Knitted Shoe Upper with Longitudinal Channels for Lace Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing knitted shoe uppers often experience lace engagement issues, where loops or holes rupture or deform under stress, leading to discomfort and reduced structural integrity, especially in sports shoes subjected to significant stress.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating longitudinally extended channels within the knitting, formed between plain and purl knitting planes, to create strong and practical engagement elements for laces, enhancing structural rigidity and comfort while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If loops or holes are provided by knitting for lace passage, then the upper can be manufactured with low production costs and simple structure, but the loops rupture or deform under lace stress leading to reduced strength and reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The knitting structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: reinforcement stitches forming rigid channels for lace engagement, separate body knitting for flexibility, and integrated transition zones. This segmentation allows the reinforcement structure to bear lace loads independently without transferring stress to the main body knitting, preventing rupture while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through pattern integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper combines different knitting structures (reinforcement stitches vs. body knitting) with potentially different yarn properties to create a composite structure. The reinforcement zones use tighter, more rigid stitch patterns that resist deformation, while the body maintains standard knitting for comfort and flexibility, achieving both strength and ease of manufacture.
2Strength
If reinforcement structures are added to prevent loop rupture, then lace engagement strength is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement channels are merged directly into the knitting process itself rather than being added as separate components. The reinforcement stitches are integrated into the main knitting pattern, forming continuous channels that are woven into the fabric structure during manufacturing, eliminating the need for post-assembly reinforcement elements and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement knitting structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides rigid channels for lace engagement, maintains structural integrity under stress, and integrates with the body knitting to ensure flexibility and comfort. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, simplifying the overall design.
3Strength
If thermosettable yarns are used to determine enclosure shape, then structural rigidity is improved for high-stress applications, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex requiring thermosetting steps
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement knitting structure is created during the initial knitting process itself, with the rigid channels and reinforcement patterns established before final assembly. This preliminary formation of the structural framework allows subsequent thermosetting or assembly steps to simply consolidate the already-formed structure rather than creating it from scratch, reducing overall process complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A semi-finished component for the manufacture of knitted uppers, comprising a plain knitting and a purl knitting, and at least one longitudinally extended channel which is formed within the knitting between the plane formed by the plain knitting and the plane formed by the purl knitting, the at least one longitudinally extended channel being engageable by an elongated engagement element which forms a lace or a reinforcement element designed to engage with a lace.