Snowboard Boot Adjustable Stiffness Tensioning System
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an article of footwear, such as snowboard boots, that can adjust stiffness to suit different snowboarding or skiing activities, as existing footwear lacks the ability to adapt to varying levels of stiffness required for different types of events or conditions.
Innovation Solution
The article of footwear incorporates an adjustable tensioning system with a tension control device and a tensioning element that can be adjusted to change the stiffness of the boot, featuring a body structure with an interior channel and a comb-like design that allows for varying levels of flexibility and support by altering the tension applied to the tensioning element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the boot is designed with fixed stiffness, then the structural integrity and force transfer are maintained, but the adaptability to different snowboarding activities is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The boot incorporates an adjustable tensioning system that allows the stiffness to be dynamically changed based on activity requirements. The system includes a body structure with an interior channel, a tensioning element disposed through the channel, and a tension control device that adjusts tension on the tensioning element to change the stiffness of the body structure, enabling the boot to adapt between flexible (slopestyle) and stiff (half-pipe) configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of stiffness by adjusting the tension applied to the tensioning element. The tension control device modifies the tensile force on the tensioning element, which directly alters the stiffness characteristic of the body structure, allowing the same boot to provide different stiffness levels for different snowboarding disciplines.
2Ease of operation
If the boot is made flexible for maneuverability, then ease of operation is improved, but force transfer efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning system enables dynamic adjustment of the boot's stiffness to match the specific activity requirements. For maneuvers requiring flexibility, the tension can be reduced; for force-intensive activities requiring efficient power transfer, the tension can be increased, thus optimizing both maneuverability and force transfer as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the tension parameter in the tensioning element, the boot's mechanical properties are adjusted to balance maneuverability and force transfer efficiency. The adjustable stiffness allows the wearer to optimize the force-transmission characteristic while maintaining the ability to maneuver when needed.
3Force
If the boot is made stiff for force transfer, then power transmission is improved, but flexibility and maneuverability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable tensioning system allows the boot to transition between stiff and flexible states dynamically. When maximum force transfer is needed (e.g., in half-pipe events), the tension control device increases tension on the tensioning element, stiffening the boot. When maneuverability is prioritized (e.g., in slopestyle events), the tension is reduced, providing flexibility.
4Ease of manufacture
If a single stiffness level is provided, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but versatility across different activities is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The boot is designed as a universal footwear that can perform multiple functions across different snowboarding disciplines through the adjustable tensioning system. The same boot structure serves both flexible and stiff requirements, eliminating the need for separate boots for different activities while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through a modular adjustable mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
An article of footwear with adjustable stiffness is provided. The article of footwear in the form of a snowboard boot is provided with adjustable tensioning systems that are disposed on either side of an inner liner of the snowboard boot. The adjustable tensioning system includes a comb body structure having flex portions made of a plurality of extending fingers with a flexibility that can be controlled by the adjustable tensioning system. Depending on the level of tension applied by the tensioning system, or lack thereof, a range of flex profiles having varying amounts of stiffness are available to the wearer to adjust the overall stiffness of the snowboard boot.