Footwear Strap and Panel Design for One-Handed Fit Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear fastening systems, such as laces, require the use of both hands for tensioning and tying, making them difficult for individuals with limited dexterity or mobility to secure the fit effectively.
Innovation Solution
A strap system with a panel that moves between open and closed positions and a strap that can be tensioned using one hand, utilizing routing elements and apertures to facilitate easy adjustment between tightened and loosened states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional lacing systems are used, then the footwear can be securely fastened, but two hands are required for tensioning and tying
Solution Approach 1:
The lacing system is divided into separate functional components: a fixed lace portion attached to the footwear structure, and a movable lace portion that can be independently manipulated. This segmentation allows one hand to hold the footwear steady while the other hand operates the lace, resolving the contradiction between secure fastening and ease of operation for individuals with limited dexterity
Solution Approach 2:
A lace guide or routing element acts as an intermediary between the lace and the footwear upper. This intermediary component guides the lace through a predetermined path, providing mechanical advantage and control that enables effective tensioning with one hand, while maintaining reliable secure fastening
2Reliability
If laces are tightened to close the upper around the foot, then the fit is secured, but care is required to avoid excessive tightness or looseness
Solution Approach 1:
The lace routing system provides tactile feedback through the guide elements, allowing the user to sense when appropriate tension is achieved. The mechanical interaction between the lace and guide components creates natural resistance points that indicate proper tightness, eliminating the need for careful judgment of tension levels
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows easy adjustment of the lace tension parameter by simply pulling or releasing the movable lace portion. This simple parameter change mechanism enables quick transitions between different fit levels without requiring complex manipulation or precise control, resolving the contradiction between fit security and adjustment precision
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
An article of footwear includes an upper defining a throat configured to receive a foot. The article of footwear also includes a sole structure coupled to the upper. The article of footwear further includes a panel having a first side coupled to the upper for movement between an open position and a closed position. The panel exposes a portion of the throat in the open position and covers the portion of the throat in the closed position. The article of footwear also includes a strap having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end and the second end are disposed on a first side of the upper with a body portion of the strap disposed between the first end and the second end surrounding the upper.