Hockey Foot Shield

Abstract

Disclosed is a hockey foot shield for covering at least in part the laced foot portion of a player wearing a hockey skate, the hockey skate having a front portion including a tongue and laced portion. The hockey foot shield covering includes a first and second layer forming an envelope and the envelope including a shock absorbing polymeric gel, wherein the hockey foot shield is adapted to fit over the tongue portion of the skate.

1 . A hockey foot shield for covering at least in part the lased foot portion of a player wearing a hockey skate, the hockey skate having a front portion including a tongue and lased portion, the hockey foot shield covering comprising:
 a first and second layer forming an envelope and the envelope including a shock absorbing polymeric gel, wherein the hockey foot shield is adapted to fit over the tongue portion of the skate.   
     
     
         2 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second layers are formed from a resilient polymeric material. 
     
     
         3 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second layers are opposed layers and are sealed to form an envelope containing the shock absorbing polymeric gel. 
     
     
         4 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second layers are formed from a woven material. 
     
     
         5 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 1 , wherein the shock absorbing polymeric gel comprises at least greater than 50% by weight of an epoxidized vegetable oil, a thermoplastic polymer; and a prepolymer. 
     
     
         6 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 5 , wherein the shock absorbing polymeric gel includes an activator. 
     
     
         7 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 6 , wherein the activator is an alkyl tin compound. 
     
     
         8 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 5 , wherein the epoxidized vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of soybean oil, linseed oil, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 5 , wherein the prepolymer comprises an isocyanate selected from the group of aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic polyisocyaniates and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 5 , wherein in the thermoplastic polymer is substantially free of a polyurethane. 
     
     
         11 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 5 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polydiene. 
     
     
         12 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 5 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polybutadiene. 
     
     
         13 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 5 , wherein the polymeric gel comprises on a percent weight basis of the gel at least greater than about 50% of a vegetable based plasticizer, between about 20% and about 40% of a thermoplastic polymer, and between about 5% and about 20% of a prepolymer. 
     
     
         14 . A hockey foot shield for covering at least in part the laced foot portion of a player wearing a hockey skate, the hockey foot shield comprising:
 a first layer;   a second layer opposing the first layer to form an envelope; and   a shock absorbing layer in the envelope, wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the shock absorbing layer are adapted to fit over a tongue portion of the skate.   
     
     
         15 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 15 , further includes a substantially rigid, third layer positioned between the first layer and the second layer. 
     
     
         16 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 15 , wherein the shock absorbing layer includes a polymeric gel comprising an epoxidized vegetable oil, a thermoplastic polymer; and a prepolymer. 
     
     
         17 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 16 , wherein the epoxidized vegetable oil comprises at least greater than 50% by weight of the polymeric gel. 
     
     
         18 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second layers are formed from a resilient polymeric material. 
     
     
         19 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second layers are formed from a woven material. 
     
     
         20 . The hockey foot shield of  claim 15 , further includes a substantially rigid, third layer positioned between the first layer and the shock absorbing layer, and wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer includes protrusions and apertures in the protrusions.