Injection-Molded Skate Boot Structure for Lightweight Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional skates and footwear are often heavy, uncomfortable, lack protection, and have poor fit, with manufacturing being expensive and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
The skate or footwear is constructed with a skate boot and optional components like a blade holder, formed from materials molded by flowing in molding equipment, such as injection molding, to enhance performance and reduce weight while being cost-effective.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional skate boots are manufactured using assembled layers of synthetic material, then the structure provides adequate protection and durability, but the weight increases and manufacturing cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (body, toe cap, tongue, tendon guard, blade holder) into a single integrated skate boot structure formed by injection molding. This merging of parts reduces the overall weight by eliminating assembly hardware and reduces manufacturing complexity through a single-step molding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection-molded skate boot serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, protection, comfort lining, and blade holder integration all in one component. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate parts needed, thereby reducing weight and simplifying manufacturing.
2Ease of operation
If conventional skate boots use assembled components, then adequate protection is provided, but fit and comfort are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The injection-molded skate boot incorporates different material densities and hardness levels in different regions: softer material in contact with the foot for comfort, and harder material in protective areas. The tongue and lining are molded with different properties than the shell, providing localized comfort and protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The skate boot is formed from composite materials with varying properties within a single molded structure. The body uses a combination of hard and soft materials to simultaneously provide protection and comfort, while the integrated lining and tongue use material variations to enhance fit without compromising structural integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If skate components are separately manufactured and assembled, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple manufacturing operations into a single injection molding process that produces the entire skate boot in one step. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly operations, reducing labor costs and increasing manufacturing efficiency while maintaining design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade holder and other components are pre-formed as integral parts of the molded skate boot structure, eliminating the need for post-assembly operations. This preliminary formation during the molding process reduces manufacturing steps and costs while maintaining the ability to modify design parameters.
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 solution provides reduced weight, improved fit and comfort, and cost-effective manufacturing, while facilitating easy installation and removal of components like blades and holders.
Implementation Method 1
formed from materials molded by flowing in molding equipment, such as injection molding
Data Source
AI summary
A skate (e.g., an ice skate) or other footwear for a user. The skate or other footwear comprises a skate boot or other foot-receiving structure for receiving a foot of the user and possibly one or more other components, such as a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). In some cases, at least part of the skate boot or other foot-receiving structure and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or casting). This may allow the skate or other footwear to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured.