Articulated Ski Boot Cuff for Walking Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sports footwear, such as ski boots, do not provide sufficient comfort for walking due to the rigidity of the cuff relative to the shell, which restricts natural leg movement.
Innovation Solution
The sports footwear features a cuff composed of multiple articulated cuff portions that wrap around the leg, with a single or dual locking device system allowing or blocking rotation between the cuff portions and the shell, enabling more flexible movement during walking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the cuff is made rigid and connected to the shell, then the footwear provides good support for skiing, but it restricts natural leg movement during walking
Solution Approach 1:
The cuff is divided into multiple articulated portions (first cuff portion and second cuff portion) that can rotate relative to each other and to the shell. This segmentation allows the cuff to provide support when needed while enabling natural leg movement during walking, resolving the contradiction between rigidity for skiing and flexibility for walking comfort.
2Reliability
If a locking device is used to block cuff rotation, then the cuff provides rigid transmission for skiing, but it reduces comfort during walking
Solution Approach 1:
The locking device is made adjustable, allowing the user to switch between locked and unlocked positions. When locked, the cuff provides stable rigid transmission for skiing; when unlocked, it allows free rotation for comfortable walking. This dynamic adjustability resolves the contradiction between stability for skiing and comfort for walking.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a sports footwear (1) of the kind comprising a shell (3), made of a substantially rigid material, and a cuff (5), also made of a substantially rigid material. According to the invention, the cuff (5) comprises at least a first cuff portion (5a), which is articulated to the shell (3), and a second cuff portion (5b), which is articulated to the first cuff portion (5a), said first cuff portion being designed so as to wrap the ankle and the instep of the user and said second cuff portion being designed so as to wrap the lower portion of the calf and of the shin of the user. The present invention can be applied, for instance, in the field of ski boots, both to mountaineering ski boots and to alpine ski boots.