Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02809449 2013-03-14
L ,
SKATE BOOT HAVING A LACE MEMBER WITH AT LEAST ONE OPENING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a skate boot having medial and lateral lace
members,
wherein each lace member has at least one opening for receiving an insert and
wherein
the flexibility of the lace member may be adjusted by a skater between
different flexion
modes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Skate boots are well known in the art for use in hockey skates, figure skates
or roller
skates, for example. Conventionally, laces are used to secure the skate boot
to the
skater's foot although other securement mechanisms such as VelcroTM or snaps
can
also be used. Regardless of the securement mechanism employed, it is generally
desirable that the skate boot exhibit a certain level of flexibility around
the skater's ankle
in order to accommodate flexing or extension of the skater's ankle.
While some skate boots are made with flexibility issues in mind, they are
usually
manufactured in bulk with a pre-defined design. This can present an
inconvenience to
a potential purchaser if a particular skate or roller blade design is desired
(due to its
affordability or performance features) because the skate boot may not provide
a
comfortable fit. Thus, many different skaters with different needs are
presented with, at
best, a rather limited set of choices with regard to the flexibility
characteristics of a given
design.
As it is of interest to accommodate the needs of different skaters, much time
and effort
is invested in developing improvements in skate boots to respond to such
needs.
Accordingly, there is therefore an ongoing need in the industry for an
improved skate
boot structure which overcomes the aforementioned problems and which can
1
accommodate a plurality of different skating styles, modes, types or fashions,
as well
as the need to provide a skate boot wherein the skater may adjust the
flexibility of the
skate boot between different flexion modes in the ankle region of the boot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
skate boot
for a skate, the skate boot being configured to enclose a foot of a skater
above a
skating element of the skate. The skate boot comprising an outer shell
including
medial and lateral side portions for facing medial and lateral sides of the
foot, each
of the medial and lateral side portions having an upper edge; and (ii) a
lace
member mounted to the upper edge of at least one of the medial side portion
and
the lateral side portion of the outer shell and configured to receive a lace,
the lace
member comprising at least one opening; and an insert for insertion into the
at least
one opening of the lace member, the insert being removable from the at least
one
opening of the lace member, wherein the lace member has a first flexion mode
when
the skate boot is laced and the insert is not inserted into the at least one
opening
and a second flexion mode when the skate boot is laced and the insert is
inserted
into the at least one opening, the second flexion mode being different from
the first
flexion mode, wherein the lace member defines a top edge and a bottom portion
and
each of the at least one opening extends from the top edge towards the bottom
portion, and wherein the at least one opening has a width that varies from the
top
edge to the bottom portion and is narrowest near the top edge.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a skate
boot for a skate, the skate boot being configured to enclose a foot of a
skater above
a skating element of the skate. The skate boot comprising an outer shell
including
medial and lateral side portions for facing medial and lateral sides of the
foot, each
of the medial and lateral side portions having an upper edge; and (ii) a
lace
member mounted to the upper edge of at least one of the medial side portion
and
the lateral side portion of the outer shell, the lace member comprising at
least one
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CA 2809449 2018-08-20
opening; and a plurality of non-lace inserts configured to be inserted into
the at least
one opening, wherein when the skate boot is laced, the lace member has a
different
flexion mode for each of the non-lace inserts when inserted into the at least
one
opening of the lace member, wherein the lace member defines a top edge and a
bottom portion and each of the at least one opening extends from the top edge
towards the bottom portion, and wherein the at least one opening has a width
that
varies from the top edge to the bottom portion and is near the top edge.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a skate
boot comprising an outer shell including medial and lateral side portions for
respectively facing medial and lateral sides of a skater's foot, each of the
medial and
lateral side portions having an upper edge; and a lace member disposed at the
upper edge of at least one of the medial and lateral side portions of the
outer shell,
the lace member comprising at least one opening; and -
an insert for insertion
into the at least one opening, the lace member having a degree of flexibility
in
response to flexing of the skater's foot while the skate boot is laced that
differs
depending on whether the insert is received in the at least one opening of the
lace
member, wherein the lace member defines a top edge and a bottom portion and
each of the at least one opening extends from the top edge towards the bottom
portion, and wherein the at least one opening has a width that varies from the
top
edge to the bottom portion and is narrowest near the top edge.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a skate
boot for enclosing a human foot when in use, the foot having medial and
lateral
sides, the skate boot comprising an outer shell including medial and lateral
side
portions for facing the medial and lateral sides of the foot, each of the
medial and
lateral side portions having an upper edge and a lace member mounted to either
of
the upper edges of the medial and lateral side portions of the outer shell,
the lace
member having at least one opening configured to receive an insert, wherein
the
lace member has a first flexion mode when the skate boot is laced and the at
least
one opening is devoid of the insert and a second flexion mode when the skate
boot
2a
CA 2809449 2018-08-20
is laced and the at least one opening receives the insert, the second flexion
mode
being different from the first flexion mode.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a kit
comprising a skate boot and a plurality of inserts including at least a first
insert and a
second insert of different hardnesses, the skate boot configured for enclosing
a
human foot when in use, the foot having medial and lateral sides, the skate
boot
comprising (i) an outer shell including medial and lateral side portions for
facing the
medial and lateral sides of the foot, each of the medial and lateral side
portions
having an upper edge and (ii) a lace member mounted to either of the upper
edges
of the medial and lateral side portions of the outer shell, the lace member
having at
least one opening configured to receive an insert wherein the lace member has
a
first flexion mode when the skate boot is laced and the first insert is
mounted in the
at least one opening and wherein the lace member has a second flexion mode
when
the skate boot is laced and the second insert is mounted in the at least one
opening.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a skate
boot for receiving a foot of a user of a skate. The skate boot is configured
to support
the user's foot above a skating element of the skate. The skate boot comprises
a
shell comprising a lateral side portion configured to face a lateral side of
the user's
foot, a medial side portion configured to face a medial side of the user's
foot, and an
ankle portion configured to receive an ankle of the user. The skate boot also
comprises a lacing member configured to lace the skate boot and comprising
lacing
apertures to receive a lace and flexion openings disposed between adjacent
ones of
the lacing apertures and configured to facilitate flexing of the lacing member
when
the user's foot moves during skating.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a skate
boot for receiving a foot of a user of a skate. The skate boot is configured
to support
the user's foot above a skating element of the skate. The skate boot comprises
a
shell comprising a lateral side portion configured to face a lateral side of
the user's
2b
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-01-22
foot, a medial side portion configured to face a medial side of the user's
foot, and an
ankle portion configured to receive an ankle of the user. The skate boot also
comprises a lacing member configured to lace the skate boot and comprising
lacing
apertures to receive a lace and flexion openings disposed between adjacent
ones of
the lacing apertures, extending from a top edge of the lacing member, and free
of
any insert therein.
In accordance with a final aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a skate
boot for receiving a foot of a user of a skate. The skate boot is configured
to support
the user's foot above a skating element of the skate. The skate boot comprises
a
shell comprising a lateral side portion configured to face a lateral side of
the user's
foot, a medial side portion configured to face a medial side of the user's
foot, and an
ankle portion configured to receive an ankle of the user. The skate boot also
comprises a lacing member configured to lace the skate boot and comprising
lacing
apertures to receive a lace and flexion facilitators disposed between adjacent
ones
of the lacing apertures and configured to facilitate flexing of the lacing
member when
the user's foot moves during skating.
These and other aspects and features of the present invention will now become
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following
description
of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
2c
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-01-22
CA 02809449 2013-03-14
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A detailed description of examples of embodiments of the present invention is
provided
hereinbelow with reference to the following drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of a right human foot with the integument of the foot
shown in
dotted lines and the bones shown in solid lines;
Figure 2 is a front view of the human foot of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an ice skate in accordance with the present
invention;
Figure 4 is an exploded view of the ice skate of Figure 3;
Figure 5 shows a skater in a skating position;
Figure 6 shows a side view of a lace member and an insert in accordance with
the
present invention, the insert being positioned in the lace member;
Figure 7 shows a side view of a lace member in accordance with the present
invention;
Figure 7A shows an enlarged partial view of the lace member of Figure 7;
Figure 8 shows a front view of the lace member of Figure 7;
Figures 9 and 10 show different embodiments of an insert in accordance with
the
present invention; and
Figures 11 and 12 show a side view of the lace member and insert of Figure 6
exhibiting different flexion modes.
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CA 02809449 2013-03-14
In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of
example. It is to
be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the
purposes of
illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended to be a
definition of the
limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
To facilitate the description, any reference numerals designating an element
in one
figure will designate the same element if used in any other figures. In
describing the
embodiments, specific terminology is resorted to for the sake of clarity but
the
invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and
it is
understood that each specific term comprises all equivalents.
Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read together with
the
specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written
description of
this invention. As used in the following description, the terms "horizontal",
"vertical",
"left", "right", "up", "down" and the like, as well as adjectival and
adverbial derivatives
thereof (e.g., "horizontally", "rightwardly", "upwardly", "radially", etc.),
simply refer to
the orientation of the illustrated structure. Similarly, the terms "inwardly,"
"outwardly"
and "radially" generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its
axis of
elongation, or axis of rotation, as appropriate.
Shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a typical right human foot F that includes toes T,
a plantar
surface PS, a top surface TS, a medial side MS and a lateral side LS. In
addition, the
human foot includes a heel H, an Achilles tendon AT and an ankle A having a
lateral
malleolus LM and a medial malleolus MM, the lateral malleolus LM being at a
lower
position than the medial malleolus MM. The Achilles tendon AT has an upper
part UP
and a lower part LP projecting outwardly with relation to the upper part UP,
the lower
part merging with the heel H.
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CA 02809449 2013-03-14
Shown in Figures 3 and 4 is an ice skate 1 that comprises a skate boot 10
suitable for
enclosing the foot F. Although the skate boot 10 shown in the figures is being
used for
an ice skate 1, it is understood that the skate boot 10 can be used for a
roller skate.
The ice skate 1 has an outer shell 12 for receiving the foot F, a toe cap 14
made of rigid
molded plastic for facing the toes T, a tongue 16 extending upwardly and
rearwardly
from the toe cap 14 for covering the top surface TS of the foot F, a rigid
insert 18 for
providing more rigidity around the ankle A and heel H, an inner lining 20, a
footbed 22,
an insole 24, an outsole 26, an ice skate blade holder 28 and a blade 30. The
rigid
insert 18 may be glued to an inner surface of the outer shell 12. It is
understood that the
rigid insert 18 is an optional component and may be eliminated if the outer
shell 12 is
sufficiently rigid for supporting the ankle A and heel H. Similarly, the
insole 24 and
outsole 26 are optional components and may be eliminated if the outer shell 12
is
sufficiently rigid for receiving the blade holder 28.
The inner lining 20 is affixed to an inner surface of the outer shell 12 and
it comprises
an inner surface 32 intended for contact with the heel H, ankle A and medial
and lateral
sides MS, LS of the foot F in use. If the skate boot 10 comprises the rigid
insert 18,
such rigid insert 18 is sandwiched between the outer shell 12 and inner lining
20 and
such inner lining 20 may be glued to the inner surfaces of the outer shell 12
and rigid
insert 18 and stitched along its periphery to the outer shell 12. The inner
lining 20 is
made of a soft material and can be a fabric made of 100% NYLON fibers. The
footbed
22 is mounted inside the outer shell 12 and it comprises an upper surface 34
for
receiving the plantar surface PS of the foot F and a wall 36 projecting
upwardly from the
upper surface 34. The wall 36 partially cups the heel H and extends up to a
medial line
of the foot F.
The skate boot 10 also comprises lace members 80 with openings 90 for
receiving
inserts 100 as will be described in further detail below. The lace members 80
may be
made of fabric, textile, leather or plastic and comprise apertures 40 for
receiving laces.
Eyelets 89 may be punched into the apertures 40 of lace members 80, outer
shell 12
5
CA 02809449 2013-03-14
and inner lining 20 vis-à-vis apertures 40.
The outer shell 12 is thermoformed such that it comprises a heel portion 44
for receiving
the heel H, an ankle portion 46 for receiving the ankle A and medial and
lateral side
portions 50, 60 for facing the medial and lateral sides MS, LS of the foot F
respectively.
These components form a foot receiving cavity that conforms to the general
shape of
the foot F. In addition, each of the medial and lateral side portions 50, 60
include a
respective upper edge 51, 61 which connects to a respective lace member 80.
The
heel portion 44 may be thermoformed such that it is substantially cup shaped
for
following the contour of the heel H.
The ankle portion 46 comprises medial and lateral ankle sides 52, 54. The
medial ankle
side 52 has a medial cup-shaped depression 56 for receiving the medial
malleolus MM
and the lateral ankle side 54 has a lateral cup-shaped depression 58 for
receiving the
lateral malleolus LM. The lateral depression 58 is located slightly lower than
the medial
depression 56, for conforming to the morphology of the foot F. The ankle
portion 46
further comprises a rear portion 47 facing the lower part LP of the Achilles
tendon AT.
The rear portion 47 may be thermoformed such that it follows the lower part LP
of the
Achilles tendon AT. The medial and lateral side portions 50, 60 of the outer
shell 12
extend forwardly from the heel and ankle portions 44, 46.
As shown in Figure 4, the skate boot 10 may comprise the insole 24 that has an
upper
surface 24A for facing the plantar surface PS of the foot and a lower surface
24B on
which the a sole portion 25 of the outer shell 12 may be affixed. The outsole
26 of the
skate boot 10 also has an upper surface 26A on which the sole portion 25 of
the outer
shell 12 may be affixed and a lower surface 26B on which the blade holder 28
is
mounted. It is however understood that the insole 24 and outsole 26 are
optional
components and may be eliminated if the sole portion 25 of the outer shell 12
is
sufficiently rigid for receiving the blade holder 28. Alternatively, only the
outsole 26 may
be eliminated and the insole 24 may still be used in the construction of the
skate boot
10.
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CA 02809449 2013-03-14
- ' . =
As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the skate boot 10 may also comprise a tendon
guard 42
for protecting the Achilles tendon AT.
With reference to Figure 5, a skater is shown with a pair of ice skates 1. It
can be seen
that the skater's feet are in different positions. As such, each of the
skater's feet F
induces different forces onto their respective skate boots 10. This is
especially true for
the portions of the skate boot 10 which overly the ankle A and the top surface
TS of the
skater's foot F (i.e.: in the upper portions of the lace members 80).
More specifically, the left foot F is in a substantially flexed position while
the right foot F
is in a substantially extended position. On a traditional pair of skates, the
flexibility of
the skate boot 10 would not be adjustable and could possibly cause discomfort
to the
skater. For example, if the skate boot 10 is too flexible, this may provide
for an insecure
(loose) fit on the skater's foot F. On the other hand, if the skate boot 10 is
too rigid, the
skater may experience discomfort during various skating maneuvers as his or
her feet F
and ankles A may be over-restrained.
It is therefore a feature of the lace member 80 to allow the skater to adjust
the flexibility
of the skate boot 10.
Referring to Figures 6 to 12, the lace member 80 is shaped to be mounted to
the upper
edge 61 of the lateral side portion 60 of the outer shell 12 and to the upper
edge 51 of
the medial side portion 50 of the outer shell.
With specific reference to Figures 7, 7A and 8, the lace member 80 includes a
proximal
portion 82, a distal portion 84, a top portion 86 with a top edge 87, a bottom
portion 88
and a plurality of eyelets 89 and openings 90. The bottom portion 88 serves as
an
attachment portion for mounting the lace member 80 to the outer shell 12 of
the skate
boot 10.
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CA 02809449 2013-03-14
Pr
As best seen in Figure 3, when the lace member 80 is mounted to either of the
upper
edges 51, 61 of the medial or lateral side portions 50, 60, the proximal
portion 82 of the
lace member 80 is positioned adjacent the top portion of the ankle portion 46
of the
outer shell 12 while the distal portion 84 of the lace member 80 is positioned
adjacent
the toe cap 14 of the skate boot 10.
As best shown in Figure 8, the top edge 87 may have edge portions 91, each
defining a
groove 92 and being located between two openings 90.
The openings 90 extend from the top edge 87 of the top portion 86 of the lace
member
80 in a direction towards the bottom portion 88 of the lace member 80. Each of
the
openings 90 may have a substantially elongated shape defined by opposed walls
90A,
opposed distal inclined walls 90B and opposed rounded walls 90C located
between the
opposed walls 90A and opposed distal inclined walls 90B (see Figure 7A). The
opposed walls 90A extend from the top edge 87 of the top portion 86 and the
distal
inclined walls 90B may be located between two apertures 40 (or eyelets 89). A
plurality
of protuberances, bumps, projections or friction means may be provided on the
outer
surface of the lace member 80 above the apertures 40/eyelets 89 in order to
increase
friction action between the lace and the outer surface of the lace member 80.
Although the openings 90 have been described in accordance with a specific
embodiment, it is understood that the dimensions, orientation, position and
number of
the openings of the lace member 80 can vary from one embodiment to another.
In one embodiment, the lace member 80 may include five openings 90, each of
which
may have a length Lo of approximately 1.25 cm. However, in other embodiments,
the
length Lo of the openings can be between 0.5 cm and 3 cm and the lace member
80
may include three openings instead of five.
While each of the openings 90 are of similar shape, it should be noted that
openings of
a given lace member 80 may also be shaped differently from one another.
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CA 02809449 2013-03-14
*
Furthermore, while the elongated openings 90 extend in a direction generally
perpendicular to the top edge 87, openings of a give lace member 80 can be
oriented in
any other transversal direction relative to the top edge 87.
The openings 90 are preferably positioned in a region of the lace member 80
which is
most likely to bend when the skater's foot is flexed or extended. This region
of the lace
member 80 is generally referred to as a flexion zone FZ (see Figures 7, 11 and
12).
As best shown in Figure 8, the bottom portion 88 of the lace member 80 defines
a slit
93 which extends throughout the length of the lace member 80 for mounting the
lace
member 80 to either of the upper edges 51, 61 of the medial or lateral side
portions 50,
60 of the outer shell 12. In the embodiment shown, the slit 93 is relatively
thin.
However, in other embodiments, the bottom portion 88 of the lace member 80 can
define a more pronounced opening to receive the outer shell upper edges of
thicker
dimensions. In such cases, the slit can be an inverted "U-shaped" groove (a
"saddle"
shape). The lace member 80 can be mounted to the upper edges 51, 61 of the
medial
or lateral side portions 50, 60 of the outer shell 12 via any method known in
the art such
as stitching, over molding, thermal bonding, high frequency welding, vibration
welding,
piping, zipper, adhesive and staples, or any combination thereof. In yet other
embodiments, the lace member can form an integral part of the outer shell 12.
With reference to Figure 7, the lace member 80 has a curved shape which
generally
lies within a plane P. The shape of the lace member 80 is predefined to
accommodate
the curvatures of the upper edges of the 51, 61 of the medial or lateral side
portions 50,
60 of the outer shell 12. Furthermore, the lace member 80 may be made of a
material
which exhibits a degree of flexibility to respond to flexing of the skater's
feet F. For
example, the lace member 80 may be made of silicone or may be made by
injection
molding using polyester (e.g. polyester HYTREC), polyurethane, polyamide, or
other
suitable thermoplastics.
9
CA 02809449 2013-03-14
r
The lace member 80 may be more flexible than the outer shell 12. For instance,
the
lace member 80 may be capable of in-plane bending (as depicted by bending
arrows
B1 in Figure 7) and the lace member 80 may also be capable of out-of-plane
bending
(as depicted by bending arrows B2 in Figure 8). The in-plane bending will
result in the
proximal portion 82 of the lace member 80 bending towards or away from the
distal
portion 84 of the lace member 80 such as to accommodate flexion and extension
of a
skater's foot F. The out-of-plane bending may allow the lace member 80 to wrap
around the skater's ankle A and foot F (as required during tightening of the
skate boot
10).
With reference to Figure 9, a first embodiment of an insert 100 is shown. The
insert 100
has a main body portion 102 from which a plurality of protrusions 104 extend.
The main
body portion 102 of the insert 100 may be at least partially received in the
grooves 92 of
the edge portions 91. Furthermore, each protrusion 104 is shaped to cooperate
with a
corresponding opening 90 of the lace member 80 (as shown in Figures 6, 11 and
12).
In particular, each of the protrusions 104 may have a length Lp (see Figure 9)
substantially equal to the length Lo of the openings 90 (see Figure 7).
Moreover, each
of the protrusions 104 has a shaft portion 104A, a distal portion 104B and
ridges 104C
located between the shaft portion 104A and the distal portion 104B. The shaft
portion
104A, distal portion 104B and ridges 104C of a given protrusion 104
respectively fit in
the corresponding opening 90 defined by opposed walls 90A, opposed distal
inclined
walls 90B and opposed rounded walls 90C.
With reference to Figure 10, a second embodiment of an insert 200 is shown
wherein
each of the protrusions 204 has a spacing (depicted as a slit 204D) extending
from the
main body portion 202 towards the distal portion 204B of the protrusion 204.
The
protrusion 204 has a shape that is substantially similar to the shape of the
protrusion
104 but instead of being a full body as the protrusion 104, the protrusion 204
is defined
by thin walls 204A defining the slit 204D and being joined together at the
distal portion
204B. The protrusion 204 may also have ridges 204C between the walls 204A and
distal portion 204B. The slit 204D may have a thickness of approximately 1 mm
CA 02809449 2013-03-14
between the walls 204A and a maximum thickness of approximately 2 mm at the
ridges
204C. Other slit dimensions can readily be envisioned by a person of skill in
the art.
Moreover, the slit 204D may be replaced by any other type of spacing, hole or
indentation on the protrusion 204 or may be filled or occupied by a further
insert that
may be made from a material different from the one of the insert 200.
Furthermore, the protrusions of a given insert need not be substantially
similar in shape.
Rather, the protrusions of a same insert can vary in shape from one another to
fit in
corresponding openings on a lace member 80. In such an embodiment, the
openings
of a given lace member 80 will also differ in shape as mentioned previously.
For
example, the openings located along a middle region of the flexion zone FZ can
be
larger to accommodate protrusions of larger size. This may be desirable as the
middle
region of the flexion zone FZ is likely to exhibit the most flexion forces
when the skate
boot 10 is in use.
In other embodiments, the insert can include a single protrusion which would
fit in a
single corresponding opening on the lace member 80. In yet other embodiments,
it is
not necessary that the number of protrusions on the insert and the number of
openings
on the lace member 80 be equal. For example, a greater number of openings than
.. protrusions can be provided, thereby permitting a skater to select which
openings to fill
with one or more protrusions.
It is also understood that the main body portion 102 may be omitted such that
the insert
or inserts are separate single inserts, each defining a protrusion for
registering in a
.. given opening of the lace member 80.
In addition to modifying the shape of the inserts 100, 200, different inserts
100, 200 can
be made of different materials having different hardness values. For example,
inserts
100, 200 can be molded from any type of rubber such as natural rubber,
isoprene
rubber, polychloroprene, styrene butadiene rubber, etc.
11
CA 02809449 2013-03-14
r =
Depending on the material, the inserts 100, 200, and/or their protrusions 104,
204 if the
inserts have a body portion, may have hardness values between 20 Shore A and
70
Shore D. For example, a very hard insert may have a hardness value between 60
and
70 Shore D, a hard insert may have a hardness value between 40 and 50 Shore D,
a
medium insert may have a hardness value between 20 and 30 Shore D, a soft
insert
may have a hardness value between 5 and 15 Shore D, and a very soft insert may
have a hardness value between 15 and 25 Shore A. It is also understood that
the insert
may comprise a frame, skeleton or armature made of a relatively rigid material
being
covered or overmolded by a material having a hardness value lower from the one
of the
rigid material.
The inserts 100, 200 and/or the protrusions 104, 204 may be made of a material
which
is more flexible than the lace member 80 such that the protrusions 104, 204
can be
compressed in the openings 90 when the lace member 80 experiences in-plane
bending. Furthermore, in order to differentiate one insert from another, an
insert with a
particular characteristic can have a differentiating feature (such as a
specific color). As
such, if a skater were to lose (or damage) a preferred insert, the skater can
easily
identify and purchase a new replacement insert identical to the lost (or
damaged) insert.
It can therefore be appreciated that a plurality of inserts 100, 200 can be
produced with
different specifications, thereby allowing a skater to at least partially
define the amount
of flexibility permitted in the flexion zone FZ of the lace member 80. The
term
"specification" may refer to any mechanical property or dimension of a given
insert
(such as hardness, density, shape, thickness, etc.).
Although the presence of the insert 100 in the lace member 80 may not
substantially
affect the level of out-of-plane bending, the insert 100 or insert 200 may
affect the level
of in-plane bending which occurs during flexion and extension of a skaters
foot F.
Nevertheless, if the skater determines that the natural resiliency of the lace
member 80
without any inserts is adequate, the lace member can simply be used with the
openings
90 free of any inserts.
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CA 02809449 2013-03-14
The use of different inserts 100, 200 in combination with the lace member 80
will cause
the lace member 80 to experience bending under different flexion modes. This
will be
described in further detail with reference to Figures 11 and 12 which
illustrate a lace
member 80 experiencing bending under a similar flexion force. The expression
"flexion
force" can be understood to represent any type of physical force or pressure
capable of
bending the lace member 80.
In Figure 11, a first insert 1001 is positioned in the openings 90 of the lace
member 80
while in Figure 12, a second insert 1002 different from the first insert 1001
is positioned
in the openings 90 of the lace member 80.
In Figure 11, the lace member 80 is shown in an initial (rest) position in
solid lines and
in a first (bent) position in dotted lines. Similarly, in Figure 12, the lace
member 80 is
shown in the initial (rest) position in solid lines and in a second (bent)
position in dotted
lines.
Force vector F schematically depicts a force which would be exerted onto the
lace
member 80 in response to the flexion of a skater's foot. Force vector F is the
same in
both of Figures 11 and 12 and is applied at the same point on the lace member
80 in
order to represent equivalent flexion forces in each of the cases shown. While
force
, vector F is shown as being applied along a particular line of action, it is
understood that,
other forces can be applied to the lace member 80 along any line of action to
cause the
lace member 80 to experience bending.
With continued reference to Figures 11 and 12, it can be seen that, for a same
flexion
force (or pressure), the lace member 80 including the first insert 1001
(Figure 11) has a
first flexion mode (as depicted by the first position of the lace member 80
shown in
dotted lines), while the lace member 80 including the second insert 1002
(Figure 12) has
a second flexion mode (as depicted by the second position of the lace member
80
shown in dotted lines), the second flexion mode being different from the first
flexion
mode because each of the inserts 1001, 1002 has different specifications.
13
CA 02809449 2013-03-14
I 4'1
Moreover, because of the different specifications of the inserts 1001, 1002,
when the
flexion force is no longer applied to the lace member 80, this lace member 80
may
return to its initial position shown in solid lines according to different
counter-forces.
In addition, it can be understood that the more the lace member 80 is bent,
the more
the top part of each protrusion of the insert is "pinched" (compressed). In
this example,
first insert 1001 has a higher hardness than second insert 1002. For instance,
the first
insert 1001 may have a hardness value higher than 30 Shore A while the second
insert
1002 may have a hardness value lower than 30 Shore A, or the first insert 1001
may
have a hardness value higher than 40 Shore A while the second insert 1002 may
have a
hardness value lower than 40 Shore A, or the first insert 1001 may have a
hardness
value higher than 50 Shore A while the second insert 1002 may have a hardness
value
lower than 50 Shore A, etc.
As such, the top part of each protrusion 1042 is pinched more than the top
part of each
protrusion 1041for a same flexion force.
As such, the presence of a given insert in the openings 90 of the lace member
80 will
modify the overall resiliency of the lace member 80 and define, at least in
part, the
flexion mode of the lace member 80 as it experiences flexion forces. In other
words, for
a given flexion force exerted on the lace member 80, the lace member 80 has a
first
flexion mode when a first insert is positioned in the openings 90 of the lace
member 80,
while the lace member 80 has a second flexion mode when a second insert is
positioned in the openings 90 of the lace member 80, the first flexion mode
being
different from the second flexion mode.
It should be understood that the expression "flexion mode" should not be
restricted to a
particular position of the lace member 80. Rather, the expression "flexion
mode" is
meant to generally represent a range of positions achieved by a given lace
member 80
as it reacts under an array of possible flexion forces.
14
CA 02809449 2013-03-14
Any feature of any embodiment discussed herein may be combined with any
feature
of any other embodiment discussed herein in some examples of implementation.
Various embodiments and examples have been presented for the purpose of
describing, but not limiting, the invention. Various modifications and
enhancements
will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and are within the
scope of
the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.
