Molded Skate Boot Structure for Lightweight Protection and Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional skates and footwear are often heavy, uncomfortable, lack protection, and have poor fit, while their manufacturing is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The skate or footwear is constructed using a molding process that integrates multiple layers of materials, such as foams, to form a skate boot with a seamless structure, including a tendon guard and blade holder, which enhances fit, comfort, and reduces weight while lowering production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional multi-component assembly methods are used to manufacture skate boots, then protection and structural integrity are improved, but weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (body, toe cap, tongue, tendon guard, blade holder) into a single integrated skate boot structure manufactured through one-piece molding. This merging eliminates the need for separate assembly operations, reduces the total number of parts, and decreases overall weight while maintaining protective functions through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials in the molding process to achieve both protection and weight reduction. By selecting appropriate material compositions with optimal strength-to-weight ratios, the single-piece boot structure provides necessary protection without the weight penalty of traditional multi-component assemblies.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional multi-component assembly methods are used to manufacture skate boots, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple manufacturing operations into a single molding process that produces the complete skate boot in one piece. This eliminates the complexity of assembling multiple components, reduces manufacturing steps, and simplifies production while maintaining structural integrity through the unified structure.
3Strength
If conventional assembly methods are used, then protection in certain areas is improved, but comfort and fit deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing enhanced protection specifically in areas requiring it (such as the toe cap and tendon guard regions) while maintaining comfort in other areas through the integrated molding process. The single-piece construction allows for optimized material distribution and contouring that adapts to the foot's shape, providing both protection and comfort simultaneously.
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 integrated molding process results in a lightweight, comfortable, and well-fitting skate or footwear with improved protection and reduced manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a body that comprises a medial side portion to face a medial side of the user's foot, a lateral side portion to face a lateral side of the user's foot, a heel portion to receive a heel of the user's foot, and an ankle portion to receive an ankle of the user that are formed integrally with one another by flow of material in a molding apparatus
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.