Interlocking Heel Tip With Honeycomb Damping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high heel footwear heel tips wear out quickly due to concentrated stress and pressure, often leading to dislodgment and adverse effects such as chronic pain and injuries.
Innovation Solution
A heel tip system featuring a micro honeycomb internal structure made from resilient materials, combined with anti-rotation and securing features, to absorb shock waves and prevent rotation or slippage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional heel tips made of solid polyurethane with metal nail heads are used, then the heel tip structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the heel tip wears out quickly and causes harmful shock waves to the body
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a honeycomb-patterned heel tip structure instead of solid polyurethane. This porous configuration reduces weight while maintaining structural integrity and shock absorption capabilities. The honeycomb pattern allows the material to compress and expand, providing cushioning against shock waves transmitted to the body, thereby improving reliability without significantly complicating manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines rubber material with a honeycomb structural pattern to create a composite heel tip. This composite design integrates the shock-absorbing properties of rubber with the structural support of the honeycomb geometry, resulting in a heel tip that is both durable and effective at reducing harmful shock waves to the wearer's body.
2Device complexity
If conventional heel tips with metal nail heads are used, then the attachment method is simple, but the heel tip gets pulled out or dislodged from the heel within a few weeks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the attachment system into multiple functional components: a shaft embedded in the heel tip, a threaded insert in the heel, and a spring mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the shaft provides structural support, the threaded insert enables secure fastening, and the spring maintains constant pressure to prevent dislodgment. This segmented approach improves attachment reliability while keeping the overall system manageable in complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a spring mechanism that is pre-loaded during assembly to continuously apply pressure to the heel tip, holding it firmly against the heel surface. This preliminary action of pre-compressing the spring ensures constant contact and pressure between the heel tip and heel, preventing the tip from pulling out or dislodging during wear, thereby significantly improving attachment reliability.
3Loss of time
If heel tips are worn until completely worn out, then replacement frequency is reduced, but harmful shock waves cause damage to feet and body, and the metal nail head creates safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a honeycomb-patterned rubber structure designed from the outset to absorb and dissipate shock waves before they can transmit harmful forces to the wearer's body. This beforehand cushioning mechanism is built into the heel tip's fundamental structure, ensuring that shock absorption occurs continuously during wear rather than requiring replacement to maintain protective function. This allows extended use without accumulating harmful shock exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a removable heel tip design that can be easily replaced when worn, using affordable rubber and honeycomb materials. This approach treats the heel tip as a consumable component that protects the more expensive and permanent shoe structure. The tips can be replaced by the consumer without specialized tools or services, making frequent replacement practical and economical while continuously providing shock protection.
4Device complexity
If conventional heel tips without anti-rotation features are used, then the design is simpler, but the heel tip rotates or slips relative to the heel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an asymmetric shaft design with a non-circular cross-section that corresponds to an asymmetric receiving cavity in the heel. This asymmetric geometry prevents rotational movement of the heel tip relative to the heel, as the shaft can only be inserted in one specific orientation. This simple asymmetric feature effectively eliminates rotation and slippage without requiring complex additional securing mechanisms, maintaining design simplicity while improving stability.
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 tip system significantly reduces the amplitude of high-frequency forces, eliminating chronic pain and injuries, and extends the lifespan of the heel tip to years, while maintaining secure attachment to the heel.
Implementation Method 1
The micro honeycomb significantly decreases both the amplitude of the high frequency forces and their ability to propagate up into the body
Implementation Method 2
a compressible elastic member positioned in the heel between the heel insert and the stop
Implementation Method 3
The compressible elastic member biases the stop away from the heel insert and urges the first teeth toward engagement with the second teeth
Implementation Method 4
The shaft rotatably couples the top lift insert and the heel insert
Implementation Method 5
The first teeth are complementary to the second teeth... the top lift cannot rotate relative to the heel when the first teeth are engaged with the second teeth
Data Source
AI summary
A footwear heel assembly coupling a top lift and heel, comprises a shaft having opposite ends, a top lift insert coupled to the top lift, a heel insert positioned in the heel, a stop positioned in the heel, and a compressible elastic member positioned in the heel between the heel insert and the stop. The shaft ends are received in the top lift insert and stop. The top lift insert and the heel insert are slidingly coupled by the shaft, and have complementary teeth configured for interlocking engagement. The compressible elastic member biases the stop away from the heel insert, and urges the top lift insert teeth toward interlocking engagement with the heel insert teeth which prevents rotation of the top lift relative to the heel.