Midfoot Support System for Golf Shoe Lateral Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf shoes lack adequate lateral support during the golf swing, leading to instability and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
The golf shoe incorporates a midfoot support system featuring a lateral strap and a medial strap that wrap around the foot, providing asymmetrical support and stability through an adjustable closure system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional shoe structures are used, then the shoe allows natural foot flexion during walking and golfing actions, but the shoe lacks adequate lateral support during the golf swing
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe is divided into distinct functional zones: a forefoot region with flex grooves for natural bending, a midfoot region with a rigid support structure for lateral stability, and a heel region for anchoring. This segmentation allows different parts of the shoe to serve specialized functions - the forefoot remains flexible for walking and golfing actions while the midfoot provides the necessary lateral support during swings.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than making the entire shoe rigid, the patent applies rigidity locally only where needed - specifically in the midfoot region between the ball of the foot and lateral malleolus. This localized rigid support structure provides lateral stability during the golf swing while the rest of the shoe, particularly the forefoot, maintains flexibility for natural foot movement during walking and other golfing actions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If lateral support is provided along the full length of the foot, then maximum stability is achieved, but the shoe becomes overly rigid and restricts natural foot flexion
Solution Approach 1:
The foot support system is segmented into flexible forefoot regions with flex grooves that allow natural bending, and a rigid midfoot region that provides lateral support. This segmentation ensures that stability is provided only where needed during the golf swing, while natural foot flexion is preserved in the forefoot area for walking and other golfing actions.
Solution Approach 2:
Rigidity is applied locally only in the critical midfoot zone between the ball of the foot and lateral malleolus, which research identifies as a key area for lateral support during golf swings. The rest of the foot, particularly the forefoot, maintains its natural flexibility, allowing the shoe to provide targeted stability without overly restricting foot movement.
3Reliability
If a rigid support structure is added to provide lateral stability, then golf swing performance improves, but the shoe weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding rigid material throughout the entire shoe, the patent concentrates the rigid support structure locally in the midfoot region where it is most needed for lateral stability during golf swings. This localized approach provides the necessary reliability for swing performance while minimizing the overall weight increase that would result from full-length rigid construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The shoe structure is segmented so that only the critical midfoot region contains rigid support elements, while the forefoot and heel regions use lighter materials. This segmentation allows the shoe to achieve reliable lateral support where needed without the penalty of increased weight throughout the entire shoe.
Data Source
AI summary
An article of footwear comprising an upper and a sole assembly connected to the upper. The upper may comprise a tongue assembly with an outer layer and an inner layer opposite the outer layer. The inner layer may comprise a recessed channel extending longitudinally between an upper edge and a lower edge of the tongue assembly and a plurality of flex grooves extending between a medial edge and a lateral edge of the tongue assembly. The plurality of flex grooves may be configured to intersect the recessed channel.