Patent ID: 6854200
Filing Date: 2005-02-15
Classification: A43B

Abstract:
1. In a skate having a toe end, a heel end and medial and lateral sides extending between the ends, the skate including a skate portion and a boot fixedly attached to the skate portion through a sole plate, the skate portion having a bottom side spaced from the sole plate and designed to contact a surface supporting the skate, the boot including at least a foot portion shaped generally to cover a person's foot between toe and heel ends and a shaft opening proximal the heel end to receive a skater's foot, a skate shield improvement comprising: a protective shell mounted to the skate and including at least an upper shell portion extending upwardly at least past the medial side of the sole plate, up the medial side and over an upper side of the foot portion of the boot in front of the shaft opening and at least partially over a lateral side foot of the boot to a lateral free end of the upper shell portion, continuity of the protective shell being broken at the free lateral end, the protective shell being sufficiently resiliently flexible and being secured sufficiently solidly with one or more rigid portions of the skate on the medial side of the skate to transfer energy from impact against the medial side of the upper shell to the one or more rigid portions of the skate on the medial side of the skate and away from flexible portions of the boot covered by the protective shell.