Tongue for a skate boot

Abstract

A tongue for a skate boot configured for enclosing a human foot. The tongue has a core for covering at least partially the forefoot and the front ankle portion, the core being made of a first material having a first density. The tongue also has a peripheral section affixed to the core and extending along at least part of the periphery of the core, the peripheral section being made of a second material having a second density, the first density being less than the second density.

1 . A tongue for a skate boot configured for enclosing a human foot, the human foot having a forefoot and a front ankle portion, the tongue comprising:
 a core for covering at least partially the forefoot and the front ankle portion, the core comprising distal, middle and proximal portions and left and right portions, the left, proximal and right portions defining a periphery of the core, the core comprising a first material having a first density; and   a peripheral section affixed to at least one of the left, proximal and right core portions and extending along at least part of the periphery, the peripheral section comprising a second material having a second density, the first density being less than the second density.   
     
     
         2 . The tongue of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral section comprises a proximal peripheral section affixed to the proximal core portion and extending along a majority of the periphery at the proximal core portion. 
     
     
         3 . The tongue of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral section comprises a proximal peripheral section affixed to the proximal core portion and extending along a majority of the periphery at the proximal core portion and left and right peripheral sections affixed to the left and right core portions and extending along a majority of the periphery at the left and right core portions. 
     
     
         4 . The tongue of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral section extends along a majority of the periphery at the left, proximal and right core portions. 
     
     
         5 . The tongue of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises foam and the peripheral section comprises felt. 
     
     
         6 . The tongue of  claim 5 , wherein the foam comprises ethylene vinyl acetate foam, polyethylene foam, ethylene polypropylene foam, polyurethane foam, expanded foam, expanded polystyrene, engineering thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride foam, silicone foam, epoxy foam, polyamide foam or polyethylene terephthalate foam. 
     
     
         7 . The tongue of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises front and rear surfaces and the tongue comprises a layer covering the rear surface of the core. 
     
     
         8 . The tongue of  claim 5 , wherein the core comprises a front surface and a rear surface and the tongue comprises a layer covering the rear surface of the core, the layer being made of felt. 
     
     
         9 . The tongue of  claim 8 , wherein the peripheral section comprises a front surface and a rear surface and the layer covers at least partially the rear surface of the peripheral section. 
     
     
         10 . The tongue of  claim 9 , wherein the layer is glued, stitched or laminated to the core. 
     
     
         11 . The tongue of  claim 10 , wherein the layer is glued, stitched or laminated to the peripheral section. 
     
     
         12 . The tongue of  claim 11 , wherein the tongue comprises an overlay at least partially covering the front surface of the core. 
     
     
         13 . The tongue of  claim 12 , wherein the overlay at least partially covers the front surface of the peripheral section. 
     
     
         14 . The tongue of  claim 13 , wherein the tongue comprises a rigid overlay covering the front surface of the core at the middle portion. 
     
     
         15 . The tongue of  claim 5 , wherein, for a North American size 8 skate, the tongue weighs about 50 grams to about 60 grams. 
     
     
         16 . A tongue for a skate boot configured for enclosing a human foot, the human foot having a forefoot and a front ankle portion, the tongue comprising:
 a core for covering at least partially the forefoot and the front ankle portion, the core comprising a front surface and a rear surface, distal, middle and proximal portions, and left and right portions, the left, proximal and right portions defining a periphery of the core, the core being made of a first material having a first density;   a peripheral section affixed to at least one of the left, proximal and right core portions and extending along at least part of the periphery, the peripheral section being made of a second material having a second density, the first density being less than the second density; and   a layer covering the rear surface of the core.   
     
     
         17 . The tongue of  claim 16 , wherein the first material comprises foam, the second material comprises felt and the layer comprises felt. 
     
     
         18 . The tongue of  claim 16 , wherein the peripheral section comprises a front surface and a rear surface and the layer covers at least partially the rear surface of the peripheral section. 
     
     
         19 . The tongue of  claim 18 , wherein the layer is glued, stitched or laminated to the core. 
     
     
         20 . The tongue of  claim 19 , wherein the layer is glued, stitched or laminated to the peripheral section. 
     
     
         21 . The tongue of  claim 20 , wherein the tongue comprises an overlay at least partially covering the front surface of the core. 
     
     
         22 . The tongue of  claim 21 , wherein the overlay at least partially covers the front surface of the peripheral section. 
     
     
         23 . The tongue of  claim 17 , wherein the foam comprises ethylene vinyl acetate foam, polyethylene foam, ethylene polypropylene foam, polyurethane foam, expanded foam, expanded polystyrene, engineering thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride foam, silicone foam, epoxy foam, polyamide foam or polyethylene terephthalate foam. 
     
     
         24 . The tongue of  claim 16 , wherein, for a North American size 8 skate, the tongue weighs about 50 grams to about 60 grams. 
     
     
         25 . A method of making a tongue for a skate boot configured for enclosing a human foot, the human foot having a forefoot and a front ankle portion, the method comprising:
 providing a core made of a first material having a first density for covering at least partially the forefoot and the front ankle portion, the core comprising front and rear surfaces, distal, middle and proximal portions, and left and right portions, the left, proximal and right portions defining a periphery of the core;   providing a peripheral section made of a second material having a second density, the first density being less than the second density;   affixing the peripheral section to at least one of the left, proximal and right core portions such that the peripheral section extends along at least part of the periphery;   providing a layer; and   covering the rear surface of the core with the layer.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first material comprises foam, the second material comprises felt, and the layer comprises felt. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the covering step comprises gluing, stitching or laminating the layer to the core. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the peripheral section comprises front and rear surfaces and the method comprises at least partially covering the rear surface of the peripheral section with the layer. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the layer is glued, stitched or laminated to the peripheral section. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the peripheral section is affixed to the left, proximal and right core portions such that the peripheral section extends along a majority of the periphery. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the peripheral section comprises a proximal peripheral section affixed to the proximal core portion such that the proximal peripheral section extends along a majority of the periphery at the proximal core portion and left and right peripheral sections affixed to the left and right core portions such that the left and right peripheral sections extend along a majority of the periphery at the left and right core portions.