Rotating Lateral Guide for Adjustable Shoe Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sports equipment, such as cross-country skis and snowshoes, face challenges in providing effective lateral support to shoes due to the need for adjustable lateral guides that are either too long and costly or compromise on rigidity and fragility, and require multiple templates for different shoe sizes, making adjustments cumbersome and potentially weakening the equipment.
Innovation Solution
A sports article with a lateral guide that features a single central rib and complementary positioning means, allowing for two longitudinal positions to be adjusted using the same positioning means by rotating the guide 180°, optimizing the guide's size and reducing the number of parts, enabling secure attachment and compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lateral guide is extended beyond the heel to ensure comprehensive lateral support, then the lateral support effectiveness is improved, but the weight of the sports machine increases and balance is disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral guide provides concentrated support at the heel region where it is most needed for lateral stability, rather than extending uniformly along the entire length. This localized approach maintains effectiveness while minimizing added weight and balance disruption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple templates are used to adjust the lateral guide position for different shoe sizes, then the adaptability to different shoe sizes is improved, but the device complexity and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single lateral guide design with multiple positioning holes serves multiple shoe sizes and configurations. The guide can be positioned at different locations along its length to accommodate various shoe sizes, eliminating the need for multiple size-specific templates.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral guide incorporates adjustable positioning capabilities with multiple holes along its length, allowing it to be repositioned dynamically to match different shoe sizes and configurations, providing adaptability without requiring multiple fixed templates.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the lateral guide is repositioned by drilling new holes in the sports machine, then the position adjustment is achieved, but the structural strength is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning holes in the sports machine are pre-drilled at multiple locations during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation allows the lateral guide to be repositioned by simply moving it to a different pre-existing hole, eliminating the need for additional drilling that would compromise structural integrity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If breakable sections are incorporated into the lateral guide rib to enable length adjustment, then the adaptability to different shoe sizes is improved, but the rigidity necessary for good lateral support is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral guide is designed as a single continuous rib with multiple positioning holes along its length, allowing segmentation of functionality without physical breaks. The rib remains intact and rigid while the guide can be effectively shortened by positioning the heel against different holes, eliminating the need for breakable sections.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The article (1) has a lateral guide (40) whose complementary positioning units e.g. holes, cooperate with associated positioning units e.g. screws (50a, 50b), of a sports board (20) to adjust position of the guide on the board. The units are arranged to allow positioning of the guide in longitudinal position (D1) or another longitudinal position by cooperating with the associated units. The latter position constitutes 180 degree rotation of the guide relative to a rotational axis (X1G) perpendicular to a top surface (21) of the board with respect to the former longitudinal position.