Loop-Shaped Wrap Exercise Shoe Stabilizing Lateral Bulging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional indoor shoes experience 'lateral bulging' and heel supination during jump and direction-changing moves in sports like volleyball and basketball, leading to loss of time and performance issues due to insufficient upper rigidity.
Innovation Solution
A loop-shaped wrap made of less stretchable material covering the medial and lateral sides of the foot, including a heel portion, twisted portion, medial bottom portion, and diagonal transverse portion, which pulls the lateral side of the heel toward the medial side to stabilize the foot during vertical kicks and direction changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the upper material is made more stretchable to improve comfort and fit, then the shoe can better conform to the foot shape, but lateral bulging occurs during jump and direction-changing moves
Solution Approach 1:
The wrap is divided into multiple functional segments: heel portion (W1) for rearfoot stabilization, twisted portion (W2) for midfoot support, medial bottom portion (W3) for arch support, and diagonal transverse portion (W4) for forefoot control. Each segment addresses specific areas prone to lateral bulging while maintaining overall foot stability during dynamic movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrap transitions from a two-dimensional planar structure to a three-dimensional conformal structure by twisting around the foot's contours. The twisted portion (W2) specifically utilizes the third dimension to wrap around the midfoot, providing stabilization in multiple directions simultaneously while accommodating foot shape variations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the upper rigidity is increased to prevent lateral bulging, then foot stability improves, but the shoe becomes less adaptable to foot shape variations
Solution Approach 1:
The wrap applies different levels of rigidity and support to different foot regions: the heel portion (W1) provides firm stabilization for the calcaneal bone, the twisted portion (W2) offers moderate support for the midfoot, while the diagonal transverse portion (W4) provides targeted support for the forefoot. This localized approach maintains adaptability while preventing lateral bulging in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrap combines materials with different mechanical properties to achieve both stability and adaptability. The less stretchable material provides structural support and rigidity where needed, while the interior member material allows conformability to foot shape. This composite construction enables the wrap to simultaneously prevent lateral bulging and adapt to individual foot variations.
3Device complexity
If conventional shoe structure is used to maintain simplicity, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but lateral bulging and heel supination cause time loss during direction-changing moves
Solution Approach 1:
The wrap is pre-configured with its twisted geometry and attached to the interior member before shoe assembly. This preliminary preparation ensures that the wrap is already positioned to counteract lateral bulging and heel supination before the athlete performs direction-changing moves, eliminating time loss that would otherwise be required for foot stabilization during dynamic actions.
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 solution effectively reduces 'lateral bulging' and heel supination, enhancing performance by maintaining the correct force input position and reducing time loss during jumps and quick movements.
Implementation Method 1
the wrap W is formed by a material less stretchable than the interior member 1
Data Source
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AI summary
An athletic shoe including an interior member 1 in contact with a surface of a foot; and a loop-shaped wrap W covering a portion of the interior member 1 and formed by a material less stretchable than the interior member 1, wherein the wrap W includes: a heel portion W1 continuously covering a medial side M, a back surface B and a lateral side L of a calcaneal bone BC; a twisted portion W2 having a band-shaped and/or cord-shaped configuration continuous with a front end portion of the heel portion W1 on the medial side M of the heel portion W1 the twisted portion W2 toward under a foot sole extending while being twisted on the medial side M of the foot; a medial bottom portion W3 continuous with a front end portion of the twisted portion W2, the medial bottom portion W3 extending along a medial side portion of the foot sole to a ball O1 of a big toe under the foot sole; and a diagonal transverse portion W4 having a band-shaped and/or cord-shaped configuration continuous with a front end portion of the heel portion W1 on the lateral side L of the heel portion W1, the diagonal transverse portion W4 covering at least a portion of a cuboid bone BCu and/or at least a portion of a fifth metatarsal bone B5 a rough surface B5f, and further extending across an upper surface of an instep in a diagonally forward direction so as to cover a portion of an upper surface of the big toe and at least a portion of a side surface of the ball O1 of the big toe.