Foot Support Fluid Manifold With Cam-Controlled Pressure Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional athletic footwear lacks effective mechanisms to dynamically control and adjust pressure within fluid-filled bladders and reservoirs for enhanced foot support and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A fluid flow control system incorporating a manifold body with movable cams and valves that interact with activators to selectively control fluid flow between ports, allowing for adjustable pressure regulation within the footwear's sole structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional athletic footwear uses fixed sole structures, then manufacturing is simple, but foot support adaptability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The sole structure is divided into multiple fluid-filled chambers or bladders that can be independently controlled. Each chamber can be adjusted separately to provide targeted support to different regions of the foot, enabling adaptive support without requiring complete system redesign for different foot types.
Solution Approach 2:
The footwear incorporates a dynamic pressure adjustment system with movable cams and valves that allow real-time modification of fluid pressure within the sole structure. This enables the foot support characteristics to change dynamically based on user needs, activity type, or foot condition, resolving the contradiction between fixed simplicity and adaptive complexity.
2Ease of operation
If athletic footwear includes adjustable pressure control mechanisms, then foot support comfort is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure adjustment system is designed to be user-operable through simple mechanical interfaces such as cams or dials that directly control valve mechanisms. Users can adjust pressure without requiring external equipment or complex electronic controls, making the system self-sufficient and easy to operate while maintaining manageable complexity through direct mechanical coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
Movable cam mechanisms serve as intermediaries between simple user inputs and the complex valve control systems. The cams translate user-applied mechanical force into precise valve actuation, simplifying the user interface while effectively controlling the fluid pressure system through mechanical leverage and motion transformation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fluid flow control systems are added to footwear, then foot support customization is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid control system uses standardized components such as universal valve designs, common fluid channels, and interchangeable cam mechanisms that can serve multiple functions. The same basic architecture supports different pressure adjustment ranges, chamber configurations, and foot regions, allowing mass production of modular units that can be customized through component selection rather than complete redesign.
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
Enables dynamic adjustment of pressure within fluid-filled bladders and reservoirs for improved foot support and comfort by facilitating fluid exchange based on cam positioning, enhancing user customization and performance.
Implementation Method 1
a movable cam at least partially located within the internal chamber, wherein the movable cam includes one or more valve activator surfaces that interact with the valve activator to change the valve between a closed configuration and an open configuration when the movable cam is moved
Data Source
AI summary
Foot support systems include a fluid flow control system that facilitates movement of fluid into, out of, and/or within a sole structure and/or article of footwear, e.g., to change and/or control pressure in fluid filled bladder(s). The fluid flow control system includes: (a) a manifold body defining an internal chamber; (b) at least a first port in fluid communication with the internal chamber; (c) at least a first valve (including a first valve activator) controlling fluid flow through the first port; and (d) a movable cam at least partially within the internal chamber. Valve activator surface(s) on the cam interact with the valve activator(s) to selectively open and close valve(s) based on cam positioning.