Patent Publication Number: US-8109013-B2

Title: Protective cover device for a skate boot

Description:
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/047,204, filed Apr. 23, 2008. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a protective device for covering a portion of a boot of an ice skate. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In various sports it is common to provide covers on footwear either for ornamental or protective reasons. In the sport of hockey it is particularly desirable to protect a foot of the wearer of a hockey skate from injury resulting from impacts of pucks being shot during game play. The portion of the skate boot which covers the top of the foot typically has poor padding or shielding to allow lacing of the skate securely against the foot of the wearer and to allow some flexibility to the movement of the foot of the wearer during use. Accordingly the limited padding provided at the top portion of the skate results in an area which is prone to injury. 
     The following prior patents relate generally to covers for various types of footwear. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,476 belonging to Bertrand et al. discloses a cover for being worn over a sports shoe which is not suited for mounting onto a hockey skate nor would it provide suitable protection to the top portion of the skate boot. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,230 belonging to Crane et al. discloses ankle and foot protective devices for attachment to a skate. The pads disclosed however are particularly cumbersome to attach and are quite bulky resulting in interference to the player&#39;s movements in a hockey game. In the course of a hockey game, skaters perform very intricate movements with their skates such as forward and backward cross cuts in which skates quickly brush by each other, and tight turns in which skates are parallel to each other but only slightly in front of the other such that an inside toe may touch the inside heel of the skate leading the turn. These movements are quick and tight as any hockey player could attest to. Adding what appears to be almost an inch of padding on each side of the skate would most certainly restrict if not make skating in a hockey game impossible. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,287 belonging to Garcia discloses a skate boot cover which functions as a thermal wrap designed for warmth and attachment to a figure skate. The device is not well suited for protective use in a hockey skate. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,145 belonging to Czeiszperger discloses a skate shoe guard for protecting a toe cup and an inner side of a skate for goalies in the game of hockey, however no protection is provided for the top area of the foot. 
     U.S. design Pat. No. 379,395 belonging to Aird discloses a bumper for a skate boot which provides no protection to the top area of the foot. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,663 discloses a protective cover for a hockey skate formed of suitably rigid protective material. The cover however is designed to extend over all parts of the skate boot which typically cover the foot, the ankle and the lower part of the shin bone. The skate thus requires hinging at the ankle area to provide for a natural skating motion. By providing protective material which fully spans the skate boot, this cover interferes with the hinging effect required in a skate boot as the hinging area typically required of a skate at a point approximately three eyelets down from the top of the skate is covered and prevented from functioning normally. Furthermore the cover appears cumbersome to attach to a skate to fully cover access to the laces of the skate. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,200 belonging to Hipp et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,170 to Lutz, Jr. disclose similar protective covers for hockey skates which cover over a top portion and both inner and outer sides of the skate boot as an integral protective member. Due to the wrap around configuration of the cover in each instance, the cover is not suited for adapting to various widths and sizes of skates but rather multiple different sizes must be manufactured for accommodating all wearers. Furthermore neither design attaches directly to the skate, but rather straps are provided for extending about various portions of the skate which are then anchored back onto the protective cover rather than onto a particular location on the skate. Accordingly any impacts during a hockey game as a result of pucks or contacts with other players or sticks for example may cause the protective cover to readily come loose and be rotated about the skate even if the straps for fastening are not released. 
     The cover to Hipp et al in particular requires awkward alignment of a lower portion of the cover to an under side of the boot so that that design does not lend itself to easy and quick attachment as desired. As hockey players may need to retie or remove a skate several times during a hockey game, the awkward attachment of the prior art protective skate covers would require too much time and be too cumbersome for repeated attachment and removal. 
     In the protective cover to Lutz, the multiple straps require awkward mounting onto the skate with multiple hands to both hold the cover in place while also strapping about the skate so as to be particularly cumbersome for attachment and subsequent removal from the skate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a protective cover device for partially covering a skate boot comprising a toe portion, a heel portion, an inner side extending between the toe portion and the heel portion, an outer side extending between the toe portion and the heel portion, a tongue portion extending from the toe portion towards the heel portion between the inner and outer sides, and laces arranged for fastening between the inner side and the outer side of the skate boot, the cover comprising: 
     a panel member comprising:
         a central portion arranged to span at least a portion of the tongue portion of the skate boot; and   two side portions extending outwardly and downwardly from opposing sides of the central portion so as to be arranged to span towards the inner and outer sides of the skate boot respectively;   the central portion and the two side portions being formed integrally with one another; and       

     a plurality of anchor members arranged to anchor the panel member to the skate boot; 
     at least one of the anchor members comprising apertures arranged to receive a portion of the laces therethrough such that the panel member is arranged to be anchored relative to the laces. 
     By providing a protective cover device for a skate boot in which at least a portion of the cover can be anchored relative to laces of the skate, the cover is prevented from being flipped or twisted about the skate boot out of its desirable protective position on the top of the skate when impacted by pucks, sticks or other players as they occur several times during a hockey game. 
     The panel member may be arranged to span from the toe portion only partway towards an ankle portion of the skate boot. 
     The anchor members may be arranged to anchor the panel member to the laces at longitudinally spaced positions between the toe portion and the heel portion of the skate boot. 
     The apertures of said at least one of the anchor members are preferably spaced apart by a spacing corresponding to a spacing between adjacent eyelets in one of the sides of the skate boot which are arranged to receive the laces therethrough. 
     Preferably said at least one of the anchor members is arranged to be covered by the panel member in a mounted position of the panel member on the skate boot. 
     One of the side portions which is arranged to span towards the inner side of the skate boot is preferably longer in a lateral direction from the central portion than the other side portion which is arranged to span towards the outer side of the skate boot. 
     Preferably at least one of the anchor members comprises a hinge arranged to couple one of the side portions to a respective one of the inner and outer sides of the skate boot such that the panel member is pivotal relative to said one of the inner and outer sides of the skate boot between an open position in which the laces are arranged to be accessible and a closed position in which at least a portion of the tongue portion and the laces are covered by the panel member. 
     The hinge may be arranged to couple said one of the side portions to the outer side of the skate boot. 
     Preferably at least one of the anchor members comprises a readily releasable connector arranged to selectively secure the other side portion to the skate boot. The readily releasable connector may be coupled to the panel member by a flexible strap so as to be arranged for mating connection with a mating connector mounted beneath the skate boot. 
     Preferably two of the anchor members comprise hinges mounted at spaced positions along a respective one of the side portions of the panel member in which each of the hinges is arranged to receive the laces through respective apertures formed therein. 
     The hinges may include a hook portion arranged to extend over a top edge of the respective one of the inner and outer sides of the skate boot so as to be arranged for engagement with an inner surface of the side of the skate boot. 
     The hinge preferably includes apertures formed therein and arranged to receive the laces of the skate boot therethrough in which the apertures are arranged to be aligned with eyelets in the skate boot arranged to receive the laces therethrough when the hook portion is engaged against the top edge of the side of the skate boot. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a protective cover device for partially covering a skate boot comprising a toe portion, a heel portion, an inner side extending between the toe portion and the heel portion, an outer side extending between the toe portion and the heel portion, a tongue portion extending from the toe portion towards the heel portion between the inner and outer sides, and laces arranged for fastening between the inner side and the outer side of the skate boot, the cover comprising: 
     a panel member comprising:
         a central portion arranged to span over at least a portion of the tongue portion and laces of the skate boot; and   two side portions extending outwardly and downwardly from opposing sides of the central portion so as to be arranged to span towards the inner and outer sides of the skate boot respectively;   the central portion and the two side portions being formed integrally with one another; and       

     a plurality of anchor members arranged to anchor the panel member to the skate boot; 
     at least one of the anchor members comprising a hinge arranged to couple one of the side portions to a respective one of the inner and outer sides of the skate boot such that the panel member is pivotal relative to said one of the inner and outer sides of the skate boot between an open position in which the laces are arranged to be accessible and a closed position in which at least a portion of the tongue portion and the laces are covered by the panel member. 
     By providing a hinge to anchor one side of the panel member, only a single fastener is required to be attached and released at the opposing side of the panel member to provide quick access to the laces for tying and untying the skate. Accordingly a protective cover device is described herein for a skate in which quick access to the laces is maintained after initial attachment of the protective device to the skate with the panel member being suitably anchored to remain in place protecting the most injury prone part of the foot of a wearer of a hockey skate, that is the top and top inside of the foot. Protecting this area allows a hockey player to block shots directly in front of the player which could occur several times in a game so that without the protective cover device of the present invention the foot is susceptible to injury. 
     Preferably the anchor members are arranged to anchor the panel member to the laces at longitudinally spaced positions between the toe portion and the heel portion of the skate boot. 
     Preferably the anchor members are arranged to be covered by the panel member in a mounted position of the panel member on the skate boot. 
     The hinge may include a first flange forming outer portion onto which the panel member is arranged to be pivotally coupled and a second flange connected to the first flange by a joining portion to define a hook portion arranged to extend over a top edge of the respective one of the inner and outer sides of the skate boot so as to be arranged for engagement with an inner surface of the side of the skate boot. 
     Preferably both the first flange and the second flange include apertures formed therein and arranged to receive the laces of the skate boot therethrough, the apertures of the first and second flanges being in alignment with one another and being arranged to be aligned with eyelets in the skate boot receiving the laces therethrough when the joining portion is engaged against the top edge of the side of the skate boot. 
     Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the protective cover device shown supported on a hockey skate according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the protective device of  FIG. 1  shown separated from a skate. 
         FIG. 3  is an underside view of the protective cover device of  FIG. 1  shown removed from a skate. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the protective cover device. 
         FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the protective cover device of  FIG. 4  shown supported on a skate in the open position. 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the protective cover device of  FIG. 4  shown supported on a skate in a closed position. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view along the line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a base member of one of the hinges according to either one of the first and second embodiments. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the base member of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the accompanying figures there is illustrated a protective cover device generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . The device  10  is particularly suited for partially covering the boot portion of a skate, for example the type commonly used in the sport of hockey. Although various embodiments are illustrated herein, the common features of the various embodiments will first be described. 
     A typical skate boot of a hockey skate  12  comprises a sole  14  at the bottom of the boot upon which the skate blades  16  are supported. The sole extends in a longitudinal direction between a toe portion  18  forming a cup which receives a toe of the foot of the person therein and a heel portion  20  which is wrapped about a heel of the foot of the person wearing the skate. The boot also includes an inner side  22  and an outer side  24  spanning along respective inner and outer sides of the foot of the wearer in the longitudinal direction between the toe portion and the heel portion of the skate boot. Each of the inner and outer sides comprises a lower foot portion spanning fully between the toe and heel portions of the boot and an upper ankle portion  26  extending upwardly from the lower foot portion above the ankle of the wearer adjacent the heel portion. The upper ankle portion  26  partially surrounds the lower leg of the person wearing the skate. The boot further comprises a tongue portion  28  which extends upwardly and rearwardly from the toe portion towards the heel portion at a location spanning between the inner and outer sides to cover the top of the foot of the wearer. A plurality of eyelets  30  are provided at spaced positions along each of the top edges of the inner and outer sides  22  and  24  respectively between which suitable laces  32  are fastened to fasten the upper top edges of the inner and outer sides together across the tongue portion  28  therebetween. 
     The protective cover device  10  includes a panel member  34  which covers the top portion of the skate boot at the location of the tongue portion  28  and the laces  32 . In the illustrated embodiment, the panel member  34  comprises a single integrally molded piece of substantially rigid and impact resistant polyethylene which wraps around part of the skate boot to cover the laces and a portion of the inner side of the skate boot. 
     The panel member  34  includes a central portion  36  extending longitudinally from the toe portion over top of the tongue portion and the laces partway towards the ankle portion. The top edge  37  of the central portion is arranged to terminate only partway up the ankle portions of the inner and outer sides so as to extend only partway along the length of the tongue from the toe portion so as not to interfere with hinging movement at the ankle of a wearer of the skate boot. 
     The panel member  34  also comprises two side portions  38  which extend generally downwardly and outwardly from opposing longitudinally extending sides of the central portion  36  so that the side portions  38  extend towards the inner side and outer side  22  and  24  of the skate boot respectively. The two side portions  38  are curved downward and outwardly in a lateral direction away from the central portion so as to define a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface in the lateral direction which are substantially rigid in shape. 
     The inner side portion  38  arranged to span towards the inner side  22  is longer than the other outer side portion  38  so as to extend downwardly and at least partially cover the inner side  22  of the skate boot. The outer side portion  38  extending towards the outer side  24  overlaps the outer side  24  at the location of the eyelets to fully cover the laces received through the eyelets while a majority of the outer side  24  of the skate boot remains uncovered to accommodate various widths of skates. 
     A plurality of anchor members  40  are provided for anchoring the panel member  34  to the skate boot in a mounted position. Two anchor members  40  in the form of hinges  42  are provided at spaced positions along the side portion  38  of the panel arranged to be located at the outer side of the skate boot while a third anchor member  40 , comprising a strap  44  and quick release connector  46 , is provided on the opposing side portion  38  for mounting at the inner side  22  of the skate boot. 
     The connector  46  is arranged for selective mating connection with a suitable mating connector  48  fixed to the bottom side of the skate boot beneath the sole  14  of the boot between the heel and toe portions. The connector  46  is arranged for being readily released or connected and disconnected from the mating connector  48  for selectively securing the side portion  38  at the inner side of the boot. The strap  44  comprises an elastic tether which is flexible for spanning under tension between an aperture in the side portion  38  at the inner side of the skate boot and the mating connector  48  connected at the opposing end of the straps. 
     The hinges  42  are arranged to be supported at spaced apart positions in the longitudinal direction of the skate boot extending between the heel and toe portions of the skate boot so that the two hinges each anchor to respective portions of the laces of the skate boot corresponding to different eyelets spaced along the outer side  24  of the skate boot. The hinges cooperate together so that when the connector  46  is released, the panel member is hinged on the hinges  42  for pivotal movement between an open position in which access to the laces is fully unobstructed by the panel member which extends laterally outwardly to one side of the skate boot and a closed position in which the panel member fully covers the laces and the eyelets receiving the laces therein in the skate boot from the toe portion partway towards the ankle portion of the skate boot. 
     Each hinge is arranged to be secured to a respective plurality of the eyelets corresponding to different portions of the laces  32  longitudinally spaced along the tongue of the skate boot. Each hinge includes a base member  50  arranged to be fixed onto the skate relative to which the panel member is pivoted by suitable link members  52  coupled between the respective side portion  38  of the panel member and the base members  50  of the hinges. 
     Each base member comprises a first flange  54  forming an outer portion onto which the panel member is arranged to be pivotally coupled and a second flange  58  connected to the first flange by a joining portion  60  in a U-shaped configuration to define a hook portion arranged to extend over a top edge of the outer side of the skate boot. The second flange  58  is thus arranged for engagement with an inner surface of the outer side of the skate boot. 
     The first flange  54  includes two eyelets or apertures  56  formed therein and the second flange includes two eyelets or apertures  61  formed therein in which all of the apertures are arranged to receive the laces of the skate boot therethrough. The apertures of the first and second flanges are in alignment with one another. 
     Within each flange, the apertures  56  and  61  are spaced apart by a space corresponding to the space between two eyelets on a common side of the skate boot so that the apertures may be aligned with respective eyelets on the skate boot to receive the respective portions of the laces therethrough. The apertures are aligned with the eyelets in the skate boot when the joining portion  60  is engaged against the top edge of the inner side of the skate boot so that the second flange is hooked onto the side of the skate boot and retained thereon by laces extending through the aligned apertures and eyelets. 
     The first and second flanges are substantially parallel and spaced apart from one another so as to form the generally U-shaped configuration with the joining portion  60  extending therebetween along one edge. The second flange is arranged to be shorter than the first flange relative to the joining portion  60 . The two eyelets or apertures  56  and  61  within each flange are located at equal distances from the joining portion  60  at a distance from the joining portion such that the apertures  61  in the second flange are located near the outer free edge  62  of the second flange  58 . 
     The free edge  62  of the second flange  58  forming the edge farthest from the joining portion  60  is arranged to be curved or bent inwardly towards the first flange  54  such that the free edge  62  is arranged to better grip against an inner surface of the outer side  24  of the skate boot. The U-shaped configuration of the first and second flanges forms a hook portion of the hinge which is arranged to be hooked overtop of the top edge  63  of the outer side  24  of the skate boot along which the eyelets are located. The two apertures  56  located in the first flange  54  are positioned relative to the joining portions  60  such that when the joining portion forming the hook of the base member is engaged against the top edge  63  of the outer side of the skate boot, the two apertures  56  are aligned with respective ones of the eyelets in the outer side  24  of the skate boot. 
     The first flange  54  also includes a hinge aperture  64  therein which is generally centered in the longitudinal direction of the skate boot between the two lace apertures  56  while being spaced farther out from the joining portion  60  which engages the top edge  63  of the outer side of the skate boot than the lace apertures  56 . In a mounted position the hinge aperture  64  is positioned further downward and laterally outward than the lace apertures  56  aligned with the eyelets in the skate boot as well as being further downward and laterally outward than the free edge  62  of the second flange. 
     Cooperating hinge apertures  66  are provided at spaced apart locations along the outer edge of the respective side portion  38  of the panel member for alignment with the hinge apertures  64  of the two hinges so that that link members  52  may couple the panel member to the two base members of the hinges by being coupled or received through the cooperating pairs of hinge apertures  64  and  66 . 
     The space between the two hinge apertures  66  in the side portion  38  at the outer side of the panel member are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction by a space corresponding to the space between a prescribed number of boot eyelets along the outer side  24  of the skate boot so that when the two hinges members are aligned with respective eyelets on the outer side of the skate boot, the hinge apertures in the base members of the hinges will align with the hinge apertures spaced apart in the panel member  34 . 
     By locating the hinge apertures  64  in the base members of the hinges to be nearest the outer free edge of the base members farthest from the hook portion engaged with the top edge of the outer side of the skate boot, the panel member is hinged by the link members at the location which is farthest outward relative to the laces so that when hinged into the closed position the panel member fully spans over the hinges to fully cover the eyelets, the laces received therein and the tongue across which the laces extend in the closed position. 
     Each link member  52  comprises a generally flat band of elastic material formed into an annular link extending through the hinge apertures respectively for linking the panel member to the base members of the hinges. 
     Turning now more particularly to the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the central portion  36  is curved in both the lateral direction which the side portions  38  span from the central portion as noted above, as well as being perpendicular in a longitudinal direction of the tongue of the skate boot which is perpendicular to the later direction. The central portion which extends in the longitudinal direction between opposing ends of the panel member in this instance is curved so as to have a concave outer surface and a convex inner surface in the longitudinal direction. The central portion thus comprises a compound curve in which the outer surface is concave in the longitudinal direction and a convex in the lateral direction. The central portion  36  is thus suitably curved to follow the contour of the skate extending upwardly in front of the upper ankle portion  26  and downwardly along the two sides of the boot. 
     In the second embodiment, the central portion  36  is substantially straight in the longitudinal direction of the tongue of the skate boot between opposing ends of the panel member while remaining curved in the lateral direction which the side portions  38  span from the central portion. In this manner, the construction of the panel member  34  is simplified while the panel member remains adequate in shape for conforming to the shape of the skate boot to cover the lower portion of the tongue of the skate boot together with an upper portion of the inner and outer sides of the skate boot. 
     In use, a user initially secures the protective device  10  to a skate by removing the laces and placing the two base members  50  of the two hinges respectively so that the hook portions thereof are engaged overtop of the top edge of the outer side of the skate boot while the lace apertures  56  and  61  therein are aligned with respective eyelets so that the skate can be laced in the normal manner through the eyelets and the corresponding laces apertures  56  and  61  in the hinges. 
     In the open position of the panel member, fully unobstructed access is provided to the laces so that a user can lace up their skates in a normal manner while the panel member remains attached to the skate boot even after the laces are loosened and the skate is removed from the foot of the wearer. The mating connector  48  is fixedly secured by suitable adhesive or other mechanical fastening means to the bottom side of the skate boot so that once installed thereon, the connector  46  at the end of the strap  44  forming one of the anchor members  40  at the inner side of the panel member can be readily connected and disconnected from the mating connector  48  as may be desired for attaching or releasing the panel member from the closed position. 
     As described herein the protective cover device comprises a piece of hockey equipment which forms a protective armour over a top portion of a skate. The body of the panel member is made of impact resistant plastic, for example polycarbonate or more preferably polyethylene, which wraps around the skate laces and also covers part of the inside of the skate. The panel is attached to the skates using two clips or hinges which extend over the outer side of the skate eyelets when the skate is unlaced. Once the clips are in place the skate is laced up in the usual manner so that the panel member is secured by the two hinges at two spaced apart locations at the outer side of the skate. A third and final point of attachment is provided on the inside of the skate by the elastic strap which attaches from the inner side of the panel member to a bottom side of the skate. A suitable form of mating connector may include hook and loop fasteners, for example Velcro. The hinging of the panel member to the laces of the skate serves both to provide ready access for ease of lacing and unlacing the skate boot from the foot of a wearer while also suitably anchoring the panel member against relative movement in relation to the skate boot when impacted during a game of hockey so that the panel member does not become misaligned with the top area of the skate or foot to be protected. 
     Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.