Footwear Sole Check Valve Venting for Mud Vacuum Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearing boots in wet areas with high viscosity materials creates a vacuum that makes them difficult to pull out, leading to mobility issues and potential danger.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating check valves in fluid passageways within the sole of footwear to equalize pressure between the interior and exterior, allowing atmospheric pressure to relieve the vacuum and prevent sticking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the footwear article has a sealed sole to prevent water or viscous material ingress, then waterproofing and protection are improved, but vacuum adhesion to the sole increases making it difficult to remove from viscous materials
Solution Approach 1:
The sealed sole is segmented by introducing fluid passageways that divide the sole into separate zones. These passageways create localized pressure equalization zones that allow the sole to maintain overall sealing while having specific segments that can equalize pressure with the exterior environment, preventing vacuum adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary mechanism (the fluid passageway system with check valves or one-way flow control) is introduced between the interior and exterior of the footwear. This intermediary allows controlled fluid communication that equalizes pressure during removal from viscous materials while maintaining waterproofing during normal wear.
2Ease of operation
If check valves are added to equalize pressure and prevent vacuum adhesion, then ease of removal from viscous materials is improved, but water or low viscosity liquids may enter the footwear
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid passageway system incorporates dynamic flow control through check valves or one-way flow mechanisms that change their state based on pressure differential. During normal wear, the valves remain closed to maintain waterproofing. During removal from viscous materials, the pressure differential opens the valves to equalize pressure, then they close again to maintain sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the flow parameters of the fluid passageways based on operational conditions. The check valves alter the flow direction and pressure characteristics dynamically, allowing pressure equalization in one direction while preventing fluid ingress from the opposite direction, thus adapting the waterproofing parameter based on the operational state.
3Reliability
If multiple separate fluid passageways with check valves are used, then pressure equalization effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fluid passageways are merged into an integrated network within the sole structure. The check valves and passageways are combined into a unified pressure equalization system that works collectively rather than as separate independent components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid passageway system is designed with multi-functionality where the same structure serves multiple purposes: pressure equalization during removal from viscous materials, structural reinforcement of the sole, and potential drainage function. This universality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby reducing complexity.
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 check valves enable easy removal of footwear from viscous materials by equalizing pressure, enhancing mobility and safety in challenging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The check valves allow higher atmospheric pressure to equalize pressure between the top of the footwear and vacuum on the sole of the footwear
Implementation Method 2
When the footwear is worn in low viscosity areas such as water, the check valves keep water or other low viscosity liquids from entering the footwear
Data Source
AI summary
A footwear article having a vacuum release mechanism is disclosed. The vacuum release mechanism equalizes pressure to release a vacuum created beneath the footwear article, thereby eliminating an undesired retention of the footwear article in high-viscosity materials such as mud or concrete. The vacuum release mechanism includes at least one check valve disposed in at least one fluid passageway formed in a sole of a footwear article. The at least one fluid passageway fluidly connects an exterior environment with an interior of the footwear article.