Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02238844 l998-0~-28
85493-291
Improved skate boot
5 Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a skate boot construction that can be used for
the manufacture of ice or roller skates.
10 Backqround of the invention
Traditional stitched ice skates were made almost entirely of leather. Typically,the construction of the skate boot was made by assembling pieces of leather
material over a last. Those leather pieces were connected to each other either
15 by sewn stitches or by adhesives. The resulting boot was flexible enough so
that it would not impede the movement of the foot in any particular direction,
while offering a reasonable level of ankle support. For the last few years,
however, ice skate manufacturers have used dirrerent materials for
manufacturing of skate boots in order to provide some required characterislics.
For example, skate boots that are now currently available on the market use a
combination of leather, nylon and other synthetic materials that are designed tooffer an increased resisLance to flexing, particularly in the ankle area.
2~ The enhanced rigidity of the skate boot in the ankle area is important,
particularly for professional players who, in terms or pei rormance gains, derive
clear benefits from skates that offer an increased stability in the ankle region.
Moreover, this increased resistance to flexing in the lateral direction of currently
available skates has some drawbacks. One of the most important
30 disadvantages is that the increased resistance to flexing reduces the flexibility
of the skate in the plantar d;,e~,tion. But the movement of the foot in that
direction is important during the skating movement. Should the skate impede
signihcantly that movement, the performance of the player will suffer.
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
Traditional boots also feature side walls adapted to bend over the tongue to
better enclose the foot in the boot. This design was used to provide as much
rigidity as possible. The walls were also arranged so that the edges were
S forming a continuous and substantially large radius "R", as shown in figure 3.
However, with such an arrangement, the force and/or energy coming from the
foot and the lower portion of the leg were not entirely transmitted to the blade or
wheels of the skate. Moreover, as the boot was getting used, its integrity was
10 affected. For instance, a breaking point or line would appear along the lacing
edge. This weak point was the cause of an i" "~o, lant loss of rigidity. Moreover,
the fact that the foot was fully enclosed, laterally and in the front, was the cause
of an important resistance to flexing in the plantar dir~tion, bringing about
reduced performance and limited comfort.
The bent walls were also causing difficulties for insertion/removal of the foot
in/from the boot.
This leads to say that there is a need in the industry for developing a skate boot
20 that can be used either for ice or roller skates, and that offers a good stability in
the ankle region, while being somewhat flexible in the plantar direction.
Obiects and statement of the invention
25 It is thus an object of the invention to provide a skate boot providing improved
comfort and performance.
It is another object of the invention to provide a skate boot offering
possibilities to extend the life of the skates and enabling to maintain the high30 level of performance over a longer period.
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
It is another object of the invention to provide a skate boot offering a good
force transmission and/or strain distribution.
It is another object of the invention to provide a skate boot offering ease of
5 insertion and removal.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a skate
boot comprising a sole, a front portion for enclosing the toes of a wearer's
foot, a rear portion for enclosing the heel of a wearer's foot, side walls
10 extending longitudinally between said front and heel portions and upwardly
opposite said sole, said side walls having edges defining a boundary of an
opening for inserting and removing a wearer's foot in said boot, each said
edge comprising a first segment substantially rectilinear and a second
segment substantially rectilinear, said first and second segments being
15 connected together by a substantially curvilinear portion.
Such a boot enables an enhanced force transmission from the upper portion of
the boot to the toes. The strain repartition is also improved. Along the lacing
edge, the strain repartition is generally uniform. The traditional "breaking point"
20 appearing along the lacing edge once the boot has been for some time used is
avoided or at least considerably delayed. The boot is thus better adapted for
high pe,rurl,lance and lasts longer than traditional boots. The wall shape
enables to provide a larger opening, providing reduced resistance to flexing in
the plantar direction. However, excellent lateral support is provided.
Advantageously, the first segment is adapted to be substantially parallel to
the plane defined by a wearer's instep, or, in a specific example, to the sole.
Its longitudinal position is thus in a plane substantially parallel to the top
portion of the wearer's foot, or substantially parallel to the sole.
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
Advantageously the second segment is adapted to be substantially parallel to
the wearer's lower leg portion. In a specific example, the second segment is
substantially normal in relation to said sole.
5 Advantageously the first and second segments form a substantially small
radius at their intersection. The smaller the radius, the longer the
subst~ntially straight portions.
The length of the portion forming the intersection between the first and second
10 segments advantageously represents less than about 20 %, and preferably
about 18 % of the total length of the lacing portion. This optimal configuration is
p,ererable and easier to achieve with larger size boots.
The boot advantageously coll,prises a strap-like reinforcing member. This
15 provides enhanced lateral support. It also reduces the tendency to bend over
the tongue.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention also provides a
skate boot comprising a sole, a front portion for enclosing the toes of a
20 wearer's foot, a rear portion for enclosing the heel of a wearer's foot, side walls extending longitudinally between said front and heel portions and
upwardly, opposite said sole, said side walls having edges defining a
boundary of an opening for inserting and removing a wearer's foot in said
boot, each said edge comprising a first segment substantially rectilinear, and
25 a second segment substantially rectilinear, said first and second segments
forming a substantially sharp edge at their intersection.
To make the manufacturing easier and to reduce costs, the connection
between the first and second segment may be achieved with one or more
30 straight segments for instance. These chara~;leri~lics provide advantages
similar to those previously mentioned.
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
Advantageously, first segment is adapted to be substantially parallel to the
plane dehned by a wearer's instep, or, in a specific example, the hrst
segment is substantially co-planar with respect to said sole. The second
segment is adapted to be substantially parallei to the lower portion of a
5 wearer's leg, or, in a specihc example, the second segment is substantially
normal in relation to said sole. The hrst and second segments preferably form
a substantially small radius at their intersection. The length of the portion
forming the intersection between the hrst and second segments
advantageously represents less than about 20 %, and preferably about 18 %
10 of the total length of the lacing portion.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention also provides a skate
boot con,,u,ising a sole, a front portion for enclosing the toes of a wearer's foot,
a rear portion for enclosing the heel of a wearer's foot, side walls extending
15 longitudinally between said front and heel portions and upwardly, opposite said
sole, said side walls having edges dehning a boundary of an opening for
inserting and removing a wearer's foot in said boot, each said edge com~ising
a first segment subsl~-lially r~:~tilinear and adapted to be sub~l~nlially parallel
to the plane defined by a wearer's instep, and a second segment substantially
20 rectilinear and adapted to be substantially parallel to a wearer's lower leg
portion.
The first and second segments are pr~rably connected together by a
curvilinear portion. The hrst and second segments advantageously form a
25 substantially small radius at their intersection. The length of the portion
forming the intersection between the hrst and second segments
advantageously represents less than about 20 %, and preferably about 18 % of
the total length of the lacing portion.
30 As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention also provides a
skate boot cGl"prising a sole, a front portion for enclosing the toes of a wearer's
foot, a rear portion for enclosing the heel of a wearer's foot, side walls
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
extending longitudinally between said front and heel portions and upwardly,
opposite said sole, said side walls having edges defining a boundary of an
opening for inserting and removing a wearer's foot in said boot, said side wallsbeing shaped and rigid so as to remain substantially rectilinear when subject to5 normal pinch by the lace.
The stiffness of the walls, namely in the longitudinal direction, is optimized.
These characteristics enable to optimize the force transmission for improved
performance. The strain repartition is also improved. The foot has more
10 freedom to move and/or flex in the plantar direction.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention also provides a
skate boot comprising a sole, a front portion for enclosing the toes of a
wearer's foot, a rear portion for enclosing the heel of a wearer's foot, side
15 walls extending longitudinally between said front and heel portions and
upwardly, opposite said sole, said side walls having edges defining a
boundary of an opening for inserting and removing a wearer's foot in said
boot, said side walls dimensions, shape and rigidity allowing lacing with side
walls remaining substantially rectilinear.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention also provides a
skate boot comprising a sole, a front portion for enclosing the toes of a
wearer's foot, a rear portion for enclosing the heel of a wearer's foot, side
walls extending longitudinally between said front and heel portions and
25 upwardly, opposite said sole, said side walls having edges defining a
boundary of an opening for inserting and removing a wearer's foot in said
boot, each said side wall further comprising a lacing portion made integral
with the side wall.
3Q The lacing edge is thus more rigid. The tendency to bend over the tongue is
minimized. Manufacturing costs are reduced by the elimination of one
component.
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
In an attempt to reduce the stiffness of a traditional skate boot in the plantardirection, the opening that exists between the two rows of lace openings can be
increase. Such increase has proven to f~cilit~te the flexion of the foot in the
S plantar direction (forward movement of the foot in a vertical plane that includes
the longitudinal axis of the foot) while maintaining the rigidity in the lateraldirection. In short, the skate acquires a flexibility profile that is best suited to the
natural movements of the foot. The skate boot offers a good stability and
resistance to flexing in the lateral direction, while offering a reduced resistance
10 to flexing in the plantar direction.
In a traditional skate boot construction, the opening defined between the rows
of lace apertures is closed by a tongue element over which the laces, that
fasten the skate boot onto the foot of the wearer, are laid. Under the inventive15 principle, the tongue element is now widened to compensate for the increased
distance between the rows of the lace apertures. This enables to fully close thelarger opening. It also provides additional pr~te~ion for the instep portion of the
foot.
20 The invention also provides an ice skate and a roller skate comprising a boot with the above mentioned characteristics.
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent by
reference to the following description and the drawings.
Brief description of the drawinqs
A detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention
is provided hereinbelow, by way of example only, with reference to the
30 accompanying drawings, in which:
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a skate boot according to the
invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a skate boot according to the
5 invention;
Figure 3 is an elevational view of a prior art skate boot;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary top view of the tongue and side walls of a prior art
10 skate boot;
Figure 5 is a front elevational view illustrating a skate boot according to the
invention, without lace;
15 Figure 6 is a fragmentary top view of the tongue and side walls of a skate
boot according to the invention, without lace;
Figure 7 is a side elevational view illustrating a skate boot according to the
invention;
Figure 8 is a side elevational view illustrating a skate boot according to the
invention with a wearer's foot, without lace;
Figure 9 is a front elevational view illustrating a skate boot according to the
25 invention, with lace;
Figure 10 is a side elevational view illustrating a skate boot according to the
invention with a wearer's foot and with lace;
30 Figure 11 is a fragmentary top view of the tongue and side walls of a skate
boot according to the invention, with lace;
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
Figure 12 is a side elevational view of a skate boot according to the invention
on a test bench for a flexion test at 30 degrees;
Figure 13 is a side elevational view of a skate boot according to the invention
S during a flexion test at 30 degrees, with the resulting strains represented with
arrows;
Figure 14 is a side elevational view of a prior art skate boot on a test bench
for a flexion test at 30 degrees;
Figure 15 is a side elevational view of a prior art skate boot during a flexion
test at 30 degrees, with the resulting strains represented with arrows;
Figure 16 is a side elevational view illustrating another embodiment of a
l 5 skate boot according to the invention, without lace;
Figure 17 is a side elevational view illustrating the embodiment of hgure 16
from the other side;
20 Figure 18 is a perspective view illustrating a further embodiment of a skate
boot according to the invention;
Figure 1 g is a side elevational view illustrating the embodiment of hgure 18;
25 Figure 20 is a fragmentary top view of the tongue and side walls of the
embodiment of figure 18;
Figure 21 is a fragmentary elevational view of the tongue of the embodiment
of hgure 18;
Figure 22 is a further embodiment illustrating a roller skate according to the
invention;
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
Figure 23 is a schematic elevational view of a quarter of a prior art skate (in
dotted line) and the skate of the invention.
5 In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by
way of examples. It is to be expressly understood that the description and
drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and are an aid for
understanding. They are not intended to be a definition of the limits of the
invention.
Detailed descri~tion of preferred embodiments
The present invention provides a novel skate boot construction that features
some novel elements. Those elements can be used either on their own or
15 combined together in a skate boot embodying the principles of the present
invention. Most preferably, however, these elements are used together to offer
the highe~ benefits. The present invention is particularly advantageous for
stitched boots or skates.
20 Figures 1 and 2 illustrate perspective views of the skate boot according to the
invention. The boot traditionally comprises a toe portion 40 at the front of theboot to enclose the wearer's toes, a heel portion 42 at the rear of the boot, toenclose the heel of the wearer's foot, and a sole 44 extending from the heel
portion to the toe portion underneath the wearer's foot. The upper portion of
25 the boot comprises an ankle portion 46 to enclose, protect and support the
ankle region of the wearer's foot It also preferably comprises a cuff portion
48, extending upwardly from the ankle portion to the rear part of the boot.
The skate boot is commonly used as an ice skate. The skate, apart from the
30 boot, also comprises a blade assembly, for instance a blade holder 60, for
example made of plastic, composite or metal and a blade runner 62 provided
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
in the lower portion of the holder. Other types of blade assembly may also be
provided.
The boot may also be used as roller skate (see figure 22). The skate, apart
5 from the boot, then comprises a frame for supporting the wheels.
As shown in figure 2, the boot comprises side walls 38 extending upwardly
from the sole and longitudinally from the heel portion 42 to the toe portion 40.The two side walls 38 define a longitudinal opening 10 for inserting/removing
10 the foot in the boot. A tongue 14, attached advantageously to the top wall of the toe portion 40 and extending longitudinally and upwardly therefrom,
closes the opening 10 at least partially and is adapted to extend between the
top portion of the skater's foot and the lace.
15 The lace is traditionally attached to the lacing apertures 36. These apertures
extend along the edge of each side wall 38, preferably ail along the opening
10. The path along which these openings are provided defines a lacing
portion 50. The width of this portion may vary depending on the skate
construction, but advantageously it extends from the outer edge of the wall,
20 or lacing edge 52, to the inner portion of the wall distant from the lace
openings of a length substantially corresponding to the distance between the
outer edge and the adjacent lacing opening. For instance, in figure 2, the
lacing portion 50 is indicated with hatching.
25 The lacing portion is advantageously made integral with the side wall, that is
to say, the wall 38 extends upwardly from the sole to the lacing edge 52, and
generally consists of one continuous wall or piece, in which the lacing
openings are provided. This provides enhanced rigidity, in particular when
the laces are tightened, avoiding major bending of the lacing portion 50 over
30 the tongue for instance.
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
The side walls are made of traditional materials, for instance with leather,
plastic or composite, fabrics or any combination thereof. The separate
elements are assembled by sewn stitches or adhesive or the like.
5 Figure 2 also shows that the boot according to the invention is provided with
side walls 38 having a hrst substantially straight segment 30 and a second
substa"lially straight segment 28. The length of the first segment is identifiedwith the arrows "a" and the length of the latter is identified with the arrows Ub".
The two portions are connected together with a curved portion 26. The first
10 portion 30 is provided adjacent to the lower part of the opening 10. The two
portions 30 of the two side walls 38 advantageously define a plane
substantially parallel with the plane defined by the sole. The two portions 28
of the two side walls 38 advantageously dehne a plane substantially normal
with the plane defined by the sole, or a plane substantially corresponding
l 5 with the wearer's lower leg portion.
The length of the segments 30 and 28 is preferably adapted to cover the
greater portion of the lacing edge 52, leaving a smaller part for the curved
portion 26. The curved portion 26 advantageously defines a sharp edge,
20 having a small radius "r". The proportions between the three portions may
vary with the different types of skates or boots and with the different sizes.
However, for optimal results, the lengths are advantageously adapted so that
the length or perimeter of the linking portion (or connecting portion)
corresponds to less than about 20 %, and preferably about 18 % of the total
25 length of the lacing portion ("a" + ~bu + "perimeter defined by radius r").
The walls 38 are adapted to be substantially rectilinear when the boot or
skate is new, and to remain substantially rectilinear even when the skater
wears it. Figure 5 illustrates the substantially rectilinear walls 38. Figure 6
30 illustrates, from the top, the tongue position with relation to the walls. Figures
9 and 11 illustrate similar views when the skate is laced and tightened. One
can see that the traditional bend of the lacing portion over the tongue sides is
12
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
replaced by a slight lateral displacement of the wall 38 along the main portion
of the lacing edge.
At the lacing portion extremities, that is to say the first lace apertures and the
5 last lace apertures, it is possible that a combined movement exist, that is tosay a slight bend and a lateral displacement. This is mainly due to the
extreme tightening forces exerted by the laces,
Figure 23 is a schematic elevational view of a quarter of a prior art skate (in
10 dotted line) and the skate of the invention. The two elements are used for the
manufacture of ice skates of the same size. The continuous line i11usl(ates a
skate ac~ording to the invention. In dotted line, a prior art model is shown,
the "SUPREME 5000" (trade-mark), manufactured by Bauer. The hgure
clearly shows that the wall height of the boot according to the invention is
15 su~-sl~nlially reduced with respect to the prior art boot. This further aspect of
the invention contributes to provides walls that remains subslanlially
rectilinear in any condition, to enhance the force transmission to the toes and
to the sole of the boot.
20 Figures 8 and 10 illustrate a side elevational view of a skate boot accordingto the invention. From these figures, one can see that with the shape of the
watls desc-ibed herein above, the tongue 14 of the skate projects outwardly
from the walls, to follow the foot profile. By comparison, figure 3 illuslra(es a
prior art skate, provided with standard walls having a lacing edge defined by
25 a radius UR" extending almost all along the length of the edge. This type of
wall extends over the tongue when the boot is laced and tightened, as shown
in figure 4. This figure also illusllales that the walls 38 are bent over the
tongue. The opening 10 is larger than the opening of prior art boots. This
further aspect of the invention is described later in the description.
All these characteristics contribute to provide a skate boot having enhanced
mechanical properties. For instance, the tongue has more freedom to move
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
longitudinally. Skaters may thus optimize their performances. This also
provides enhanced comfort. Figures 12 and 13 illustrate the improvement
provided by the invention in relation to the force transmission from the top to
the bottom of the lacing edge of the boot. Figure 12 shows a skate boot of
5 the invention on a test bench adapted to simulate a forward flexion of 30
degrees. Figure 13 illuslr;ales the resulting strains along the lacing edge. Thesmall single arrows along the lacing edge with opposite directions indicate
that the main strain is compressive. The dual arrows indicate traction. Tests
performed with the boot of the invention have shown that the strain repartition
lO along the lacing edge is 5llhst~ntially uniform. Thus, the force from the legand top of the foot is better transmitted to the lower portion of the boot.
Figures 14 and 15 illustrate similar views for a prior art boot. Two areas with
strain concentrations clearly appeared during the tests. The top zone
l5 generally corresponds with the area where the edge "breaks" in a worn boot.
The force coming from the leg and top portion of the foot is thus absorbed
rather than transmitted.
Figure 16 of the enclosed drawings is a simplified schematic view of another
20 embodiment of the skate boot that features a larger inter-lace apertures. Forthe purpose of reference, this opening is identified by the ,~rer~nce numeral 10.
Along each edge of this opening, are provided rows of lace apertures 36 for
receiving the lace that closes the skate boot. For reasons of simplicity, the
skate boot is illustrated as comprising seven lace apertures per row. In a
25 spe.;ific example, the skate boot may comprise eleven lace apertures. Tl7e
number of lace apertures may vary in accordance with the size of the boot.
Most pr~rerably, for a given boot size and model, each lace aperture is loc~led
at a distance of 15 mm from the edge. The position of the fourth lace aperture,
30 sld,ling from the top of the boot, has tumed out to be particularly important for
co"l,o"ing the flexing in the plantar direction. In figure 1, the fourth lace
aperture is ide"lir,ed by the reference numeral 12. Most pr~:re,~bly, the lace
14
CA 02238844 1998-05-28
aperture 12 is located at a specific distance from the ho, i,ul ~lal pivot axis of the
ankle. In a specific example, the lace aperture 12 located on the medial side ofthe boot is at a dislance of 16.5 mm from the medial pivotal axis of the ankle,
while the fourth row lace aperture on the lateral side of the skate boot is at a5 distance of approximately 22 mm from the lateral pivot of the ankle. The medial
and the lateral pivot points of the ankle are materialized by the posilions of th
malleoli.
~ere"i"g speeir~ally to figure 16, the distance between the malleoli and the
10 fourth lace aperture 12 is idenbfied by the arrow numbered 24. In this
e"~bodir"enL, the configuration of the edge that defines a boundary of the
opening 10 provides a relatively sharp edge 26, in the area of the fourth lace
opening. Depending on the type of skates and on the size, the posilion of the
curved portion 26 relative to the lace apertures and its radius may vary, without
15 departing from the spirit of the invention.
The edge features two subsl~rltiaîly straight seg"~e,)ls 28 and 30, the segment
28 being almost vertical, both straight segments joining at the region 26 that
presents a substantially tight radius. Since the lace apertures are distributed at
20 a cor,slanl distance from the edge of the opening 10, these apertures are laid
according to a pattem that is very similar to the edge configuration. In the
example shown, each row of lace apertures includes four apertures contained
in the edge segment 28, six apertures contained in the segment 30 and one
aperture facing the sharp bend 26. In the group of four apertures contained in
25 the segment 28, the lowest three apertures are aligned almost vertically suchthat an imaginary vertical line shown at reference 32 can be drawn to pass
through each aperture of this group.
Figure 17 shows the skate from the other side, the distance between the center
30 of the fourth laoe aperture to the malleoli being identihed by the reference
numeral 34.
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
Now, referring to figures 18 to 21, an adva,)lageous structure of the tongue
ele",e,ll of the skate boot is described. As already mentioned, the boot
according to the invention may be provided with a different type of tongue
without departing from the spirit of the invention. The tongue element idei ,lified
5 by the reference numeral 14 is, as mentioned earlier, somewhat wider than
traditional tongue elements to cover the larger opening 10 well. The tongue
element 14 is made from synthetic foam material of a selected density and
covered by fabrics that has a specific coefficient of friction. On the outer surface
of the fabric covering a shield-like member 16 is provided over which the laces,10 that close the skate boot, are applied. The shield-like member 16 serves to
spread the lace pressure over a larger area and mus avoids pressure points on
the foot. It is also geo,nel,ically configured in order to lock the laces and
prevent them from moving with relation to the tongue e~ement 14.
15 The structure of the shield-like member 16 is best shown in figures 19 to 21. It
comprises a plurality of ribs 18 that are longitudinally spaced apart over the
tongue. The spacing of the ribs 18 is such as to receive the lace and prevent itfrom moving with relation to the tongue element 14. Figure 21 illuslr~les this
feature well. When the laces are pulled tight, the lace 20 is located between
20 adjacent ribs 18. As mentioned earlier, this structure prevents a relative
movement for the lacing and also provides a well defined lace distribution
profile, since the pathway over which the lacing is laid is now clearly defined by
the lace apertures and the inter-rib channels. Moreover, when the foot is flexedforward, the fact that the lace and the tongue are interlocked permits a more
25 predict~h'Q bending behavior of the tongue.
The inner surface of the fabric covering of the tongue element 14 is
advantageously made of dirrere"~ Il,ateri~ls to provide a specific pattern of
frictional characteristics. More s,cecifically, the lower portion of the inner
30 surface, for example the portion that begins at the lower edge of the tongue
element and ends appr~xi",ately where the cutting plane 20-20 is loc~ted, may
be made of high friction fabric designed to reduce slippage between that part of
16
CA 02238844 1998-0~-28
the tongue and the upper portion of the foot. In a specific example, material
available commercially under the trade name TACKLINER can be used. This
",ale,ial is a polyester fabric with an anti-slip finish. This is made to enhance
foot stability since, ideally, the foot portion should be held stationary in the5 skate. The upper part of the inner surface of the tongue is adva"la~eously
made of low friction material, such as fabric incor~Jorali"g or made entirely ofTeflon sl,ands. This part of the tongue covers the upper extremity of the foot
and the lower portion of the leg. During normal skating movements, when the
user bends his leg forward, a certain sliding motion occurs between the leg and
lû the tongue. By reducing the friction in that area, the resistance to achieve this
plantar flexion is reduced.
Ad~anlageolJsly a strap-like reinf~r~ng me,nber 22 is provided, to co,~,pensale
for a potentiai loss in rigidity of the skate boot in the lateral direction (direction
15 transverse to the longitudinal axis of the foot). In a specific example, the strap-
like (ein~or~ing member is an outer layer made of sy"ll,~tic material that is
sewn on top of the skate boot. The re;.,rorcing strap-like member originates at
23, in the sole area of the boot, and extends outwardly and rearwardly along a
line that is generally at an angle of 45 degrees. In this example, the strap-like
20 rei"rur~l"g member i"lercepls five of the lace apertures to provide some
enhanced rigidity in that area. It also loops over the back area, passing over
the Achilles tendon and finally progressing over the other side of the skate.
The foregoing description clearly establishes that the objects of the invention
25 are achieved.
The above description of preferred embodiments should not be interpreted in
a limiting manner since other variations, modifications and refinements are
possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the
30 invention is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.
