Foamed Sole Elasticity Ratio for Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foamed soles in shoes exhibit significant variations in softness and hardness due to uneven elastic coefficients when worn by individuals of different weights, leading to inconsistent wearing comfort.
Innovation Solution
A molded foam article with a specific foam structure, characterized by an Asker C hardness of 10 degrees or more and a ratio of elastic coefficients (E40/E0) of 0.5 or more, which maintains consistent softness and reduces hardness changes under compressive deformation, ensuring uniform wearing comfort across various wearers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a conventional foamed sole is used, then the shoe is lighter in weight and excellent in wearing impression, but the softness varies greatly depending on the applied load, causing inconsistent wearing comfort for different wearers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the elastic coefficient ratio (E40/E0) to be 0.5 or more, which ensures that the foamed sole maintains appropriate softness across different load conditions. This parameter control allows the same shoe to provide consistent wearing comfort for both light-weight wearers (who apply smaller loads) and heavy-weight wearers (who apply larger loads), resolving the adaptability issue while maintaining the lightweight advantage of foamed soles
2Stability of the object's composition
If the elastic coefficient ratio (E40/E0) is increased to 0.5 or more, then the change in hardness under compressive deformation is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that the elastic coefficient ratio (E40/E0) should be 0.5 or more, which is a parameter change that directly controls the hardness stability under compression. By setting this quantitative threshold, the patent transforms the abstract requirement of 'hardness consistency' into a measurable and controllable manufacturing parameter, making it feasible to achieve stable hardness characteristics while managing manufacturing precision requirements
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 a foamed sole with consistent softness and reduced hardness variation, enhancing wearing comfort for both lighter and heavier wearers by maintaining appropriate elastic properties across different load strains.
Implementation Method 1
a molded foam article having a low compression set can maintain elastic force and has a small change in hardness, over a long period of time
Implementation Method 2
when the compressive deformation amount is varied by various applied loads
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a molded foam article including a foam obtained by foaming a formation material wherein the formation material contains a resin component, an Asker C hardness of the foam is 10 degrees or more, and a ratio E40/E0 of the foam is 0.5 or more, the ratio E40/E0 being a ratio of an elastic coefficient E40 at a strain of 40% in relation to an elastic coefficient E0 at a strain of 0% of the foam.The molded foam article has appropriate softness with a small change in hardness under compressive deformation.