CA2155444A1 - Hinged skate - Google Patents

Hinged skate

Info

Publication number
CA2155444A1
CA2155444A1 CA002155444A CA2155444A CA2155444A1 CA 2155444 A1 CA2155444 A1 CA 2155444A1 CA 002155444 A CA002155444 A CA 002155444A CA 2155444 A CA2155444 A CA 2155444A CA 2155444 A1 CA2155444 A1 CA 2155444A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
skate
sole
surface contacting
hinge
skater
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002155444A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Raymond Mitchell
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA002155444A priority Critical patent/CA2155444A1/en
Publication of CA2155444A1 publication Critical patent/CA2155444A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43FOOTWEAR
    • A43BCHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B5/00Footwear for sporting purposes
    • A43B5/16Skating boots
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43FOOTWEAR
    • A43BCHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B13/00Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
    • A43B13/14Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the constructive form
    • A43B13/141Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the constructive form with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43FOOTWEAR
    • A43BCHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B5/00Footwear for sporting purposes
    • A43B5/16Skating boots
    • A43B5/1641Skating boots characterised by the sole ; characterised by the attachment of the skate
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63CSKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
    • A63C1/00Skates
    • A63C1/22Skates with special foot-plates of the boot
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63CSKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
    • A63C17/00Roller skates; Skate-boards
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63CSKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
    • A63C17/00Roller skates; Skate-boards
    • A63C17/04Roller skates; Skate-boards with wheels arranged otherwise than in two pairs
    • A63C17/06Roller skates; Skate-boards with wheels arranged otherwise than in two pairs single-track type

Abstract

A skate having a sole with a transverse hinge that allows the skater's foot to bend more than normal when wearing the skate. The skate preferably has a sole with two transverse hinges, the hinges located generally beneath the major transverse joints of a skater's foot when wearing the skate.
Connecting means connect the surface contacting means of the skate to the sole in a manner allowing at least one end of the sole to move relative to the surface contacting means so that the sole can bend about the hinges. The surface contacting means can be an ice blade or a roller blade.

Description

- 21S~444 This invention is directed toward an improved skate.
~ The invention is more particularly directed toward an improved skate having at least one transverse hinge in the sole of the skate in a location allowing the skater's foot to more easily bend when skating.
When skating, it is natural for the skater to try to push off the toes so as to obtain more power. The skater's foot can bend slightly within the skate to push off the toes, but this bending is limited since both the sole and the blade of the skate are rigid.
The skate of the present invention is constructed to exploit the foot's natural articulation. The skate allows the skater's foot to bend within the skate to a greater degree than in a normal skate so that more power can be generated while skating. The skate is provided with at least one, and preferably two, transverse hinges in the sole. The hinges are located generally beneath the major transverse joints in a skater's foot when wearing the skate. The hinges allow the sole to bend and thus the skater's foot can bend more than normal.
Connecting means are provided to connect the rigid blade of the skate to the sole in a manner allowing at least one end of the sole to move relative to the rigid blade so that the sole can bend about the hinges.
The invention is particularly directed toward a skate having an upper and a sole attached to the upper, the sole having at least one transverse hinge intermediate its ends. The 1.

hinge is located generally under one of the major transverse joints in a skater's foot when the foot is inside the skate.
The skate has elongated, rigid, surface contacting means and connecting means for connecting the surface contacting means to the sole beneath the upper in a manner allowing the sole to bend about the hinge so that the skater's foot within the skate can bend to apply more force against the surface contacted by the surface contacting means when skating.
The invention will now be described in detail having reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side view of the skate;
Fig. 2 is a rear view;
Fig. 3 is a front view;
Fig. 4 is an exploded, perspective, detail view of the hinge;
Fig. 5 is a view showing a skater's foot within the skate;
Fig. 6 is a detail exploded, cross-section view of the front pivot means taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a detail cross-section view of the rear sliding means taken along line 7-7 in Fig. 2;
Fig. 8 is a rear perspective view of the skate blade;
Fig. 9 is a detail cross-section view of the rear of the sole;
Fig. 10 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing a skate with two hinges;
Fig. 11 shows a bent foot in the skate of Fig. 10;
2.

215544~

Fig. 12 is a side view of a modification of the skate shown in Fig. 10;
Fig. 13 is a side view of another modification of the skate shown in Fig. 10 Fig. 14 is a detail front exploded view of the skate in Fig. 13; and Fig. 15 is a side view of another embodiment of the skate.
The skate 1 of the present invention, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, has an upper 3 and a sole 5 connected to the bottom of the upper 3. The upper 3 is made of flexible, stretchable material such as reinforced lycra and has a front closure opening 7 allowing easy foot access into the skate through the open top 9 of the upper 3. Suitable closure means 11 close the closure opening 7 when the foot is in the skate.
The sole 5 is rigid with at least at least one transverse hinge 15 therein allowing it to bend. The hinge 15 divides the sole 5 into a rigid, front sole section 17 and a rigid, rear sole section 19. Each sole section 17, 19, as shown in Fig. 4, has a base 21, 23 respectively, preferably molded from suitable plastic material. Adjacent ends of the bases 21, 23 are formed into hinge sections 29, 31 and these hinge sections are interdigitated and connected together with a hinge pin 33 to form the hinge 15. The hinge 15 is located to be positioned under one of the major transverse joints in the skater's foot when the foot is in the skate as shown in Fig. 5. Preferably, 3.

_ 21 554 ~

the hinge 15 is located to be positioned under the transverse tarsal joint TT of the skater's foot ~. The hinge 15 is constructed with suitable stop means (not shown) to maintain the sole sections 17, 19 in a generally horizontal position when the foot is not bent. When the foot is bent, the hinge 15 allows the front sole section 17 to pivot clockwise about the hinge and the rear sole section 19 to pivot counterclockwise about the hinge (when viewing fig. 1).
Surface contacting means 37 are connected to the sole 5 beneath the upper 3 as shown in Fig. 1. The surface contacting means 37 is elongated and rigid and comprises a skate blade 39 having front and rear supports 41, 43 at the front and rear ends of the blade 39 respectively for use in attaching the blade 39 to the sole 5.
Connecting means are provided for connecting the front and rear supports 41, 43 of the skate blade 39 to the front and rear sole sections 17, 19 respectively. The connecting means includes pivot means 47 for pivotably connecting the top of the front support 41 to the bottom front end of the front sole section 17. The pivot means 47, as shown in Fig. 6, includes a hole 49 in the top of the front support 41 and a pair of spaced apart brackets 51 extending down from the bottom, front end of the base 21 of the front, sole section 17. Holes 53 are provided in the brackets 51. The top of the front support 41 fits snugly between the brackets 51 and a pivot pin 55 is mounted through the aligned holes 49, 53 in the 4.

21554~4 front support 41 and the brackets 51.
The connecting means also includes sliding means 59 for slidably connecting the top of the rear support 43 of the skate blade 39 to the bottom, rear end of the base 23 of the rear sole section 19 as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. The sliding means 59 includes a flange 61 at the top of the rear support 43 as shown in Fig. 8. The flange 61 extends longitudinally along the top of the rear support 43 and transverse to it, to provide a T-shaped vertical cross-section of the support 43 and the flange 61. The sliding means 59 also includes a slot 63 extending inwardly from the rear end 65 of the rear sole section 19 as shown in Fig. 9. The slot 63 has a T-shaped vertical cross-section with a stop surface 67 at its front end. The bottom wall 69 of the slot 63 diverges slightly the top wall 71 of the slot 63 in moving inwardly from the rear end 65 towards the stop surface 67 to allow the flange 61 to move within the slot 63 when the sole 5 is bent as will be described.
In using the skate, the skater pushes off the front of the blade 39 with the front of his foot to generate power. The skater can push more strongly off the front of his foot with the present skate since the front of his foot can bend within the skate about the TT joint, due to the hinge 15 in the sole of the skate. As the sole 5 bends about the hinge 15, its rear section 19 is raised and its front section 17 pivots about the pivot pin 55. The sole shortens slightly. As the sole shortens, the sliding means 59 allows the rear section 19 5.

2155 i~l of the sole 5 to move forward relative to the skate blade 39.
The diverging slot 63 allows movement of the flange 61 within the slot, as the rear section 19 is moved forwardly, After the skater pushes off the front of the blade, his foot can straighten and the sole will straighten as well about the hinge 15, its rear section 19 sliding back on the flange 61 on the skate blade.
The skate 1 has been shown with a sole 5 having one transverse hinge 15. Preferably however, as shown in Fig. 10, the skate 1' has two transverse hinges 15, 15' dividing the sole 5' into a rigid front sole section 17', a rigid mid-sole section 75, and a rigid rear sole section 19. The first hinge 15, between the rear section 19 and the mid-sole section 75, is still located to be positioned under the transverse tarsal joint TT of the skater's foot F. The second hinge 15', between the mid-sole section 75 and the front sole section 17', is located to be positioned under the metatarsophalangeal joint MP
of the skater's foot. The two hinge joints 15, 15' allow the skater's foot to bend even more, as shown in Fig. 11, permitting more power to be obtained from the push off. The skate 1', as before, has connecting means between the skate blade and the sole in the form of pivot means 47 at the front of the blade 39 and sliding means 59 at the back of the blade 39. The hinges 15, 15' have suitable stops (not shown) that retain the three sole sections 17', 75 and 19 in a straight horizontal line, as shown in fig. 10, when the foot is not 6.

215544~

bent.
- The skate 1 has been shown with a flexible, stretchable upper 3. The skate can also be provided with a substantially rigid upper when using either a one hinge or two hinge sole. As shown in Fig. 12, in a skate 1' having a two hinge sole 5', the upper 3' is made from rigid material and is in three sections 81, 83, 85 with the first upper section 81 being located directly over the front sole section 17' and attached thereto.
The second upper section 83 is located directly over the mid-sole section 75 and is attached thereto. The third upper section is located over the rear sole section 19 and is attached thereto. A first, narrow, flexible section 87 extends up from the sole 5' above the front hinge 15' and joins the first and second rigid upper sections 81, 83 together. A
second, narrow, flexible section 89 extends up from the sole 5' above the back hinge 15 and joins the second and third rigid upper sections 83, 85 together. The flexible sections 87, 89 can be formed with accordion pleats 91 that diverge slightly in an upward direction. The flexible sections 87, 89 allow the rigid upper 3' to bend when the skater's foot bends within the skate.
The skate embodiments described have surface contacting means 37 in the form of an ice skate blade 39. However the surface contacting means could also, in all the embodiments, comprise a roller blade. As shown in Fig. 13, the surface contacting means 37' can comprise a roller blade 95 having side 7.

215544~

support bars 97 between which a series of wheels 99 are mounted by axles 101 supported on the bars 97. Connecting means are provided, as for the ice skate blade, for connecting the roller blade 39' to the sole 5. The connecting means includes a front pivot means 47' that has a pair of brackets 103 extending down from the bottom front of the front sole section 17 as shown in Fig. 14. The brackets 103 are longer than the brackets 51 and receive between them, the front wheel 99A and the front end of the support bars 97. The front axle lOlA is slightly longer than the other axles and while mounting front wheel 99A to the support bars 97 also pivotably connects the support bars 97 to the brackets 103. The connecting means includes a sliding means S9. The sliding means 59 is the same as before with a flange on the top of the rear support 43' of the roller blade 95 slidably mounted within a slot within the rear of the back sole section 19. The connecting means allows the sole to bend and shorten when the skater's foot is bent relative to the rigid roller blade.
The connecting means has been shown and described with the pivot means 47 at the front of the skate and with the sliding means 59 at the rear of the skate. However as shown in fig. 15 the connecting means can have the pivot means 47 at the rear of the skate and the sliding means 59 at the front of the skate.
The arrangement still allows the sole 5 to shorten slightly relative to the surface contacting means 37 when the skater's foot bends within the skate allowing the skater to push off 8.

harder while skating.

Claims (16)

1. A skate having: an upper; a sole having at least one transverse hinge intermediate its ends, the hinge located generally under one of the major transverse joints in a skater's foot when the skater is wearing the skate; elongated, rigid, surface contacting means; and connecting means connecting the surface contacting means to the sole beneath the upper in a manner allowing the sole to bend about the hinge so that the skater's foot within the skate can bend to apply more force against the surface contacted by the surface contacting means.
2. A skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transverse hinge in the sole is located to be generally beneath the transverse tarsal joint of a skater's foot when the skater wears the skate.
3. A skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sole has two transverse hinges intermediate its ends, the hinges located generally under two of the major transverse joints in a skater's foot when the skater wears the skate.
4. A skate as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first transverse hinge in the sole, to the rear of the sole, is located to be 10.

generally beneath the transverse tarsal joint, and the second transverse hinge in the sole, to the front of the sole, is located to be generally beneath the metatarsophalangeal joint of the skater's foot when the skater wears the skate.
5. A skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connecting means has pivot means connecting one end of the surface contacting means to one end of the sole, and the connecting means has sliding means connecting the other end of the surface contacting means to the other end of the sole.
6. A skate as claimed in claim 5 wherein the pivot means connects the front end of the surface contacting means to the front end of the sole.
7. A skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the surface contacting means is a skate blade.
8. A skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the surface contacting means is a roller blade.
9. A skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper is flexible and stretchable.
10. A skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper is substantially rigid with a flexible, vertical extending portion
11.

above the transverse joint in the sole.

11. A skate as claimed in claim 4 wherein the upper is substantially rigid with a first, narrow, flexible portion extending up from the first hinge in the sole and a second, narrow, flexible portion extending up from the second hinge in the sole.
12. A skate as claimed in claim 5 wherein the sliding means comprises an elongate slot extending inwardly from the bottom rear of the sole, the slot having a T-shaped cross-section and an elongate flange on the top rear end of the surface contacting means, the top rear end of the surface contacting means with the flange slidably mounted within the slot.
13. A skate as claimed in claim 4 wherein the connecting means has pivot means connecting the front end of the surface contacting means to the front end of the sole, and the connecting means has sliding means connecting the rear end of the surface contacting means to the rear end of the sole.
14. A skate as claimed in claim 13 wherein the upper is substantially rigid with a first, narrow, flexible portion extending up from the first hinge in the sole and a second, narrow, flexible portion extending up from the second hinge in the sole.
12.
15. A skate as claimed in claim 14 wherein the surface contacting means is a skate blade.
16. A skate as claimed in claim 14 wherein the surface contacting means is a roller blade.

13.
CA002155444A 1995-08-04 1995-08-04 Hinged skate Abandoned CA2155444A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002155444A CA2155444A1 (en) 1995-08-04 1995-08-04 Hinged skate

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002155444A CA2155444A1 (en) 1995-08-04 1995-08-04 Hinged skate

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2155444A1 true CA2155444A1 (en) 1997-02-05

Family

ID=4156365

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002155444A Abandoned CA2155444A1 (en) 1995-08-04 1995-08-04 Hinged skate

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2155444A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6217036B1 (en) * 1997-04-22 2001-04-17 Darrel Rowledge Flexible footbed skate

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6217036B1 (en) * 1997-04-22 2001-04-17 Darrel Rowledge Flexible footbed skate

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued

Effective date: 20060213