Rollable Bistable Sandal Shoe for Hinge-Free Walking Comfort
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sandals with hinges create unevenness in the footbed, making them uncomfortable for walking, and there is a need for a more efficient and cost-effective design that allows easy transport without occupying much space.
Innovation Solution
A sandal shoe design featuring a flexible sole and footbed made of rollable bistable material, connected by releasable material such as yarn or cord, allowing the shoe to be rolled up for transport, with optional attachment means like holes or stitching for easy assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hinges are used to enable folding sandals, then transport convenience is improved, but footbed unevenness occurs making walking uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the hinge mechanism from the sandal design and replaces it with a rollable structure. The bistable material allows the sandal to be rolled up for transport without requiring hinges that would create footbed unevenness. This extraction of the problematic hinge element resolves the contradiction by maintaining transport convenience through rolling while eliminating the harmful footbed unevenness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs bistable material that can dynamically change its configuration between a flat state for walking and a rolled-up state for transport. This dynamic property allows the sandal to adapt its form based on usage needs, providing both comfortable walking surface and compact transportability without requiring rigid hinge joints.
2Productivity
If traditional sandal designs are used, then production simplicity is maintained, but transport efficiency is poor due to large space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The sandal structure is designed to nest within itself when rolled up, with the footbed wrapping around the sole and the bistable material forming a compact cylindrical shape. This nesting capability dramatically reduces transport volume while maintaining relative structural simplicity, addressing the contradiction between transport efficiency and structure complexity.
3Ease of operation
If releasable material is added for easy attachment, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The releasable material system is segmented into separate components: attachment means on the sandal body and corresponding receptacles on the footbed. This segmentation allows for simple, modular attachment and detachment without requiring complex integrated mechanisms, resolving the contradiction by providing easy operation through simple separable connections rather than complex unified structures.
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 design provides comfort during walking, efficient production, and convenient transport by rolling up the sandals, reducing space requirements and production costs.
Implementation Method 1
the sole and the footbed comprise an elongate object of rollable bistable material
Implementation Method 2
The releasable material particularly comprises ribbon, lace or cord, preferably made of leather, such as cow leather, cotton, polyester, elastic, rope, or a metallic ribbon
Data Source
AI summary
A sandal shoe comprising a flexible sole on the underside and a footbed on the upper side and releasable material, wherein the sole and the footbed comprise an elongate object of rollable bistable material, and a means for connecting releasable material to the sole and the footbed. Two embodiments thereof are described: the sole (2) and the footbed (3) enclose the rollable bistable material (4) or the footbed itself is the rollable bistable material. The means comprises for instance an attachment suitable for passage of releasable material, provided on the rear side of the footbed. An application for transporting the sandal shoe is further described wherein the sandal shoe is transported while rolled up, for instance in a bag or on an arm.