Shoe Upper Layer Segmentation with Low-Stiffness Flex Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shoe uppers exhibit varying stiffness levels, with areas lacking a reinforcing layer being less stiff, leading to a desire for further reduction in stiffness to enhance followability during foot movements.
Innovation Solution
The upper incorporates a low stiffness region devoid of a third layer, featuring through holes and non-hole regions, allowing for localized reduction in stiffness by eliminating the third layer in specific areas where foot bending and twisting occur.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a third layer is disposed in the upper to increase stiffness, then structural stability is improved, but followability during foot movement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The upper is divided into multiple regions with different layer configurations: a first region with all three layers for structural stability, a second region with only first and second layers for flexibility, and a third region with only the first layer for maximum flexibility. This segmentation allows different parts of the upper to have different stiffness characteristics tailored to their functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the upper are assigned different quality characteristics through selective layer disposal. The first region maintains full layer structure for stability, while the second and third regions progressively reduce layers to achieve local flexibility and followability where foot movement occurs most frequently.
2Strength
If the third layer is disposed throughout the entire upper, then overall stiffness increases, but local flexibility needed for foot movement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The upper surface is segmented into multiple regions with different third layer configurations. The first region has the third layer for overall structural support, while the second and third regions exclude the third layer to provide local flexibility zones that accommodate foot movement without compromising overall strength.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the third layer is completely removed from certain regions, then followability improves, but structural support in those regions may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The third layer is selectively disposed only in regions where structural support is critical (first region), while being excluded from regions where flexibility is prioritized (second and third regions). This local quality differentiation ensures that structural support and followability are optimized in their respective zones without compromising overall upper performance.
Data Source
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AI summary
An upper (2) includes an upper body (20) covering the instep of a foot. An upper body (20) includes a first layer, a second layer disposed with a gap from the first layer, and a third layer connecting the first layer and the second layer. A part of the upper body (20) is disposed with a low stiffness region (4) having lower stiffness than an adjacent region. At least a part of the low stiffness region (4) has a point in which the third layer is not disposed. A plurality of holes (5) is disposed in at least a part of a portion of the first layer and the second layer of the low stiffness region (4) corresponding to the point in which the third layer is not disposed.