Integrated High-Top Shoe with Rigid Ankle Braces and Zipper Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthotic shoe designs lack an adjustable foot brace integrated with a high-top shoe and zipper for enhanced ankle support, failing to provide efficient and economical solutions for individuals with foot or ankle issues, such as clubfoot or severe ankle injuries.
Innovation Solution
A high-top shoe with an integrated foot brace featuring a bracing assembly comprising rigid braces made of materials like nylon or neoprene, a closing assembly with adjustable straps, and a protective assembly with padding materials to provide support and immobilization for the ankle, eliminating the need for a separate brace.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate brace is worn in addition to a shoe, then ankle support is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to requiring multiple separate devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the shoe and orthotic brace into a single integrated unit. The shoe upper is constructed with rigid bracing elements, adjustable straps, and padding materials incorporated directly into the shoe structure, eliminating the need for a separate brace device while maintaining ankle support functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated shoe-orthotic device performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides footwear protection, ankle support, immobilization, and adjustable compression all in one device. The shoe upper serves both as protective covering and as the structural brace, while the zipper provides both closure and adjustment capabilities.
2Ease of operation
If an integrated foot brace with zipper is included in a high-top shoe, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe upper is divided into functional segments: rigid bracing elements for support, flexible padding materials for comfort, adjustable straps for customization, and a zipper mechanism for easy entry/exit. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while simplifying the overall manufacturing process through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated design incorporates dynamic elements such as adjustable straps that can be customized for different ankle circumferences and a zipper that allows dynamic entry and exit. The rigid bracing elements work in conjunction with flexible materials to provide adaptive support that moves with the ankle while maintaining stabilization.
3Ease of operation
If padding materials are used in the foot brace, then comfort is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional materials and construction
Solution Approach 1:
Padding materials are strategically placed only in specific areas where comfort is needed, such as the ankle collar and contact surfaces, rather than throughout the entire device. The rigid bracing elements remain exposed in areas where structural support is the primary function, creating a heterogeneous structure with different material properties in different locations.
Data Source
AI summary
A combined shoe and orthotic support including a bracing assembly, a closing assembly and a protective assembly. The bracing assembly includes a back side support, a left rigid brace, a right rigid brace, and a tongue that are adapted to surround the user's ankle to provide support against ankle issues such as sprains, fractures or the like. The plurality of straps included in the closing assembly allows the user to adjust the bracing assembly around the ankle with a predetermined adjustment. The front side support and the closing assembly further includes laces and a zipper, wherein the laces allow the present invention to be adjusted around the foot and the zipper allows the front side support to be widely opened, allowing the user's foot to be placed in and out of the shoe with ease.