The invention relates to a device for inspecting the shape of a blade of a skate. The invention relates in particular to a device with which the correct shape of the skate blade can be inspected in connection with sharpening.

BACKGROUND

The skate blades are sharpened according to the purpose of the skate and taking into account the needs of each skater. For example, in ice hockey, the player's role in the game influences the choice of the shape of the skate blade. For an attacker, defender or goalkeeper the skate blades are sharpened differently, also taking into account the skater's weight, skating style and other personal characteristics related to skating. In figure skating, the shape of the blade is unique, like in speed skating.

Single radius, double radius, multi-radius, and glide surface are commonly used in skate blade profiling. Blade dimensions are reported in the art in both Anglo-Ameri can foot and inch dimensions and metric dimensions.

In the single radius profile, the side profile of the skate blade has the same radius of curvature over the length of the entire blade. The magnitude of the radius of cur vature is typically 9 to 26 feet (3 to 8 m) and the centre of the radius is substantially in line with the centre of gravity of the skate. Single radius profiling makes fast, small- space turns easier.

In the dual radius profile, the front and rear of the blade have different radii of cur vature, which allows efficient use of the front and rear of the blade. In this case, a small radius in the skating direction at the front helps in the acceleration phase and a larger radius at the rear allows for efficient skating as well as maintaining balance. Radii of curvature of 9 to 13 feet (3 to 4 m) are commonly used in double radius profiling.

In the glide surface profile, the middle part of the blade is straight, and the front and rear of the blade have radii of curvature. For example, the front of the blade has a radius of 13 feet over a length of 100 mm, the middle has a straight section of 50 mm and the remaining part has a radius of 12 feet over a length of 90 mm.

In the multi-radius profile, the glide surface consists of several sections with different radii of curvature. In the multi-radius profile, the radii range from 6 to 26 feet (2 to 8 m). In contrast, figure skates may first have a short section with a radius of 12 inches after the toe spikes on the blade, followed by a slightly longer section with a radius of 27 inches and a radius of 8 feet for the remaining section.

In addition to the side profile of the blade, the correct depth of the hollow must be ground into the blade. The hollow depth is determined by the radius of the round edge on the grinding wheel, the radius of which is typically 3/8 to 1 3/8 inch (10 to 35 mm). Touring and speed skating skates often use a flat or almost flat blade, in which case the edge of the grinding wheel is flat or has a very large round radius. Where the radius of the side profile of the blade and the radius of the hollow meet, a bite angle is created, which in turn affects the skating. The deeper hollow created by the small radius of the hollow provides better grip as the blade sinks deeper into the ice due to the steep bite angle. However, the sliding properties are not as good with the deep hollow as with the low hollow. The low hollow allows for a better glide and faster turns because the blade does not sink as deep into the ice.

When servicing skates, it is important to identify and maintain the correct shape of the blade. Since the shape of the blade greatly affects skating, it must also be pos sible to change the shape of the blade in a controlled manner as the skater devel ops. For example, in addition to the lengths of the profile radii, the position of the centres of the radii can also be changed, so that the properties of the skate change in the desired direction. It is impossible to validate the end result of the sharpening without a suitable measuring instrument, none of which are available on the market.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The object of the invention is a solution which can significantly reduce the disad vantages and drawbacks associated with the prior art. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a solution which can be easily and reliably used to inspect the correct shape of the skate blade.

The objects of the invention are achieved by a device which is characterized by what is stated in the independent claim. Some preferred embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.

The invention is a device for inspecting the shape of a skate blade, wherein the skate blade has blade alignment markings. The device comprises a rectangular straight plate with a first edge and a second edge and that the edges are provided with shapes or com binations thereof which correspond to the side profile of the skate blade. There are alignment markings on the plate, and the unit is aligned with the blade alignment markings and the alignment markings on the plate. The device has magnets. The shapes of the edges are such that when the skate blade is positioned for measurement, there is a light gap between the edge and the side profile of the skate blade during measurement.

When referring to the upper or lower or similar directions in the text, a situation is described in which the arrangement according to the invention is in its normal oper ating position.

The device comprises a substantially rectangular straight plate. The plate is pro vided with shapes corresponding to the side profile of the skate blade. The side profile of the skate blade is inspected by placing the device in the right position on the blade by means of alignment marks, whereby the shape of the blade corre sponds to the shape of the device. The device may have means of attachment, such as magnets, to secure the device to the skate blade. The magnets are positioned so that they can grip the skate blade with their pull force.

The plate may have markings indicating the dimensions of the shape of the device, such as the magnitudes of the radii of curvature on each section of the blade. The markings can be alignment markings, boundary markings of various shapes, and commercial markings.

The devices can be made from different materials using generic industrial methods. Mass production can be used to produce stencils corresponding to the most com mon blade profiles, for example from metal or plastic materials. Custom templates can be efficiently produced with 3D CAD and 3D printing.

With the stencils according to the invention, the correct shape of the side profile of the skate blade can be better determined. Once the shape of the skate is precisely known, the shape of the blade can be developed based on the experiences of the skater and the coach. An optimal blade shape can be found for each skater, which can be further developed as the skater’s performance progresses.

The object of the invention is to provide both mass-produced and individually man ufactured stencils with efficient industrial manufacturing methods. The invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art and provides a device that is simple in construction and inexpensive to purchase.

Said advantages are achieved by a device according to the invention, which is char acterized by what is defined in the claims. In the following, the invention will be explained in detail by means of some preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a device for inspecting the shape of a skate blade, wherein the skate blade has blade alignment markings. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises of a substantially rectangular straight plate with a first edge and a second edge and a first side and a second side. The edges are provided with shapes or combinations thereof which correspond to the side profile of the skate blade and that the plate has alignment markings, that the device can be positioned correctly onto the blade by means of blade alignment markings and alignment markings, and that the device has a fastening arrangement for gripping the skate, which fastening arrangement are magnets, and that the shapes of the edges are such that when the skate blade is positioned for measurement, there is a light gap between the edge and the side profile of the skate blade during the measurement.

In one embodiment of the device according to the invention, the device further com prises a transparent plate, which transparent plate is attached to the second side of the plate so that a section of the transparent plate extends over the first edge.

In another embodiment of the device according to the invention, the magnets are attached to the said part of the transparent plate that extends over the first edge.

In a third embodiment of the device according to the invention, the transparent plate has a light source to improve the contrast of the light gap with the skate blade and the plate.

In a fourth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the transparent plate has an upper edge and a lower edge, and the upper edge extends over the first edge and the lower edge is in the plane of the second edge.

In a fifth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the transparent plate is as long as the plate.

In a sixth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the first edge is provided with shapes or combinations thereof which correspond to the side profile of the skate blade, and that a straight surface is provided on the second edge.

In a seventh embodiment of the device according to the invention, the plate has markings on the first side of the plate indicating the dimensions of the shape of the stencil, such as the magnitudes of the radii of curvature on each blade section, and that the markings may include boundary markings or commercial markings.

In an eighth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the device has magnet holders, inside which the magnets are arranged and the magnets are ar ranged so that they can grip the skate blade with their pull force.

In a ninth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the material of the plate is a translucent material, and the plate has light sources, such as LED lights or the like, and the light emitted by the light sources illuminates the first edge of the plate.

In a tenth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the first edge has shoulder structures against which the skate blade rests during measurement, and magnets are fitted to the shoulder structures, which grip the skate blade with their pull force.

In an eleventh embodiment of the device according to the invention, the plate is provided on the first edge with two shapes with certain radii R5 and R6 and on the second edge with a shape with a certain radius R7, the radii of which are dissimilar, and these shapes are at different points in the cross-section of the plate, and that the lengths of these radii are indicated by the markings on the plate.

In a twelfth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the plate is pro vided with a shape with a certain radius on the first edge, and that the length of the radius is indicated by a marking on the plate, and that there are dimensional mark ings on the first edge.

In a thirteenth embodiment of the device according to the invention, magnets are arranged inside the plate substantially close to the first edge so that they can grip the skate blade with their pull force.

In a fourteenth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the plate has a member that indicates the position of the device in relation to the horizontal. In a fifteenth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the means for indi cating the horizontal position of the stencil is a gas bubble in a liquid inside a closed transparent container, and that the material of the plate is at least partly plastic.

In a sixteenth embodiment of the device according to the invention, the magnets are round. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIGURES

The invention is described in detail below. The description refers to the accompany ing drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of the glide-shaped side profile of the skate blade, Fig. 2 is a side view of the glide-shaped side profile of the unattached skate blade,

Fig. 3 shows a side view of a device according to the invention,

Fig. 4 shows a side view of a device according to the invention when placed close to the blade of a single radius profile skate before actual measurement,

Fig. 5 shows a device according to the invention when placed near the skate blade as viewed from above at an angle,

Fig. 6 shows a side view of a device according to the invention when placed near the skate blade, the device having a light source in a translucent plate,

Fig. 7 shows a side view of a device according to the invention with several side profile shapes,

Fig. 7a shows the device of Fig. 7 in section along the line A-A,

Fig. 8 shows a side view of a device according to the invention with a plurality of magnets as fastening members, and

Fig. 9 shows a cross-section of a skate blade, and

Fig. 10 shows a device according to the invention with a transparent second plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIGURES

The embodiments in the following description are given as examples only and some one skilled in the art can carry out the basic idea of the invention also in some other way than what is described in the description. Though the description may refer to a certain embodiment or embodiments in several places, this does not mean that the reference would be directed towards only one described embodiment or that the described characteristic would be usable only in one described embodiment. The individual characteristics of two or more embodiments may be combined and new embodiments of the invention may thus be provided.

Fig. 3 to 9 show embodiments of a device including a plate 4, magnet holders 41 , magnets 42 and light sources 6 for detecting a side profile of the blade 1 of a skate 100. Fig. 10 shows a device including a plate 14, a transparent plate 1214, and magnets 142.

Figure 1 show a skate 100 comprising a blade 1, a blade body 2 and a shoe part 3. The blade 1 of the skate 100 is fixed to the blade body 2, which in turn is fixed to the shoe part 3 of the skate. The blade 1 can be fixed or replaceable, in which case the blade is locked in place with a quick-release fastening. The side profile of the blade 1 may include several sections of different lengths with their own radii of curvature as seen in Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 to 5 show a device 301 .

The side profile of the blade 1 is determined with the device 301 comprising a sub stantially rectangular plate 4, which has a thickness of a few millimetres. The plate has a first edge 401 and a second edge 402. The plate has a first side and a second side. The first edge 401 of the plate 4 is provided with shapes such as radii R1 , R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 and straight sections S, each combination of which corresponds to the shape of the side profile of the skate blade. In one embodiment, a straight surface is provided on the second edge 402 of the plate to detect the highest point of the blade (the so-called equilibrium point or pivot point) by placing the straight surface against the side profile of the blade (not shown in the figures). Fig. 3, 4 and 5 show embodiments of the device 301 .

The plate 4 has magnet holders 41 , such as round rings or holes, in which round magnets 42 can be fitted. The magnets are positioned midway through the first edge 401 so that they can grip the side surface of the skate blade with their pull force. The pull force holds the blade 1 in the form of the radius in the lateral direction. At the same time, the magnet holders 41 with their magnets 42 act as a lateral limiter of the skate blade during measurement. Of course, the magnets can have other shapes. Similarly, in some embodiments, the placement of the magnet is accom plished without the magnet holders. The plate 4 may have markings 45 that indicate the dimensions of the shape of the device, such as the magnitudes of the radii of curvature on each section of the blade. These are on the first side of the plate, facing the user of the device when the device is in use. The markings may be alignment markings 43, boundary markings 44 of various shapes or commercial markings 48. According to the markings, for example, in Fig. 3 the front of the blade side profile has a radius R1 of 13 feet 100 mm (mark ing 13/100), the centre of the side profile has a straight section S with a length of 50 mm (marking S50) and at the remaining section of the side profile the radius R2 is 13 feet with a length of 90 mm (marking 13/90).

The side profile of the skate blade 100 is determined by placing the first edge 401 of the plate 4 of the device 301 against the blade 1 so that the alignment marking 43 is at alignment marking 11 on the skate blade, which is often in line with the centre of gravity of the skate. The correspondence of the shape of the first edge 401 of the plate 4 to the side profile of the skate blade is determined by looking perpen dicularly to the side, in which case the surfaces should be uniform. The uniformity is accurately observable by looking at the thin light gap 46 between the surfaces, which is shown in the figures in exaggerated fashion. This is shown in Figure 5.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4, a single radius profile is used, the area between the boundary markings 44 having a shape with radius R3.

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention for the device 601 , in which the mate rial of the plate 4 is a translucent material. On the plate, there may be light sources, such as LED lights or the like, and the light emitted by the light sources through the material of the plate helps to determine the correspondence of the shape of the first edge 401 to the side profile of the skate blade. In this case, the illuminated material of the plate 4 forms a strong contrast with the dark material of the skate blade 1 , which, in addition to the light gap, facilitates the detection of the uniformity of the surfaces. In this embodiment, the first edge has shoulder structures 47 against which the blade 1 of the skate is placed laterally during measurement. Magnets 42 are fitted to the shoulder structures 47 to engage the skate blade.

Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the device 701 , in which two shapes according to the radii R5 and R6 are arranged on the plate 4 at the first edge 401 and a shape according to the radius R7 on the second edge 402. The lengths of these radii are indicated by the markings 45 on the plate. Plate 4 may also contain commercial or markings of general interest 48, such as messages from business partners. Fig. 7a is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 7 taken along line A-A, showing the position of the shapes with radii R5, R6 and R7 at different points in the cross- section at the edges 401 and 402.

Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of the device 801 , in which a shape with radius R8 is arranged on the plate 4 at the first edge 401. The length of the radius is indicated by the marking 45 on the plate. The first edge 401 has dimensional markings 49. Inside the plate 4, magnets 42 are arranged substantially close to the first edge 401 so that they can grip the skate blade 1 with their pull force. Plate 4 may also contain commercial or markings of general interest 48, such as messages from business partners.

Fig. 9 shows a cross-section of the blade 1 , in which the depth of the blade hollow is indicated by means of the round edge radius R9 of the grinding wheel. In this case, where the radius of the side profile of the blade and the radius R9 of the hollow meet, a bite angle C is formed at the edge of the blade, which in turn affects the skating experience. The grinding wheel is placed laterally in the middle of the blade width dimension B, whereby the edges 5 of the blade form a straight line perpendic ular to the side surface of the blade.

In a preferred embodiment, the plate 4 has a member which shows the position of the device in relation to the horizontal (not shown in the figures). Said member is, for example, a gas bubble in a liquid inside a closed transparent container. During measurement, the device and the attached skate can be placed horizontally, whereby the position of the skate blade and the blade shapes relative to the ice can be determined.

In some preferred embodiments, the thickness of the plate 4 is in the order of 3 to 6 mm, the length of the plate 4 being practically equal to the length and width of the skate blade in the order of 15 to 50 mm. The fastening members 42 are round mag nets with a diameter in the order of 15 to 30 and a thickness in the order of 3 to 10 mm. The material of the plate 4 is a metal or plastic material. Mass production can be used to produce stencils for the most common blade side profiles and custom- made templates can be produced individually, such as with 3D printing.

Fig. 10 shows an embodiment of the device 1001. This comprises a plate 14, a transparent plate 1214 and magnets 142. There are at least two magnets. Trans parency in this context means that light passes at least to some degree through said plate. That is, the transparent plate may be completely clear or light may shine through slightly. The transparent plate has a top edge and a bottom edge. Plate 14 is an opaque material. The plate has a first edge 1401 and a second edge 1402, as well as a first side and a second side. When using the device 1001 , the first side is towards the user. The first edge 1401 of the plate 14 is provided with shapes, such as radii and straight sections S, with the respective combination of shapes corresponding to the shape of the side profile of the skate blade. The first edge of the plate is used to inspect the shape of the skate blade as described above.

The transparent plate 1214 is attached to the second side of the plate 14 so that a part of the transparent plate extends over the first edge 1401. The magnets are attached to this protruding part of the first edge. That is, the magnets are on the transparent plate between the first edge and the upper edge of the transparent plate. The magnets secure the skate blade in place and its shape can be inspected with the help of the shapes on the first edge. The magnets can be inserted into holes or pits formed in the transparent plate. In some embodiments, there are magnet hold ers into which the magnets can be placed.

A light gap is formed between the skate blade when it is put in place for measure ment and the first edge 1401 , i.e. a narrow gap through which the soundness of the shape of the skate blade can be judged when the gap is viewed from the direction of the first side of the plate. The transparent plate 1214 both supports the skate blade and allows light to enter the light gap. Since the skate blade and plate 14 provide a significant contrast to the light gap, inspection of the shape of the blade is quick and reliable. In some embodiments, a light source or light sources are placed on the transparent plate to illuminate the transparent plate and improve the afore mentioned contrast.

In some embodiments, the lower edge of the transparent plate 1214 is flush with the second edge 1402 of the plate. In some embodiments, said edges are of the same shape. In some embodiments, the plate and the transparent plate are of equal length. This makes the device 1001 sturdier and it can be placed on some surface on said edges if necessary.

The figures and the related description are intended to illustrate the present inven tion only. The details of the device according to the invention and its structure may vary within the scope of the inventive idea set out in the appended claims. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the dimensions and technical solutions of the invention may vary depending on the intended use. The embodiment of the inven tion may vary depending on the conditions of use, customer needs and production methods.