Skate Blade Holder with Blade Attachment Mechanism and Blade Therefor

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/338,986 filed Jun. 21, 2023, which claims priority on U.S. Patent Application No. 63/353,902 filed Jun. 21, 2022 and on U.S. Patent Application No. 63/370,698 filed Aug. 8, 2022, the entire content of all of which is incorporated by reference herein.

The application relates generally to ice skates and, more particularly, to ice skates having replaceable blades.

Since skate boots are generally more durable than skate blades, it is known to provide skates with steel blades detachably received within a holder of the skate, such that the blades can be replaced when worn out or damaged. Furthermore, hockey players and/or equipment managers find value in carrying extra pre-sharpened blades that can be easily/rapidly replaced, during a game for example, which may be required to replace a worn or broken blade during a game or when sharpening of the existing blade is not possible. While existing blade attachment mechanisms are suitable for their intended purposes, improvements in such attachment mechanisms are sought.

There is accordingly provided a skate comprising: a boot; a blade assembly including: a blade holder attached beneath the boot, the blade holder having a bottom surface defining a groove and recesses extending upwardly from the groove, the blade holder having a socket defining a socket opening located in a lateral side of the blade holder; a blade removably mounted to the blade holder; a locking pin displaceable relative the blade holder along a longitudinal axis between a blade locking position in which a tip of the locking pin is in engagement with the blade and a blade releasing position in which the tip of the locking pin is disengaged from the blade; a pin actuator received within the socket of the blade holder, the pin actuator engageable by a user for translating the pin actuator along the longitudinal axis, the pin actuator engaged with the locking pin such that translation of the pin actuator induces translation of the locking pin along the longitudinal axis from the blade locking position to the blade releasing position; and a biasing element mounted to the blade holder to react against the pin actuator and biasing the locking pin in the blade locking position.

The skate as defined above and described herein may also include one or more of the following features, in whole or in part, and in any combination.

In certain aspects, the blade includes a body defining an ice-engaging edge and a top edge opposite the ice-engaging edge, projections extending from the top edge and away from the ice-engaging edge, the blade moveable with respect to the blade holder between an engagement position in which the top edge is received in the groove and a disengagement position in which the blade is disengaged from the recesses and the groove.

In certain aspects, one of the projections defines a cam surface that is rearwardly facing, and a tip-engaging wall surface merging with the cam surface at a turning point and extending inwardly into said one of the projections, the locking pin in engagement with the tip-engaging wall surface in the blade locking position and disengaged from the tip-engaging wall surface in the blade releasing position.

In certain aspects, a slot is defined in said one of the projections, the tip-engaging wall surface defined by a top edge of the slot.

In certain aspects, the tip of the locking pin has a top edge extending from the apex on an opposite side of the cam surface, at least part of the top edge contacting the tip-engaging wall surface of the projection in the blade locking position.

In certain aspects, the top edge of the locking pin and the tip-engaging wall surface have a complementary outline.

In certain aspects, the tip of the locking pin has an apex and a cam surface extending from the apex, the cam surface being curved.

In certain aspects, the tip of the locking pin has an asymmetric shape relative to a horizontal plane containing the longitudinal axis of the locking pin.

In certain aspects, a bellows extends between the pin actuator and an oppositely facing surface of the blade holder, the bellows surrounding peripherally the biasing element.

In certain aspects, the pin actuator has an annular shape to receive the locking pin therein, the pin actuator having a forward-facing surface angled relative to the longitudinal axis, and a seating surface facing opposite to the forward-facing surface, the seating surface engaging the biasing element.

In certain aspects, the pin actuator is fully recessed within the socket.

In certain aspects, the pin actuator and the biasing element are fully recessed in the socket.

In certain aspects, a damping feature defines an interface with a portion of the top edge of the blade when the blade is engaged with the blade holder, the damping feature located in the groove.

In certain aspects, the blade holder has a front pedestal and a rear pedestal, the damping feature located underneath the rear pedestal.

In certain aspects, the damping feature includes a strip of material softer than a material of the blade holder.

In certain aspects, the blade holder has a front pedestal defining an internal cavity and a rear pedestal, a respective one of the recesses opening into the internal cavity.

In certain aspects, the projections include a front projection and a rear projection, the front projection insertable into a respective one of the recesses defined in the front pedestal, the front projection being forwardly angled.

In certain aspects, the front projection has a tapered shape that converges from a base of the front projection to a tip of the front projection.

In certain aspects, a width of the front projection in a direction transverse to a fore-aft direction is substantially constant along its length.

In certain aspects, at least the base of the front projection matingly engages respective one of the recesses defined in the front pedestal when the blade is in an in-use position.

In certain aspects, the projections include a front projection and a rear projection, the rear projection includes an apex and a cam surface extending from the apex, the cam surface of the rear projection slidingly engaging the cam surface of the locking pin as the locking pin displaces between the blade locking position and the blade releasing position.

There is also provided a locking mechanism for a blade holder compatible with a replaceable blade, the locking mechanism comprising: a locking pin mounted within the blade holder, the locking pin translatable relative to a longitudinal axis thereof between a blade locking position and a blade releasing position, the locking pin including a tip having an apex and a cam surface extending from the apex for engaging with a cam surface of the replaceable blade; a pin actuator receivable within a socket of the blade holder, the pin actuator engaged with the locking pin to displace the locking pin axially between the blade locking position and the blade releasing position, wherein axial displacement of the pin actuator along the longitudinal axis causes translation of the locking pin along the longitudinal axis; and a biasing element mounted to react against the pin actuator and biasing the locking pin in the blade locking position.

The locking mechanism as defined above and described herein may also include one or more of the following features, in whole or in part, and in any combination.

In certain aspects, the tip of the locking pin has an asymmetric shape relative to a horizontal plane containing a longitudinal axis of the locking pin, the cam surface being curved.

In certain aspects, the biasing element includes a spring mounted about the locking pin.

In certain aspects, the locking pin has a peripheral section at an end of the locking pin opposite to the tip, the peripheral section having a non-circular or asymmetric cross-section.

In certain aspects, the peripheral section has at least one flat.

In certain aspects, the tip has an apex from which extends the cam surface, the apex offset relative to the longitudinal axis.

In certain aspects, the tip has a top edge extending from the apex, the top edge flat along at least part of the tip.

In certain aspects, the pin actuator has an annular shape to receive the locking pin therein.

In certain aspects, the pin actuator has a forward-facing surface angled relative to the longitudinal axis, and a seating surface facing in an opposite direction from the forward-facing surface, the seating surface engaging the biasing element.

In certain aspects, a bellows peripherally surrounds the biasing element.

There is further provided a replaceable blade for a skate, the replaceable blade comprising a body defining an ice-engaging edge, a top edge opposite the ice-engaging edge, a first projection and a second projection each extending upwardly from the body, the first and second projections configured for being received within a respective recess defined by a blade holder of the skate.

The replaceable blade as defined above and described herein may also include one or more of the following features, in whole or in part, and in any combination.

In certain aspects, the second projection defines a cam surface that is rearwardly facing, and a tip-engaging wall surface merging with the cam surface at a turning point and extending inwardly into the second projection.

In certain aspects, the tip-engaging wall surface is flat.

In certain aspects, the second projection has an apex, the tip-engaging wall surface located between the top edge of the body and the apex.

In certain aspects, the cam surface has a convex curvature.

In certain aspects, the cam surface extends from the apex to the tip-engaging wall surface.

In certain aspects, the tip-engaging wall surface and the cam surface form an acute angle.

In certain aspects, a slot is defined in the second projection, the slot inwardly extending between the top edge of the body and the apex, the tip-engaging wall surface defined by a top edge of the slot.

In certain aspects, the slot has an asymmetric shape.

In certain aspects, the slot has a bottom edge facing towards the top edge of the slot, the bottom edge is curved.

In certain aspects, the second projection is a rear projection of the replaceable blade, the rear projection engageable with a rear pedestal of a blade holder of the skate, the rear projection having a rearward-facing edge, the tip-engaging wall surface defined in the rearward-facing edge.

In certain aspects, the first projection is a front projection, the front projection being forwardly angled.

In certain aspects, the first projection has a tapered shape that converges from a base of the front projection to a tip of the front projection.