Skate with removable blade

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6623017
  • Patent Number
    6,623,017
  • Date Filed
    Monday, January 21, 2002
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 23, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Original Assignees
    • (Saginaw, MI, US)
    • (Davison, MI, US)
    • (Grand Blanc, MI, US)
  • Examiners
    • Johnson; Brian L.
    • Shriver; J. Allen
    Agents
    • Young & Basile, P.C.
Abstract
A skate that includes a boot fixed between an insole and an outsole. The insole has a pair of retainers projecting through apertures in the outsole for receiving one end of a pair of legs projecting from a blade runner. The retainers extend through interior chambers formed in a blade holder, with the interior chambers slidably receiving the blade legs. A fastening pin is extendable through the aligned bores in the holder, the blade legs and the retainers to fixedly connect the blade, the holder and the insole. Various aspects of the outsole and holder are formed with mating projections and recesses to resist lateral movement of the holder relative to the outsole and the boot.
Description




BACKGROUND




The present invention relates, in general, to skates.




Skates, whether of the ice skate, roller skate or in-line variety, typically include a boot, a use element, such as an ice blade, rollers, or in-line rollers as well as a use element holder which receives the use element and is attachable to the boot.




Typically, a plurality of rivets are used to fixedly attach the holder to the boot sole. In the case of ice skates, the riveted attachment of the holder and blade requires that the entire boot, blade holder and blade be held or mounted in a fixture for sharpening in a blade sharpening machine. Due to the size of the ice skate, this is difficult to do in a manner which insures that the blade is held stationary during the entire sharpening process for the formation of a consistent edge.




In use, skates are subject to frequent start and stops. This generates high lateral torque forces which are transmitted to the rivets and which frequently result in breakage or damage of the rivets. This requires frequent replacement of the rivets which, at best, is a time-consuming process and renders the skate inoperative for the length of the repair process.




The Applicant has previously devised various skate constructions utilizing a sole recess and/or intermediate torque ribs to securely mount the blade holder to the sole in a manner which minimizes lateral torque forces from being transmitted to the use element holder.




It is believed that skates can be further improved relative to the use element the use element holder and the boot mounting arrangement.




SUMMARY




The present invention is a skate which provides a simplified, quick and easy mounting of a replaceable blade to a blade holder and the blade holder to the boot which does not require any rivets between the blade holder and the boot as in previous skate constructions.




In one aspect of the invention, the skate includes a boot having an insole disposed within the boot and an outsole mounted exteriorly the boot. First and second retainers extend from the insole through the outsole. Bores are formed in the first and second retainers transverse to the length of the insoles. The holder is engagable with the outsole and has interior chambers receiving the first and second retainers of the insole, and an open ended groove formed in a bottom portion which has apertures opening into the interior chambers. A blade has a runner portion mountable in the open ended groove of the holder and a pair of legs extending from the runner and insertable through the apertures in the holder into the first and second retainers disposed in the interior chambers of the holder. A fastening pin is extendable through the aligned bores in the holder, the legs of the blade, and the first and second retainers to securely connect the blade to the holder and the holder to the boot.




The fastening pin preferably carries at least one or optionally two biased lock members, such as spring biased balls, which normally project outwardly from an exterior surface of the pin for forced engagement with end portions of the bores in the holder when the pin is mounted in the holder. The lock members securely fix the pin in the holder to couple the blade to the holder and the holder to the boot.




In one aspect, the fastening pin has spring biased lock members or balls carried at opposite ends of the pin. In yet another aspect, the pin carries a single biased lock member or ball at one end and a pull member or ring at an opposite end to facilitate pulling removal of the pin from the skate.




In one aspect of the invention, a plurality of complementary shaped projections and recesses are formed on one of or both of the outsole and the holder for mating when the holder is engaged with the outsole. The projections and recesses define surfaces which resist lateral as well as fore and aft movement of the holder relative to the outsole without the need for a recessed cavity in the outsole or rivets to fix the holder to the outsole of the boot.




The skate of the present invention provides a unique, quick and expedient structure for attachment of a replaceable blade to a blade holder as well as the blade holder to a boot by means of the same fasteners. This simplifies the assembly of the skate as well as any removal or replacement of the blade from the blade holder by eliminating the need for rivets used in practically all previously devised skates.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The various features, advantages and other uses of the present invention will become more apparent by referring to the following detailed description and drawing in which:





FIG. 1

is a side elevational view of a skate constructed in accordance with one aspect of the present invention and depicted as an ice skate;





FIG. 2

is an exploded, perspective view of the skate shown in

FIG. 1

, with the boot not shown;





FIG. 3

is a partial, cross-sectional view showing the mounting of the boot, insole and outsole;





FIG. 4

is a plan view of the holder shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

;





FIG. 5

is a bottom view of the holder depicted in

FIG. 4

shown attached to the boot;





FIG. 6

is a cross-sectional, end view of the assembled boot, insole, outsole, holder and blade;





FIG. 7

is a side elevational view of a modified blade according to another aspect of the present invention;





FIG. 8

is a bottom view of the outsole of the skate shown in

FIGS. 1-6

;





FIG. 9

is a partially broken away, side elevational view of another aspect of a skate according to the present invention;





FIG. 10

is a plan view of the holder shown in

FIG. 10

;





FIG. 11

is a partial, side elevational view of a skate according to another aspect of the present invention;





FIG. 12

is a plan view of a holder usable in the skate shown in

FIG. 11

;





FIG. 13

is a side elevational view, partially broken away, of a skate according to another aspect of the present invention;





FIG. 14

is a plan view of the holder for the skate shown in

FIG. 13

;





FIG. 15

is a plan view of an outsole according to another aspect of the present invention;





FIG. 16

is a cross-sectional view generally taken along line


16





16


in

FIG. 15

;





FIG. 17

is an end elevational view of a boot and outsole usable with the holder shown in

FIGS. 15 and 16

;





FIG. 18

is a side elevational view of a boot and outsole of a skate according to another aspect of the present invention;





FIG. 19

is a plan view of a holder usable with a boot and outsole shown in

FIG. 18

;





FIG. 20

is a plan view of a holder according to another aspect of the present invention;





FIG. 21

is a cross-sectional view generally taken along line


21





21


in

FIG. 20

; and





FIG. 22

is an end view of a boot and an outsole usable with the holder shown in

FIGS. 20 and 21

;





FIG. 23

is a cross-sectional end view of another aspect of the assembled boot, insole, outsole, holder and blade showing one aspect of a removable pin fastener; and





FIG. 24

is a cross-sectional end view of another aspect of the assembled boot, insole, outsole, holder and blade showing another aspect of a removable pin fastener.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




Referring now to the drawing and to

FIGS. 1-6

and


8


in particular, there is depicted a skate


10


constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The skate


10


, although depicted as an ice skate, can also be devised for use as an in-line skate or roller skate.




As is conventional, the skate


10


includes a shoe body or boot


12


of conventional construction. The boot


12


may be formed of any suitable shoe or boot material, such as leather, rigid or soft plastic, combinations thereof as well as other suitable boot materials.




As shown in

FIGS. 1-3

, the boot


12


also includes an insole


14


and an outsole


16


which have center portions which sandwich inward extending bottom edges of side walls of the boot


12


there between. Adhesive and/or fasteners are employed to securely join the boot


12


, insole


14


and outsole


16


together.




In this aspect of the present invention, the insole


14


is formed with a center portion


20


which is positioned inside of the boot


12


as a surface on which the user's foot rests. The insole


14


is formed with two spaced retainers


22


and


24


, with the retainer


22


disposed in the toe portion of the insole


14


and the retainer


24


disposed in the heel portion of the insole


14


. The retainers


22


and


24


are substantially identically formed and may be attached to or integrally formed, such as by molding, with the center portion


20


of the insole


12


and project from one surface of the center portion


20


.




As shown more clearly in

FIGS. 3 and 6

, the retainer


24


is formed of a pair of depending legs


26


and


28


which project from the center portion


20


of the insole


14


and are spaced apart by a central slot


30


. Through bores


32


and


34


formed of each of the legs


26


and


28


, respectively, and are aligned for receiving a fastener there through, as described hereafter.




It will be understood that the retainer


22


is similarly formed of spaced legs


26


and


28


, with aligned bores


32


and


34


extending there through.




The outsole


16


has a center portion


40


. The first aperture or slot


42


is formed in a toe portion of the outsole


16


, while a second aperture or slot


44


is formed in a heel portion of the outsole


16


.




In this aspect of the invention, a recessed cavity denoted by reference number


48


is formed within the periphery of the outsole


16


by the formation of a lip .


50


depending from a peripheral edge of the center portion


40


of the outsole


16


. The lip


50


preferably depends from the entire peripheral extent of the outsole


16


, but may be provided with discontinuous heel and toe portions. A toe cup


51


at the toe end of the outsole


16


is formed by an inward extending flange perpendicular to the lip


50


and spaced from the center portion of the outsole


16


to form a recess for the toe end of a holder.




When the boot


12


, insole


14


and outsole


16


are joined together, as described above, by means of an adhesive and/or fasteners, the retainers


22


and


24


project through the apertures


42


and


44


, respectively, in the outsole


16


and depend a greater distance from the center portion


40


of the outsole


16


than does the extent of the lip


50


.




A use element holder


54


is provided for receiving a use element, such as an ice blade or runner in the present example of the invention as an ice skate. The holder


54


is, according to the construction of the skate of the present invention, fixedly, yet removably attached to the insole


14


and the outsole


16


in a manner which resists lateral and fore and aft movement relative to the outsole


16


.




According to this aspect of the present invention, the holder


54


is formed as a one piece body, generally of molded plastic. Two internal chambers


71


and


73


are formed in toe and heel portions, respectively, of the holder


54


extending inward from apertures


56


and


58


, formed in a top surface


60


of the holder


54


. As shown more clearly in

FIG. 6

, the holder


54


is formed with a pair of side walls


62


and


64


which extend from the top surface


60


and taper inwardly to bottom ends


66


and


68


, respectively, which are spaced apart by a slot


70


which extends completely through the lower portion of the holder


54


and opens into each internal chamber


71


and


73


within the holder


54


. Co-axial through bores


72


and


74


are formed through the side walls


62


and


64


below the top portion


60


of the holder


54


.




As shown in

FIG. 1

, the bottom edges


66


and


68


of the side walls


62


and


64


, respectively of the holder


54


are spaced apart along their length to define a shallow slot


80


. Two apertures


82


and


84


are formed on an inner edge of the slot and open to the interior chambers


71


and


73


in the holder


54


.




According to this aspect of the present invention, the use element or blade


56


is formed with an elongated runner portion


88


which extends from a toe end


90


to a heel end


92


. Typically, the blade


56


is formed of metal, such as stainless steel. A pair of attachment legs


96


and


98


are integrally formed with the runner


88


and project from an upper surface


100


.




In this aspect of the invention, each leg


96


and


98


extends angularly from the top edge


100


of the runner


88


as shown in FIG.


2


. Weight reducing apertures


102


may optionally be formed in each leg


96


and


98


to produce the overall weight of the blade


56


.




The attachment of the blade


56


to the holder,


54


and, at the same time, the attachment of the holder


54


to the insole


14


and outsole


16


will now be described. After the boot


12


, the insole


14


and the outsole


16


have been fixedly joined together, as shown in FIG.


3


and then described above, the holder


54


, with or without the blade


56


disposed therein, is urged into engagement with the outsole


16


. In this mounting arrangement, the outer periphery of the center portion


60


of the holder


54


has a shape complimentary to the shape of the inner surface of the depending lip


50


on the outsole


16


, as shown in FIG.


6


. This holds the center portion


60


of the holder


54


in snug engagement with the entire peripheral surface of the lip


50


on the outsole


16


to prevent lateral and fore and aft movement of the holder


54


relative to the outsole


16


.




With the holder


54


snugly engaged with the outsole


16


, as shown in

FIG. 6

, the retainers


22


and


24


project through the apertures


42


and


44


in the outsole


16


and into the interior chambers


71


and


73


, respectively, in the holder


54


.




The blade


56


is then be attached to the holder


54


and to the insole


14


by sliding the legs


96


and


98


through the apertures


82


and


84


, respectively, extending inward from the inner edge


80


of the slot


70


formed in the lower end portion of the holder


54


until an upper end of each of the legs


96


and


98


is aligned with the bores


72


and


74


in the holder


54


and with the bores


32


and


34


in the legs


26


and


28


of each retainer


22


and


24


. A fastener formed of two mating fastener portions


110


and


112


is then inserted through the aligned bores and threadingly tightened to fixedly mount the blade


56


in the holder


54


and at the same time to attach the blade


56


to the insole


14


and to also attach the holder


54


to the insole


14


.




Referring now to

FIGS. 23 and 24

, there is depicted other aspects of the fastener used to mount the blade


56


in the holder


54


and the holder


54


to the retainers


22


and


24


. As shown in one aspect in

FIG. 23

, a fastener


230


is insertable through the aligned bores


32


and


34


in the legs


26


and


28


of each retainer


22


and


24


, respectively. The fastener


230


, in this aspect of the invention, is in the form of a single, elongated pull or quick release pin. The pin


230


has an elongated shaft


232


with opposed first and second ends


234


and


236


. Lock members in the form of spring biased balls


238


and


240


are movably mounted in bores formed adjacent the first and second ends


234


and


236


in the shaft


232


. As shown in

FIG. 23

, each ball


238


and


240


is captured in the shaft


232


such that only a portion of each ball


238


and


240


is biased outwardly of the outer surface of the shaft


232


by an internally mounted spring


242


.




When the pin


230


is forcibly inserted through the aligned bores


32


and


34


in the retainers


22


and


24


and the bores


72


and


74


in the holder


54


, the balls


238


and


240


will be disposed in enlarged end portions of the bores


72


and


74


in the holder


54


. The enlarged end portions may have a conical shape as shown in FIG.


23


. The spring force of the springs


242


is selected so as to apply sufficient biasing force to maintain the balls


238


and


240


in secure contact with a surface of the enlarged end portion


244


and


246


of each bore


72


and


74


despite any lateral forces which may be exerted on the pin


230


during use of the skate.




A punch or other tool may be forcibly struck against one of the ends


234


and


236


of the pin


232


to slide the pin from the bores so as to enable separation of the holder


54


from the retainers


22


and


24


.





FIG. 24

depicts a modification to the fastener. In this aspect, the fastener


260


is also in the form of a pull or quick release pin manufactured by Pivot Point, Inc. Hustisford, Wis. 53034. The pull pin


260


also has opposed first and second ends


262


and


264


. A latch member, such as a spring biased ball


266


, is mounted in an internal bore in the shaft


260


adjacent to one of the ends, such as the first end


262


.




In this aspect of the invention, the pull pin


260


is formed with a pull member


270


, such as a ring, which is mounted in a bore


272


formed in the shaft


260


adjacent the second end


264


of the pin


260


.




The pin or fastener


260


functions in the same manner as the pin


232


shown in

FIG. 23

in that the pin


260


can be forcibly inserted through the aligned bores in the retainers


22


and


24


and the holder


54


to secure the blade


56


to the holder


54


, and at the same time, to secure the holder


54


to the retainers


22


and


24


. The fasteners


232


and


260


may be easily removed from the skate by means of a driving force applied to one end


234


or


236


of the pin


232


or a pulling force exerted on the pin


260


through the pull member


270


in the aspect of the invention shown in FIG.


24


.





FIG. 7

depicts an alternate blade


56


′ construction which includes the runner


88


and a pair of legs


96


′ and


98


′ extending therefrom. The blade


56


′ differs from the blade


54


only in that the legs


96


′ and


98


′ extend substantially perpendicularly from the top edge


100


of the runner


88


rather than at an angle as the legs


96


and


98


in the blade


56


.




This construction for a skate provides advantages over previously devised skate constructions. Of primary import is the attachment of and the blade holder to the skate boot without the need for any rivets. Further, the same attachment used to attach the holder to the boot also attaches the blade to the holder. This facilitates replacement of the blade as necessary for sharpening or repair as well as enabling quick assembly of the blade, the blade holder and the skate boot. At the same time, the blade holder and the blade are prevented from lateral movement relative to the skate boot.





FIGS. 9-21

depict alternate attachment constructions between the holder and the outsole which eliminates the need for the formation of a recessed cavity


48


in the outsole


16


as shown in

FIG. 3

for the boot


10


. In each of the following aspects of the invention, the boot


12


is constructed in the same manner as described above and shown in FIG.


1


. In addition, except for the aspect shown in

FIG. 9

, the insole


14


is likewise similarly constructed as the insole


14


described and shown above in FIG.


1


.




Referring now to

FIGS. 9 and 10

, there is depicted one aspect of a holder to outsole and insole attachment in which the insole


130


has a pair of retainers


132


and


134


, each formed of a pair of spaced legs extending from the toe and heel portions of a center support


137


, respectively. The retainers


132


and


134


are similar to the retainers


22


and


24


described above and shown in

FIG. 2

except that the overall longitudinal length of each leg of the retainers


132


and


134


is considerably longer from the legs of the retainers


22


and


24


shown in

FIG. 1

, in order to provide support to prevent lateral movement of a holder


136


relative to the boot


12


. Specifically, the legs of the retainer


132


extend lengthwise over substantially the entire toe portion of the insole


130


. Likewise, the legs of the retainer


134


extend lengthwise over substantially the entire heel portion of the insole


130


.




In this aspect, the holder


136


is similar to the holder


54


shown in

FIG. 1

except that the interior chambers


137


and


139


have a considerably longer longitudinal extent to accommodate the longer length retainers


132


and


134


. Otherwise, the holder


136


is identical to the holder


54


insofar as having a bottom slot which receives the runner of the blade


56


and internal slots extending from the bottom slot to the interior chambers


137


and


139


for receiving the legs


96


and


98


of the blade


56


. Transverse bores extend through the side walls of the holder


136


and are aligned with the bores in the blade arms


96


and


98


and the legs of the retainers


132


and


134


for receiving a fastener to securely attach the blade


56


to the holder


54


and to the retainers


132


and


134


of the insole wall


130


. It should be noted that, in this aspect of the skate of the present invention, the outsole has a generally laterally flat bottom surface without a depending peripheral lip


50


.




Another aspect of the present invention is shown in

FIGS. 11 and 12

in which the outsole


140


is formed with a plurality of inward extending recesses arranged in a plurality of recesses


142


inward of the periphery of the toe portion of the outsole


142


and a smaller number of recesses


144


spaced inward from the periphery of the heel portion of the outsole


140


.




A plurality of outward extending, large dimension projections


146


and


148


are respectively formed in the toe portion and heel portion of the outsole


140


. The projections


146


and


148


are preferably disposed along the longitudinal center line of the outsole


140


and are disposed centrally inside of the outer peripheral recesses


142


and


144


, respectively. As shown in

FIG. 11

, the projections


146


and


148


are disposed longitudinally adjacent to the retainers


22


and


24


, respectively. A second smaller projection


149


is formed in the heel portion of the outsole


140


.




A holder


150


has a complimentary shape to the periphery of the outsole


140


and has a plurality of outwardly extending projections


152


disposed about the periphery of the toe portion of the holder


150


and sized and arranged to fit within the recesses


142


. A large recess


154


is also formed in the holder


150


immediately adjacent to the aperture


42


leading to one of the interior chambers within the holder


150


.




Similarly, projections


156


are formed on the heel portion of the holder


150


and engages recesses


144


located on the heel portion of the outsole


140


. A single large recess


158


is formed in the heel portion of the holder


150


immediately adjacent to the aperture


144


opening to the other interior chamber in the holder


150


and shaped complimentary to the projection


148


on the outsole


140


. A smaller recess


159


is adjacent to the opposite edge of the aperture


144


for receiving the projections


149


on the outsole


140


.




It will be understood that the construction of the recesses


142


and the projections


152


, the recesses


144


and the projections


156


, the projections


146


and


148


and the complimentary recesses


154


and


158


may be reversed such that recesses and projections in the outsole


140


may be constructed as recesses and projections on the holder


150


.




This arrangement provides for interconnection of the holder


150


to the outsole


140


via the fastener, blade legs and retainers in a manner which minimizes lateral movement of the holder


150


relative to the outsole


140


and the boot


12


; but does include a recessed cavity in the outsole


140


formed by the depending lip


50


in the first aspect of the invention described above.




Yet another aspect of a skate according to the present invention is shown in

FIGS. 13 and 14

. This aspect also provides for interconnection of an outsole


160


and a holder


170


in which a pair of large size projections


162


and


164


, of the same or different shape are formed in the toe portion of the outsole


160


. A pair of the same or different shaped projections


166


and


168


are similarly formed in the heel portion of the outsole


160


.




The holder


170


with a toe located pair of recesses


172


and


174


which are complimentary in shape to the projections


162


and


164


. Similarly, a pair of heel located recesses


176


and


178


are formed complimentary to the projections


166


and


168


for mating engagement therewith. It will also be understood that the projections on outsole


160


may be reformed as recesses and the recesses in the holder


170


may be formed as mating projections.




In

FIGS. 15-17

, another aspect of an outsole


180


to a holder


182


connection is the depicted. The holder


182


is formed with a toe recess located


184


which is complimentary constructed to a projection, not shown, on the outsole


180


in the same manner as described above and shown in

FIGS. 11-14

. Similarly, at least one and optionally a pair of recesses


186


and


188


are formed at the heel portion of the holder


182


to receive a like-shaped projections


187


, etc., on the heel portion of the outsole


180


.




In this aspect of the invention, a plurality of peripherally positioned, generally round locators


190


extend from in the heel portion and the toe portion of the holder


182


. The locators


190


engage mating recesses


192


formed about the periphery of the outsole


180


. The locators


190


and the recesses


192


as well as the mating recesses


184


,


186


and


188


and projections


187


securely locate the holder


182


to the outsole


180


to prevent any substantial lateral movement between the holder


182


and the outsole


180


.




In the aspect of the invention shown in

FIGS. 18 and 19

, an outsole


200


is formed with strip-like toe and heel recesses


202


and


204


which mate with a pair of complimentary shaped projections


206


in the toe portion of a holder


208


and a pair of heel located projections


210


, respectively. The projections on the holder


208


are disposed inboard of the peripheral edge of the holder


208


and extend from one end of the holder


208


to a central portion of the holder


208


. As in prior aspects, the projections can be formed in an outsole


200


and the recesses in the holder


208


.




As shown in

FIGS. 18 and 19

, the mating projections and recesses have a discontinuity formed along the longitudinal axis of the outsole


200


and the holder


208


.




In the aspect of the invention shown in

FIGS. 20-22

, a toe projection


210


and a heel projection


212


on a holder


214


are formed as continuously closed surfaces, spaced apart by a center portion of the holder


214


. The outsole


216


, in this aspect of the invention, has complimentary formed recesses in the toe and heel portions of the outsole


216


, with only the toe recess


218


being depicted in FIG.


22


. The mating engagement of the recesses


218


and the outsole


216


with the projections


210


and


212


in the holder


214


resist lateral movement of the holder


214


relative the outsole


216


.




The various embodiments of the skate shown in

FIGS. 1-22

and described above make use of retainer legs on an insole which extend through apertures in an outsole. In this construction, the lower edges of the boot are fixedly secured to and sandwiched between the insole and the outsole. The present invention also contemplates forming the retainer legs directly on the outsole attached to the boot. In this type of construction, the insole would define a generally continuous surface member disposed interiorly within the boot. The lower edges of the boot may still be fixedly secured to the outsole and the insole. However, the retainer legs do not, extend from the insole to the outsold. However, the retainer legs function in the same manner as described above insofar as being releasably securable by means of fasteners to the legs projecting from the runner of the blade through the holder.



Claims
  • 1. A skate comprising:a boot having a sole; first and second retainers extending from the sole, bores formed in the first and second retainers transverse to a length of the sole; a holder mountable to the first and second retainers, an open-ended groove formed in a bottom portion of the holder and having bores extending transverse to the groove; a blade having a runner portion mountable in the open-ended groove in the holder and a pair of legs extending from the runner portion and insertable through the holder into the retainers, bores formed in the legs; and a fastener extending through aligned bores in the holder, the legs of the blade and the first and second retainers to securely connect the blade to the holder and the holder to the boot, the fastener including: a pin carrying at least one biased lock member, the lock member forcibly engagable with the holder to retain the blade to the holder and the holder in the boot.
  • 2. The skate of claim 1 wherein the legs project substantially perpendicularly from the runner.
  • 3. The skate of claim 1 wherein the legs project at a non-90° angle from the runner.
  • 4. The skate of claim 1 wherein the outsole further comprises:a pair of apertures receiving the first and second retainers there through, respectfully.
  • 5. The skate of claim 1 wherein the boot comprises:opposed lower portions having inner spaced apart edges, the inner edges of the lower portion fixedly mounted between the insole and the outsole.
  • 6. The skate of claim 5 wherein the inner edges, the insole and the outsole are adhesively joined.
  • 7. The skate of claim 1 wherein the holder further comprises:the first and second interior chambers extending from an upper surface of the holder, with the first and second retainers disposed in the first and second chambers, respectively when the holder is engaged with the outsole.
  • 8. The skate of claim 1 wherein the first and second retainers extend longitudinally over substantially all of a toe portion and a heel portion, respectively, of the insole.
  • 9. The skate of claim 1 further comprising:a plurality of recesses formed on one of the outsole and the holder laterally inward of the periphery of the one of the outsole and holder; and a plurality of projections, complimentary in shape and location to the recesses, formed in the other of the outsole and the holder for mating engagement with the recesses when the holder is engaged with the outsole.
  • 10. The skate of claim 9 wherein:the recesses and the projections have a larger longitudinal extent than a lateral extent to resist lateral movement of the holder with respect to the outsole.
  • 11. The skate of claim 9 wherein the plurality of recesses and the plurality of projections comprise:a plurality of recesses and projections formed in a toe portion and a heel portion of one of the outsole and the holder, laterally inward of a peripheral extent of the at least one of the outsole and the holder; and a plurality of projections and recesses formed in the other of the outsole and the holder complementary in shape and location to the recesses and projections formed in the other one of the outsole and the holder for mating engagement when the holder is engaged with the outsole.
  • 12. The skate of claim 9 wherein:at least one of the recesses in the at least one of the outsole and holder is disposed along a longitudinal axis of the at least one of the outsole and the holder; and the at least one projection in the other of the outsole and the holder is disposed along a longitudinal axis of the other of the outsole and the holder.
  • 13. The skate of claim 9 wherein the recesses and the projections further comprise:at least two projections formed in a toe portion and at least two projections formed in the heel portion of one of the outsole and the holder; and at least two complimentary shaped projections formed in a toe portion and at least two complimentary shaped projections formed in the heel portion of the other of the outsole and the holder.
  • 14. The skate of claim 13 wherein:the recesses and the projections in the outsole and the holder extend along a longitudinal axis of the outsole and the holder.
  • 15. The skate of claim 9 wherein:two of the recesses and two of the projections are formed in the holder and disposed on opposite sides of each of the apertures formed in the holder.
  • 16. The skate of claim 9 wherein:the projections and the recesses have a circular cross section.
  • 17. The skate of claim 16 further comprising:the outsole including both projections and recesses; and the holder including complementary shaped and located recesses and projections.
  • 18. The skate of claim 9 wherein:the recesses and projections have an elongated strip shape.
  • 19. The skate of claim 18 wherein:the recesses comprise a pair of recesses spaced inward of the periphery of one of the outsole and the holder; and the projections comprise a pair of projections spaced inward of the periphery of the other of the outsole and the holder.
  • 20. The skate of claim 19 wherein:the pair of projection have discontinuities formed in at least one end; and the projections have discontinuities formed in at least one end.
  • 21. The skate of claim 19 wherein:the recesses and the projections define a continuous closed strip shaped recess and projection, respectively.
  • 22. The skate of claim 20 further comprising:one continuously closed recess and one continuously closed projection formed on a toe portion of the outsole and the holder, respectively; and one continuously closed surface recess and one continuously closed surface projection formed on the outsole and the holder on the heel portion of the outsole and the holder, respectively.
  • 23. The skate of claim 1 further comprising:the bores in the holder having end surfaces, the at least one lock member engagably disposed in the end surface of one of the bores when the pin is mounted in the holder.
  • 24. The skate of claim 23 wherein:the end surface of bores in the holder define an enlarged diameter surface.
  • 25. The skate of claim 24 wherein:the enlarged diameter end surface of the bores in the retainer has a conical shape.
  • 26. The skate of claim 1 further comprising:the at least one lock member including a plurality of lock members carried by the pin.
  • 27. The skate of claim 26 wherein:the plurality of lock members include two lock members, one lock member disposed adjacent to one of the ends of the pin.
  • 28. The skate of claim 1 further comprising:a pull member coupled to the pin to facilitate pulling removal of the pin from the aligned bores in the holder, the retainers and the blade.
  • 29. The skate of claim 1 further comprising:a biasing spring carried in the pin for normally biasing the at least one lock member outward from an exterior surface of the pin.
CROSS REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/602,944, filed Jun. 26, 2000,entitled “Skate With Removable Blade”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,321 the entire contends of which are incorporated herein by reference.

US Referenced Citations (28)
Number Name Date Kind
2150964 Dornseif Mar 1939 A
4074909 Baikie Feb 1978 A
4131288 Wilson Dec 1978 A
4150499 Wang Apr 1979 A
4218069 Baikie Aug 1980 A
4314708 Zuuring Feb 1982 A
4336948 Couture Jun 1982 A
5088749 Olivieri Feb 1992 A
5129663 Soo Jul 1992 A
5248156 Cann et al. Sep 1993 A
5320366 Shing Jun 1994 A
5332242 Cann et al. Jul 1994 A
5383674 Cann et al. Jan 1995 A
5388845 Soo Feb 1995 A
5484148 Olivieri Jan 1996 A
D373399 Both Sep 1996 S
5595392 Casillas Jan 1997 A
5641169 Bekessy Jun 1997 A
5662338 Steinhauser, Jr. Sep 1997 A
5810368 Steinhasuer, Jr. Sep 1998 A
5839734 Steinhauser, Jr. Nov 1998 A
5845927 Steinhauser, Jr. Dec 1998 A
6045143 Wrike Apr 2000 A
6065758 Steinhauser, Jr. May 2000 A
6109622 Reynolds Aug 2000 A
6217035 Steinhauser, Jr. Apr 2001 B1
6364321 Steinhauser, Jr. Apr 2002 B1
6382638 Lee May 2002 B1
Continuation in Parts (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/602944 Jun 2000 US
Child 10/054271 US