Skate boot having an inner liner with an abrasion resistant overlay

Abstract

A skate boot comprising an outer shell and an inner liner made of a first material and comprising an outer surface mounted to the inner surface of the outer shell, an inner surface adapted to contact the player's foot or a sock covering the player's foot, an ankle portion comprising a medial upper inner region and a lateral upper inner region, and an overlay at least partially covering one of the medial and lateral upper inner regions of the ankle portion of the inner liner, the overlay being made of a second material having more abrasion resistance than the first material of the inner liner.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A liner for a skate boot, the liner comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface configured to be mounted to a shell of the skate boot, the inner surface comprising a first material and an overlay of a second material covering a part of the first material, the overlay and another part of the first material not covered by the second material being exposed to a foot when placed in the skate boot. 
     
     
         26 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the overlay spans an area exposed to friction from the foot, wherein the part of the first material covered by the second material corresponds to an entirety of said area. 
     
     
         27 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the second material comprises polyurethane, denier nylon, denier cordura, ballistic nylon, rubber or neoprene. 
     
     
         28 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the overlay comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane film bonded onto the first material. 
     
     
         29 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the overlay is a first overlay, the liner further comprising a second overlay of said second material covering a second part of the first material. 
     
     
         30 . The liner defined in  claim 29 , further comprising an ankle portion that comprises a medial upper edge, a lateral upper edge, a medial front edge and a lateral front edge, and wherein the first overlay has an upper edge located adjacent the medial upper edge of the ankle portion and a front edge located adjacent the medial front edge of the ankle portion and the second overlay has an upper edge located adjacent the lateral upper edge of the ankle portion and a front edge located adjacent the lateral front edge of the ankle portion. 
     
     
         31 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the overlay has a thickness less than 0.7 mm. 
     
     
         32 . The liner defined in  claim 31 , wherein the overlay has a thickness greater than 0.3 mm. 
     
     
         33 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the first material includes brushed nylon fabric, nylon mesh, polyester mesh or synthetic leather. 
     
     
         34 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the overlay is mounted to the first material by lamination, stitches, glue, needles, overmolding, thermal bonding, high-frequency bonding, vibration bonding, or ultra-sonic bonding. 
     
     
         35 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the part of the first material covered by the second material occupies an area of the inner surface that is smaller than the area occupied on the inner surface by a remainder of the first material that is not covered by the second material. 
     
     
         36 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein at least part of the overlay is along a periphery of the liner. 
     
     
         37 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein at least part of a perimeter of the overlay is curved. 
     
     
         38 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the overlay comprises a first section at least partly covering a medial upper inner portion of the liner and a second section at least partly covering a lateral upper inner portion of the liner. 
     
     
         39 . The liner defined in  claim 38 , wherein the first section occupies between 20% and 30% of the medial upper inner portion of the liner and the second section occupies between 20% and 30% of the lateral upper inner portion of the liner. 
     
     
         40 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the overlay protects the part of the first material that is under the overlay against abrasion from an object inside the skate boot. 
     
     
         41 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the overlay comprises a single unitary piece at least partly covering both a medial upper inner portion of the liner and a lateral upper inner portion of the liner. 
     
     
         42 . The liner defined in  claim 41 , wherein the single unitary piece includes a first enlarged section connected to a second enlarged section by a strip that wraps around an ankle portion of the liner, the first enlarged section at least partly covering the medial upper inner portion of the liner and the second enlarged section at least partly covering the lateral upper inner portion of the liner. 
     
     
         43 . The liner defined in  claim 25 , wherein the second material has more abrasion resistance than the first material. 
     
     
         44 . A skate boot comprising (i) a shell; and (ii) a liner mounted to the shell, the liner having an inner surface comprising a first material, at least part of the first material being covered by a layer of a second material, the second material and another part of the first material not covered by the second material being exposed to a foot when placed in the skate boot.