Pre-assembled Damping Device for High-Heeled Footwear
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for constructing damped heels for high-heeled footwear are laborious due to the complexity of assembling multiple components, leading to uncertain reliability during use.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a pre-assembled damping device with a cylindrical sheath and seat, featuring a resilient elastomer member and a rod system with stop members, which is embedded in the heel and molded with the plastics material, ensuring all components are integrated and easily replaceable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple components are assembled to construct a damper in high-heeled footwear, then the damping function is achieved, but the construction process becomes laborious and reliability becomes uncertain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (resilient member, rod, stop members, cap) into a single pre-assembled damping device unit. This unit is then embedded as one integrated component into the heel, eliminating the need to assemble multiple parts during footwear construction and improving reliability through pre-assembly testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping device is pre-assembled with all its components (resilient member positioned between stop members, rod inserted, cap secured) before being embedded in the heel. This preliminary assembly allows for quality control and ensures proper function before integration into the final product, reducing construction labor and improving reliability.
2Reliability
If multiple components are assembled to construct a damper, then the damping function is achieved, but the assembly process becomes laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple components into a pre-assembled unit that functions as a single manufacturing element. The resilient member, rod, stop members, and cap are assembled together beforehand, transforming a multi-step assembly process into a single embedding operation during heel production.
Solution Approach 2:
All components of the damping device are assembled in advance before being integrated into the heel structure. This preliminary assembly includes positioning the resilient member between stop members, inserting the rod, and securing the cap, thereby simplifying the final manufacturing step to merely embedding the complete unit.
3Ease of manufacture
If a pre-assembled damping device is embedded and molded with plastics material, then ease of construction is improved, but integration of components must be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The damping device is nested within the heel structure, with the pre-assembled unit (containing resilient member, rod, and stop members) embedded into a cavity in the heel body. The plastics material then surrounds and integrates this nested unit, securing all components in their proper positions through the molding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping device components are merged into a single pre-assembled unit that is then combined with the heel structure through embedding and molding. This approach ensures integration by treating the damping device as one unit that is mechanically and chemically bonded to the heel via the plastics material during co-molding.
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
This approach simplifies the assembly process, enhancing the reliability and ease of construction of high-heeled footwear while maintaining comfort through effective damping.
Implementation Method 1
Resilient member 8 preferably comprises a block of elastomer inserted into seat 7 and dimensioned to be compressed between plate 10 and a contact surface 15 of a plug 14
Implementation Method 2
resilient dampers housed in a cavity in a heel can be constructed in order to increase the comfort of wearing footwear
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A method for producing a damped heel (2) for high-heeled footwear, including the following steps: providing an elongated sheath (6) consistent with the height of the heel (2) which has to be manufactured, provided at one of its longitudinal extremities with a seat (7) for a resilient member (8), a first stop member (9) being formed between the seat (7) and the sheath (6), providing an elongated rod (11) provided with a second stop member (10) and a tip (12) at a first and a second longitudinal extremity thereof respectively, inserting the rod (11) into the sheath (6), the rod (11) being configured so as to move within the sheath (6) between a first position in which the first and the second stop members (9, 10) abut against each other and the tip (12) projects from the sheath (6) and a second position in which the rod (11) is caused to move within the sheath (6) to enter at least partly within the sheath (6) and the first stop member (9) and the second stop member (10) are at a distance from each other compressing the resilient member (8), inserting the resilient member (8) in the seat (7), through an opening (24) thereof, applying an contact surface (15) for the resilient member (8) to the seat (7), embedding the manufactured item so obtained in a heel (2) for footwear so that the tip (12) projects at least partly beyond the heel (2).