Figure Skating Boot with Flexing Upper Cuff

Abstract

A figure skating boot has a boot body formed of a structural, monocoque material including a sole portion, inner and outer side wall portions, and ankle portions for receiving a user foot therein. Lower mounting surfaces at a bottom of the boot body support the lower mounting frame of a skate blade thereon. An upper cuff member formed of a material which is less rigid than the monocoque material of the boot body is supported on the boot body such that a rear portion is fixed to the heel end of the boot body and side portions extend forwardly from the rear portion at opposing sides of the boot body to partly overlap the ankle portions. One or more fastening anchors on each side portion allow the cuff member to be fastened about the lower leg of the user while allow some flexing movement relative to the boot body.

1 . A skating boot for receiving a foot of a user therein and for use with a lower mounting frame, the figure skating boot comprising:
 a sole portion extending longitudinally rearward from a toe end of the boot towards a heel end of the boot so as to be arranged to support at least part of 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 between the toe end and the heel end towards respective upper free edges which are laterally spaced apart so as to define a lower portion of a tongue opening of the boot therebetween;   a heel cup portion comprising an upright wall in connection between the inner and outer side wall portions at the heel end so as to be arranged to receive a heel of the foot of the user therein;   two ankle portions extending upwardly from laterally opposing sides of the heel cup, being joined to one another across the heel end of the boot above the heel cup portion, and extending forwardly to respective forward edges which are laterally spaced apart at opposing sides of an upper portion of the tongue opening of the boot therebetween such that the two ankle portions are arranged to span over respective ankles of the foot of the user;   the sole portion, the inner and outer side wall portions, the heel cup portion, and the ankle portions comprising a unitary, monocoque structure integrally formed of a rigid, structural, monocoque material defining a boot body;   the boot body having one or more lower mounting surfaces at a bottom side thereof in which the one or more lower mounting surfaces are arranged to support the lower mounting frame mounted thereon; and   an upper cuff member comprising:
 a rear portion coupled in fixed relation to the boot body at the heel end; 
 a pair of side portions extending forwardly from the rear portion at laterally opposing sides of the boot body so as to at least partly overlap the ankle portions respectively; 
 at least one fastening anchor supported on each side portion so as to be arranged to receive a fastening member secured thereon; 
   the upper cuff member being formed of a cuff material which is less rigid than the monocoque material of the boot body.   
     
     
         2 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  wherein the monocoque material defining the boot body has a hardness which is greater than 72 on the Shore D hardness scale and the cuff material forming the upper cuff member has a hardness which is less than 72 on the Shore D hardness scale. 
     
     
         3 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one embedded anchor embedded into the cuff material on each side portion of the upper cuff member, said at least one fastening anchor being coupled to said at least one embedded anchor on each side portion of the upper cuff member. 
     
     
         4 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  wherein the side portions of the upper cuff member protrude forwardly beyond the forward edges of the two ankle portions such that the upper portion of the tongue opening is defined between respective forward edges of the side portions of the upper cuff member. 
     
     
         5 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  wherein an upper edge of the upper cuff member is aligned with an upper edge of the two ankle portions about an upper leg opening of the boot for receiving a leg of the user therethrough. 
     
     
         6 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  wherein the rear portion of the upper cuff member is fixed immovably to the boot body at a location spaced above the heel cup portion of the boot body. 
     
     
         7 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  further comprising adhesive joining at least the side portions of the upper cuff member to the ankle portions of the boot body. 
     
     
         8 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  further comprising a first coupling arrangement joining the rear portion of the upper cuff member to the boot body at the heel end and a second coupling arrangement joining the side portions of the upper cuff member to the ankle portions of the boot body, the second coupling arrangement between the side portions of the upper cuff member and the boot body allowing greater movement than the first coupling arrangement between the rear portion of the upper cuff member and the boot body. 
     
     
         9 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  further comprising a ledge formed at the heel end of the boot body receiving a bottom edge of the upper cuff member abutted thereon. 
     
     
         10 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  further comprising a bonding layer formed of a flexible material spanning across a junction between the upper cuff member, the bonding panel being joined to an exterior surface of the upper cuff member and an exterior surface of at least one of the ankle portions. 
     
     
         11 . The skating boot according to  claim 10  wherein the bonding layer comprises two separate bonding panels coupled to the two ankle portions respectively. 
     
     
         12 . The skating boot according to  claim 10  wherein the bonding layer extends over the forward edges of the two ankle portions and overlaps respective interior surface portions of the boot body at the two ankle portions. 
     
     
         13 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of finishing panels formed of an exterior finishing material supported at an exterior of the boot body so as to define an exterior surface of the skating boot; 
 the finishing panels including at least one first finishing panel formed of a first material and at least one second finishing panel formed of a second material; 
 said at least one first finishing panel spanning a majority of the exterior surface of the skating boot; 
 said at least one second finishing panel spanning over an exterior junction between the upper cuff member and the boot body; and 
 the second material undergoing less permanent distortion in response to a prescribed deflection than the first material. 
 
     
     
         14 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  wherein the sole portion includes a forward section arranged to support a forward portion of the foot of the user thereon and a heel section protruding downwardly from the forward section so as to define a heel cavity within the heel section that is open to an interior of the boot body, the skating boot further comprising a heel member received within the heel cavity in the heel section of the boot body so as to be arranged to support a heel of the foot of the user thereon. 
     
     
         15 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a tongue member connected to the boot body at a forward end of the tongue opening so as to extend upwardly and rearwardly towards a top end of the boot while spanning a width of the tongue opening; and 
 a plurality of lace guides protruding forwardly from a leading face of the tongue member so as to define one or more channels arranged to receive laces of the fastening member therethrough so as to anchor the tongue member relative to the laces; 
 the lace guides being joined to a common base member such that the lace guides and the base member define a continuous, seamless, unitary body. 
 
     
     
         16 . The skating boot according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a tongue member connected to the boot body at a forward end of the tongue opening so as to extend upwardly and rearwardly towards a top end of the boot while spanning a width of the tongue opening; and 
 a tongue stiffener connected to the tongue member and being formed of a stiffener material which is more resistant to bending than the tongue member; 
 the tongue stiffener extending along a majority of the lower portion of the tongue opening in the skating boot; and 
 the tongue stiffener including a catch formed thereon adjacent a forward end of the tongue stiffener, in which the catch is abutted with the boot body at the forward end of the tongue opening to prevent forward movement of the tongue stiffener relative to the boot body. 
 
     
     
         17 . A skating boot for receiving a foot of a user therein and for use with a lower mounting frame, the figure skating boot comprising:
 a sole portion extending longitudinally rearward from a toe end of the boot towards a heel end of the boot so as to be arranged to support at least part of 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 between the toe end and the heel end towards respective upper free edges which are laterally spaced apart so as to define a lower portion of a tongue opening of the boot therebetween;   a heel cup portion comprising an upright wall in connection between the inner and outer side wall portions at the heel end so as to be arranged to receive a heel of the foot of the user therein;   two ankle portions extending upwardly from laterally opposing sides of the heel cup, being joined to one another across the heel end of the boot above the heel cup portion, and extending forwardly to respective forward edges which are laterally spaced apart at opposing sides of an upper portion of the tongue opening of the boot therebetween such that the two ankle portions are arranged to span over respective ankles of the foot of the user;   the sole portion, the inner and outer side wall portions, the heel cup portion, and the ankle portions collectively defining a boot body;   the boot body having one or more lower mounting surfaces at a bottom side thereof in which the one or more lower mounting surfaces are arranged to support the lower mounting frame mounted thereon;   a tongue member connected to the boot body at a forward end of the tongue opening so as to extend upwardly and rearwardly towards a top end of the boot while spanning a width of the tongue opening; and   a plurality of lace guides protruding forwardly from a leading face of the tongue member so as to define one or more channels arranged to receive the laces therethrough so as to anchor the tongue member relative to the laces;   the lace guides being joined to a common base member connected to the tongue member.   
     
     
         18 . The skating boot according to  claim 17  wherein the lace guides are laterally spaced apart from one another and each lace guide is tapered to be reduced in height from an outer side to an inner side of the lace guide in a lateral direction so as to be arranged to receive criss-crossing portions of the laces therebetween. 
     
     
         19 . The skating boot according to  claim 17  wherein the lace guides and the base member are molded of a common moldable plastic material such that the lace guides and the base member define a continuous, seamless, unitary body. 
     
     
         20 . The skating boot according to  claim 17  wherein the lace guides include two first guides which are laterally spaced apart from one another and a second guide spaced vertically from the first guides in a triangular pattern so as to be arranged to locate the lace guides vertically and laterally relative to the laces. 
     
     
         21 . The skating boot according to  claim 17  wherein the base member is elongate and formed of a stiffener material which is more resistant to bending than the tongue member, the base member being connected to the tongue member to extend along part of the tongue opening at a location spaced rearwardly from the forward end of the tongue opening. 
     
     
         22 . A skating boot for receiving a foot of a user therein and for use with a lower mounting frame, the figure skating boot comprising:
 a sole portion extending longitudinally rearward from a toe end of the boot towards a heel end of the boot so as to be arranged to support at least part of 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 between the toe end and the heel end towards respective upper free edges which are laterally spaced apart so as to define a lower portion of a tongue opening of the boot therebetween;   a heel cup portion comprising an upright wall in connection between the inner and outer side wall portions at the heel end so as to be arranged to receive a heel of the foot of the user therein;   two ankle portions extending upwardly from laterally opposing sides of the heel cup, being joined to one another across the heel end of the boot above the heel cup portion, and extending forwardly to respective forward edges which are laterally spaced apart at opposing sides of an upper portion of the tongue opening of the boot therebetween such that the two ankle portions are arranged to span over respective ankles of the foot of the user;   the sole portion, the inner and outer side wall portions, the heel cup portion, and the ankle portions collectively defining a boot body;   the boot body having one or more lower mounting surfaces at a bottom side thereof in which the one or more lower mounting surfaces are arranged to support the lower mounting frame mounted thereon;   a tongue member connected to the boot body at a forward end of the tongue opening so as to extend upwardly and rearwardly towards a top end of the boot while spanning a width of the tongue opening; and   a tongue stiffener connected to the tongue member and being formed of a stiffener material which is more resistant to bending than the tongue member;   the tongue stiffener extending along a majority of the lower portion of the tongue opening in the skating boot; and   the tongue stiffener including a catch formed thereon adjacent a forward end of the tongue stiffener, in which the catch is abutted with the boot body at the forward end of the tongue opening to prevent forward movement of the tongue stiffener relative to the boot body.