Uneven Surface Training Footwear With Axial Ridge Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing training methods for athletes, particularly non-skaters, lack effective off-ice equipment to simulate ice skating movements and enhance core muscle strength and balance without the discomfort and safety risks associated with traditional skates.
Innovation Solution
A training footwear with an uneven bottom surface featuring an axial ridge and tapered sides, made of unitary construction, providing grip and preventing falls and slippage, mimicking skate blade functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional skates are used for training, then muscle activation and balance training are improved, but safety risks and discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the skate blade function using a ridge structure on the outsole that mimics the narrow edge geometry of traditional skates. This copying approach allows non-skaters to experience similar muscle activation and balance training without the inherent safety risks and discomfort of actual ice skating equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The ridge structure on the outsole acts as an intermediary element that transfers the training function from traditional ice skates to off-ice footwear. It provides the necessary edge contact with the ground to create similar training effects while eliminating the need for actual ice skating.
2Reliability
If an axial ridge is added to the outsole, then grip and prevention of slippage are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The axial ridge is merged with the outsole structure, and the tapered sides are integrated into the same continuous outsole piece. This merging approach provides the necessary grip and slippage prevention while avoiding the complexity of separate components or attachments.
Solution Approach 2:
The ridge structure is localized to the center of the outsole bottom, providing concentrated grip where needed during forward motion, while the tapered sides are locally positioned at the edges to prevent rolling. This localized quality approach addresses specific functional requirements without unnecessarily complicating the entire outsole structure.
3Reliability
If tapered sides are added to the ridge, then prevention of rolling and falls is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered sides create a curved, angled surface that naturally guides the foot and prevents rolling motions. This curvature approach provides enhanced stability and fall prevention while maintaining compatibility with standard molding manufacturing processes through smooth, continuous surfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
Training footwear has a toe end and a heel end and comprises an upper with an outsole joined to the bottom thereof and extending downwardly therefrom. The outsole has a downward facing surface-engaging outsole bottom having an axial ridge extending downwardly from the outsole bottom along an axial center line of the outsole substantially from the toe end to the heel end of the footwear. The axial ridge comprises a toe end and heel end corresponding to the toe end and heel end of the footwear. The toe end and heel end of the ridge are each tapered upward to the outsole bottom at each of the toe end and heel end of the footwear. The outsole and the ridge are of unitary manufacture.