Ice hockey skate blade system

An ice-hockey blade system comprising:

• an elongated blade member having
• an upper portion including at least one coupler receiver adapted to enable removable coupling of said upper portion to at least one ice-hockey skate boot, and
• a lower portion having an ice contact edge, said ice contact edge including
• a curved toe portion, said curved toe portion having a set of blade picks projecting outwardly in a radial pattern defined by a common center point,
• a flat mid portion, and
• a curved heel portion;
• wherein said set of blade picks includes at least four individual blade picks;
• wherein each said blade pick includes a triangular member having opposing sidewalls arranged symmetrically about an axis of symmetry, said opposing sidewalls converging to form an apex point intersecting said line of symmetry;
• wherein said axis of symmetry of each said blade pick intersects said common center point;
• wherein said curved toe portion includes an outer peripheral edge;
• wherein said outer peripheral edge is defined by an arc segment having a constant radius originating at said common center point;
• wherein said apex point of each said blade pick is located within a region of said curved toe portion bounded by said arc segment;
• wherein said apex point of each said blade pick falls on said arc segment;
• wherein the radius of said arc segment is about 0.5 inch;
• wherein the length of each opposing sidewall of said blade pick is about 0.125 inch;
• wherein a distance of separation between adjacent said apex points is about 0.125 inch;
• wherein an angular separation between adjacent said lines of symmetry is about 14.36 degrees;
• wherein said at least one coupler receiver is adapted to operate with at least one coupler of a commercially-available version of the at least one ice-hockey skate boot;
• wherein said elongated blade member is formed from at least one metallic composition;
• wherein the wide of said elongated blade member is at least 0.10 inch;
• and
• wherein said ice contact edge further includes at least one curving transition portion smoothly joining said flat mid portion and said curved toe portion;
• and
• said at least one curving transition portion defined by a set of radii, each one having lengths greater than said constant radius of said curved toe portion.

A method for increasing the performance of an ice-hockey boot, the method comprising the steps of:

• identifying an existing commercially-available ice-hockey skate boot having a removable elongated blade member;
• designing a new removable elongated blade member usable with the existing commercially-available ice-hockey skate boot, such new removable elongated blade member including
• an upper portion including at least one coupler receiver adapted to enable removable coupling of the upper portion to the existing commercially-available ice-hockey skate boot, and
• a lower portion having an ice contact edge, the ice contact edge including
• a curved toe portion, the curved toe portion having a set of blade picks projecting outwardly in a radial pattern defined by a common center point,
• a flat mid portion, and
• a heel portion.