Rigid Cage Footwear Padding for Foot-Scan-Based Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing footwear fails to provide adequate support and cushioning, leading to increased soreness and fatigue during everyday activities, especially in non-performance and performance activities.
Innovation Solution
A footwear design incorporating a rigid cage and padding element assembly, where the rigid cage is coupled to the sole and features openings for protrusions of a padding element, which includes varying interior and exterior protrusions based on foot scan data to provide targeted support and cushioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional footwear upper materials are used, then the footwear provides basic cushioning, but it fails to provide adequate support and targeted cushioning for different foot shapes and contours
Solution Approach 1:
The padding element incorporates protrusions with varying heights and diameters at different locations to match the contours of the foot. This local variation in padding geometry provides targeted cushioning and support where needed, while maintaining overall adaptability to different foot shapes and contours.
Solution Approach 2:
The padding element is pre-formed with specific protrusion geometries based on foot scan data before being integrated into the footwear. This preliminary shaping ensures that the cushioning characteristics are optimized for specific foot contours from the outset, improving both support and adaptability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid cage structure is used to provide support, then structural stability is improved, but comfort and pressure distribution may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid cage structure incorporates asymmetric opening patterns that correspond to the asymmetric pressure distribution patterns of the human foot. This asymmetric design allows the rigid structure to provide stability while accommodating the natural contours and pressure points of the foot for improved comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The padding element acts as an intermediary between the rigid cage structure and the foot. It translates the rigid structural support into comfortable, distributed pressure by conforming to the foot's contours through its protrusions, thereby mediating between structural stability and comfort requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform padding is used throughout the footwear upper, then manufacturing is simplified, but targeted support for different foot regions is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The padding element is segmented into multiple protrusions with different heights and diameters rather than using a uniform structure. This segmentation allows each region to provide targeted support for specific foot areas while still being manufactured as a single integrated component, balancing manufacturing simplicity with precision.
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 design offers improved fit, comfort, and support by distributing pressure evenly across various foot shapes and contours, reducing discomfort and enhancing performance in both non-performance and performance activities.
Implementation Method 1
a padding element disposed under the rigid cage and comprising a base layer comprising an exterior surface facing an interior surface of the rigid cage
Data Source
AI summary
Articles of footwear comprising a rigid cage coupled to a sole and comprising a plurality of openings formed in the cage, and a padding element disposed under the rigid cage and comprising a plurality of projections. The projections can each comprise an exterior protrusion extending from the exterior surface of the padding element and disposed within one of the openings in the rigid cage. The projections can each comprise an interior protrusion extending from an interior surface of the padding element. In some embodiments, the size and shape of the interior and/or exterior protrusions can be based on data from a foot scan map.