Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IN-LINE ROLLER SKATE WITH INTERNAL SUPPORT
AND EXTERNAL ANKLE CUFF
Related Applications
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Serial No. 08/668,278,
filed
S June 21, 1996, which is a continuation-in-part of utility application Serial
No. 08/484,467, filed June 7, 1995, which is a continuation of utility
application Serial
No. 08/094,576, filed July 19, 1993, now U.S. Patent No. 5,437,466.
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to in-line roller skate constructions and, more
particularly, to pivoting ankle support structures for in-line roller skates.
Background of the Invention
In-line roller skates typically include a plurality of aligned wheels with
parallel
axles secured to a skate frame. A skate boot or shoe is attached to the top of
the frame.
Most skate manufacturers currently construct the boots and shoes (the "skate
upper") with
a base, a plastic shell extending upwardly from the base, and a removable
liner. The shell
may include a cuff portion pivotally attached to a lower portion of the shell
to ease fore
and aft movement of the skater's leg while providing medial and lateral
support.
Alternatively the plastic shell may extend upwardly to the top of the skate
above the
ankle without the cuff being pivotally secured to the lower portion. Rigid
hockey skates
are also in the prior art. These skates typically do not have a plastic outer
shell. Hockey
skates may have a leather or leather/nylon outer shell with internal
stiffening/support
members. While hockey skate constructions provide necessary support for this
sport they
do not easily flex forwardly and rearwardly.
Most in-line roller skates are very maneuverable and are capable of higher
speeds
than those customarily associated with conventional paired wheel roller
skates. In-line
roller skating is generally considered to require higher levels of skill,
coordination, and
strength than conventional paired wheel roller skating because of the narrow,
lateral
support base associated with in-line roller skates. Specifically, while
balancing in the
forward and rear direction is relatively easy for even inexperienced skaters,
balancing in
the sideward or lateral direction is difficult because of the narrow support
base and is
heavily dependent upon the skater's balancing and coordination skills. Proper
ankle and
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foot supports within the upper shoe portion of the in-line roller skate aid in
lateral
balancing.
To obtain the optimum performance from an in-line roller skate, it is
important
that the in-line roller skate be maintained in a substantially vertical
position. The upper
shoe portion of the in-line roller skate serves competing purposes of
providing support
and comfort; comfort in a shoe not usually being associated with a high degree
of
support. In other words, the incorporation of rigid support structures in the
upper shoe
portion of the in-line roller skate tends to add stiffness and bulk, and,
considering the
warm weather environments conducive to in-line roller skating, tends to make
the skates,
heavy, hot, and uncomfortable. Because serious ankle and other injuries can
result if
comfort is favored over support, proper support in an in-line roller skate has
been the
dominant design criteria in the past.
As discussed briefly above, the conventional upper shoe portion of the in-line
roller skate is usually formed of rigid, non-breathable, plastic materials
having an inner
liner. The plastic material generally forms the outer structure of the upper
shoe portion,
thereby requiring that a soft inner liner of sponge rubber or other like
material be
included to provide comfort to the user. Since such soft materials combined
with the
rigid plastic shell are good insulators and do not readily transmit heat or
air away from
the user's foot, the result is a hot upper shoe portion.
To provide lateral stability, conventional alpine ski boot designs have
readily been
adapted to in-line roller skates. These boots provide support and durability,
characteristics necessary for in-line roller skates. U.5. Pat. Nos. 4,351,537
and 5,171,033
are both exemplary of rigid injection molded boots adapted to winter sports,
such as ice
skating and alpine skiing, which have been modified for in-line roller skating
applications. These patents disclose an upper boot portion that comprises a
hard plastic
outer shell with a soft inner liner. While this type of boot design is well-
suited for cold
weather sports, the upper shoe portion tends to be hot and uncomfortable when
used in
warm weather sports such as in-line roller skating. The '033 patent suggests
that by
including "primarily unobstructed ventilation ports" in the rigid synthetic
outer shell of
the upper shoe portion, air can circulate around the skater's foot, thereby
eliminating
some of the heat associated with the hard plastic outer shell. While this
patent seeks to
address the issue of comfort, the disclosed upper shoe portion is still
configured of two
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parts, including a hard plastic outer shell and a soft inner liner, which in
warm weather
conditions can be uncomfortable, compared to conventional walking and/or
running
shoes due to excessive heat buildup. The result is that the skater's feet are
often hot,
damp, and uncomfortable.
Another problem with the adoption of injection molded ski-type boots to in-
line
roller skating is that while providing excellent lateral stiffness and
rigidity for lateral
ankle support, these boots also create unnecessary and unwanted
forward/rearward
stiffness and rigidity. Ski-type boots detract from the performance
characteristics of the
skate because they limit the range of motion of the skater's legs and feet and
therefore, the
ability of the skater to utilize the full extent of his strength and agility.
Further, it is desirable for an in-line roller skate upper shoe portion to be
lightweight. Boots that are well-suited to skiing applications wherein it is
not necessary
to raise and lower the boot with every movement of the foot (because the skier
relies on
gravity to provide the forward or downward motion) prove heavy and bulky when
adapted to in-line roller skating. When skating on a flat surface, the in-line
roller skater
must lift the boot with every stride to provide a forward impetus, and a heavy
upper shoe
portion causes fatigue and reduces skating enjoyment.
Alternative modes of providing both comfort and adequate support for in-line
roller skating have been suggested. Specifically, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,963,252,
4,418,929,
and 5,069,462 show roller skate frames that include a platform adapted to
allow the skater
to wear a conventional street shoe that is inserted into a series of braces
and supports.
These skates offer alternative shoe and frame designs to the rigid plastic
outer shell and
inner liner of the conventional in-line roller skate. However, significant
problems exist
with such designs in that the adjustable braces and supports of these designs,
while
needed to accommodate numerous shoe sizes and shapes, are bulky and
uncomfortable.
Additionally, there is a limited range of shoe types that the skates will
accommodate, and
thus, there is the additional requirement that the skater have the proper shoe
type to
properly utilize the skate.
The outer plastic shells of previous in-line roller skates have created
difficulty in
styling the skates such as has been done with hiking boots and other footwear
that have
not had rigid outer shells. However, the rigid outer shells have thought to be
necessary to
provide adequate medial and lateral support while allowing ease of fore and
aft
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movement of the leg of the skater relative to the skater's foot during
skating. A
recreational skater may not have the required strength and ability to utilize
a low-cut
skate which provides ease of movement. The skate would not provide enough
lateral and
medial support. Skates that do provide lateral and medial support and that do
not include
the rigid plastic outer shell construction include hockey skates. Hockey
skates do provide
adequate, lateral and medial support for the skater's ankle. However, fore and
aft
movement of the lower leg of the skater relative to the skater's foot is also
limited. The
hockey skate uppers are generally quite rigid and unforgiving. Therefore, a
need exists to
provide a skate that includes an upper structural support member for medial
and lateral
support while providing for ease of fore and aft movement without totally
encompassing
the skater's foot in a rigid plastic shell.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with the present invention a skate for receiving a foot of a
skater is
disclosed. The skate includes a frame, a rigid base, a substantially non-rigid
upper
portion, and a substantially rigid upper portion. The frame has a means for
riding on a
surface. The rigid base is securely attached to the frame. The base is adapted
to support
the bottom of the skater's foot and includes a heel portion and a toe portion
adapted to
support the areas beneath the heel, ball, and toes of the skater's foot. The
substantially
non-rigid upper portion is adapted to receive the skater's foot. It
substantially covers the
top and ankle of the skater's foot and is permanently affixed to the rigid
base. The
substantially rigid upper portion is coupled to the non-rigid upper portion
and to the rigid
base. The rigid upper portion includes an ankle support cuff extending above
the skater's
ankle when wearing the skate. The rigid upper portion is adjacent only
portions of the
non-rigid upper portion, leaving a substantial portion of the vamp of the
skate without
rigid support directly adjacent thereto. The non-rigid upper portion extends
to above the
cuff.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the substantially non-rigid upper
portion includes an outer shell. The ankle support cuff is disposed beneath
the outer
shell. In one aspect of the invention the substantially non-rigid upper
portion also
includes billows in a front portion and a rear portion of the ankle area of
the upper
portion. The billows are adapted to allow flexible movement of the
substantially non-
rigid upper portion.
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In another preferred aspect of the invention the substantially rigid upper
portion
further includes an internal heel counter beneath the outer shell. The ankle
support cuff is
pivotally connected to the internal heel counter. An external heel counter may
also
extend upwardly from the base around the heel portion of the upper portion on
the outside
of the outer shell.
In one embodiment of the invention the internal heel counter and the ankle
support cuff are pivotally interconnected with a reduced section of heel
counter material,
the heel counter and ankle support cuff being integrally formed.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the heel counter includes two
sides
with recesses along the inner portion of the tops thereof. The ankle support
cuff includes
lower edges disposed at least partially within the recesses. Preferably, the
recesses
include grooves extending downwardly therein. The cuff includes downwardly
projecting tongues on either side thereof disposed within the grooves. The
recesses in the
sides of the heel counter are preferably arcuate in shape and complementary
arcuately
shaped tongues exist on the sides of the cuff. The recesses are preferably
disposed on the
inner sides of the heel counter with the lower portion of the cuff overlapping
the heel
counter on the inner sides thereof.
A further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention includes
substantially rigid support panels disposed on the sides of the interface
between the heel
counter and the ankle support cuff. The support panels are fixed to the heel
counter such
that the ankle support cuff is movable relative to the panels.
One aspect of an alternate embodiment of the invention includes arcuate slots
within the arcuate portions of the heel counter. In this embodiment, the cuff
further
includes pins through the bottom arcuate portions thereof. The pins extend
through the
slots in the heel counter.
In another alternate embodiment of the invention the arcuate portions of the
heel
counter and the arcuate portions of the cuff are interconnected with arms
attached
therebetween. These arcuate portions of the heel counter preferably include
recesses for
receiving the arcuate portions of the cuff.
The preferred embodiment of the invention may also be described as a skate for
receiving a foot of the skater that includes a frame, a rigid base, an
external heel counter,
an upper having an outer shell, a substantially rigid internal heel counter,
and a
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substantially rigid ankle support cuff. The frame has wheels or a blade for
riding on a
surface. The rigid base is securely attached to the frame. The external heel
counter
extends upwardly from the base around the heel portion of the skate. The outer
shell is
constructed of substantially soft pliable material. The internal heel counter
is disposed
beneath the outer shell and extends around the heel area of the skate above
the top of the
external heel counter. The ankle support cuff is pivotally coupled to the
internal heel
counter and disposed beneath the outer shell. Preferably, the internal heel
counter also
includes at least one groove along at least a portion thereof for receiving
the lower edge
of the cuff in substantially sliding engagement therewith.
The above-described skate construction provides a skate that has great
aesthetic
appeal without substantial plastic material on the external body of the skate.
The skate
also provides superior lateral and medial support while allowing fore and aft
movement
of the lower leg of the skater relative to the skater's foot, with the cuff
being pivotally
secured within the upper.
A further embodiment of the present invention includes a substantially rigid,
internal heel counter and an external, substantially rigid ankle cuff. The
skate includes a
base defining an undersurface, an upper surface, and a toe and heel end. A
frame is
secured to the undersurface of the base, for mounting a plurality of wheels or
other
ground engaging member. A substantially non-rigid upper portion is secured to
the upper
surface of the base. A substantially rigid internal heel counter is secured to
and extends
upwardly from the heel end of the base, and is received within and covered by
the
substantially non-rigid upper portion. The substantially rigid ankle cuff,
fastenable about
a skater's ankle, is pivotally secured to an upper portion of the heel
counter. The
substantially rigid ankle cuff is able to pivot forwardly freely relative to
the internal heel
counter, substantially without resistance from the non-rigid upper portion.
In a preferred embodiment, a substantially rigid ankle cuff is secured to the
heel
counter and substantially non-rigid upper portion only by the pivotal
connection to the
internal heel counter, and is otherwise separate from the non-rigid upper
portion. An
ankle pad lines an interior surface of the ankle cuff and extends downwardly,
terminating
at a free lower end within the internal heel counter. This embodiment of the
invention
allows the ankle cuff to pivot substantially freely from resistance due to the
lower portion
of the skate, to follow the natural motion of the lower leg of a skater.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention
will
become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by
reference to
the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention
illustrating a soft boot skate with a rigid heel counter and cuff pivotally
interconnected
within the outer shell of the skate;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the skate of FIGURE 1 showing the soft
portion of the upper and the toe cap in phantom view;
FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the skate illustrated
in
FIGURES 1 and 2 with sections of the interior of the skate cut away to show
the
cuff/counter interface;
FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional elevational view cut vertically through the
skate
1 S and extending through the pivot locations of the cuff;
FIGURE 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention
including
a pivot neck between the heel counter and internal cuff;
FIGURE 6 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention illustrating
flex
arms used between the internal cuff and heel counter;
FIGURE 7 illustrates another alternate embodiment with a single flex arm to
secure the internal cuff to the heel counter;
FIGURE 8 illustrates another alternate embodiment with a flex cross at the
interface between the heel counter and cuff;
FIGURE 9 illustrates an alternate embodiment with the arcuate interconnection
between the internal cuff and heel counter being reversed from previous
embodiments;
FIGURE 10 is a side view of an alternate embodiment without substantial
interconnection between the internal cuff and heel counter other than a tongue
and groove
arrangement;
FIGURE 11 illustrates another alternate embodiment utilizing a pin and slot
arrangement between the internal cuff and heel counter;
FIGURE 12 illustrates another alternate embodiment with a pin and slot
arrangement;
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FIGURE 13 is an illustration of flex billows that may be used on the external
shell
of the skate to provide for movement of the cuff portion of the skate relative
to the lower
portion;
FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the internal
support structure of the skate showing inner and outer supports covering the
joints
between the internal cuff and heel counter;
FIGURE 15 provides a side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the
present invention, including an internal heel counter, shown in phantom, and
an external
ankle support cuff pivotally secured thereto;
FIGURE 16 provides a perspective view of the skate of FIGURE 15, with a
portion of the ankle support cuff assembly broken away for clarity; and
FIGURE 17 provides a cross-sectional view of the skate of FIGURE 1 S, taken
through a transverse plane passing through the pivot axis of the ankle cuff.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to FIGURE 1, an in-line roller skate 10 made according to the
present
invention is disclosed. In-line skate 10 includes an upper 12 connected to a
frame 14,
which secures wheels 16. Upper 12 includes a rigid base 18 for interconnection
to
frame 14. Preferably, rigid base 18 extends beneath upper 12 substantially
from heel to
toe. An external heel counter 20 is preferably integrally formed with base 18.
Alternatively, external heel counter 20 could be omitted or formed separately,
unattached
to base 18. A toe cap 22 is also separately formed and attached to base 18 to
protect the
toe end of the skate from scuffs and wear. A toe cap 22 also protects the
skater's foot
from impacts with hard surfaces.
Most of the rest of upper 12 is constructed of soft, breathable, pliable
material of
the type commonly used in shoes or hiking boots. Thus, synthetic or natural
leathers and
meshes or other fabrics may be used to construct the soft portions of upper
12. These
portions include a fore foot portion 24 generally below the ankle area of the
skate and an
ankle portion 26 at and above the ankle portion of the skate. Laces 28 are
preferably used
to secure upper 12 tightly around the foot of the skater in a conventional
fashion.
However, buckles, straps, VelcroTM, or other fasteners may alternatively be
used. In the
preferred embodiment of the invention forward billows 32 and aft billows 30
are secured
within cutout portions of upper 12 just over the heel and between the ankle
and fore foot
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portions 26 and 24 of upper 12. Forward and aft billows 32 and 30 allow ease
of flexing
of ankle portion 26 relative to fore foot portion 24.
Much of the construction of the upper of the skate is similar to that
disclosed in
U.S. Patent No. 5,437,466 incorporated herein by reference. The skate
disclosed in the
parent application (U.S. Patent No. 5,437,466) includes a soft pliable upper.
The upper
disclosed in the '466 patent provides medial and lateral support as well as
fore and aft
flexibility with a rigid external heel counter pivotally interconnected with a
rigid external
cuff. The same concept is employed in the present invention. However, the
present
application provides further details and constructions with a rigid heel
counter and cuff
placed inside the relatively soft outer shell 44 of upper 12. An internal heel
counter 34 is
preferably attached to base 18 by connection to an outer shell 44 and a last
board 52
(illustrated in FIGURE 3). Internal heel counter 34 rises from base 18
beginning at
approximately the middle of the sides of base 18 upwardly toward ankle portion
26 of
upper 12. Internal heel counter 34 then gradually descends to a position below
aft
billows 30 at the rear of the heel portion of upper 12 and above external heel
counter 20.
Thus, internal heel counter 34 is cantilevered upwardly from external heel
counter 20
except that it has outer shell 44 placed therebetween in the preferred
embodiment.
FIGURE 2 further illustrates the heel counter/internal cuff construction. The
right
and left sides of internal heel counter 34 are substantially the same except
for variations
due to differences in the anatomical shapes and movements between the medial
and
lateral sides of the skater's feet. The uppermost portion of both sides of
internal heel
counter 34 includes recesses with arcuate lower boundaries. The bottom of the
recesses
preferably includes grooves 40 into which an ankle cuff 36 is engaged with a
tongue and
groove configuration. Pivot pins 38 are secured at the radial centers of the
arcuate
portions and extend between ankle cuff 36 and internal heel counter 34.
Preferably pivot
pins 38 are rivets. Pivot pins 38 allow fore and aft movement of ankle cuff 36
relative to
internal heel counter 34. Pivot pins 38 restrict lateral and medial flex of
ankle cuff 36.
Ankle cuff 36 is constructed of a rigid material such as plastic or fiber-
reinforced plastic.
The material is rigid relative to the softer portions of upper 12 that
surround most of the
rest of the foot of the skater. Ankle cuff 36 is preferably U-shaped as viewed
from above
such that it surrounds the lower leg of the skater and ankle of the skater
from behind
toward the front of the skate. Ankle cuff 36 preferably does not entirely
surround the
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- ankle or lower leg of the skater but preferably extends in front of the
ankle bones. Thus,
ankle cuff 36 provides medial and lateral support to the skater's ankle while
allowing fore
and aft flex about pivot pin 38. Ankle portion 26 of upper 12 is able to flex
fore and aft
with ankle cuff 36 since it is secured therearound and is of a softer, more
flexible material
than ankle cuff 36. Thereby, with the above described construction, a skate is
provided
that has the pleasing aesthetic appearance of a sport shoe or hiking boot with
superior
medial and lateral support and fore and aft flexibility that are required for
in-line skating.
The arrangement of pivot pin 38 and groove 40 with a cuff tongue 42 (as
illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4) provides a strong and supportive
interconnection
between ankle cuff 36 and internal heel counter 34. Both medial and lateral
flex are
restricted by both sides of ankle cuff 36 with this arrangement since there is
a vertical
space between pivot pin 38 and the tongue and groove arrangement.
FIGURE 3 further illustrates the details of the layering of upper 12. As
discussed
above, a cuff tongue 42 extends downwardly from cuff 36 to interface with
groove 40 of
heel counter 34. Thus, a sliding arrangement exists between cuff 36 and heel
counter 34
at the interface between the two with a semi-circular tongue and groove
interface. The
portion of internal heel counter 34 that extends above pivot pin 38 is
preferably on the
outside of ankle cuff 36 to provide additional support when any portion of
cuff 36 is
pushed outwardly in a medial or lateral direction.
As seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, upper 12 includes the outer shell 44 mentioned
above substantially encompassing the majority of upper 12. Outer layer or
shell 44 is
preferably constructed of a leather or flexible man-made materials. Outer
she1144 is
secured to base 18, toe cap 22, and external heel counter 20. Outer shell 44
extends to the
top of upper 12 where it is preferably joined to an inner lining 46. Inner
lining 46 lines
the interior walls of upper 12. Inner lining 46 is preferably a breathable
material such as
a tricot or other conventional breathable lining. A soft padding 48 is secured
between
inner lining 46 and ankle cuff and internal heel counter 36 and 34. Padding 48
also
preferably extends between inner lining 46 and outer shell 44 in areas that do
not include
heel counter 34 and cuff 36. Padding 48 is preferably a conventional padding
such as an
open cell foam material.
FIGURE 3 also illustrates skate tongue 50 extending in a conventional manner
in
front portion of upper 12.
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A last board 52 permanently secures the above-described portions of upper 12
to
base 18. Preferably, rivets or other fasteners extend through frame 14, base
18 and last
board 52. Adhesives are also used. Outer shell 44 as well as internal heel
counter 34
extend at least partially beneath last board 52 to be sandwiched securely
between last
board 52 and base 18. The secure connection of upper 12 to base 18 provides a
skate that
is superior in performance to any skates that include removable liners since
the foot of the
skater can be more securely held within the skate and to the base and frame.
An insole 54
is placed over last board 52 within skate upper 12.
Turning now to FIGURES 5-13, alternate embodiments of the invention will now
be discussed. In the figures most details of the uppers are not illustrated to
more clearly
depict the arrangement of the cuffs and heel counters. Also note that the last
two digits of
each numbered element correspond to like-numbered elements in previous
embodiments.
FIGURE 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention. Note
that
like reference numbers are used throughout FIGURE S except that the number 100
has
been added to each. Internal heel counter 134 is connected to internal cuff
136 by a pivot
neck 138. Pivot neck 138 is small enough so as to create a "live hinge"
between cuff 136
and heel counter 134. In this embodiment, cuff 136 may either be in the form
of side
panels within the sides of upper 112 or may extend around the back of the
skate in a
generally U-shaped configuration. The details of most of upper 112 are not
illustrated in
FIGURE 5 so as to more clearly represent internal heel counter 134, pivot neck
138, and
internal cuff 136. The remaining details are similar to those disclosed above
in
connection with FIGURES 1 through 4. Movement of internal cuff 136 is also
shown in
phantom lines in FIGURE 5. With cuff 136 having a U-shaped configuration, the
structural integrity to provide medial and lateral support to the ankle of the
skater is
provided in a simple, low-cost, integral construction with internal heel
counter 134 while
fore and aft pivoting motion is still allowed.
Referring now to FIGURE 6, an embodiment of the present invention with an
internal cuff 236 interfacing with an internal heel counter 234 does not
include a pivot pin
at the center of the radius of curvature of the interface. In this embodiment,
internal
cuff 236 is interconnected with internal heel counter 234 by a tongue and
groove
arrangement as discussed above. However, forward and rearward arms 258 and 260
bias
cuff 236 to a neutral position and hold cuff 236 within groove 240. Forward
and
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rearward arms 258 and 260 form a V-shape with the bottoms of the arms being
connected
to a heel counter pin secured between the arms and internal heel counter 234
beneath the
lowest portion of groove 240. Alternatively, groove 240 may simply be a recess
on the
sides of internal heel counter 234. The upper ends of arms 258 and 260 are
secured to
guide holes 262 within heel counter 234 by guide pins 264. Guide pins 264
slide within
arcuate guide holes 262 and hold the sides of cuff 236 against heel counter
234.
Arms 258 and 260 may be on the interior or exterior of internal heel counter
234.
Arms 258 and 260 are preferably constructed from a tough elastomeric material.
The
remaining details of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 6 are similar to the
embodiments discussed above.
Referring now to FIGURE 7, another alternate embodiment similar to that of
FIGURE 6 will be described. In this embodiment, a single elastomeric arm 358
is fixedly
secured on both ends in a horizontal fashion to internal heel counter 334. Arm
358 is
secured across the lower portion of the recess in internal heel counter 334
with the
lowermost part of cuff 336 disposed between arm 358 and heel counter 334. Arm
358 is
elastic in nature and flexible to permit fore and aft movement of cuff 336
relative to
internal heel counter 334. Depending on the elasticity of arm 358, the lower
arcuate edge
of heel counter 336 may rocker inside the recess created within the top of
heel
counter 334, thus pulling somewhat upwardly with guide pin 364 on arm 358. The
recess
within the top of heel counter 334 may have a greater radius of curvature so
as to permit
such rockering.
Another embodiment will now be discussed in connection with FIGURE 8. This
embodiment is similar to that of FIGURES 6 and 7 discussed above. In this
embodiment
a flex cross 438 is interconnected between cuff 436 and internal heel counter
434. The
upper arm 462 of flex cross 438 is secured to cuff 436, although
alternatively, multiple
arms may be connected to cuff 436 with one or more multiple arms connected to
internal
heel counter 434. Again, cuff arm 462 and heel counter 458 are connected at
their ends
to cuff 436 and heel counter 434, respectively. Thus, the elastic nature of
flex cross 438
allows movement of cuff 436 relative to heel counter 434 with either rockering
or
pivoting sliding action between the arcuate portions of each.
Referring now to FIGURE 9, another alternate embodiment, includes reversed
arcuate portions of the heel counter 534 and cuff 536 such that cuff 536
includes a
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concave portion while heel counter 534 contains convex portions. In this case,
heel
counter 534 may extend upwardly to just above the ankle bones of the skater.
Cuff 536
permits movement of the lower leg of the skater relative to internal heel
counter 534.
Either a recess or a groove 540 with a cuff tongue 542 interfaces between the
two
elements.
Referring now to FIGURE 10, an embodiment is shown wherein no positive
pivotal or linkage connection is created between a cuff 636 and a heel counter
634 other
than a tongue and recess or tongue and groove arrangement. The fact that cuff
636 and
internal heel counter 634 are held within outer shell 44 of upper 612 provides
enough
retention of the elements such that no rivet or other fastening means is
necessary.
FIGURE 11 illustrates another alternate embodiment of the invention wherein a
recess 740 in the top of the internal heel counter 734 is provided to overlap
cuff 736.
However, in this embodiment a guide hole 762 in the form of an elongate
arcuate slot is
provided in the bottom of cuff 736 adjacent a recessed portion 740 of internal
heel
counter 734. A heel counter pin 756 extends through recess portion 740 and
through
guide hole 762 to restrict the movement of cuff 736 and provide additional
strength
thereto.
A slight rearrangement of this construction is shown in FIGURE 12. In
FIGURE 12 the same guide pin/guide hole arrangement is utilized except that a
groove 840 is provided in the bottom of the recess into which a cuff tongue
842 extends.
In this embodiment, cuff 836 is further restricted and strengthened from
medial and
lateral movement since cuff tongue 842 cannot move laterally or medially but
only slide
within groove 840. Note that the actual pivot axis of cuff 836 may be above
heel counter
pin 856 due to guide hole 862 being arcuate and providing room for movement.
Thus,
the pivot axis may be at the ankle bones (malleoli) of the skater without
having a rivet or
pin projecting inwardly at that same location.
Referring now to FIGURE 13, an additional element will be described relating
to
the external portion of upper 912. In this embodiment, full billows 966 are
provided
between ankle portion 926 and four-foot portion 924 to allow the two portions
as well as
cuff 936 and internal heel counter 934 to move relative to each other. Billows
966 is an
elastic rubbery material that is easily flexible without breaking down. In
this
embodiment, full billows 966 extends from the front of the boot down below the
ankle
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bone to above the heel behind the ankle bone in an arcuate fashion. Billows
966 would
then extend around the rear of the skate to a substantially mirror
configuration on the
other side of the skate.
Referring to FIGURE 14, additional support structures preferably added to the
basic structure described above relative to FIGURES 1 through 4 will now be
discussed.
In FIGURE 14 the entire soft portion of upper 12 has been removed to expose
last
board 1052, internal heel counter 1034, and internal cuff 1036. The
construction of these
three elements and arrangement in FIGURE 14 is substantially similar to that
discussed
above with regard to FIGURES 1 through 4. However, outer supports 1068 and
inner
supports 1070 have also been added to provide a smooth transition between
these
elements and for greater support and comfort. Outer supports 1068 are
constructed of a
plastic material and overlay the cuff and heel counter intersection of the
skate and extend
slightly forwardly therefrom. This provides additional rigidity to the pivotal
and tongue
and groove arrangement of the support structure and wraps around the foot of
the skater
to provide additional support. Likewise, inner supports 1070 cover the
intersection
between cuff 1036 and heel counter 1034 on the inside of these elements and
also cover
the inside of pivot pin 1038 which may be a rivet or other fastener. Thus,
inner
supports 1070 not only provide additional structural support for the foot of
the skater to
help maintain the proper orientation of the in-line skate, but also provide
smooth
transition between the elements for maximum comfort. Supports 1068 and 1070
are
fixedly secured to internal heel counter 1034. Supports 1068 and 1070 are
slidably
secured to internal cuff 1036 such that they nest against cuff 1036 so as to
not hinder the
movement thereof in the fore and aft directions. However, supports 1068 and
1070
further strengthen cuff 1036 in the lateral and medial directions and provide
further
support around the foot of the skater beyond that provided by heel counter
1034.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and
described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein
without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The basic concepts and
constructions disclosed could be modified such as by placing them on the
exterior of the
skate on the outside of outer shell 44 or by changing the arrangement in any
number of
ways while still maintaining basic concepts of having the rigid cuff
interconnected to the
heel counter in a pivotal fashion.
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A further embodiment of the present invention showing one such alternate
construction is illustrated in FIGURES 15-18. The skate 1110 illustrated in
FIGURE 15
is constructed similarly to the skate 10 of FIGURE 1, with the exception of
the
construction and mounting of the pivotal ankle support cuff. Thus, those
details of the
embodiment of FIGURES 15-18 in common with those of FIGURE 1 will not be
described in great detail. Generally, the skate 1110 includes an upper 1112
that is
connected to a frame 1114, between the sidewalls of which are rotatably
secured a
plurality of wheels 1116. The upper 1112 includes a rigid base 1118, to the
underside of
which is secured the frame 1114. Securement of the base 1118 to the frame 1114
may be
by riveting, threaded fasteners, adhesion or other manners, as previously
described, or the
base 1118 and the frame 1114 may be integrally formed. In the embodiment
illustrated,
the base 1118 is rigid the full length of the upper 1112, from the forward toe
end to the
rear heel end of the base. However, it should be understood that the present
invention
also applies equally well to a skate that may include a flexing base 1118,
having either a
heel end that is unsecured to and able to lift away from the rear end of the
frame, or
including a split frame having front and rear segments.
The upper 1112 also includes a substantially non-rigid upper portion 1120,
that
receives and surrounds the foot of a skater. The non-rigid upper portion 1120
runs from a
forward, toe end 1122 of the base 1118 to a rear, heel end 1124 of the base
1118. The
non-rigid upper portion 1120 is formed from flexible materials, as previously
described,
such as leather, canvas, nylon fabric, or flexible plastic. The forward end of
the non-rigid
upper 1120 is protected by a toe guard 1126 formed of a rigid or substantially
rigid plastic
material. The toe guard is secured to the edge of the toe end 1122 of the base
1118, and
rises outwardly therefrom to wrap the sides and upper edge of the toe portion
of the
substantially non-rigid upper portion 1120. The non-rigid upper portion 1120
also
includes a vamp opening 1128 that overlaps a tongue 1130 secured at the
forwardmost
end of the vamp opening 1128, and selectively clo ed by a fastener such as a
lace 1132.
The non-rigid upper portion 1120 is internally reinforced by an internal heel
counter 1134. Referring to FIGURES 15 and 16, the internal heel counter 1134
has a
generally U-shaped configuration, and is secured about a lower U-shaped edge
thereof to
the perimeter of the heel end 1124 of the base 1118. The internal heel counter
1134 rises
upwardly from the base 1118, and wraps the rear and lateral and medial sides
of the heel
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of a skater. The heel counter 1134 terminates below the malleoli, or ankle
bones, of the
skater, and extends forwardly to the beginning of the instep of the skater's
foot. While the
internal heel counter 1134 is received within and covered by the substantially
non-rigid
upper 1120, portions of the internal heel counter 1134 may be exposed for
aesthetic
reasons. In the illustrated embodiment, lateral and medial (not shown)
apertures 1136 are
defined in the non-rigid upper portion 1120, to expose an underlying portion
of the
internal heel counter 1134.
The internal heel counter 1134 has a substantially rigid construction, and may
be
suitably formed of a rigid or substantially rigid plastic or metal. In the
embodiment
illustrated, the internal heel counter 1134 is formed from a fiber-reinforced
resin, such as
a graphite fiber reinforced polyester resin composite. The non-rigid upper
portion 1120
extends to cover and protect the full height of the internal heel counter
1134, except for
the exposed portion of the heel counter at the apertures 1136. The non-rigid
upper
portion 1120 terminates below the malleoli of the user, with the exception of
the
tongue 1130, which extends upwardly along the front side of the ankle, as best
shown in
FIGURE 16. The upper 1112, formed of the non-rigid upper portion 1120,
reinforced by
the internal heel counter 1134, and the base 1118, thus does not in any way
restrict
pivoting or flexing of the user's ankle.
In order to support the user's ankle in the lateral and medial directions,
while
enabling flexure of the ankle to a predetermined extent in the forward and
rearward
direction that is unrestricted by the non-rigid upper portion, the skate of
FIGURES 15-17
includes an independent ankle support cuff assembly 1140. The ankle support
cuff
assembly 1140 includes a substantially rigid ankle support cuff 1142, an
internal ankle
pad 1144 (FIGURES 16 and 17), a partial external ankle shell 1146, and a
selectively
securable fastener 1148.
The ankle cuff 1142 has a rigid or substantially rigid construction. The
external
ankle cuff 1142 has a generally U-shaped configuration, defining lateral and
medial sides
that each terminate at a lower end in pivot extensions 1148. The cuff 1142 is
contoured
so that it wraps around and supports the rear side of the ankle, and extending
over the
malleoli, including concave portions to accommodate the malleoli protrusions
of a
skater's ankle. The pivot extensions 1148 extend downwardly below the
malleoli, and are
pivotally secured by rivets 1150 to the lateral and medial sides of the heel
counter 1134.
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The pivotal connection provided at the rivets 1150 is horizontally aligned
with but
slightly below the pivot axis of the ankle. The ankle support cuff 1142 can be
constructed from similar materials as described above for the internal heel
counter 1134.
The ankle pad 1144 wraps about the user's ankle and extends downwardly inside
the ankle support cuff 1142. The ankle pad 1144 is formed from a soft
cushioning
material, such as an elastomeric foam. The ankle pad 1144 is larger than the
ankle
support cuff 1142, extending further upwardly, forwardly, and downwardly than
the ankle
support cuff 1142. When combined with the tongue 1130, the ankle pad 1144
completely
wraps the user's ankle. The pad 1140 projects downwardly into the interior of
the
upper 1112, defining a lower edge that terminates just above an insole 1160.
However,
the pad 1140 is not connected to or secured to the internal heel counter 1134
or the
upper 1120, but rather is independent thereof. The ankle pad 1140 is lined
with a fabric
sheet 1162, which extends over the inner surface of the pad 1144 and wraps
downwardly
and over the outer surface of the pad 1144. In a preferred embodiment, the
fabric sheet
1162 extends further downwardly over an upper edge of the ankle support cuff
1142. The
fabric 1162 forms a portion of the exterior shell 1146 of the ankle cuff. The
exterior
shell 1146 is finished by the securable fastener, such as a strap with a hook
and loop
closure, that surrounds the forward side of the ankle, crossing in front of
the tongue 1130
to fasten the ankle cuff assembly about the user's lower leg, just above the
ankle. The
ankle cuff assembly 1110, consisting of the cuff 1142, pad 1140, shell 1146
and
strap 1148, is coupled to the upper 1112 only through pivotal connection of
the cuff 1142
to the internal heel counter 1134 at the pivot points defined by the rivets
1150, except that
the tongue 1130 extends upwardly into the cuff. This enables the user to
freely flex the
ankle, pivoting the ankle support cuff assembly 1110 relative to the heel
counter 1134
freely and without resistance, in the fore and aft direction.
A gap is defined between the partial ankle shell 1146 and the non-rigid
upper 1120. While a lateral and medial rivet pivot is disclosed, other
pivoting
constructions, such as those described above, may be utilized, including a
flexible linkage
between the upper and lower portions of an integrated cuff and heel counter
assembly, or
a bellows linkage. The lower edge of the internal heel counter 1134 may be
secured to
the base 1118 by any of the methods disclosed above, such as sewing, adhesion,
or
riveting. Likewise, the ankle pad 1144 and partial ankle shell 1146 may be
adhered to the
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ankle cuff 1142 by various methods known to those in shoe construction, such
as by
stitching, as is preferred, or by adhesion.
These and various other alterations and variations to the disclosed
embodiments
may be made, all within the scope of the present invention. For example, while
an in-line
skate has been disclosed, ice skates are also within the scope of the present
invention. It
is thus intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims
dependent hereto,
and not by the disclosed embodiments.
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