Conductive Flat Braid for Shoe Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrically conductive round braids made of plastic and metal threads used in shoes are uncomfortable due to surface roughness and have limited conductivity, leading to increased reject rates in production.
Innovation Solution
A flat braid design where plastic threads are materially bonded at connection points, reducing surface roughness and stress on metal threads, achieved through chemical and/or thermomechanical treatment, maintaining flexibility and improving conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a round braid is used for static charge dissipation, then flexibility is improved, but surface roughness increases causing discomfort and conductivity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional round braid shape into a flat braid configuration. This shape inversion fundamentally changes the surface characteristics from rough and chafing to smooth and comfortable, while maintaining the flexibility needed for shoe applications. The flat geometry eliminates the circular cross-section that causes surface roughness in traditional designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies thermomechanical treatment to modify the physical and chemical parameters of the plastic threads. By heating the flat braid to temperatures between 80-200°C and applying pressure, the plastic threads undergo parameter changes that create material bonds at connection points, smoothing the surface while preserving electrical conductivity and flexibility.
2Reliability
If metal threads are used for conductivity, then electrical conductivity is improved, but thread breakage risk increases under compression
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure where plastic threads and metal threads are intertwined in a flat braid configuration. The plastic threads provide mechanical protection and support for the metal threads, preventing them from breaking under compression, while the metal threads maintain electrical conductivity. This composite arrangement allows the metal threads to function without being directly exposed to compressive stresses.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic threads serve as a cushioning layer that protects the metal threads from compression before the compressive force can damage them. The material bonding at connection points creates a supportive framework that distributes and absorbs compressive stresses, preventing direct transmission of force to the metal threads and reducing breakage risk.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If plastic threads are bonded at connection points, then surface roughness is reduced and comfort is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical bonding methods with thermomechanical treatment that utilizes heat and pressure to create material bonds. This substitution simplifies the manufacturing process by using a continuous heating and pressing operation rather than multiple discrete mechanical bonding steps, reducing overall process complexity while achieving the desired surface smoothness.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermomechanical treatment process utilizes controlled changes in temperature and pressure parameters to achieve material bonding at connection points. By adjusting these parameters within specific ranges (temperature 80-200°C, pressure sufficient to create bonds), the process achieves consistent surface smoothing without requiring complex manufacturing equipment or multi-step procedures.
4Ease of operation
If flat braid design is implemented, then wearing comfort is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thermomechanical treatment process uses controlled parameter changes in temperature (80-200°C) and pressure to create consistent material bonds at connection points. This parameter control approach ensures uniform bonding across the flat braid without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances, as the thermal and mechanical energy distribute the bonding effect across multiple points simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The flat braid structure naturally creates segmented connection points where plastic threads intersect and bond. This segmentation allows the thermomechanical treatment to create discrete, localized bonds at specific intersection points rather than requiring continuous bonding along the entire length, reducing the overall precision requirements while maintaining surface smoothness between connection points.
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 flat braid design enhances wearing comfort and reduces the risk of thread breakage while maintaining flexibility, ensuring effective static charge dissipation in safety clothing and shoes with improved electrical resistance.
Implementation Method 1
The flat braid is first passed through a liquid bath consisting of water and acetone in a mixing ratio of approximately 10:1
Implementation Method 2
the subsequent heat setting in the heated pair of rollers 20, relatively low temperatures in the range of 35-40 °C. can be used. The thermosetting creates a cohesive connection between adjacent threads
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to an electically conductive textile material, particularly a meshwork for dissipating static load, composed of plastic and metal fibers (14). To allow a high degree of wearing comfort in application in a shoe, and to create long-lasting, improved conductivity of the meshwork, the textile material, according to the invention, is constructed as a planar meshwork (16) in which the plastic fibers are materially connected to each other, at least in sections, at connection points (22).