Dynamic Fit Heel Structure for Preventing Heel Slip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional athletic footwear often struggles with maintaining a proper fit around the heel and ankle, especially during heavy athletic activity, leading to potential slippage and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a dynamic fit heel portion featuring a lower heel counter, upper heel collar, and an expandable joint made from a flexible textile layer, along with a reinforcing collar and anchor points, to provide a customizable and secure fit around the heel and ankle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional fixed heel counter and collar structure is used, then the footwear structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the fit around the heel and ankle is inadequate during heavy athletic activity, leading to slippage and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The heel portion is divided into multiple independent components: lower heel counter, upper heel collar, and expandable joint. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively providing a secure, adaptable fit that prevents slippage during athletic activity.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable joint introduces dynamic adjustability to the heel portion, enabling it to expand and contract based on foot movements and swelling during exercise. This dynamic characteristic maintains reliable fit stability throughout the athletic activity, unlike fixed conventional structures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-size upper is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the footwear cannot accommodate feet with varying proportions or dimensional changes during exercise
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable joint enables the upper to dynamically adjust its dimensions to accommodate varying foot proportions and dimensional changes during exercise. This dynamic adaptability allows a single footwear design to fit multiple foot types and sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable joint changes the physical parameters of the upper (specifically its volume and shape) in response to foot movements and swelling. This parameter change allows the footwear to maintain proper fit throughout the range of motion during athletic activity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid heel counter is used, then the structural support is strong, but the footwear cannot accommodate foot movements and swelling during exercise
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the heel counter into lower (rigid) and upper (flexible) portions allows the lower part to provide strong structural support while the upper part accommodates foot movements and swelling through the expandable joint.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper heel collar and expandable joint use flexible materials that can deform to accommodate foot movements and swelling, while the lower heel counter maintains rigidity for structural support. This combination resolves the contradiction between strength and adaptability.
4Reliability
If standard lacing system is used, then the footwear structure is simple, but it cannot provide sufficient control over heel and ankle positioning during heavy athletic activity
Solution Approach 1:
The securing system is segmented into lacing system, heel counter, heel collar, and expandable joint, with each component contributing to position control. This segmentation allows distributed control over heel and ankle positioning, providing superior stability during athletic activity.
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 dynamic fit heel portion effectively prevents heel slip and enhances the overall fit and comfort of the footwear by accommodating varying foot dimensions and movements, ensuring stability during physical exertion.
Implementation Method 1
an expandable joint (133) provided between the lower heel counter (132) and the upper heel collar (134). The material forming the expandable joint (133) may have a higher flexibility and a higher stretch than the lower heel counter (132) and the upper heel collar (134)
Data Source
AI summary
Articles of footwear having an upper including a dynamic fit heel portion and a main body. The dynamic fit heel portion may include a lower heel counter and an upper heel collar. The upper heel collar may define at least in part, a foot-receiving chamber. An expandable joint may be provided between the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar. A material forming the expandable joint may have a higher flexibility and a higher stretch than the lower heel counter and the upper heel collar. The lower heel counter, the upper heel collar, and the expandable joint may be configured to align with portions of a heel and ankle of a wearer so as to provide a flexible heel and ankle fit.