Footwear Midsole with Segmented Support Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional athletic footwear midsoles, primarily made of resilient polymer foam, lack optimal flexibility and support, particularly in varying activity demands, as they are uniformly constructed and do not effectively address the need for customized shock-absorption and energy-absorption across different foot regions.
Innovation Solution
The midsole is designed with an upper portion and a lower portion made of different materials, where the lower portion is firmer and includes support members and connecting members, providing enhanced flexibility and support by varying hardness and thickness across regions to optimize shock-attenuation and energy-absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional uniform polymer foam midsole is used, then the footwear structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the flexibility and support are insufficient for varying activity demands
Solution Approach 1:
The midsole is divided into multiple discrete components including an upper portion, lower portion, support members, and connecting members. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for specific functions such as shock absorption, support, and flexibility, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity by creating a modular structure that can be tailored to activity demands.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the midsole are assigned different material properties and structural characteristics. The upper portion uses a first material while the lower portion uses a second material with different firmness. Support members are strategically positioned to provide enhanced support where needed. This local differentiation enables the midsole to provide customized flexibility and support for varying activity demands without requiring complete structural redesign.
2Strength
If the midsole is made uniformly firm throughout, then support is improved, but flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The midsole implements local quality by making the lower portion firmer than the upper portion. The support members are positioned to provide localized support where needed while connecting members maintain flexibility in other regions. This allows the structure to be firm where support is required while remaining flexible where movement is needed, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The midsole is segmented into functional zones with different firmness levels. The upper portion is made of a softer first material for flexibility, while the lower portion uses a firmer second material for support. This segmentation allows simultaneous optimization of both support and flexibility in different regions of the same component.
3Reliability
If the midsole material hardness is increased throughout, then shock-absorption is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The midsole applies local quality by using harder, more shock-absorbent material only in the lower portion where it is most needed for impact attenuation. The upper portion uses a lighter, softer first material that provides sufficient cushioning for its location. This localized material differentiation improves shock-absorption reliability without proportionally increasing overall weight, as the heavier material is concentrated only where most effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The midsole employs composite materials by combining two different materials with distinct properties. The first material in the upper portion and the second material in the lower portion create a composite structure that leverages the advantages of each material - the lighter upper material for weight efficiency and the firmer lower material for shock-absorption - thereby improving reliability without excessive weight gain.
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 enhances the overall feel and performance of the footwear by providing improved flexibility and support, tailored to specific activity demands through customized material properties and structural elements.
Implementation Method 1
The lower portion is formed of a material that is firmer than the upper portion and includes a plurality of support members and connecting members extending between the support members
Data Source
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AI summary
An article of footwear includes an upper and a midsole positioned beneath the upper. The midsole includes an upper portion formed of a first material and a lower portion formed of a second material and positioned beneath the upper portion. The lower portion includes a plurality of support members spaced from adjacent support members. A plurality of connecting members extend between and are connected to adjacent support members, with the connecting members having a height that is less than a height of the support members to which the connecting members are connected, and an upper surface that is substantially flush with an upper surface of the support members to which the connecting members are connected.