CA2175099C - Ice skate boot impact protector - Google Patents
Ice skate boot impact protector Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2175099C CA2175099C CA002175099A CA2175099A CA2175099C CA 2175099 C CA2175099 C CA 2175099C CA 002175099 A CA002175099 A CA 002175099A CA 2175099 A CA2175099 A CA 2175099A CA 2175099 C CA2175099 C CA 2175099C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- boot
- protector
- toe
- margin
- ankle
- 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.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
- 230000001012 protector Effects 0.000 title claims description 12
- 241001539342 Dicerocaryum zanguebarium Species 0.000 claims abstract description 14
- 210000003423 ankle Anatomy 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 229920001778 nylon Polymers 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000002985 plastic film Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 abstract description 2
- 210000002683 foot Anatomy 0.000 description 12
- 208000014674 injury Diseases 0.000 description 6
- 230000008733 trauma Effects 0.000 description 4
- 208000027418 Wounds and injury Diseases 0.000 description 2
- 230000006378 damage Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000004568 cement Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002991 molded plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B5/00—Footwear for sporting purposes
- A43B5/18—Attachable overshoes for sporting purposes
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63C—SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
- A63C3/00—Accessories for skates
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
- Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)
- Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)
Abstract
A boot protector is disclosed specifically adapted to overcover the boot portion of an ice skate and hence, protect the foot of the wearer, from impact as from hockey pucks and the like, the boot having a toe, heel and interconnecting instep which includes opposite side boot walls and an upper boot instep surface, the boot protector adapted to flexibly overcover and to adhere to the contour of the boot.
Particularly, the boot cover has a plurality of spatially disposed rigid elements like plastic which offer the impact protection to the boot.
Particularly, the boot cover has a plurality of spatially disposed rigid elements like plastic which offer the impact protection to the boot.
Description
q 9 lC~ SKA'l'~ ~O~'l' lMPACrll Pl~O'l'~
This invention relates to an ice skate boot impact protector.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
In the qame of ice hockey, the players are subjected to impacts caused by other player's sticks or a flying puck. Players are, for the most part, already adequately protected from these impacts by protective equipment designed to prevent injury to a specific part of the body helmets, shin pads, elbow pads, neck protectors and the like.
One area which is subject to trauma and has not been effectively protected is the ice skate (hockey) boot which carries the ice engaging blade and into which the player's foot is bound. Trauma to the player's foot takes place either when the hockey puck impacts on the ice skate boot during play, or by another player quickly moving his stick; intentionally; or, not intentionally!
Injuries to the feet and ankles of ice hockey players, on-ice officials (referees and linesmen) and even to coaches durinq practices are common as a result of impacts caused by hockey sticks and by pucks which have been propelled at very high rates of speed.
The primary source of ~rotection to the foot of a hockey player is the padded ice skate boot itself. The amount of paddinq that can be added to the skate boot is limited however by the need to be able to tie the foot into the boot. Therefore, the only feasible method of increasing the degree of protection is by adding an external pad to the skate boot after it has already been tied.
Previous attempts at external skate boot protectors have been plagued by being cumbersome, heavy or time-consumin~ to put on. Two examples of such cumbersome external skate boot ~rotectors are demonstrated by U.S.
Patent No. 3,60~,145 issued 23 April, 1994 to 2 1 ~ 9 CZEISZPERGER for a SKATE SHOE GUARD. In that invention, a guard covers the toe and only the ankle portion of the skate boot by means of an inteqrally molded plastic body having a portion adapted to enclose the toe, an inteqral side portion which follows closely the contour of at least one of the sides and overcovers partially around the heel. Though relatively easy to put on, it does not provide adequate protection for the instep of the foot. In U.S. Patent No. 5,234,230 issued 10 August, 1993 to CRANE et al., he discloses an ankle and foot protective device for attachment to a skate which in one embodimen~ just provides protection for the lateral inside and outside portions of the foot from heel to toe but again provides no adeguate protection for the instep.
It is an object of the invention to provide an ice skate boot impact protector to protect the instep and inner and outer sides of the foot by overcovering a skate boot in that respect.
It is a further obJect of the invention to provide an ice skate boot impact protector which is li~ht, stron~ and capable of beinq attached to the skate in a matter of a few seconds. The hexagonal inserts allow for six-way flexibility. The Velcro~ strips make attaching the device on top of the skate very easy.
TllE INVENTION
I have conceived of an ice skate boot impact, or foot trauma protector, particularly suited to entwine over and around an ice skate boot which is worn by a hockey player. The incidents of trauma to the player's foot and ankle would be substantially reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIP'rION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described by way of example and reference to the accompanyinq drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the novel protector;
21 75~99 Figure 2 is a partially broken away view of the components of the protector;
Figure 3 is a perspective of the protector enclosed around the boot portion (shown in phantom) of the ice skate.
THE PREFER~ED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figure 1, the boot impact protector (10) is shaped as an integral rectangular-trapezoidal flexible piece (11) consisting of upper and lower fabric cover sheets (12) and (14). Interspaced therebetween are a plurality of, preferably hexagonally shape of thin riqid material such as metal or preferably plastic members (15) spatially disposed with intervening margins (16) therebetween and secured, not shown, as by cement or other means, such as stitching between the upper and lower sheets (12) and (14) alonq the interspatial margins (16) to secure the members (15) into position. If the sheet (12) and (14) are of a flexible material or covering such as ballistic nylon, the same will flex and fold over the contour of an ice skate boot in the fashion sllown in Figure 3.
The integral rectanqular-trapezoidal flexible piece (11) is shown in the flat top plan view, Figure 1 and consists of a rectangular segment (21) integral with a trapezoidal segment (22). The rectangular segment (21) has alon4 its rearward lateral end (23) a hook, or a loop, strip (23) commonly known as Velcro~ and is adapted to mate to a corresponding hook and loop strip (24) positioned along the angular edge of the trapezoidal segment (22) interconnected by an arcuate upper marqin (27) extending between upper ends of the strips (23) and (24). ~'he strips (23) and (24) form on closing a vertical seam (25) from top to bottom while the arcuate margin (27) defines an ankle accommodating openinq (26) about the ankle of the boot. The enwrapped protector (10), now takes on the configuration of Figure 3 whereupon the rearward ~ 1 7~099 portion (21) overcovers the heel portion of the ice skate boot and hence, does not require any of the insert members (15) since the heel portion of the boot normally has enouqh protection. Opposite to the ankle encirclinq arcuate edqe (27j is a toe V-shaped edge (26) which forms the toe marginal portion, when the boot protector (10) is enwrapped about the boot, as in Figure 3. The toe marqin (26) of the p~otector (10) is secured onto the skate boot by one edge of the marqin extendinq into a lonq Velcro~ strip (2~) which is adapted to enwrap underneath the sole of the boot along the ball foot portion of the boot to attached to a correspo~dinq velcro~ strip (29) at the opposite end of the toe margin (26).
This invention relates to an ice skate boot impact protector.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
In the qame of ice hockey, the players are subjected to impacts caused by other player's sticks or a flying puck. Players are, for the most part, already adequately protected from these impacts by protective equipment designed to prevent injury to a specific part of the body helmets, shin pads, elbow pads, neck protectors and the like.
One area which is subject to trauma and has not been effectively protected is the ice skate (hockey) boot which carries the ice engaging blade and into which the player's foot is bound. Trauma to the player's foot takes place either when the hockey puck impacts on the ice skate boot during play, or by another player quickly moving his stick; intentionally; or, not intentionally!
Injuries to the feet and ankles of ice hockey players, on-ice officials (referees and linesmen) and even to coaches durinq practices are common as a result of impacts caused by hockey sticks and by pucks which have been propelled at very high rates of speed.
The primary source of ~rotection to the foot of a hockey player is the padded ice skate boot itself. The amount of paddinq that can be added to the skate boot is limited however by the need to be able to tie the foot into the boot. Therefore, the only feasible method of increasing the degree of protection is by adding an external pad to the skate boot after it has already been tied.
Previous attempts at external skate boot protectors have been plagued by being cumbersome, heavy or time-consumin~ to put on. Two examples of such cumbersome external skate boot ~rotectors are demonstrated by U.S.
Patent No. 3,60~,145 issued 23 April, 1994 to 2 1 ~ 9 CZEISZPERGER for a SKATE SHOE GUARD. In that invention, a guard covers the toe and only the ankle portion of the skate boot by means of an inteqrally molded plastic body having a portion adapted to enclose the toe, an inteqral side portion which follows closely the contour of at least one of the sides and overcovers partially around the heel. Though relatively easy to put on, it does not provide adequate protection for the instep of the foot. In U.S. Patent No. 5,234,230 issued 10 August, 1993 to CRANE et al., he discloses an ankle and foot protective device for attachment to a skate which in one embodimen~ just provides protection for the lateral inside and outside portions of the foot from heel to toe but again provides no adeguate protection for the instep.
It is an object of the invention to provide an ice skate boot impact protector to protect the instep and inner and outer sides of the foot by overcovering a skate boot in that respect.
It is a further obJect of the invention to provide an ice skate boot impact protector which is li~ht, stron~ and capable of beinq attached to the skate in a matter of a few seconds. The hexagonal inserts allow for six-way flexibility. The Velcro~ strips make attaching the device on top of the skate very easy.
TllE INVENTION
I have conceived of an ice skate boot impact, or foot trauma protector, particularly suited to entwine over and around an ice skate boot which is worn by a hockey player. The incidents of trauma to the player's foot and ankle would be substantially reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIP'rION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described by way of example and reference to the accompanyinq drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the novel protector;
21 75~99 Figure 2 is a partially broken away view of the components of the protector;
Figure 3 is a perspective of the protector enclosed around the boot portion (shown in phantom) of the ice skate.
THE PREFER~ED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figure 1, the boot impact protector (10) is shaped as an integral rectangular-trapezoidal flexible piece (11) consisting of upper and lower fabric cover sheets (12) and (14). Interspaced therebetween are a plurality of, preferably hexagonally shape of thin riqid material such as metal or preferably plastic members (15) spatially disposed with intervening margins (16) therebetween and secured, not shown, as by cement or other means, such as stitching between the upper and lower sheets (12) and (14) alonq the interspatial margins (16) to secure the members (15) into position. If the sheet (12) and (14) are of a flexible material or covering such as ballistic nylon, the same will flex and fold over the contour of an ice skate boot in the fashion sllown in Figure 3.
The integral rectanqular-trapezoidal flexible piece (11) is shown in the flat top plan view, Figure 1 and consists of a rectangular segment (21) integral with a trapezoidal segment (22). The rectangular segment (21) has alon4 its rearward lateral end (23) a hook, or a loop, strip (23) commonly known as Velcro~ and is adapted to mate to a corresponding hook and loop strip (24) positioned along the angular edge of the trapezoidal segment (22) interconnected by an arcuate upper marqin (27) extending between upper ends of the strips (23) and (24). ~'he strips (23) and (24) form on closing a vertical seam (25) from top to bottom while the arcuate margin (27) defines an ankle accommodating openinq (26) about the ankle of the boot. The enwrapped protector (10), now takes on the configuration of Figure 3 whereupon the rearward ~ 1 7~099 portion (21) overcovers the heel portion of the ice skate boot and hence, does not require any of the insert members (15) since the heel portion of the boot normally has enouqh protection. Opposite to the ankle encirclinq arcuate edqe (27j is a toe V-shaped edge (26) which forms the toe marginal portion, when the boot protector (10) is enwrapped about the boot, as in Figure 3. The toe marqin (26) of the p~otector (10) is secured onto the skate boot by one edge of the marqin extendinq into a lonq Velcro~ strip (2~) which is adapted to enwrap underneath the sole of the boot along the ball foot portion of the boot to attached to a correspo~dinq velcro~ strip (29) at the opposite end of the toe margin (26).
Claims (8)
1. A boot protector especially suited for overcovering the boot portion of an ice skate, the boot having a toe, and heel, and an interconnecting instep which includes opposite side boot walls and an upper boot instep surface, the boot protector comprising:
(a) a flexible irregularly shaped pentagon comprising an upper and lower flexible sheet constraining therebetween spatially disposed rigid members, having an upper ankle margin arcuately shaped and adapted to traverse around the ankle of the boot, an opposite straight margin adapted to traverse along each opposite side boot wall, each merging with a forward arcuate toe margin adapted to traverse over the toe of the skate boot; and (b) means for removingly affixing the boot protector to the boot;
(a) a flexible irregularly shaped pentagon comprising an upper and lower flexible sheet constraining therebetween spatially disposed rigid members, having an upper ankle margin arcuately shaped and adapted to traverse around the ankle of the boot, an opposite straight margin adapted to traverse along each opposite side boot wall, each merging with a forward arcuate toe margin adapted to traverse over the toe of the skate boot; and (b) means for removingly affixing the boot protector to the boot;
2. The boot protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rigid members are shaped as hexagons.
3. The boot protector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rigid members are plastic sheet elements.
4. The boot protector as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the flexible sheets is a fabric with stitching, disposed between the rigid members, and extending between the upper fabric sheet and the lower fabric sheet.
5. The boot protector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fabric sheet is ballistic nylon.
6. The boot protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein ends of the ankle margin extend to ends of the opposite straight margin and define fasteners therebetween so that the protector may be secured about the ankle of the boot.
7. The boot protector as claimed in claim 6, including means at opposite ends of the toe margin for securing the ends to the opposite ends of the toe of the boot.
8. The boot protector as claimed in claim 6, including a longitudinal element extending from one end of the toe margin and to extend beneath the sole of the boot to the opposite end of the toe margin including toe margin securing means for attachment to the same.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002175099A CA2175099C (en) | 1996-04-26 | 1996-04-26 | Ice skate boot impact protector |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002175099A CA2175099C (en) | 1996-04-26 | 1996-04-26 | Ice skate boot impact protector |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2175099A1 CA2175099A1 (en) | 1997-10-27 |
| CA2175099C true CA2175099C (en) | 2000-02-15 |
Family
ID=4158080
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002175099A Expired - Fee Related CA2175099C (en) | 1996-04-26 | 1996-04-26 | Ice skate boot impact protector |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2175099C (en) |
-
1996
- 1996-04-26 CA CA002175099A patent/CA2175099C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2175099A1 (en) | 1997-10-27 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |