Skate boot with resilient upper strap

Abstract

A skate boot body has a lower boot portion for receiving the foot and an upper boot portion for receiving the ankle and a portion of a lower leg, in which the upper and lower boot portions are rigidly connected. The lower boot portion fastens the foot relative to the rigid boot body using laces. The upper boot portion fastens the lower leg portion relative to the rigid boot body using an independent upper strap. The upper strap includes a resilient portion, whereby a circumference of the upper portion of the skate boot body about the ankle varies as the resilient portion of the adjustable upper strap is resiliently deformed by flexing of the user's ankle. The resilient upper strap provides an optimal balance of rigid support between the skate boot and user, while still allowing the user to comfortably flex their ankle through a large range of motion.

1 . A skate boot for receiving a foot and a lower leg of a user therein, the skate boot comprising:
 a sole portion extending longitudinally between a toe end and a heel end for supporting the foot of the user thereon;   an inner side wall portion and an outer side wall portion oriented generally longitudinally and extending upwardly from laterally opposing sides of the sole portion at an intermediate location between the toe end and the heel end towards respective upper free edges which are laterally spaced apart so as to partially define a tongue opening therebetween;   two ankle portions extending upwardly from said laterally opposing sides of the sole portion at the heel end in connection with respective ones of the side wall portions for spanning over respective ankles of the foot and a lower leg portion of the user in which the two ankle portions include forward free edges which are laterally spaced apart so as to partially define the tongue opening therebetween;   a heel portion extending upwardly from the heel end of the sole portion in connection between the two ankle portions;   the sole portion, the side wall portions, the two ankle portions, and the heel portion being rigidly connected with one another to form an integral skate boot body;   eyelets formed at spaced positions along the inner and outer side wall portions to receive laces spanning across a portion of the tongue opening to fasten a lower portion of the skate boot body about the foot of the user;   an upper strap spanning across the tongue opening between the two ankle portions so as to fasten an upper portion of the skate boot body about the lower leg portion of the user;   the upper strap including a resilient portion formed therein such that a circumference of the upper portion of the skate boot body varies as the resilient portion of the upper strap is resiliently deformed.   
     
     
         2 . The skate boot according to  claim 1  wherein the upper strap extends about a full circumference of the upper portion of the skate boot body. 
     
     
         3 . The skate boot according to  claim 2  wherein the upper strap is elongate between opposing first and second end portions which are joined to one another by the resilient portion therebetween, the second end portion being selectively securable to the first end portion to secure the upper strap circumferentially about the upper portion of the skate boot. 
     
     
         4 . The skate boot according to  claim 1  wherein the resilient portion spans across the tongue opening. 
     
     
         5 . The skate boot according to  claim 1  further comprising a strap receiving ring supported adjacent a first ankle portion of two ankle portions of the skate boot, the resilient portion of the upper strap including a first portion extending from a second ankle portion of the two ankle portions of the skate boot across the tongue opening to the strap receiving ring, and a second portion connected to the first portion through the strap receiving ring to extend across the tongue opening from the strap receiving ring to a free end of the strap which is selectively securable relative to the skate boot. 
     
     
         6 . The skate boot according to  claim 5  wherein the free end of the upper strap is adjustably securable to an opposing end portion of the strap, in which the opposing end portion of the strap is anchored relative to the skate boot body. 
     
     
         7 . The skate boot according to  claim 5  wherein the strap receiving ring is rectangular in shape having a rigid bar member about which the upper strap is wrapped which extends linearly across a full height of the upper strap. 
     
     
         8 . The skate boot according to  claim 1  further comprising laces received within the eyelets to fasten the lower portion of the skate boot body about the foot of the user, the laces terminating below the upper strap. 
     
     
         9 . The skate boot according to  claim 1  wherein the eyelets are evenly spaced apart within respective rows on each side of the skate boot body and wherein the upper strap has a height corresponding to a distance occupied by at least two adjacent eyelets. 
     
     
         10 . The skate boot according to  claim 1  wherein the upper strap is anchored to the heel portion of the skate boot body. 
     
     
         11 . The skate boot according to  claim 10  further comprising a rivet connected between the upper strap and the heel portion of the skate boot body. 
     
     
         12 . The skate boot according to  claim 1  further comprising a first fastener on a free end of the upper strap and a second fastener anchored relative to the skate boot body, one of the first and second fasteners comprising loops and another one of the first and second fasteners comprising hooks of a mating set of hook and loop fasteners.