Gravity Footwear Flexure Spring Energy Propulsion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing footwear technologies that utilize energy storage through elastic deformation struggle to facilitate efficient energy release and practical movement, limiting their use to jumping or racing, and often require complex fixation mechanisms that are not suitable for everyday wear.
Innovation Solution
The development of gravity footwear that incorporates a flexure spring unit integrated into the shoe design, allowing energy accumulation through gravitational loading and efficient release for forward and upward propulsion, enabling normal-paced movement by engaging both the spring and the sole with the ground.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a removable device with bow-shaped spring and hinge-lever mechanism is used, then energy accumulation and release for jumping is improved, but device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the spring mechanism directly into the shoe structure, merging the energy storage function with the footwear itself. The bow-shaped spring is incorporated into the shoe's midfoot area, eliminating the need for separate removable devices and complex hinge-lever mechanisms while maintaining energy accumulation and release capabilities for jumping and racing.
2Power
If a removable device with complex fixation mechanisms is used, then energy storage function is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism is merged with the shoe structure, making the energy storage function an inherent part of the footwear. This integration eliminates complex fixation mechanisms and removable components, allowing users to simply wear the shoe and benefit from automatic energy accumulation and release during normal movement.
3Ease of operation
If the spring mechanism is integrated into the shoe, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe is segmented into functional zones, with the bow-shaped spring positioned in the midfoot area as a distinct energy storage component. This segmentation allows the spring mechanism to be integrated into the shoe structure without creating a monolithic complex design, enabling easier manufacturing and maintenance while maintaining operational simplicity.
4Power
If the spring is compressed under gravitational loading, then energy accumulation is improved, but loss of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism utilizes periodic compression and expansion cycles during normal walking and running movements. The bow-shaped spring compresses under gravitational loading during the stance phase and releases stored energy during the push-off phase, creating a periodic action that accumulates energy efficiently while minimizing losses through repeated use.
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 solution enhances the effective use of gravitational energy for propulsion, allowing for efficient movement at a normal pace by optimizing the communication of load on the spring and facilitating displacement from heel to toe, while maintaining the ability to store and release energy effectively.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (1), deflecting from its free state to a compressed state, formed by footwear elements
Implementation Method 2
energy accumulation through gravitational loading
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2a~2b
AI summary
The supporting element of gravity footwear, made up in the form of a shoe, a boot etc. with accumulation of energy, caused by deflecting, comprising flexure spring, the topmost of the shoe equipped with fixing device, joined to the spring, sole and other elements of the shoe, is made up in the form of a heel, or a heel and a sole, or a sole, gravitational effect on the spring is communicated by a cuff and/or a stiff cover as well as out of any other soft suspending element, wherein the distance between the ends of the spring when load is not applied to the spring is greater than the distance between a point of suspending and the lowest point of the user's foot, the spring is equipped with a fixing device. The heel is a supporting element within the spring unit, jointly used with conventional footwear as a device, intended to accumulate energy and comprising a flexure spring, joined through the element, which communicates gravitational effect on the spring and the user's foot. When the spring is compressed the sole is an additional supporting element.