Shoe Upper with Integrated Fiber Optic Illuminating Logo
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shoe uppers with light-emitting functions, such as flashing lights or LEDs, are inefficient to manufacture, aesthetically unattractive, and prone to detachment, limiting their functionality and appeal.
Innovation Solution
A fiber optic fabric is developed by interweaving transparent and opaque warp yarns with fiber optic weft yarns to create a pattern on the surface, where the fiber optic weft yarns always go over opaque warp yarns during weaving, ensuring the pattern is integral and not easily detached, and incorporating additional weft yarns for color and light management, enhancing manufacturing efficiency and aesthetic appeal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If LEDs are simply attached onto the shoe uppers, then the light emitting function is achieved, but the manufacturing time increases and manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light-emitting function directly into the shoe upper by integrating optical fibers into the fabric structure itself. The optical fibers are woven into the upper during the manufacturing process, combining the structural and light-emitting functions into a single integrated component, thereby eliminating the need for separate LED attachment steps and improving manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fiber serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a structural element of the shoe upper and a light transmission medium. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components, reducing manufacturing steps and improving productivity while maintaining the light-emitting function.
2Adaptability or versatility
If LEDs are attached onto the shoe uppers, then the light emitting function is achieved, but the LEDs are easily detached from the shoe uppers
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the light-emitting function into the fabric structure through integrated optical fibers, the patent eliminates the attachment interface between separate components. The optical fibers become an intrinsic part of the shoe upper, removing the risk of detachment and improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the light-emitting function from separate attachable components and embeds it directly into the fabric structure. This extraction of the function from separate parts and integration into the base material eliminates the detachment problem entirely.
3Adaptability or versatility
If LEDs are attached onto the shoe uppers, then the light emitting function is achieved, but the appearance becomes aesthetically unattractive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using optical fibers with specific properties (transparency, flexibility) that match the surrounding fabric material. The optical fibers are woven into the fabric in a way that maintains the overall aesthetic quality of the shoe upper while providing the light-emitting function, creating a harmonious appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fibers are integrated into the fabric structure in a homogeneous manner, blending seamlessly with the surrounding material. This homogeneity ensures that the light-emitting elements do not stand out as separate components, maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the shoe upper.
4Productivity
If a pattern formation part with fiber optic pattern is integrated into the shoe upper, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pattern formation function with the structural fabric by integrating optical fibers directly into the weaving pattern. This combination allows the same manufacturing process to create both the structural fabric and the luminous pattern, improving manufacturing efficiency without requiring separate pattern application steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fibers are incorporated into the fabric structure during the initial weaving process, performing the pattern formation action preliminarily before the shoe upper is assembled. This preliminary integration of the luminous pattern into the fabric during manufacturing simplifies subsequent assembly steps and improves overall manufacturing efficiency.
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 integrates a luminous pattern into the shoe upper efficiently, improving manufacturing speed and reducing the risk of detachment, while providing an aesthetically attractive and functional illuminating effect.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the first and second warp yarns are transparent, transmitting at least part of light
Implementation Method 2
first optic fiber weft yarns... A pattern of the first fiber optic weft yarns is formed on the surface
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a shoe upper with an illuminating logo. The upper includes a main body part, a logo part, and a lighting unit, in which the logo part for illumination may be formed integrally with the upper, providing the upper with an illumination feature. In this way, the upper with an illuminating logo can be manufactured with a reduced amount of time, leading to an improved manufacturing efficiency. In addition, the logo part is much less likely to come off and there is no need for an adhesive or bonding, creating an aesthetically attractive appearance from outside.