U.S. patent application number 10/648228 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-13 for adjustable hockey skate blade system.
Invention is credited to Crowder, Troy Stacey.
Application Number | 20040090023 10/648228 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31983605 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040090023 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Crowder, Troy Stacey |
May 13, 2004 |
Adjustable hockey skate blade system
Abstract
A hockey skate includes a system for adjusting the position of a
blade holder on the sole of a hockey skate. The system allows for
both toe in and toe out adjustment as well as movement relative to
the centerline. The system allows a player to try various positions
and determine which positions produce superior skating performance
relative to his foot, ankle and leg alignment.
Inventors: |
Crowder, Troy Stacey;
(Naughton, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DENNISON ASSOCIATES
133 RICHMOND STREET WEST
SUITE 301
TORONTO
ON
M5H 2L7
CA
|
Family ID: |
31983605 |
Appl. No.: |
10/648228 |
Filed: |
August 27, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/11.15 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63C 1/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/011.15 |
International
Class: |
A63C 001/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 27, 2002 |
CA |
2.399.880 |
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A hockey skate comprising a boot, a blade holder, a blade
received in said blade holder and an adjustable arrangement for
altering the attachment orientation of said blade holder to said
boot; said blade holder including an outwardly extending toe flange
and an outwardly extending heel flange; said adjustable arrangement
securing said outwardly extending toe flange and said outwardly
extending heel flange of said blade holder to said boot; said
adjustable arrangement engaging said outwardly extending flanges of
said blade holder in one of a plurality of positions where each
position has a different position of the blade relative to a
centerline of the boot.
2. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adjustable
arrangement includes a series of releasable fasteners passing
through ports in said blade holder and engaging said boot to secure
said holder to said boot.
3. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 2 wherein said holder has a
plurality of elongate slots in said toe flange to accommodate a
series of toe in and toe out positions.
4. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 3 wherein said blade holder
has a plurality of elongate slots in said heel flange to
accommodate a series of heel in heel out positions.
5. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of said
flanges has at least 4 slots.
6. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adjustable
arrangement includes a clamping arrangement for each flange to
engage said holder in any of said positions.
7. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 6 wherein each clamping
arrangement includes a first component secured to said holder with
said first component received in a second component secured to said
boot.
8. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first
component is a plate received in a slot of said second component
along an edge portion of said first component and to the exterior
of said blade holder to be accessible on a sole of said boot.
9. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blade holder
is of an injectable moldable material.
10. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blade holder
is of a reinforced composite plastic material.
11. A hockey skate comprising a boot, a blade holder, a blade
received in said blade holder and an adjustable arrangement for
adjustably securing said blade holder to said boot in one of a
series of positions where each position alters the relationship of
the blade relative to the centerline of the boot.
12. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 11 wherein said adjustable
arrangement can be adjusted with said skate being worn by a
user.
13. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 11 wherein said adjustable
arrangement includes a front and rear worm drive associated with
pedestals of said blade holder.
14. A hockey skate as claimed in claim 13 wherein said worm drives
are accessible to the exterior of the pedestals.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention provides a system which allows
adjustment of the position of the hockey blade holder relative to a
hockey skate boot to accommodate the physical requirements of the
specific skater.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Hockey skate design has been dominated by a skate system
where a skate boot has a molded blade holder attached thereto with
the holder extending downwardly from the skate. A replaceable skate
blade is received in a slot on the bottom surface of the holder.
The TUUK.TM. blade holder, manufactured by Canstar Sports Inc., is
one example of this type of system. However, similar systems are
offered by Easton.TM., CCM.TM. and others. The molded plastic blade
holder includes a front hollow pedestal portion and a rear hollow
pedestal portion which extend downwardly from the sole of the boot.
Each pedestal includes a securing arrangement which cooperates with
the downwardly opening slot for fastening of the skate blade. The
pedestals taper outwardly towards the sole of the skate boot. The
blade holder is secured to the sole of the boot at a number of
peripheral points in an outwardly extending flange of each
pedestal. Typically the blade holder is secured by rivets which
pass through ports in the flange of each of the pedestals or by a
fastener having a diameter corresponding to the hole diameter
provided in the flange. The outward securing of the pedestals near
the periphery of the sole of the skate boot provides a mechanical
advantage in distributing the forces which are transmitted through
the skate boot to the skate blade. These forces can be quite large
and have a variety of different directions due to the speed and
sudden changes in direction common in hockey, due to its
unpredictable nature. In addition to the high forces the skate
system must endure due to the skating action, there are also forces
in hockey as a result of collisions with the puck the boards and/or
players or other player's equipment.
[0003] The downward tapering of the pedestals from the sole of the
boot to the skate blade helps to redirect the puck and a gap is
there to give stability to each of the pedestals.
[0004] Many hockey skates are sold as a complete system with the
holder and blade already attached to the hockey boot at the time of
manufacture. In more expensive hockey skates the users can select
the particular hockey skate boot and then match it with a desired
holder and blade. Hockey skate holders are typically secured to the
skate boot in a centered and aligned orientation. Forward and
rearward balance on the skates can be controlled by custom blade
sharpening to changing the shape of the lower surface of the blade
which contacts the ice. Some players prefer a highly curved surface
which is desirable for rapid turning whereas others are more
interested in speed and balance and have a large flat portion
between a front curved portion and a rear curved portion.
[0005] This type of adjustment has been found by the inventor to be
inadequate and does not address the widely ranging physical
attributes of different hockey players. As can be appreciated
hockey players can be pigeon toed, duck footed, knock kneed or
bowlegged. Some of these conditions are caused or exaggerated by
having flat feet or fallen arches.
[0006] The inventor has found considerable performance improvement
is achieved by providing a system which allows the individual
hockey player to tailor the particular securement of the blade
system to a hockey boot to meet his particular needs. These
adjustments can include offsets either side of a center line of the
hockey skate and it can also include toe in or toe out adjustments
as well heel in and heel out adjustments. Some approximate
adjustments of the position of the blade holder can be carried out
in a pro-shop however, final adjustment typically requires the
actual use by the player.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0007] A hockey skate according to the present invention comprises
a boot, a blade holder, a blade received in the blade holder and an
adjustable arrangement for altering the attachment position of the
blade holder to the boot. The adjustable arrangement engages
outwardly extending flanges of the boot holder in one of a
plurality of positions where each of these positions has a
different orientation of the blade relative to a centerline of the
boot.
[0008] According to an aspect of the invention the adjustable
arrangement includes a series of releasable fasteners passing
through ports in the blade holder and releasably engage the boot to
secure the holder to the boot.
[0009] In yet a further aspect of the invention the flanges of the
skate holder include a toe flange having a plurality of elongate
slots in the toe flange to accommodate a series of toe in and toe
out positions of the skate blade.
[0010] In yet a further aspect of the invention the flanges of the
blade holder include a heel flange having a plurality of elongate
slots in the heel flange to accommodate a series of heel in and
heel out positions.
[0011] In yet a further aspect of the invention each of the flanges
of the blade holder has at least four elongated slots.
[0012] In yet a further aspect of the invention the adjustable
arrangement includes a clamping system for each flange to engage
the blade holder in any of said positions.
[0013] In yet a further aspect of the invention each clamping
arrangement includes a first component secured to the holder with
the first component adjustably received in a second component
secured to said boot.
[0014] In yet a further aspect of the invention the first component
is a plate received in a slot of the second component along an edge
portion of the first component and to the exterior of the blade
holder and accessible on a lower portion of the boot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the
drawings wherein;
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the blade holder with a
series of elongated securing slots;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a side view of an adjustable plate system for the
blade holder;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the blade holder of FIG. 2
showing the securing plates associated with the front and rear
pedestals;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing adjustment of the plate
system; and
[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the adjustable plate system
secured to the sole of a hockey skate boot.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] The hockey skate 2 has a boot 4 with a stepped lower surface
6. The stepped lower surface 6 forms the sole of the boot and has a
series of ports 8 for receiving releasable fasteners 10. The
fasteners 10 can be two piece fasteners which extend through the
sole of the boot or can be built into the boot. Thus, any suitable
fastener can be used. The blade assembly 11 includes a blade holder
12 and a blade 14. Securement of the blade 14 to the holder can use
any of the conventional arrangements or other securing system.
[0022] The blade holder 12 includes a front pedestal 20 secured
under the toe of the boot and a rear pedestal 22 secured under the
heel of the boot. The front pedestal and rear pedestal are joined
by a connecting portion 24 which has the downwardly opening blade
receiving slot 26 which partially receives the blade 14 along the
length thereof.
[0023] The front pedestal 20 includes an outwardly extending
securing flange 30 and the rear pedestal 22 includes an outwardly
extending securing flange 32. Relative to the conventional blade
holder the flanges 30 and 32 are somewhat larger to accommodate the
front elongate securing slots 34 either side of the holder and rear
elongate securing slots 36 either side of the holder. With the
larger flanges, the shape of the pedestals has been altered to
include concaved recesses 40 in the front pedestal and concave
recesses 42 in the rear pedestal. It is also possible to reduce the
width of the pedestals and increase the flange area to accommodate
the additional slot area or to make the pedestals closer to a post
system.
[0024] With the system as shown in FIG. 1 the modified blade holder
12 can be secured to the sole of the boot in a plurality of
positions. It is held in any of these positions by means of
releasable fasteners 10 which engage the elongate slots and secure
the holder to the boot. If adjustment is necessary the releasable
fasteners may be loosened and the blade holder repositioned
relative to the sole of the boot. To assist in this realignment the
flange 30 includes front and rear aligning marking 50 and the rear
flange 32 includes aligning mark 52. The sole of the boot includes
a number of aligning grooves 56 adjacent the toe portion and
aligning grooves 58 in the heel portion to allow determination of
the orientation of the blade 14 relative to the centerline of the
boot or any reference point on the boot. Aligning marks can also be
provided at the toe of the boot, if desired. The elongate slots are
about 3/8 of an inch in length.
[0025] With the system as shown in FIG. 1 the modified holder 12
can be releasably secured to the sole of the boot 4 and the user
may provide adjustments of the position of the holder relative to
the boot. In this case the various releasable fasteners are
loosened and the skate holder 12 adjusted to a new orientation. The
system allows for both toe in and toe out adjustment as well as
heel in and heel out adjustments. The holder is also moveable
relative to the centerline of the boot. All of these adjustments in
combination, allow a player to find the position that provides him
with the most comfort and performance.
[0026] Once the desired position is known the holder can be
permanently secured to the boot using rivets, screws, or other
fasteners. Additional tight fitting securing holes in the securing
flanges can be used or a conventional holder can then be mounted on
the boot in the particular optimum position. The conventional
holder can be modified to have the same marking points or to allow
accurate placement. The actual blade holders are relatively
inexpensive and it may be desirable to use the conventional style
once the best position or satisfactory position has been
determined.
[0027] The system of FIG. 1 allows for continuous adjustment within
the slots but an incremented system can be used if desired. The
system can accommodate forward and back adjustment if desired.
[0028] The arrangement shown in FIGS. 2 through 5 operates in a
modified manner. In this case, the hockey skate 102 includes a boot
104 which receives or has integral with the base of the boot, an
adjustable clamping arrangement 120. The clamping arrangement
includes a heel mounting arrangement 122 which is fixed to the sole
of the boot. This mounting arrangement includes a front clamping
slot 124 and a rear clamping slot 126. The clamping slots provide a
tight fit with the securing plates 140 and 142 but allow sliding
movement along the slots. The modified holder 112 is attached to
securing plates 140 and 142 to be generally fixed therewith. At the
front of the skate 102 is a mounting plate 132 having a rear
clamping slot 136. This member will receive the plate 142 such that
the plate is slidable in the slots 136. Screws 150 can cause the
slots 124, 126 and 136 to engage and fixedly retain members 140 and
142.
[0029] The modified holder 112 can also include a threaded worm
drive associated with one or each pedestal.
[0030] The threaded worm member cooperates with a threaded port
fixed to the sole and thereby allows adjustment of the position of
the holder relative to the rear member 122. The threaded port could
be a rack gear attached to the sole. The gear adjustment can
provide faster on ice adjustment.
[0031] With this system, the clamping slots can be released and the
user can adjust the position of the heel relative to the centerline
of the boot. In addition, the front pedestal of the holder can be
adjusted relative to the toe of the boot.
[0032] In some cases rigid securement is not necessary. For
example, a user can use several fasteners to secure the holder in
place and test the skate in a cautious manner. Adjustments can
quickly be made. Once the general desired position is known all
fasteners can be used to test the skate under demanding
conditions.
[0033] Each of the systems have a series of guide markings that
allow the user to determine the position that the holder has been
moved to. This can be quite important as adjustment of the front
position typically causes some movement of the rear position. To
find the optimum position a player may wish to keep notes on the
different settings and the results at these settings.
[0034] The system of FIGS. 2 through 5 are designed to allow more
rapid on ice adjustment of the position of the holder relative to
the boot. Once it is generally known what positions are believed to
be optimum the system can allow further fastening to test the skate
under more demanding conditions. This system is designed to be used
as part of the process for finding the optimum position or
satisfactory position. Once this position is known it can be marked
on the boot or the position can be determined by the various guide
markings and then a conventional holder can be secured in that
position to the sole of the boot with the skate being worn by the
user. Each worm member is rotatably mounted with the holder and
accessible at one side of the holder. The rotatable position of the
worm member determines the position of the holder relative to the
sole of the boot. The worm member 200 shown in FIG. 5 passes
through a threaded port 304 in the downwardly extending post 202
attached to the sole of the boot. A worm drive member 200 is
provided in each pedestal and posts 202 are attached adjacent each
pedestal securing the blade holder sufficiently to allow testing
and fast adjustment. The thread on the worm drive can be
significantly aggressive to act as its own lock against further
adjustment on a temporary basis. Preferably, the worm drives are
adjustable from opposite sides of the boot holder and the threads
are opposed to provide some binding or tensions therebetween. It is
also possible to use a removable lock pin or other locking member
for fixing the worm drive for skate trial basis. Once the final
position is known, the holder is preferably fixed in a conventional
manner or a conventional holder is substituted and secured in the
desired position. The post 202 is only visible in FIG. 5 as the
holder has been partially cut away.
[0035] Preferably, the worm drives are adjustable from opposite
sides of the boot holder and the threads are opposed to provide
some binding or tensioning therebetween.
[0036] It has been found that proper positioning of the blade
holder can dramatically affect the ability of a hockey player to
accelerate, turn in both directions and effectively perform at a
higher level. It can also be appreciated that the player can select
or effectively trade-off between positions that may allow more
effective turning versus other positions which may allow for faster
acceleration or ultimate speed. Most players will seek a compromise
between these two characteristics. This system has been found to
greatly improve the performance of hockey players whose particular
physical attributes are significantly different from the norm. In
addition, it allows player whose attributes are closer to the norm
to fine tune the position to optimize or improve their
performance.
[0037] Proper position of the holder to the boot sole can allow a
player to skate more easily with less muscle effect to maintain
balance and allow other muscles to be more relaxed. Thus,
adjustment of the position of the holder allows muscles to be more
efficient due to better alignment.
[0038] This system can also be used with different shims or
modified holders to accommodate height adjustment or angle
adjustment across the boot sole.
[0039] Although various preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by
those skilled in the art that variations may be made without
departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *