Knitted Footwear Upper With Pocketed Cable Tension Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear uppers lack efficient and durable tensioning systems that provide a comfortable, adjustable fit without causing discomfort or requiring complex post-knitting manipulation.
Innovation Solution
A knitted component with integrated cables and cable guides, formed during the knitting process, that allows for a serpentine tensioning system within the upper, utilizing actuators for adjustment and minimizing friction through curved surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional tensioning systems are used in footwear uppers, then adjustability is provided, but discomfort and lack of durability occur
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide is integrated directly into the knitted upper structure, merging the tensioning system components with the footwear material. This integration eliminates separate moving parts that could fail, while maintaining the serpentine cable adjustment mechanism for comfort and fit control.
2Ease of operation
If complex post-knitting manipulation is used to install tensioning systems, then tensioning functionality is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide is formed as an integral part of the knitted upper during the knitting process itself, rather than being added afterward. This preliminary integration eliminates complex post-knitting assembly steps while ensuring the tensioning system is properly positioned and secured.
3Device complexity
If straight cable routing is used in the upper, then simplicity is maintained, but friction and discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide incorporates curved or serpentine routing paths for the tensioning cable, replacing straight lines with smooth curves. This curvature reduces friction points and distributes pressure more evenly across the foot, enhancing comfort while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An article of footwear includes a textile component forming at least a portion of an upper. The textile component includes a first textile layer and a second textile layer that are separable from one another to define a pocket between the layers. A cable is located at least partially within the pocket, and a plurality of cable guides are positioned within the pocket to contact and redirect the cable. Each cable guide includes a curved surface for contacting the cable, and the cable extends around the curved surfaces such that the cable changes direction within the pocket. In some embodiments, the pocket includes a tubular channel interconnecting the cable guides. The cable and cable guides are positioned proximate a perimeter edge of the textile component to provide a tensioning system that adjusts the fit of the upper without extending across a throat area of the footwear.