KR20230038132A - Pre-applied ice skate blades with variable curvature, variable stiffness and modular boot mounting system - Google Patents

Abstract

The skate blade has a tube (1) featuring a slot (5) of complex radius in which the runner (3) is placed, giving the runner (3) a complex radius. A uniform quick-mounting structure is provided so that the mounting cup 8 attached to the tube 1 is fixed to the skate boot by the interaction between the retaining gib 11 and the mounting plate 10 on the skate boot. boot. This provides uniform and repeatable attachment. Other features include harmonic damping, adhesive retention features, and boot alignment features.

Description

Pre-applied ice skate blades with variable curvature, variable stiffness and modular boot mounting system

This application claims priority to previously filed US application Ser. No. 62/880,230, filed July 30, 2019, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates to the general field of ice skating accessories and describes skate blades with pre-applied variable curvature, variable stiffness and a modular boot mounting system.

Speed skating blades are usually manufactured as a tubular structure with a length of aluminum or steel, to which the steel blade is mounted on one side of the tube and an aluminum mounting "cup" or "arm" is attached to the opposite side of the tube to mount and adjust the boot. let it do There are two general types of speed skating blades, one designated for the short track on 111m skating tracks and one designated for the long track on 400m skating tracks. The short track blade is designed to be mounted in a fixed position on the front and heel of the boot as shown in FIG. The mounts used for short track blades can be changed according to height to increase or decrease the distance between the boot and the blade according to the skater's preference. The most widely used long track blade is commonly referred to as a 'clap spat' after the sound made when the hinge is closed while skating. It is designed to be mounted in a fixed position. 2B illustrates the movement of the clasp arm. This design allows for longer contact with the ice and allows for greater speed generated by the skater. The hinged clap arm design of long track skates cannot be used for short track skates according to the rules of the International Skating Union governing the sport.

When using aluminum tubes, steel blades are mounted inside machined slots with an adhesive that retains some elasticity after hardening. When using a steel tube, the blade's steel runner is usually mounted inside the tube using a welding, brazing or brazing process. Adhesives are not currently used in conjunction with steel runner and tube assemblies.

Since speed skating races are generally performed with only counterclockwise rotation, skate boots and blades are generally configured to utilize counterclockwise rotation to maximize stability and skating efficiency. The blades are offset to the left and mounted to the boot, with some blades positioned to the left of the support structure. Blade runner surfaces are typically adjusted with a radius or "rocker" that complements the dimensions of the rink and the skater's level of experience. While the radius applied to beginner skaters is usually a single radius, expert level skaters may use complex curves consisting of multiple radii that vary along the length of the blade surface, also known as compound radii. In general, the rocker chosen is more curved in the heel and toe area of the blade and flatter towards the center of the blade. The central part of the blade tends to bend more than the turning radius of a racing course. Currently, the rockers offered by manufacturers are single normal radii ranging from about 9 meters for short track blades to 23 meters for long track blades. The skater or technician must then manually adjust the rocker to the skater's desired specifications, either using a radius machine with an appropriate template or using a manual hand lapping process with a honing stone and gauge to check for changes.

In addition to applying a radius to the blade's runner surface, the blade may also have the advantage of being bent to the left so that it only skates counterclockwise. For players using multiple radii, by varying the bending applied to the blade according to different radii, the contact area between the blade and the ice surface is increased, which not only applies pressure to that part of the blade and increases grip, but also allows the athlete to move more rapidly. allow it to rotate. To illustrate this principle, if a skater applies a smaller radius to the toe and heel portion of the blade and has a flatter radius in the center, when the blade flexes more in the toe and heel portion, the blade with the toe or heel section In this case, the more pressure the skater applies to the blade, the faster the blade rotates, allowing the skater to change trajectory more easily.

Bending a skate blade has historically been done with a hammer, vise, or similar tool until the blade "looks" or "feels right." Typically, the bending process was applied to the tube of the blade rather than to the blade runner, as blade runners are more delicate and the tube tends to hold the applied curve better. The toe of the blade can be bent so that the blade rotates more sharply as the skater's weight moves forward. The heel of the blade can be bent so that the blade rotates more sharply as the skater's weight shifts backwards. The entire blade can be bent in a smooth arc for better ice contact and stability, and can have different curvatures to allow skaters to increase or decrease rotational efficiency depending on which part of the blade applies pressure. When performed with a mallet and vise, there was little predictability in this process and as a result skaters are often hesitant to skate on blades bent in this way.

A number of tools have been developed to assist in the bending of blades. Unfortunately, the mechanical bending process creates work hardening and fatigue regions along the length of the tube, resulting in inconsistent stiffness along the length of the blade assembly. The more manual bending is done, the more inconsistent the tube becomes due to cold work hardening of aluminum and the development of permanent slip bands, resulting in cumulative damage fatigue and the inability of the blade to maintain the desired shape during use. Manual bending processes that increase the strength of the area affected by cold working also result in a decrease in ductility. Yield strength and elongation as a function of cold work percentage show that a small amount of cold work results in a significant reduction in ductility. Blades with a lot of runner metal left over must be discarded because the blades no longer hold the desired bend, resulting in significant additional cost to the skater.

Mechanical bending not only causes metal fatigue, but also presents problems with the adhesive used to bond the steel runner to the blade tube because the adhesive increases the previously described problems with the metallurgical stress fatigue properties of the blade.

Adhesives of the type used to make tube/runner assemblies generally have elastic properties. Most adhesives commonly used in industry are in the 30% elasticity range. Since there are six dissimilar surfaces that are glued together (three sides of the steel runner and three sides of the machined aluminum), manual bending operations are required to change the bending radius of the blade assembly, in addition to the problem of metal springback in the aluminum tube and steel runner. The elastic properties of the adhesive must be overcome. To overcome the elastic deformation of springback in metals and the tendency of adhesives to stretch (sometimes significantly (30%)), technicians must bend the tube beyond the desired shape to cause plastic deformation and return to its original state when relaxed. This extensive overbending greatly increases the fatigue effect on the tube. Excessive bending also results in fatigue compliance in the adhesive bond due to surface shear created by the changing radii of the four vertical surfaces as the bending operation is performed. These stresses on the glue bond surface can and do result in catastrophic blade detachment, which can lead to assembly failure and potentially injury to players. To solve the problem of delamination caused by the bending process, some manufacturers use mechanical rivets to “lock” the runner to the tube. This clamping process creates more problems because it locks the tube and runner in a static position.

Implementing a mechanical bending process on the pinned blade assembly prevents the contact surface of the steel runner and the slot in the aluminum tube from moving along the contact plane. This creates a wave at the location where the fin is installed, and the fin makes the tube and runner completely immobile, making bending more difficult, requiring more bending work, increasing fatigue and shortening the life of the blade assembly. The waves created by the mechanical pins degrade the performance of the assembly.

An additional problem commonly encountered in mechanical bending processes is that the bending force is applied at more or less than the required vertical position on the runner surface, regardless of the tool used. As a result, the torsional load of the blade tube causes angular deformation of the runner surface. These variations result in substandard performance characteristics that make it difficult for skate technicians to identify root causes with the measurement tools currently used in the industry. When this happens, skaters may feel unsteady when spinning and experience crashes whose root cause cannot be easily identified. These collisions can result in serious injuries. When this torsional deformation occurs, correction is difficult, if not impossible, and the entire blade assembly must be replaced, resulting in significant additional cost to the athlete.

In 2013, Inze Bont filed Canadian patent application CA2883755A1 which presented the idea of a blade made from pre-bent slots that would limit the need for mechanical bending. However, the solution proposed by Bont inherently creates blades with inconsistent performance because the flange dimension to which the curve applies varies with the blade length. Also, since the curve is usually a consistent curve, additional mechanical bending is required to make the blade usable for its intended purpose. The fact that the flange dimensions change dramatically with the blade length results in inconsistent stiffness across the blade length and the stiffness characteristics do not align with the blade area where more or less stiffness is desired. As a result, the bending process is more difficult because it is not possible to determine the proper amount of force to be applied to the structure to obtain the correct final bending properties. Also, the performance of the assembly suffers because the stiffness characteristics of the blades are not aligned where the athlete needs them for best performance. Implementation of this design in manufacturing results in a variable stack effect of a mechanical problem that makes skate blade preparation an art rather than a science, given that all blades are inherently different and constantly changing in preparation. Although this idea has improved state-of-the-art, the inherent requirement of a significant amount of the subsequent mechanical bending process still entails all the problems described above. Since its introduction, this manufacturing method has been adopted by all current blade manufacturers and has become an industry standard since 2013.

An additional problem with the process introduced by Bont's proposed solution is that the tube section with curved slots is designed for straight slots. Machining a slot with a radius in a conventional flange design results in non-uniform flange thickness along the length of the flange. The variable increase/decrease in stiffness of the assembly along the length of the runner results in improper placement due to the inconsistent nature of the flange thickness. This variable thickness imparts increased/reduced stiffness and results in sub-optimal performance characteristics regardless of the intended operation of the assembly. The effect of this discrepancy is that there is no way to control whether or not there is the right amount of stiffness in the right place along the flange, making it nearly impossible to achieve anything other than a compromised blade setup.

Studies have shown that a skate blade will create a harmonic resonance as it moves across the ice. Due to the radius and curvature of the blade, the contact area with the ice surface is relatively small, with much of the runner surface not in contact with the ice. When this part of the blade separates from the ice, the tube/runner assembly vibrates like a tuning fork. This harmonic vibration not only affects the motion of the blade and its ability to correctly follow the desired track, but also provides undesirable feedback on what the blade is doing as the skater shifts their weight back and forth in the runner radius to effect course changes. can provide

The present invention proposes to solve this vibration problem by introducing a vibration reducing system such as a fluid damper, an elastomeric vibration isolator or a tuned mass damper system into the hollow part of the tube. Depending on the frequency of vibration, other compounds or combinations of these may be required. When using viscous fluids, it may be necessary to add a hollow foam core to offset the effects of fluid movement within the tube. For light skaters, foam may be sufficient to solve vibration problems. The compound used for this application must be thermally stable to prevent hydraulic failure of the tube assembly due to the unintended increase in stiffness and harsh temperature ranges that ice skate blades must withstand. The performance impact of this harmonic resonance is the same as that of an impact drill used in concrete drilling. When you try to drill into concrete with a regular drill, even very strong pressure has little effect on the concrete. Vibration shock applied through a drill can quickly drill through concrete. In a similar fashion, a vibrating blade tends to cut ice or slide on it, while a blade that can tune or eliminate harmonic resonance allows the blade to penetrate the ice surface and tune to a more desirable level.

This tunability provides the following benefits:

low frictional wear of the blade edge;

improved stability due to reduced ice sheet damage;

reduced frictional losses, providing better performance due to reduced surface contact;

providing better feedback to the athlete while skating; and

Reduced labor and material requirements for blade edge maintenance.

All short track and long track skate blades produced to date are shipped from the manufacturer in unusable condition. They all require manual radius and bend operations and other preparatory steps to allow the athlete to use the blade.

A further problem with all skate blade prior art is boot mounting system design. For short track skates, the mounting system is commonly referred to as a "cup". For long track skates, the mounting system is commonly referred to as a "bridge". These components are integral parts of the overall assembly. The current generation of short track blades are all based on an original design conceived by Johan Bennink, founder of Maple Skate BV in 1992. This design is usually constructed using machined aluminum extrusions or aluminum billet blocks, but other materials such as titanium are also used. Other manufacturing methods, such as forging, may be used to create a uniform mounting structure for connecting the boot to the blade tube. Early designs included bolts to attach the cup to the boot mounting surface, and the cup was joined to the blade tube using bolts and nuts. This system had little consistency due to loose mounting tolerances and lack of positioning features. Due to this lack of positioning features and loose tolerances, reproducing each athlete's preferred setup was a complete trial and error process, and the multi-part retention system made blade changes very long. As the industry begins to replace the requirement for nuts with tapped holes in cups, blade replacement times are reduced, improving blade installation and replacement efficiency. In 2014, Maple Skate BV introduced alignment marks on the rim of the cup, allowing the blade assembly to be re-installed on the boot mount should blades need to be replaced; However, since these marks were only located at random locations on the edge of the cup, as shown in FIG. 3, there was no uniform reference point, nor a distinct design methodology for placement of the marks, so the initial position of the boot on the mounting cup had a skater "feel". " was based on the subjective nature of As a result, either a skater's boot changes or a cup design forces the skater to start from zero and test repeatedly to get a similar "feel" with the new components.

The blade mounting system in long track speed skating, called clap skates, is quite different from the cup system in short track. Unlike conventional skates, where the blade is firmly fixed to the boot and blade, in clap skates, the blade is attached to the boot by a hinged mechanism at the front. This now not only allows the ankle to extend toward the end of the stroke, but also allows the blade to stay in contact with the ice longer for a more natural motion, distributing energy from the leg more effectively and efficiently. This clap design is only permitted in long distance speed skating. She was banned from short track speed skating due to safety concerns.

The bridge mounting of long track skates allows the boot to be attached to the forefoot and healing of the boot to a beam usually constructed of aluminum and constructed to be attached to a hinged fixture in the anterior third of the blade tube. The bridge contains a spring that allows the blades to return to their starting position aligned with the bridge. The entire assembly is called the "clap" mechanism, aptly named because of the clap sound it makes when the blade hits the bridge and comes to a stop.

The clap skate's mounting system has hardly changed since the 1990s. All manufacturers' current designs have consistently relied on nuts and bolts to attach the boot to the clasp arm bridge, and installation and adjustment of these fasteners is difficult and time consuming. In addition, while the current generation of clapper legs have anterior/posterior alignment marks to more accurately position the blade in that direction, there is no reproducible method for correctly positioning the blade angle in relation to the boot, a key aspect of a player's blade setup. does not exist.

Current cup and bridge designs do not account for improperly manufactured skate boots where the mounting surface is not installed in a parallel orientation to the mating surface of the cup/bridge of the blade assembly. Specifically, the boot mount may be slightly angled so that it does not mate perfectly flat with the cup mounting surface as shown in FIG. 4 . The result of this flaw is that tightening the boot mount against the cup results in a loading effect that can lead to boot damage and premature failure. This loading effect can also deform the blade assembly and make diagnosing skate performance problems very difficult. also,

Current designs of boot mounting blocks embedded in boot assemblies are designed in such a way that properly securing the boot mount to the boot assembly is problematic. A cross-section of a boot mount design in use within the industry showing occlusion of the anchoring material, see FIG. 5A. See FIG. 5B for a detailed view of the occlusion. Current designs make it difficult for operators completing assembly to properly secure the mounting block, resulting in a mounting system that is prone to failure under high torsional loads.

Accordingly, a need exists for improved skate assemblies that incorporate complex multiple radii and improved methods for applying desired radii, including bending profiles, to skate blades during the manufacturing process. This method can improve the precision of radius and bending. There is also a need for improved methods of securing the blade runner to the tube. Improved surface finish reduces labor and improves performance. Precise positioning of various stiffness properties along the tube and flange surfaces allows for improved performance for individual skater requirements. An improved mounting system for attaching and positioning the boot mounting cup and bridge to the boot makes installation easier, allows for consistently repeatable alignment and can be adjusted to improperly manufactured boot mounts. The use of anti-pullout boot mounts allows for a much safer, raised assembly using mounting cups and clap arms.

Summary of Examples

According to an embodiment of a skate blade assembly with pre-applied radii and bends, an adjustable mounting system is presented herein. Skate blades, generally having an elongated configuration, are defined as a blade runner that provides a contact section for contacting a gliding surface, such as ice, and a blade runner that provides a blade attachment section for attaching the blade to a skate boot, and includes boot mount features. include Fasten to the blade attachment assembly. The skate blade also defines a blade longitudinal axis, a blade first side and a blade second side. The pre-bent blade is assembled into a skate boot with: a mounting flange with the desired bend profile and variable stiffness profile applied during manufacturing, a vertically installed mating slot, a blade runner with retention feature, and a modular anti-pullout and alignment feature. It consists of a mounting system with alignment and retention features for installing.

So, some advantages of more than one aspect are:

Depending on the final result, the requirement for significant and repeated application of manual mechanical bending forces to adhesive/welded/solder joints where the assembly weakens or deforms as the lengths of the joined sides must stretch or contract to accommodate the new shape. providing a new blade design that eliminates;

The length of each contact surface is correct prior to assembly, ensuring that there is no need to mechanically apply significant additional flex that would weaken or damage the assembly, machining the blade runner mounting flange to the desired bending profile during manufacturing; and

A constant flange thickness is machined on the concave flange surface and a variable stiffness profile is machined along the convex flange surface so that the appropriate stiffness level is introduced at the correct location along the length of the flange to achieve the expected performance of the assembly.

These design changes significantly increase product life because the mechanical work that weakens and damages the component or assembly of components is greatly reduced or eliminated. The mechanical work that hardens the tube structure is greatly reduced, increasing the uniformity of tube hardness, increasing the consistency, performance and service life of the blade assembly. If minor adjustments to the bending profile are required, the retaining feature of the runner component allows the use of adhesive rivets during component assembly, allowing these minor adjustments to be made without fear of delamination or failure. The preferred implementation of this retention feature is to use a round hole, but other methods such as grooves, divots, etc. may be used. These changes also reduce or eliminate the tendency of adhesively attached blade runners to peel off due to manual operation and consequently degrade assembly performance, eliminating the need for additional maintenance methods.

An additional feature of the present invention is that there is no need to deburr skate blades during routine sharpening maintenance through the application of physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) surface coatings. In addition to eliminating the requirement for deburring, this feature significantly reduces the potential for surface corrosion on steel runner surfaces while increasing surface wear resistance and reducing friction, reducing maintenance requirements and improving performance.

Additionally, the boot mounting and alignment feature of the present invention allows installation of a boot with improperly installed mounting to self-align for proper contact of all mounting surfaces without imposing torsional loads on the assembly. In addition, the optional proposed anti-pullout boot mount and alignment system, together with the alignment system, allows the skater or technician to quickly identify and correct any changes that occur as a result of impact damage or loose fasteners. Additionally, alignment features allow for quick and easy reproduction of new equipment setups, as well as quick changes and iterations.

This design change also results in the first blades that require no additional mechanical work other than grinding and can be used immediately by athletes when shipped from the manufacturer, significantly reducing labor costs and reducing the chance of damage to the assembly. It is caused by improper fertilization. Other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparent upon consideration of the drawings and the description that follows.

Accordingly, the more important features of the present invention have been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described below and form the subject of the claims that follow.

Many of the objects of the present invention will appear from the following description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, where like reference signs designate corresponding parts in the various drawings.

Before describing at least one embodiment of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited in application to details of construction and arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it should be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concepts underlying the present invention may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the various purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1 is a side view of short track speed skating;
2A is a side elevational view of a long track speed skate showing the hinged “clap arm” mechanism attached to the forefoot portion of the boot.
2B is a side elevational view of a long track speed skate showing the movement of the hinged “clap arm” mechanism.
3 is a perspective view of a maple PB mounting cup (prior art) with alignment marks;
4 is a side elevational view of a boot with a misplaced boot mount showing misalignment of the surface contacts of the mounting cups.
FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of an industry standard boot mount installed in a boot showing occlusion in a retaining feature of the boot mount.
FIG. 5B is a detailed view of FIG. 5A showing occlusion of the retaining feature of the boot mount.
6 is a left elevational view of a fully assembled short track skate blade in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a right side elevational view of a fully assembled short track skate blade in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a front perspective view of a fully assembled short track skate blade assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
9 is an exploded front perspective view of a fully assembled short track skate blade assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a front view of a fully assembled short track skate blade assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a rear elevational view of a fully assembled short track skate blade assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a rear perspective view of a fully assembled short track skate blade assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
13 is a plan view of a fully assembled short track skate blade assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
14 is a bottom view of a fully assembled short track skate blade assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
15 is a partial perspective cross-sectional view showing a skate blade runner slot with consistent flange, variable stiffness flange and adhesive shown throughout the figures;
16 is a partial front elevational view showing a skate blade runner slot with a coherent flange, variable stiffness flange, and adhesive shown throughout the views in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
17 is a perspective view of the front of a skate blade runner slot having a coherent flange, variable stiffness flange, and adhesive in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
18 is a side perspective view of a skate blade runner with glue rivet retaining holes according to one embodiment of the present invention.
19 is an optional perspective view of the side of a skate blade runner with a glue rivet retaining groove in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
20A is an optional perspective view of the side of a skate blade runner with glue rivet retaining divots in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
20B is a perspective detailed side view of a skate blade runner with glue rivet retaining divots in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
21 is a front elevational view of a skate blade runner slot showing adhesive and adhesive pulling features according to one embodiment of the present invention in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
22 is a detailed perspective view of a damping system port with bung plug according to an embodiment of the present invention;
23 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a long track bridge feature with an adjustable/replicable boot mounting system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
24 is a perspective view of a pull-out prevention boot mounting component of a mounting assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
25 is an exploded perspective view of a graduated angular alignment pattern applied to a mounting assembly component according to one embodiment of the present invention.
26 is a partial perspective view of the quick release boot mounting cup.
27 is an exploded view of the quick release boot mounting cup.
28 is a partial perspective view of a quick release boot mounting cup mounted on an anti-pullout boot mount.
29 is an exploded view of a quick release boot mounting cup mounted on an anti-pullout boot mount.
30 is multiple views illustrating another concept for a boot mount plate showing a boot mount cup plate alignment mark feature.
31 is a cross-sectional view showing the quick release boot mounting cup, quick release plate and retaining gib;
Several views representing different potential geometries that can be secured to the quick release plate.
32B is multiple views depicting different potential geometries for retention on quick release plates.
33A is a multiple view showing other potential geometries that can be secured to the quick release plate.
33B is multiple views depicting different potential geometries for retention in a quick release plate.
34A is a multiple view showing other potential geometries that can be secured to the quick release plate.
34B is multiple views depicting other potential geometries for retention on quick release plates.
35A is a multiple view showing other potential geometries that can be secured to the quick release plate.
35B is multiple views depicting other potential geometries for retention on quick release plates.
36A shows several views of other potential geometries that can be secured to the quick release plate.
36B is multiple views depicting other potential geometries for retention on a quick release plate.
37A is multiple views depicting different potential geometries for retention in a quick release plate.
37B is multiple views depicting different potential geometries for retention on a quick release plate.
38A is a multiple view showing other potential geometries that can be secured to the quick release plate.
38B is multiple views depicting different potential geometries for retention on a quick release plate.

The various embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the invention to the described embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover any possible alternatives, modifications and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of an ice skate blade having pre-applied variable curvature, variable stiffness, adhesive retention features, and a modular boot mounting and alignment system is described herein. It should be noted that the articles "a", "an" and "the" used herein include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, a preferred but exemplary embodiment of an ice skate blade with pre-applied variable curvature and a modular boot mounting and alignment system is shown. The skate assembly concept shown can be used with short track skate blades or long track skate blades, examples of which are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A. Skate blades usually consist of a long rail-type support, usually cylindrical tube, called a blade tube, with attachments to facilitate mounting of the blade runner components and mounting points to hold the boot. Blade Tube There is usually a mounting platform called a "cup" or "arm" attached to one side of the blade tube with slots suitable for holding and holding the upper part of the blade or runner and the other side for attaching the blade assembly to the boot. there is. The short track blade and long track blade shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A illustrate one possible embodiment of each type of skate blade that can be bent with a blade bending device. A variety of other types of skate blades, including blades of various configurations, may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. Additionally, blade attachment sections with or without connected runners or attachment components may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The skate blade assembly is shown in an exploded view in FIG. 9 . Tube (1) with runner (3) inserted into variable radius runner mounting slot (5) and held with adhesive (6). The adhesive 6 flows into the adhesive retention feature 4 to form an adhesive rivet that helps secure the runner 3 to the variable radius runner mounting slot 5 . The boot mounting cup (8) is attached with a boot mounting cup fastener (9). The boot mounting cup plate (10) is attached to the anti-pullout boot mount (13) using fasteners (11). The boot mounting cup plate (10) is attached to the boot mounting cup (8) using fasteners (11). The boot position is then adjusted using the boot mount alignment grid 14 and the boot mount plate alignment marks 12.

Currently, the tube 1 of the above embodiment is made of aluminum and machined computer numerical control in the form of an extruded material to minimize waste is considered, but not limited to alloys, plastics, composite materials such as carbon fibers, etc. Other materials and methods are also suitable.

Currently the runner 3 is considered to be made of steel, but other materials are suitable.

Currently the mounting cup 8 or alternatively the long track clap arm, plate 10, boot mount 16 and fixed support 11 are made of aluminum, but other materials are considered suitable.

Currently fasteners 9, 12, 13 and 14 are made of steel and titanium alloys, but other materials are considered suitable.

Although it is currently believed that the boot mounting cup plate 10 can be made in different thicknesses to increase or decrease the effective height of the blade assembly, the height increase can also be achieved by increasing the height of the cup itself while maintaining a thin mounting plate.

We believe that the current adhesive 6 will be a commercially available adhesive suitable for bonding dissimilar metals. Also consider using adhesives with steel-on-steel combinations of blades and tubes. Bonding processes such as those used for aluminum tubing are possible and may be preferred due to the several performance advantages that bonding assemblies offer. This includes but is not limited to impact energy reduction that can reduce blade damage and vibration damping.

We currently think the adhesive retention feature will be a round hole (4) drilled into the runner (3), but other methods including grooves, divots, slots, etc. are suitable to achieve the desired result.

We currently believe that the adhesive pulling feature will be an angled chamfer (7) machined into the top edge of the two flanges (21 and 22) that form one wall of the mounting slot (5), but other methods, including notches, divots, slots, etc., are also desired. suitable for obtaining results.

It is currently contemplated that the variable stiffness flange 21 will be CNC machined to specifications including radius specifications during manufacturing. The variable stiffness flange 21 will have a variable thickness in contrast to the uniform fixed stiffness flange 22 (Figs. 15-17). In addition to the variable stiffness flange 21, this variable stiffness concept can be applied not only to the top of the tube, but also to the circumference of the tube.

It is currently contemplated that the alignment grid and markings on the boot mounting cup/arm (8), plate (10) and mounting block (13) will be laser etched into the aluminum surface s, but these markings could also be included by CNC. Machining, screen printing, surface labeling, etc. or other appropriate means. Graduation marks are also used specifically for the purpose of making installation and alignment procedures a repeatable process and can be designated with letters, numbers or other symbols as appropriate.

Current consideration is to use diamond-like carbon (DLC) to surface coat the runners, but similar results can be achieved with chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), or similar surface finishes.

Thus, a person reading this specification will appreciate that the skate blade assemblies of the various embodiments can be used to provide an assembly that requires minimal setup steps for the end user, which are easy to accomplish and easily repeatable. It is possible, and there is consistency in application.

From the foregoing description, many of the advantages of some embodiments of skate blade assemblies are apparent.

The pre-bent multi-radius slots (5) of the tube (1) make it possible to greatly reduce or eliminate manual bending operations while providing each skater with a preferred bend.

Multiple radii or "complex" pre-installed radii 20 allow for significant reduction or elimination of manual radii/rockering operations. By providing pre-spun blades and tubes with complex radii, consumers can purchase blades and/or tubes that are reasonably close to their desired specifications. This will not only reduce the time and effort required to deliver final changes, but will also bring the metal memory of the blades and tubes closer to the desired specifications than what is currently available on the market.

The removal of the mechanical fixing rivets allows the runner to move within the elastic range of the bonding adhesive during use as well as the minor mechanical bending action that may be required to maintain the bending of the blade over time.

The adhesive rivet resulting from the use of retention feature 4 provides improved retention of the runner in the tube while reducing the weight of the assembly without the negative impact of standard metal rivets previously described. It is currently expected to have four fixing holes, but there may be less than four.

The adhesive pulling feature (7) ensures that any excess adhesive that may be applied during installation of the runner to the tube will flow into the holding area rather than migrate over the sides of the runner surface, which will then be removed by the skater or technician prior to use. Should be.

The use of the boot mounting plate 10 not only makes it easier and faster to replace broken or damaged blades, but also makes it easier and cheaper to adjust the height of the assembly to improve the boot's cornering clearance when the skater is leaning into a corner.

An alignment grid (17) and markings (15) on the mounting cup (8), plate (10), and anti-pull-out boot mount (16) allow skaters to easily align and reproduce boots and blades. If a component needs to be replaced due to wear or damage, you can quickly and easily select your preferred setting.

The micro-adjust feature 13 on the quick release cups allows skaters to have a stable and repeatable setup on every blade.

Although the foregoing description contains many specificities, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments, but merely as providing illustrations of some of a few embodiments. For example, the tube may have other shapes such as round, trapezoidal, triangular, etc.; Mounting cups/arms, plates and anti-pullout boot mounts may likewise have other shapes and the like. Accordingly, the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the given examples.

The damping feature utilizes the tube damping system fill port 18 to allow damping fluid, foam and/or compound to be added to the tube damping system cavity 18 and is retained in the cavity by installing a tube damping system plug.

The anti-pullout boot mount 16 has an angled shape to prevent the mount from being pulled out of the boot shell.

The runner surface coating 24 is 1-5 microns thick, has extremely low friction (0.5-0.6 coefficient of friction), is harder than the steel surface to which it is bonded, and has reduced resistance to sliding wear. Since the surface hardness is very high, the runner surface is polished and the burrs generated during the polishing process are easily removed.

industrial applicability

The present invention may be manufactured and used by industry primarily for use in the ice skating industry. Other industries may also utilize the invention, including but not limited to skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering and other sports.

The following reference numbers are used in the drawings to indicate related elements of the illustrated embodiment.
1. Tube
2. Tube plug
3. Runner
4. Runner Adhesion Retention Feature
5. Variable radius runner mounting slots
6. Glue
7. Adhesive Pulling Feature
8. Boot mount cup
9. Boot mount cup fasteners
10. Boot mount cup plate
11. Boot mount cup retention give
12. Boot Mount Cup Retention Gib Fastener
13. Boot mount cup fine adjustment screw
14. Boot mount cup plate fasteners
15. Boot mount cup plate alignment mark feature
16. Anti-Pullout Boot Mount
17. Boot mount alignment grid feature
18. Tube damping system joint
19. Tube damping system charging port
20. Tube damping system plug
21. Variable stiffness flange
22. Flanges with constant thickness
23. Runner multi-radius rocker

Claims (5)

In the skate blade comprising a runner and a tube,
The skate blade, characterized in that the runner is inserted into the slot of the tube and the slot having a radius gives the runner a radius and forms a curved ice contact surface on the runner. 2. The skate blade according to claim 1, wherein the radius is a complex radius. The skate blade according to claim 1, further comprising a surface coating on the runner. According to claim 1,
a mounting platform that interacts with a mounting platform plate located on the skate boot;
retention give; and
The skate blade of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener that biases the retaining gib against the mounting platform plate to secure the mounting platform to the mounting platform plate. 2. The skate blade according to claim 1, wherein the slot is formed by two opposing flanges, one of which has a variable thickness along its length.

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