CA2907288C - Skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region - Google Patents

Skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2907288C
CA2907288C CA2907288A CA2907288A CA2907288C CA 2907288 C CA2907288 C CA 2907288C CA 2907288 A CA2907288 A CA 2907288A CA 2907288 A CA2907288 A CA 2907288A CA 2907288 C CA2907288 C CA 2907288C
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Canada
Prior art keywords
boot
arch
thermoformable
skate
supporting region
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CA2907288A
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French (fr)
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CA2907288A1 (en
Inventor
Stephen J. Davis
Ian Fung
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Bauer Hockey Corp
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Bauer Hockey Corp
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Publication of CA2907288A1 publication Critical patent/CA2907288A1/en
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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43—FOOTWEAR
    • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B5/00—Footwear for sporting purposes
    • A43B5/16—Skating boots
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43—FOOTWEAR
    • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
    • A43B7/14—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts
    • A43B7/1405—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form
    • A43B7/1415—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form characterised by the location under the foot
    • A43B7/142—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form characterised by the location under the foot situated under the medial arch, i.e. under the navicular or cuneiform bones
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43—FOOTWEAR
    • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
    • A43B7/14—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts
    • A43B7/28—Adapting the inner sole or the side of the upper of the shoe to the sole of the foot

Abstract

A hockey skate boot includes a sole portion having a deformable arch-support region to accommodate feet having differently shaped arches The deformable arch-support region may be made of a thermoformable material that is moldable when heated to match the arch of a given wearer's foot. After the arch-support region is molded to conform to a wearer's arch, it is allowed to cool so that it hardens and remains in the desired shape.

Description

SKATE BOOT INCLUDING A THERMOFORMABLE ARCH-SUPPORT REGION
BACKGROUND
[0001] Hockey skates are typically relatively inflexible in order to provide necessary support and to efficiently transfer forces during skating. To ensure efficient acceleration and cornering, a hockey skate should fit snugly on a wearer's foot so that little relative movement occurs between the foot and the skate boot.
[0002] Given that the shape of the human foot varies between. wearers, ensuring a proper fit for a particular individual can be challenging. The sole region of the skate boot is generally an important fitting area because much of the pressure exerted by a foot occurs in that region. The sole region typically contains an arch support designed to accommodate the arch of a wearer's foot. The shape of an arch, however, can vary greatly between wearers, with some feet having little or no arch (i.e., "flat feet"), while other feet have a pronounced arch.
[0003] There are several ways to accommodate and support differently shaped arches. One way is to provide non-customized insoles of different shapes.
Non-customized insoles, however, increase the overall cost of a hockey skate and may not provide adequate support for the shape of a particular foot.
[0004] Another option is to use custom insoles or orthotics. This is generally accomplished by taking an impression of a wearer's foot and replicating the shape into an insole. Custom insoles and orthotics, however, are expensive, and many wearers are unwilling to make the effort required for customization. Additionally, custom insoles and orthotics are generally heavy and non-responsive, resulting in a skate that is less responsive than desired.
[0005] Another option is to use an insole including a flowable material that conforms to the arch of a wearer's foot. These "flow" or "gel" type materials, however, are heavy and non-responsive, resulting in a skate that provides less agility than that which is desired by a typical skater.
SUMMARY
[0006] A hockey skate boot includes a sole portion having a deformable arch-support region to accommodate feet having differently shaped arches. The deformable arch-support region may be made of a thermoformable material that is moldable when heated to match the arch of a given wearer's foot. After the arch-support region is molded to conform to a wearer's arch, it is allowed to cool so that it hardens and remains in the desired shape.
[0006A] According to another aspect, the disclosure relates to a skate boot for a skate. The skate boot comprises a boot form configured to receive a foot of a user. The boot form comprises: a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot;
a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot; a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and a sole portion configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot. The medial portion and the sole portion of the boot form comprises a thermoformable arch-supporting region projecting upwardly such as to define a height of the arch-supporting region. The thermoformable arch-supporting region includes thermoformable material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the user's foot. The thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form extends in the sole portion of the boot form Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08 towards the lateral portion of the boot form beyond a front longitudinal end of the boot form and a rear longitudinal end of the boot form in a widthwise direction of the boot form.
[0006B] According to another aspect, the disclosure relates to a skate boot for a skate. The skate boot comprises a boot form configured to receive a foot of a user. The boot form comprises: a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot;
a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot; a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and a sole portion comprising an inner surface configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot. The medial portion and the sole portion of the boot form comprises a thermoformable arch-supporting region including thermoformable material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the user's foot. The thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form is configured such that a height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region from an apex of the thermoformable arch-supporting region to a bottom of the inner surface of the sole portion is only reducible when the thermoformable arch-supporting region is heated by the heating device and compressed by the user's foot irrespective of a shape of the user's foot.
[0006C] According to another aspect, the disclosure relates to a skate boot for a skate. The skate boot comprises a boot form configured to receive a foot of a user. The boot form comprises: a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot;
a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot; a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and a sole portion configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot. The medial portion and the sole portion of the boot form comprises a thermoformable arch-supporting region projecting upwardly such as to define a height of the arch-supporting region. The thermoformable arch-supporting region includes a thermoformable fiber-reinforced first material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the user's foot. A lower part of the boot form adjacent to the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form comprises a second material different from the thermoformable fiber-reinforced first material.
2a Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08 [0006D] According to another aspect, the disclosure relates to a skate boot for a skate. The user's foot has a foot size. The skate boot comprises a boot form configured to receive the user's foot. The boot form comprises: a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot; a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot; a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and a sole portion configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot. The medial portion and the sole portion of the boot form comprises a thermoformable arch-supporting region including thermoformable material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the arch of the user's foot. The arch-supporting region has a height selected to be greater than a height of any type of arches of feet having the foot size. The thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form forms part of an external surface of the skate boot.
[0006E] According to another aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of providing a skate for a user. The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of a user. The skate boot comprises a boot form configured to receive the user's foot. The boot form comprises: a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot; a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot; a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and a sole portion configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot, The medial portion and the sole portion of the boot form comprises a thermoformable arch-supporting region including thermoformable material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the arch of the user's foot. The method comprises: selecting a height of the arch-supporting region that is greater than a height of the arch of the user's foot before the arch-supporting region is compressed by the arch of the user's foot; and causing the height of the arch-supporting region to be reduced and correspond to the height of the arch of the user's foot after the arch-supporting region is compressed by the arch of the user's foot.
[0006F] Other features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed description.
2b Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the same element throughout the several views:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boot form for a skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region and separate upper quarter panels, according to one embodiment.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the boot form shown in FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a boot form for a skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region having corrugations oriented generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boot form, according to one embodiment.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a boot form for a skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region having corrugations oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boot form, according to one embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a boot form for a skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region and an additional arch support, according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Various embodiments of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details.
Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the various embodiments.
[0014] The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this detailed description section.
[0015] Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include the plural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless the word "or" is expressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other items in a list of two or more items, then the use of "or" in such a list is to be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in the list. Further, unless otherwise specified, terms such as "attached" or "connected"
are intended to include integral connections, as well as connections between physically separate components.
[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in one embodiment, a boot form 30 for a skate boot includes a heel region 34, a toe region 36, a lower portion 32, an upper portion 38, and an arch-support region 50. The boot form 30 may be made of fiber-reinforced composite materials or other suitable materials.
[0017] Some suitable reinforcing materials include structural fibers of carbon, glass, aramid, ceramic, liquid crystal polymer, and others. Carbon fiber, for example, provides a rigid frame that efficiently transfers energy generated by leg motion to the blade-holder (not shown) and blade (not shown) of the skate. To impart desired stiffness properties in different directions and locations, these structural fibers may be combined with a thermoset resin such as epoxy, vinyl ester, or others. The structural fibers may alternatively be combined with a thermoplastic resin such as a polyamide, polypropylene, polyurethane, or others. In one embodiment, the upper portion 38 may be made of a glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin or similar material that is more flexible than the materials used to construct the lower portion 32.
[0018] The skate boot may also include upper quarter panels 40 and 42. The upper quarter panels 40 and 42 have a bottom edge 44 that aligns with an edge of the boot form 30. The upper quarter panels 40 and 42 may be adhesively bonded, stitched, or otherwise suitably attached to the edge 46 of the boot form 30.
The upper quarter panels 40 and 42 may be made of a thermoplastic fabric laminate that is more flexible than the boot form 30, or of another suitable material An outer covering (not shown), such as a leather or fabric covering, and a tendon guard (not shown) may also be attached to the boot form 30 or quarter panels 40 and 42.
[0019] In one embodiment, the boot form 30 and the upper quarter panels 40 and 42 may generally be constructed as described in U.S. patent application no.
14/094,599, filed on December 2, 2013, or U.S. patent application no.
13/794,071, filed on March 11,2013.
[0020] The boot form 30 further includes a deformable arch-support region in its lower medial region, or sole region. The deformable arch-support region provides a customizable fit of the skate boot to a wearer's foot. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the arch-support region 50 includes a length L, a height H, and a depth or width D. (Dimension W indicates the 'remaining width of the boot form 30.) The arch-support region 50 may vary in size, thickness, or geometry to offer desired performance benefits.
[0021] The arch-support region 50 may be made of a thermoplastic material having a relatively low melting temperature, such as a polyamide, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyethylene, or other suitable material. When heated to a temperature of about 160-220 degrees Fahrenheit, these materials become moldable when subjected to a force, such as when a wearer presses his or her foot against the arch-support region 50.
[0022] In one embodiment, the arch-support region 50 includes a higher-arch dimension H than that of a typical human foot, and may also include larger dimensions L or D. For example, the arch support region 50 may have the following dimensions in a male, size-9 boot: Length L of approximately 5 inches, Depth D
of approximately 1.5 inches, and height H of approximately 1 inch (a typical size-human arch has a length of approximately 4 inches, a depth of approximately 1.25 inches, and a height of approximately 0.75 inches). This allows the arch-support region 50 to accommodate both large and small arches during molding. If the wearer's foot has a naturally high arch, for example, the change in shape of the arch-support region 50 during molding may be relatively minimal. If the wearer's foot has a naturally low arch, conversely, the height H of the arch-support region 50 may reduce significantly during molding to match the contour of the wearer's arch.
[0023] To customize the arch-support region 50 to a wearer's foot, the boot form 30 is heated to approximately 160-220 degrees Fahrenheit in an oven or other heating device, or with a portable device such as a hot-air gun. In some embodiments, such as when a hot-air gun is used, only the arch-support region needs to be heated. The boot form 30 is then removed from the oven (or the supply of heat to the boot form 30 is otherwise discontinued), after which the skate boot is fit to the wearer's foot and cinched tight with, for example, shoe laces.
During this fitting, dimensions L, H, and D of the arch-support region 50 conform to the shape of the wearer's arch. The skate boot may then be removed from the wearer's foot and allowed to cool. Once cooled, the thermoplastic or other thermoformable material forming the arch-support region 50 will harden into its pre-heated stiffness in the shape of the wearer's arch.
[0024] If a wearer inadvertently over-compresses the arch support region 50, or if the boot is later used with a different wearer having a higher or differently shaped arch, the arch-support region 50 may be reheated and then formed into its original shape (or into another suitable pre-fitting shape). To accomplish this, once the arch-support region 50 is heated to a sufficient temperature, force or pressure may be applied under the arch-support region 50 to expand it or otherwise reshape it.
[0025] The stiffness of the arch-support region 50 may be varied based on the materials used to construct it. For example, carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic may be used to construct the arch-support region 50, which is similar in stiffness to the carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoset materials that may be used to construct the lower portion 32 of the boot form 30. The carbon fibers may also be oriented at specific angles to obtain desired bending stiffness or torsional stiffness. In some embodiments, the arch-support region 50 may have a stiffness similar to, or more flexible than, the lower portion 32 of the boot form 30. If the arch-support region 50 is more flexible than the lower portion 32, the composite boot form 30 will have a lower overall bending stiffness or torsional stiffness.
[0026] The arch-support region 50 may also provide a spring-like resiliency that creates additional energy return. When a skater applies a downward force to push off and accelerate, the arch-support region 50 may flex and then return to its molded shape, providing additional acceleration for the skater. In one embodiment, springs or clips may be added under or in the arch-support region 50 to provide more or less push back force for the skater.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the arch-support region 50 may include ridges or corrugations to further optimize stiffness and resiliency. These corrugations may be oriented parallel, perpendicular, diagonal, cross-hatched, or in another direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the skate boot to achieve desired characteristics. Further, one or more of the corrugations may be curved to provide further customization.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows the arch-support region 50 with corrugations 52 running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boot form 30. The parallel corrugations 52 generally provide increased bending stiffness. FIG. 4, conversely, shows the arch-support region 50 with corrugations 54 running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boot form 30. The perpendicular corrugations 54 generally provide decreased bending stiffness.
[0029] In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, an additional arch support 60 may be added or attached to the boot form 30 in the arch-support region 50.
The additional arch support 60 may be made of a relatively stiff material, such as a carbon-fiber reinforced polymer, to provide stiffness enhancement, or of a relatively flexible, softer material, such as a polyurethane elastomer, to provide vibration damping. The additional arch support 60 may also be used as a forming tool that is positioned under the arch-support region 50 during thermal-fitting of the boot form 30 to a wearer's foot.
[0030] Any of the above-described embodiments may be used alone or in combination with one another. Further, the skate boot with a deformable arch-support region may include additional features not described herein. While several embodiments have been shown and described, various changes and substitutions may of course be made, the invention, therefore, should not be limited, except by the scope of the following claims.

Claims (75)

1. A skate boot for a skate, the skate boot comprising a boot form configured to receive a foot of a user, the boot form comprising:
- a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot;
- a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot;
- a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and - a sole portion configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot;
the medial portion and the sole portion of the boot form comprising a thermoformable arch-supporting region projecting upwardly such as to define a height of the arch-supporting region, the thermoformable arch-supporting region including thermoformable material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the user's foot, the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form extending in the sole portion of the boot form towards the lateral portion of the boot form beyond a front longitudinal end of the boot form and a rear longitudinal end of the boot form in a widthwise direction of the boot form.
2. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the medial portion, the lateral portion, the heel portion, and the sole portion of the boot form are integrally formed together as a unitary structure.
3. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the boot form comprises an ankle portion configured to face an ankle of the user.
4. The skate boot of claim 3, wherein the medial portion, the lateral portion, the ankle portion, the heel portion, and the sole portion of the boot form are integrally formed together as a unitary structure.
5. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region constitutes at least part of an external surface of the boot form.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
6. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region extends in the widthwise direction of the boot form for less than a width of the sole portion of the boot form.
7. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region is configured such that the height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region is increased when heated and pressed upon at an underside of the thermoformable arch-supporting region.
8. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein a resiliency of the thermoformable arch-supporting region is such that, when the user applies a downward force to push off while skating, the thermoformable arch-supporting region flexes from an initial shape and then returns to the initial shape.
9. The skate boot of claim 1, comprising an upper member formed separately from and attached to the boot form.
10. The skate boot of claim 9, wherein the upper member comprises a quarter panel.
11. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is fiber-reinforced thermoformable material.
12. The skate boot of claim 11, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoformable material comprises carbon fibers.
13. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form includes at least one of polyamide, polypropylene, polyurethane, and polyethylene.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
14. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is thermoformable when heated to a temperature of 160 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit.
15. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein a lower part of the boot form adjacent to the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form includes thermoset material and the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form includes thermoplastic material.
16.The skate boot of claim 15, wherein the thermoset material is fiber-reinforced thermoset material and the thermoplastic material is fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material.
17. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein lower material of a lower part of the boot form is stiffer than upper material of an upper part of the boot form.
18.The skate boot of claim 17, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is less stiff than the lower material of the lower part of the boot form.
19.The skate boot of claim 17, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is stiffer than the upper material of the upper part of the boot form.
20. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form comprises a plurality of recesses.
21. The skate boot of claim 20, wherein the recesses are grooves.
22. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form comprises a plurality of projections.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
23. The skate boot of claim 22, wherein the projections are ridges.
24. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form comprises a plurality of corrugations.
25. The skate boot of claim 24, wherein the corrugations are oriented generally parallel to a longitudinal direction of the skate boot.
26.The skate boot of claim 24, wherein the corrugations are oriented generally perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the skate boot.
27. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the skate is an ice skate that comprises a blade holder and a blade.
28.A skate comprising the skate boot of claim 1.
29. The skate of claim 27, wherein the skate is an ice skate that comprises a blade holder and a blade.
30. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the heating device is an oven.
31. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the heating device is a portable heating device.
32. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region corresponds to at least a majority of a height of a toe region of the skate boot.
33. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein a ratio of 1 the height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region over a length of the thermoformable arch-supporting region is at least 0.2.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
34. The skate boot of claim 1, wherein the height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region is at least 1 inch for a male size-9 boot.
35.A skate boot for a skate, the skate boot comprising a boot form configured to receive a foot of a user, the boot form comprising:
- a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot;
- a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot;
- a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and - a sole portion comprising an inner surface configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot;
the medial portion and the sole portion of the boot form comprising a thermoformable arch-supporting region including thermoformable material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the user's foot, the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form being configured such that a height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region from an apex of the thermoformable arch-supporting region to a bottom of the inner surface of the sole portion is only reducible when the thermoformable arch-supporting region is heated by the heating device and compressed by the user's foot irrespective of a shape of the user's foot.
36. The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the medial portion, the lateral portion, the heel portion, and the sole portion of the boot form are integrally formed together as a unitary structure.
37.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the boot form comprises an ankle portion configured to face an ankle of the user.
38. The skate boot of claim 37, wherein the medial portion, the lateral portion, the ankle portion, the heel portion, and the sole portion of the boot form are integrally formed together as a unitary structure.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
39.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region constitutes at least part of an external surface of the boot form.
40.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region extends in a widthwise direction of the boot form for less than a width of the sole portion of the boot form.
41. The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region is configured such that the height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region is increased when heated and pressed upon at an underside of the thermoformable arch-supporting region.
42.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein a resiliency of the thermoformable arch-supporting region is such that, when the user applies a downward force to push off while skating, the thermoformable arch-supporting region flexes from an initial shape and then returns to the initial shape.
43. The skate boot of claim 35, comprising an upper member formed separately from and attached to the boot form.
44. The skate boot of claim 43, wherein the upper member comprises a quarter panel.
45.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is fiber-reinforced thermoformable material.
46.The skate boot of claim 45, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoformable material comprises carbon fibers.
47.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form includes at least one of polyamide, polypropylene, polyurethane, and polyethylene.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
48.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is thermoformable when heated to a temperature of 160 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit.
49. The skate boot of claim 35, wherein a lower part of the boot form adjacent to the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form includes thermoset material and the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form includes thermoplastic material.
50.The skate boot of claim 49, wherein the thermoset material is fiber-reinforced thermoset material and the thermoplastic material is fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material.
51. The skate boot of claim 35, wherein lower material of a lower part of the boot form is stiffer than upper material of an upper part of the boot form.
52.The skate boot of claim 51, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is less stiff than the lower material of the lower part of the boot form.
53.The skate boot of claim 51, wherein the thermoformable material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is stiffer than the upper material of the upper part of the boot form.
54. The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form comprises a plurality of recesses.
55. The skate boot of claim 54, wherein the recesses are grooves.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
56.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form comprises a plurality of projections.
57.The skate boot of claim 56, wherein the projections are ridges.
58.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form comprises a plurality of corrugations.
59.The skate boot of claim 58, wherein the corrugations are oriented generally parallel to a longitudinal direction of the skate boot.
60.The skate boot of claim 58, wherein the corrugations are oriented generally perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the skate boot.
61.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the skate is an ice skate that comprises a blade holder and a blade.
62.A skate comprising the skate boot of claim 35.
63.The skate of claim 62, wherein the skate is an ice skate that comprises a blade holder and a blade.
64.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the heating device is an oven.
65.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the heating device is a portable heating device.
66.The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region corresponds to at least a majority of a height of a toe region of the skate boot.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
67. The skate boot of claim 35, wherein a ratio of 1 the height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region over a length of the thermoformable arch-supporting region is at least 0.2.
68. The skate boot of claim 35, wherein the height of the thermoformable arch-supporting region is at least 1 inch for a male size-9 boot.
69.A skate boot for a skate, the skate boot comprising a boot form configured to receive a foot of a user, the boot form comprising:
- a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot;
- a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot;
- a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and - a sole portion configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot;
the medial portion and the sole portion of the boot form comprising a thermoformable arch-supporting region projecting upwardly such as to define a height of the arch-supporting region, the thermoformable arch-supporting region including a thermoformable fiber-reinforced first material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the user's foot, a lower part of the boot form adjacent to the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form comprising a second material different from the thermoformable fiber-reinforced first material.
70. The skate boot of claim 69, wherein the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form extends in the sole portion of the boot form towards the lateral portion of the boot form beyond a front longitudinal end of the boot form and a rear longitudinal end of the boot form in a widthwise direction of the boot form
71.The skate boot of any one of claims 69 and 70, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoformable first material comprises carbon fibers.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
72. The skate boot of any one of claims 69 and 70, wherein the thermoformable fiber-reinforced first material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is thermoformable when heated to a temperature of 160 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit.
73. The skate boot of any one of claims 69 and 70, wherein the second material of the lower part of the boot form adjacent to the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form is a thermoset material and the thermoformable fiber-reinforced material of the arch-supporting region of the boot form is thermoplastic fiber-reinforced material.
74.A skate comprising a skate boot for receiving a foot of a user, the user's foot having a foot size, the skate boot comprising a boot form configured to receive the user's foot, the boot form comprising:
- a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot;
- a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot;
- a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and - a sole portion configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot;
the medial portion and the sole portion of the boot form comprising a thermoformable arch-supporting region including thermoformable material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the arch of the user's foot, the arch-supporting region having a height selected to be greater than a height of any type of arches of feet having the foot size, the thermoformable arch-supporting region of the boot form forming part of an external surface of the skate boot.
75.A method of providing a skate for a user, the skate comprising a skate boot for receiving a foot of a user, the skate boot comprising a boot form configured to receive the user's foot, the boot form comprising: a medial portion configured to face a medial side of the user's foot; a lateral portion configured to face a lateral side of the user's foot; a heel portion configured to face a heel of the user's foot; and a sole portion configured to face a plantar surface of the user's foot, the medial portion and the sole Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08 portion of the boot form comprising a thermoformable arch-supporting region including thermoformable material that is moldable to conform to an arch of the user's foot when heated by a heating device and compressed by the arch of the user's foot, the method com prising:
- selecting a height of the arch-supporting region that is greater than a height of the arch of the user's foot before the arch-supporting region is compressed by the arch of the user's foot; and - causing the height of the arch-supporting region to be reduced and correspond to the height of the arch of the user's foot after the arch-supporting region is compressed by the arch of the user's foot.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-08
CA2907288A 2014-10-10 2015-10-09 Skate boot including a thermoformable arch-support region Active CA2907288C (en)

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US14/512,252 2014-10-10

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