Height-Adjustable Shoe With Interchangeable Rigid Outsoles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shoe conversion technologies fail to adapt the curvature of the shoe to the foot's shape when transitioning between low and high heels, leading to suboptimal ground grip and potential heel rotation, particularly in closed and rigid shoe designs.
Innovation Solution
A height-adaptable shoe system featuring a flexible sole with interchangeable rigid outsoles that cover the entire foot, incorporating a shank for arch support and a dual fastening system to maintain the shoe's curvature and prevent heel rotation, ensuring optimal grip and foot morphology alignment regardless of heel height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a removable heel system is used to convert between low and high heels, then the shoe can be quickly converted between heel heights, but the curvature of the shoe does not adapt to the curvature of the foot, resulting in suboptimal ground grip
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe is divided into separate functional components: a flexible sole assembly and a rigid outsole assembly that can be independently interchanged. The flexible sole contains the upper and internal structure, while the rigid outsole provides the external ground-contact surface with appropriate curvature for each heel height configuration, allowing each part to be optimized independently
Solution Approach 2:
Different rigid outsoles are provided with different curvature parameters matched to specific heel heights. When converting from low heel to high heel, a rigid outsole with curvature adapted to the high heel geometry is installed, ensuring optimal ground grip for each configuration
2Stability of the object's composition
If the shoe structure is made rigid to maintain shape, then the shoe structure is stable, but the shoe cannot adapt its curvature when changing between heel heights
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe is segmented into a flexible sole assembly (containing the upper and internal structure) and a rigid outsole assembly (providing external shape and ground contact). This segmentation allows the rigid outsole to maintain structural stability while being interchangeable to provide curvature adaptation for different heel heights
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic configurable structure by allowing interchange between different rigid outsole configurations. The flexible sole assembly remains adaptable while the rigid outsole provides the necessary structural integrity for each specific heel height configuration
3Adaptability or versatility
If mounting means are added to the heel end for interchangeable heels, then heel conversion is enabled, but the aesthetics of the shoe deteriorates due to the presence of fastening means
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting and fastening means are extracted from the visible external structure of the shoe and integrated into the sole assemblies. The connection mechanisms are positioned within the sole structure rather than on the external surface, so they do not compromise the aesthetic appearance of the shoe upper or visible portions
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible sole assembly acts as an intermediary between the upper and the rigid outsole, providing a clean interface for connection. The fastening means connect the flexible sole to the rigid outsole in a manner that is hidden from external view, preserving the aesthetic continuity of the shoe design
4Adaptability or versatility
If the sole is made flexible to adapt to foot curvature, then the shoe conforms to the foot, but the sole cannot prevent rotation of the heel relative to the vertical
Solution Approach 1:
The sole is segmented into a flexible sole assembly that adapts to foot curvature and a rigid outsole assembly that provides structural stability. The rigid outsole prevents heel rotation while the flexible sole maintains conformity to the foot, with each assembly performing its specialized function
Solution Approach 2:
The shoe employs a composite structure combining flexible material (in the flexible sole assembly) for foot adaptation and rigid material (in the rigid outsole assembly) for structural stability and heel orientation control, allowing both adaptability and stability to coexist
Data Source
Figure 1A~2A
Figure 2B~3B
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
The present invention relates to a height-adjustable shoe (1) characterised in that it comprises: a flexible sole (2) comprising a forward attachment means (4) of the flexible sole and a rearward attachment means (6) of the flexible sole, and a stem (10); at least one rigid walking sole (3') interchangeable with a second rigid walking sole (3), the second rigid walking sole having a heel (11) of a different height from that of the first rigid walking sole (3), each rigid walking sole (3,3') extending, during use, over the entire length of the foot and comprising a forward attachment means (7) of the rigid sole that is complementary to the forward attachment means of the flexible sole (4) and a rearward attachment means (9) of the rigid sole that is complementary to the rearward attachment means (6) of the flexible sole, at least one of the rigid walking soles comprising a high heel of at least 3 cm.