Skate boot with flexible midfoot section

Abstract

A skate boot or other piece of footwear is provided with a flexible midfoot section that is not rigidly connected to either a sole and/or base of the boot, in order to adjustably tighten around the bottom, sides, and/or top of the wearer's midfoot to provide arch support and uniform snugness. The midfoot section is in a “hammock” type arrangement while the ball and heel portions of the wearer's foot rests on the footbed over the respective sole portions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A piece of footwear, comprising:
 an ice skate boot having a heel portion and a spaced apart forefoot portion;   an ice skate blade member;   a discontinuous sole system extending along a lower portion of the ice skate boot, wherein the sole system includes a heel sole member and a forefoot sole member, wherein the heel sole member and the forefoot sole member are spaced apart and do not contact each other;   wherein the heel sole member is positioned only on an underside surface of the heel portion, a first portion of the ice skate blade member being fastened to the heel sole member;   wherein the forefoot sole member is positioned only on an underside surface of the forefoot portion, a second portion of the ice skate blade member being fastened to the forefoot sole member; and   a substantially flexible midfoot portion disposed between, and fastened to, the heel portion and forefoot portion, wherein the midfoot portion is soleless;   wherein an underside surface of the midfoot portion does not contact either the heel sole member, the forefoot sole member, or the ice skate blade member;   wherein the midfoot portion is adapted to receive a wearer's midfoot portion such that the midfoot portion envelopes an entire circumference of the wearer's midfoot portion;   wherein the midfoot portion is adapted to be tightened around the entire circumference of the wearer's midfoot portion by manipulation of fasteners connected to the midfoot portion so as to conform the midfoot portion around the entire circumference of the wearer's midfoot portion.   
     
     
         2 . A piece of footwear, comprising:
 a heel portion;   a discontinuous sole system including a heel sole member and a forefoot sole member, wherein the heel sole member and the forefoot sole member are spaced apart and do not contact each other;   wherein the heel sole member is positioned only on an underside surface of the heel portion;   a forefoot portion;   wherein the forefoot sole member is positioned only on an underside surface of the forefoot portion;   a substantially flexible midfoot portion disposed between, and fastened to, the heel portion and forefoot portion, wherein the midfoot portion is soleless; and   at least two connection members interconnecting the heel sole member to the forefoot sole member, wherein the at least two connection members are proximate to the underside surface of the heel portion and the underside surface of the forefoot portion;   wherein an underside surface of the midfoot portion does not contact either the heel sole member or the forefoot sole member;   wherein the midfoot portion is adapted to receive a wearer's midfoot portion such that the midfoot portion envelopes an entire circumference of the wearer's midfoot portion;   wherein the midfoot portion is adapted to be tightened around the entire circumference of the wearer's midfoot portion by manipulation of fasteners connected to the midfoot portion so as to conform the midfoot portion around the entire circumference of the wearer's midfoot portion;   wherein the connection members are selectively operable to change an angular orientation of the forefoot portion relative to the heel portion such that the forefoot portion is operable to move horizontally leftward or rightward relative to the heel portion.   
     
     
         3 . A piece of footwear, comprising:
 an ice skate boot having a heel portion and a spaced apart forefoot portion;   a continuous sole member extending along a lower portion of the ice skate boot from the heel portion to the forefoot portion;   an ice skate blade member fastened to the heel portion and the forefoot portion; and   a substantially flexible midfoot portion disposed inside of the ice skate boot and suspended above the sole member such that no portion of the midfoot portion contacts the sole member;   wherein the midfoot portion is adapted to receive a wearer's midfoot portion such that the midfoot portion envelopes an entire circumference of the wearer's midfoot portion;   wherein the midfoot portion is adapted to be tightened around the entire circumference of the wearer's midfoot portion by manipulation of fasteners connected to the midfoot portion so as to conform the midfoot portion around the entire circumference of the wearer's midfoot portion;   wherein the midfoot portion is adapted to prevent the wearer's midfoot portion from contacting the sole member when the wearer's midfoot portion is received therein.