Double hinged skate

A skate boot hingedly attached to an elongate bearing member having a tip end and capable of traversing a surface, the boot having an upper shoe portion adapted to receive a foot, a medial side, a lateral side, and a sole defining a heel end, a metatarsal portion having a metatarsal head area, and a toe end, wherein the boot further comprises:

• (a) a first hinge member defined in the metatarsal portion of the boot to permit the boot to flex in the metatarsal portion, allowing the heel end of the sole to lift from the bearing member while the toe end remains substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of the bearing member;
• (b) an elongate plate fastened to the sole of the boot and extending from the toe end to at least behind the metatarsal head area of the sole, the plate having a forward end and a rearward end;
• (c) a mid-boot support mount extending upwardly from the bearing member and adapted to support the plate at a predetermined location near the first hinge member and maintain the plate in a stable position as the skater pushes down on the plate and applies thrust to the bearing member;
• and
• (d) a second hinge member hingedly attaching the forward end of the plate to the bearing member, such that as the boot hinges at the second hinge member and about a lateral axis defined relative to the longitudinal direction of the bearing member, so that the user is able to push-off from the second hinge member.

A skate, comprising:

• (a) a boot having an upper shoe portion adapted to receive a foot and a sole defining a heel end, a metatarsal portion having a metatarsal head area, and a toe end;
• (b) at least a first elongate skate bearing member having a tip end and capable of traversing a surface and having a first end hingedly attached to the sole of the boot;
• (c) a first hinge member defined in the metatarsal portion of the boot to permit the boot to flex in the metatarsal portion, allowing the heel end of the sole to lift from the bearing member while the toe end remains substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of the bearing member;
• (d) an elongate plate incorporated with the sole of the boot and extending from the toe end to at least behind the metatarsal head area of the sole, the plate having a forward end and a rearward end;
• (e) a mid-boot support mount extending upwardly from the bearing member and adapted to support the plate at a predetermined location behind the metatarsal head area of the sole and to maintain the plate in a stable position as the skater pushes down on the plate and applies thrust to the bearing member;
• and
• (f) a second hinge member defined in the sole of the boot near the toe end and hingedly attaching the boot to the first bearing member, such that as the boot hinges at the second hinge member and about a lateral axis defined normal to the longitudinal direction of the first bearing member, the first hinge member unflexes and the user is able to push-off from the second hinge member without the tip end of the bearing member digging into the surface it is traversing.