Removable Skate Covering with Downward LED Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skate lighting systems are often integral to the skate, making them difficult to transfer or repair, prone to damage, and aesthetically unpleasing.
Innovation Solution
A skate covering with an integral, downwardly projecting LED illumination system that is removable, featuring flexible or rigid construction with LEDs mounted on parallel boards under the skate to direct light downward, powered by internal circuitry and a battery, and secured with Velcro straps for easy attachment and detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lighting system is made integral to the skate, then the lighting is fixed and stable, but it becomes difficult to transfer or repair and increases the risk of damage
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is segmented into a separate removable covering that can be detached from the skate. The covering contains all lighting components (LEDs, battery, circuitry) as a self-contained module, allowing it to be easily removed, transferred, or repaired without affecting the skate itself. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability during use while enabling easy repair and transfer when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is extracted from the skate structure and placed into a separate removable covering. This extraction allows the lighting system to function as an independent module that can be easily removed, transferred to another skate, or repaired without damaging or complicating the skate itself, thus improving repairability while maintaining operational stability.
2Device complexity
If the lighting system is made integral to the skate, then the structure is simplified, but it increases the risk of damage during use
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the lighting system into a separate removable covering, the patent reduces damage risk while maintaining structural simplicity. The covering acts as a protective enclosure for the lighting components, and its removability allows it to be taken off during high-risk activities, preventing damage to both the lighting system and the skate.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable covering serves as a protective barrier that cushions and protects the lighting components from damage during use. The covering can be designed with impact-resistant materials and can be removed beforehand in situations where damage risk is high, thus preventing harmful effects before they occur.
3Ease of repair
If the lighting system is removable, then it is easy to transfer and repair, but it may become detached during use
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is merged with the skate through a secure attachment mechanism that combines the removable covering with the skate body. The covering includes attachment features (such as straps, clips, or adhesive elements) that firmly secure it to the skate during use, preventing accidental detachment while maintaining ease of removal when needed for repair or transfer.
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 a removable, aesthetically pleasing, and durable lighting system that reduces the risk of damage during use while offering customizable lighting effects.
Implementation Method 1
The LED illumination system includes a first mount situated on a bottom side of the covering so as to be essentially parallel with a skating surface when the covering is situated on the skate and a second mount situated on another bottom side of the covering so as to be essentially parallel with the skating surface when the covering is situated on the skate. Each mount carries a plurality of LEDs so that the LEDs direct emanating light downward onto the skating surface.
Data Source
AI summary
A covering for a skate incorporates a downwardly-directed LED illumination system. The covering is configured to wrap around and/or cover at least the lower portion of the shoe of the skate and may be formed of a flexible material such as cloth, or may be formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as a plastic or the like. The LED illumination system includes a first mount situated on a bottom side of the covering so as to be essentially parallel with a skating surface when the covering is situated on the skate and a second mount situated on another bottom side of the covering so as to be essentially parallel with the skating surface when the covering is situated on the skate. Each mount carries a plurality of LEDs so that the LEDs direct emanating light downward onto the skating surface. Circuitry, including a battery, switch and operating components/circuitry/logic, are carried on the inside of the covering and controls the lighting and/or lighting effects of the LEDs. The LEDs may be white, a single color, multiple colors, or any combination thereof.