ATHLETIC GEAR OR OTHER WEARABLE ARTICLES COMPRISING AN EXPANDABLE USER-ENGAGING STRUCTURE
A wearable article such as an article of athletic gear (e.g., a skate, an article of protective athletic equipment such as a helmet, etc.) wearable by a user and comprising an expandable user-engaging structure that is configured to be expanded (e.g., by heat or another stimulus) after manufacturing of the wearable article to conform it to the user or otherwise improve a fit of the wearable article on the user.
1 . A wearable article for wearing by a user, the wearable article comprising an expandable user-engaging structure configured to expand to conform to the user, the expandable user-engaging structure comprising an expandable material.
2 . (canceled)
3 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein an expansion ratio of the expandable user-engaging structure is at least 1.3.
4 . (canceled)
5 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein an expansion ratio of the expandable user-engaging structure is at least 1.7.
6 . (canceled)
7 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the expandable material is a cellular material
8 . The wearable article of claim 7 , wherein the cellular material is a foam.
9 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the expandable material includes a mixture of a polymeric substance and an expansion agent.
10 . (canceled)
11 . (canceled)
12 . (canceled)
13 . The wearable article of claim 9 , wherein the polymeric substance comprises polyurethane.
14 . (canceled)
15 . (canceled)
16 . (canceled)
17 . (canceled)
18 . The wearable article of claim 9 , wherein the expansion agent comprises expandable microspheres.
19 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the expandable material is molded by a mold to impart an initial shape of the expandable material.
20 . The wearable article of claim 19 , wherein the expandable material is compressed during molding into the initial shape of the expandable material.
21 . The wearable article of claim 20 , wherein a pre-molding dimension of the expandable material prior to molding is larger than a post-molding dimension of the expandable material after molding.
22 . The wearable article of claim 21 , wherein a ratio of the pre-molding dimension of the expandable material over the post-molding dimension of the expandable material is at least 1.1.
23 . (canceled)
24 . The wearable article of claim 21 , wherein a ratio of the pre-molding dimension of the expandable material over the post-molding dimension of the expandable material is at least 1.3.
25 . (canceled)
26 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the expandable user-engaging structure is configured to expand in response to heating of the expandable material.
27 . The wearable article of claim 26 , wherein expansion temperature of the expandable material is at least 50° C.
28 . (canceled)
29 . (canceled)
30 . (canceled)
31 . The wearable article of claim 26 , wherein an expansion temperature of the expandable material is no more than 150° C.
32 . (canceled)
33 . The wearable article of claim 1 , comprising an outer cover and a liner that comprises the expandable user-engaging structure.
34 . The wearable article of claim 33 , wherein the outer cover is an outer shell that is stiffer than the liner.
35 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the expandable material comprises a user-engaging surface to contact the user.
36 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the expandable user-engaging structure comprises a lining that overlies the expandable material and includes at least part of a user-engaging surface to contact the user.
37 . (canceled)
38 . The wearable article of claim 36 , wherein the lining is deformable to accommodate expansion of the expandable material.
39 . The wearable article of claim 38 , wherein the lining is stretchable to accommodate expansion of the expandable material.
40 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the expandable material is a first expandable material and the expandable user-engaging structure comprises a second expandable material different from the first expandable material.
41 . (canceled)
42 . The wearable article of claim 40 , wherein the first expandable material is more expandable than the second expandable material.
43 . (canceled)
44 . (canceled)
45 . The wearable article of claim 40 , wherein the first expandable material and the second expandable material overlap.
46 . The wearable article of claim 26 , comprising a heater for generating heat to expand the expandable user-engaging structure.
47 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the expandable user-engaging structure comprises a retainer and a plurality of expandable elements that are attached to the retainer and include respective portions of the expandable material.
48 . (canceled)
49 . (canceled)
50 . (canceled)
51 . (canceled)
52 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the wearable article is an article of athletic gear.
53 . The wearable article of claim 52 , wherein the article of athletic gear is a skate.
54 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the wearable article is footwear.
55 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the wearable article is headgear.
56 . The wearable article of claim 55 , wherein the headgear is a helmet.
57 . The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the wearable article is an article of protective gear to protect the user.
58 . (canceled)
59 . (canceled)
60 . (canceled)
61 . (canceled)
62 . A skate boot for a skate, the skate comprising a skating device disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface, the skate boot comprising:
a cavity to receive a foot of a user; and
an expandable user-engaging structure configured to expand to conform to the user's foot, the expandable user-engaging structure comprising an expandable material.
63 . The skate boot of claim 62 , wherein the expandable user-engaging structure comprises a heel portion for receiving a heel of the user's foot.
64 . The skate boot of claim 62 , wherein the expandable user-engaging structure comprises an ankle portion for receiving an ankle of the user.
65 . The skate boot of claim 62 , wherein the expandable user-engaging structure comprises medial and lateral side portions for respectively facing medial and lateral sides of the user's foot.
66 . The skate boot of claim 62 , wherein the expandable user-engaging structure comprises a toe portion for receiving toes of the user's foot.
67 . The skate boot of claim 62 , wherein the expandable user-engaging structure comprises a sole portion for facing a plantar surface of the user's foot.
68 . (canceled)
69 . (canceled)
70 . (canceled)
71 . (canceled)
72 . (canceled)
73 . A skate comprising the skate boot of claim 62 .
74 . (canceled)
75 . Footwear comprising:
a cavity to receive a foot of a user; and
an expandable user-engaging structure configured to expand to conform to the user's foot, the expandable user-engaging structure comprising an expandable material.
76 . (canceled)