Abstract: A footbed for sport footwear made of a shell, which defines the general shape of the footwear. The footbed has a sole portion and a padding wall for partially separating the sides and back of a wearer's foot from the shell. The padding wall partially cups the wearer's heel and extending from the back of the wearer's foot along each side of the heel, along each side of the midfoot and along each side of the forefoot. The footbed is adapted for determining the size of the footwear in terms of width. The footbed may further comprise a toe wall portion for determining the size of the footwear in terms of length.

Abstract: A footwear is disclosed which comprises a molded shell for supporting and at least partially enclosing a wearer's foot. The shell has an inner side, an outer side, a sole portion covering the bottom area of the wearer's foot, lateral and medial quarters projecting upwardly from each side of the sole portion and a heel counter surrounding the back of the wearer's foot and linking the lateral and medial quarters together. An outer skin like covering is affixed to the outer side of the shell and a frontal toe portion substantially covers the toe area of the wearer. A tongue covers the upper frontal area of the footwear; and finally a ground engaging supporting element is mounted to the bottom of the shell. More specifically, an ice skate boot and an in-line roller skate are disclosed having shell and an outer skin.

Abstract: An ice skate assembly with a provision for the replacement of ice skate runners. The ice skate assembly includes a molded runner holder having a pair of side walls, the side walls extending downwards and forming a groove therebetween where a runner is received, a recess and a bore suitable for receiving a fastener. The ice skate runner is fastened to the runner holder by a runner projection suitable to be engaged with the recess on the molded runner holder and a fastener passing transversely through the runner and through the bore of the molded runner holder. The fastener is adapted to exert a force on the ice skate runner such that the hooked portion is engaged on the recess and the runner is secured to the runner holder. The force exerted on the ice skate runner comprises a generally longitudinal component, a generally upward component and a generally transversal component.

Abstract: A method of making footwear. The method is suited generally to making skate boots and, more specifically, to making ice skates and in-line roller skates. The method comprises the steps of: (a) positioning a skin assembly over a structural inner shell component; (b) adhesively affixing the skin assembly to the structural inner shell component by applying pressure on the entire surface of the skin assembly; (c) perforating lace eyelets through the structural inner shell and the skin assembly; and (d) mounting a toe box and a tongue to the front portion of the structural inner shell component.

Abstract: A one-piece quarter for a lasted skate boot. The quarter comprises a quarter medial portion and a quarter lateral portion. The quarter medial and quarter lateral portions each comprise, respectively, foxing medial and lateral portions. A tendon guard is disposed in the upper portion of the quarter. This tendon guard is preferably sewn to the quarter. Therefore, the guard is attached to the quarter along the junction line. According to the invention, with a quarter consisting of only one piece, there is no sewing line along the symmetry line. The skate boot provided with such a quarter features a stronger heel portion, without any risk of a broken sewing line. The skate boot is less expensive to manufacture, with at least one sewing step eliminated.