Hockey skate

Abstract

A skate assembly includes a shell structure and a removable tendon guard. The shell structure includes a heel portion, a lateral ankle portion, and a medial ankle portion. The heel portion is formed to cover a human heel. The lateral ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The medial ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The lateral ankle portion and the medial ankle portion are spaced apart to form a notch extending toward the heel portion. The removable tendon guard is removably attached between the lateral ankle portion and medial ankle portion to cover the notch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice hockey skate assembly including a boot shell structure, with the boot shell structure comprising:
 a heel end and a toe end:   a toe portion at the toe end, the toe portion comprising a stiff material;   a heel portion at the heel end, the heel portion comprising a stiff material;   a lateral ankle portion extending above the heel portion, the lateral ankle portion comprising a first heat-moldable thermoplastic material; and   a medial ankle portion extending above the heel portion, the medial ankle portion comprising a second heat-moldable thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         2 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first and second heat-moldable thermoplastic materials comprise the same material. 
     
     
         3 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first and second heat-moldable thermoplastic materials are moldable at a temperature of less than 80° C. 
     
     
         4 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first and second heat-moldable thermoplastic materials are moldable at a temperature of approximately 60° C. 
     
     
         5 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first and second heat-moldable thermoplastic materials are not reinforced by a stiffener such that they are readily moldable. 
     
     
         6 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the lateral ankle portion is spaced apart from the medial ankle portion to form an opening in the rear of the boot shell structure. 
     
     
         7 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 6  further comprising a tendon guard attached between the lateral ankle portion and the medial ankle portion to cover the opening. 
     
     
         8 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 7  wherein the tendon guard is removably attached to the lateral and medial ankle portions. 
     
     
         9 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 7  wherein the tendon guard includes a narrow mid-channel that facilitates flexing of the tendon guard. 
     
     
         10 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a tongue removably attached to the toe portion. 
     
     
         11 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 10  wherein the tongue is removably attached to the toe portion via a bolt. 
     
     
         12 . An ice hockey skate assembly including a boot shell structure, with the boot shell structure comprising:
 a heel end and a toe end:   a toe portion at the toe end, the toe portion comprising a stiff material;   a heel portion at the heel end, the heel portion comprising a stiff material;   a lateral ankle portion extending above the heel portion, the lateral ankle portion comprising a first heat-moldable material;   a medial ankle portion extending above the heel portion, the medial ankle portion comprising a second heat-moldable material; and   a tendon guard attached to at least one of the heel portion, the lateral ankle portion, and the medial ankle portion.   
     
     
         13 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 12  wherein the tendon guard is removably attached to at least one of the heel portion, the lateral ankle portion, and the medial ankle portion. 
     
     
         14 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 12  further comprising a tongue removably attached to the toe portion. 
     
     
         15 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 12  wherein the first and second heat-moldable materials comprise the same material. 
     
     
         16 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 12  wherein the first and second heat-moldable materials are moldable at a temperature of less than 80° C. 
     
     
         17 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 12  wherein the first and second heat-moldable materials are moldable at a temperature of approximately 60° C. 
     
     
         18 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 12  wherein the first and second heat-moldable materials comprise thermoplastic materials. 
     
     
         19 . The ice hockey skate assembly of  claim 12  wherein the first and second heat-moldable materials are not reinforced by a stiffener such that they are readily moldable. 
     
     
         20 . An ice hockey skate assembly including a boot shell structure, with the boot shell structure comprising:
 a heel end and a toe end:   a toe portion at the toe end, the toe portion comprising a stiff material;   a heel portion at the heel end, the heel portion comprising a stiff material;   a lateral ankle portion extending above the heel portion, the lateral ankle portion comprising a first material that is moldable at approximately 60° C.; and   a medial ankle portion extending above the heel portion, the medial ankle portion comprising a second material that is moldable at approximately 60° C.