Composite Ski Boot with Segmented Shell for Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ski boot designs face challenges with extreme stiffness, making entry and exit difficult, processing limitations of composite materials, and compatibility with boot sole standards, leading to inefficient force transmission and increased weight.
Innovation Solution
A ski boot design featuring a composite material shell with a non-conventional throat geometry, divided lower shell joined by a flange joint, and a separately molded sole, along with a pivotable upper shell and expandable boot liner for easy entry and exit, maintaining stiffness and support while reducing weight and improving fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If composite materials are used to build the boot shell, then weight is reduced and stiffness is increased, but entry and exit become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The boot shell is divided into two separate halves (left and right shells) that can be opened and closed independently. This segmentation allows the boot to maintain structural stiffness when closed while enabling easy entry and exit when opened, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction/stiffness improvement and ease of operation.
2Strength
If the boot shell is made extremely stiff, then force transmission to the ski is improved, but entry and exit become impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The boot shell transitions from a static, permanently closed structure to a dynamic structure that can open and close. The two halves can be separated for entry/exit and then securely closed for force transmission, allowing the boot to adapt its structural properties based on operational needs.
Solution Approach 2:
Dividing the shell into two halves enables the boot to maintain stiffness when closed for force transmission while allowing easy opening for entry and exit, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional injection molded thermoplastics are used, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but weight is excessive and force transmission is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The boot shell is constructed from composite materials (such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, or aramid) combined with a polymer matrix. These composites provide superior strength-to-weight ratio and stiffness compared to traditional thermoplastics, reducing weight while improving force transmission efficiency.
4Strength
If composite material inserts are over-molded with thermoplastics, then stiffness and strength are improved in specific areas, but cost increases significantly and weight advantages are lost
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using expensive composite inserts over-molded with thermoplastics, the entire shell is constructed from composite materials. This approach achieves superior strength and stiffness throughout the structure while avoiding the high tooling costs and complex manufacturing processes associated with insert molding.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite material construction merges the advantages of lightweight materials with structural integrity across the entire shell, rather than using localized inserts. This eliminates the need for expensive multi-step molding processes and reduces overall manufacturing cost.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sport boot, such as a snow ski boot, that includes a shell having a rigid foot portion. The foot portion includes a heel pocket and an instep region that is largely immovable relative to the heel pocket due to the rigidity of the foot portion. The boot also includes a highback support region that snugly engages the leg of a user during use. A heel-track is located on the dorsal side of the boot between the highback support region and the heel pocket. The heel-track provides a concave space that receives the user's heel when the user is putting-on and taking-off the boot to counter the relative immovability of the instep region of the boot against the engaging action of the user's foot. The sport boot can also include a special boot liner having an expandable dorsal region, and, optionally, other features that compliment the heel-track of the shell.