Skate blades and methods and apparatus for affixing same

Abstract

Preferred embodiments of the invention include a skate blade made from a single piece of unitary material. The unitary blade advantageously facilitates the blade manufacturing process and avoids possible weakness introduced by multiple pieces. Certain embodiments of the skate blade may be formed to attach to a skate boot without heating or twisting of the blade. For example, the skate blade may include at least one tab or flange that may be bent to secure the blade to the boot. Certain embodiments of the skate blade preferably comprise a titanium material, such as ASTM-F136 titanium. In certain embodiments, a blade fixation assembly includes locking screws having a threaded body to engage the bottom of a boot and a threaded head to engage grooved portions of the blade.

1 . A skate blade comprising:
 an elongated portion occupying a first plane and having a distal end, a proximal end, a top portion and a bottom edge configured for engagement with a skating surface during use; and   a plurality of tabs extending from the top portion of the elongated portion, each of the plurality of tabs configured to bend at a bend line substantially parallel to the first plane such that a top section of each of the plurality of tabs occupies a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane, and wherein each of the top sections of the plurality of tabs comprises at least one hole extending therethrough and usable for securing the tab to a skate boot when the top sections are in the bent positions,   and wherein the elongated portion and the plurality of tabs are formed from a single piece of a unitary material and have substantially the same thickness.   
   
   
       2 . The skate blade of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tabs comprises a bottom section extending from the top portion of the elongated portion and occupying the first plane 
   
   
       3 . The skate blade of  claim 1 , wherein the bend line occupies the first plane. 
   
   
       4 . The skate blade of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the elongated portion comprises an elongated slot. 
   
   
       5 . The skate blade of  claim 4 , wherein the proximal end of the elongated portion comprises a toe pick. 
   
   
       6 . The skate blade of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hole of at least one tab comprises a grooved wall for engagement with a threaded portion of a locking screw. 
   
   
       7 . The skate blade of  claim 1 , wherein a circumference of the at least one hole is substantially circular. 
   
   
       8 . The skate blade of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hole of at least one tab further comprises:
 a first hole for affixing the skate blade to a skate boot; and   a second hole for temporarily affixing the skate blade to the skate boot.   
   
   
       9 . The skate blade of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of tabs are located toward a middle portion of the elongated portion and at least two other of the plurality of tabs are located toward the distal end of the elongated portion. 
   
   
       10 . The skate blade of  claim 1 , wherein the unitary material comprises a titanium material. 
   
   
       11 . The skate blade of  claim 10 , wherein the titanium material comprises Ti 6 Al 4 V (ASTM-F136 titanium). 
   
   
       12 . An ice skate assembly for improved stability between a skate blade and footwear, the ice skate assembly comprising:
 footwear having a sole portion for receiving screw threads having a first pitch;   a blade comprising at least one portion for securing the blade to the footwear, the at least one portion having a hole with grooves having a second pitch; and   a locking screw comprising an elongated body having first threads and a head having second threads, the locking screw configured to substantially secure the blade to the footwear when inserted into the sole and the hole such that the first threads of the elongated body engage the sole portion and the second threads of the head engage the grooves of the hole.   
   
   
       13 . The ice skate assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first pitch is different than the second pitch. 
   
   
       14 . The ice skate assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the second pitch is tighter than the first pitch. 
   
   
       15 . The ice skate assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the footwear comprises a plate having a threaded hole for receiving threads of the locking screw. 
   
   
       16 . The ice skate assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the locking screw comprises a titanium material. 
   
   
       17 . A skate blade for improved stability with skate footwear, the skate blade comprising:
 an elongated portion configured for engagement with a skating surface during use; and   at least one attachment portion affixed to the elongated portion, wherein the at least one attachment portion includes a threaded hole configured to receive first threads of at least one locking screw such that second threads of at least one locking screw fix the elongated portion in relation to skate footwear.   
   
   
       18 . The skate blade of  claim 17 , wherein the elongated portion and the at least one attachment portion are formed from a single piece of a unitary material. 
   
   
       19 . The skate blade of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one attachment portion comprises a plurality of tabs. 
   
   
       20 . The skate blade of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the elongated portion and the at least one attachment portion comprises a titanium material. 
   
   
       21 . The skate blade of  claim 20 , wherein the titanium material comprises Ti 6 Al 4 V (ASTM-F136 titanium). 
   
   
       22 . The skate blade of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the elongated portion and the at least one attachment portion comprises a synthetic non-metallic material. 
   
   
       23 . The skate blade of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one attachment portion includes a second hole. 
   
   
       24 . A method of manufacturing a skate blade, the method comprising:
 providing a flat, sheet-like member occupying an X-Y plane and having a first thickness;   shaping the sheet-like member to form:
 an elongated blade portion that extends generally in an X direction within the X-Y plane; 
 a first tab extending from a top portion of the elongated blade portion and comprising substantially the same thickness as the sheet-like member; and 
   bending the first tab at a first bend line extending substantially in the X direction such that at least a portion of the first tab generally occupies an X-Z plane.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , additionally comprising shaping an end of said elongated blade portion to form an elongated notch within the elongated blade portion. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , additionally comprising further shaping the sheet-like member to form a second tab extending from the top portion of the elongated blade portion, wherein the second tab comprises substantially the same thickness as the sheet-like member. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , additionally comprising bending the second tab substantially at a second bend line extending substantially in the X direction, such that at least a portion of the second tab occupies substantially the X-Z plane. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein bending the first and second tabs comprises bending at least a portion of the first tab to a side of the elongated blade portion and bending at least a portion of the second tab to an opposite side of the elongated blade portion. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , additionally comprising forming a first hole in the first tab. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said forming comprises forming the first hole with a spiral groove. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , additionally comprising forming a second hole having a substantially smaller diameter than the first hole.