Sliding collapsable shoe tree

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional shoe storage solutions are bulky, inefficient, and prone to clutter and safety hazards, as they occupy valuable space and do not effectively organize or protect shoes.

Innovation Solution

A sliding shoe tree with a vertical trunk and adjustable horizontal branches that collapse and interlock, allowing for compact storage under a bed or against a closet wall, featuring rotatable portions and a handle for easy retrieval and organization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional shoe storage apparatus are used, then shoes can be stored, but they occupy valuable space and create clutter

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of shoes storedVSAvoidstorage space occupied

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The shoe tree employs nested horizontal branches that can be collapsed into each other, allowing the storage structure to reduce its footprint when not in use while maintaining capacity to store multiple pairs of shoes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The shoe tree features movable horizontal branches that can slide along the vertical trunk, enabling the structure to dynamically adjust its configuration between expanded storage mode and collapsed compact mode for space efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Quantity of substance

If vertical shoe trees are used, then shoes can be stored upright, but they take away from clothing storage space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of shoes storedVSAvoidcloset space occupied

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The shoe tree utilizes the vertical dimension with a slender trunk that extends upward, allowing shoes to be stored in a vertical arrangement that minimizes horizontal closet space while maximizing storage capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Quantity of substance

If horizontal shoe trees are used, then shoes can be stored flat, but they take away from floor space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of shoes storedVSAvoidfloor space occupied

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The shoe tree transitions from horizontal to vertical orientation, utilizing vertical closet space instead of horizontal floor space to store multiple pairs of shoes without blocking walkways

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Stability of the object's composition

If shoe boxes are stacked, then shoes can be organized in pairs, but the column can easily fall down

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshoe pair organizationVSAvoidstack stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The shoe tree employs curved living hinges that provide flexible yet stable connection points, allowing the structure to maintain stability while accommodating the organized storage of multiple shoe pairs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

5Quantity of substance

If conventional shoe storage is used, then shoes can be stored, but they are easily separated and unorganized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of shoes storedVSAvoidshoe pair organization

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The shoe tree combines multiple horizontal branches into a single integrated vertical structure, allowing matching shoe pairs to be stored together on the same branch while maintaining organized arrangement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10709268B2Sliding collapsable shoe tree

Publication Date: 2020.07.14 WOODSON TERRI LYNN

AI summary

A shoe tree comprises a vertical trunk member with a handle. Multiple horizontal branches are spaced along a span of the trunk, in various possible configurations. The horizontal branch has a rigid portion that extends in a generally perpendicular manner from the vertical trunk member. The handle allows the shoe tree to be easily slid under, and retrieved from under, a bed. The horizontal branch also has a rotatable portion on each end that extends from an end of the horizontal branch on one end and is connected by a living hinge. In operation, a shoe bag slides onto the rotatable portion and is then locked into place. When locked into place, the overall space consumed by the shoe tree is much smaller.