Footwear Closure System with Ratchet and Hook-Loop Fasteners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear closure systems, such as laces, are time-consuming and difficult for individuals with disabilities or children to fasten, and can become untied or loosened during athletic activities, leading to inefficiencies and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A closure system featuring a primary strap and a secondary strap with releasable hook and loop fasteners, allowing for quick and secure fastening and adjustment, with the primary strap attaching to the upper or sole structure and the secondary strap attaching to the opposite side, enabling multiple attachment points for customizable fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional laces are used for fastening footwear, then the footwear can be securely fastened, but the process is time-consuming and difficult for individuals with disabilities or children
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical lacing system with a simpler strap-based closure system featuring a ratchet mechanism and hook-and-loop fasteners. This substitution maintains secure fastening while dramatically reducing the operational complexity and time required to fasten the footwear, making it accessible to individuals with disabilities or children who struggle with traditional laces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the closure system by transitioning from continuous laces requiring tying knots to discrete strap segments with predefined adjustment points. The ratchet mechanism introduces a new parameter state (locked positions) that maintains security while simplifying the user interaction from complex knot-tying to simple strap insertion and release.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional laces are used for fastening footwear, then the footwear can be adjusted to fit, but the process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the continuous lace into multiple discrete strap segments, each with its own adjustment mechanism. This segmentation allows for quick adjustment of each segment independently, maintaining customizable fit while reducing the overall time required compared to adjusting and tying multiple lace sections sequentially.
Solution Approach 2:
The strap system incorporates pre-positioned adjustment points and pre-attached hook-and-loop fasteners that are prepared in advance. Users simply need to insert the strap into the ratchet mechanism and engage the fastener, eliminating the time-consuming steps of threading laces through eyelets and tying knots, while still achieving customized fit.
3Reliability
If conventional laces are used for fastening footwear, then the footwear can be secured, but the laces are susceptible to becoming untied or loosened during athletic activities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the knot-based mechanical system with a ratchet mechanism that features unilateral engagement - the strap can be inserted and locked in place but cannot be accidentally removed or loosened. This mechanical substitution eliminates the inherent instability of knots that can slip or come undone during athletic activities, providing both security and configuration stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ratchet mechanism incorporates a preventive design where the strap engagement is designed to resist accidental release. The asymmetric tooth geometry and spring-loaded locking mechanism create preliminary anti-action against unintended loosening, ensuring that once fastened, the footwear remains securely in place during dynamic athletic movements without requiring continuous adjustment.
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
Enables rapid and secure fastening of footwear, reducing time spent on lacing and minimizing the risk of untied or loosened footwear during activities, while accommodating users with difficulties in traditional lacing systems.
Implementation Method 1
releasable hook and loop fasteners
Data Source
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AI summary
Footwear that includes a closure system that enables a wearer to quickly and easily fasten the closure system is disclosed. The closure system may include a primary strap and a secondary strap arranged on opposite sides of the footwear where the secondary strap releasably attaches at one end to the primary strap and the primary strap releasably attaches at one end to the upper. The closure system allows for the secondary strap to be selectively attached to the primary strap prior to a wearer inserting a foot into the article of footwear such that the article of footwear is configured to be secured to the foot by simultaneously securing the primary strap and the secondary strap when releasable attachment region of the primary strap is attached to a releasable attachment region of located on the upper.