Lobed Fluid-Filled Footwear Sole With Inter-Fitted Midsole Projections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current footwear sole structures lack effective customization, cushioning, and flexibility, leading to inadequate performance in attenuating impact and ground reaction forces, particularly during various activities.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a lobed fluid-filled chamber component with inter-fitted midsole projections that extend through channels, providing a customizable and flexible sole structure with improved compressibility and aesthetic appeal, allowing for controlled compression and distribution of forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional solid foam midsole is used, then the sole structure provides basic cushioning, but it lacks customization and deteriorates under repeated stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces solid foam material with a fluid-filled chamber system where fluid (gas or liquid) is contained within sealed chambers. The fluid provides cushioning through hydraulic/pneumatic pressure distribution while being immune to the deterioration that affects foam materials. The fluid can be selected to provide optimal cushioning characteristics without degrading over time like polymeric foam.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables customization of cushioning properties by varying fluid type, chamber volume, chamber pressure, and chamber geometry. These parameters can be adjusted to tailor the sole structure for different applications, activities, and user requirements, providing a level of customization not achievable with traditional solid foam.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fluid-filled chamber is used, then customization and cushioning are improved, but the sole structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid-filled chamber is divided into multiple lobes with channels between them, creating a segmented structure. This segmentation allows independent control of fluid distribution in different regions, enabling localized customization of cushioning properties. The lobed design also simplifies manufacturing compared to a single complex chamber while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid-filled chamber system serves multiple functions: cushioning impact forces, providing structural support, enabling customization through parameter adjustment, and potentially offering flexibility control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby managing overall structure complexity while delivering versatile performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If the fluid-filled chamber has a smooth surface, then manufacturing is simplified, but flexibility and aesthetic appeal are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lobed configuration with channels creates an inherently segmented surface geometry that emerges naturally from the manufacturing process. The lobes and channels are formed as integral features during molding or forming operations, so the complex-looking segmented surface does not require additional post-processing steps. This maintains ease of manufacture while achieving the desired aesthetic appearance.
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 solution enhances the sole structure's ability to absorb impact and ground reaction forces, providing a smooth response characteristic, improved flexibility, and customized compressibility, while reducing the deterioration of foam materials under repeated stress.
Implementation Method 1
a lobed fluid-filled chamber component with inter-fitted midsole projections that extend through channels, providing a customizable and flexible sole structure with improved compressibility and aesthetic appeal, allowing for controlled compression and distribution of forces
Implementation Method 2
allowing for controlled compression and distribution of forces
Implementation Method 3
providing a customizable and flexible sole structure with improved compressibility
Data Source
AI summary
A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a fluid-filled chamber component having a central portion, a plurality of lobes extending outward from the central portion, and a plurality of channels formed between the plurality of lobes. The structure also includes a midsole component inter-fitted with the plurality of lobes of the fluid-filled chamber component and having a plurality of projections extending through the plurality of channels of the fluid-filled chamber component. The midsole component forms a portion of the peripheral side surface of the sole structure. At least a first lobe of the plurality of lobes has an exposed distal end wall and includes a projecting portion that extends further outward from the central portion of the fluid-filled chamber component than the portion of the peripheral side surface of the sole structure formed by the midsole component. The exposed distal end wall also includes a faceted surface.