Ski Boot Closing Mechanism Using Cable Winch and Fairleads

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ski-mountaineering boot foot-casing closing mechanisms are considered unwieldy and complicated to operate, leading to user dissatisfaction.

Innovation Solution

A ski boot with a foot-casing closing mechanism featuring a semi-rigid oblong band, fairlead members, and a manually-operated winch-type cable-winding assembly, where the flexible cable engages fairlead members and is anchored to a protective tongue, allowing for easy tensioning and locking, reducing the mechanism's size and complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If a manually-operated cable-winding winch is firmly fixed to the protective tongue, then the closing mechanism becomes more compact, but the complexity of operation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesize of closing mechanismVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The closing mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a flexible cable for tensioning, fairlead members for guiding, and a winch assembly for locking. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall complexity while maintaining compact size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible cable acts as an intermediary element that transmits force from the winch to the foot-casing edges. This mediator allows the mechanism to achieve compact positioning while distributing operational forces through a flexible transmission path, improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If traditional lever buckles are used to pull foot-casing edges together, then the closing function is effective, but the mechanism becomes unwieldy and complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclosing function effectivenessVSAvoidcomplexity of closing mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex traditional lever buckle system is extracted and replaced with a simplified cable-winch-fairlead mechanism. The essential closing function is retained while removing unnecessary mechanical complexity, resulting in a more manageable and easier-to-operate system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The traditional mechanical lever buckle system is substituted with a cable-winding winch mechanism guided by fairlead members. This substitution maintains the effective closing function while significantly reducing the unwieldiness and operational complexity of the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Strength

If rigid metal elements are used in the closing mechanism, then the structural strength is sufficient, but protruding elements may cause damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoiddamage from protruding elements

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rigid metal components are replaced with flexible cable elements and fairlead members that guide the cable. This substitution maintains the necessary structural strength for closing the foot-casing while eliminating protruding metal elements that could cause damage to the user's foot or surrounding equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The potential harm from rigid metal elements is converted into benefit by using flexible cable and guided fairlead members. The flexibility of these components provides both the necessary strength for closing and the safety advantage of eliminating damaging protrusions, turning a potential disadvantage into a design advantage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentEP3725175B1Ski boot

Publication Date: 2022.04.13 CALZATURIFICIO S C A R P A

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4

AI summary

A ski boot (1) wherein the foot-casing closing means (12) comprise: an oblong band (20) with a flexible and substantially inextensible structure, which has the proximal end firmly fixed onto a first lateral side of the foot-casing (2), and obliquely extends along said first lateral side of the foot-casing (2) towards the upper part of the foot-casing (2) and a first longer side edge (15a) of the protective tongue (15) that rests on the upper part of the foot-casing (2), so as to also extend skimmed over the protective tongue (15); a series of fairlead members (21) that are arranged alternately on opposite sides of a second longer side edge (15b) of the protective tongue (15), opposite to said first longer side edge (15a), and are firmly fixed to the foot-casing (2) or protective tongue (15) located immediately beneath; a manually-operated winch-type cable-winding assembly (22) which is firmly fixed to the oblong band (20); and a flexible and substantially inextensible cable (23) that comes out of the cable-winding assembly (22), and engages the various fairlead members (21) in succession and in pass-through and free sliding manner, while passing from one side to the other of said second longer side edge (15b).