Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BLADE HOLDER
Technical field
The inventive concept described herein generally relates to ice skates and
more specifically to a blade holder for an ice skate.
Background
Skating represents the core component of various winter sports. From hockey
to speed skating, the action of skating is essential to the practice of the
sport and key
aspect in any athlete's performance or improvement. The improvement of
athletes'
performance is greatly influenced by the equipment they use such as hockey
sticks,
protective padding, skin suits, etc. elevating their technique and skills to a
level
seemingly unreachable otherwise.
Amongst the above-enumerated equipment, the skate as such arguably
represents the most essential equipment for the sport(s) to be practiced and
must be
adapted to fulfill specific functions for a specific sport. When considering
the sport of
hockey, the ice skates require adequate foot support and protection as well as
a
structure and components translating the athlete's physical effort into their
performance. For example, U.S Patent No. 8,801,025 discloses a rolling binding
arrangement permitting a forward and backward rocking motion of the blade
holder
relative to the blade. The structure and components of the ice skate presented
in this
prior art document fulfils the function of increasing the ability of the
athletes to
transfer weight and to shift their center of gravity along the length of the
foot, from
heel to toe, with an even pressure, thereby improving skating comfort and
performance.
However, performance increasing ice skate concepts such as the one
disclosed in the above-mentioned prior art generally require the blade holder
to be
composed of a combination of soft material, e.g. soft plastic to enhance the
durability
of the blade holder to sustained impacts, and stiffer material, e.g. steel
supporting
the blade holder to facilitate the transfer of force from the athlete to the
ice surface.
Traditional blade holders are also represented in the prior art as
manufactured using
fiber reinforced plastic materials in certain sections of the blade holder in
order to
achieve the effects described above. Blade holders known in the prior art
therefore
increase the complexity of the manufacturing process, increases the total
weight of
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the skate and drive up the cost of the finished product. There is therefore a
need for
improved blade holders with rolling mechanisms.
Hence, it is an object of the present invention to try to overcome at least
some of the deficiencies of present blade holder used with blade motion
concepts
pertaining to its resistance and strength towards forces applied thereon by
skaters.
Summary of the invention
It is an object of the present inventive concept to mitigate, alleviate or
eliminate one or more of the above-identified deficiencies in the art and
disadvantages singly or in combination.
According to a first aspect of the inventive concept, these and other objects
are achieved in full, or at least in part, by a blade holder for an ice skate,
said blade
holder extending in a longitudinal direction and comprising a blade-retaining
base
configured to retain a skate blade. The blade holder further comprises a
support
arrangement extending upwardly from the blade-retaining base, the support
arrangement in turn comprising a front support and a rear support each having
a top
surface adapted to interconnect to a skate boot. The blade retaining base
further
comprises a rolling arrangement comprising a first contact surface being
curvilinear
and configured to directly bear against a second contact surface, the second
contact
surface forming part of either the rolling arrangement or the skate blade,
such that
upon rotating the first contact surface and the second contact surface
relative each
other, the first contact surface and the second contact surface roll against
each other
in the longitudinal direction, wherein the rolling arrangement extends at
least partly
between the front and rear supports. The blade holder according to the first
aspect
further comprises a rear linear beam directly connecting the rear support to
the
blade-retaining base, a front beam directly connecting the front support to
the blade-
retaining base and at least one auxiliary linear beam connected in a first end
to the
rear linear beam and/or the rear support, and in a second end to the front
beam
and/or the front support.
According to a second aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a
blade holder for an ice skate, said blade holder extending in a longitudinal
direction
and comprising a blade-retaining base configured to retain a skate blade. The
blade
holder further comprises a support arrangement extending upwardly from the
blade-
retaining base, the support arrangement in turn comprising a front support and
a rear
support each having a top surface adapted to interconnect to a skate boot. The
blade retaining base further comprises a rolling arrangement comprising a
first
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contact surface being curvilinear and configured to directly bear against a
second
contact surface, the second contact surface forming part of either the rolling
arrangement or the skate blade, such that upon rotating the first contact
surface and
the second contact surface relative each other, the first contact surface and
the
second contact surface roll against each other in the longitudinal direction,
wherein
the rolling arrangement extends at least partly between the front and rear
supports.
The blade holder according to the second aspect further comprises a rear
linear
beam directly connecting the rear support to the blade-retaining base and at
least
one auxiliary linear beam connected in a first end to the rear linear beam
and/or the
rear support, and in a second end to the front support.
It is envisioned that one or several features of the first aspect of the
invention,
and its associated advantages and effects, are applicable also to the second
aspect
of the invention.
Thus, the present invention is based on the idea of providing a blade holder
for an ice skate permitting efficient weigh transfer of the skater along the
length of
the foot in turn resulting in the capacity of shifting the center of gravity
from heel to
toes and vice versa with even pressure on the ice surface to improve skating
comfort
and performance. In other words, the present invention enables the skater to
reach
greater balance and sturdier grip on the ice surface directly improving the
rapidity
and strength of the push off motions and direction changes performed by the
skater.
A further purpose of the present invention is to increase the stiffness of the
blade
holder through its structural composition and structural design rather than by
combining materials or components to achieve such effect. The present concept
also
stems from preventing flexion of the rolling arrangement by obtaining a more
rigid
mid-section of the blade holder trough structural design rather than through
material
selection. The blade holder structure of the present invention is further
based on the
idea of providing a beam arrangement improving the rigidity of the blade
holder and
ensuring that forces applied by the foot of skater on the blade holder e.g.
forces
applied on the skate boot sole for push off/propulsion, stopping, changing
direction,
etc. is transferred with minimum loss to the blade holder, and further to the
blade.
The strengthening effect of the beam configuration of the blade holder further
fulfils
function of substantially alleviating and/or preventing flexion or torsion of
the blade
holder when the rolling arrangement is employed. In other words, the present
invention is based on the concept that the layout of beams forming the blade
holder
prevents energy losses during weight shift of the skater via the rolling
arrangement
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yielding to a more responsive and efficient transfer of weight in the
longitudinal
direction of the blade.
The present invention is hereby advantageous in that the blade retaining
base retains the skate blade such that said skate blade remains movably
attached to
the blade holder. The blade retaining base is further advantageous in that it
contains
the rolling arrangement. In other words, the first contact surface and the
second
contact surface are arranged in the blade retaining base such that the blade
retaining base provides protection of said rolling arrangement against e.g.
impacts
from pucks, sticks, skates, etc. The blade retaining base is further
advantageous in
that it reduces the number of independent components required to form the
blade
holder, i.e. the retention of the skate blade and the comprising of the
rolling
arrangement are insured by the blade retaining base which in turn is
integrally
formed with the rest of the components of the blade holder.
The present invention is hereby advantageous in that the rolling arrangement
1 5 provides a more natural movement and facilitates compensation
for irregularities of
the ice surface contacted by the blade. The rolling arrangement further allows
the
skate to exert forces on the ice surface with a greater angle resulting in a
more
sustained push off or propulsion. The rolling arrangement is further
advantageous in
that it permits a rolling motion along the skate blade translating to the
capacity of a
skater to transfer weight efficiently and with even pressure on the blade and
the ice
surface without having to lift the skate off the ice surface. It will further
be envisioned
that the rolling motion according to the first aspect enables greater ankle
flexion for
an increased power transfer, an improved glide and lower energy consumption
for
the skater.
The present invention is further advantageous in that the rolling arrangement
may embody various configurations. Accordingly, the second contact surface
against
which the first curvilinear contact surface is bearing may be represented by
the
superior surface of the blade itself or represented by a liner in the blade
retaining
base covering the blade. Alternatively, it may be envisioned that the first
curvilinear
contact surface represents a liner covering the blade in the blade retaining
base and
that the second contact surface is positioned in the blade holder. Also
alternatively, it
may be envisioned that the first curvilinear contact surface represents the
superior
surface of the blade itself and the second contact surface represents a flat
surface
positioned in the blade retaining base. It will also be appreciated that both
the first
contact surface and the second contact surface may be curvilinear surfaces.
All
alternatives recited above enable the rolling arrangement to enable the first
contact
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surface to roll against the second contact surface along the direction of the
skate
blade resulting in a swiftly displacement of the center of gravity of the
skater.
The present invention is further advantageous in the beam configuration of
the blade holder, formed by the rear linear beam, the at least one auxiliary
linear
5 beam and optionally the front beam enables connection between
each of the
components of the blade holder, i.e. the rear support, front support and blade
retaining base providing a mechanical strengthening effect to the blade holder
structure. The rear linear beam may represent the beam with the largest cross
section as the support and strengthening required between the rear beam and
the
blade retaining base is crucial given that the rolling arrangement may be
positioned
towards the rear support. The rear linear beam may therefore have a larger
cross-
section and/or be stronger than the at least one auxiliary beam and optionally
the
front beam. The direct connection of the rear linear beam with the rear
support and
with the blade retaining base further prevents the rear support from bending
or
flexing inwardly towards the blade retaining base. Moreover, the linearity of
the rear
linear beam structurally represents a stronger configuration. Similarly, the
optional
front beam enables a direct connection between the front support and the blade
retaining base resulting in strengthening of the blade holder structure and
preventing
the front support from bending or flexing towards the blade retaining base.
The
optional front beam may however embody a structure comprising non-linearities
such
as angles, curves or recesses along its longitudinal direction allowing it to
adapt to
the smaller connection space on the front support in contrast to the
connection
space available on the rear support. Further advantageously, the at least one
auxiliary linear beam provides additional strengthening to the already rigid
structure
formed by the rear linear beam and the optional front beam. Furthermore, the
at least
one auxiliary beam enables the possibility to obtain several beam
configurations of
the blade holder by permuting connections of the at least one auxiliary beam
with the
other components. The variations in auxiliary linear beam configuration in
turn result
in the adaptability of the blade holder to provide an increased strengthening
effect for
various ice skate sizes and/or skater body measurement. Examples of optional
configuration may be embodied by the at least one auxiliary linear beam
connecting
the rear linear beam directly to the optional front beam, the rear support
directly to
the optional front beam, the rear support directly to the front support, the
rear linear
beam directly to the optional front beam and/or the rear linear beam directly
to the
front support. All together the beams described above provide the synergistic
effect
of complete rigidity of the blade holder and resistance to flexion or
compression of
the beam arrangement when the rolling arrangement is used such that the ratio
of
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the force exerted by the skater on the blade holder to the force transmitted
on the ice
surface is significantly improved.
It will also be appreciated that the interconnection of the top surface of the
support arrangement to the foot of the skate provide a strengthening effect of
the
blade holder.
It should be noted that when reference is made to the rear linear beam and/or
the optional front beam connecting to the blade-retaining base, it is further
envisioned that the rear linear beam and/or the optional front beam may
connect to
the rolling arrangement.
It is envisioned that the beams referred to throughout the present application
may be hollow or solid.
Initially, some terminology may be defined to provide clarification for the
following disclosure.
By the term "curvilinear" used herein to define a contact surface it is here
meant a rigid surface having a radius of curvature along which another surface
may
rotate.
By the term "push off' it is here meant a force exerted by a skater on the ice
surface enabling a forward or backward propelling motion of his/her body.
By the term "linear" employed herein to define beam structures, it may hereby
be meant a beam structure having no major indentation or radius or curvature
in the
longitudinal direction/the direction of its extension, i.e. a beam structure
substantially
elongating according to a straight line. The term "linear" employed herein to
define
beam structures may alternatively define a beam, the beam having a first
attachment
point to a first structure (e.g. rear support) in a first end of the beam and
a second
attachment point to a second structure (e.g. blade-retaining base) in a second
end of
the beam, wherein an imaginary straight line defined between said first
attachment
point and second attachment point is fully comprised or contained, along at
least one
cross-section of said beam, within said beam. In contrast, a non-linear beam
may
comprise hooks, bends, or the like, representing weaker areas with regards to
stress
concentrations and solidity under exerted forces.
By the term "extending upwardly" employed herein to define the support
arrangement, it may hereby be meant elongating from the blade retaining base
to the
skate boot in a linear manner. In other words, the term "extending upwardly"
may
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hereby refer to the front support and rear support representing linear
structures
forming an acute angle or obtuse angle with the blade retaining base.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear support and
the front support may respectively comprise a lower section and an upper
section,
wherein the rear linear beam may connect to the rear support at the upper
section of
the rear support and wherein the optional front beam may connect to the front
support at the upper section point of the front support. The present
embodiment
allows the connection of the rear linear beam with the rear support and the
connection of the optional front beam with the front support to increase the
amount
of force transferred into the rear linear beam and the optional front beam
when a
compression, torsion or flexion force or moment is applied by the skater onto
the rear
and front support. The position of the connections of the rear linear beam and
the
optional front beam at a higher section of the rear and front supports enables
said
connection to the positioned closest to the point of application of the force
by the
skater which structurally represents the strongest configuration for force
bearing
beams. The present embodiment is further advantageous in that it structurally
prevents the rear support and the front support from bending or flexing
towards the
blade retaining base. Furthermore, the present embodiment allows the angle
formed
between the rear linear beam and the rear support and the angle formed between
the optional front beam and the front support to be less acute in turn
resulting in a
greater transfer of force into the rear linear beam and into the optional
front beam. It
is further envisioned that the higher connecting point on the rear and front
supports
may be positioned in their respective upper section closest to the seam of the
skate
boot. By the term "upper section" it may hereby be meant the section of the
rear
support and front support determined from the center of said rear support and
front
support to the seam of the skate boot. By the term "lower section" it may
herein be
meant the section of the rear support and front support inferior to the above-
defined
upper section of said rear support and front support in the direction of the
blade
retaining base. It will further be appreciated that the linearity of the
support
arrangement increases the strength of the blade holder by avoiding any
constraint
concentration generated by angles or curvatures in the structure of the rear
support
and front support.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the at least one
auxiliary linear beam may form a first junction with the rear linear beam and
a second
junction with the optional front beam. The first and second junctions may
represent
integrally formed connections between the at least one auxiliary linear beam
and the
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rear linear and optional front beams. Advantageously, the junctions reduce
weakness in the structure of beam configuration pertaining to stress and
strain
concentrations normally found at support points of mechanically connected
beams.
Furthermore, the present embodiment permits force transferred into the rear
linear
beam and into the optional front beam to be additionally divided and thus
partially
transferred into the at least one auxiliary beam increasing the efficiency of
the
distribution of forces in the blade holder structure. In other words, at least
part of the
force or moment applied by the skater onto the rear and front supports may be
transferred into the at least one auxiliary linear beam via the first and
second
junctions preventing bending or flexion of the blade retaining base where the
rolling
motion of the rolling arrangement occurs. The present embodiment also prevents
flexion and bending in the rear linear beam and the optional front beam in any
directions. The division or discernment of forces into the rear linear beam,
the
optional front beam and the at least one auxiliary linear beam further yields
to a
stronger beam configuration in turn yielding a longer longevity of the blade
holder
pertaining to its resistance to strain and stress. The present embodiment
further
enables a sustained rigidity of the blade holder during solicitation of the
rolling
arrangement. Moreover, the linearity of the at least one auxiliary beam
comports
similar characteristics as the rear linear beam in terms of structural
strengthening
effect.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first junction may
be substantially centered on the rear linear beam and the second junction may
be
substantially centered on the optional front beam. The present embodiment is
advantageous in that the substantially centered position of the first and
second
junctions represents the optimal structural connection for preventing
deflection of the
rear linear beam and optional front beam when subjected to a load. The
positioning
of the first and second junctions is further advantageous in that it enables
the
shortest optional distance between said first and second junctions and the
connection points of the rear linear beam with the rear support and with the
blade
retaining base and the connection points of the optional front beam with the
front
support and the blade retaining base. The minimization of this distance on
both sides
of the first and second junctions optimizes the prevention of high bending
moments
resulting in a greater resistance of the rear linear beam and optional front
beam to
deflection.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, said at least one
auxiliary linear beam may be integrally formed with the rear linear beam and
the
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optional front beam. The present embodiment is advantageous in that an
integrally
formed structure reduces the risk of high stress and strain concentration at
the
junctions between the various beams normally found in mechanically connected
beams. Furthermore, the present embodiment is advantageous in that integrally
formed beams do not require maintenance of replacement of connective
components or mechanism. It will also be appreciated that integrally formed
beams
further reduce the total weight of the blade holder which is advantageous for
the
performance of the skater. According to yet another embodiment of the present
invention, the front support, the rear linear beam, the optional front beam,
the
auxiliary linear beam and the blade-retaining base may be integrally formed
together.
Advantages and characteristics described above similarly apply to a completely
integral blade holder. Additionally, the present embodiment is advantageous in
that
the integrally formed beams provide an optimal force distribution and
discernment
amongst the entire beam configuration of the blade holder yielding rigidity
and
support for the rolling arrangement.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear linear beam
and the optional front beam may form a third junction with the blade retaining
base.
Similarly to the first and second junctions, the third junction may represent
an
integrally formed connection between the rear linear beam, the optional front
beam
and the blade retaining base. The present embodiment is advantageous in that
the
third junction reduce weakness in the structure of the beam configuration
pertaining
to stress and strain concentrations normally found at support points of
mechanically
connected beams. Additionally, the third junction allows a distribution of
forces
applied by the skater on the rear and front supports to enable part of said
applied
force to be transferred into the blade retaining base resulting in in an even
greater
distribution of load. The present embodiment is further advantageous in that
the third
junction represent a connection point involving more than two components of
the
blade holder therefore resulting in the reduction of the number of junctions
comprised on the bade holder which in turn reduces the number of stress
concentration prone areas on the blade holder. Consequently, the present
embodiment further enables a sustained rigidity of the blade holder during
solicitation
of the rolling arrangement.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the third junction may
be substantially centered on the blade retaining base between the rear support
and
the front support. Similarly to a previously defined embodiment, the
substantially
centered position of the third junction on the blade retaining base enables
the
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shortest optional distance between said third junction and the connection
points of
the rear support with the blade retaining base the connection point of the
front
support with the blade retaining base. The minimization of this distance on
both
sides of the third junction optimizes the prevention of high bending moments
5 resulting in a greater resistance of the rear linear beam and
optional front beam to
deflection. Moreover, the position of the third junction directly prevents
bending of
the blade retaining base above the center of the rolling arrangement thus
transferring
forces exerted by the skater onto the first and second contact surfaces of the
rolling
arrangement which in turn are converted into rotational movement along the
10 longitudinal direction of the blade.
The beam configurations rendered possible by the rear linear beam, the
optional front beam, the optional front beam, the at least one auxiliary
linear beam
and the junctions at which the beams connect with one another have the effect
of
further preventing deformation of the blade holder when said blade holder is
subject
to forces generated by the skater or by impacts from e.g. pucks, sticks,
skates, etc.
More particularly, the various beam configurations of the blade holder prevent
the
deformation of the rolling arrangement and its material. In other words, the
arrangement formed by the rear linear beam, the optional front beam, the at
least
one auxiliary linear beam and the junctions at which the beams connect with
one
another prevent plastic deformation of the blade retaining base and the
rolling
arrangement comprised therein in turn prohibiting the flattening of the
curvilinear first
contact surface.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the blade holder may
be manufactured by means of an injection molding process. The present
embodiment permits the minimization of the number of components and equipment
required for manufacturing the blade holder and increases the efficiency of
the
production process on a larger scale. Furthermore, the use of an injection
molding
process to manufacture the bade holder renders the structure, particularly the
junctures between beams and supports, more resistant and enables the beam
configuration to take up a greater part of the induced load.
It is envisioned that one or several features of an embodiment described
above, and its associated advantages and effects, may be combined with one or
several features of one or several of the remaining embodiments described in
the
present disclosure.
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A feature described in relation to one aspect may also be incorporated in
other aspects, and the advantage of the feature is applicable to all aspects
in which it
is incorporated.
Other objectives, features and advantages of the present inventive concept
will appear from the following detailed disclosure, from the attached claims
as well as
from the drawings.
Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to
their
ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise
herein.
Further, the use of terms "first", "second", and "third", and the like, herein
do not
denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish
one
element from another. All references to "a/an/the [element, device, component,
means, step, etc.]" are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one
instance
of said element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly
stated
otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be
performed in
1 5 the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.
Brief description of the drawings
The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the
present inventive concept, will be better understood through the following
illustrative
and non-limiting detailed description of the present inventive concept, with
reference
to the appended drawings, wherein:
FIG. la-lb schematically illustrate a side view of a cross section of an ice
skate and its blade holder;
FIG. lc schematically illustrates a perspective view of a blade holder;
FIG. 2a-2b schematically illustrate a blade holder and its rolling arrangement
in a cross-sectional side view of an ice skate;
FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an alternative configuration of the beams of
the blade holder in a cross-sectional side view of an ice skate; and
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a side view of a cross section of a blade
holder without beam configuration.
The figures are not necessarily to scale, and generally only show parts that
are necessary in order to elucidate the inventive concept, wherein other parts
may
be omitted or merely suggested.
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Detailed description
FIG. la illustrates an ice skate 100, more specifically an ice skate for the
practice of ice hockey, having a skate boot 101 comprising a front or toe
section 102
and a rear or heel section 103. FIG. la further shows the ice skate 100 having
a
blade holder 110 holding a blade 115 and comprising a rear support 120 having
a
hollow center and a front support 130 having a hollow center together forming
the
support arrangement of the blade holder. The rear support 120 and the front
support
130 are depicted in FIG. la as interconnected with the skate boot 101 at the
rear
section 103 and front section 102 respectively via their respective top
surfaces 121,
131. The rear support 120 and the front support 130 are further shown slightly
angled towards the center of the skate 100 and elongating linearly. The blade
holder
110 is further shown comprising a blade retaining base 145 within which the
blade
115 is positioned and within which the rolling arrangement 140 is positioned.
It is to
be noted that FIG. la illustrates a side view of a cross section of the ice
skate 100 in
which the outline of the blade retaining base 145 is visible. It will be
appreciated that
the extent of the blade retaining base 145 is better depicted in e.g. FIG. lc.
The
rolling arrangement 140 is further shown comprising a liner 141 representing
the first
curvilinear contact surface and an enclosure 142, forming part of the blade
retaining
base 145, containing the liner 141 and uniformly formed with the rest of the
blade
holder 110.In FIG. la, it will be appreciated that the inferior surface of the
liner 141
represents the first curvilinear contact surface and that the superior surface
of the
skate blade 115 represents the second contact surface of the rolling
arrangement
140. Additionally, FIG. la illustrates a configuration of strengthening beams
comprising a rear linear beam 150, a front beam 160 and an auxiliary linear
beam
170 all having hollow centers. The rear linear beam 150 represents the beam
having
the largest cross section and is shown connected to the rear support 120 and
to the
blade retaining base 145. The front beam 160 is depicted as linear in FIG. la
but
may also be embodied as comprising indentations or curves and is shown
connected
to the front beam 130 and the blade retaining base 145. FIG. la further
illustrates the
presence of only one auxiliary linear beam 170 but it is to be noted that
there may be
a plurality of auxiliary linear beams. The auxiliary linear beam 170 is shown
connected to the rear linear beam 150 and the front beam 160.
FIG. lb illustrates a more detailed view of the blade holder 110 as depicted
in
FIG. la. The blade holder 110 presented in FIG. lb is also shown comprising
the
blade retaining base 145 retaining the blade 115, the rear support 120 and the
front
support 130 and the arrangement of beams consisting of the rear linear beam
150,
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the front beam 160 and the auxiliary linear beam 170. FIG. lb further
illustrates the
rear linear beam 150 connecting at a first connecting point 181 with the rear
support
120. The first connecting point 181 between the rear linear beam 150 and the
rear
support 120 is shown in FIG. lb positioned in the upper section 191 of the
rear
support. Similarly, the front support 160 is shown connecting at a second
connecting
point 182 with the front support 130 at the upper section 192 of the front
support.
The first connecting point 181 and the second connecting point 182 depicted in
FIG.
lb enable the formation of a first angle 151 between the rear linear beam 150
and
the rear support 120 and a second angle 161 between the front beam 160 and the
front support 130. FIG. lb further illustrates the auxiliary linear beam 170
connecting
to the rear linear beam 150 and to the front beam 160 through a first junction
183
and a second junction 184 respectively. The first junction 183 is depicted in
FIG. lb
substantially centered on the length of the rear linear beam 150 and the
second
junction 184 is also shown substantially centered on the length of the front
beam 160
such that the distances on each side of the first and second junctions 183,
184, on
the rear linear beam 150 and front beam 160 respectively, is minimized.
Moreover,
FIG. lb illustrates the rear linear beam 150 and the front beam 160 connecting
with
the blade retaining base 145 in a third junction 185 also positioned
substantially
centered on the length of the blade retaining base 145. The beam configuration
i.e.
rear linear beam 150, auxiliary linear beam 170 and front beam 160 and the
support
arrangement i.e. rear support 120 and front support 130, are shown in FIG. lb
integrally formed together and with the blade retaining base 145 without
requiring
additional connection components or mechanism. The integrality of the
structure of
the blade holder 110 may be obtained by, but not limited to, injection molding
process. The blade holder 110 illustrated in FIG la-lb is such that forces
applied on
the blade holder 110 by a skater are distributed amongst the beam
configuration and
support arrangement and transferred into the blade 115 and rolling arrangement
140
with minimal energy loss.
Referring to FIG. 1c, there is shown a perspective view of the blade holder
110 as depicted in FIG. 1 a and lb. FIG lc the rear support 120 having a
hollow
center and having a top surface 121 for fixing the blade holder 110 the skate
boot
(not shown). Similarly, FIG 1c illustrates the front support 130 and its
respective top
surface 131 having a hollow center. FIG lc further illustrates the respective
top
surfaces 121, 131 of the rear support 120 and the front support 130 having
different
perimetrical dimensions to adapt to the fixation points on the skate boot. In
other
words, the dimensions of the attachment surface of the front section of the
skate
boot are different than the dimensions of the attachment surface of the rear
section
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of the skate boot resulting in the above-mentioned difference between the
perimetrical dimensions of the front support 130 and the rear support 120.
Additionally, FIG. lc illustrates a beam configuration comprising the rear
linear beam
150, the auxiliary linear beam 170 and the front beam 160 characterized
similarly as
in FIG. la and FIG lb. FIG. lc further depicts the blade retaining base 145
within
which the rolling arrangement (not visible) is enclosed and within which the
blade
115 is retained.
Referring now to FIG. 2a, there is shown a blade holder 210 and its rolling
arrangement 240 in a cross-sectional side view of an ice skate 201 along its
longitudinal direction. FIG. 2a illustrates the blade holder 210 comprising a
rear
support 220 and a front support 230 connected the skate boot of the ice skate
201.1t
is to be noted that the blade retaining base is not visible in FIG. 2a as the
sectional
view of the blade holder 210 is along a plane parallel to said blade retaining
base.
FIG. 2a further shows a rolling arrangement 240 having a first curvilinear
contact
surface 241 bearing directly against a second contact surface 242. In FIG. 2a
the
rolling arrangement 240 is shown in a first position in which the center of
gravity and
weight of the skater is to the front of the skate therefore the first
curvilinear contact
surface 241 bear against the second contact surface 242 between the rear
support
220 and the front support 230 and is distant from the second contact surface
242 at
the rear of the blade holder 210. It is to be noted that the second contact
surface 242
in FIG. 2a is represented by the upper surface of the blade 215. Furthermore,
FIG.
2a depicts an alternative configuration of the strengthening beams of the
blade
holder presented in FIG. la-lb. In FIG. 2a, the rear linear beam 250 and the
front
beam 260 connect with the rear support 220 and font support 230 at the highest
point 281, 282 of their respective upper sections, closest to the seam of the
skate
boot of the skate 201. Additionally, the beam configuration FIG. 2a presents a
plurality of auxiliary linear beams. The first auxiliary linear beam 271
connects to the
rear support 220 at a first end and forms a first junction 291 with the rear
linear beam
250 and with the second auxiliary linear beam 270. The second auxiliary linear
beam
270 in turn forms a second junction 292 with the third auxiliary linear beam
272 and
with the front beam 260. The third auxiliary linear beam 272 is shown
connecting
with the front support 230 of the blade holder 210. It is to be noted that
FIG. 2a
depicts the plurality of auxiliary linear beams 270, 271, 272 aligned together
and
substantially parallel to the skate boot of the skate 201 but said auxiliary
linear
beams 270, 271, 272 may also be envisioned in a different configuration. FIG.
2a
further illustrates a third junction 285 formed by the rear linear beam 250,
the front
beam 260 and the rolling arrangement 240 and/or blade-retaining base (not
visible).
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Referring to FIG. 2b, there is shown the same cross-sectional view of the
blade holder 210 of an ice skate 202 along its longitudinal direction, in
which the
rolling arrangement 240 is shown in a second position. In the second position
of the
rolling arrangement 240, the first curvilinear contact surface 241 bears
against the
5 second contact surface 242 at the rear of the rolling
arrangement 240 i.e. in the
section 225 extending in the rear support 220. FIG. 2b further show the first
curvilinear contact surface 241 being distant from the second contact surface
242 at
the section of the rolling arrangement 240 extending between the rear and
front
supports 220, 230. The second position of the rolling arrangement 240 shown in
FIG.
10 2b presents the maximum rotation of the first curvilinear
contact surface 241 in
relation to the second contact surface 242 generated by the motion 295
resulting
from a weight shift of the skater from his/her toes to his/her heels.
Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown a cross-sectional view of a blade
holder 300 along its longitudinal direction. The blade holder 300 illustrated
in FIG. 3
15 depicts yet another alternative configuration of the beam
structure. FIG. 3 shows the
support arrangement having a rear support 320 and a front support 330 between
which extend the rolling arrangement 340 comprising a first curvilinear
contact
surface 341 bearing against a second contact surface 342 similarly as
described in
FIGs.2a-2b. FIG. 3 shows the rolling arrangement in a first position wherein
the
weight of the skater is principally applied on the front of the skate boot
(not shown)
i.e. on the front support 330. In the first position shown in FIG. 3, the
first curvilinear
contact surface 341 bears against the second contact surface 342 at the
section of
the rolling arrangement 340 extending between the rear and front supports 320,
330
and is shown distant from the second contact surface 342 at the rear end of
the
rolling arrangement 340. Additionally, FIG. 3 illustrates a beam configuration
for
which the rear linear beam 350 forms a first junction 381 with the auxiliary
linear
beam 370 and the rear support 320. The first junction 381 is shown positioned
in the
upper section 391 of the rear support 320, close to the top surface of the
rear
support 320 adapted to the interconnect with the skate boot. Similarly, FIG. 3
illustrates the front beam 360 forming a second junction 382 with the front
support
330 and the auxiliary linear beam 370 connecting the rear support 320 and rear
linear beam 350 to the front support 330 and front beam 360. FIG. 3 further
shows
the second junction 382 positioned in the upper section 392 of the front
support 330,
close to the top surface of the front support 330 adapted to the interconnect
with the
skate boot. The front beam 360 and the rear linear beam 350 are further shown
forming a third junction 385 with the rolling arrangement 340 and/or blade
retaining
base (not visible in FIG.3).
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Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown an exemplification of a blade holder
400 without the presence of a beam configuration in its center portion 450.
FIG. 4 the
blade holder 400 having no connection between the front support 430 and the
rear
support 420 thus illustrating the effect of a lack of rear linear beam,
auxiliary linear
and optional front beam when applying force on the blade holder generated e.g.
from
the transfer of weight of a skater towards the heel. FIG. 4 further shows the
rolling
arrangement 440 flattening as a result of compression force such that the
first
curvilinear contact surface 441 no longer displays a radius of curvature and
completely abuts the second contact surface 442. The example illustrated in
FIG. 4
therefore depicts a vertical motion 460 of its rolling arrangement 440 as
opposed to
the intended rolling motion shown in FIG. 3 (392).
As is readily appreciated by the person skilled in the art, many modifications
and variations may be devised given the above description of the principles of
the
inventive concept. It is intended that all such modifications and variations
be
considered as within the scope of the inventive concept, as it is defined in
the
appended patent claims.
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ITEMIZED LIST OF EMBODIMENTS
1. A blade holder (110, 210, 310) for an ice skate (100, 201, 202), said
blade
holder extending in a longitudinal direction and comprising:
a blade-retaining base (145) configured to retain a skate blade (115,
215, 315);
a support arrangement extending upwardly from the blade-retaining
base, the support arrangement comprising a front support (130, 230, 330)
and a rear support (120, 220, 320) each having a top surface (121, 131)
adapted to interconnect to a skate boot (101);
wherein the blade-retaining base comprises a rolling arrangement
(140, 240, 340) comprising a first contact surface (141, 241, 341) being
curvilinear and configured to directly or indirectly bear against a second
contact surface (242, 342), the second contact surface forming part of either
the rolling arrangement or the skate blade, such that upon rotating the first
contact surface and the second contact surface relative each other, the first
contact surface and the second contact surface roll against each other in
the longitudinal direction, wherein the rolling arrangement extends at least
partly between the front and rear supports, and wherein the blade holder
further comprises
a rear linear beam (150, 250, 350) directly connecting the rear support
to the blade-retaining base;
a front beam (160, 260, 360) directly connecting the front support to
the blade-retaining base;
at least one auxiliary linear beam (170, 270, 271, 272, 370) connected
in a first end to the rear linear beam and/or the rear support, and in a
second end to the front beam and/or the front support.
2. The blade holder according to item 1, wherein the rear support and the
front
support respectively comprise a lower section and an upper section, wherein
the rear linear beam connects to the rear support at the upper section (191,
391) of the rear support.
3. The blade holder according to item 2, wherein the front beam connects to
the
front support at the upper section (192, 392) of the front support.
4. The blade holder according to any of the preceding items, wherein the at
least
one auxiliary linear beam forms a first junction (183, 291, 381) with the rear
linear beam and a second junction (184, 292, 382) with the front beam.
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5. The blade holder according to item 4, wherein the first junction is
substantially
centered on the rear linear beam.
6. The blade holder according to item 4, wherein the second junction is
substantially centered on the front beam.
7. The blade holder according to any of the preceding items, wherein said at
least one auxiliary linear beam is integrally formed with the rear linear beam
and the front beam.
8. The blade holder according to claim any of the preceding items, wherein the
rear linear beam and the front beam form a third junction (185, 285, 385) with
the blade retaining base.
9. The blade holder according to item 8, wherein the third junction is
substantially
centered on the blade retaining base between the rear support and the front
support.
10. The blade holder according to any of the preceding items, wherein the rear
support, the front support, the rear linear beam, the front beam, the
auxiliary
linear beam and the blade-retaining base are integrally formed together.
11. The blade holder according to any of the preceding items, wherein said
blade
holder is manufactured by means of an injection molding process.
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12. A blade holder (110, 210, 310) for an ice skate (100, 201, 202), said
blade
holder extending in a longitudinal direction and comprising:
a blade-retaining base (140) configured to retain a skate blade (115,
215, 315);
a support arrangement extending upwardly from the blade-retaining
base, the support arrangement comprising a front support (130, 230, 330)
and a rear support (120, 220, 320) each having a top surface (121, 131)
adapted to interconnect to a skate boot (101);
wherein the blade-retaining base comprises a rolling arrangement
(140, 240, 340) comprising a first contact surface (141, 241, 341) being
curvilinear and configured to directly or indirectly bear against a second
contact surface (142, 242, 342), the second contact surface forming part of
either the rolling arrangement or the skate blade, such that upon rotating the
first contact surface and the second contact surface relative each other, the
first contact surface and the second contact surface roll against each other
in
the longitudinal direction, wherein the rolling arrangement extends at least
partly between the front and rear supports, and wherein the blade holder
further comprises
a rear linear beam (150, 250, 350) directly connecting the rear support
to the blade-retaining base;
at least one auxiliary linear beam (170, 270, 271, 272, 370) connected
in a first end to the rear linear beam and/or the rear support, and in a
second
end to the front support.
13. The blade holder according to item 12, wherein the rear support and the
front
support respectively comprise a lower section and an upper section, wherein
the rear linear beam connects to the rear support at the upper section (191,
391) of the rear support.
14. The blade holder according to item 12 or 13, wherein the at least one
auxiliary
linear beam forms a fourth junction (183, 291, 381) with the rear linear beam.
15. The blade holder according to item 14, wherein the fourth junction is
substantially centered on the rear linear beam.
16. The blade holder according to any of items 12 to 15, wherein said at least
one
auxiliary linear beam is integrally formed with the rear linear beam.
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17. The blade holder according to any of items 12 to 16, wherein the rear
linear
beam a fifth junction (185, 285, 385) with the blade retaining base.
18. The blade holder according to item 17, wherein the fifth junction is
substantially centered on the blade retaining base between the rear support
5 and the front support.
19. The blade holder according to any of items 12 to 18, wherein the rear
support,
the front support, the rear linear beam, the auxiliary linear beam and the
blade-retaining base are integrally formed together.
20. The blade holder according to any of items 12 to 29, wherein said blade
10 holder is manufactured by means of an injection molding
process.
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