Cable-Fastened Sole Structure for Deconstructable Footwear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear construction methods make it challenging to deconstruct footwear articles without parts becoming contaminated or remaining affixed to one another, limiting recycling and reuse of components.
Innovation Solution
The use of cables to affix footwear components, such as the upper and sole, without chemical adhesives or thermal bonding, allowing for easy disassembly and separation of parts while maintaining stability and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional construction methods (adhesives, stitching, thermal bonding) are used to attach sole components together, then the sole structure provides strong bonding and stability, but the footwear article becomes difficult to deconstruct without contamination of parts
Solution Approach 1:
The sole structure is divided into multiple separable components (outsole, midsole, heel counter, toe cap) that can be independently removed and recycled. Each component is attached through cable tension rather than permanent bonding, enabling clean separation without contamination between materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces chemical bonding methods (adhesives, thermal bonding) with a mechanical cable tension system. Cables pass through channels and apertures in the sole components, creating a reversible mechanical attachment that maintains strength during use but allows easy deconstruction for recycling.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different materials are used in the sole structure (rubber, EVA foam, TPU), then the footwear article achieves diverse functional properties, but recycling becomes difficult due to material contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-material sole structure is segmented into distinct components (outsole, midsole, heel counter, toe cap) that can be separated cleanly. This segmentation allows each material type to be recovered independently for recycling without contamination from other materials, while still achieving the desired functional properties through material selection.
3Strength
If adhesives and thermal bonding are used to attach the upper to the sole, then the footwear article achieves strong structural integrity, but disassembly results in material contamination and loss of purity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces adhesive and thermal bonding methods with a mechanical cable tension system for attaching the upper to the sole. The cables pass through the upper and sole components, creating a strong structural connection during use but allowing clean disassembly that preserves material purity for recycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable-based construction enables easy discarding of the cable fastening system while recovering the upper and sole components in their original, uncontaminated states. This allows full recovery and recycling of valuable materials without the contamination that would result from adhesive or thermal bonding methods.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to a sole structure for an article of footwear. Components of the sole structure—e.g., a midsole core, a midsole carrier, and an outsole—may be secured to one another using one or more cables. The sole structure may likewise be secured to other elements of the article of footwear using the one or more cables. Thus, the article of footwear, including the sole structure, may be constructed without the use of an adhesive and may be easily disassembled, improving recyclability.