Convertible Tights Foot Patch for Seamless Hole Elasticity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional convertible tights with manually created holes under the foot are uncomfortable due to finishing seams causing thickness, blisters, and tourniquet effects, and lose elasticity over time.
Innovation Solution
The use of a thermoplastic elastomeric patch externally covering the lower portion of the tights' foot, featuring a geometrically perfect hole without seams, ensures elasticity and comfort by eliminating thickness and preventing runs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hole under the foot is stitched along its edge to prevent runs, then the structural integrity is improved, but thickness under the foot is created causing discomfort and blisters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the harmful stitching operation from the hole finishing process. Instead of stitching the hole edge which creates thickness, the invention extracts only the necessary function of preventing runs by using a different method - creating a folded edge that naturally prevents runs without requiring stitches, thereby eliminating the thickness problem while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of stitching the hole from the outside to prevent runs, the invention inverts the approach by folding the fabric edge inward to create a finished hole. This reversal of the finishing process eliminates the need for stitching and the associated thickness, while still achieving the goal of preventing runs through the folded structure.
2Shape
If the hole is held together by stitches, then the hole shape is maintained, but elasticity is lost after a few uses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes stitches from the hole construction process. By extracting the stitching operation, the hole is formed solely by folding and securing the fabric edge without any stitches. This eliminates the conflict between stitch-based shape maintenance and elasticity retention, allowing the hole to maintain its shape through the folded structure while preserving the full elasticity of the fabric.
3Duration of action of moving object
If elastic thread is used to stitch the hole, then elasticity is improved, but thread breakage occurs causing runs over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes thread-based stitching entirely from the hole finishing process. By extracting both regular and elastic threading operations, the invention eliminates thread breakage issues while maintaining elasticity through the folded fabric structure itself, which inherently preserves elasticity without relying on thread durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The folded edge structure of the hole serves its own function of preventing runs and maintaining shape without requiring any additional stitching or thread reinforcement. The fabric's own structure provides the necessary durability and elasticity, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the reliability issues associated with thread breakage.
4Ease of manufacture
If manual stitching is used to create the hole, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but manufacturing precision and consistency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hole formation process is moved to an earlier stage in manufacturing, where the folded edge structure is created during the knitting or cutting process itself. This preliminary action ensures consistent hole placement and dimensions through machine precision rather than manual stitching, while the folded structure can still be adapted to different designs, maintaining manufacturing flexibility with improved precision.
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 provides comfortable, long-lasting convertible tights with enhanced elasticity around the hole, preventing blisters and maintaining shape over multiple uses, while ensuring easy conversion between covered and uncovered configurations.
Implementation Method 1
thermally bonding to said tights, at a lower portion of each foot, on the outward facing side thereof, one of said patches made of a thermoplastic elastomeric material
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
Convertible tights (1) particularly suitable to be worn by a user during the practice of dance, comprising a panty (2), two tubular portions that form the legs (3) of the tights, each ending with a foot (4), where a lower portion of said foot (4), which in use is arranged at the sole of the foot of the user from a toe to a heel, comprises an elastically deformable hole (5). Said convertible tights (1) comprises, for each foot (4), a patch (6) made of a thermoplastic elastomeric material, adapted to externally cover, at least partially, the lower portion of said foot (4), where said patch (6) comprises said hole (5). Production method of said convertible tights.