Knitted Butterfly Upper Assembly for Flexible Footwear Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear uppers lack a combination of properties for improved fit and feel, necessitating a solution that enhances comfort and flexibility while maintaining structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A knitted butterfly workpiece is integrated into the upper, comprising a collar, throat, medial, and lateral lobes, combined with forefoot and heel components, and reinforced with elements to provide a unified structure with enhanced fit and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional materials are used in the upper, then manufacturing is simple, but fit and feel are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The upper is constructed from multiple materials including knit fabric, foam material, and thermoplastic material, each contributing different properties. The knit fabric provides stretch and comfort, the foam provides cushioning, and the thermoplastic provides structural support, collectively achieving improved fit and feel while remaining manufacturable
2Ease of operation
If the upper is made more flexible for comfort, then fit and feel improve, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the upper have different material properties tailored to their functions. The forefoot region uses softer, more flexible materials for comfort, while the heel and midfoot regions incorporate stiffer thermoplastic and foam materials for structural support, achieving both flexibility and structural integrity
3Strength
If reinforcement elements are added to the upper, then structural support improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement elements are integrated into the knit fabric structure itself rather than being separate attached components. The thermoplastic and foam materials are embedded within or bonded to the knit fabric, creating a unified structure that provides reinforcement without significantly increasing assembly complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An article of footwear incorporating an upper formed by a forefoot component, a knitted workpiece, and a heel component is described. Each of the forefoot component, the knitted workpiece, and the heel component are separate from each other and joined along connection areas. Reinforcement elements cover the connection areas. In one embodiment, the knitted workpiece includes a collar portion and a throat portion extending from a forward end of the collar portion. The knitted workpiece also includes a medial lobe extending from one side of the throat portion and a lateral lobe extending from an opposite side of the throat portion from the medial lobe. The collar portion, the throat portion, the medial lobe, and the lateral lobe form a single unified knitted workpiece.