Footwear Sole Structure with Bladder-and-Cradle Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sole structures for footwear lack an efficient and balanced combination of cushioning, support, and responsiveness, particularly in the heel region, leading to inadequate impact attenuation and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A sole structure comprising a composite midsole with a bladder and chassis, featuring a bladder with segmented chambers and conduits, and a cradle supporting the bladder, which provides enhanced cushioning and support characteristics through a layered design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional midsole with a fluid-filled bladder is used, then cushioning is provided, but support and responsiveness are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bladder is divided into multiple segmented chambers instead of a single chamber, allowing each segment to independently respond to applied loads. This segmentation enables the bladder to provide both cushioning through fluid compression and support through the structured arrangement of chambers, resolving the contradiction between soft cushioning and firm support.
Solution Approach 2:
The sole structure combines a fluid-filled bladder with a polymer foam midsole material. The fluid provides incompressible cushioning while the foam provides resilient support and responsiveness. This composite approach allows the system to simultaneously achieve soft cushioning and firm support, addressing the technical contradiction.
2Reliability
If a polymer foam midsole material is used, then responsiveness is provided, but cushioning and impact attenuation are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges a fluid-filled bladder system with a polymer foam midsole into a single integrated structure. The fluid bladder provides superior cushioning and impact attenuation through incompressible fluid, while the foam material provides responsiveness. The combination allows the sole to simultaneously achieve soft cushioning and rapid responsiveness that neither material could provide alone.
3Strength
If the bladder is compressed under load, then cushioning is provided, but the balance between support and cushioning is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the bladder are designed with varying chamber sizes, shapes, and orientations to provide localized cushioning and support characteristics. The segmented chambers can be strategically positioned to enhance cushioning in high-impact areas while maintaining support in stability-critical regions, achieving a balanced performance across the entire sole structure.
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 enhances cushioning and support in the heel region, improving impact attenuation and overall comfort by distributing forces effectively across the sole structure.
Implementation Method 1
The bladders may contain air, and are designed with an emphasis on balancing support for the foot and cushioning characteristics that relate to responsiveness as the bladder resiliently compresses under an applied load to attenuate ground-reaction forces
Implementation Method 2
The midsole provides cushioning for the foot and may be partially formed from a polymer foam material that compresses resiliently under an applied load to cushion the foot by attenuating ground-reaction forces
Data Source
AI summary
A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a cushioning element including a first material and a cradle including a second material. The cradle is attached to the cushioning element and includes a first plate disposed against the cushioning element and a second plate spaced apart from the cushioning element, the second plate including an aperture. The sole structure additionally includes a bladder disposed within the cradle and including a first portion contacting the first plate and a second portion extending through the aperture of the second plate.