Footwear Support Columns with Fluid-Filled Bladders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional athletic footwear midsoles, primarily made of polymer foam, face challenges in providing optimal impact attenuation and support, particularly in varying activities that require different levels of stiffness and ground reaction force management.
Innovation Solution
The integration of fluid-filled bladders within support columns in the footwear, where each bladder is formed with alternating thickness panels and a tensile member, provides a resilient and adaptable support structure that can be adjusted for specific activities by varying fluid pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional polymer foam material is used in the midsole, then the midsole provides ground reaction force attenuation, but it cannot provide optimal impact attenuation and support across varying activities requiring different stiffness levels
Solution Approach 1:
The midsole incorporates fluid-filled bladders that can be adjusted by varying fluid pressure to change the stiffness and support characteristics of the midsole. This dynamic adjustment allows the footwear to adapt to different activities while maintaining reliable impact attenuation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state parameters of the midsole by using fluid-filled bladders where fluid pressure can be varied. This parameter change enables the midsole to provide different levels of stiffness and support for varying activities while maintaining consistent impact attenuation.
2Reliability
If fluid-filled bladders are integrated into support columns, then impact attenuation and support are enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The midsole is segmented into multiple support columns, each containing fluid-filled bladders. This segmentation allows impact attenuation to be enhanced through distributed support while managing complexity by dividing the system into modular, independent units.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses fluid-filled bladders within support columns to provide impact attenuation. By utilizing pneumatic/hydraulic principles, the system achieves enhanced support and adaptability while containing the complexity within standardized bladder components rather than complex mechanical structures.
3Strength
If the sidewall panels of the bladder have varying thickness, then the bladder provides optimized support and shock absorption, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sidewall panels of the bladder have varying thickness with thicker portions at specific locations to optimize shock absorption and support in those areas. This local quality variation enhances performance by concentrating material where needed while reducing it elsewhere, though it does increase 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
This configuration enhances impact attenuation and support, allowing for optimized performance and comfort across different athletic activities by adjusting bladder pressure and geometry, offering improved shock absorption and stability.
Implementation Method 1
Each support column is formed of a plurality of fluid-filled bladders
Implementation Method 2
The sidewall is formed of a plurality of first panels having a first thickness and a plurality of panels having a second thickness that is different from the first thickness
Data Source
AI summary
An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly has a top plate and a bottom plate positioned below the top plate. A plurality of support columns extends between the top plate and the bottom plate, with each support column formed of a plurality of fluid-filled bladders. Each bladder has a first surface, an opposed second surface, and a tensile member joined to the first and second surfaces.