Instep Pad Fit Adjustment for Secure Pull-On Boots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pull-on boots without mechanical or adjustable fasteners often result in a loose engagement with the wearer's foot, leading to shifting and instability, making them undesirable for applications requiring secure fit.
Innovation Solution
A fit adjustment system for pull-on boots that includes an instep pad and lace mechanism, allowing for selective tightening and securing the foot within the boot without altering the external dimensions, using an instep pad positioned inside the boot and a lace adjustment mechanism to exert force towards the heel region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional pull-on boots are designed without mechanical fasteners to simplify the structure and ease of entry, then ease of operation is improved, but fit security and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an instep pad as an intermediary component between the boot upper and the wearer's foot. This pad acts as a mediator that distributes pressure and secures the foot in place without requiring traditional mechanical fasteners. The pad is positioned at the instep region and works in conjunction with the boot's internal structure to provide secure engagement while maintaining the pull-on design's simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the fastening function in a specific region (the instep area) rather than requiring fasteners throughout the entire boot. The instep pad provides localized engagement at the critical instep region, which is sufficient to secure the foot and prevent shifting without compromising the overall pull-on design
2Ease of operation
If the boot upper is sized to allow easy insertion and removal, then ease of operation is improved, but engagement security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the engagement function by separating the entry/exit function (provided by the overall boot sizing and shape) from the security function (provided by the instep pad). This segmentation allows the boot to be sized for easy insertion while the instep pad independently provides secure engagement, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and fit security
3Device complexity
If traditional fasteners like laces and buckles are removed to simplify the design, then device complexity is reduced, but fit adjustability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The instep pad system provides self-service by automatically adjusting to the wearer's foot shape and providing secure engagement without requiring manual adjustment of laces or buckles. The pad's positioning and design allow it to adapt to different foot shapes and sizes, providing fit adjustability through its inherent design rather than through complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
Boots with fit adjustment systems that are configured to selectively adjust a fit of the boot on the wearer's foot by engaging the foot with more force and/or across a greater surface area relative to a pull-on boot that lacks the fit adjustment system. The fit adjustment system may adjust the fit of the boot without adjusting the external dimensions of the boot. The fit adjustment system includes an instep pad that is positioned interior of the external surface of the upper within an instep region of the boot, a lace that is coupled to the instep pad, and a lace adjustment mechanism. The lace adjustment mechanism includes a lace lock that selectively defines an adjustment length of the lace. Actuating the lace adjustment mechanism to reduce the adjustment length exerts a tightening force on the instep pad and draws the instep pad toward a heel region of the boot.