WO1999012615A1

WO1999012615A1 - Improvements relating to ice skates

Info

Publication number: WO1999012615A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/002666
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Sean Barron
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-09-09
Filing date: 1998-09-09
Publication date: 1999-03-18
Anticipated expiration: 2000-03-09
Also published as: CA2270996A1; JP2001507268A; GB9719038D0

Abstract

An ice skate has a support member (1), for attachment to a boot (2) of the wearer, and a blade (3), connected to the support member (1) by a strut (4). The strut (4) is a generally rigid block and incorporates a forward, upwardly curved, face (5) of the blade. The rearward portion (6) of the blade extends freely from the strut (4) and is able to flex to a certain extent. Thus, when the skater is negotiating a curve the rearward portion (6) of the blade can flex into a curved state so as to maintain the rear part (7) of the ice bearing surface substantially in contact with the ice during that manoeuvre. A boss (8), projecting upwardly from the free end of the blade portion (6), and a filler plate (9) help to reduce the danger of the free end of the blade portion creating a potential danger to other skaters.

Description

Improvements relating to Ice Skates A conventional ice skate has a rigid steel blade which is essentially flat with a curved, rocker-edge, profile. When the skater wishes to turn he is able to do so by rotating the blade around the central portion cf the rocker contact point . The need to incorporate a rocker into the design makes the skate inherently unstable in a fore and aft mode .

In the interest of providing greater stability for the skater it is necessary to increase the ice bearing surface of the skate without unduly sacrificing its turning ability.

According to the invention there is provided an ice skate comprising a support member having a generally rigid strut depending from the forward end of the skate down to a blade which is provided with a lower ice-bearing surface, wherein the blade extends rearwardly from the strut as a free portion which is robust yet resilient such that the rearward portion of the blade is able to flex into a curved state out of direct alignment along the length of the blade so as to maintain ice contact along the length of the ice bearing portion of the blade when a sideways force is applied to the blade.

Because the rearward portion of the blade has a certain degree of flexibility it can conform to a somewhat curved shape as the skater negotiates a bend and thus ensure that the ice bearing surface is in contact with the ice over substantially the length of the blade. The strut at the forward end provides a rigid interconnection between the support member and the forward portion of the blade at all times. The forward end of the blade can incorporate a conventional rocker profile but it may be preferable to ensure that the rearward portion of the blade is normally wholly in contact with the ice. The rearward portion of the blade could incorporate a degree of longitudinal pre-bend to produce a greater downward loading towards the rear of the blade .

In a preferred arrangement the free end of the blade will carry an upstanding boss. This will reduce the possibility of a relatively sharp ended blade termination presenting a danger to other users of a skating rink. Ideally also a filler plate will depend from the support to fill substantially the gap between the support and the rearward portion of the blade and back to the boss, where present . This removes the possibility that other skaters (on ice hockey blades, for example) can become entangled with the ice skate.

In the preferred arrangement the blade is formed from a body of moulded synthetic material. The support member could be mounted integrally with the blade but it is possible for the blade proper and the support member to be formed from different materials. For example the strut and the forward section of the blade could be formed from a solid steel plate. Preferably at least the rearward portion of the blade incorporates unidirectional fibres extending along the length of the blade to give greater flexural strength. The fibre reinforced plastics body could incor- porate a preformed unidirectional fibre-reinforced plastics pultruded rod.

The ice bearing surface could be formed as a steel strip which is bonded into the body of the blade. It may be preferable for the ice bearing profile of the steel strip to vary along the length of the blade, for example having a concave profile at the forward end and a flat profile at the rearward end. The steel strip could be split partially at a selection of positions along its length, or could be formed from a series of adjacent units. This allows more readily for the rearward portion of the blade to flex as desired.

The invention may be performed in various ways and preferred embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: -

Figure 1 is a side view of an ice skate of this invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the ice skate shown in Figure 1 ;

Figures 3 and 4 are forward and rearward views respectively of the ice skate shown in Figures 1 and 2 ;

Figure 5 is a side view of an alternative form of ice skate of this invention; Figure 6 is a vertical section through the forward end of the ice skate shown in Figure 5; and

Figures 7 and 8 are vertical and horizontal sections respectively of part of a modified blade structure of the ice skate .

The ice skate shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings has a support member 1, for attachment to a boot 2 of the wearer, and a blade 3, connected to the support member 1 by a strut 4. The strut 4 is a generally rigid block and incorporates a forward, upwardly curved, face 5 of the blade. The rearward portion 6 of the blade extends freely from the strut 4 and is able to flex to a certain extent. Thus, when the skater is negotiating a curve the rearward portion 6 of the blade can flex into a curved state so as to maintain the rear part 7 of the ice bearing surface substantially in contact with the ice during that manoeuvre. Flexing of the rearward portion 6 of the blade can be seen at 6A in Figure 2. Preferably a boss 8 will be provided, projecting upwardly from the free end of the blade portion 6. This reduces the danger of the free end of the blade portion creating a potential danger to other skaters. A filler plate 9 can also be provided, depending from the base of the support member 1, to fill in the open space between the support member 1 and the rearward portion 6 of the blade, back to the boss 8.

As can be seen particularly from Figures 3 and 4 the bearing surface is provided by a metal plate 10 bonded into a groove in the material of the strut 4 and the blade portion 6. At the forward end the plate 10 has a concave profile 11 whilst at the rearward end a flat profile 12 is provided. This gives a possible greater braking potential for the rearward part 6 of the blade . The bearing edge of the steel blade could be square in section along its entire length as opposed to being at least partly concave.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate an arrangement wherein the strut 4 is formed separately from the blade 3. The blade 3 is held within a groove 13 in the strut 4 by a bolt 14. The strut 4 is formed (together with the support number 1) as an injection moulded body of fibre reinforced plastics material. The blade 3 will be formed principally from fibre reinforced plastics material, wherein the majority of the fibres run unidirectionally along the length of the blade axis. The blade shape could be cut out from a pre-formed sheet .

As shown in figures 7 and 8, the metal bearing surface of the blade can be provided by a number of metal strips 15 connected to projected portions 16, which are bonded into the body of the blade portion 6.

Claims

1. An ice skate comprising a support member having a generally rigid strut depending from the forward end of the skate down to a blade which is provided with a lower ice- bearing surface, wherein the blade extends rearwardly from the strut as a free portion which is robust yet resilient such that the rearward portion of the blade is able to flex into a curved state out of direct alignment along the length of the blade so as to maintain ice contact along the length of the ice bearing portion of the blade when a sideways force is applied to the blade.

2. An ice skate according to Claim 1, wherein the free end of the blade carries an upstanding boss.

3. An ice skate according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a filler plate depends from the support to fill substantially the gap between the support and the rearward portion of the blade and back to the boss, where present.

4. An ice skate according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the blade is formed from a body of moulded synthetic material.

5. An ice skate according to Claim 4, wherein the support member is integrally moulded with the blade.

6. An ice skate according to Claim 4, wherein the blade is formed separately from the support member and is bolted or otherwise secured thereto.

7. An ice skate according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the rearward portion of the blade at least incorporates unidirectional fibres extending along the length of the blade.

8. An ice skate according to Claim 7 wherein the fibre reinforced plastics body incorporates a preformed unidirectional fibre-reinforced plastics pultruded rod.

9. An ice skate according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the ice bearing surface is formed as a steel strip which is bonded into the body of the blade.

10. An ice skate according to Claim 9, wherein the ice bearing profile of the steel strip varies along the length of the blade.

11. An ice skate according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein the steel strip is split partially at a selection of positions along its length.

12. An ice skate according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein the steel strip is formed from a series of adjacent units .

13. An ice skate substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel combination of an ice skate, as described herein and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings .