Shoe Lace Shifting Prevention via Rigid Edging Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shoelaces in many laced shoes tend to shift over time, causing one end to be too long and the other too short, making it difficult to tie a neat knot, especially in shoes with short eyelet rows, and existing solutions are either bulky or visually unappealing.
Innovation Solution
A permanent rigid connection between the shoelace and the shoe's upper, using a fixed edging element with a through-hole that securely anchors the shoelace, preventing shifting by employing a firm connection, such as friction, spikes, or overmolding, and is designed to be visually inconspicuous.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a permanent rigid connection is made between the shoelace and shoe upper using a fixed edging element, then the shoelace stability and positioning precision are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The edging element combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: it reinforces the eyelet opening, provides a through-hole for the shoelace, and creates the permanent rigid connection point. This merging eliminates the need for separate reinforcement pieces and connection mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The edging element is pre-fixed to the shoe upper before the shoelace is threaded through it. This preliminary action ensures precise positioning is established in advance, and the subsequent shoelace threading simply requires passing through the pre-positioned edging element, simplifying the overall connection process.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a clamping part is used to block shoelace movement between eyelets, then the shoelace shifting is prevented, but the visual appearance is worsened due to the bulky blocking element
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the stabilization function from the bulky clamping part and relocates it to the edging element at the eyelet. By removing the intermediate blocking elements between eyelets and concentrating the stabilization function at the eyelet connection point, the visual appearance is improved while shoelace stability is maintained through the permanent rigid connection.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of preventing shoelace movement along the length of the shoe (horizontal dimension), the edging element prevents shifting at the connection point through a permanent rigid connection in the vertical dimension (through the thickness of the upper). This dimensional shift eliminates the need for bulky horizontal blocking elements.
3Ease of operation
If traditional shoelace lacing is used without permanent connection, then the shoe can be easily taken off, but the shoelace shifts over time causing one end to be too long and the other too short
Solution Approach 1:
The edging element with its fixed position and through-hole structure automatically maintains the shoelace in the correct position during both wearing and removal. The permanent rigid connection serves itself to prevent shifting without requiring additional active components or user intervention, while the shoelace can still be freely threaded and unthreaded through the edging element for easy shoe removal.
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 ensures the shoelace remains securely attached to the shoe at a central point, preventing shifting during use, allowing for precise positioning and a visually appealing design.
Implementation Method 1
The retaining element has elements to which the end region, threaded through the edged through-hole, of the shoelace is able to be releasably fixed
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a shoe which has two rows of laceholes (4) in the planar upper (3) thereof and a shoelace (1) threaded into the laceholes (4) and an edging element (2, 9, 14) which is fastened to one of the laceholes (4) in the upper (3) and is fixed against movement away from the lacehole (4) and has a through-hole (5) through which the shoelace (1) extends. A rigid connection that is permanent, that is to say cannot be detached non-destructively, is provided between the edging element (2, 9, 14) and the longitudinal region of the shoelace (1) passing through said element.