coolman, Travis
• Application Number:
  US12/155,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20080238006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 280/811, 280/841, 280/843, 280/11.19, 280 11201- 11204, 280/11.36, 280/11.221, 280/11.224, 280/11.225, 36/45, 36/54, 36/68, 36/92, 36/93, 36/95, 361/14, 361/15
• US Class Current: 280/841
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1666 characterised by the upper
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/0054 by compression moulding, vulcanising or the like; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/126 Uppers

Abstract

A goalie skate having a skate boot comprising a thermoformed outer shell with a sole and an ankle portion for receiving the ankle of the foot, the ankle portion comprising medial and lateral sides for facing the medial and lateral malleoli respectively, the medial side comprising an upper edge that is a first distance away from the sole and the lateral side comprising an upper edge that is a second distance away from the sole, the first distance being greater than the second distance. By having a goalie skate boot that has the lateral upper edge located below the medial upper edge, the lateral outward flexion of the foot is eased when the goalie skate is in an angled position. The invention also relates to a goalie skate with a skate boot comprising an outer shell that is thermoformed such that it comprises an integrated toe portion, thereby eliminating the traditional toe cap.

Claims

1. A goalie ice skate comprising:

(i) a boot having an outer shell for receiving a human foot, the foot having a heel, an ankle with a medial malleolus and a lateral malleolus, medial and lateral sides, a plantar surface and toes, said boot further comprising an inner lining having a surface intended for contact with the heel, ankle and lateral and medial sides of the foot, said inner lining being affixed to an inner surface of said outer shell and wherein said outer shell is made of a single composite sheet comprising a layer of a thermoformable material wherein said composite sheet is thermoformed such that said outer shell forms;

(a) a heel portion for receiving the heel of the foot;

(b) medial and lateral side portions for receiving the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively;

(c) an ankle portion for receiving the medial malleolus and the lateral malleolus of the ankle of the foot;

(d) a toe portion for enclosing the toes of the foot; and

(e) a sole having an upper surface for facing the plantar surface of the foot; and

(ii) a cowling comprising a base, medial and lateral walls and a heel portion extending upwardly from said base, a toe portion for at least partially covering said toe portion of said outer shell, and a bottom portion for receiving an ice skate blade, wherein said medial and lateral walls, heel portion, toe portion and base define a cavity for receiving at least partially said boot.

2. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom portion of said cowling comprises an ice skate blade receiving portion and at least one pedestal connecting said base and said ice skate blade receiving portion.

3. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 2, wherein said ice skate blade receiving portion comprises a longitudinal slot for receiving said ice skate blade.

4. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 2, wherein said base of said cowling is affixed to a bottom surface of said sole of said outer shell.

5. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said composite sheet is thermoformed such that one or both of said medial and lateral side portions comprise a skirt portion integrally formed thereof and folded inwardly for forming said sole.

6. A goalie skate as defined in claim 5, wherein said skirt portion is affixed to the other one of said medial and lateral side portions via one of stitching, staples, adhesive, thermal bonding, piping, zipper and a groove and projection arrangement.

7. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said composite sheet is thermoformed such that said medial and lateral sides comprise respective medial and lateral cup-shaped depressions for receiving the medial and lateral malleoili respectively.

8. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 7, wherein said lateral cup-shaped depression is below said medial cup-shaped depression.

9. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said composite sheet is thermoformed such that said ankle portion comprises a medial side having a medial upper edge and a lateral side having a lateral upper edge, said lateral upper edge being located below said medial upper edge such that lateral outward flexion of the foot is eased when said goalie ice skate is in an angled position relative to the ground.

10. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said ankle portion comprises a medial side having a medial upper edge that is a first distance away from said sole and a lateral side having a lateral upper edge that is a second distance away from said sole, said first distance being greater than said second distance.

11. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said boot comprises a footbed adapted for being inserted within said skate boot.

12. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said boot comprises a tongue affixed to said toe portion of said outer shell.

13. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said boot is a lasted boot.

14. A goalie ice skate comprising:

(i) a boot having an outer shell for receiving a human foot, the foot having a heel, an ankle with a medial malleolus and a lateral malleolus, medial and lateral sides, a plantar surface and toes, said boot further comprising an inner lining having a surface intended for contact with the heel, ankle and lateral and medial sides of the foot, said inner lining being affixed to an inner surface of said outer shell and wherein said outer shell is made of at least one composite sheet comprising a layer of a thermoformable material, said at least one composite sheet being thermoformed such that said outer shell comprises;

(a) a heel portion for receiving the heel of the foot;

(b) medial and lateral side portions kg receiving the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively;

(c) an ankle portion for receiving the medial malleolus and the lateral malleolus of the ankle of the foot;

(d) a toe portion integrally formed with at least one of said medial side portion and said lateral side portion for enclosing the toes of the foot; and

(e) a sole having an upper surface for facing the plantar surface of the foot; and

(ii) a cowling comprising a base, medial and lateral walls and a heel portion extending upwardly from said base, a toe portion for at least partially covering said toe portion of said outer shell, and a bottom portion for receiving an ice skate blade, wherein said medial and lateral walls, heel portion, toe portion and base define a cavity for receiving at least partially said boot.

15. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 14, wherein said at least one composite sheet is thermoformed such that said medial side portion has a medial skirt portion integrally formed thereof and folded inwardly and said lateral side portion has a lateral skirt portion integrally formed thereof and folded inwardly and wherein said medial and lateral skirt portions form said sole.

16. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 15, wherein said medial skirt portion and said lateral skirt portion are affixed together via one of stitching, staples, adhesive, thermal bonding, piping, zipper and a groove and projection arrangement.

17. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 16, wherein said medial skirt portion and said lateral skirt portion are affixed together along a longitudinal axis of said outer shell.

18. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 14, wherein said bottom portion of said cowling comprises an ice skate blade receiving portion and at least one pedestal connecting said base and said ice skate blade receiving portion.

19. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 18, wherein said ice skate blade receiving portion comprises a longitudinal slot for receiving said ice skate blade.

20. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 14, wherein said base of said cowling is affixed to a bottom surface of said sole of said outer shell.

21. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 14, wherein said at least one composite sheet is thermoformed such that said ankle portion comprises a medial side having a medial upper edge and a lateral side having a lateral upper edge, said lateral upper edge being located below said medial upper edge such that lateral outward flexion of the foot is eased when said goalie ice skate is in an angled position relative to the ground.

22. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 14, wherein said ankle portion comprises a medial side having an upper edge that is a first distance away from said sole and a lateral side having an upper edge that is a second distance away from said sole, said first distance being greater than said second distance.

23. A goalie ice skate as defined in claim 14, wherein said boot is a lasted boot.