Shoe Cup Insert with Hinge Mechanism to Reduce Foot Entry Friction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shoe horn designs fail to address uncomfortable friction between a shoe tongue and the topside of a wearer's foot, especially when the shoe tongue is made of hard materials, and do not provide a seamless foot entry experience across various shoe designs and sizes.
Innovation Solution
A foot entry-assisting topside shoe tab featuring a flexible shoe cup insert with a hinge or looped pull string that can be easily inserted into the shoe tongue to reduce friction and accommodate both left and right shoes, allowing for smooth foot entry and easy removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional shoe horn is used to assist foot entry, then foot placement friction is reduced, but uncomfortable friction between the shoe tongue and the topside of the foot remains unresolved
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe cup insert acts as an intermediary component placed between the shoe tongue and the foot topside. It provides a low-friction interface that mediates the interaction between the rigid shoe tongue and the sensitive foot surface, reducing uncomfortable friction while maintaining structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The shoe cup insert is made from flexible materials such as vinyl, rubber, or silicone that can conform to the curvature of the shoe tongue and provide a smooth, low-friction surface. This flexible shell approach allows the insert to adapt to different shoe shapes while maintaining its friction-reducing function.
2Manufacturing precision
If a shoe-specific design is created for left or right shoes, then fitting precision is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe cup insert is designed with a symmetric or ambidextrous geometry that allows it to function effectively in both left and right shoes. The hinge mechanism enables the insert to adapt to different orientations, making a single design universal for all shoe types without requiring separate left and right versions.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism introduces dynamic adaptability to the shoe cup insert, allowing it to rotate and adjust its orientation based on whether it is inserted in a left or right shoe. This dynamic adjustment capability enables a single static component to achieve side-specific fitting precision without requiring separate designs.
3Strength
If the shoe cup insert is made rigid for structural support, then heel area support is improved, but adaptability to different shoe curvatures and sizes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe cup insert is constructed from flexible materials that can bend and conform to the specific curvature of different shoe tongues while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to provide heel support. The flexibility allows adaptation to various shoe sizes and shapes without compromising the support function.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert may utilize composite material construction combining flexible polymers with reinforcing elements, providing both the necessary flexibility to adapt to different shoe curvatures and the structural strength to support the heel area effectively.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If the shoe cup insert remains in the shoe after foot entry, then continuous support is provided, but removal creates waste and requires additional disposal steps
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe cup insert is equipped with a pull tab or attached string that enables the user to easily retrieve and remove the insert from the shoe after use. This self-service design allows the insert to be conveniently removed and reused or disposed of without requiring additional tools or complex removal procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The design facilitates easy discarding or recovery of the shoe cup insert after use. The pull tab mechanism allows users to quickly remove the insert for disposal or for storage and reuse with another shoe, reducing waste through recovery and reuse opportunities.
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 reduces uncomfortable friction during foot entry, provides a near-frictionless support, and is portable, storable, and reusable across different shoe designs and sizes, enhancing the convenience and comfort of shoe wear.
Implementation Method 1
a shoe cup insert made of a flexible material, wherein the shoe cup insert is configured to be flexibly bent to fit into a curvature of a bottom surface of a shoe tongue
Implementation Method 2
a hinge attached to a side of the shoe cup insert; a hinge pivot at least partially encapsulated by the hinge, wherein the hinge and the shoe cup are configured to swing around the hinge pivot
Data Source
AI summary
A foot entry-assisting topside shoe tab improves a shoe wearer's foot entry by reducing uncomfortable friction between a shoe tongue and a dorsum of the shoe wearer's foot. In one embodiment, the foot entry-assisting topside shoe tab incorporates a shoe cup insert, a hinge attached to one side of the shoe cup insert, a hinge pivot that allows the shoe cup insert and the hinge to swing around the hinge pivot, and a pull string located near one end of the hinge pivot. In another embodiment, the foot entry-assisting topside shoe tab incorporates a shoe cup insert, a first hole, a second hole, and a looped pull string that loops around the first hole and the second hole. The foot entry-assisting topside shoe tab is side-insensitive and is nearly frictionless at a bottom side of the shoe tongue that otherwise rubs uncomfortably against the dorsum of a shoe wearer's foot.