Skate
A skate having a skate boot with a non-lasted boot shell, the shell having a first non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell and a second non-lasted three-dimensional sub-shell, the second sub-shell being interior to and adjoining the first sub-shell, the first sub-shell comprising a first material having a first density and the second sub-shell comprising a second material having a second density, the second density being less than the first density, the shell being shaped so as to have a heel portion, an ankle portion, a lateral portion, a medial portion, and a sole portion; and a ground-engaging assembly disposed on an underside of the skate. Additional sub-shells are possible. Methods of manufacturing the skate boot shell, including molding and build-up, are also disclosed.
1. A skate boot configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the skate boot comprising:
a shell including a first sub-shell, the first sub-shell including a first material having a first density, the first sub-shell having a monolithic three-dimensional shape defining a first heel portion, a first ankle portion extending from the first heel portion and configured to overlay an ankle of the wearer, a first lateral portion, a first medial portion, and a first sole portion extending between and connected to the first lateral, medial and heel portions; and
the shell also including a second sub-shell, the second sub-shell having a three-dimensional shape formed separately from the first sub-shell, the second sub-shell being interior to the first sub-shell, the second sub-shell including a second material having a second density less than the first density, the three-dimensional shape of the second sub-shell defining a second heel portion, a second ankle portion extending from the second heel portion and configured to overlay the ankle of the wearer, a second lateral portion and a second medial portion, the second sub-shell being bonded to the first sub-shell by having the first material directly fused to the second material.
2. A skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first material has a first stiffness and the second material has a second stiffness, the second stiffness being less than the first stiffness.
3. A skate boot as a recited in claim 1 , wherein the second material is a foam.
4. A skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first sub-shell has a contoured inner surface and the second sub-shell has a contoured outer surface complimentary with the inner surface of the first sub-shell.
5. A skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first sub-shell is ornamented.
6. A skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first sub-shell has an inner surface and the second sub-shell has an outer surface, the inner surface covering an entirety of the outer surface.
7. A skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first sub-shell and the second sub-shell is of variable thickness.
8. A skate boot as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one reinforcing element associated with the skate to reinforce at least part of the skate.
9. A skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first material is a plastic and the second material is a thermoplastic foam.
10. A skate boot as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a toe cap connected to the shell for protecting toes of a wearer of the skate;
a tongue connected to the toe cap;
a facing connected to the lateral and medial portions of the shell;
a liner disposed within the shell.
11. A skate boot as recited in claim 10 , wherein the facing is more flexible than the skate shell.
12. A skate boot as a recited in claim 1 , wherein the second material is a EPP foam.
13. A skate boot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first material is a plastic or a composite material.
14. A method of manufacturing a skate boot shell of a skate boot for receiving a foot of a wearer, the method comprising:
(i) forming a first three-dimensional sub-shell without using a last including forming a monolithic three-dimensional shape including a first heel portion, a first ankle portion extending from the first heel portion and configured to overlay an ankle of the wearer, a first lateral portion, a first medial portion, and a first sole portion extending between and connected to the first lateral, medial and heel portions, the first sub-shell having an inner surface;
(ii) forming a second three-dimensional sub-shell without using a last, separately from the first sub-shell, including forming a second heel portion, a second ankle portion extending from the second heel portion and configured to overlay an ankle of the wearer, a second lateral portion, and a second medial portion, the second sub-shell having an outer surface registerable with the inner surface of the first sub-shell;
(iii) placing the second sub-shell within an interior of the first sub-shell such that the outer surface of the second sub-shell registers with the inner surface of the first sub-shell; and
(iv) securing the second sub-shell to the first sub-shell by
directly fusing materials of the first and second sub-shells to each other.
15. A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the second sub-shell is injection molded.
16. A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the second material is EPP foam.
17. A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first sub-shell is formed of a first material having a first density and the second sub-shell is formed of a second material having a second density, the second density being less than the first density.
18. A method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the second material is a foam.
19. A method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the first material is a plastic or a composite material.
20. A skate boot configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the skate boot comprising:
a shell including a first sub-shell, the first sub-shell including a first material having a first density, the first sub-shell having a monolithic three-dimensional shape defining a first heel portion, a first ankle portion extending from the first heel portion and configured to overlay an ankle of the wearer, a first lateral portion, a first medial portion, and a first sole portion extending between and connected to the first lateral, medial and heel portions; and
the shell also including a second sub-shell, the second sub-shell having a three-dimensional shape formed separately from the first sub-shell, the second sub-shell being interior to the first sub-shell with the first sub-shell having an inner surface covering an entirety of an outer surface of the second sub-shell, the second sub-shell including a second material having a second density less than the first density, the three-dimensional shape of the second sub-shell defining a second heel portion, a second ankle portion extending from the second heel portion and configured to overlay the ankle of the wearer, a second lateral portion and a second medial portion, the second sub-shell being bonded to the first sub-shell by a chemical fastener.
21. A skate boot as recited in claim 20 , wherein the first material has a first stiffness and the second material has a second stiffness, the second stiffness being less than the first stiffness.
22. A skate boot as a recited in claim 20 , wherein the second material is a foam.
23. A skate boot as recited in claim 20 , wherein the first sub-shell has a contoured inner surface and the second sub-shell has a contoured outer surface complimentary with the inner surface of the first sub-shell.
24. A skate boot as recited in claim 20 , wherein at least one of the first sub-shell and the second sub-shell is of variable thickness.
25. A skate boot as recited in claim 20 , further comprising at least one reinforcing element associated with the skate to reinforce at least part of the skate.
26. A skate boot as recited in claim 20 , wherein the first material is a plastic and the second material is a thermoplastic foam.
27. A skate boot as a recited in claim 20 , wherein the second material is a EPP foam.
28. A skate boot as recited in claim 20 , wherein the first material is a plastic or a composite material.