Laminate quarter panel for a skate boot and skate boot formed therewith

1. A laminate skate boot having a heel portion, the skate boot comprising:

a thermo-shaped laminate quarter panel, the laminate quarter panel forming, at least in part, a quarter of the skate boot;

the laminate quarter panel having a concave heel section in the heel portion of the skate boot, the concave heel section defining a heel pocket configured for accommodating a heel of a wearer of the boot; and

a rigid element within the laminate quarter panel, the rigid element bordering at least part of the concave heel section without extending in the heel pocket, an area of the laminate quarter panel including the rigid element having a greater rigidity than an area of the concave heel section defining the heel pocket.

2. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the rigid element includes a fiber-reinforced polymeric element.

3. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 2 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymeric element is a laminate element that includes a non-fiber reinforced polymeric layer.

4. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 3 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymeric element is positioned on the heel portion of the skate boot and extends downwardly and forwardly from the heel portion on a lateral side of the skate boot and extends downwardly and forwardly from the heel portion on a medial side of the skate boot.

5. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 4 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymeric element is thermo-shaped.

6. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 3 , further comprising a thermo-shaped polymeric foam layer towards the interior of the skate boot, and a first thermo-shaped polymeric material layer exteriorly of the polymeric foam layer; and wherein the fiber-reinforced element is affixed to at least one of the polymeric foam layer and the first polymeric material layer.

7. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 3 , further comprising

a thermo-shaped polymeric foam layer towards the interior of the skate boot,

a reinforcement layer exteriorly of the polymeric foam layer,

a first thermo-shaped polymeric material layer exteriorly of the reinforcement layer, and

a second thermo-shaped polymeric material layer exteriorly of the first polymeric material layer; and

wherein the fiber-reinforced element is affixed to at least one of the first polymeric material layer and the second polymeric material layer.

8. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 2 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer element is a laminate element that includes a fiber layer sandwiched between two non-fiber reinforced polymeric layers.

9. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the rigid element is positioned on the heel portion of the skate boot and extends downwardly and forwardly from the heel portion on a lateral side of the skate boot and extends downwardly and forwardly from the heel portion on a medial side of the skate boot.

10. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymeric element is thermo-shaped.

11. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a thermo-shaped polymeric foam layer towards the interior of the skate boot, and a first thermo-shaped polymeric material layer exteriorly of the polymeric foam layer; and wherein the rigid element is affixed to at least one of the polymeric foam layer and the first polymeric material layer.

12. The laminate skate boot as recited in claim 1 , further comprising

a thermo-shaped polymeric foam layer towards the interior of the skate boot,

a reinforcement layer exteriorly of the polymeric foam layer,

a first thermo-shaped polymeric material layer exteriorly of the reinforcement layer, and

a second thermo-shaped polymeric material layer exteriorly of the first polymeric material layer; and

wherein the rigid element is affixed to at least one of the first polymeric material layer and the second polymeric material layer.

13. A laminate quarter panel for use in fabricating a skate boot, the laminate quarter panel comprising:

a rigid element within the laminate quarter panel, the laminate quarter panel including a heel section defining a heel pocket configured for accommodating a heel of a wearer, the rigid element bordering at least part of the heel section without extending the heel pocket, an area of the laminate quarter panel including the rigid element having a greater rigidity than an area of the heel section of the laminate quarter panel defining the heel pocket.

14. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 13 , wherein the rigid element includes a fiber-reinforced polymeric element.

15. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 14 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymeric element is a laminate element that includes a non-fiber reinforced polymeric layer.

16. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 15 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymeric element is bordering an upper portion of the heel section and extends downwardly and away from the upper portion of the heel section on one side of the heel section and extends downwardly and away from the upper portion of the heel section on the other side of the heel section.

17. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 16 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymeric element is thermo-shapable.

18. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 15 , further comprising a thermo-shapable polymeric foam layer and a first thermo-shaped polymeric material layer; and wherein the fiber-reinforced element is affixed to at least one of the polymeric foam layer and the first polymeric material layer.

19. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 15 , further comprising

a thermo-shapable polymeric foam layer,

a reinforcement layer adjacent the polymeric foam layer,

a first thermo-shapable polymeric material layer adjacent a side of the reinforcement layer opposite the thermo-shapable polymeric foam layer, and

a second thermo-shapable polymeric material layer adjacent a side of the first polymeric material layer opposite the reinforcement layer;

wherein the fiber-reinforced element is affixed to at least one of the first polymeric material layer and the second polymeric material layer.

20. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 14 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer element is a laminate element that includes a fiber layer sandwiched between two non-fiber reinforced polymeric layers.

21. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 13 , wherein the rigid element is bordering an upper portion of the heel section and extends downwardly and away from the upper portion of the heel section on one side of the heel section and extends downwardly and away from the upper portion of the heel section on the other side of the heel section.

22. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 13 , wherein the rigid element is thermo-shapable.

23. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 13 , further comprising a thermo-shapable polymeric foam layer and a first thermo-shaped polymeric material layer; and wherein the rigid element is affixed to at least one of the polymeric foam layer and the first polymeric material layer.

24. The laminate quarter panel as recited in claim 13 , further comprising

a thermo-shapable polymeric foam layer,

a reinforcement layer adjacent the polymeric foam layer,

a first thermo-shapable polymeric material layer adjacent a side of the reinforcement layer opposite the thermo-shapable polymeric foam layer, and

a second thermo-shapable polymeric material layer adjacent a side of the first polymeric material layer opposite the reinforcement layer;

wherein the rigid element is affixed to at least one of the first polymeric material layer and the second polymeric material layer.