Hockey skate

Abstract

A skate assembly includes a shell structure and a removable tendon guard. The shell structure includes a heel portion, a lateral ankle portion, and a medial ankle portion. The heel portion is formed to cover a human heel. The lateral ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The medial ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The lateral ankle portion and the medial ankle portion are spaced apart to form a notch extending toward the heel portion. The removable tendon guard is removably attached between the lateral ankle portion and medial ankle portion to cover the notch.

1 . A skate assembly comprising:
 a shell structure that comprises:
 a heel portion formed to cover a human heel, 
 a lateral ankle portion formed to extend beyond the heel portion, and 
 a medial ankle portion formed to extend beyond the heel portion, the lateral ankle portion and the medial ankle portion spaced apart to form a notch extending toward the heel portion; and 
   a removable tendon guard removably attached between the lateral ankle portion and medial ankle portion to cover the notch.   
     
     
         2 . The skate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the removable tendon guard comprises a first attachment point removably attached to the lateral ankle portion and a second attachment point removably attached to the medial ankle portion. 
     
     
         3 . The skate assembly of  claim 2  wherein the removable tendon guard comprises a third attachment point removably attached to the heel portion. 
     
     
         4 . The skate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the shell structure comprises a toe portion formed to cover at least one human toe. 
     
     
         5 . The skate assembly of  claim 4  comprising a removable tongue removably attached to the toe portion. 
     
     
         6 . The skate assembly of  claim 5  wherein the removable tongue is comprised of thermoplastic. 
     
     
         7 . The skate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the shell structure comprises an arch structure, between the toe portion and the heel portion, that is proximate the medial ankle portion. 
     
     
         8 . The skate assembly of  claim 7  wherein the lateral ankle portion, the medial ankle portion, and the arch structure comprise thermoplastic. 
     
     
         9 . The skate structure of  claim 1  wherein the shell structure is comprised of at least one of carbon fiber and aramid fiber. 
     
     
         10 . The skate assembly of  claim 1  comprising a blade holder removably attached to a bottom portion of the shell structure. 
     
     
         11 . The skate assembly of  claim 10  wherein the blade holder comprises a plurality of elongated attachment points that are removably attached to the shell structure. 
     
     
         12 . The skate assembly of  claim 10  comprising a skate blade removably attached to the blade holder. 
     
     
         13 . The skate assembly of  claim 12  wherein the skate blade has a first blade height at one end of the skate blade and a second blade height at another end of the skate, wherein the first blade height is greater than the second blade height. 
     
     
         14 . The skate assembly of  claim 10  wherein the blade holder comprises a textured surface that interfaces with the shell structure. 
     
     
         15 . The skate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the shell structure comprises a bottom surface that interfaces with a blade holder, wherein the bottom surface is comprised of at least one of a polyurethane, leather, and synthetic leather.