SKATE BOOT INCLUDING A THERMOFORMABLE ARCH-SUPPORT REGION

Abstract

A hockey skate boot includes a sole portion having a deformable arch-support region to accommodate feet having differently shaped arches. The deformable arch-support region may be made of a thermoformable material that is moldable when heated to match the arch of a given wearer's foot. After the arch-support region is molded to conform to a wearer's arch, it is allowed to cool so that it hardens and remains in the desired shape.

Description

BACKGROUND

Hockey skates are typically relatively inflexible in order to provide necessary support and to efficiently transfer forces during skating. To ensure efficient acceleration and cornering, a hockey skate should fit snugly on a wearer's foot so that little relative movement occurs between the foot and the skate boot.

Given that the shape of the human foot varies between wearers, ensuring a proper fit for a particular individual can be challenging. The sole region of the skate boot is generally an important fitting area because much of the pressure exerted by a foot occurs in that region. The sole region typically contains an arch support designed to accommodate the arch of a wearer's foot. The shape of an arch, however, can vary greatly between wearers, with some feet having little or no arch (i.e., “flat feet”), while other feet have a pronounced arch.

There are several ways to accommodate and support differently shaped arches. One way is to provide non-customized insoles of different shapes. Non-customized insoles, however, increase the overall cost of a hockey skate and may not provide adequate support for the shape of a particular foot.

Another option is to use custom insoles or orthotics. This is generally accomplished by taking an impression of a wearer's foot and replicating the shape into an insole. Custom insoles and orthotics, however, are expensive, and many wearers are unwilling to make the effort required for customization. Additionally, custom insoles and orthotics are generally heavy and non-responsive, resulting in a skate that is less responsive than desired.

Another option is to use an insole including a flowable material that conforms to the arch of a wearer's foot. These “flow” or “gel” type materials, however, are heavy and non-responsive, resulting in a skate that provides less agility than that which is desired by a typical skater.

SUMMARY

A hockey skate boot includes a sole portion having a deformable arch-support region to accommodate feet having differently shaped arches. The deformable arch-support region may be made of a thermoformable material that is moldable when heated to match the arch of a given wearer's foot. After the arch-support region is molded to conform to a wearer's arch, it is allowed to cool so that it hardens and remains in the desired shape. Other features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings, detailed description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the same element throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boot form for a skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region and separate upper quarter panels, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the boot form shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a boot form for a skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region having corrugations oriented generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boot form, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a boot form for a skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region having corrugations oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boot form, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a boot form for a skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region and an additional arch support, according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the various embodiments.

The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this detailed description section.

Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include the plural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless the word “or” is expressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other items in a list of two or more items, then the use of “or” in such a list is to be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in the list. Further, unless otherwise specified, terms such as “attached” or “connected” are intended to include integral connections, as well as connections between physically separate components.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in one embodiment, a boot form 30 for a skate boot includes a heel region 34, a toe region 36, a lower portion 32, an upper portion 38, and an arch-support region 50. The boot form 30 may be made of fiber-reinforced composite materials or other suitable materials.

Some suitable reinforcing materials include structural fibers of carbon, glass, aramid, ceramic, liquid crystal polymer, and others. Carbon fiber, for example, provides a rigid frame that efficiently transfers energy generated by leg motion to the blade-holder (not shown) and blade (not shown) of the skate. To impart desired stiffness properties in different directions and locations, these structural fibers may be combined with a thermoset resin such as epoxy, vinyl ester, or others. The structural fibers may alternatively be combined with a thermoplastic resin such as a polyamide, polypropylene, polyurethane, or others. In one embodiment, the upper portion 38 may be made of a glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin or similar material that is more flexible than the materials used to construct the lower portion 32.

The skate boot may also include upper quarter panels 40 and 42. The upper quarter panels 40 and 42 have a bottom edge 44 that aligns with an edge 46 of the boot form 30. The upper quarter panels 40 and 42 may be adhesively bonded, stitched, or otherwise suitably attached to the edge 46 of the boot form 30. The upper quarter panels 40 and 42 may be made of a thermoplastic fabric laminate that is more flexible than the boot form 30, or of another suitable material An outer covering (not shown), such as a leather or fabric covering, and a tendon guard (not shown) may also be attached to the boot form 30 or quarter panels 40 and 42.

In one embodiment, the boot form 30 and the upper quarter panels 40 and 42 may generally be constructed as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/094,599, filed on Dec. 2, 2013, or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/794,071, filed on Mar. 11, 2013, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The boot form 30 further includes a deformable arch-support region 50 in its lower medial region, or sole region. The deformable arch-support region 50 provides a customizable fit of the skate boot to a wearer's foot. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the arch-support region 50 includes a length L, a height H, and a depth or width D. (Dimension W indicates the remaining width of the boot form 30.) The arch-support region 50 may vary in size, thickness, or geometry to offer desired performance benefits.

The arch-support region 50 may be made of a thermoplastic material having a relatively low melting temperature, such as a polyamide, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyethylene, or other suitable material. When heated to a temperature of about 160-220 degrees Fahrenheit, these materials become moldable when subjected to a force, such as when a wearer presses his or her foot against the arch-support region 50.

In one embodiment, the arch-support region 50 includes a higher-arch dimension H than that of a typical human foot, and may also include larger dimensions L or D. For example, the arch support region 50 may have the following dimensions in a male, size-9 boot: Length L of approximately 5 inches, Depth D of approximately 1.5 inches, and height H of approximately 1 inch (a typical size-9 human arch has a length of approximately 4 inches, a depth of approximately 1.25 inches, and a height of approximately 0.75 inches). This allows the arch-support region 50 to accommodate both large and small arches during molding. If the wearer's foot has a naturally high arch, for example, the change in shape of the arch-support region 50 during molding may be relatively minimal. If the wearer's foot has a naturally low arch, conversely, the height H of the arch-support region 50 may reduce significantly during molding to match the contour of the wearer's arch.

To customize the arch-support region 50 to a wearer's foot, the boot form 30 is heated to approximately 160-220 degrees Fahrenheit in an oven or other heating device, or with a portable device such as a hot-air gun. In some embodiments, such as when a hot-air gun is used, only the arch-support region 50 needs to be heated. The boot form 30 is then removed from the oven (or the supply of heat to the boot form 30 is otherwise discontinued), after which the skate boot is fit to the wearer's foot and cinched tight with, for example, shoe laces. During this fitting, dimensions L, H, and D of the arch-support region 50 conform to the shape of the wearer's arch. The skate boot may then be removed from the wearer's foot and allowed to cool. Once cooled, the thermoplastic or other thermoformable material forming the arch-support region 50 will harden into its pre-heated stiffness in the shape of the wearer's arch.

If a wearer inadvertently over-compresses the arch support region 50, or if the boot is later used with a different wearer having a higher or differently shaped arch, the arch-support region 50 may be reheated and then formed into its original shape (or into another suitable pre-fitting shape). To accomplish this, once the arch-support region 50 is heated to a sufficient temperature, force or pressure may be applied under the arch-support region 50 to expand it or otherwise reshape it.

The stiffness of the arch-support region 50 may be varied based on the materials used to construct it. For example, carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic may be used to construct the arch-support region 50, which is similar in stiffness to the carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoset materials that may be used to construct the lower portion 32 of the boot form 30. The carbon fibers may also be oriented at specific angles to obtain desired bending stiffness or torsional stiffness. In some embodiments, the arch-support region 50 may have a stiffness similar to, or more flexible than, the lower portion 32 of the boot form 30. If the arch-support region 50 is more flexible than the lower portion 32, the composite boot form 30 will have a lower overall bending stiffness or torsional stiffness.

The arch-support region 50 may also provide a spring-like resiliency that creates additional energy return. When a skater applies a downward force to push off and accelerate, the arch-support region 50 may flex and then return to its molded shape, providing additional acceleration for the skater. In one embodiment, springs or clips may be added under or in the arch-support region 50 to provide more or less pushback force for the skater.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the arch-support region 50 may include ridges or corrugations to further optimize stiffness and resiliency. These corrugations may be oriented parallel, perpendicular, diagonal, cross-hatched, or in another direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the skate boot to achieve desired characteristics. Further, one or more of the corrugations may be curved to provide further customization.

FIG. 3 shows the arch-support region 50 with corrugations 52 running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boot form 30. The parallel corrugations 52 generally provide increased bending stiffness. FIG. 4, conversely, shows the arch-support region 50 with corrugations 54 running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boot form 30. The perpendicular corrugations 54 generally provide decreased bending stiffness.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, an additional arch support 60 may be added or attached to the boot form 30 in the arch-support region 50. The additional arch support 60 may be made of a relatively stiff material, such as a carbon-fiber reinforced polymer, to provide stiffness enhancement, or of a relatively flexible, softer material, such as a polyurethane elastomer, to provide vibration damping. The additional arch support 60 may also be used as a forming tool that is positioned under the arch-support region 50 during thermal-fitting of the boot form 30 to a wearer's foot.

Any of the above-described embodiments may be used alone or in combination with one another. Further, the skate boot with a deformable arch-support region may include additional features not described herein. While several embodiments have been shown and described, various changes and substitutions may of course be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited, except by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A skate boot, comprising:

a lower portion including a heel region and a toe region;

an upper portion attached to or integral with the lower portion; and

an arch-support region in the lower portion comprising a thermoformable material that is moldable to conform to a wearer's arch when heated.

2. The skate boot of claim 1 wherein the arch-support region comprises a higher arch geometry than a wearer's arch before molding.

3. The skate boot of claim 1 further comprising an additional arch support positioned under the arch-support region.

4. The skate boot of claim 1 wherein the arch-support region comprises corrugations.

5. The skate boot of claim 4 wherein the corrugations are oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the skate boot.

6. The skate boot of claim 4 wherein the corrugations are oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the skate boot.

7. The skate boot of claim 1 wherein the lower portion comprises a composite boot form reinforced by structural fibers.

8. The skate boot of claim 1 wherein the thermoformable material comprises a thermoplastic material.

9. The skate boot of claim 8 wherein the thermoplastic material has a melting temperature of 160 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit.

10. The skate boot of claim 8 wherein the thermoplastic material is reinforced with structural fibers.

11. The skate boot of claim 1 wherein the upper portion comprises a quarter panel having a bottom edge attached to a top edge of the lower portion.

12. The skate boot of claim 11 wherein the quarter panel comprises a thermoplastic fabric laminate.

13. A method of fitting a skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region to a wearer's foot, comprising:

heating at least the thermoformable arch-support region to a temperature that softens the thermoformable arch-support region;

inserting the wearer's foot into the skate boot so that the arch of the wearer's foot presses down on the arch-support region;

waiting a sufficient time to allow the arch-support region to conform to the arch of the wearer's foot; and

removing the wearer's foot from the skate boot.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising tightening the skate boot to a desired fit after inserting the wearer's foot into the skate boot.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising allowing the skate boot to cool after removing the wearer's foot so that the arch-support region hardens to its pre-heated stiffness.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the elevated temperature is approximately 169 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit.

17. A skate boot, comprising:

a foot-receiving portion; and

an arch support in the foot-receiving portion comprising a material that is moldable to conform to a wearer's arch when heated.

18. The skate boot of claim 17 wherein the arch support comprises a higher arch geometry than a wearer's arch before molding.

19. The skate boot of claim 17 wherein the arch support comprises a thermoplastic material that has a melting temperature of 160 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit.

20. The skate boot of claim 19 wherein thermoplastic material is reinforced with structural fibers.