Monolithic Skate Boot via Injection Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing processes for skates are often inefficient, costly, and impractical due to the complexity of assembling multiple components, which affects the performance, comfort, and cost-effectiveness of the final product.
Innovation Solution
A skate boot is constructed using injection molding to create a monolithic body that integrates the ankle, heel, medial, lateral, sole, and toe portions, along with a skating device, to provide a cost-effective, lightweight, and comfortable skate with enhanced performance and appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional assembly methods with multiple components are used to construct the skate boot, then manufacturing flexibility and ease of repair are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple skate boot components (quarters, tongue, heel counter, toe cap) into a single monolithic body formed by injection molding. This eliminates the need for separate assembly operations, reduces the number of parts, and simplifies manufacturing while maintaining the functional benefits of a multi-component construction.
2Ease of repair
If traditional assembly methods with multiple components are used to construct the skate boot, then ease of repair is improved, but productivity and manufacturing efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The injection molding process produces the entire skate boot as a single monolithic body in one manufacturing operation, eliminating multiple assembly steps. This significantly improves productivity and manufacturing efficiency while the modular design of the mold allows for efficient production of replacement boots.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional assembly methods are used to construct the skate boot, then adaptability in design is improved, but manufacturing cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The injection molding process allows for easy modification of design parameters such as shell shape, toe cap configuration, and overall boot geometry by changing the mold design. This maintains design adaptability while eliminating the time-consuming assembly process, as the entire boot is formed in a single molding operation.
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 monolithic construction of the skate boot reduces weight, improves fit and comfort, and enhances performance while being cost-effectively manufactured, addressing the inefficiencies of traditional assembly methods.
Implementation Method 1
The monolithic body is injection molded such that the ankle portion, the heel portion, the medial side portion, the lateral side portion, the sole portion, and the toe portion are injection molded together and integral with one another
Data Source
AI summary
A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a user (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the user and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface. The skate boot may be constructed by molding (e.g., injection molding) so as to have useful performance and/or characteristics (e.g., reduced weight; enhanced fit, comfort and range of motion; enhanced appearance; etc.) while being cost-effectively manufactured.