Skate
A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a user (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the user and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface. The skate boot may be constructed by molding (e.g., injection molding) so as to have useful performance and/or characteristics (e.g., reduced weight; enhanced fit, comfort and range of motion; enhanced appearance; etc.) while being cost-effectively manufactured.
1. 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 defining a cavity to receive a foot of a user, the skate boot comprising:
a. a monolithic body comprising an ankle portion to receive an ankle of the user, a heel portion to receive a heel of the user's foot, a medial side portion to face a medial side of the user's foot, and a lateral side portion to face a lateral side of the user's foot, the monolithic body being injection molded such that the ankle portion, the heel portion, the medial side portion and the lateral side portion are injection molded together and integral with one another; and
b. a texture integrally formed with the monolithic body and simulating an appearance of a composite material.
2. The skate boot of claim 1 , wherein the composite material a fiber-reinforced polymeric material.
3. The skate boot of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced polymeric material is a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic.
4. The skate boot of claim 1 , wherein the texture is part of an external surface of the skate boot.
5. The skate boot of claim 1 , wherein the texture is molded during molding of at least part of the monolithic body.
6. A skate comprising:
a. a skate boot defining a cavity to receive a foot of a user, the skate boot comprising:
a monolithic body comprising an ankle portion to receive an ankle of the user, a heel portion to receive a heel of the user's foot, a medial side portion to face a medial side of the user's foot, a lateral side portion to face a lateral side of the user's foot, and a sole portion to face a plantar surface of the user's foot, the monolithic body being injection molded such that the ankle portion, the heel portion, the medial side portion, the lateral side portion, and the sole portion are injection molded together and integral with one another, a thickness of the monolithic body varying, the thickness of an upper part of the monolithic body being greater than the thickness of a lower part of the monolithic body; and
lacing holes to receive a lace and extending through the monolithic body; and
b. a skating device disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface;
wherein at least part of the upper part of the monolithic body is part of at least one of the ankle portion, the heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side portion, and at least part of the lower part of the monolithic body is part of at least one of the ankle portion, the heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side portion.
7. The skate of claim 6 , wherein upper ones of the lacing holes extend through the upper part of the monolithic body and lower ones of the lacing holes extend through the lower part of the monolithic body.
8. The skate of claim 6 , wherein the upper part of the monolithic body includes a part of the ankle portion and the lower part of the monolithic body includes respective parts of the medial side portion and the lateral side portion.
9. The skate of claim 6 , wherein the upper part of the monolithic body is stiffer than the lower part of the monolithic body to facilitate forward flex of the user's ankle by opposing overtightening of the ankle portion about the user's ankle and to facilitate tightening of the medial side portion and the lateral side portion about an instep of the user's foot.
10. The skate of claim 6 , wherein the skate boot comprises a toe portion to enclose toes of the user's foot, the toe portion being separate from the monolithic body and assembled to the monolithic body.
11. The skate of claim 6 , wherein the skate is an ice skate and the skating device comprises a blade holder and a blade.
12. A skate comprising:
a. a skate boot defining a cavity to receive a foot of a user, the skate boot comprising:
a monolithic body comprising an ankle portion to receive an ankle of the user, a heel portion to receive a heel of the user's foot, a medial side portion to face a medial side of the user's foot, a lateral side portion to face a lateral side of the user's foot, and a sole portion to face a plantar surface of the user's foot, the monolithic body being injection molded such that the ankle portion, the heel portion, the medial side portion, the lateral side portion, and the sole portion are injection molded together and integral with one another, the monolithic body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface defining a thickness of the monolithic body, the outer surface of at least one of: the ankle portion; the heel portion; the medial side portion; and the lateral side portion of the monolithic body comprising a plurality of projections such that the thickness of the monolithic body at a given one of the plurality of projections is greater than at another part of the monolithic body; and
lacing holes to receive a lace and extending through the monolithic body; and
b. a skating device disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface.
13. The skate of claim 12 , wherein upper ones of the lacing holes extend through an upper part of the monolithic body and lower ones of the lacing holes extend through a lower part of the monolithic body.
14. The skate of claim 12 , wherein an upper part of the monolithic body includes a part of the ankle portion and a lower part of the monolithic body includes respective parts of the medial side portion and the lateral side portion.
15. The skate of claim 12 , wherein an upper part of the monolithic body is stiffer than a lower part of the monolithic body to facilitate forward flex of the user's ankle by opposing overtightening of the ankle portion about the user's ankle and to facilitate tightening of the medial side portion and the lateral side portion about an instep of the user's foot.
16. The skate of claim 12 , wherein the skate boot comprises a toe portion to enclose toes of the user's foot, the toe portion being separate from the monolithic body and assembled to the monolithic body.
17. The skate of claim 12 , wherein the monolithic body comprises a mark created while the monolithic body is injection molded.
18. The skate of claim 17 , wherein the mark is a logo.
19. The skate of claim 17 , wherein the mark is a positional marker to position a component of the skate on the monolithic body.
20. The skate of claim 17 , wherein the skate boot comprises a graphical element applied onto the mark.
21. The skate of claim 17 , where the mark comprises the plurality of projections of the monolithic body.
22. The skate of claim 17 , where the mark comprises a recess.
23. The skate of claim 12 , wherein the skate is an ice skate and the skating device comprises a blade holder and a blade.