Footwear Midsole Strut Architecture for Pronation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Athletic shoe soles face a challenge in balancing stability and shock absorption, as increasing stability to control excessive pronation often decreases shock absorption properties, leading to potential injuries in runners and athletes.

Innovation Solution

A midsole element with strategically designed strut members, including a first and second strut portion with different orientations and materials, providing anisotropic flexibility and stiffness to manage forces during running, allowing for customizable cushioning and stability profiles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the shoe sole is designed with increased stability to control excessive pronation, then pronation control is improved, but shock absorption properties decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepronation controlVSAvoidshock absorption

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The shoe sole is divided into multiple independent strut members (first and second strut portions) with different orientations and material properties. Each strut member can independently deflect and absorb shock, while collectively providing stability. This segmentation allows the sole to simultaneously achieve pronation control and shock absorption through coordinated deformation of individual elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the shoe sole are assigned different material properties and structural characteristics. The first strut portion uses a harder material for stability, while the second strut portion uses a softer material for shock absorption. This local differentiation enables each region to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 3:

The shoe sole incorporates composite material construction with first and second materials having different durometer values and mechanical properties. This composite approach allows the integration of both stable (harder material) and cushioning (softer material) characteristics within the same structural element, resolving the contradiction between stability and shock absorption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If the shoe sole uses uniform material properties throughout, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but directional flexibility and stability are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoiddirectional flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The sole is segmented into distinct strut members that can be manufactured separately using standardized processes, then assembled together. This modular segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity through repetition of standard components while enabling directional flexibility through varied orientation and material selection of each segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The use of composite materials with different properties in different regions provides directional flexibility and anisotropic mechanical behavior. Despite this complexity, the materials can be integrated using conventional composite manufacturing techniques, balancing enhanced adaptability with reasonable manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 midsole element effectively balances stability and shock absorption by allowing directional flexibility, reducing the risk of injuries associated with excessive pronation while maintaining comfort and durability.

Implementation Method 1

a compression element, which has at least two first strut members disposed between the top and bottom portions and supporting the top portion a distance away from the bottom portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

each of said first and second transversely disposed two strut members are oriented and adapted to preferentially deflect in the same direction in response to a force imparted on the midsole element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce deflection: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS8387280B2Mechanical cushioning system for footwear

Publication Date: 2013.03.05 NEW BALANCE ATHLETICS INC

AI summary

A midsole element is adapted for positioning on a medial or lateral side of a shoe. The midsole element, having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, includes a top portion, a bottom portion, and a compression element, which has at least two first strut members and at least two second strut members disposed between the top and bottom portions and supporting the top portion a distance away from the bottom portion. The at least two first strut members being separated by a first longitudinal distance in the longitudinal direction. The at least two second strut members being separated by a second longitudinal distance in the longitudinal direction and each of said first and second transversely disposed two strut members are oriented and adapted to preferentially deflect in the same direction in response to a force imparted on the midsole element.