Embroidered Footwear Upper for Directional Stretch Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear uppers are constructed with multiple layers of materials that often include superfluous portions which do not contribute to desired properties such as stretch-resistance, leading to increased mass without enhancing performance.
Innovation Solution
The use of an embroidered configuration with a base layer and strategically located threads that provide structural elements to resist stretching in specific directions, minimizing superfluous material and optimizing properties like stretch-resistance, wear-resistance, and air-permeability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional multiple layers of materials are used to construct the upper, then coverage and basic protection are provided, but superfluous portions increase mass without enhancing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The upper is segmented into a base layer and multiple thread groups (first, second, third thread groups) with distinct orientations and locations. Each thread group provides stretch-resistance in specific directions, eliminating the need for bulky multi-layer constructions while maintaining performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the upper have different thread densities and orientations tailored to local requirements. The first thread group resists stretching in a first direction, the second thread group in a second direction, and the third thread group in a third direction, providing localized stretch-resistance where needed without adding mass elsewhere.
2Reliability
If threads are strategically located to resist stretching in specific directions, then stretch-resistance is optimized, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thread groups are pre-configured in specific orientations and locations during the manufacturing process. The base layer is prepared with predetermined thread placements that automatically provide the required stretch-resistance properties when assembled, reducing the need for complex post-manufacturing adjustments.
3Reliability
If thread orientation, location, and quantity are controlled, then performance is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thread configuration is segmented into three distinct thread groups with different orientations and locations. This segmentation simplifies the design and manufacturing process by breaking down the complex requirement of multi-directional stretch-resistance into manageable, independently optimizable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper functions as a composite structure combining a base layer with multiple thread groups of different orientations. This composite approach allows each component to contribute specific properties, achieving superior overall performance while maintaining a relatively simple individual component design.
Data Source
AI summary
An article of footwear includes an upper that is at least partially formed from a base layer and thread sections that lie adjacent a surface of the base layer. The thread sections are positioned to provide structural elements that, for example, restrain stretch in directions corresponding with longitudinal axes of the thread sections. In some configurations of the footwear, a first portion of the thread sections may extend between forefoot and heel regions of the footwear, and a second portion of the thread sections may extend vertically. An embroidering process may be utilized to position the thread sections on the base layer.