Skate Boot with Stiffening Cuff Insert

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.119 (e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/648,251, filed May 16, 2024.

The present invention relates to a skate boot to receive the foot of a user therein, and more particularly the present invention relates to a molded skate boot formed of different materials to provide additional stiffening at desired locations.

Use of different materials having different properties in the formation of skate boots is known to improve the performance characteristics of the boot. U.S. Pat. No. 9,878,229 by Bauer describes an injection molded skate boot having different regions with varying performance characteristics; however, this is only accomplished by a complex molding process in which different types of plastic are injected into different regions of a mold to create the different performance characteristics with limited control of the boundaries between the different regions.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,231,729 by Heierling et al and United States Patent Application Publication Nos. US2006/0064904 by Confortin et al and US 2012/0144703 by Trinkaus et al, and European Patent No. 1 872 677 by Girolimetto each describe use of inserts embedded into a molded boot at different locations to provide varying performance characteristics, but the inserts are only suited for optimizing the performance of a ski boot.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a skate boot comprising:

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of forming the skate boot comprising:

The use of a cuff insert formed of a material that is harder than the boot body that forms a remainder of the skate boot and which is located within an upper cuff of the skate boot provides targeted stiffening to the upper cuff region of the boot body. In this manner, the upper cuff maintains its shape and securement relative to the lower leg of the user as the user flexes their ankle in use to optimize the performance of the skate boot while a user is skating.

The cuff insert creates added rigidity around the ankle region, while allowing for more flex in the lower section. The stiffer cuff material is supported and surrounded by less stiff and less brittle material, increasing the overall durability of the stiffer cuff region. By embedding the cuff insert into the material of the molded boot body, the cuff insert creates added rigidity around the ankle region without adding additional weight and thickness.

Preferably the second prescribed hardness of the second material of the cuff insert is greater than 70 on the Shore D hardness scale. For example, the second material of the cuff insert may be (i) polycarbonate, (ii) polycarbonate reinforced with glass fibres, or (iii) another fibre reinforced composite material.

The first prescribed hardness of the plastic material of the boot body is preferably less than 70 on the Shore D hardness scale. For example, the plastic material of the boot body may be polypropylene.

The plastic material of the boot body may substantially fully span an exterior side of the cuff insert. Preferably, a plurality of spacers are formed on the exterior side of the cuff insert to protrude outwardly towards an exterior of the skate boot by a distance corresponding to a thickness of the plastic material of the boot body that spans the exterior side of the cuff insert. The spacers are preferably situated at spaced apart locations along both side sections of the cuff insert and on the rear section of the cuff insert, and/or in proximity to a boundary edge of the cuff insert.

The cuff insert may be at least partially exposed and uncovered by the plastic material of the boot body at an interior side of the boot body. In this instance, the cuff insert may further include at least one flange portion formed at a bottom boundary of the cuff insert at a location spaced outwardly from an interior surface of the cuff insert so as to receive a portion of the plastic material of the boot body overlapping an interior of the flange portion at the interior side of the boot body.

Preferably several apertures extend through the cuff insert between an interior side and an exterior side of the boot body, in which the apertures are occupied by the plastic material of the boot body. Preferably at least some of the apertures have an undercut area at the interior side of the boot body such that a boundary edge of the aperture is enlarged at the interior side of the boot body relative to the exterior side of the boot body.

When the side sections of the cuff insert terminate at respective forward edges, the forward edges are preferably spaced rearwardly of the front edges of the upper cuff of the boot body respectively. When the skate boot includes a plurality of lace openings formed in the boot body along the front edges of the upper cuff of the boot body, the forward edges of the side sections of the cuff insert are preferably spaced rearward of the lace openings.

Preferably at least some of the boundary edges of the cuff insert are tapered and reduced in thickness relative to a remainder of the cuff insert.

Preferably an upper edge of the cuff insert is located along a corresponding upper edge of the boot body.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Referring to the accompanying figures there is illustrated a skate boot generally indicated by reference numeral. The skate bootis particularly suited for an ice skate, for example a hockey skate, or a roller skate of similar construction, or other athletic footwear in which similar performance benefits are desired.

In each instance, the skate bootgenerally includes (i) a boot bodycomprising a unitary structure molded of a plastic material so as to be generally continuous and seamless throughout, and (ii) a cuff insertcomprising a single unitary structure molded of a different material so as to be continuous and seamless throughout, in which the material of the cuff insert is harder and stiffer than the material of the boot body, and in which the cuff insert is partly embedded into the molded material of the boot body so as to impart additional stiffness at a targeted location within the boot body. The skate boot is generally formed by initially molding the cuff insert using one molded material, followed by placement of the molded cuff insert into a boot mold within which the boot body is injection molded using a different molded material so that the molded material of the boot body at least partially surrounds and captures the cuff insert within the boundaries of the boot body as described in further detail below.

In the preferred embodiment, the plastic material of the boot bodycomprises polypropylene or another similar thermoplastic material that can be injection molded and which has a hardness that is preferably less than 70 on the Shore D hardness scale, and more preferably that is between 50 and 70 on the Shore D hardness scale. Also, according to the preferred embodiment, the material of the cuff insert is a polycarbonate or other similar thermoplastic material that can be injection molded and which may be formed as a composite with embedded fibers therein such as glass fibers for example. The material of the cuff insert preferably has a hardness that is preferably more than 70 on the Shore D hardness scale, and more preferably that is between 70 and 120 on the Shore D hardness scale.

The boot body is generally formed to include a solefully spanning a bottom side of the boot body from a heel endof the boot to a toe endof the boot for receiving the foot of the user thereon. The solealso spans a full width at the bottom of the boot between laterally opposing sides of the boot.

In the illustrated embodiment, a front lipextends upward from the toe end of the soleto provide an upright surface against which a separate toe cap of a finished skate can be attached. In further embodiments, the boot body may include an integral toe cap receiving the toes of the user therein as part of the boot body.

The boot body also includes a pair of side wallsextending upwardly from the side edges of the soleat opposing medial and lateral sides of the boot body to span substantially the full length of the boot body between the front lipat the toe end and a rear wallat the heel end of the boot body. Each side wall extends upwardly from the sole such that at least a forward portion of each side wall terminates at an upper edgein which the upper edgesof the two side wallsare laterally spaced apart to define a lower portion of a tongue openingof the skate boot therebetween. The tongue openingis occupied by a tongue in the finished and assembled skate that incorporates the skate boot therein.

The rear wallof the boot body extends upward from the heel end of the soleso as to be generally U-shaped between the rear ends of the side wallswhile being generally upright in orientation.

The boot body further includes an upper cuffforming the top portion of the skate boot about the ankle region or lower leg of the user in use. The upper cuffincludes a rear portionextending continuously upward from the rear wallto a top edgeof the boot body at the heel end, and two side portionsextending forwardly from opposing sides of the rear portionto terminate at respective forward edgesat the laterally opposing sides of the skate boot.

The forward edgesof the upper cuffare sloped upwardly and rearwardly so as to be continuous with the upper edgesof the side walls while defining an upper portion of the tongue openingtherebetween. Typically, the upper edgesof the side walls are sloped upwardly and rearwardly so as to be closer to horizontal than vertical, that is less than 45 degrees from horizontal or from a plane of the sole. At a junction of the upper edges of the side wallsto the forward edgesof the upper cuff, the edges at opposing sides of the tongue opening transition to a more upright orientation so as to be closer to vertical than horizontal, that is more than degrees from horizontal or from a plane of the sole.

The upper cuffincludes a raised portionat the top of the boot adjacent to each of the forward edgesof the side portions. In this instance, the top edge of the boot defined by the upper cuff is raised upwardly at the raised portionsrelative to a remainder of the top edge of the boot body defined by the rear portionand the remaining part of the side portionsrearward of the raised portions.

After assembly of outer finishing layers when the skate boot is incorporated into a finished skate, a row of lace aperturesare formed through the boot body at spaced positions along each side of the tongue opening adjacent to the upper edgesof the side walls and the forward edgesof the upper cuff. The lace aperturesreceive laces inserted therethrough when subsequently lacing up a finished skate to be tensioned about the foot of the user in use.

The cuff insertis configured to be partially embedded into the upper cuffof the boot body and may extend by varying degrees into the side wallsor the rear wallof the boot body as may be desired. In the illustrated embodiment, the cuff insertis formed as a single body of material having (i) a rear sectionfully received within the rear portionof the upper cuffof the boot body, and (ii) two side sectionsprimarily received within the side portionsof the upper cuffof the boot body.

The rear sectionof the cuff inserthas a top edge which is located directly adjacent the top edge of the boot body as defined by the upper cuffof the boot body. An opposing bottom edgeof the rear section is spaced below the top edge approximately at the elevation of the transition between the upper edgesof the side walls to the forward edgesof the upper cuff of the boot body. More particularly the bottom edgeof the rear section is situated near in elevation to or slightly above a domed protrusionformed in the boot body for alignment with the protruding ankle bone of the foot of the user that is received within the boot body in use.

The side sectionsof the cuff inserthave respective top edgessituated at the same elevation as the top edge of the rear section so as to be spaced slightly below the top edge of the raised portionsat the front edges of the upper cuffof the boot body while being at substantially the same elevation as the remaining top edge of the skate boot. The front edgesof the side sections of the cuff insert follow the slope of the corresponding forward edgesof the skate boot but at a location spaced rearward therefrom so that a portion of the skate boot protrudes forwardly beyond the forward edges of the cuff insert along the full height of the cuff insert. In this manner the front edgesare spaced rearwardly of the lace aperturesformed in the skate boot.

In this arrangement, the laces used for tightening the skate boot about the foot of the user primarily act on the more flexible material of the boot bodyat a location forwardly of the cuff insertto allow the protruding forward portions of the boot body to be flexed inwardly as the laces are tightened. The material of the boot body that protrudes forwardly of the front edgeand which protrudes above the top front corners of the cuff insert at the raised portionsof the boot body ensure that the forward and top corner edges of the cuff insertare fully captured by the material of the boot body as the boot body is secured and tightened about the foot of the user. In this manner, the cuff insertis mechanically captured by the boot body in addition to any bonding between the cuff insert and the boot body resulting from the boot body being injection molded about the cuff insert during manufacturing.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cuff insertalso includes an upper extension panelextending upwardly in a continuous manner from each side sectionof the cuff insert for alignment with the raised portionsin the boot body. The upper extensions panelsof the cuff insert span a majority of the area of the raised portionsto extend the stiffening function of the insertinto the raised portionsof the boot body.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the cuff insertfurther includes lower extensionsextending from the bottoms of the side sectionsof the cuff insert to extend into the side wallsof the boot body respectively. Each lower extensionis formed such that a front edgeof the lower extension is continuous with the front edgeof the side sections above; however, the slope of the front edgeof the lower extension transitions to a less vertical orientation to follow the corresponding slope change between the forward edgesof the boot body at the upper portion of the tongue opening and the upper edgesof the side walls of the boot body at the lower portion of the tongue opening. The front edgesof the lower extensionsof the cuff insertremain spaced downwardly and rearwardly relative to the corresponding upper edgesof the boot body so that the lace aperturesin the boot body are again situated within the material of the boot body forwardly and upwardly of the corresponding edges of the cuff insert. The material of the boot body protruding beyond the front edgesof the lower extension similarly act to ensure that the cuff insert remains fully captured by the material of the boot body both mechanically and by adhesive bonding as the boot body is tightened about the foot of the user by the laces.

The bottom edgeof each lower extension is lower in elevation than the corresponding bottom edgeof the remainder of the cuff insert such that the lower extensionsextend lower in elevation than the domed protrusionsreceiving the ankle bones of the user therein, at a location forwardly of the domed protrusions.

The cuff inserthas a substantially uniform thickness between an interior sideand an opposing exterior sidethroughout with the exception of the boundary edges which are a region alongside the front edgesand. The region alongside the front edges is tapered forwardly to be reduced in thickness towards the front edges which also acts to ensure that the front edges of the insert are fully captured by the material of the boot body without creating a line of weakness within the boot body at the front edges of the cuff insert. Similarly, the bottom edgealong the rear sectionand the bottom edges along the side sectionsare tapered to be reduced in thickness towards the bottom of the insertso that the flow of plastic material of the molded boot body better surrounds the bottom edges of the insert, while similarly avoiding creation of a line of weakness within the boot body at the bottom edges of the cuff insert. The top edges along the top boundary of the side sectionsand the rear sectionof the insertare also tapered so that the plastic material of the boot body can better follow over and overlap the top of the cuff insert as best shown in.

The cuff insert further includes a plurality of spacersin the form of protruding pegs or lugs formed on the exterior sideof the cuff insert at spaced apart positions. The spacersextend outward from the exterior sidetowards the exterior of the assembled skate. The spacersare intended to abut the corresponding exterior boundary walls of the boot mold within which the cuff insertis inserted prior to injection molding of the boot body. In this manner, the spacerscontrol the space between the exterior sideof the cuff insert and the corresponding exterior side of the boot body by arranging the spacersto span the resulting thickness of the boot body that overlies the exterior sideof the cuff insert in the assembled skate boot. The combined thickness of the cuff insert and the spacerscorresponds approximately to the desired overall thickness of the finished skate boot such that the interior side surfaces of the cuff insert are positioned against corresponding interior side boundaries of the mold for forming the boot body.

In the finished boot body, the interior sideof the cuff insert is substantially flush with interior side surfaces of the surrounding boot body such that the interior sideof the cuff insert is partially or fully exposed and uncovered by the material of the boot body in the manufactured skate boot. However, the exterior sideof the cuff insert is fully covered by a uniform layer of the material of the boot body as controlled by the spacers.

The spacersare spaced about the boundary edges of the cuff insert, primarily within the side sectionsand the lower extensionof the cuff insert. In particular, a plurality of the spacersare spaced apart along the top boundary edgeof each side section while being also spaced apart along the front edgesand. Additional spacersare provided at spaced locations adjacent the bottom edgeof the lower extension and the corresponding bottom edge of the side sectionsof the cuff insert.

At the rear of the cuff insert, one of the spacersis also provided at a laterally central location along the bottom edgeof the rear sectionof the insertand another spaceris provided at a laterally central location along the upper edge of the rear sectionof the insert. Both spacerson the rear sectionsimilarly function to protrude rearwardly by a thickness of the overlapping boot body material for locating the insert spaced inwardly from the walls of the boot mold and substantially flush with the interior of the molded boot body similarly to the spacerson the side sections of the cuff insert as described above.

The cuff insertalso includes flow aperturesthat extend fully through the body of the cuff insert between the interior sideand the exterior sideat spaced apart locations. The flow aperturesinclude (i) apertures spaced apart vertically and horizontally within each of the side sectionsof the insert, (ii) apertures in proximity to top ends of the front edgesof the side sections, (iii) apertures in proximity to the bottom ends of the front edgesof the lower extensionsat each side of the insert, and (iv) apertures spaced apart in an upright row at each side of the cuff insert at opposing sides of the rear sectiontowards the rear of the insert. The flow apertureseach allow a portion of the material of the boot body to be received therein during the injection molding process so that the flow aperturesare fully occupied by the material of the boot body in the manufactured skate boot.

Each flow aperturefurther includes a counterboreformed in the interior side of the cuff insert concentrically with each aperture. The counterboredefines an undercut area at the interior side of the boot body such that a boundary edge of the aperture is enlarged at the interior side of the boot body relative to the exterior side of the boot body. When molding the boot body, the plastic material flows into each aperturefrom the exterior to the interior of the cuff, and then expands into the undercut area formed by the counterboreof each aperture. Accordingly, an enlarged head of plastic material is formed within each counterbore which functions like a fastener head to hold the insertagainst the plastic material covering the exterior side of the insert.

The insertalso includes a pair of flange portionsformed along the bottom edge of the insert to protrude downwardly from the bottom edge of the insert, approximately at the junctions of the side sectionswith the rear sectionrespectively. In this manner, the flange portionsare spaced apart along the bottom edgeat opposing sides of the rear sectionof the insert. Each flange portionis substantially flush with the exterior side of the insert, but is spaced outwardly from an adjacent portion of the interior surface of the insertso as to define another undercut area at the interior side of the insert. The undercut area at the interior of each flange portion also receives a portion of the plastic material of the boot body overlapping an interior of the flange portion, between the flange portion and the interior side of the boot body. Each flange portionis a downward protruding tab that is tapered to be reduced in thickness between interior and exterior surfaces thereof towards the distal end of the tab to assist flow of plastic material of the boot body into the space between the flange portion and the interior surface of the finished skate boot. Allowing plastic to flow into the undercut area at the interior of the insertfunctions to hold the cuff insertin place relative to the boot body at the bottom edge of the insertto prevent the insertfrom being pulled away from the upper cuff of the boot body towards the interior of the skate boot approximately at the location of the ankles of the user.

In other embodiments, the cuff insertmay be further provided with a plurality of notches (not shown) spaced apart along the top edge of the side sectionsof the insertin which each notch comprises an opening which is recessed downwardly from the top edge while remaining open to the top edge of the insert. The notches are spaced apart along each side of the insert to be primarily located nearer to the rear of the insert than the front of the insert. The notches would similarly serve to receive the injection molded material of the boot body therein during formation of the boot body such that the notches are fully occupied by the material of the boot body in the finished skate boot. The notches, similarly to the flow apertures above, mechanically locate and couple the cuff insert relative to the surrounding boot body so that the top edge of the cuff insert remains captured relative to the material of the boot body even when the interior side of the boot body remains mostly exposed at the interior of the skate boot.

As described herein, the skate boot is manufactured by initially molding the cuff insert within a corresponding insert mold so that the cuff insertis formed of a first injection molded material, for example polycarbonate or a composite material of polycarbonate with glass fibers therein. The cuff insertis then removed from the corresponding insert mold and is placed within a boot mold for forming the skate boot bodytherein. The interior sideof the cuff insert is substantially abutted against corresponding interior side surfaces of the boot mold while the spacersabut opposing exterior side surfaces of the boot mold. The material of the boot body is then injection molded into the boot mold so that the material flows over the exterior side of the cuff insert and readily flows into the flow aperturesand the counterbores, in addition to the undercut areas to the interior of each flange portion. The molded boot bodycan then be removed from the boot mold. In the resulting skate boot, the boot body fully spans the exterior side of the cuff insert to provide a mechanical coupling and interlocking interface between the boot body and the cuff insert in addition to the bonding of the molded material of the boot body against corresponding surfaces of the cuff insert.

The remainder of a finished skate is then assembled about the manufactured boot body including formation of lace openings through the material of the boot body while avoiding penetration of lace openings through the region of the boot body occupied by the cuff insert. Tightening of the laces in the finished skate tensions the material of the boot body about the foot of the user while ensuring sufficient material of the boot body protrudes beyond the corresponding boundary edges of the cuff insert to positively capture the cuff insert within the boot body.

Since various modifications can be made in the invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.