Shoe Upper with Protruding Bag-Shaped Portion for Foot Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shoe uppers often have gaps between the shoe and the foot, particularly in areas with low foot curvature, leading to uneven pressure distribution and reduced fit comfort, and the methods to address this, such as using lining materials, increase manufacturing complexity and environmental waste.
Innovation Solution
The shoe upper features a dual-layer design with a cushioning material inside a bag-shaped portion that protrudes towards the foot, eliminating the need for additional lining materials and reducing manufacturing processes, thereby minimizing environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lining material is attached to form a bag-shaped portion to fill gaps between the upper and foot, then the fit feeling to the foot is improved, but the number of manufacturing processes and amount of waste materials increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the upper material and lining material into a single integrated upper structure. The upper material itself is configured to form a bag-shaped portion that protrudes toward the foot, eliminating the need for separate lining material attachment processes. This integration maintains the gap-filling function while reducing manufacturing complexity and waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper material serves multiple functions: it provides the structural framework of the upper and simultaneously forms the bag-shaped portion that fills gaps. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated lining materials, reducing both manufacturing steps and material waste while maintaining fit comfort.
2Reliability
If a lining material is attached to form a bag-shaped portion to fill gaps between the upper and foot, then the fit feeling to the foot is improved, but the amount of waste materials increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the upper material and lining material into a single integrated upper structure. The upper material itself is configured to form a bag-shaped portion that protrudes toward the foot, eliminating the need for separate lining material attachment processes. This integration maintains the gap-filling function while reducing manufacturing complexity and waste.
Solution Approach 2:
By integrating the lining function into the upper material itself, the invention eliminates discarded lining materials that would otherwise be waste. The upper material is fully utilized to perform both structural and comfort functions, reducing material waste and environmental load.
3Ease of manufacture
If the upper is manufactured by assembling a planar material into a three-dimensional shape, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but gaps are likely to be generated between the upper and the foot
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates the bag-shaped portion configuration directly into the upper material before final assembly. By pre-configuring the upper material with the protruding bag-shaped structure in the low-curvature areas, the gap-filling function is built-in during the planar material assembly process, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while preventing gap formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper material is configured with different local structures: a bag-shaped portion in low-curvature areas and a flat structure in high-curvature areas. This local differentiation allows the upper to adapt to foot geometry variations, filling gaps in specific areas while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An upper includes an upper main body that covers an instep of a foot. The upper main body includes: a first portion including a plurality of linear bodies and formed by one layer; and a bag-shaped second portion formed by two layers in which some of the plurality of linear bodies constituting the first portion serve as one layer and the rest of the plurality of linear bodies serves as another layer. Inside the second portion, a cushioning material is put. The second portion protrudes toward a foot of a wearer with respect to the first portion.