Liquefied Polymer Application for Sporting Goods Outsoles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing sporting goods, such as sports shoes, are labor-intensive, inefficient, and result in material waste, with outsoles being particularly heavy and unsustainable.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the production of a liquefied polymer by mixing a polymer with a solvent, which is then applied and cured on the sporting good, allowing for precise application and reduced waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional injection molding is used to produce outsoles, then durability and performance requirements are met, but the outsoles become heavy and material waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the polymer from solid to liquid by dissolving it in a solvent, enabling precise application of only the required amount of material. This eliminates the need to over-produce material for cutting, reducing weight while maintaining durability through controlled application and curing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical injection molding with a chemical solution approach. Instead of mechanically injecting and then cutting solid material, the process uses liquid polymer application followed by curing, substituting mechanical fabrication with chemical transformation to achieve weight reduction while preserving strength.
2Reliability
If traditional injection molding is used to produce outsoles, then performance requirements are met, but material waste is generated due to cutting excess material
Solution Approach 1:
By transforming the polymer into a liquid state through solvent dissolution, the patent enables precise application of the exact amount of material needed. This eliminates material waste from cutting operations while maintaining performance through controlled curing that ensures proper material properties in the final product.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid polymer application process is self-regulating, where the material naturally conforms to the mold cavity without requiring post-processing removal. The curing process then self-completes the formation of the outsole with precise boundaries, eliminating the need for cutting and associated material waste.
3Strength
If traditional multi-step production process is used, then outsoles are produced with required properties, but the process becomes labor intensive and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple traditional steps (material preparation, molding, and finishing) into a unified liquid application and curing process. This consolidation eliminates intermediate handling and cutting operations, reducing labor intensity and improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining outsole properties through the integrated process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a continuous production process where liquid polymer is applied and immediately cured in sequence without interruption. This continuous action eliminates the downtime and repositioning required in traditional multi-step processes, significantly improving productivity while ensuring consistent outsole quality through uninterrupted material transformation.
4Ease of manufacture
If fixed material properties are used in production, then manufacturing is simple, but adaptability to diverse sporting good requirements is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables easy adjustment of material properties by modifying the liquid polymer composition, such as changing polymer type, solvent ratio, or additives. This flexibility allows adaptation to diverse sporting good requirements while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the same liquid application and curing process, regardless of the specific material properties desired.
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 method enables the production of sporting goods with improved durability and performance while reducing material consumption and waste, and allows for the strategic production of components with varying thickness and weight.
Implementation Method 1
production of a liquefied polymer by mixing the polymer and a solvent
Implementation Method 2
The mixture can be applied and cured on the sporting good
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a component, preferably for a sporting good, comprising the following steps: providing a polymer; providing a solvent; mixing the polymer with the solvent, thereby producing a liquefied polymer; and curing the liquefied polymer, thereby producing the component. Other embodiments of the disclosure relate to an outsole and a sports shoe obtained by the method according to the disclosure.