Directionally Flexible Footwear Shank With Segmented Hinges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear often compromises between providing support and flexibility, typically focusing on one aspect over the other, which is inadequate for activities requiring both, such as dance-related movements that need arch flexibility and support.
Innovation Solution
A directionally flexible shank with articulatable segments connected via hinge structures, allowing for flexibility in specific directions while maintaining support in others, formed from materials like thermoplastic elastomers and flexible sheets to accommodate various foot movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a stiff sole structure is used to provide support to the foot, then support and stability are improved, but flexibility for foot movements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The shank is divided into multiple rigid segments that are connected by flexible hinge structures. This segmentation allows the shank to maintain rigidity in each segment for support while enabling flexibility through the hinge connections between segments, resolving the contradiction between support and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The shank combines rigid materials (for the segments) with flexible materials (for the hinge structures). This composite construction allows the shank to exhibit both rigid support characteristics and flexible movement characteristics, simultaneously achieving support and flexibility.
2Ease of operation
If a flexible sole structure is used to allow foot movements, then flexibility is improved, but support to the foot is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the shank into rigid sections connected by flexible hinges, the structure provides flexibility through the hinges while maintaining support through the rigid segments. This resolves the contradiction by distributing flexibility and support to different structural components.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the shank have different mechanical properties: the segments are rigid for support while the hinge structures are flexible for movement. This local differentiation of properties allows the shank to provide both support and flexibility in appropriate locations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a directionally flexible shank with articulatable segments is used, then flexibility in specific directions is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shank is segmented into multiple rigid sections connected by hinges, creating a mechanically advantageous structure that achieves directional flexibility through a relatively simple repeating pattern. This segmentation approach provides adaptability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shank transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic articulated structure with movable hinge connections. This allows the shank to adapt its configuration based on foot movements while maintaining structural integrity, providing directional flexibility with manageable complexity.
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 robust support to the foot while allowing for flexibility in desired directions, enhancing comfort and performance during activities like dancing and athletic movements by balancing support and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
The articulatable segments are connected to each other via hinge structures, which may include living hinges formed of a thermoplastic material
Implementation Method 2
The hinge structures may include living hinges formed of a thermoplastic material
Implementation Method 3
hinge structures formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material
Data Source
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AI summary
A directionally flexible shank (132) for an article of footwear (100) is disclosed, which provides support to the bottom of a user's foot while providing flexibility for foot movements in one or more particular directions. The directionally flexible shank may also support the arch of the foot. The directionally flexible shank may include a plurality of articulatable segments (134, 136, 138) that can easily rotate with respect to each other in a first direction and thereby permit the directionally flexible shank to flex away from the foot, while limiting articulation in an opposite direction. The articulatable segments are connected to each other via hinge structures (140), which may include living hinges formed of a thermoplastic material. The hinge structures may also be formed from a flexible sheet attached to a bottom portion of the directionally flexible shank. Methods are also disclosed for manufacturing the directionally flexible shank.