Shoe Lace With Composite Wire Core for Easier Tying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shoe laces are difficult for children and individuals with physical disabilities to tie due to lack of fine motor skills and comfort issues, and existing solutions with copper wire cores are prone to breakage and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A shoe lace design featuring a plurality of bendable support elements permanently held within a limp material at each end tip by a sleeve, using either a metal or plastic sleeve with three coated and fused wires, providing increased strength and resilience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single piece of uncoated copper wire is used as the lace core, then the shoe lace is easier to manipulate and tie, but it is more easily prone to breakage and can pierce the sheath making the shoe lace unsafe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining multiple coated wires (steel core with plastic coating) instead of using a single uncoated copper wire. This composite structure provides both the necessary flexibility for tying and the strength to prevent breakage and piercing, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the wire by applying plastic coating to the steel core. This parameter change (coating) increases the wire's resistance to breakage and prevents it from piercing the sheath, while maintaining sufficient flexibility for manipulation and tying.
2Ease of operation
If different markings or mechanisms are added to the outer sheath of the shoe lace, then it may assist users in tying, but it will only confuse these individuals once they have learned and started using a conventional shoe lace
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by keeping the outer sheath uniform and without markings or mechanisms. This homogeneous design avoids confusing users who have already learned to tie conventional laces, while the improved core structure provides the necessary assistance through its physical properties alone.
3Reliability
If a non-metallic material is used for the shoe lace core, then it is safer and less prone to breakage, but it is not easy to manipulate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials (steel core with plastic coating) that combine the strength and safety of metal with the manipulation ease of non-metallic materials. The coated structure provides both durability and flexibility, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the core material by applying plastic coating to steel wires. This parameter change maintains the strength and safety of the metal core while providing the flexibility and ease of manipulation characteristic of non-metallic materials.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to an improved shoe lace comprised of a plurality of bendable support elements permanently held within a limp material at each of the two end tips by a sleeve, whereby the lace enables children, and persons with physical disabilities, to more easily tie their shoes, as well as staying tied while wearing the improved shoe laces.