Shoe Heel Tip Transverse Grooves Drain Moisture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heel patches for shoes often fail to provide satisfactory anti-slip properties, especially in wet conditions due to water accumulation in profiling grooves, which reduces the effectiveness of the anti-slip effect.
Innovation Solution
A heel patch design featuring a rear cover patch with parallel, transverse profile grooves that absorb and drain moisture, utilizing thermoplastic polyurethane materials with specific Shore hardness and groove dimensions to enhance traction and prevent slipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heel patch is profiled with grooves to improve anti-slip properties, then traction is enhanced, but water accumulates in the grooves when wet, reducing the anti-slip effect
Solution Approach 1:
The heel patch is divided into multiple functional zones: a front cover patch and a rear cover patch with specific profile grooves. The rear cover patch is further segmented into a profiled rear area with transverse grooves for water drainage and an unprofiled front area for maximum ground contact, allowing each segment to perform its specific function optimally
Solution Approach 2:
Different areas of the heel patch are given different properties: the rear area has profile grooves with specific dimensions (groove depth 0.5-1.25mm, groove width 1.00-2.00mm, spacing 1.00-2.00mm) to drain water, while the front area remains unprofiled to maximize contact area. The material hardness is also locally optimized with Shore A 85-98°/Shore D 35-45° for the rear cover patch
2Strength
If the heel patch material is made harder to increase durability, then wear resistance improves, but grip and anti-slip properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The material hardness parameters are precisely controlled within specific ranges (Shore A 85-98°/Shore D 35-45°) to achieve the optimal balance between wear resistance and grip. This parameter optimization ensures the material is hard enough to resist wear but soft enough to maintain good contact and friction with the ground surface
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
The heel patch significantly reduces the 'aquaplaning' effect, providing improved anti-slip performance even on wet surfaces, making it suitable for various shoe types, including high heels and safety shoes, with the added benefit of easy retrofitting and cost-effective production.
Implementation Method 1
the profile grooves should have a groove depth between 0.5 and 1.25 mm and a groove width between 1.00 and 2.00 mm... to absorb a film of moisture (e.g. due to wetness) that occurs between the floor covering and the cover patch
Implementation Method 2
When it is wet, the friction force between the shoe and the floor covering is significantly reduced, as a film of moisture forms between the floor covering and the heel patch, thus preventing non-slip contact between the two media
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
AI summary
The present invention relates to a heel tip (1) for a heel of a shoe. The heel tip comprises a front rubber surface (2) adapted to the shape of the heel and a rear rubber surface (3) arranged in the initial stepping region, wherein at least the rear rubber surface (3) comprises rear profile grooves (4) that are arranged parallel to one another and extend transversely to the walking direction, wherein the profile grooves (4) have a groove depth of between 0.50 and 1.25 mm and a groove width of between 1.00 and 2.00 mm and are spaced apart from one another by between 1.00 and 2.00 mm. The rubber surface hardness is between 85 and 98° Shore A and/or between 35 and 45° Shore D.