Abstract: A skate boot is disclosed with a rigid boot shell having medial and lateral quarter portions defining a foot receiving cavity in between them having a volume for receiving at least a metatarsal region of a wearer's foot. A tongue extends between the medial and lateral quarter portions above the volume. A lacing system overlies the tongue and links the medial and lateral quarter portions. A foot wrapping member extends from the lateral quarter portion, the foot wrapping member movable relative to the rigid boot shell in a downward direction towards a sole portion of the rigid boot shell so as to vary the volume at least from a lateral side of the foot receiving cavity along the metatarsal region of the wearer's foot.

Abstract: A skate and a replaceable skate blade are disclosed. The skate includes a boot and a blade assembly with a blade holder and a blade removably mounted to the holder. A locking pin is displaceable relative the blade holder 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 is engageable by a user for translating the pin actuator along a longitudinal axis of the locking pin, wherein 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. A biasing element reacts against the pin actuator and biasing the locking pin in the blade locking position.

Abstract: A skate and a replaceable skate blade are disclosed. The skate includes a boot and a blade assembly with a blade holder and a blade removably mounted to the holder. A locking pin is displaceable relative the blade holder 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 is engageable by a user for translating the pin actuator along a longitudinal axis of the locking pin, wherein 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. A biasing element reacts against the pin actuator and biasing the locking pin in the blade locking position.

Abstract: A skate includes a skate boot with two opposed boot side portions extending from heel and ankle portions to a forward edge of the boot side portions. A forward-most eyelet is the eyelet closest to the forward edge. A toe cap is connected to the skate boot at a front end, and the toe cap has toe cap side portions extending rearwardly to a rear edge of the toe cap disposed forward of the forward-most eyelet. A toe cap extension extends rearwardly from the rear edge of the toe cap and over a portion of the boot side portions defined rearward of the forward edge and below the forward-most eyelet. The toe cap extension engages the portion of the skate boot and allows movement of at least the skate boot rearward of the forward-most eyelet during formation of the skate boot or use thereof.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a skate boot shell, and more particularly a non-lasted skate boot shell, including shaping tridimensional outer and inner sub-shells, and bonding the shaped sub-shells together through lamination. The lamination is performed after the sub-shells are shaped and includes applying heat to the sub-shells and/or pressure on one of the sub-shells toward the other against a mold surface. A skate boot shell with multiple sub-shells is also discussed, including an outer sub-shell, and inner sub-shell and a reinforcement sub-shell.

Abstract: A method of method of manufacturing customized inserts for a boot, such as a skate boot, that is at least partially thermoformable includes receiving numerical data corresponding to a tridimensional shape of a wearer's foot, and manufacturing a medial side insert and a lateral side insert based on the tridimensional shape of the wearer's foot. The medial side insert and the lateral side insert are shaped to be insertable into the boot with a core that is dimensioned to generally correspond to a foot size of the boot, with a medial internal surface of the medial side insert and a lateral internal surface of the lateral side insert abutting respective outer surfaces of the core.

Abstract: A skate boot shell including a tridimensional outer sub-shell made of a first material, the outer sub-shell including a first sole portion connected to first heel, ankle and side portions; a tridimensional inner sub-shell received within and connected to the outer sub-shell, an outer surface of the inner sub-shell being complementary to an inner surface of the outer sub-shell, the inner sub-shell being made of a second material different from the first material; and a tridimensional reinforcement sub-shell made of a third material different from the first and second materials and bonded inside at least one of the inner and outer sub-shells.

Abstract: A skate and a replaceable skate blade are disclosed. The skate includes a boot and a blade assembly with a blade holder and a blade removable mounted to the holder. A locking pin is displaceable relative the blade holder 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 is engageable by a user for translating the pin actuator along a longitudinal axis of the locking pin, wherein 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. A biasing element reacts against the pin actuator and biasing the locking pin in the blade locking position.

Abstract: A skate includes a skate boot with two opposed boot side portions extending from heel and ankle portions to a forward edge of the boot side portions. A forward-most eyelet is the eyelet closest to the forward edge. A toe cap is connected to the skate boot at a front end, and the toe cap has toe cap side portions extending rearwardly to a rear edge of the toe cap disposed forward of the forward-most eyelet. A toe cap extension extends rearwardly from the rear edge of the toe cap and over a portion of the boot side portions defined rearward of the forward edge and below the forward-most eyelet. The toe cap extension engages the portion of the skate boot and allows movement of at least the skate boot rearward of the forward-most eyelet during formation of the skate boot or use thereof.

Abstract: A skate is disclosed, with a boot defining a foot receiving region. The boot includes a boot shell having a heel portion and side portions extending from the heel portion, the side portions of the boot shell defining a foot receiving opening, each side portion having an upper edge defining a part of a periphery of the foot receiving opening. A liner defines an inner layer of the boot at least partially surrounding the foot receiving region, the liner having an ankle portion, and upper segments extending upwardly from the ankle portion of the liner. Each of the upper segments extending over at least part of a respective one of the upper edges of the boot shell. The upper segments each define a seamless area extending continuously from the ankle portion of the liner and wrapping over the respective upper edges.

Abstract: A method of method of manufacturing customized inserts for a boot, such as a skate boot, that is at least partially thermoformable includes receiving numerical data corresponding to a tridimensional shape of a wearer’s foot, and manufacturing a medial side insert and a lateral side insert based on the tridimensional shape of the wearer’s foot. The medial side insert and the lateral side insert are shaped to be insertable into the boot with a core that is dimensioned to generally correspond to a foot size of the boot, with a medial internal surface of the medial side insert and a lateral internal surface of the lateral side insert abutting respective outer surfaces of the core.

Abstract: A method of customizing a boot, for example a skate boot, includes generating a tridimensional digital representation of a wearer's foot using numerical data obtained by scanning the wearer's foot. A boot with a foot size corresponding generally to a foot length of the wearer's foot is selected. A core is also selected. The core, a medial side insert and a lateral side insert are inserted into an internal space of the boot such that the medial side insert and the lateral side insert straddle the core. The medial side insert and the lateral side insert are manufactured based on the tridimensional shape of the foot. At least a portion of the boot is then heated such that the boot is thermoformed to follow surfaces of the medial and lateral side inserts. The core, the medial side insert and the lateral side insert are then removed from the boot.

Abstract: The invention relates to a carbonitriding facility (IC) which includes: a heating chamber (CC), for heating at least one steel part (PA) to a first temperature, in the presence of a neutral gas and under a selected pressure; a first enriching chamber (CE1) for enriching the heated part with nitrogen, by nitriding same in ?-phase at a second temperature no higher than the first temperature; a second enriching chamber (CE2) for enriching the nitrogen-enriched part with carbon, by carburising same at a third temperature higher than the second temperature; a quench chamber (CT) for quenching the nitrogen- and carbon-enriched part under pressure; a transfer airlock (ST) communicating with the chambers and suitable for temporarily receiving the part in a controlled atmosphere; and transfer means (MT) for transfer-ring the part from one chamber to another chamber via the transfer airlock (ST).

Abstract: A skate boot shell including a tridimensional outer sub-shell made of a first material, the outer sub-shell including a first sole portion connected to first heel, ankle and side portions; a tridimensional inner sub-shell received within and connected to the outer sub-shell, an outer surface of the inner sub-shell being complementary to an inner surface of the outer sub-shell, the inner sub-shell being made of a second material different from the first material; and a tridimensional reinforcement sub-shell made of a third material different from the first and second materials and bonded inside at least one of the inner and outer sub-shells.

Abstract: A method of customizing a boot, for example a skate boot, includes generating a tridimensional digital representation of a wearer's foot using numerical data obtained by scanning the wearer's foot. A boot with a foot size corresponding generally to a foot length of the wearer's foot is selected. A core is also selected. The core, a medial side insert and a lateral side insert are inserted into an internal space of the boot such that the medial side insert and the lateral side insert straddle the core. The medial side insert and the lateral side insert are manufactured based on the tridimensional shape of the foot. At least a portion of the boot is then heated such that the boot is thermoformed to follow surfaces of the medial and lateral side inserts. The core, the medial side insert and the lateral side insert are then removed from the boot.

Abstract: A skate boot shell including a tridimensional outer sub-shell made of a first material, the outer sub-shell including a first sole portion connected to first heel, ankle and side portions; a tridimensional inner sub-shell received within and connected to the outer sub-shell, an outer surface of the inner sub-shell being complementary to an inner surface of the outer sub-shell, the inner sub-shell being made of a second material different from the first material; and a tridimensional reinforcement sub-shell made of a third material different from the first and second materials and bonded inside at least one of the inner and outer sub-shells.

Abstract: The invention relates to a carbonitriding facility (IC) which includes: a heating chamber (CC), for heating at least one steel part (PA) to a first temperature, in the presence of a neutral gas and under a selected pressure; a first enriching chamber (CE1) for enriching the heated part with nitrogen, by nitriding same in a-phase at a second temperature no higher than the first temperature; a second enriching chamber (CE2) for enriching the nitrogen-enriched part with carbon, by carburising same at a third temperature higher than the second temperature; a quench chamber (CT) for quenching the nitrogen- and carbon-enriched part under pressure; a transfer airlock (ST) communicating with the chambers and suitable for temporarily receiving the part in a controlled atmosphere; and transfer means (MT) for transfer-ring the part from one chamber to another chamber via the transfer airlock (ST).