Heel Dampening System with Compressed Core
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heeled footwear often transfers mechanical energy to the wearer's heel, leading to discomfort or injury, particularly during high-magnitude impacts like jumping or dismounting, due to the lack of effective dampening systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a heel dampening system within the footwear, which includes a heel dampening layer, cushioning projection, assist frame, and compliance-modifying inserts, designed to absorb and distribute impact forces, providing cushioning and energy return.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional heeled footwear is used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but mechanical energy is transmitted to the wearer's heel causing discomfort or injury
Solution Approach 1:
The heel assembly is divided into multiple functional layers: a heel layer, a dampening layer with compressed core material, and an upper layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function - structural support, impact absorption, and energy return - thereby reducing harmful mechanical energy transmission while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction with a compressed core material (such as EVA foam or rubber) surrounded by a resilient material layer. This composite structure combines the density and compressibility of the core material for effective impact absorption with the elasticity of the surrounding layer for energy return, achieving superior dampening performance without excessive structural complexity
2Reliability
If high-magnitude impact protection is provided, then wearer safety is improved, but the footwear structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The dampening layer with compressed core material is pre-positioned within the heel assembly before the footwear is worn. This beforehand cushioning ensures that impact protection is already in place and activated immediately upon heel strike, providing reliable protection during high-magnitude impacts such as jumping or dismounting without requiring complex active control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the core material's compressibility and density to achieve high-magnitude impact protection. By selecting core materials with specific compression moduli and density ranges, the system can absorb and dissipate large impact energies effectively, maintaining reliability while avoiding excessive structural complexity through material property optimization rather than mechanical complexity
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
The heel dampening system effectively reduces the transmission of mechanical energy to the wearer's heel, enhancing comfort and safety by absorbing impact forces and providing resilient energy return.
Implementation Method 1
a compressed core material that is surrounded by a resilient material layer
Implementation Method 2
designed to absorb and distribute impact forces
Implementation Method 3
surrounded by a resilient material layer
Data Source
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AI summary
Heel dampening systems and footwear including the same are disclosed herein. Articles of footwear include an upper and a sole assembly. The sole assembly includes at least an outsole and a heel assembly. The heel assembly includes a heel dampening system, an upper heel layer that includes a cushion aperture, and a lower heel layer. The heel dampening system includes a heel dampening layer configured to at least partially absorb an impact force and a cushioning projection that extends from the heel dampening layer and at least partially through the cushion aperture in the upper heel layer.