Stirrup With Divided Opening For Secure Leather Attachment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional stirrups require complete removal of the stirrup leather for attachment and detachment, increasing the risk of incorrect attachment and wear, and pose a safety hazard when the stirrup can hit the rider or horse, especially during accidents where the rider's boot can get caught.

Innovation Solution

A stirrup design featuring an arch-shaped side piece with a divided opening, allowing easy connection and disconnection of the stirrup leather, and incorporating a magnetic system to secure the boot, reducing the risk of accidental detachment and boot entrapment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the stirrup leather is completely removed for attachment and detachment, then the stirrup can be securely attached, but the process takes time and increases the risk of incorrect attachment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidattachment time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The opening is divided into an upper portion and a lower portion by a protrusion, creating distinct functional zones that guide the attachment process and prevent incorrect installation while allowing quick identification of the correct orientation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lower portion of the opening has a larger size to facilitate easy insertion of the stirrup leather buckle, while the upper portion has a smaller size to prevent removal, creating different local properties within the same structural element

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the stirrup leather is completely removed for attachment and detachment, then the stirrup can be securely attached, but unnecessary wear on the stirrup leather occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidstirrup leather wear

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The protrusion is pre-positioned to guide the buckle into the correct position during insertion, ensuring proper alignment before the leather is fully inserted, which prevents misalignment wear and ensures secure attachment in one action

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment and detachment functions are extracted from the main body of the stirrup and concentrated in the arch-shaped side piece with the divided opening, allowing the stirrup leather to remain attached to the saddle while the stirrup itself can be quickly removed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the stirrup is left attached to the saddle when not in use, then it is readily available, but it poses a safety hazard of hitting the rider or horse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereadiness for useVSAvoidsafety hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stirrup is designed to be dynamically attachable and detachable through the arch-shaped side piece, allowing it to transition between being attached to the saddle and being removed, enabling quick response to safety requirements without complex mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The separation of the arch-shaped side piece with the divided opening from the main stirrup body allows the stirrup to be detached as a complete unit while leaving the leather attached to the saddle, enabling quick safety responses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If traditional stirrup attachment methods are used, then the stirrup can be securely attached, but the risk of boot entrapment during accidents increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidboot entrapment risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The divided opening with upper and lower portions creates a physical constraint that prevents the stirrup leather from being completely pulled through, reducing the risk of boot entrapment while maintaining secure attachment during normal use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protrusion that divides the opening, which might seem to complicate the structure, actually serves as a safety feature by preventing complete passage of the leather, converting a potential hazard (boot getting caught) into a protective mechanism

Inventive Principle:

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

Data Source

PatentEP3594177B1Stirrup comprising means for simple attachment of stirrup leather

Publication Date: 2020.12.09 OPHENA AB

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a stirrup (1) for use in horseback riding, comprising a stirrup tread body (30); an arch-shaped side piece (50) extending from said stirrup tread body, said arch-shaped side piece defining an opening (53), wherein said opening is divided into an upper portion (531) and a lower portion (532) by at least one protrusion (55a, 55b) extending from one side of said arch-shaped side piece towards the other side of said arch-shaped side piece, such that said at least one protrusion defines a gap (57) connecting said lower portion with said upper portion of said opening, thereby allowing a portion of a stirrup leather to be passed therethrough; wherein said lower portion of said opening is of a first size and said upper portion of said opening is of a second size that is smaller than said first size, such that a stirrup leather buckle may be passed through said lower portion of said opening, but not through said upper portion of said opening.