Foam Composition for Athletic Footwear Energy Return

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Solution Overview

Problem

The footwear industry lacks advanced foam compositions that provide improved cushioning and energy return for athletic footwear, which are essential for performance and comfort.

Innovation Solution

Development of a pre-foam composition that, when foamed and compression molded, creates a sole component with exceptionally high energy return, utilizing a combination of styrene block copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, and olefin block copolymers, along with specific processing methods like injection molding and compression molding to enhance physical properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional foam materials are used in footwear, then manufacturing cost is controlled, but energy return and cushioning performance are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy returnVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining multiple polymer components (styrene block copolymer, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, and olefin block copolymer) in specific ratios to create a foam composition that delivers high energy return and cushioning performance while maintaining cost-effectiveness through the synergistic properties of the composite formulation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If advanced foam compositions are developed to improve cushioning and energy return, then athletic footwear performance is enhanced, but material complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecushioning performanceVSAvoidmaterial composition complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the ratios of polymer components (styrene block copolymer at 10-30 parts, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer at 60-80 parts, olefin block copolymer at 10-30 parts) and processing parameters (injection molding temperature, compression molding temperature and pressure) to achieve optimal cushioning performance while managing material complexity through systematic parameter optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 resulting foam components exhibit significantly improved resiliency and energy return, making them suitable for high-performance athletic footwear applications while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

Implementation Method 1

The resulting foam components exhibit significantly improved resiliency and energy return

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic recovery: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3838046B1Foam compositions and uses thereof

Publication Date: 2024.10.02 NIKE INNOVATE CV

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AI summary

A pre-foam composition comprising: 5 parts per hundred resin (phr) to 45 phr of an A-B-A block copolymer; 30 to 90 phr of a C4-C100 unsaturated olefin component; and 5 to 50 phr of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having a vinyl acetate content of about 10% to about 45% by weight based upon a total weight of the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, wherein the ratio of the phr of (a) to (b) ranges from 0.17 to 0.3. Also related compositions, methods, and products, including foam compositions, compression molded foam compositions, sole components (14), and articles of footwear (10).