Anisotropic Bending Shoe Sole Plate for Gait Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shoe soles face a trade-off between comfort and performance, as they either prioritize flexibility for comfort or stiffness for performance, often leading to discomfort and increased injury risk during high-speed activities.
Innovation Solution
A shoe sole with an anisotropic bending property, featuring a sole plate with varying stiffness in different directions, allowing for dorsal flexion and plantar flexion, which is optimized for comfort during landing and stiffness during push-off, combined with a midsole and reinforcing elements for enhanced support and cushioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sole plate is made stiff to improve performance at high running speeds, then performance and injury prevention are improved, but wearing comfort deteriorates during low-speed activities
Solution Approach 1:
The sole plate incorporates regions with different bending stiffnesses - a first region with higher bending stiffness for performance and injury prevention, and a second region with lower bending stiffness for comfort during landing and transition phases of the gait cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The sole plate is designed to dynamically adapt its stiffness characteristics throughout the gait cycle, being stiff when needed for push-off and performance, and flexible during landing and transition periods, allowing the shoe to respond to different phases of running
2Ease of operation
If the sole plate is made flexible to improve wearing comfort, then comfort during landing and transition is improved, but performance at high running speeds deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sole plate incorporates regions with different bending stiffnesses - a first region with higher bending stiffness for performance and injury prevention, and a second region with lower bending stiffness for comfort during landing and transition phases of the gait cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The sole plate is designed to dynamically adapt its stiffness characteristics throughout the gait cycle, being stiff when needed for push-off and performance, and flexible during landing and transition periods, allowing the shoe to respond to different phases of running
3Device complexity
If the sole plate has uniform bending stiffness to simplify design and manufacturing, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to provide both comfort and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sole plate incorporates regions with different bending stiffnesses - a first region with higher bending stiffness for performance and injury prevention, and a second region with lower bending stiffness for comfort during landing and transition phases of the gait cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The sole plate is designed to dynamically adapt its stiffness characteristics throughout the gait cycle, being stiff when needed for push-off and performance, and flexible during landing and transition periods, allowing the shoe to respond to different phases of running
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 solution provides a comfortable and performance-enhancing sole that reduces injury risk by adapting stiffness based on the gait cycle, improving running economy without compromising comfort, specifically benefiting long-distance runners by allowing optimal bending and energy return.
Implementation Method 1
The sole plate has an anisotropic bending property, wherein the sole plate allows an anisotropic bending of the sole element in one direction
Implementation Method 2
The anisotropic bending property of the sole plate allows an anisotropic bending of the sole element in one direction so that a maximum performance of a wearer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a sole element for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe. The sole element includes a midsole and a sole plate with an anisotropic bending property. The sole plate is arranged on top of the midsole.