Easy-Entry Shoe Inner Layer Structure for Hands-Free Heel Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing easy-entry shoes with closed heel designs require bending down for lacing or adjusting, leading to discomfort and high manufacturing costs due to rigid structures.
Innovation Solution
A shoe design featuring a flexible inner layer attached to a firm outer layer with a rear spring mechanism, allowing easy entry without bending, using materials that are easier and less costly to produce.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rigid structure with spring element is used to enable easy entry, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex spring element and rigid structure from the shoe design. Instead of using a mechanical return mechanism, the invention extracts the unnecessary components and relies on the natural flexibility of the shoe upper material to enable easy entry and automatic return to original shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible shoe upper made of soft material that can be easily compressed by the user's foot to enable entry. The flexible material naturally returns to its original shape after compression, eliminating the need for rigid structures or spring mechanisms while maintaining ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If a rigid structure with spring element is used to enable easy entry, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the expensive spring element and rigid structural components, simplifying the manufacturing process. The invention uses only the flexible shoe upper material, which is already part of standard shoe construction, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining ease of entry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive durable components (springs and rigid structures) with simple flexible material that achieves the same function at lower cost. The flexible upper material is a standard component in shoe manufacturing, making the overall construction more cost-effective.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid structure is used around the heel, then structural stability is improved, but comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid heel structures with flexible shoe upper material that conforms to the shape of the user's foot and ankle. This flexible material provides sufficient structural support for stability while simultaneously ensuring comfort by adapting to the user's anatomy rather than forcing the foot into a rigid structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the heel area from rigid and inflexible to flexible and compliant. By modifying the material properties and structural characteristics of the upper in the heel region, the invention achieves both stability and comfort through the same flexible material.
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
Enables easy shoe entry and exit without bending, providing comfort and reducing production costs through a simplified construction.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element that returns the compressed rear side to upright position
Data Source
AI summary
A shoe including a sole and a shoe upper, the shoe upper including an opening and a vamp, the shoe upper also including an inner layer and an outer layer, where the bottom part of the outer layer is attached to the sole, where the inner layer is attached to the outer layer at a front part of the opening, and where the attachment of the inner layer to the outer layer at the front part of the opening is operative to prevent a front part of the inner layer from bending when an object is inserted into the shoe.