Inflatable Shoe Insert with Sealed Air Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shoe packaging materials like molded pulp and crumpled paper fail to maintain shoe shape during shipping, are heavy, costly, and lack consumer appeal, while existing inflatable solutions are not adaptable to various shoe sizes and do not provide sufficient support.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable shoe insert with sealed web plies forming air chambers, featuring a toe expansion region and a posterior retention portion with varying seal spacing to maintain shoe shape and support, allowing flexibility to fit different sizes and providing rigidity through inflation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If molded pulp or crumpled paper is used as filler, then the shoe shape is maintained during shipping, but the materials are heavy, costly, and lack consumer appeal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an inflatable air chamber made from sealed plastic film to replace heavy molded pulp or crumpled paper fillers. The air chamber is inflated with air to expand and maintain the shoe's shape during shipping, providing the same protective function while being significantly lighter and more cost-effective.
2Shape
If blow molded shapes are used to fill the shoe cavity, then the shoe shape is maintained, but the solution does not adapt to various shoe sizes without individual forms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic inflatable air chamber that can be adjusted to fit various shoe sizes. Unlike rigid blow-molded shapes that require individual forms for each size, the air chamber can be inflated to different volumes and pressures to adapt to different shoe cavities, providing universal applicability across multiple sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the packaging material by using an inflatable structure that can be adjusted in volume and pressure. This allows the same basic air chamber design to be adapted to various shoe sizes by modifying the inflation parameters rather than creating individual molded forms for each size.
3Reliability
If traditional packaging materials are used, then the shoe is protected during shipping, but denser storage and transportation are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable air chamber provides reliable shoe protection during shipping by expanding to fill the shoe cavity and prevent crushing, while being compact when deflated. This enables denser storage and transportation of shoes in their packaging, as the air chambers can be deflated or removed, reducing the overall volume required for storage and shipping.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an inflatable shoe insert for inserting in a shoe. The insert comprises first and second web plies that are sealed together at a plurality of seals that define an air chamber. The air chamber includes a front region having a toe expansion region uninterrupted by seals over an area so that when fully inflated, the front region expands to a height and medial-lateral width to support the shoe upper against collapsing. The air chamber further includes a retention portion having a region in which the seals are spaced closer together than in the toe expansion region so that when fully inflated, the retention portion expands to a medial-lateral width that is smaller than that in the toe expansion region, the retention portion having an anterior-posterior length that reaches the heel of the shoe to retain the front region in the toe box by pressure against the heel.