Golf Shoe Sole Insert Structure for Torsional Stiffness and Flex
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf shoes often require additional steps and resources to integrate inserts into the sole assembly, which can compromise structural integrity and fail to provide the full range of performance characteristics needed for high-performance golfing.
Innovation Solution
The integration of complex 3D structures within the sole assembly during fabrication, such as midsoles and outsoles, using a single mold process to enhance structural integrity and performance characteristics like torsional stiffness, flex characteristics, and traction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If an insert is placed in the sole assembly after fabrication, then the structural integrity is maintained, but additional steps, labor, and tooling are required which increases manufacturing complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is integrated into the sole assembly during the molding process itself, combining the insert placement and sole fabrication into a single operation. This eliminates separate post-fabrication steps while maintaining structural integrity through the integrated design of the mold cavity that receives and secures the insert.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is positioned within the mold cavity before the sole assembly material is poured or formed. This preliminary placement ensures proper integration and alignment of the insert with the sole structure, eliminating the need for subsequent assembly steps and reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
2Strength
If an insert is placed in the sole assembly after fabrication, then the structural integrity is maintained, but additional labor and time are required which reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The insert integration step is merged with the sole assembly fabrication step into a single molding operation. This consolidation eliminates sequential steps and allows for continuous manufacturing, significantly improving productivity while maintaining structural integrity through the integrated mold design.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is pre-positioned in the mold cavity before sole assembly formation, enabling the entire assembly process to occur in one continuous operation. This preliminary action eliminates subsequent assembly steps and labor, directly increasing manufacturing efficiency and productivity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simplistic insert geometry is used, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the performance characteristics are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The insert features complex 3D geometries with varying densities and structural properties in different regions, optimized for specific performance requirements. The mold design accommodates these local variations by providing differentiated cavity sections that receive material with appropriate properties for each zone, enabling high performance while maintaining manufacturability through a single integrated process.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert utilizes composite material structures with varying densities and mechanical properties integrated into a single component. The molding process accommodates these composites by providing controlled material flow paths and temperature zones within the mold, enabling complex performance characteristics while maintaining ease of manufacture through the integrated sole assembly process.
4Productivity
If complex 3D structures are integrated during fabrication, then manufacturing steps are reduced, but the mold complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is segmented into multiple cavities and chambers that can independently form different portions of the sole assembly with the insert. This segmentation allows complex 3D structures to be created through modular molding sections, reducing overall mold complexity while maintaining high productivity through parallel formation of multiple components or features.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is nested within the mold cavity structure, with the cavity itself forming the complex 3D geometry. This nesting approach allows the mold to utilize its own structural features to create complex shapes without requiring separate tooling or complex sub-components, thereby reducing overall mold complexity while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf shoe with an upper, a sole assembly, and an insert integrated with the sole assembly. The insert may provide an elastic response during a golf-related movement. The insert may comprise a plurality of legs extending from a central region of the insert to stiffen the shoe, the plurality of legs including a first set of symmetric legs extending between the central region and a forefoot region of the sole assembly and a second set of symmetric legs extending between the central region and a rearfoot region of the sole assembly. The first set of symmetric legs comprises a first and second leg that diverge to provide a longitudinally flexible forefoot region between the first and second leg. The second set of symmetric legs comprises a third and fourth leg that diverge to provide a longitudinally flexible rearfoot region between the third and fourth leg.