Ski Boot Cuff Closure With Removable Cable Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ski boots with rotary closures require multiple hands to tighten or loosen the tensioning element, pose a risk of tangling, and often require many turns to achieve proper tension, complicating entry and exit.
Innovation Solution
A ski boot design featuring a tool-free removable guide element and actuating element at the distal end of the upper cuff part, allowing one-handed tensioning and loosening, with a linear tensioning element guided by a rigid element and deflection devices at both ends, ensuring secure attachment and reducing entanglement risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a long cable is used to allow the upper shaft part to be opened completely for entry and exit, then the upper shaft part can be transferred from use position to open position, but the cable becomes tangled due to its length when the boot is in the open position
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is divided into two independent parts: a first cable portion connected to the holding element and a second cable portion connected to the guide element. This segmentation allows each portion to be managed independently, preventing tangling while maintaining the ability to open and close the upper shaft part.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding element acts as an intermediary component that secures the first cable portion when the guide element is removed. This intermediary mechanism prevents the cable from becoming tangled or detached during entry and exit operations.
2Ease of operation
If a rotary mechanism is used to tension and release the cable, then the cable can be tensioned and released, but many turns of the dial are required to tension the long rope accordingly
Solution Approach 1:
The guide element is positioned in advance to guide the second cable portion through the upper shaft part before tensioning is applied. This preliminary positioning allows the cable to be tensioned more efficiently without requiring numerous dial turns.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide element serves as an intermediary that facilitates the cable tensioning process by providing a predetermined path and reducing friction, thereby minimizing the number of dial turns required.
3Reliability
If the guide element is permanently fixed to the distal end section, then the pulling element is guided reliably, but the upper shaft part cannot be opened completely for entry and exit
Solution Approach 1:
The guide element is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be positioned in different locations on the distal end section. This dynamic positioning enables the guide element to facilitate cable guidance during normal operation while allowing complete opening of the upper shaft part when needed for entry and exit.
4Reliability
If two hands are required to close the boot and pick up guide elements to prevent tangling, then the rope can be managed properly, but the operation becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The holding element automatically secures the first cable portion when the guide element is removed, eliminating the need for manual intervention with both hands. The system serves itself by using the removal of the guide element to trigger the holding element's securing action, reducing operational complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Ski boot (1) comprising an outer shell (1a) having a lower shell part (2) designed for connection with a ski binding and intended to accommodate a foot, and an upper cuff part (3) articulated to the lower shell part (2) and intended to accommodate a lower leg, wherein a distal and a medial end section (3a, 3b) of the upper cuff part (3) are arranged to overlap at least partially in a position of use, and in the position of use the distal end section (3a) is located on the inside and the medial end section (3b) on the outside, and the upper cuff part (3) has an upper tensioning device (5) comprising a tensioning element (7) and an actuating element (6) for tensioning the tensioning element (7), wherein the actuating element (6) is arranged on the distal end section (3a) of the cuff part (3),wherein a guide element (14) for the linear tension element (7) is provided on the distal end section (3a) of the upper shaft part (3), which can be removed from the upper shaft part (3) without tools for convenient closing and opening of the upper shaft part (3) in a non-tensioned state of the tension element (7), so that the upper shaft part (3) can be moved from a working position to an open position in which the end sections (3a, 3b) can be moved into a non-overlapping open position.