Off-ice training blade and skate

A removeable off-ice training blade for use in a convertible ice skate, wherein the skate comprises a skate boot with a releasable skate blade bolder attached thereto having:

• an axial blade-holding groove along the bottom of the holder for engagement and alignment of a skate blade with a skating axis of a foot of the wearer extending from the heel to the toe of the boot;
• and
• b. a releasable retention mechanism for retaining the skate blade within the groove during use;
• said blade having heel and toe ends corresponding the heel and toe of the skate boot and comprising:
• d. an upper retention surface shaped to engage the interior of the blade-holding groove and be retained therein by retention mechanism;
• e. a lower tread surface to engage a non-ice training surface, said tread surface having reflective non-cutting axial edges;
• and
• f. two side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly from the tread to meet the upper retention edge;
• wherein the non-cutting axial edges of the tread are shaped to negate any destruction of the non-ice training surface on which the training blade is used when attached to a skate boot;
• wherein the training blade can be removed from the blade holder for replacement with an ice blade having cutting edges for use on-ice as desired, by releasing the retention mechanism;
• and
• wherein the noncutting axial edges are rounded.

A removeable off-ice training blade for use in a convertible ice skate, wherein the skate comprises a skate boot with a releasable skate blade holder attached thereto having:

• a. an axial blade-holding groove along the bottom of the holder for engagement and alignment of a skate blade with a skating axis of a foot of the wearer extending from the heel to the toe of the boot;
• and
• b. a releasable retention mechanism for retaining the skate blade within the groove during use;
• said blade having heel and toe ends corresponding the heel and toe of the skate boot and comprising:
• g. an upper retention surface shaped to engage the interior of the blade-holding groove and be retained therein by the retention mechanism;
• h. a lower tread surface to engage a non-ice training surface, said tread surface having reflective non-cutting axial edges;
• and
• i. two side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly from the tread to meet the upper retention edge;
• wherein the non-cutting axial edges of the tread are shaped to negate any destruction of the non-ice training surface on which the training blade is used when attached to a skate boot;
• wherein the training blade can be removed from the blade holder for replacement with an ice blade having cutting edges for use on-ice as desired, by releasing the retention mechanism;
• and
• wherein the tread in cross-section comprises a convex curve extending between the axial edges thereof.

A removeable off-ice training blade for use in a convertible ice skate, wherein the skate comprises a skate boot with a releasable skate blade holder attached thereto having:

• a. an axial blade-holding groove along the bottom of the holder for engagement and alignment of a skate blade with a skating axis of a foot of the wearer extending from the heel to the toe of the boot;
• and
• b. a releasable retention mechanism for retaining the skate blade within the groove during use;
• said blade having heel and toe ends corresponding the heel and toe of the skate boot and comprising:
• j. an upper retention surface shaped to engage the interior of the blade-holding groove and be retained therein by the retention mechanism;
• k. a lower tread surface to engage a non-ice training surface said tread surface having reflective no-cutting axial edges;
• and
• l. two side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly from the tread to meet the upper retention edge;
• wherein the non-cutting axial edges of the tread are shaped to negate any destruction of the non-ice training surface on which the training blade is used when attached to a skate boot;
• and
• wherein the training blade can be removed from the blade holder for replacement with an ice blade having cutting edges for use on-ice as desired, by releasing the retention mechanism;
• and
• wherein the tread is wider than the upper retention surface.

A convertible ice skate for training use by a wearer, said skate comprising:

• a. a skate boot having a heel end and a toe end;
• b. a releasable skate blade holder attached to the bottom of the skate boot comprising:
• i. an axial blade-holding groove along the bottom of the holder for engagement and alignment of a skate blade with a skating axis of a foot of the wearer, said skating axis extending from the heel to the toe of the boot;
• and
• ii. a releasable retention mechanism for retaining the skate blade within the groove during use;
• and
• c. a removeable off-ice training blade having heel and toe ends corresponding the heel and toe of the skate boot, retained within the blade holder and comprising:
• i. an upper retention surface shaped to engage the interior of the blade-holding groove and be retained therein by the retention mechanism;
• ii. a lower tread surface to engage a non-ice training surface, said tread surface having reflective non-cutting axial edges;
• and
• iii. two side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly from the tread to meet the upper retention edge;
• wherein the non-cutting axial edges of the tread are shaped to negate any destruction of the non-ice training surface on which the training blade is used when attached to a skate boot;
• wherein the tread has a high coefficient of friction to reduce the likelihood of slippage of the tread on the non-ice training surface;
• and
• wherein the training blade can be removed from the blade holder for replacement with an ice blade having cutting edges for use on-ice as desired, by releasing the retention mechanism.

A skate for training use by a wearer on a non-ice training surface, said skate comprising:

• a. a skate boot having a heel end and a toe end;
• b. an axial skate blade holder attached to the bottom of the skate boot for engagement and alignment of a skate blade with a skating axis of a foot of the wearer, said skating axis extending from the heel to the toe of the boot;
• and
• c. an off-ice training blade retained within the blade holder and having heel and toe ends corresponding the heel and toe of the skate boot and comprising:
• i. an upper retention surface shaped to engage the interior of a blade-holding groove and be retained therein;
• ii. a lower tread surface to engage a non-ice training surface, said tread surface having reflective non-cutting axial edges;
• and
• iii. two side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly from the tread to meet the upper retention edge;
• where in the tread has a high coefficient of friction to reduce the likelihood of slippage of the tread on the non-ice training surface;
• and
• wherein the non-cutting axial edges of the tread are shaped to negate any destruction of the non-ice training surface by the tread surface during use of the training blade on a skate boot thereon.

A method of off-ice training for a skater on a non-ice training surface, said method comprising:

• a. providing at least one convertible ice skate to be worn on a foot of the skater, said skate comprising:
• i. a skate boot having a heel end and a toe end;
• ii. a releasable skate blade holder attached to the bottom of the skate boot comprising:
• 1. An axial blade-holding groove along the bottom of the holder for engagement and alignment of a skate blade with a skating axis of a foot of the wearer, said skating axis extending from the heel to the toe of the boot;
• and
• 2. A releasable retention mechanism for retaining the skate blade within the groove during use;
• and
• iii. a removeable off-ice training blade having heel and toe ends corresponding the heel and toe of the skate boot, retained within the blade holder and comprising:
• 1. An upper retention surface shaped to engage the interior of the blade-holding groove and be retained therein by the retention mechanism;
• 2. A lower tread surface to engage a non-ice training surface, said tread surface having reflective non-cutting axial edges shaped to negate any destruction of the non-ice training surface;
• and
• 3. Two side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly from the tread to meet an upper retention edge;
• b. engaging a foot of the skater in said at least one said convertible ice skate;
• c. engaging the skater in weight-bearing exercise movements on said at least one convertible ice skate on the non-ice training surface;
• wherein the training blade of each convertible ice skate, via its non-cutting axial tread edges, does not damage the non-ice training surface;
• wherein the tread has a high coefficient of friction to minimize the likelihood of slippage of the tread on the non-ice training surface;
• and
• the skater is able to simulate weight-bearing skate positioning and movements on the at least one convertible ice skate during the exercise movements.