Skate

• US 9,833,036 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• 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, Dekoos, David, Chretien, Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYS, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US14/332,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20140327216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 36 88, 36 89, 36 92, 36 45, 36115
• 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 boot configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the skate boot comprising:

a shell including a first sub-shell, the first sub-shell including a first material having a first density, the first sub-shell having a monolithic three-dimensional shape defining a first heel portion, a first ankle portion extending from the first heel portion and configured to overlay an ankle of the wearer, a first lateral portion, a first medial portion, and a first sole portion extending between and connected to the first lateral, medial and heel portions; and

the shell also including a second sub-shell, the second sub-shell having a three-dimensional shape formed separately from the first sub-shell, the second sub-shell being interior to the first sub-shell, the second sub-shell including a second material having a second density less than the first density, the three-dimensional shape of the second sub-shell defining a second heel portion, a second ankle portion extending from the second heel portion and configured to overlay the ankle of the wearer, a second lateral portion and a second medial portion, the second sub-shell being bonded to the first sub-shell by having the first material directly fused to the second material.

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

4. A skate boot as recited in claim 1, wherein the first sub-shell has a contoured inner surface and the second sub-shell has a contoured outer surface complimentary with the inner surface of the first sub-shell.

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

6. A skate boot as recited in claim 1, 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.

7. A skate boot as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first sub-shell and the second sub-shell is of variable thickness.

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

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

10. A skate boot 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.

11. A skate boot as recited in claim 10, wherein the facing is more flexible than the skate shell.

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

13. A skate boot as recited in claim 1, wherein the first material is a plastic or a composite material.

14. A method of manufacturing a skate boot shell of a skate boot for receiving a foot of a wearer, the method comprising:

(i) forming a first three-dimensional sub-shell without using a last including forming a monolithic three-dimensional shape including a first heel portion, a first ankle portion extending from the first heel portion and configured to overlay an ankle of the wearer, a first lateral portion, a first medial portion, and a first sole portion extending between and connected to the first lateral, medial and heel portions, the first sub-shell having an inner surface;

(ii) forming a second three-dimensional sub-shell without using a last, separately from the first sub-shell, including forming a second heel portion, a second ankle portion extending from the second heel portion and configured to overlay an ankle of the wearer, a second lateral portion, and a second medial portion, 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 by

directly fusing materials of the first and second sub-shells to each other.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the second sub-shell is injection molded.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the second material is EPP foam.

17. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the first sub-shell is formed of a first material having a first density and the second sub-shell is formed of a second material having a second density, the second density being less than the first density.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the second material is a foam.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the first material is a plastic or a composite material.

20. A skate boot configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the skate boot comprising:

a shell including a first sub-shell, the first sub-shell including a first material having a first density, the first sub-shell having a monolithic three-dimensional shape defining a first heel portion, a first ankle portion extending from the first heel portion and configured to overlay an ankle of the wearer, a first lateral portion, a first medial portion, and a first sole portion extending between and connected to the first lateral, medial and heel portions; and

the shell also including a second sub-shell, the second sub-shell having a three-dimensional shape formed separately from the first sub-shell, the second sub-shell being interior to the first sub-shell with the first sub-shell having an inner surface covering an entirety of an outer surface of the second sub-shell, the second sub-shell including a second material having a second density less than the first density, the three-dimensional shape of the second sub-shell defining a second heel portion, a second ankle portion extending from the second heel portion and configured to overlay the ankle of the wearer, a second lateral portion and a second medial portion, the second sub-shell being bonded to the first sub-shell by a chemical fastener.

21. A skate boot as recited in claim 20, 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.

22. A skate boot as a recited in claim 20, wherein the second material is a foam.

23. A skate boot as recited in claim 20, wherein the first sub-shell has a contoured inner surface and the second sub-shell has a contoured outer surface complimentary with the inner surface of the first sub-shell.

24. A skate boot as recited in claim 20, wherein at least one of the first sub-shell and the second sub-shell is of variable thickness.

25. A skate boot as recited in claim 20, further comprising at least one reinforcing element associated with the skate to reinforce at least part of the skate.

26. A skate boot as recited in claim 20, wherein the first material is a plastic and the second material is a thermoplastic foam.

27. A skate boot as a recited in claim 20, wherein the second material is a EPP foam.

28. A skate boot as recited in claim 20, wherein the first material is a plastic or a composite material.