Skate Guard

Abstract

An improved skate blade guard having one or more improvements of a Y-shaped blade receiving channel, drains for conducting melted ice out of the blade receiving channel, voids or slots that perform as shock absorbers and cushions during walking in the skate guards, an improved pick guard, improved manufacturability using exterior shape sculpting to promote even and consistent flow of molten resin during injection molding, and a tread that conforms to the curved shape of some skate blades.

1 . An improved channel for receiving a skate blade into a skate guard comprising:
 a top set of opposing interior wall segments disposed along a top edge of a skate blade receiving channel in a skate guard component;   a bottom set of opposing interior wall segments disposed along a bottom edge of the skate blade receiving channel;   an interior bottom surface extending between the bottom set of opposing interior wall segments, and   an intermediate set of opposing interior wall segments disposed between the top set and bottom set;   wherein a top width between the top set of opposing interior wall segments is greater than a bottom width between the bottom set of opposing interior wall segments, wherein a height of the bottom set of opposing interior wall segments is less than a width of the interior bottom surface, wherein the width of the interior bottom surface matches a width of a skate blade to provide a friction fit between the bottom set of opposing interior wall segments, and wherein a variable width between the intermediate set of opposing interior wall segments transitions between the top width and the bottom width, thereby providing a Y-shaped skate blade receiving channel configured to guide a skate blade downward into the bottom set of opposing interior wall segments until a bottom edge of the skate blade engages the bottom surface.   
     
     
         2 . The improved channel of  claim 1  wherein the bottom of the interior bottom surface is approximately 0.170″. 
     
     
         3 . The improved channel of  claim 1  wherein the top width is approximately 0.351″. 
     
     
         4 . The improved channel of  claim 1  further comprising one or more drains formed in one or more of the top set of walls, bottom set of walls, intermediate set of walls and the bottom surface, wherein the drains are configured to conduct liquid from the skate blade receiving channel to an exterior of the skate guard component. 
     
     
         5 . The improved skate guard of  claim 1  further comprising a void formed transversely across a width of the skate guard component, wherein the transversely formed void comprises a shape which is crushable under a predetermined amount of weight or force, thereby providing a shock absorber and cushion to reduce impact to a wearer during walking with the skate guard component attached to a skate blade. 
     
     
         6 . A skate guard guard component with improved manufacturability, wherein the skate guard has at least two side walls essentially parallel to each other, a distal tip configured to capture an end of a skate blade, a skate blade receiving channel defined within the two side walls, and a bottom surface, the improvement comprising a plurality of sculpted indentations and projections on exterior surfaces of the skate guard component wherein a fabrication material volume of the indentations and the projections offsets fabrication volumes for one or more voids, cuts, curves and angles in the skate guard component such that cross-sectional fabrication material area remains essentially constant for longitudinal molten plastic injection flow, thereby enhancing plastic molding operations by minimizing thereby improving costs, cure times, yield rates and product quality. 
     
     
         7 . An improved skate guard, wherein the skate guard has a plurality of exterior surfaces and a skate blade receiving channel defined within the skate guard, the improvement comprising one or more voids formed transversely across a width of the skate guard component, wherein the transversely formed voids comprise a shape which is crushable under a predetermined amount of weight or force, thereby providing a shock absorber and cushion to reduce impact to a wearer during walking with the skate guard component attached to a skate blade. 
     
     
         8 . An improved skate guard, wherein the skate guard has a plurality of exterior surfaces and a skate blade receiving channel defined within the skate guard, the improvement comprising three or more longitudinal segments and a stretchable component which holds the three or more segments in longitudinal alignment without horizontal aligner elements such that the stretchable component allows each of the three more longitudinal elements to a different horizontal angle of support along a curved bottom edge. 
     
     
         9 . The improved skate guard of  claim 8  wherein, upon disengagement of the stretchable component, one or more of the longitudinal segments is rendered removable for a subsequent action selected from the group comprising repairing, adjusting, and color combination customizing skate guard. 
     
     
         10 . The improved skate guard of  claim 8  wherein the stretchable component comprises a wound spring received into a spring slot. 
     
     
         11 . The improved skate guard of  claim 8  wherein the stretchable component comprises a rubber band. 
     
     
         12 . The improved skate guard of  claim 8  further comprising one or more fasteners attaching at least one end of the stretchable component to at least one of the longitudinal segments. 
     
     
         13 . An improved skate guard, wherein the skate guard has a plurality of exterior surfaces and a skate blade receiving channel defined within the skate guard, the improvement comprising two or more longitudinal segments and a stretchable component which holds the two or more segments in longitudinal alignment without relying on other connectors or aligner elements, wherein at least one of the two or more longitudinal segments is provided with hole configured to receive and retain a bolt or screw without an additional fastener, wherein the hole comprises a cross-sectional shape of a circle with a flat secant portion, the secant portion engaging threads on a bolt or screw.