Patent ID: 7398609

Claim:
A skate boot for enclosing a human foot when in use, the foot having a heel, an ankle with a medial malleolus and a lateral malleolus, an Achilles tendon having an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to the upper part, the lower part merging with the heel, a plantar surface, medial and lateral sides and toes, said skate boot comprising: (a) an outer shell comprising a heel portion for receiving the heel of the foot; an ankle portion for receiving the ankle, said ankle portion comprising a rear portion for facing at least partially the lower part of the Achilles tendon; and medial and lateral side portions for facing the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively; and (b) a tendon guard being made of a material more flexible than that of said outer shell, said tendon guard comprising a bottom portion affixed to said rear portion of said ankle portion and a flexing portion projecting upwardly from said bottom portion for facing at least partially the upper part of the Achilles tendon, said flexing portion being capable, when pressure is applied on it, of flexing rearwardly from an initial position for allowing backward flexion of the ankle when the foot moves towards full extension and, when pressure is no longer applied on it, of returning to said initial position.