Coupleable Fin Boot Toe Body for Custom Fit and Drag Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fins often have ill-fitting foot pockets due to limited standard sizes, leading to increased drag and reduced control in water due to water ingress between the foot and the fin pocket.
Innovation Solution
A fin system comprising a fin body and a boot coupling body with adjustable connectors that can be coupled to a boot toe body, allowing for customizable fit by connecting at multiple points to accommodate various foot sizes and shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fin has an integral foot pocket in standard sizes, then manufacturing and distribution costs are reduced, but the foot pocket does not comfortably fit the user's foot and water can enter between the foot and the fin pocket
Solution Approach 1:
The fin is divided into separate components: a boot toe body that interfaces with the foot and a fin body that provides propulsion. The boot toe body can be detached and replaced, allowing customization of fit while keeping the main fin structure standardized for efficient manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The boot toe body incorporates adjustable elements such as movable panels or straps that can be modified to accommodate different foot sizes and shapes. This dynamic adjustment capability allows a single standardized fin design to serve multiple foot dimensions effectively.
2Device complexity
If a fin has an integral foot pocket in standard sizes, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but space between the foot and inside wall of the foot pocket receives water adding drag
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the boot toe body from the fin body, the design allows for a customized boot toe body that closely conforms to the foot's shape. This eliminates gaps between the foot and the interface, preventing water ingress and reducing drag while keeping the overall fin structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The boot toe body is designed with specific local characteristics that match the foot's anatomy, such as contoured surfaces and adjustable closure systems. This localized customization improves the seal and reduces water entry without requiring complex changes to the entire fin structure.
3Reliability
If alternative foot pocket designs are used, then fit may be improved, but manufacturing and distribution costs increase due to variety of foot sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The boot toe body is designed as a universal component that can accommodate multiple foot sizes and shapes through adjustment mechanisms. A single boot toe body design can serve multiple customers with different foot dimensions, eliminating the need to manufacture multiple specialized versions while maintaining good fit quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The boot toe body incorporates adjustable parameters such as strap lengths, panel positions, or closure tightness that can be modified to fit different feet. This parameter adjustment capability allows one standardized component to adapt to various foot dimensions without requiring multiple manufacturing variants.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of coupling a boot toe body to a fin apparatus is disclosed. The fin apparatus includes a fin body coupled to a boot coupling body. The method involves connecting a first boot connector on a first end of the boot coupling body to a first complementary boot connector on a top side of the boot toe body, and connecting a second boot connector on a second end of the boot coupling body to a second complementary boot connector on a bottom side of the boot toe body. Boot toe bodies, fin apparatuses, and systems including the boot toe bodies and fin apparatuses are also disclosed.