Laminate Quarter Panel Heel Lock via Embedded Rigid Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lasted skate boots are labor-intensive and costly to manufacture, offer poor foot conformity, require a long break-in period, and are prone to damage due to material stresses, while non-lasted boots lack optimal heel accommodation.
Innovation Solution
A laminate skate boot featuring a thermo-shaped quarter panel with a concave heel section and a rigid element that borders the heel pocket, providing increased 'heel lock' through localized rigidity, which enhances the boot's ability to retain the heel during skating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a laminate quarter panel with a rigid element bordering the heel pocket is used, then heel lock and heel retention are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The quarter panel is constructed as a laminate composite structure combining multiple materials with different properties. A rigid element (such as a plastic or metal reinforcement) is embedded within the laminate to provide localized rigidity at the heel pocket border, while the surrounding flexible laminate material provides conformability and comfort. This composite approach achieves enhanced heel lock without requiring a completely rigid structure, thus managing manufacturing complexity through targeted reinforcement rather than full-structure rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire quarter panel rigid, the rigid element is strategically positioned only at the border of the heel pocket where it is most needed for heel retention. The rest of the quarter panel maintains its flexible, conformable characteristics. This localized application of rigidity provides the necessary heel lock while minimizing the overall complexity and cost of manufacturing compared to a fully rigid design.
2Strength
If lasted skate boots are manufactured using traditional multi-layer material cutting and assembly, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing labor intensity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The skate boot is divided into distinct functional segments: a rigid element for structural strength and heel retention, and a flexible laminate quarter panel for conformability and comfort. These segmented components can be manufactured separately and then assembled, reducing the complexity of manual labor required compared to traditional lasted boot construction. The rigid element can be pre-formed and inserted, while the laminate material is thermo-formed as a single piece, significantly reducing assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes thermo-forming technology to transform the quarter panel material from a flat or pre-formed state into a three-dimensional shape that conforms to the foot. By changing the physical state and shape parameters of the material through heat and pressure, the complex assembly steps required in traditional lasted boot manufacturing are eliminated, reducing labor intensity while maintaining structural integrity through the embedded rigid element.
3Device complexity
If flat materials are bent on a last to form the three-dimensional boot shape, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but material stresses increase leading to easier damage
Solution Approach 1:
The quarter panel is constructed as a laminate composite structure where multiple layers of material are bonded together to form a rigid yet flexible composite. This composite structure inherently resists stress better than single-layer materials because the laminated layers work together to distribute and resist forces. The embedded rigid element further enhances this stress resistance, creating a multi-layered defense against damage while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the use of standard thermo-forming processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid element is pre-formed and positioned within the quarter panel before the final thermo-forming process. This preliminary placement ensures that the rigid reinforcement is already in position to withstand stresses during use, eliminating the need for complex post-forming reinforcement steps. The laminate material is then thermo-formed around the pre-positioned rigid element, creating a stress-resistant composite structure without increasing manufacturing complexity.
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
The laminate skate boot design improves heel accommodation and retention, reducing the break-in time and enhancing the boot's durability and comfort by distributing stresses more effectively.
Implementation Method 1
a thermo-shaped laminate quarter panel
Data Source
AI summary
A laminate skate boot having a heel portion, the skate boot comprises: A thermo-shaped laminate quarter panel, the laminate quarter panel forming, at least in part, a quarter of the skate boot. A is heel pocket in the laminate quarter panel in the heel portion of the skate boot for accommodating a heel of a wearer of the boot. A rigid element is within the laminate quarter panel shaped and dimensioned to border, at least in part, the heel pocket. Also, a laminate quarter panel for use in fabricating the skate boot, the laminate quarter panel comprising a rigid element within the laminate quarter panel shaped and dimensioned to border, at least in part, a heel pocket in a heel portion of the skate boot to be fabricated, the heel pocket for accommodating a heel of a wearer of the skate boot.