Retractable Piston Cleat Mechanism for Footwear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Specialized footwear with cleats poses safety and convenience issues when transitioning between different activities or environments, as it can be hazardous to wear them in inappropriate settings and requires frequent changes, which is inconvenient and sometimes dangerous.
Innovation Solution
A retractable piston cleat system using inverted ramps and a lever arm mechanism that allows the cleats to be easily extended and retracted without gears, enabling quick adaptation to different conditions by positioning the cleats within the sole of footwear or tires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specialized footwear with cleats is worn for specific activities, then traction and performance are improved, but safety hazards and damage risks increase when used in inappropriate environments
Solution Approach 1:
The cleats are designed to be dynamically adjustable between extended and retracted positions. A spring-loaded mechanism with a release trigger allows the cleats to extend when needed for traction and retract when moving to incompatible surfaces, transforming static specialized footwear into dynamically adaptable footwear that maintains reliability while reducing hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and position parameter of the cleats from fixed to variable. By allowing the cleat depth to be adjusted between extended (for traction) and retracted (for safety), the system modifies the contact parameter with the ground surface, enabling the same footwear to safely adapt to different environmental conditions.
2Reliability
If specialized footwear with cleats is worn, then activity-specific performance is improved, but convenience and safety during activity transitions deteriorate due to frequent shoe changes
Solution Approach 1:
The cleats incorporate a dynamic extension/retraction mechanism that can be activated quickly by a trigger or cable system. This allows the user to transition between activity modes (e.g., from driving to walking on ice) by simply operating a trigger, eliminating the need to physically change shoes and maintaining convenience during activity transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The footwear becomes multi-functional by integrating both specialized cleated surfaces and smooth surfaces within the same shoe. The retractable cleat system allows the same footwear to perform multiple functions: providing enhanced traction when extended and smooth ground contact when retracted, thereby eliminating the need for separate specialized shoes for different activities.
3Reliability
If fixed cleats are used in specialized footwear, then traction is improved, but adaptability to different environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleat system transforms from a fixed configuration to a dynamic one where the cleat position can be changed on demand. The spring-loaded mechanism with trigger activation allows the cleats to extend for traction in slippery conditions and retract for compatibility with other surfaces, providing environmental adaptability while maintaining traction reliability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies the position parameter of the cleats from constant to variable. By enabling adjustment of the cleat extension depth or complete retraction, the system changes the footwear's interaction parameter with different ground surfaces, allowing adaptation to various environmental conditions while preserving the traction benefit when cleats are extended.
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
Enables safe and convenient use of cleats by allowing instantaneous extension and retraction, reducing the risk of damage and hazards associated with specialized footwear in inappropriate environments, and facilitating seamless transitions between activities.
Implementation Method 1
a spring positioned so that at least a portion of the spring is positioned around at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the piston cleat
Data Source
AI summary
A retractable piston cleat system which includes at least one inverted ramp in contact with and positioned to transition at least one piston cleat between a retracted and an extended position when a lever arm, or similar device, is moved between a first and a second position. In another embodiment, multiple inverted ramps are used to simultaneously transition multiple piston cleats between retracted and extended positions.