Footwear Shell Structure for Static and Dynamic Fit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing footwear designs struggle to simultaneously enhance both stationary fit during low-strength exercises and dynamic fit during high-strength exercises, particularly in shoes with flexible shells made of elastic materials, as they often fail to maintain appropriate pressure on the foot's peripheral surface during deformation.
Innovation Solution
The footwear incorporates a shell with a peripheral wall portion featuring a bulging portion made of a three-dimensional mesh structure and a cover portion with higher rigidity, both integrated as a single member, to improve flexibility and maintain pressure during foot movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion substantially matches the shape of the peripheral surface of the foot to improve stationary fit, then the stationary fit is improved, but the dynamic fit deteriorates because the shoe cannot deform properly during foot movement
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral wall portion is divided into multiple regions with different rigidity characteristics. The first region includes an easy-deformable portion with a three-dimensional mesh structure that allows deformation during dynamic exercise, while the second region includes a hard-deformable cover portion that maintains shape for stationary fit. This segmentation enables different parts of the shell to perform different functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the peripheral wall portion are assigned different local qualities in terms of rigidity and deformability. The easy-deformable portion has lower rigidity to accommodate foot movement, while the hard-deformable cover portion has higher rigidity to maintain structural support. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between needing flexibility for dynamic fit and stability for stationary fit.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the shell is made of elastic material to improve flexibility during deformation, then the dynamic fit is improved, but the ability to maintain appropriate pressure on the foot's peripheral surface deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shell structure implements local quality differentiation where the hard-deformable cover portion in the second region maintains higher rigidity to preserve pressure on the foot's peripheral surface, while the easy-deformable portion in the first region provides necessary flexibility. This local differentiation allows the shell to simultaneously maintain pressure and accommodate deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral wall portion combines different structural configurations (three-dimensional mesh structure and solid cover structure) within a single elastic material to create regions with different effective rigidity. This composite structural approach enables the shell to exhibit both flexible and pressure-maintaining characteristics in different locations.
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 configuration enhances both stationary and dynamic fit by allowing the shoe to deform easily while maintaining appropriate pressure on the foot, improving comfort and performance during various activities.
Implementation Method 1
The bulging portion includes an easy-deformable portion configured of a three-dimensional mesh structure body. The peripheral wall portion includes a cover portion as a hard-deformable portion having higher rigidity than the easy-deformable portion
Data Source
AI summary
A footwear includes a shell which is made of an elastic material, the shell including a bottom wall portion and a peripheral wall portion. The peripheral wall portion has a first region that includes a bulging portion bulging toward an insertion space, and a second region which is a portion adjacent to the first region. The bulging portion includes an easy-deformable portion configured of a three-dimensional mesh structure body. The peripheral wall portion includes a cover portion as a hard-deformable portion having higher rigidity than the easy-deformable portion, the cover portion being on a side opposite to a side where the insertion space is located when viewed from the bulging portion and covering at least a portion of the bulging portion by being across the first region and the second region.