Compressible Heel Cup Geometry for Hands-Free Shoe Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear requires manual assistance or the use of a shoehorn to insert the foot due to the heel counter collapsing under the heel, making it difficult to don the shoe easily.
Innovation Solution
A heel counter with a compressible heel cup that distorts under foot load to widen the shoe opening, allowing easier foot insertion and securement, featuring a design with varying thickness and angles to facilitate this distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the heel counter is made rigid to provide structural support, then the shoe maintains its shape and support, but the shoe opening collapses under the heel making foot insertion difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The heel counter is designed with a dynamic compressible component that can change its state between compressed and uncompressed configurations. During foot insertion, the component is compressed to widen the shoe opening, and after insertion, it returns to its uncompressed state to provide structural support. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between rigidity for support and flexibility for insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The compressible component changes its physical parameters (compression state, thickness, width) based on the insertion phase. In the uncompressed state, it maintains shoe shape with greater thickness and narrower width. During insertion, it compresses to reduce thickness and increase width, facilitating foot entry. This parameter change allows the heel counter to adapt between support and ease of insertion requirements.
2Ease of operation
If the heel counter is made compressible to facilitate foot insertion, then the shoe opening widens for easier entry, but the structural support and shape maintenance are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The compressible component operates dynamically, transitioning between compressed and uncompressed states. The uncompressed state provides structural support and shape maintenance, while the compressed state facilitates foot insertion. This dynamic state change allows the component to fulfill both contradictory requirements at different times in the insertion process.
Solution Approach 2:
The compressible component is pre-positioned to be compressed by the heel during insertion. The design anticipates the insertion action and prepares the component to automatically compress and widen the opening when the heel applies force, eliminating the need for manual assistance while maintaining structural integrity afterward.
3Ease of operation
If manual assistance or a shoehorn is used to insert the foot, then the shoe opening can be held open, but the operation becomes more complex and requires additional tools
Solution Approach 1:
The compressible component is designed to automatically perform the function of holding the shoe opening wide during insertion without external assistance. When the heel is inserted, it naturally compresses the component, which in turn widens the opening. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for hands or shoehorns, simplifying the insertion process while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The compressible component acts as an intermediary between the heel and the shoe opening. It mediates the insertion process by converting the heel's compressive force into opening-widening action, automatically facilitating foot entry without requiring external tools or manual manipulation of the shoe structure.
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 hands-free and easy foot entry and removal by utilizing a compressible heel cup that returns to its original shape after foot insertion, enhancing user convenience and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
the compressible component is capable of distorting into a second configuration under a load of a user's foot when the user is donning the footwear
Implementation Method 2
the compressible component is capable of automatically returning to the first configuration after the user's foot in fully inserted into the footwear
Data Source
AI summary
The article of footwear further includes a heel cup attached to the upper and extending from the sole structure to at least a portion of the rear heel collar of upper. Additionally, the heel cup is uniformly molded with an upper portion, midportion, and lower portion and the upper portion has a smaller mediolateral length than the midportion, and the midportion and lower portion form a concave structure configured to receive the heel. The midportion includes a peripheral portion having a first thickness and a central portion having a second thickness, and the second thickness is less than the first thickness.