FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of ice blades and more specifically to ice blades used in ice skates, luges, bobsleds and other winter sports equipment with blades which run over ice. Most specifically this invention relates to the relationship between the ice blade shape, the sharpening of the blade to create a desired performance of the blade on the ice and the biometrics and biometric performance of an athlete using the shaped and sharpened blade.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ice skates have blades which typically may be formed from metal and which have a specific shape designed to facilitate skating. In modern ice hockey skates typically a single blade is located under each foot of the skater. The blades are usually affixed longitudinally under the skate boot portion and may have a generally convex curve side profile from front to back as well as a concave or grooved bottom face. Typically, only a portion of the skate blade touches the ice at any one time and during skating the blade is angled from side to side as well as rocked back and forth by the skater against the ice surface to propel the skater along.

According to prevailing theories of the science behind ice skating, a skater is thus capable of skating on ice because: (a) the weight of the skater is focused in a narrow area of ice under the concave portion of the bottom surface of the blade which creates enough pressure to form a thin film of water under the blade and a skater glides on this film of water with a greatly reduced amount of friction; and (b) ice has a natural "quasi-fluid" layered region at its surface which creates a naturally slippery surface. Although ice blades are made from metal and may be harder than the ice, the ice blades still exhibit wear over time. In addition, the skate blade profile may become modified over time by inexact sharpening processes, stepping on other hard surfaces, or by being bent, dented or damaged in collisions during play or even nicked when not being used. Such wear or modifications may change the skate blade edge profile and may result in a loss of performance. Consequently, there is a constant need for skate shaping and sharpening.

Skate blade profiles can vary according to activity, and a figure skating blade will have a different profile from an ice hockey blade which will also be different from a speed skating blade. Further, even within one sport, at present the different manufacturers of skate blades may provide their own unique factory or OEM blade profile or shape. Even further, within one sport, and with equipment from the same manufacturer, skating blade shapes may be customized by the user to try to optimize performance - for example, some hockey players prefer the blades to be sharpened and shaped in a particular way to suit their style of play or even to suit their specific position.

Sharpened ice blades are also used in other activities, such as luge, skeleton and bobsledding all of which may have specific blade profiles and sharpening requirements, which may vary according to the athlete, the design of their sleds, or even the set-up of the track or course. Modification of the profile of ice blades, such as OEM hockey skate blades can be accomplished today using manually-operating grinding machines or automatic grinding machines. However, the determination of which profile to apply for any given skater is unscientific. For hockey players in particular, there may be recommendations for certain sharpening profiles based on whether the player plays a forward position, a defensive position or a goalie position. Further modifications to the profile may be suggested by the player based on their own experience with shaping or sharpening and the results provided. Current skate sharpening systems however have a major shortcoming in that there is no meaningful feedback to the user of how the blade sharpening affects their performance. Essentially the user either adapts to the sharpening profile selected for the blade, or makes a random change to another profile hoping to find one that feels right. Profiles are often established using fixed jigs or guides, which may not be readily customizable.

In the past, the blade profiles and sharpening techniques have been developed on a largely trial and error basis. At the highest levels of professional sports, a final edge for a specific blade may be put on by a special craftsman, such as a custom sharpener, who through repeated interactions with a user athlete gets to know the requirements and what configuration is preferred by the athlete. However, such custom hand crafted attention is both expensive and not very precise. Not only is it difficult for the user to determine if any particular sharpening was effective, because of the variation in sharpening from one instance to the next, even if it was effective it can be difficult to reliably repeat the sharpening results. The only feedback from the athlete as to whether any change in the profile or sharpening technique has been positive or negative to their performance is their own observations, which are impressions only and may be affected by confirmation bias. The vast majority of ice blade users therefore rely on a sharpener either a person or an automatic machine with a fixed guide to deliver a sharpened blade with little control over the final sharpened configuration. However, as in all sports, a small improvement can result in the difference between winning and losing, and an improved approach to customized blade shaping and sharpening is greatly desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to blades used in ice related sports, and more specifically to devices and methods to precisely gauge the effectiveness of the blades and the manner of use of the blades by the users by providing meaningful feedback to the users relating to their use of the blades. Such feedback may preferably take the form of measuring any wear on the blades following such a use by the user. In one embodiment the wear measurements of the blades can be used to perfect the blade shape for the specific application of the blade such as the customization of an ice blade for a particular use; and in another embodiment the wear patterns measured on an ice blade may be used as a diagnostic tool for improved athletic training or performance. For example, the wear of a skate blade may be used to perform a biomechanical analysis to determining areas of a skater's strengths or weaknesses. In a further embodiment the present invention may provide a method of customizing the ice blade for the user by measuring at least one biometric parameter of the user and preferably a set of such biometric parameters and optimizing the shaping and sharpening of the ice blade according to the measured set of personal biometric parameters. As another example, as applied to sports such as bobsledding, luge and skeleton, the runners of the equipment will be measured for wear after the athletes have completed a run in their sled and the runners may be shaped or sharpened in response to such wear in an effort to improve the performance of sled for the particular course run. An example of this may be to shape the ice contacting surface of the blade to change the wear pattern on the ice blade during a run, for example, to reduce wear on specific parts of the blade during the run.

Therefore, according to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of customizing an ice blade to a user comprising the steps of: measuring an ice blade to establish an initial calibration measurement set;

having the user use the ice blade on an ice surface;

re-measuring said ice blade to establish an ice blade wear measurement set;

comparing said blade wear measurement set against said initial calibration set; and

customizing said ice blade for said user in response to said measured wear.

According to another aspect of the invention provides a method of providing feedback to a user of ice blades comprising the steps of:

measuring an ice blade to establish an initial calibration measurement set;

having the user use the ice blade on an ice surface;

re-measuring said ice blade to establish an ice blade wear measurement set;

comparing said blade wear measurement set against said initial calibration set to identify a wear pattern; and

providing feedback to said user based on said wear pattern.

According to a still further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of fitting an ice blade to a user comprising the steps of:

measuring at least one biometric parameter of said user; and shaping said ice blade according to said at least one biometric parameter.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of fitting an ice blade to a user comprising the steps of: measuring at least one set of biometric parameters of said user which set of biometric parameters relate to their use of the ice blade; and shaping said ice blade according to said at least one set of said biometric parameters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made by way of example only to preferred embodiments of the invention by reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 is end view of an ice blade which can be measured to obtain an initial calibration set of measurements; Figure 2 is a side view of the ice blade of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a view of an ice blade being measured according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is an end view of the ice blade of Figure 1 after it has been used by a user and which has a measurable wear pattern which can be measured as compared to the calibration set of measurements of the ice blade of Figure 1 before the wear;

Figure 5 is a side view of the ice blade of Figure 2 showing measurable wear after use;

Figure 6 is a flow chart showing how the method of the present may be performed according to one embodiment;

Figure 7 is a flow chart according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 8 is a drawing of a person using the ice blades and showing various exemplary biometric measurements that can be measured on the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In this description the following terms shall have the following meanings. The term ice blade means any blade which may be used as a runner, glide or other contact point for traversing an ice surface and without limiting the generality of the foregoing includes ice skate blades, including speed skating, hockey skate and figure skating blades, luge, skeleton, and bobsled running blades, and any other blades which may be used to glide over an ice or snow surface. More particularly the ice contacting surface is that part of the ice blade which makes contact with an ice surface during use. An ice surface includes a natural ice surface, an artificial ice surface, and a synthetic ice surface (i.e. high density polyethylene, or the like). As such, an ice surface is any type of surface on which an ice blade may be used on and glide over. As well the term biometrics means the measurement of certain physical and athletic characteristics of a person using the ice blade on the ice surface.

Figures 1 and 2 show a typical hockey skate blade which is used a non-limiting example of the type of blade to which the present invention may be applied. The skate blade of Figure 1 is a cross sectional view looking straight down the length of a skate blade 10, showing a constant hollow (radius of hollow) 12 running through the length of the ice contacting surface of the ice blade, which in this case is a bottom surface of the skate blade. The hollow 12 yields a sharp edge 14, 16 on each side of the skate blade hollow 12. Figure 2 is a side view of the blade 10 and shows three radii of importance for skate blades: the toe radius 18, the heel radius 20 and the working radius 22. Other ice blades may have other shapes in side view, but are still comprehended by the present invention. The toe radius 18 is the radius at the front of the blade that arcs the blade away from an ice surface in use. The heel radius 20 is the radius at the back of the blade that arcs the back of the blade away from the ice when in use. The working radius 22 is the radius between the toe radius and the heel radius.

When ice skates are purchased new, the skate blade is fairly standard in profile, within the tolerance limits of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Brand new, skate blades usually come unsharpened so that the cross section as shown in Figure 1 has no functional hollow 12 or sharpened edges 14, 16 and the longitudinal dimension has a set working radius 22. Although the length of a skate blade may differ according to the size of the skate, generally, each skate blade has a pre-set working radius 22 determined by the OEM. For instance, most skates made by Bauer come with skate blades that have a 9' working radius and those made by CCM come with an 1 1 ' working radius. Unfortunately, such pre-set skate working radii may only fit a small portion of users properly.

Also, the choice of hollow may affect the performance of the ice blade. A deeper hollow may encourage better stopping and turning, whereas a shallower hollow may encourage faster skating speeds.

Generally speaking, when viewing the skate blade in profile as in Figure 2, a smaller working radius 22 allows the skater to be more agile on the ice as pivots can be achieved more readily. A larger working radius 22 yields more contact area on the ice and allows for greater acceleration, but with less lateral mobility. The present invention can be applied to either new blades as provided by the OEM, or to already sharpened blades in which the OEM profile has already been customized by the user by sharpening. The present invention may provide a means for making a precise measurement of the physical dimensions of the ice contacting surface or bottom of the blade 10, pre-use, which is recorded into a measurement data set. The measurements may be sufficiently accurate and in sufficient detail to create an accurate three dimensional numerical representation of the blade. In one embodiment the invention may include a laser measurement device, as shown in Figure 3 as 24 with a scanner beam 26, which is able to read the blade to within about 20 pm accuracy and most preferably to within about 1 to 10 pm accuracy. Such a measurer or 3D scanner which can take measurements across the hollow 12 and all along the length of the blade 10 is preferred. As will be understood, preferably the accuracy of the measurement for the data set may be greater than the dimensional changes created by the user's wear, for the present invention to provide adequate results.

The present invention comprehends using a 3D scanner, such as a laser profile scanner, to create the data set. Suitable results have been obtained with a laser displacement scanner sold by Keyence Corporation.

Most preferably, this active scanner will scan multiple times to create a number of data sets of the same ice blade which data sets can then be merged for greater accuracy. Such a 3D scanner will be able to measure off center issues like bent blades, damage in the form of nicks and the like, and excessive wear. The present invention comprehends measuring the ice contacting surface of the ice blade to measure the wear of such surface during use, as explained below.

Figures 4 and 5 show the blade of Figures 1 , 2 and 3 after it has been used by the user. Figures 4 and 5 show a measureable wear pattern at 28 and 30 which are exaggerated for ease of illustration. A second data set may now be generated for the blade after use which will measure the amount and location of the wear which occurred during the use. According to one aspect of the present invention, an ice skater's posture and performance may leave specific wear patterns on the ice blade 10. By measuring and recording such wear patterns this information may be used to, among other things, identify the skaters posture and functional performance, which may be useful for identifying skating gait issues and preventing injury and/or altering or re-shaping the blade 10 to improve a skater's posture, skating gait and functional performance. Thus, according to the present invention specific examples of skate blade runner wear patterns may be recognized as arising from certain biomechanical actions, specifically posture and technique. Thus the measured wear pattern may be used to provide feedback to the user of the blade on their biomechanical performance.

By way of non-limiting examples, the present invention may be used to identify that:

• A lie angle that is too far back and/or a measurable blade wear pattern closer to the heel radius may produce slow skating starts, turns and a forward torso lean possibly associated with expressions of pain in the lower back region.

• A lie angle that is too far forward and/or a measureable blade wear pattern closer to the toe radius may produce quicker muscle fatigue, short choppy strides, loss of power with longer strides, expressions of pain and discomfort at the hip adductor muscle group, groin region and/or distal attachments of abdominal muscle group.

The present invention therefore comprehends identifying certain blade wear patterns in association with a skater's posture and skating gait to provide feedback to the user which may help the user improve their posture and optimize skating performance.

Figure 6 shows a method according to one aspect of the present invention. In the first step 32 a measurement is made of an existing blade. Then, at 34 a blade measurement data set is created and stored in memory for future reference. Then at 36 the user uses the blade on ice in the usual way that such a blade is used by the user. Then at 38, the used blade is measured to create a used blade data set, which is also stored in memory at 40. Then in step 42 the two data sets are compared and the wear pattern identified. Optionally at this stage an image of the blade with the wear may be created. Then, the present invention provides that one or both further steps may be taken. At 44 the blade is sharpened and reshaped based on the wear pattern information. Alternatively, at 46, a set of training techniques is provided to the user, including both training techniques for the use of the blades and training techniques for their own body to address certain body issues which may have been identified by the wear patterns.

The sharpening and reshaping step 44 may be carried out using a grinding system capable of grinding the ice blade to remove material from the ice blade based on the wear pattern information. By way of example, the grinding system may be a manually operated or automated skate sharpening machine configurable to apply the recommended skate blade shape to the ice blade. However, a preferred grinding system is one which utilizes a computer numerical control (CNC) type grinding device capable of performing a grinding action on the ice blade to a specification of at least +/- 20 microns, and preferably to at least +/- 10 microns. The preferred grinding system has a holder for holding the ice blade in a fixed grinding position, a grinding device operationally positioned relative to the holder, and a processor to control operation of the grinding device to perform a grinding action on the ice blade held in the holder, to apply the recommended ice blade shape to the ice blade. Preferably, the grinding device is adapted to move in at least two dimensions relative to the ice blade held in the holder. One of the two dimensions may be defined by a first axis generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ice blade, and the other dimension may be defined by a second axis generally perpendicular to the first axis and oriented in a plane parallel to the side surface of the ice blade. Preferably, the grinding device is adapted to move in three dimensions, such that the third dimension is perpendicular to both of the above mentioned first and second axis. Accordingly, the grinding device may comprise a grinding head attached to a carriage assembly that is configured to move the grinding head along at least two dimensions relative to the ice blade held in the holder, and most preferably along all three dimensions. By way of example, the carriage assembly may comprise rails oriented to permit the grinding head to move along each of the two or three dimensions. The grinding head may comprise a rotary grinding tool (i.e. a grinding wheel, grinding stone, abrasive point, cutting bit, router bit, sanding band, and the like), driven by an electric motor. While either the ice blade can be fixed and the grinding head can move about the ice blade, or vice versa, the preferred grinding system is configured such that the grinding device can move relative to the ice blade held in the holder to bring the rotary grinding tool into contact with the ice contacting surface of the ice blade along the length of the ice blade and apply the recommended ice blade shape to the ice blade.

In another aspect of the invention a biometric data set can be made for an individual user, such as a skater. The data set can consist of one or more measurements of certain biomechanical properties of the skater. Without limiting which properties are comprehended these properties may include:

(a) different static biometrics ("Static Measurements") of each individual, including body posture, individual physical measurements of a person such as their leg length, hip alignment, torso length, arm length, shoulder width, etc. , together with differences, if any, between left and right sides of the body and left and right sides of the legs; and

(b) different biometrics and biomechanics of each individual while in motion ("Dynamic Measurements"), including arm swing, hip angles, knee angles, forward and backward lean, leg strength, length of skating stride, lateral motion and amplitude, together with differences, if any, between left and right sides of the body and left and right sides of the legs.

More specifically the user measurements may include some or all of the following:

1. Static Measurements may include:

a. Gender

b. Age

c. Height

d. Weight

e. Lengths of right and left legs

f. Hip angle (balance)

g. Foot size

h. Ankle or toe rotation

i. Range of foot flexion (dorsiflexion and plantar flexion) j. Foot pronation (neutral pronation, overpronation, and underpronation or supination)

2. Dynamic Measurements:

a. Skaters stride (stride/time)

b. Stride length

c. Stride width d. Weight distribution analysis between right and left during skater gait cycle (pressure sensors in boots)

e. Leg strength comparison between right and left during skater gait cycle (long and vertical jump analysis)

f. Joint and segment angle analysis (including and not limited to trunk extension, flexion, lateral flexion, rotation; hip extension, flexion, internal rotation, external rotation, abduction, adduction; knee extension, flexion, internal rotation, external rotation; ankle planter flexion, dorsiflexion; foot inversion/adduction, eversion/abduction) from sagittal, frontal and dorsal perspectives within skating gait cycle (analysis of phases and events; stance phase [single and double support] and swing phase, weight acceptance and propulsion) g. Electromyography of skater gait cycle (quantifying magnitude of muscle activity and patterns of activity; effort, timing, duration)

h. Skating transition analysis (stop, starting, turns, pivots, forward direction, backward direction, crossover direction; giving and receiving contact in the case of ice hockey and downhill)

i. Acceleration and deceleration skating analysis

Qualitative/subjective factors:

a. Player position

b. Experience

c. Preference for lateral mobility, top speed or combination Equipment:

a. Skate manufacturer and model

b. Skate size

c. Skate width

d. Steel runner measurements (length, width)

e. Boot stiffness f. Height of skate from holder to various parts of the skate g. Lie of footbed and/or holder

h. Presence of aftermarket insoles

According to this aspect of the invention using data such as the Static Measurements, the Dynamic Measurements, qualitative and subjective factors can be used to apply a preferred shape to the skate blade initially, even before the blade is used and the wear measured. In this case the measured wear on the blade may be used to confirm the accurate application of the personal biometric information.

Figure 7 shows a method according to a further embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment the method may start at 48 with the measurement of one or more Static and Dynamic biometric measurement of the user themselves. The next step, 50, is to use these biometric measurements to recommend a preferred skate shape. Then, at 52 the preferred skate shape can be applied to the user's blade. Then, at 54, the user uses the blade in their normal way. Then at 56 the used blades are measured to determine a wear pattern. Then, at 58 the preferred shape is revised, according to the measured wear pattern, and the revised preferred shape is applied to the blade. Then, at 60 the user may be asked to repeat step 54 and to use the blade again in the normal way. Then, steps 56 and 58 may be repeated until there is a reasonable match between the recommended shape and the wear pattern. Then the preferred shape is recorded for that user in memory at 62.

The process of data collection and measurement may include:

1 . Asking skaters to complete a questionnaire concerning quantitative, qualitative and subjective measures;

2. Recording the skate manufacturer, model, boot size, boot width and presence of aftermarket insoles;

3. Measuring one or more Static Measurements. 4. Measuring the skaters' current skate blade profiles.

5. Having the skaters complete various off-ice and on-ice skating drills and movements to obtain Dynamic Measurements.

6. Re-measuring the skate blade using advanced measuring devices to measure wear which may have occurred after these activities.

7. Determining a blade profile that may fit the skater based on the information gathered above.

A dynamic customization system (DCS) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be used. This embodiment is a software program that aggregates and processes at least one of the biometric measurements and recommends a skate profile based on such measurements.

Some benefits of the customization system of the present invention and method can now be better understood. The other customization systems focus primarily on qualitative and subjective measures, such as the position played by the skater, skater preferences and experience. The technician sharpening the skate (Professional Skate Profiler or PSP) would provide a skate profile to a player based on such subject criteria. According to the present invention, customized blade profiling may optimize the skater's individual biomechanics, therefore, improving performance and preventing injury. The present system and method is very accurate given that it was designed based on definitive, physical measurements of both the skater and the skater's equipment, and factored mathematically. Some factoring may be given to qualitative measures. Embodiments of the present invention include DCS that can be utilized to fit ice skates to anyone. DCS will allow authorized users to accurately profile skate blades for skaters.

The system of the present invention can be applied to a range of skaters from beginners to professional hockey, figure, speed and downhill skaters. The present invention may be used to create and recommend customized profiles for individual athletes which may be fit their personal physical attributes. The results may then be tested by measuring at least some of the physical changes to the blades that occur during dynamic movement. The present invention may permit a degree of customization which allows a skater to be scientifically fit to a unique skate blade profile. In one aspect the customization may include calculating an ideal skate blade profile from radius of hollow, skate blade edge measurements (whether edges should be equal or unequal), skate blade height (whether the blade height should be equal for both skates or unequal because of a skaters physical measurements), toe radius, heel radius, length of flat, balance point and working radius, and whether the left skate blade should be identical or different than the right skate blade, based on at least some unique biometric information obtained from the user. The proper shaping and sharpening of the blade may help maintain and improve skater kinetic awareness, balance and performance. The preferred profile can be retained and as a result the same shaping and sharpening can be applied in every instance for that skater. Alternatively, if the skater changes, for example, grows between seasons, a new biometric data set can be obtained and a new profile can be recommended.

Figure 8 shows a hockey player 64 by way of example with certain biometric features. For example, the hockey player 64 has an upper arm length 66 and a lower arm length 68. There is an upper leg length 70 and a lower leg length 72 which define a knee bend angle 74. There is an upper body bend 76 and a stride length 78. Also shown is a hockey stick 80 which will be of a certain length. The hockey player will also have a height and a weight. Figure 8 shows by way of example only, certain biometric measurements which may be used as discussed above, many biometric measurements are also comprehended. The present invention comprehends a precise customization for each user because every person is different. Leg length, posture, body tilt, hip bend angles, kneed bend angles, just to name a few, are dimensions that when combined together create a unique profile for that individual player. Such a customized skate profile may more easily accommodate a unique skater's posture and gait cycle may make skating easier for people with conditions like Ankylosising Spondilitis (fusion of the spine) or more complicated spinal conditions like Scoliosis or people with joint and/or segment limitations and dysfunctions that may include arthritis, etc. Skaters of all ability levels may benefit from the use of properly customized ice skates because it may optimize biomechanics. For example, children learning to skate or beginners on skates may want to have skates with a larger working radii so as to provide a more stable foundation. As skaters become more proficient on the ice or as their balance improves, a smaller working radii may benefit them more. Skate profiles that poorly match a person's biomechanics will require the skater to adjust or compromise to the skate blade which then limits the player's ability to achieve full performance and can lead to injury due to faulty postural and gait habits.

DCS can also be used to measure performance of different types of surfaces or equipment (e.g. skating treadmills). Using a skater's wear data from skating on real ice, one could compare the wear data from the same skater when the skater performs the same biomechanic movements on the other surface/equipment. By examining the differences in wear, one can determine whether the surface or equipment yields differing or similar results to that of real ice. The present invention also comprehends customization for ice blades of sleds, which may also be called runners. For example, a particular driver may have certain dimensions, such as weight, aspect ratio, or the like, which can affect the performance of the blades on an ice surface. A measurement of ice blade wear, during one or more training runs, may point to an improperly shaped blade, poor technique, or both. In some cases, shaping the blade to reduce wear, or steering the sled to reduce wear may have an impact on performance of the sled during runs. The present invention provides a way to measure wear, change shape or steering habits and evaluate the user. In some cases, reduced wear may equate to reduced friction which may result in faster times.

In the foregoing description, certain details are set forth in conjunction with the described embodiments of the present invention to provide a sufficient understanding of the invention. One skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that the invention may be practiced without these particular details. Furthermore, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the example embodiments described below do not limit the scope of the present invention, and will also understand that various modifications, equivalents, and combinations of the disclosed embodiments and components of such embodiments are within the scope of the present invention. Embodiments including fewer than all the components of any of the respective described embodiments may also be within the scope of the present invention although not expressly described in detail. Finally, the operation of well-known components and/or processes has not been shown or described in detail below to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.