Double-Sided Adhesive Tape with Release Tab for Heel Lift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Women often experience heel lift in high heel shoes due to the one-size-fits-all design, which can be uncomfortable and require choosing between a too-small shoe that doesn't lift or a properly fitting shoe that shifts laterally, as manufacturers fail to account for varying heel shapes and sizes across genders.
Innovation Solution
A tape with a flexible plastic substrate featuring double-sided adhesives, where the insole side has a less sticky adhesive for easy removal from the shoe and a more sticky skin side adhesive for secure adherence to the foot, including a release tab for easy detachment without damaging the insole.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a one-size-fits-all heel design is used in shoes, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but heel lift occurs due to varying heel shapes and sizes across different people
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive tape is designed with different adhesive properties at different locations: the skin-side adhesive has high stickiness to adhere securely to the heel, while the insole-side adhesive has low stickiness to allow easy removal without damaging the insole. This local differentiation of adhesive quality resolves the contradiction between secure adherence and easy removal.
2Reliability
If adhesive is applied to the entire insole side of the substrate, then adherence to the shoe is improved, but removal damages the shoe insole
Solution Approach 1:
The insole-side adhesive is formulated with low stickiness specifically at the release tab location, allowing that portion to be easily peeled away from the insole without causing damage. The rest of the insole-side adhesive maintains sufficient adhesion to hold the tape in place during wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The release tab is designed as a separate, extractable portion of the substrate that is devoid of insole adhesive. This extracted portion allows the user to grip and pull the tape for removal without the adhesive damaging the insole surface.
3Ease of manufacture
If the same adhesive is used on both sides of the substrate, then manufacturing is simplified, but the skin side does not adhere securely while the insole side does not release easily
Solution Approach 1:
Different adhesive formulations are applied to different sides of the substrate: the skin-side adhesive is designed with high stickiness and skin-friendly properties for secure and comfortable adherence, while the insole-side adhesive is designed with low stickiness for easy removal. This local differentiation of adhesive properties resolves the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and operational effectiveness.
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 tape effectively prevents heel lift by adhering securely to the foot while allowing easy removal without damaging the shoe, providing a comfortable and secure fit in various shoe sizes.
Implementation Method 1
an insole adhesive on a portion thereof; an insole adhesive liner covering the insole adhesive; a skin side of the substrate having a skin adhesive on at least a portion thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A kit includes a tape and instructions for adhering skin to a shoe. The tape having: a substrate; an insole side having an insole adhesive; an insole adhesive liner covering the insole adhesive; a skin side having a skin adhesive, wherein the skin adhesive has a characteristic different from the insole adhesive; a skin adhesive liner covering the skin adhesive; and a release tab formed by a portion of the insole side of the substrate devoid of insole adhesive. The tape can have the following options: the release tab is at the arch end of the substrate; insole side of the substrate has less stick potential compared to the skin side, which results in the insole side being less sticky than the skin side; or insole adhesive has less stick potential compared to the skin adhesive, which results in the insole adhesive being less sticky than the skin adhesive.