Hinged Swim Fin Structure for Ankle Relief and Walking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fins cause excessive stress on swimmers' ankles, leading to injuries, and are limited in size, hindering propulsion and walking convenience.
Innovation Solution
An aquatic propulsion device with a first portion attached to the swimmer's leg and a second portion that rotates relative to the first, allowing a large wing to extend for swimming and retract forward for walking, with an opening for the foot to pass through, enabling larger sail use without hindering gait.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional fins are used to increase surface area for propulsion, then propulsion capability is improved, but ankle stress increases leading to injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The fin system is segmented into a removable fin blade that can be detached from the boot, allowing the ankle to remain in a resting position without stress while the fin blade provides propulsion when attached
Solution Approach 2:
The fin blade is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing it to conform to the foot while providing thrust, and can be easily removed or adjusted to reduce stress on the ankle during different activities
2Productivity
If fins are made larger to improve propulsion, then propulsion capability is improved, but walking convenience deteriorates due to gait hindrance
Solution Approach 1:
The fin blade is designed with a hinge joint that allows it to rotate from an extended swimming position to a retracted walking position, adapting its configuration based on the activity being performed
Solution Approach 2:
The fin blade can change its effective size and position through rotation about the hinge axis, extending to maximum length for swimming propulsion and retracting to minimum profile for comfortable walking
3Ease of operation
If fins are retracted rearward to allow walking, then walking convenience is improved, but fin size is limited reducing propulsion capability
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of retracting the fin blade backward toward the heel as in traditional designs, the fin blade is hinged to rotate forward toward the shin, allowing the foot to pass through the opening created by the forward-rotated blade
4Ease of operation
If the fin blade is positioned close to the rotation axis to allow foot passage, then walking convenience is improved, but propulsion capability is reduced due to smaller effective sail area
Solution Approach 1:
The fin blade is positioned far from the rotation axis in the lateral dimension, creating a large opening through which the foot can pass, while the blade's length in the longitudinal dimension provides sufficient effective sail area for propulsion
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces ankle strain while allowing improved propulsion and convenient walking by enabling larger sail use without hindering the user's movement.
Implementation Method 1
the wing support being configured to allow rotational articulation of the second portion relative to the first portion along a first axis X1
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an aquatic propulsion device (1) configured to be worn by a swimmer (2) and comprising a first portion that is configured to be rigidly attached to the leg of the swimmer (2), which portion comprises a bearing part (114) having an inner face shaped so as to bear against the tibia of the swimmer (2) and an outer face opposite the inner face; a second portion comprising a first foil and a foil support, the first foil being rigidly attached to the foil support and the foil support being configured to allow the second portion to be joined to the first portion so as to rotate relative thereto on a first axis X1 so as to alternately make the device (1) go from a deployed configuration to a retracted configuration.