Pneumatic Shoe with Segmented Air Chambers for Easy Donning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shoes face issues with wearing comfort due to texture deviation and weight when air is taken in, and existing fastening methods like laces or zippers result in high air resistance and difficulty in putting on/taking off, especially in sports applications.
Innovation Solution
A shoe design featuring a stretchable outer layer with integrated gas intake/discharge valves in sacs that facilitate easy insertion and removal of the foot by controlling air pressure, eliminating the need for laces and zippers, thus providing lightweight, low air resistance, and easy donning/doffing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If air is taken in between the outer layer and the foot, then the outer layer and foot come into close contact to improve sensitivity, but the texture of the outer layer deviates and extra creases are produced, worsening wearing comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe is divided into multiple independent air chambers (first, second, third air chambers) within the insole structure. Each chamber can be independently filled with air to provide localized support and contact pressure, distributing the force evenly across the foot to prevent texture deviation and creasing while maintaining sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the insole are designed with different air chamber configurations to match the specific needs of different foot areas. The air chambers are strategically positioned to provide targeted support where needed, ensuring close contact for sensitivity without causing unwanted deformation in specific regions.
2Strength
If the outer layer is thickened to overcome texture deviation, then the structural integrity is improved, but the whole shoe becomes heavy and hard, worsening wearing comfort
Solution Approach 1:
Air chambers are integrated into the insole structure to provide internal support and maintain the shape of the outer layer. The pressurized air acts as a lightweight structural element that reinforces the outer layer without adding significant weight, eliminating the need for thickening the material.
Solution Approach 2:
The shoe combines the outer layer with an insole containing air chambers, creating a composite structure where the air-filled chambers provide structural support. This composite design achieves the required strength and shape maintenance while keeping the overall weight low, as air is much lighter than solid material.
3Measurement precision
If a sheath is placed between the hard outer layer and the foot to create vacuum, then the foot and outer layer come into close contact, but it becomes hard to put on the shoe and requires multiple steps to latch and fasten
Solution Approach 1:
The air chambers are designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing the user to inflate or deflate them as needed. When putting on the shoe, the chambers can be deflated to create a loose fit for easy insertion of the foot. Once the foot is inserted, the chambers are inflated to provide close contact and support, eliminating the need for complex latching mechanisms.
4Reliability
If laces or planar fasteners are used to fasten the shoe, then the shoe is securely fastened to the foot, but air resistance increases and time and effort are required to lace up
Solution Approach 1:
The air chambers serve as a pneumatic fastening system that secures the shoe to the foot through internal pressure. By inflating the chambers, the insole expands to conform to the foot's shape, providing secure fastening without external laces or fasteners. This eliminates the time and effort required for traditional lacing while maintaining reliable attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional lacing and fastening components are completely removed from the shoe design. The fastening function is extracted and replaced by the pneumatic air chamber system, which provides secure attachment through internal pressure rather than external mechanical fasteners, thereby reducing air resistance and simplifying the donning process.
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 enhances wearing comfort, reduces air resistance, and simplifies the process of putting on and taking off shoes, making them suitable for various sports and daily use while maintaining durability and moisture management.
Implementation Method 1
when the gas intake/discharge valve is opened to remove the air therein, the stretchable sacs contract and the gas is discharged from the sacs, and the outer layer and the sacs come into close contact with the foot
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a shoe, and in order to provide a shoe excellent in convenience, easy to put on and take off, inexpensive, light-weight, comfortable to wear, promoting health and exhibiting excellent extensibility, the easily wearable shoe according to the present invention is characterized by the shapes of an outer layer and inner sacs corresponding to various body organs, additionally including a shoe outer layer, sacs of a stretchable material joined mainly inside the outer layer, and an intake inlet/outlet that is formed of a valve that takes in and discharges an air-like gas into/from the sacs, facilitating the insertion of a foot by injecting the gas from the intake inlet/outlet into the sacs and causing the sacs and the shoe outer layer to be flexible, discharging the gas from the intake outlet so as to cause the shoe outer cover and the sacs to contract and come into close contact with the foot, being capable of freely setting an effect from the shoe on a body organ due to the shapes of the outer layer and the inner sacs corresponding to various body organs, and being capable of effectively extending the functions of the shoe.