Fluid-Filled Chamber Reinforced Surface Footwear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional polymer foam midsoles in athletic footwear deteriorate with repeated compressions, leading to decreased compressibility and force attenuation, which affects the comfort and performance of the shoe.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a fluid-filled chamber within the midsole, formed by thermoforming or blow-molding techniques using polymer sheets, which provides pressurized fluid for enhanced cushioning and stability while minimizing expansion due to interior bonds and overlapping sheet configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If polymer foam material is used for the midsole, then cushioning and comfort are provided, but the material deteriorates with repeated compressions leading to decreased compressibility and force attenuation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the cushioning material from solid polymer foam to fluid-filled chamber. The fluid (gas or liquid) maintains constant pressure and volume characteristics that do not deteriorate with repeated compressions, thereby resolving the durability issue while maintaining cushioning functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a fluid-filled chamber (pneumatic or hydraulic system) within the midsole structure. The fluid under pressure provides consistent cushioning forces that do not degrade over time, replacing the deteriorating polymer foam cell structure while maintaining the necessary comfort and shock attenuation properties.
2Reliability
If fluid-filled chamber is incorporated into the midsole, then mass is reduced and deterioration is decreased, but the chamber requires complex manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fluid-filled chamber with the midsole structure into an integrated component. The chamber is formed as a single piece with the midsole using combined molding processes, eliminating separate assembly steps and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the durability benefits of the fluid-filled design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction by combining the fluid-filled chamber with the midsole material in a unified structure. This integration allows the chamber to be manufactured as part of the sole assembly, simplifying production while preserving the non-deteriorating characteristics of the fluid-filled design.
3Stability of the object's composition
If interior bonds are used to prevent chamber expansion, then shape stability is maintained, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible bonding agents or integrated structural features that automatically adjust to accommodate variations in chamber expansion. These flexible constraints maintain shape stability without requiring precise bond placement, as the flexible nature allows for tolerance in manufacturing while still preventing excessive expansion.
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 fluid-filled chamber maintains cushioning and stability over time, resisting deformation and enhancing the durability and comfort of the footwear by distributing pressure effectively and maintaining performance across various ambulatory activities.
Implementation Method 1
The fluid within the chamber may be pressurized or unpressurized... The fluid-filled chamber maintains cushioning and stability over time, resisting deformation and enhancing the durability and comfort of the footwear by distributing pressure effectively
Implementation Method 2
The chamber may be formed from a polymer material that is sealed to enclose the fluid... Suitable polymer foam materials for the midsole include ethylvinylacetate or polyurethane that compress resiliently under an applied load to attenuate ground reaction forces
Data Source
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AI summary
An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure includes a fluid-filled chamber with a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a third surface extending between the first and second surfaces. Whereas the first surface and the second surface each have a thickness of one sheet of a polymer material, the third surface has a thickness of two overlapping sheets of the polymer material. The third surface may be exposed to an exterior of the footwear to form a portion of a side surface of the sole structure.