Patent ID: 8109013

Claim:
A protective cover device in combination with a skate boot for partially covering the skate boot in which the skate boot comprises 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 fastened between eyelet locations spaced along the inner side and the outer side of the skate boot, the cover device 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; the anchor members including a hinge structure including apertures arranged to receive different portions of the laces therethrough corresponding to different eyelet locations spaced along one of the inner and outer sides of the skate boot such that: the hinge structure is anchored relative to the different portions of the laces spaced along said one of the inner and outer side of the skate boot; and the panel member is pivotal relative to the hinge structure between an open position in which the laces are readily accessible and a closed position in which at least a portion of the tongue portion and the laces are covered by the panel member.