Barefoot Training Device with Removable Balance Domes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing barefoot training devices, such as balance boards and gliders, can be cumbersome and require skill to use, making them unsuitable for all users, and are difficult to transport due to their large size.
Innovation Solution
A barefoot exercise and training device with a toe-separating footbed, a strap for securing the foot, and removably attachable balance domes, allowing configuration in either balance or glider mode, providing a versatile and portable system for strengthening foot and ankle muscles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If balance boards and gliders are used for barefoot training, then exercise effectiveness is improved, but device size and portability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional components: a footbed with toe separator, a chassis with attachment points, and removable balance domes. This segmentation allows the device to be compact when stored and easily configured for different exercise modes, resolving the contradiction between effectiveness and portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The balance domes are designed to attach to the chassis, creating a nested configuration where the domes fit onto the chassis structure. This nesting approach minimizes the overall device footprint when not in use while maintaining full functionality when assembled, addressing the portability issue.
2Reliability
If balance boards are used for barefoot training, then balance improvement is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to skill requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The device allows dynamic adjustment between balance mode (with domes attached) and glider mode (with domes removed). Users can start with the stable glider mode and progressively transition to balance mode as skills improve, making the device accessible to users of all skill levels while still providing balance improvement benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The chassis includes multiple attachment points that can accommodate different dome configurations, allowing the same device to serve multiple functions: balance training, gliding exercises, and rehabilitation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for specialized equipment for different skill levels.
3Adaptability or versatility
If balance domes are removably attached to chassis, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is segmented into simple, standardized connection points on the chassis that interface with corresponding attachment mechanisms on the domes. This segmentation creates a modular system where adding or removing components is straightforward, reducing the perceived complexity despite high adaptability.
4Manufacturing precision
If toe separator is included in footbed, then exercise precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The toe separator is merged into the footbed as an integrated component rather than a separate attachment. This combining approach maintains precise foot positioning functionality while simplifying the overall device structure by eliminating additional assembly steps and components.
Data Source
AI summary
An exercise device and associated methods that in configurable in either a glider mode or a balance mode. The device includes: a footbed having a toe separator, a chassis having a first surface mated to the footbed and a second opposed surface having a plurality of attachment points; a strap configured to secure a foot onto the footbed; and at least one balance dome releasably attachable to a selected attachment point.