Tiltable Heel Counter Structure for Stable Foot Support

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing heel counter structures in shoes fail to provide stable support for the heel regardless of heel width or calcaneus size, leading to instability, discomfort, and reduced shoe lifespan due to gaps or deformation issues.

Innovation Solution

A heel counter structure featuring a sole plate with a peripheral portion that tilts inwardly and outwardly, combined with medial and lateral heel counter portions that sandwich the heel, allowing for adjustable support to accommodate varying heel widths without deforming or creating gaps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a planar insole board with a heel counter portion is used to enclose the heel, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot provide stable heel support when heel width varies, creating gaps or causing deformation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidheel support stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The heel counter portion is designed to be tiltable relative to the insole board, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position according to the wearer's heel width. This dynamic adjustment enables the heel counter to maintain stable contact with the heel without creating gaps or causing deformation, while still being manufacturable as a standard component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The heel counter structure is divided into separate functional parts: the insole board and the tiltable heel counter portion. This segmentation allows the heel counter to move independently relative to the insole board, providing adaptability to different heel widths while maintaining structural simplicity for manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the heel counter portion is made tiltable to accommodate varying heel widths, then heel support stability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheel support stabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heel counter portion is designed to be tiltable relative to the insole board, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position according to the wearer's heel width. This dynamic adjustment enables the heel counter to maintain stable contact with the heel without creating gaps or causing deformation, while still being manufacturable as a standard component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The heel counter structure is divided into separate functional parts: the insole board and the tiltable heel counter portion. This segmentation allows the heel counter to move independently relative to the insole board, providing adaptability to different heel widths while maintaining structural simplicity for manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9232831B2Heel counter structure for a shoe

Publication Date: 2016.01.12 MIZUNO CORPORATION

AI summary

The heel counter structure includes a sole plate provided at least at the heel region of the shoe and having a peripheral portion. The peripheral portion is upraised along the heel region of the shoe so as to enclose the lower portion of the heel portion of the foot of the wearer. The heel structure also includes a pair of heel counter portions provided on the medial and lateral sides of the heel region of the shoe so as to sandwich the heel portion of the foot sideways. The heel counter portions are coupled to the peripheral portion of the sole plate at the lower ends of the heel counter portions so that the heel counter portions can tilt inwardly and outwardly independently of the sole plate. The heel counter portions are separated from the peripheral portion of the sole plate except the lower ends of the heel counter portions.