Animated Shoelace Loop Holder for Teaching Tying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for teaching children to tie their shoelaces, such as the 'bunny ears' method, are often abstract and not engaging, particularly for young children and those with special learning needs, leading to frustration and difficulty in mastering this essential developmental milestone.
Innovation Solution
A fashionable shoe accessory device featuring a flexible patterned material with pre-formed holes and slit-apertures that forms an animated character, acting as a loop holder to assist children in tying shoelaces by creating a concrete and engaging narrative, allowing them to practice tying shoelaces while forming the character's features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional bunny ears method is used to teach shoelace tying, then the method is simple to understand, but it is abstract and not engaging for children
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (the animated character accessory with pre-formed loops) that mediates between the child and the abstract bunny ears method. The device provides concrete visual representation of the loops as character features, making the abstract concept tangible and engaging while maintaining the simplicity of the original method
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a physical copy/representation of the bunny ears concept by forming loops that resemble animated character features (eyes, nose, mouth). This copying transforms the abstract narrative into concrete visual forms that children can see and interact with, enhancing engagement while preserving the underlying tying mechanism
2Productivity
If conventional bunny ears method is used, then the tying process is straightforward, but it is frustrating for children with special learning needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shoelace tying process into distinct stages facilitated by the device: forming loops through pre-formed holes, manipulating loops through slit-apertures, and completing the bow. This segmentation breaks down the complex task into manageable steps, reducing frustration for children with special learning needs while maintaining learning efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The device acts as a mediator that provides physical guidance and structure throughout the tying process. The pre-formed loops and slit-apertures offer tactile cues and constraints that help children with special learning needs navigate each step, reducing frustration while maintaining productivity
3Ease of manufacture
If abstract bunny ears narrative is used, then the method is easy to explain, but it does not provide concrete visual engagement for children
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates physical copies of the bunny ears narrative elements by forming loops that become animated character features. This copying provides concrete visual representation that maintains the simplicity of the original narrative while adding engaging visual and tactile dimensions for children
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the abstract bunny ears narrative from a two-dimensional verbal description to a three-dimensional physical form that children can see, touch, and manipulate. The loops become actual character features on the shoe, adding spatial and tactile dimensions that enhance visual engagement while preserving the ease of explanation
Data Source
AI summary
A fashionable footwear accessory device for use with a shoelace passed through the eyelets of an article of footwear, in such a manner that when mounted to said article of footwear, the fashionable footwear accessory device resembles an animated character, fictional or real in nature, that is mounted on top of the article of footwear. The fashionable footwear accessory device comprises a flexible patterned material piece having: two spaced-apart pre-formed holes for forming an aminated character's ears; two spaced-apart pairs of slit-apertures for forming the animated character's eyes; a pair of slit-apertures for forming the animated character's nose; and a pair of slit-apertures for forming the animated character's mouth; wherein the face of the animated character is completed when the shoelace is weaved through the holes and apertures of the flexible patterned material piece and tied together to form the animated character's ears, eyes, nose and mouth.