Ski Boot Assembly with Dual-Material Shell and Ridge-Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ski boots face issues such as discomfort due to non-conformity with various foot shapes, stiffness in cold weather, and difficulty in walking due to rigid outer shells and complex designs that fail to properly connect the lower leg to the ski, leading to inefficiencies in motion control.
Innovation Solution
A ski boot assembly featuring a dual-material construction with a rigid outer shell and a softer, pliable inner shell, including a cuff with adjustable straps and a bootboard with ridges to secure the inner shoe, allowing for customizable fit and ease of entry/exit, along with a locking mechanism for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid outer shell is used to strengthen the connection between the lower leg and the ski, then the connection strength and motion control efficiency are improved, but the comfort and adaptability to different foot shapes deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The boot is divided into a rigid outer shell and a separate inner liner that can be removed and replaced. The rigid shell maintains connection strength while the removable liner adapts to different foot shapes, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The boot combines rigid plastic material for the outer shell with softer, conformable liner materials. This composite construction allows the hard shell to provide structural strength while the softer liner materials accommodate various foot shapes and provide comfort.
2Strength
If the outer shell plastic is made stiffer to improve connection strength, then the connection efficiency is improved, but the ease of removing the foot from the boot in cold weather deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the boot into a rigid outer shell and a removable inner liner, the design allows the shell to remain stiff for connection efficiency while the liner can be easily removed in cold weather, eliminating the problem of stiff plastic making foot removal difficult.
Solution Approach 2:
The boot system transitions from a static, permanently rigid structure to a dynamic system where the inner liner can be selectively removed or adjusted. This allows the boot to maintain rigidity when needed for connection efficiency while enabling easy foot removal by simply taking out the liner.
3Measurement precision
If a complex structure with multiple components is used to properly connect the lower leg to the ski, then the motion control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The boot is segmented into functional components (outer shell, inner liner, cuff) that can be independently optimized. This segmentation allows precise control of motion through the cuff and liner while keeping the overall structure relatively simple and manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
A ski boot assembly may include an outer shell having a relatively hard portion and a relatively soft portion. A cuff may be attached to the hard portion for pivot action relative to the outer shell. The cuff may extend around the outer shell, leaving an instep cover of the soft portion exposed. The cuff may include overlapping portions that are hinge coupled to the cuff. A flex bar may be inserted into a shaft of the hard portion. A bootboard may be situated above the sole plate, and be provided with ridges. A shoe can be inserted into the outer shell. The sole of the shoe may be provided with grooves that receive the ridges of the bootboard. A locking mechanism can be mounted on the hard portion of the outer shell to selectively engage with the heel of the shoe.