Additive Manufacturing Shoe Sole with Custom Footbed
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of custom-made orthopedic shoes is complex and expensive, and custom-made insoles often lack optimal wearing comfort and orthopedic properties due to their moderate adaptation to the shoes they are used with.
Innovation Solution
A method for producing a one-piece shoe sole using additive manufacturing, where an individual data record is created for the wearer containing surface profiling and strength map information, allowing for the production of a personalized footbed and sole using additive manufacturing processes, which can be applied directly to a floor sole, enabling precise fit and optimal orthopedic effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If custom-made orthopedic shoes are produced using conventional methods, then orthopedic properties are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the insole and outsole into a single integrated shoe sole component produced by one additive manufacturing process. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing of insoles and outsoles, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining customized orthopedic properties through digital design and single-step production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical manufacturing methods (molding, cutting, assembly) with additive manufacturing technology. This substitution enables complex customized geometries to be produced directly from digital data without requiring expensive molds or multiple assembly steps, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
2Reliability
If custom-made insoles are produced separately, then orthopedic adaptation is improved, but fit and comfort deteriorate due to moderate adaptation to the shoe
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the insole and outsole into a single integrated component, the patent ensures that the orthopedic adaptation is maintained throughout the entire shoe sole structure. The customized geometry designed for orthopedic support is preserved without compromise, while the integrated structure eliminates potential slip or discomfort issues that arise from separate insole-shoe interfaces.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additive manufacturing is used for entire shoes, then individualization is improved, but production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shoe production process by applying additive manufacturing only to the shoe sole (insole and outsole integration) while keeping other shoe components conventional. This selective application of additive manufacturing achieves individualization where it is most needed for orthopedic customization, while avoiding the extended production time and cost that would result from manufacturing entire shoes additively.
4Productivity
If traditional shoe production methods are used, then production speed is maintained, but customization and precision fit are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical molding and assembly methods with additive manufacturing for the shoe sole. This substitution enables precision fit through direct digital-to-physical manufacturing, where the customized geometry is built layer-by-layer according to digital foot scans and orthopedic requirements, achieving high manufacturing precision without sacrificing production efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe sole (10) for a shoe, comprising the steps of creating an individual data set for a prospective wearer of the shoe, which includes information regarding a desired surface profiling of a footbed (16) of the shoe sole (10) and/or regarding a strength characteristic of the footbed (16) of the shoe sole (10), providing a base plate (12), manufacturing the footbed (16) by means of an additive manufacturing process based on the individual data set, and applying the footbed (16) to the base plate (12). The invention further relates to a shoe sole manufactured in this way, a method for manufacturing a shoe with such a shoe sole, and the shoe manufactured in this way.