Footwear Sole Central Support Structure for Stiffness Flexibility Trade-off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sole assemblies in footwear often compromise between support, stiffness, and flexibility, making it difficult to achieve high levels of multiple characteristics simultaneously, such as high support and flexibility in different regions of the foot.
Innovation Solution
A sole assembly with a central support structure that varies in thickness and width to provide different amounts of stiffness and flexibility across different regions, incorporating forefoot wing portions and stability rib elements to distribute pressure and enhance traction, allowing for tailored support and flexibility in various areas of the foot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a sole assembly is designed with high support and stiffness, then support and stability are improved, but flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sole assembly incorporates a central support structure with varying thickness and width along its length, creating different local properties: thicker and wider portions provide stiffness and support in the midfoot and heel regions, while thinner portions maintain flexibility in the forefoot region. This local variation in structural properties resolves the contradiction between overall support and regional flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The central support structure is divided into multiple segments with different thicknesses and widths along its longitudinal axis. These segmented portions are designed to provide different levels of rigidity: the first portion (thicker) provides support in the heel/midfoot area, while the second portion (thinner) allows flexibility in the forefoot area, enabling the sole to simultaneously achieve both support and flexibility in different regions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a sole assembly is designed with high stiffness, then stability is improved, but flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The central support structure features local variations in thickness and width that create zones of different stiffness. The thicker, wider portions in the midfoot and heel regions provide enhanced stability, while the thinner portions in the forefoot region maintain flexibility, allowing the sole to be stable where needed without sacrificing overall flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is segmented into multiple portions along its length, with each segment having optimized dimensions for its specific functional requirement. This segmentation allows the sole assembly to achieve stability in load-bearing regions while preserving flexibility in motion-oriented regions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sole assembly for an article of footwear is disclosed. The sole assembly includes a central support structure that extends from a bottom surface of the sole assembly in the longitudinal direction of the sole assembly. The sole assembly also includes stability rib portions extending from the bottom surface of the sole assembly and away from the central support structure, wherein the plurality of stability rib portions increase in width as the rib portions extend in a direction away from the central support structure.