Shoe Upper Panel String Fabric Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Athletic shoes require stability, light weight, and improved fitting quality, but existing materials with high rigidity provide poor fitting due to weight and deformation issues during direction-changing sports actions.

Innovation Solution

A shoe upper structure featuring a combination of panel portions and string portions made from a single piece of fabric, where the string portions are thinner and more flexible, allowing for better deformation and fitting, while the panel portions provide stability and support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If high rigidity artificial material or polyurethane resin material is used to ensure stability, then stability in transverse direction is improved, but weight increases and fitting quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability in transverse directionVSAvoidweight of upper

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The upper is divided into multiple panel portions (first, second, third panel portions) arranged in the foot girth direction, connected by string portions. This segmentation allows each panel to provide stability while the overall structure reduces weight through the linear member connections rather than using solid material throughout.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the upper have different structural characteristics - panel portions provide rigidity and stability where needed, while string portions made from linear members provide flexibility and weight reduction in connecting regions. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between stability and weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If high rigidity artificial material or polyurethane resin material is used to ensure stability, then stability in transverse direction is improved, but fitting quality deteriorates due to buckling and poor conformity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability in transverse directionVSAvoidfitting quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Dividing the upper into discrete panel portions connected by string portions allows the structure to maintain stability at panel locations while enabling flexibility and conformability at connection points, improving overall fitting quality without sacrificing transverse stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The panel portions maintain rigidity for stability while the string portions made from linear members provide flexibility for better conformity to foot movements and deformations, resolving the contradiction between stability and fitting quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If low-rigidity mesh member or stretchable member is used to improve fitting quality, then fitting quality is improved, but stability in foot width direction is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefitting qualityVSAvoidstability in foot width direction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The panel portions are positioned and configured to provide stability specifically in the foot width (transverse) direction where support is needed, while allowing flexibility in other directions. This localized stability provision improves fitting quality without sacrificing necessary transverse stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Weight of moving object

If panel portions and string portions are formed from single piece of fabric, then weight is reduced and fitting quality is improved, but manufacturing complexity may increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of upperVSAvoidmanufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The panel portions and string portions are formed as a single integrated piece of fabric rather than separate components. This merging reduces the total weight by eliminating additional materials and simplifies assembly, though it requires specific fabric construction methods to achieve the panel-string pattern.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11617416B2Shoe upper

Publication Date: 2023.04.04 ASICS CORP

AI summary

An upper of a shoe covering at least a part of a foot, the upper including: a medial portion covering a medial surface of the foot; a lateral portion covering a lateral surface of the foot; a plurality of panel portions provided in the medial portion and/or the lateral portion while being spaced apart from each other in a front-rear direction of the foot and extending in a foot girth direction crossing the front-rear direction of the foot; and a plurality of string portions formed from linear members extending in the front-rear direction, and arranged so as to extend between a pair of the plurality of panel portions that are adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, wherein the panel portion and the string portion are formed from a single piece of fabric.