Golf Shoe Sole With Longitudinal Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf shoes with groove structures optimized for running or walking fail to provide the necessary stability and flexibility for optimal golf swings, as the forces exerted during these activities differ significantly from those experienced during golf-specific movements like swinging a club.
Innovation Solution
The golf shoes incorporate internal longitudinal grooves in the insole footbed, insole board, or midsole to control foot movement and increase contact time with the ground, featuring varying stiffness and hardness regions to promote longitudinal flexibility and torsional stability, allowing golfers to maintain foot contact and control during a swing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional groove structures optimized for running or walking are used, then the shoe provides basic comfort and mobility, but it fails to provide the stability and flexibility required for optimal golf swings
Solution Approach 1:
The sole assembly incorporates regions with different stiffness characteristics - a forefoot region with lower stiffness to allow natural flexing and a rearfoot region with higher stiffness to provide stability. This local differentiation enables the shoe to adapt to golf-specific movements while maintaining reliability during the swing motion
Solution Approach 2:
The sole assembly is divided into distinct functional regions (forefoot and rearfoot) with different mechanical properties. This segmentation allows each region to independently respond to forces during golf swings, providing both the flexibility needed for foot movement and the stability required for swing execution
2Reliability
If the shoe structure is made more rigid to provide stability, then swing stability improves, but the natural movement and flexibility of the foot during a golf swing is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the sole assembly have different rigidity levels - the forefoot region is designed with lower rigidity to permit natural foot flexing and movement, while the rearfoot region has higher rigidity to provide stability during the swing. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between overall stability and localized flexibility
3Ease of operation
If the shoe allows natural foot roll and movement, then foot comfort is maintained, but the contact time between the trail foot and ground is reduced, affecting swing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforced rearfoot region and specific groove geometry are designed to preemptively counteract excessive foot roll and movement during the swing. This preliminary anti-action maintains foot comfort through controlled movement while preventing premature foot roll-off, thereby extending the contact time between the trail foot and ground for improved swing accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A golf shoe with an upper and a sole assembly connected to the upper. The shoe includes an insole footbed, an insole board, and/or a midsole. At least one of the insole footbed, the insole board, and the midsole comprises a grooveless support with a first region having a first stiffness or hardness and a second region having a second stiffness or hardness. At least one of the first region and the second region extends longitudinally between a forefoot region and a rearfoot region of the insole footbed, the insole board, or the midsole to control (i) a movement of a subject's foot and (ii) a flex or a deformation of a lateral or medial side of the insole footbed, the insole board, or the midsole as the subject exerts a force on the insole footbed, the insole board, or the midsole during a golf swing.