Skate and method of manufacture
AssigneeSport Maska Inc.
InventorsPhilippe KOYESS, Alexandre CHRETIEN, Daniel CHARTRAND, Etienne CHAMPAGNE, Philippe LAPIERRE
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing a skate boot shell, and more particularly a non-lasted skate boot shell, including shaping tridimensional outer and inner sub-shells, and bonding the shaped sub-shells together through lamination. The lamination is performed after the sub-shells are shaped and includes applying heat to the sub-shells and/or pressure on one of the sub-shells toward the other against a mold surface. A skate boot shell with multiple sub-shells is also discussed, including an outer sub-shell, and inner sub-shell and a reinforcement sub-shell.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a skate boot shell, the method comprising:
- shaping a tridimensional outer sub-shell to define a first heel portion, a first ankle portion connected to the first heel portion, and two opposed first side portions extending from the first heel and ankle portions;
- shaping a tridimensional inner sub-shell to define a second heel portion, a second ankle portion connected to the second heel portion, and two opposed second side portions extending from the second heel and ankle portions, the inner sub-shell having an outer surface complementary to an inner surface of the outer sub-shell;
- and
- bonding the shaped sub-shells together through lamination, the lamination being performed after the outer and inner sub-shells are shaped, the lamination being performed with the inner sub-shell in the outer sub-shell and with the outer surface of the inner sub-shell in alignment with the inner surface of the outer sub-shell, the lamination including applying one or both of heat on the sub-shells and pressure on one of the inner and outer sub-shells toward the other of the inner and outer sub-shells, the other of the inner and outer sub-shells resting against a mold surface.
A skate comprising:
- a skate boot having a shell including:
- a tridimensional outer sub-shell made of a first material, the outer sub-shell including a first heel portion, a first ankle portion connected to the first heel portion, two opposed first side portions extending from the first heel and ankle portions, and a first sole portion connected to the first heel, ankle and side portions,
- a tridimensional inner sub-shell received within and connected to the outer sub-shell, an outer surface of the inner sub-shell being complementary to an inner surface of the outer sub-shell, the inner sub-shell being made of a second material different from the first material, the inner sub-shell including a second heel portion, a second ankle portion connected to the second heel portion, and two opposed second side portions extending from the second heel and ankle portions, and
- a tridimensional reinforcement sub-shell made of a third material different from the first and second materials and bonded inside at least one of the inner and outer sub-shells, the reinforcement sub-shell including a third heel portion, a third ankle portion connected to the third heel portion, and two opposed third side portions extending from the third heel and ankle portions;
- and
- a ground-engaging assembly received along a bottom surface of the first sole portion and engaged to the skate boot.
A method of manufacturing a non-lasted skate boot shell, the method comprising:
- placing layers against a mold surface of a female mold, the layers defining a heel portion, an ankle portion, and side portions of the skate boot shell, the layers being thermoformable;
- applying pressure to the layers against the mold surface of the female mold using an inflatable bladder;
- and
- curing the layers into a shape of the skate boot shell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.