Skate

• US 8,387,286 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sport Maska Incorporated (Adidas AG)
• Original Assignee: Sport Maska Incorporated (Adidas AG)
• Inventors: Koyess, Philippe, Chretien, Alexandre, Dekoos, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Patterson, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/642,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20100156058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 36/88, 36/89, 36/92, 361/15, 36/45, 121/42.R, 121/46.C, 121/42.P
• US Class Current: 36/115
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0255 assembled by gluing or thermo bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/16 Skating boots
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1616 Inner boots
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1625 made from materials with different rigidities
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1641 characterised by the sole skates with special foot-plates for the boot A63C1/22; characterised by the attachment of the skate A43B5/1633 takes precedence; skates rigidly mounted to the sole of the boot A63C1/02
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/1666 characterised by the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 1/22 with special foot-plates of the boot
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 3/02 Supports for the foot-joint footwear with foot-supporting parts A43B7/14

Abstract

A skate having a skate boot with a non-lasted boot shell, the shell having a first non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell and a second non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell, the second sub-shell being interior to and adjoining the first sub-shell, the first sub-shell comprising a first material having a first density and the second sub-shell comprising a second material having a second density, the second density being less than the first density, the shell being shaped so as to have a heel portion, an ankle portion, a lateral portion, a medial portion, and a sole portion; and a ground-engaging assembly disposed on an underside of the skate. Additional sub-shells are possible. Methods of manufacturing the skate boot shell, including molding and build-up, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A skate comprising:

a skate boot having a non-lasted shell, the shell having a first non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell and a second non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell, the second sub-shell being interior to and adjoining the first sub-shell, one or both of the first sub-shell, the second sub-shell being of variable thickness, the first sub-shell comprising a first material having a first density and the second sub-shell comprising a second material having a second density, the second density being less than the first density, the shell being shaped so as to have a heel portion, an ankle portion, a lateral portion, a medial portion, and a sole portion; and

a ground-engaging assembly disposed on an underside of the skate boot.

2. A skate as recited in claim 1, wherein the first material has a first stiffness and the second material has a second stiffness, the second stiffness being less than the first stiffness.

3. A skate as recited in claim 2, wherein the second material is a foam.

4. A skate as a recited in claim 1, wherein the second material is a foam.

5. A skate as recited in claim 4, wherein the first sub-shell and the second sub-shell are joined to one another via a chemical fastener, at least one mechanical fastener, or a combination thereof.

6. A skate as recited in claim 4, wherein the first sub-shell and the second sub-shell are fastenerlessly bonded to one another.

7. A skate as recited in claim 4, wherein the first sub-shell has a contoured inner surface and the second sub-shell has a contoured outer surface complementary with the inner surface of the first sub-shell.

8. A skate as recited in claim 1, wherein the first sub-shell is ornamented.

9. A skate as recited in claim 4, wherein the first sub-shell has an inner surface and the second sub-shell has an outer surface, the inner surface covering an entirety of the outer surface.

10. A skate as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the sub-shells is of a shape in at least one portion of the shell to provide reinforcement in that portion.

11. A skate as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one reinforcing element associated with the skate to reinforce at least part of the skate.

12. A skate as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the sub-shells has a left portion and a separately formed right portion, the left portion and the right portion being connected to each other.

13. A skate as recited in claim 1, wherein the first material is a plastic and the second material is a thermoplastic foam.

14. A skate as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a toe cap connected to the shell for protecting toes of a wearer of the skate;

a tongue connected to the toe cap;

a facing connected to the lateral and medial portions of the shell;

a liner disposed within the shell.

15. A skate as recited in claim 14, wherein the skate boot is an ice skate and the ground-engaging assembly includes a blade adapted for skating on ice.

16. A skate as recited in claim 14, wherein the facing is more flexible than the skate shell.

17. A method of manufacturing a non-lasted skate boot shell, the shell having a first non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell and a second non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell, the shell being shaped so as to have a heel portion, an ankle portion, a lateral portion, a medial portion, and a sole portion, the method comprising:

(i) non-lastedly forming the first three-dimensional sub-shell from first material having a first density, the first sub-shell having an inner surface;

(ii) non-lastedly forming the second three-dimensional sub-shell, separately from the first sub-shell and from a second material having a second density lower than the first density , the second sub-shell having an outer surface registerable with the inner surface of the first sub-shell;

(iii) placing the second sub-shell within an interior of the first sub-shell such that the outer surface of the second sub-shell registers with the inner surface of the first sub-shell; and

(iv) securing the second sub-shell to the first sub-shell to form the shell having the heel portion, the ankle portion, the lateral portion, the medial portion and the sole portion.

18. A method of manufacturing a non-lasted skate boot shell as recited in claim 17, wherein the second material is a foam.

19. A skate having a skate boot with the non-lasted skate boot shell manufactured according to the method of claim 18.

20. A method of manufacturing a non-lasted skate boot shell, the shell having a first non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell and a second non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell, the shell being shaped so as to have a heel portion, an ankle portion, a lateral portion, a medial portion, and a sole portion, the method comprising:

(i) non-lastedly forming the first three-dimensional sub-shell from a first material having a first density, the first sub-shell having an inner surface; and

(ii) non-lastedly forming the second three-dimensional sub-shell within and secured to the first sub-shell, and from a second material having a second density lower than the first density, the second sub-shell having an outer surface registering with the inner surface of the first sub-shell.

21. A method of manufacturing a non-lasted skate boot shell as recited in claim 20, wherein the second material is a foam.

22. A skate having a skate boot with the non-lasted skate boot shell manufactured according to the method of claim 21.

23. A method of manufacturing a non-lasted skate boot shell, the shell having a first non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell and a second non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell, the shell being shaped so as to have a heel portion, an ankle portion, a lateral portion, a medial portion, and a sole portion, the method comprising:

(i) non-lastedly forming the second three-dimensional sub-shell from a second material, the second sub-shell having an outer surface; and

(ii) non-lastedly forming the first three-dimensional sub-shell around and secured to the second sub-shell from a first material having a higher density than that of the second material, the first sub-shell having an inner surface registering with the outer surface of the second sub-shell.

24. A method of manufacturing a non-lasted skate boot shell as recited in claim 23, wherein the second material is a foam.

25. A skate having a skate boot with the non-lasted skate boot shell manufactured according to the method of claim 24.