Removable Eyelet Footwear with Hinged Lateral Panel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear, especially athletic and children's shoes, face challenges in ease of use and security due to laces, which can be difficult for children and arthritic individuals to manage, and dual fastening systems often lead to wear and tear on laces.
Innovation Solution
A footwear design featuring a removable eyelet region with a hinge, secured by a hook-and-loop system, where the lateral side of the eyelet region rotates to adjust the vamp width without the need for laces, using a lace fixed into position through eyelet holes, providing a secure and adjustable fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If laces are used to fasten the shoe, then the shoe can be adjusted for width and provides aesthetic appearance, but the laces are difficult for children and arthritic individuals to manipulate and tie
Solution Approach 1:
The eyelet region is divided into a first portion (lateral side) that is separable from the second portion (medial side) that remains fixed. This segmentation allows the lateral eyelet region to be easily detached and reattached without manipulating laces, while the fixed medial portion maintains structural integrity and aesthetic appearance.
2Ease of operation
If a hook-and-loop fastening system is used instead of laces, then ease of manipulation is improved, but the aesthetic appearance and appeal of laced shoes is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The hook-and-loop fastening system is applied locally only to the lateral eyelet region, while the rest of the shoe maintains its traditional laced appearance. This allows the shoe to provide easy manipulation through the fastening system while preserving the aesthetic appeal of laces and eyelets visible from the front and top views.
3Ease of operation
If the removable portion of the eyelet region is rotated on the laces, then the eyelet region can be lifted to manipulate the vamp, but wear on the laces increases and early breakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral eyelet region is completely extracted from the lace structure and reattached to the shoe upper through a separate hook-and-loop fastening system. This eliminates the rotation and friction between the eyelet region and laces, preventing lace wear and breakage while maintaining the ability to lift and manipulate the vamp for easy entry and exit.
4Adaptability or versatility
If laces are tied to adjust the width of the vamp, then the desired width can be achieved, but the laces must be retied as they loosen over time
Solution Approach 1:
The lace is pre-threaded through the eyelet holes and pre-tied in a fixed position, eliminating the need for users to tie or adjust the laces. The width adjustment is achieved by detaching and reattaching the lateral eyelet region, which maintains the pre-tied lace configuration, thus eliminating the repetitive action of tying and re-tying laces over time.
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
This design allows for easy entry and exit without lace manipulation, maintaining the aesthetic of laced shoes while ensuring secure fitting, reducing wear and tear on the fastening system, and accommodating various user needs.
Implementation Method 1
a securing mechanism, a lateral side of the eyelet region being removably attached to the upper with a securing mechanism
Implementation Method 2
a hinge formed in the eyelet region about which the lateral side rotates during separation from the upper
Data Source
AI summary
An article of footwear is configured so that a child or other wearer may easily insert his or her foot into the article of footwear without tying laces while maintaining the look of a laced article of footwear. A lateral portion of the eyelet region partially surrounding the vamp is removably attached to the upper, such as with a hook-and-loop system, to allow the width of the vamp to be manipulated. The medial portion of the eyelet region is fixedly attached to the upper so that the rubbing together of the medial sides of the feet to not unintentionally disengage the medial portion from the upper. The lateral portion of the eyelet region rotates on a hinge formed in the eyelet region. Laces are fixedly attached to the eyelet region. A gore strap is optionally provided for more secure wear.