Abstract:
An exemplary embodiment provides one or more improvements including inexpensive covers for providing warmth and distinctive colorations and indicia to ice skating team members. Other embodiments are adopted for use with in-line roller skates. Embodiments are constructed from a single piece of fabric. Embodiments protect the sole of the user&#39;s skate boot from contact with ice and snow.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX 
       [0004]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0005]    Embodiments relate to skate appliances or attachments. 
       BACKGROUND 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART INCLUDING INFORMATION DISCLOSED UNDER 37 CFR 1.97 AND 37 CFR 1.98  
       [0006]    Embodiments include covers for ice skates or in-line roller skates which keep warm the skater&#39;s feet, allow distinctive skate coloration, and protect the feet of skaters from injury. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,160,159 discloses a skating overshoe. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,714,760 discloses a shoe jacket. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,787 discloses a foot protecting device for skaters. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,109,566 discloses a skater&#39;s overshoe. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,587,205 discloses a skating shoe muff. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,836,908 discloses toe covers for ice skates. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,660 discloses a wrap-around overshoe for skater&#39;s shoe. 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,195 discloses a skate warmer. 
         [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,145 discloses a skate shoe guard. 
         [0016]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,287 discloses a skate boot cover. 
         [0017]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,704 discloses a split-sole anti-slip attachments for footwear. 
         [0018]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,170 discloses a protective cover for an ice hockey skate. 
         [0019]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,867 discloses a contoured cover for ice skate boot. 
         [0020]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,258 discloses a protective shoe cover. 
         [0021]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,663 discloses a puck deflecting hockey skate covering. 
         [0022]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,226,085 discloses a guard for in-line roller skate. 
         [0023]    U.S. Pat. No. D259,521 discloses a ice skating boot warmer. 
         [0024]    The examples of the related art do not have the advantages of the present disclosure, that of providing skate covers of distinctive coloration, which also keep the user&#39;s feet warm and provide protection against feet injury or skate damage, are simple and inexpensive in construction, and which are durable, effective, and easy to use. 
         [0025]    The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0026]    Embodiments include a cover for an ice skate having a shoe with attached skate blade in which the cover has an exterior and an interior surface and the cover is comprised of a body and a tongue. The tongue has a slit along its length, the slit has a length which approximates the distance from the front and back blade stanchions. The body has an oval shape with a front edge and a rear edge with the tongue attached to the rear edge. The body has a left wing and a right wing, each wing has a forward edge and a rearward edge, and the left wing and right wing are permanently mated by a coupling link. The body is large enough to approximately enclose the upper and lower surfaces of the shoe. There are closers on the rearward edges of the left and right wings which are capable of reversibly connecting the left and right wings together underneath the shoe when the cover is attached to a ice skate. The cover is manufactured of flexible, elastic fabric material. 
         [0027]    Embodiments include a cover for an in-line roller skate having a shoe with attached frame with rollers. In these embodiments the tongue slit is wide enough to accommodate the frame and wheels. In other aspects, such embodiments are the same as the embodiments for ice skates. 
         [0028]    The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tool and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. 
         [0029]    In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following descriptions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a disassembled view of the interior surface of the first embodiment skate cover without the wings mated by a coupling link 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  is a view of the exterior surface of the first embodiment skate cover. 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  is a view of the interior surface of the first embodiment skate cover showing the exterior surface of the body wings and coupling link. 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  is a view of the exterior surface of the second embodiment skate cover. 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an ice skate with attached skate cover. 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an ice skate with attached skate cover showing the bottom of the skate with cover. 
           [0036]      FIG. 7  is a view of a skate cover in place on an ice skate showing the connector attached to the skate laces. 
           [0037]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an in-line roller skate with attached skate cover. 
           [0038]      FIG. 9  is a view of the bottom of an ice skate with the blade inserted into the slit showing the method of applying the cover to the skate. 
           [0039]      FIG. 10  is a side view of an ice skate with blade inserted into the slit further showing the method of applying the cover to the skate. 
           [0040]      FIG. 11  is a side view of an ice skate with blade inserted into the slit with the cover inverted further showing the method of applying the cover to the skate. 
           [0041]      FIG. 12  is a top view of an ice skate with blade inserted into the slit and the body inverted and folded up and held in place on the top of the skate on the laces further showing the method of applying the cover to the skate. 
           [0042]      FIG. 13  is a view showing the looping of the coupling link between the wings over the rear blade support showing the penultimate step in applying the cover to the skate. 
           [0043]      FIG. 14  is a bottom view of an ice skate with cover attached. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of Covers 
       [0044]      FIG. 1  is a disassembled view of the interior surface of the first embodiment skate cover without the wings mated by a coupling link. The interior surface has no particular surface treatment in all of the Figs. In all Figs. the exterior surface is indicated by cross-hatching.  FIG. 1  shows the cover  100  is comprised of an oval-shaped body  120  with a front  122  edge and a rear  124  edge. A left wing  180  is located at the left edge of the body indicated by a dashed line. The left wing  180  has a front edge  181  and a rear edge  186 . Attachment eyes  196  are attached to the rear edge  186 . A coupling link  190  is located at the outer edge  183  of the left wing indicated by a dashed line. A right wing  184  is located at the right edge of the body indicated by a dashed line. The right wing  184  has a front edge  185  and a rear edge  182 . Attachment hooks  198  are attached to the rear edge  182 . A lacing hook  194  is attached to the front edge  122  of the body  120 . 
         [0045]    A tongue  112  is attached to the rear  124  edge of the body. The tongue  112  has a slit  114  which extends from the proximal  111  end, that is, the end of the slit nearest the body, to the distal  115  end, that is, the end of the slit farthest from the body. 
         [0046]    The length of the slit approximates the distance between the front stanchion and the rear stanchion of the skate blade (shown in  FIG. 5 ). A reinforcement  116  is located at the distal  115  end of the slit to prevent extension of the slit. In this embodiment the reinforcement  115  is a line of stitching. 
         [0047]      FIG. 2  is a view of the exterior surface of a first embodiment skate cover which is used with an ice skate.  FIG. 2  shows the cover  100  is comprised of an oval-shaped body  120  with a front  122  edge and a rear  124  edge. A tongue  112  is attached to the rear  124  edge. The tongue  112  has a slit  114  which extends from the proximal  111  end, that is, the end of the slit nearest the body, to the distal  115  end, that is, the end of the slit farthest from the body. The length of the slit approximates the distance between the front stanchion and the rear stanchion of the skate blade (shown in  FIG. 5 ). A reinforcement  116  is located at the distal  115  end of the slit to prevent extension of the slit. In this embodiment the reinforcement  115  is a line of stitching. A hook  194  is attached to the front edge  122  of the body  120 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 3  is a view of the interior surface of a first embodiment skate cover  100  showing the exterior surface of the body wings and coupling link. Visible in  FIG. 2  is the interior surface  160  of the body, the front edge  122  of the body, the rear  124  edge of the body, and the tongue  112 . The tongue  112  has a slit  114  which extends from the proximal  111  end, that is, the end of the slit nearest the body, to the distal  115  end, that is, the end of the slit farthest from the body. A reinforcement  116  is located at the distal  115  end of the slit to prevent extension of the slit. In this embodiment the reinforcement  115  is a line of stitching. A lacing hook  194  is attached to the front edge  122  of the body  120 . Visible in  FIG. 3  is the exterior surface of the left wing  180  of the body which is permanently connected or mated by coupling link  190  to the right wing  184  of the body. A row of stitching  192  makes the connection between the coupling link  190  and the right wing  184  of the body. The body therefore has two wings which are permanently connected forming a hollow structure. Visible in  FIG. 3  is the front  181  edge and the rear  186  edge of the left wing  180 . Visible in  FIG. 3  is the front  185  edge and the rear  182  edge of the right wing  184 . Fasteners in some embodiments in the form of hooks  198  are attached to the rear  182  edge of the right wing  184 . Such fasteners interact with loops  196  which are attached to the rear  186  of the left wing  180 . The fasteners attach the left and right wings below the skate shoe when the cover is installed on a skate. 
         [0049]      FIG. 4  is a view of the exterior surface of a second embodiment  200  skate cover which is used with an in-line roller skate. This second embodiment cover differs from the first embodiment cover shown in  FIGS. 1-3  only in the structure of the tongue  212 . In this embodiment the width  215  of the slit  214  is adequate to accommodate the width of the frame and wheels of an in-line roller skate. The slit  214  extends from the proximal  211  end to the distal  215  end and approximates the distance between the front and rear stanchions of the frame of an in-line roller skate (shown in  FIG. 8 ). A lacing hook  294  is shown attached to the front end of the body. 
         [0050]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an ice skate with attached skate cover. Visible in  FIG. 5  is an ice skate  130  comprised of a skate shoe  131 , and blade  132 . The blade is secured to the bottom of the shoe by a front stanchion  133 , middle stanchion  134 , and rear stanchion  135 . Also visible in  FIG. 5  is the cover  100  comprised of a body  120 , the front edge of the body  122 , the right wing  184 , the right wing rear edge  182  and the coupling link  190 , which is looped around the rear stanchion  135  when the cover is used to enclose or cover the skate shoe. 
         [0051]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an ice skate with attached skate cover  100  showing the bottom of the skate with cover. Visible in  FIG. 6  is a ice skate shoe  131 , ice skate blade  132 , front stanchion  133 , middle stanchion  134 , and rear stanchion  135 . 
         [0052]    Also visible is the left wing  180 , left wing rear edge  186 , and the right wing rear edge  182 . The left wing rear edge  186  and right wing rear edge  182  are connected together below the bottom of the skate shoe by interacted hook  196  and eye  198  fasteners. 
         [0053]      FIG. 7  is a view of a skate cover in place on an ice skate showing the connector attached to the skate laces. Visible in  FIG. 7  is a skate cover  100  in place on an ice skate  130  showing the lacing hook  194  at the front edge  122  of the body  120  attached to the skate laces  136 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an in-line roller skate with attached skate cover. Visible in  FIG. 8  is an in-line roller skate  230  comprised of a skate shoe  231  and a frame  232  which holds and supports the wheels  235 . The frame  230  is attached to the shoe  231  by a front stanchion  233  and a rear stanchion  234 . Also visible is the cover  200  with a cover body  220  and coupling link  290  which is looped around the rear stanchion  234 . 
         [0055]    Embodiments of the skate cover are manufactured of any suitable strong, resilient, elastic fabric material. Embodiments are made of fabrics which are water repellent, provide scruff or impact protection, heat retention and decoration. Embodiments made of greater than one piece of material are contemplated. 
         [0056]    Embodiments are made of synthetic rubber neoprene, closed or open cell fabric of thicknesses varying from about 1 mm to about 7 mm, with a polyester or nylon fabric fused to one or both sides. Other applications include scuba wet suits. Suitable fabrics may be obtained from Seattle Fabrics, Inc., 8702 Aurora Avenue North, Seattle, Wash. 
         [0057]    Other embodiments are made of POLARTEC outdoor cold and wet weather stretchable sports fabric, single sided or double sided fleece type material made from various blends of spun nylon and polyester. POLARTEC is a trademark for textile fabric piece goods for use in the manufacture of clothing, the trademark owned by Malden Mills Industries, Inc., 46 Stafford Street, Lawrence, Mass. Other applications include ski clothing. Suitable materials may be obtained from Mill Direct Textiles, LLC, 15 Union Street, Lawrence, Mass. 
         [0058]    Other embodiments are made of spandex or LYCRA thin stretchable synthetic fiber fabric. LYCRA is a trademark for synthetic fibers and filaments for generalized use in the industrial arts owned by Invista North America S.A.R.L. Corporation, Luxembourg, Lancaster Pike Legal CRP 722/1032, Wilmington, Del. Other applications include swimsuits. 
         [0059]    Although embodiments are elastic enough to accommodate a range of sizes of ice or in-line roller skates, it is specifically contemplated that embodiments will be manufactured in several sizes to accommodate the entire spectrum of skate sizes. 
         [0060]    In embodiments the reinforcements shown are stitching. Other reinforcements, such as manufactured from metal, resins, or plastics or multiple fabric layers, are contemplated. Hook and eye fasteners are disclosed in embodiments. Other fasteners, such as fabric hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons and button holes, and magnets, are contemplated. 
       Embodiments of Methods of Applying Covers 
       [0061]    Embodiments of methods of attaching a cover to an ice skate comprising a shoe and blade or to an in-line roller skate comprising a shoe and framework holding to rollers, comprise the steps:
       a. providing a ice skate or in-line roller skate cover comprising a cover having an exterior and an interior surface, the cover comprised of a body and a tongue, the tongue attached at one end to the body, the tongue having a slit along its length, the slit having a length which approximates the distance from the front and back blade stanchions of the ice skate blade, or the tongue having a slit along its length which approximates the length of the framework supporting the wheels of an in-line roller skate and the slit having a width which approximates the width of the framework supporting the wheels of an in-line roller skate, the body having an oval shape with a front edge and a rear edge, the tongue attached to the rear edge of the body, the body having a left wing and a right wing, the body large enough to approximately enclose the upper and lower surfaces of the shoe, the left wing and right wing mated by a coupling link, closers on the edges of the left and right wings capable of reversibly connecting the left and right wings together underneath the shoe when the cover is attached to a ice skate or to an in-line roller skate, and the cover manufactured of flexible, elastic material,   b. inserting the ice skate blade or in-line roller skate framework into the interior side of the slit with the rear of the blade or framework nearest to the distal end of the tongue,   c. pulling the front edge of the body upward and toward the shoe so the interior surface of the body is adjacent to the laces of the shoe,   d. inverting the wings and connector strap so the interior surface of the wings and coupling link extend above and are visible above the exterior surface of the body,   e. holding the exterior surface of the body against the laces of the shoe with the user&#39;s hand,   f. pulling the coupling link forward over the toe of the shoe and under the shoe back to the rear of the ice skate blade or in-line roller skate framework using the user&#39;s other hand,   g. looping the coupling link about the rear of the ice skate blade or in-line roller skate framework, thereby inverting the body so that the interior surface of the body is adjacent to the top of the shoe and the interior surfaces of the body wings are adjacent to the bottom surfaces of the shoe, and   h. attaching the closures on the rear edges of the left and right wings to each other below the shoe.       
 
         [0070]    The covers of this disclosure may be applied to ice or in-line roller skates when the skates are on the feet of the user or when the skates are not on the user&#39;s feet. 
         [0071]    An embodiment of the process or method of applying an embodiment cover to a ice skate is further illustrated by  FIGS. 9-14 . A similar method is used to apply a second embodiment cover to an in-line roller skate. 
         [0072]      FIG. 9  is a view of the bottom of an ice skate with the blade inserted into the slit showing the method of applying the cover to the skate. Visible in  FIG. 9  is the skate shoe  131 , the blade  132 , the exterior surface of the cover  120  showing the left wing  180 , right wing  184 , tongue  112 , the distal  115  end of the slit. Also visible is the lacing hook  194 .  FIG. 9  shows the skate with the blade inserted into the slit and the cover body extending from the front of the skate shoe. 
         [0073]      FIG. 10  is a side view of an ice skate with blade inserted into the slit further showing the method of applying the cover to the skate. Visible in  FIG. 10  is the skate shoe  131 , blade  132 , rear stanchion  135 . The exterior surface of the cover body  120  is shown, along with the right wing  184  and tongue  112 . The distal  115  end of the slit is shown looped about the rear stanchion  135  which supports the blade. The tongue is shown being stretched by being pulled forward until the entire blade extends through the slit with the proximal  111  end of the slit at the front end of the blade. Also visible is the lacing hook  194 . Although not visible in  FIG. 10 , the coupling link which connects the left and right wings is indicated at  190 . Arrow A indicates the direction in which the coupling link  190  is moved to invert the body of the cover. 
         [0074]      FIG. 11  is a side view of an ice skate with the blade inserted into the cover slit and the body of the cover inverted. Visible in  FIG. 11  is the skate shoe  131 , blade  132 , rear stanchion  135 . The distal  115  end of the slit is shown looped about the rear stanchion  135  which supports the blade. The interior surface of the cover body  120  is shown, along with the interior surface of the right wing  184 , the exterior surface of the tongue  112 , and the twist  118  in the proximal end of the tongue.  FIG. 11  differs from  FIG. 10  in that the cover body is inverted, thereby making the interior surface of the body visible in  FIG. 11 . Arrow B indicates the movement of the cover body upward so the interior surface of the cover is adjacent to the laces of the shoe with the lacing hook  194  adjacent to the laces  136   
         [0075]      FIG. 12  is a top view of an ice skate with blade inserted into the slit the body inverted and folded up and held in place on the top of the skate on the laces further showing the method of applying the cover to the skate. Visible in  FIG. 12  is the skate shoe  131  and skate laces  136 . Also visible is the exterior surface of the cover body  120 , the interior surface of the left wing  180 , the interior surface of the coupling link  190 , the interior surface of the attachment area  192  between the coupling link  190  and the interior surface of the right wing  184 . The connectors  198  on the left wing  180  as well as the connectors  196  on the right wing  184  are also shown. The lacing hook  194  is shown engaged with the skate lacings  136 . The user&#39;s left thumb  302  is shown pressed against the exterior surface of the body and holding the front edge of the body against the lacings.  FIG. 12  shows the position of the cover after the movement of the cover body upward in the direction shown as arrow B in  FIG. 11  so the interior surface of the cover is adjacent to the lacing as shown in  FIG. 11 . Arrow C shows the movement of the coupling link  190  forward over the front of the skate using the user&#39;s other hand while the front edge of the body is held against the lacings. This movement inverts the body so the exterior of the body is visible and the body covers the skate, as in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0076]      FIG. 13  is a view showing the looping of the coupling link between the wings over the rear blade support showing the penultimate step in applying the cover to the skate. Visible in  FIG. 13  is the ice skate shoe  131  and blade  132 . The user&#39;s left thumb  302  presses against the exterior surface of the cover and holds the front edge of the body against the lacings, as shown in  FIG. 12 . The user&#39;s right hand  300  with right thumb  304  and right finger  306  grasps the coupling link and pulls the coupling link around the rear end of the blade behind the rear stanchion  135 . Also visible in  FIG. 13  is the right wing eyes  198  and the left wing hooks  196 . The position in  FIG. 13  differs from that in  FIG. 12  in that the user has grasped the coupling link  190  and pulled it forward in the direction indicated by arrow C in  FIG. 13 , thereby inverting the body, pulling the coupling link over the front of the blade, and pulling the coupling link back to the rear end of the blade in the direction of arrow D, as indicated in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0077]      FIG. 14  is a bottom view of an ice skate with cover attached. Visible in  FIG. 14  is the skate shoe  131  and blade  132 . The exterior surface of the left wing  180  and rear edge of the left wing  186  are shown, as well as the exterior surface of the right wing  184  and the rear edge of the right wing  182  also are shown. The left wing hooks  196  interact with the right wing eyes  198  and retain the cover over the bottom of the skate. The user&#39;s left thumb  302  and left hand fingers  308  are shown holding the skate. 
         [0078]    Embodiments of ice skate and in-line roller skate covers may have a variety of functions. They insulate the user&#39;s fee from the cold on both the top and the bottom of the skate shoe. They prevent ice and water from contacting the top and bottom of the user&#39;s skate shoes. In addition, covers provide protection to the user&#39;s skates and feet against cuts and abrasion from the surfaces skated upon. In addition, covers of specific colors are used as uniforms to distinguish members of athletic teams. 
         [0079]    While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and subcombinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope. The applicant or applicants have attempted to disclose all the embodiments of the invention that could be reasonably foreseen. There may be unforeseeable insubstantial modifications that remain as equivalents.