Supporting Base Four Tabs Fulcrum Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
The articulated fulcrum joint in clamping devices for sports shoes experiences fatigue and deformation due to shearing and flexural stresses, and is vulnerable to accidental impacts, with existing supporting bases failing to distribute stress evenly and limiting the number of utilization cycles and rotational range.
Innovation Solution
A supporting base with four tabs and a polygonal shape, where each tab provides a fixed joint constraint, allowing even stress distribution and increased resilience, enabling a wide rotational arc of 180° without increasing material surface area or production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a supporting base with two peripheral tabs and bridge-like members is used, then the articulated fulcrum joint can be formed, but the hinge-like linking member is exposed to deformations under accidental impacts due to the cantilever type bridge-like member concentrating stress at one end
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting base is segmented into four tabs instead of two, with each tab providing independent support. This segmentation distributes the load and stress more evenly across multiple contact points, preventing stress concentration at a single location and improving resilience against accidental impacts.
Solution Approach 2:
Each tab is designed with specific local characteristics to provide fixed joint constraints. The tabs are positioned and dimensioned to create accommodating receptacles that evenly distribute stress, with each tab contributing equally to support the hinge-like linking member under both normal operation and accidental impact conditions.
2Strength
If four tabs are added to the supporting base to improve stress distribution, then the fatigue strength increases, but the material surface area and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The four tabs are arranged in a spatial configuration that utilizes the available area efficiently. By positioning tabs at specific locations around the perimeter of the supporting base and forming accommodating receptacles between them, the design achieves improved stress distribution without requiring a proportional increase in overall surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
Each tab serves multiple functions: providing structural support, creating accommodating receptacles with adjacent tabs, distributing stress, and enabling fixed joint constraints. This multi-functionality allows four tabs to achieve superior fatigue strength without requiring excessive material or surface area.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the fatigue strength and resilience of the articulated fulcrum joint, increasing the number of utilization cycles, reducing deformation risk, and allowing full 180° rotation while maintaining competitive manufacturing costs and material efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The operation of such clamping device is generally based on the principle of a second-class lever, wherein the device comprises a lever arm pivoted about a fulcrum on a supporting base of its own
Implementation Method 2
considerable shearing and flexural stresses are produced, which affect the same articulated fulcrum joint
Implementation Method 3
considerable shearing and flexural stresses are produced, which affect the same articulated fulcrum joint
Data Source
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AI summary
Supporting base (10) for the lever arm of a clamping device, in particular for a sports shoe, comprising a plate (12) and at least three tabs (14, 20, 16, 18) substantially perpendicular to said plate (12) and provided with respective through-bores (30, 36, 32, 34) lying coaxial with each other, wherein each one of said tabs (14, 20, 16, 18) protrudes from at least a respective border of said plate (12); and method for providing said supporting base (10) for a lever arm from a sheet-metal plate (100), in which there is cut-in a contour of the development of the supporting base (10) for a lever arm, which comprises at least a cut-in profile for forming the plate (12) and cut-in profiles for forming two respective tabs (14, 20), and inside said contour there is cut-in at least a cut-in profile for forming at least one further inner tab (16, 18), said cut-in profiles for forming the respective tabs (14, 16, 18, 20) being bent to form respective tabs (14, 16, 18, 20) and respective borders of the plate (12).