Riding Stirrup Coupling Device for Horseball Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stirrups for horse riding, particularly in sporting disciplines like Horseball, pose issues such as potential injury to horses due to protruding coupling elements, restricted foot space, and instability, which hinder rider comfort and movement.
Innovation Solution
A stirrup design featuring a coupling device integrated with the tread, positioned on the underside to avoid contact with the horse, allowing the belt to remain in a horizontal position and maintain stirrup stability, ensuring comfort for both rider and horse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a buckle or spring catch is used to couple the belt to the vertical section of the stirrup loop, then the belt can be securely attached to the stirrup, but the coupling element projects from the stirrup and can annoy or injure the horse
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is extracted from the vertical section of the loop and repositioned to the tread area. The tread is divided into a first portion and a second portion, with the coupling device associated with the first portion, allowing the belt to be coupled without projecting elements facing the horse's belly
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of coupling the belt to the vertical section of the loop as in conventional stirrups, the invention inverts the coupling location to the tread area. The coupling device is positioned on the tread with the opening facing away from the horse, reversing the traditional orientation to eliminate the injury risk
2Reliability
If the coupling device is positioned on the vertical section of the loop, then the belt can be coupled to the stirrup, but the stirrup can rotate 180° or 360° along a vertical axis, forcing the rider to fit their foot the other way round
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device orientation is inverted relative to conventional stirrups. The opening of the coupling device faces away from the horse's belly rather than towards it, which prevents the stirrup from rotating and ensures the rider always fits their foot in the correct orientation
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device is specifically positioned on the first portion of the tread with its opening directed away from the horse's belly. This localized positioning with specific orientation prevents rotation while maintaining belt coupling capability
3Reliability
If buckles or spring catches are used to couple the belt with the vertical section of the stirrup loop, then the belt can be attached, but the space available for the rider's foot is reduced and the correctness of the foot position is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is extracted from the vertical section of the loop and repositioned to the tread area. This extraction allows the vertical section to remain clear and provide adequate space for the rider's foot, while the coupling function is maintained at the repositioned location
Solution Approach 2:
The tread is segmented into a first portion and a second portion, with the coupling device associated with the first portion. This segmentation allows the coupling function to be separated from the footrest area, ensuring adequate space for the rider's foot while maintaining attachment capability
Data Source
Figure 1A~1D
Figure 1E~1F
Figure 2A~4A
AI summary
The invention is a riding stirrup (1) comprising a supporting element (2) provided with means (3) for connection to a stirrup-strap (F; F') and a tread (4) provided with a supporting surface (5) suited to support a rider's foot resting thereon, and furthermore comprising a coupling device (20) suited to allow the coupling of a belt (C). The invention concerns also an assembly comprising a saddle (S), two stirrups (1, 1') connected to the saddle (S) through corresponding stirrup-straps (F, F') and a belt (C) suited to be coupled to the stirrups (1, 1').