Movable Strap Compartment in Footwear Sole
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flip-flops and slides lack the necessary support and security for the foot, leading to injuries such as sprains, tendonitis, blisters, and cuts, prompting the need for footwear that combines the convenience of flip-flops with the support of sandals.
Innovation Solution
The development of footwear that includes a movable horizontal strap housed within a compartment in the sole, allowing it to be extended and secured around the heel or ankle, thereby providing additional support and security when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flip-flop or slide is designed with a simple structure, then convenience and easy wearability are improved, but foot support and security deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the horizontal strap movable rather than fixed. The strap can be extended from a stored position within the sole to an operational position around the heel or ankle, allowing the footwear to dynamically adapt between a flip-flop/slide configuration (convenient) and a sandal configuration (supportive). This resolves the contradiction by enabling the structure to change its support characteristics based on user need.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the universality principle by designing footwear that can function in multiple modes. The same footwear structure serves both as a convenient flip-flop/slide and as a supportive sandal, depending on whether the horizontal strap is extended or stored. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need to choose between convenience and support - both are available from the same footwear.
2Reliability
If sandal straps are added to provide support, then foot support and security are improved, but convenience and easy access deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by storing the horizontal strap within a compartment in the sole of the footwear. When not in use, the strap is nested inside the sole structure, maintaining the simple flip-flop/slide appearance and convenience. When needed, the strap can be extracted from this nested position to provide sandal-like support, thus resolving the contradiction between support and convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the horizontal strap from the traditional external sandal configuration and relocating it within the sole structure. This allows the strap to be taken out only when needed for support, while the footwear maintains its simple structure during normal wear. The strap is extracted from the sole compartment and positioned around the heel or ankle to provide support when required.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an extendible strap is added to the sole, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the merging principle by integrating the horizontal strap, its storage compartment, and the flap mechanism into a unified structure within the sole. Rather than adding separate components, the strap system is merged with the sole structure itself, minimizing the increase in complexity while maximizing adaptability. The flap that covers the compartment also serves as the access mechanism, combining multiple functions into a single structural element.
Data Source
AI summary
Footwear capable of changing between a flip-flop or a slide into a sandal includes a sole including a forefoot section, an arch section, and a heel section. The footwear further includes a forefoot strap positioned and extending over at least a part of the forefoot section and being secured to the forefoot section of the sole. The footwear further includes a compartment located in the arch section of the sole, wherein the compartment houses a horizontal strap capable of moving between a first stored position within the compartment and a second raised position outside of the compartment. The footwear further includes a flap portion of the sole, wherein the flap portion covers the compartment and is capable of being lifted to access the horizontal strap in the compartment.