Footwear Lattice Sole with Foam Insert for Multi-Activity Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Athletic shoes often fail to provide adequate support and cushioning for multiple athletic tasks, as they are typically designed for specific activities, such as running or power lifting, without effectively addressing the need for stability and flexibility across different activities.

Innovation Solution

The footwear features a unitary, open-celled sole assembly with a lattice structure and a compression insert, comprising an interconnected network of struts and nodes that provide predetermined support and flexure properties, allowing for stability and cushioning through a combination of lattice and foam materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If athletic shoes are designed for specific activities (e.g., running or power lifting), then they provide specialized performance for that activity, but they fail to provide adequate support and cushioning for multiple athletic tasks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-activity capabilityVSAvoidsupport and cushioning performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The midsole is divided into multiple functional zones with different cellular structures: a first portion with a first cellular structure and a second portion with a second cellular structure. Each zone is optimized for specific athletic tasks, allowing the shoe to provide specialized support for different activities while maintaining multi-activity versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the midsole are assigned different cellular structures with varying properties. The first cellular structure provides characteristics suitable for running, while the second cellular structure provides characteristics suitable for power lifting, enabling each region to deliver locally optimized performance for its intended use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If the sole assembly uses a lattice structure with struts and nodes, then it provides predetermined support and flexure properties, but it increases structural complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport and flexure propertiesVSAvoidlattice structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sole assembly combines a lattice structure with foam material to create a composite construction. The lattice provides the structural framework for predetermined support and flexure properties, while the foam fills the cellular spaces to enhance cushioning and energy return, achieving stable mechanical properties through material composition rather than complex geometry alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If the sole assembly uses a unitary open-celled structure, then it provides stability and cushioning, but it increases manufacturing complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability and cushioningVSAvoidmanufacturing process simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturing process utilizes variable parameters including infill density, cell size, and material distribution within the lattice structure. By adjusting these parameters during additive manufacturing, the process produces a unitary open-celled structure with optimized stability and cushioning properties while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through digital control rather than complex physical tooling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 design enables the shoe to offer stability and cushioning across various athletic activities, accommodating different load conditions and user behaviors, such as running and weight lifting, by dynamically adjusting to changing foot pressures and movements.

Implementation Method 1

a lattice structure having an interconnected network of struts and nodes that cooperate to define voids. The struts and nodes are configured to generate predetermined support and flexure properties within the network.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGeometric structure: Geometry

Implementation Method 2

The sole assembly may further include an insert formed of compression material (e.g., foam). In operation, the lattice and foam insert cooperate to provide stability and cushioning to the article of footwear.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

The sole assembly includes a unitary, open-celled structure. Specifically, the sole assembly includes a lattice structure having an interconnected network of struts and nodes that cooperate to define voids.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCellular structure deformation: Porosity

Data Source

PatentUS11369164B2Footwear including sole assembly

Publication Date: 2022.06.28 UNDER ARMOUR INC

AI summary

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly. The sole assembly includes a unitary, open-celled structure. Specifically, the sole assembly includes a lattice structure having an interconnected network of struts and nodes that cooperate to define voids. The struts and nodes are configured to generate predetermined support and flexure properties within the network. The lattice may be configured as a conformal lattice, being contoured to receive accessories or complementary support structures. The sole assembly may further include an insert formed of compression material (e.g., foam). In operation, the lattice and foam insert cooperate to provide stability and cushioning to the article of footwear.