Multi-sport boot with click-in skate chassis

Abstract

A boot that attaches to skate chasses for ice skating, roller skating, in-line rollerblade skating, and Nordic skating is disclosed. When disengaged from a chassis assembly, the boot functions as normal footwear for hiking/cycling/leisure activities. To attach to a chassis, a wearer a foot into a boot and then presses the boot into its chassis, engaging a click-in mechanism. Once the mechanism clicks into place, the boot is removably secured to the chassis.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A hybrid mechanism, comprising:
 an article of footwear having an underside surface and defining a pair of oppositely extending integral protuberances, wherein one protuberance extends away from a forward portion of the footwear and the other protuberance extends away from a rear portion of the footwear; and   a deformable chassis defining a concave surface region adapted and configured to contact and receive the underside surface of the footwear, wherein the chassis defines a pair of spaced-apart apertures respectively dimensioned and configured to receive the oppositely extending protuberances, wherein the chassis defines an integral tab at a rear portion thereof for enabling a user to lengthen the chassis by an amount effective to enable the user to dispose the oppositely extending protuberances through respective ones of the pair of apertures.   
     
     
         2 . The hybrid mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear comprises a wide-toe portion. 
     
     
         3 . The hybrid mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear comprises an inner surface that is substantially parallel to a surface supporting the footwear. 
     
     
         4 . The hybrid mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear is a skater's article of footwear. 
     
     
         5 . The hybrid mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear is a roller skater's article of footwear or an ice skater's article of footwear. 
     
     
         6 . The hybrid mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the chassis includes an in-line roller skating mechanism or an ice-skating mechanism.