Footwear Midsole Winding Loops for Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Footwear often lacks adequate cushioning and support, leading to discomfort, fatigue, and increased risk of injuries during daily activities, as the human foot alone cannot effectively absorb and dissipate substantial impact forces encountered in everyday activities.
Innovation Solution
A midsole design featuring a core with a winding wrapped around it to form loops, providing additional cushioning and support, where the winding can be a continuous piece extending from the heel to the midfoot or forefoot, and the core may include a bladder or polymeric foam with grooves for receiving loop protrusions, enhancing the midsole's cushioning and ride characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional midsole designs are used, then the footwear structure is simple, but the cushioning and support are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The midsole is segmented into a core structure and an external winding structure. The winding is divided into multiple loops wrapped around the core, with each loop providing localized cushioning. This segmentation allows the complex cushioning function to be achieved through modular components rather than a monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The midsole combines different materials: a core (which may be a bladder or polymeric foam) and an external winding structure. This composite construction integrates the supportive properties of the core with the cushioning properties of the winding, achieving both structural integrity and impact absorption.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the human foot alone is used for cushioning, then no additional footwear components are needed, but the impact forces cannot be effectively absorbed
Solution Approach 1:
The midsole with its winding structure provides preemptive cushioning before impact forces reach the foot. The winding loops are positioned to absorb and dissipate impact forces during heel strike and foot contact, protecting the foot from harmful forces before they can cause injury.
3Ease of operation
If adequate cushioning is provided, then discomfort and fatigue are reduced, but the midsole structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The winding structure provides localized cushioning where it is most needed - at the heel and forefoot areas where impact forces are greatest. The loops are strategically positioned to target specific high-impact zones, providing enhanced comfort where required without unnecessarily complicating the entire midsole structure.
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 design significantly reduces discomfort and fatigue by providing enhanced cushioning and support, improving the overall performance and durability of footwear, thereby reducing the risk of injuries and enhancing user experience.
Implementation Method 1
The winding may be a single continuous piece wrapped to form the plurality of loops... each loop of the winding including a portion extending across and protruding from the top surface of the core and a portion extending across and protruding from the bottom surface of the core
Implementation Method 2
the core may include a bladder... the core may include a polymeric foam
Data Source
AI summary
Articles of footwear including a midsole having a winding wrapped around at least a portion of the midsole. A midsole may include a core and a winding wrapped around the core to form a plurality of loops. Each loop of the winding may include a portion extending across a top surface of the core and a portion extending across a bottom surface of the core. The loops of the winding may protrude from the top surface of the core and/or the bottom surface of the core. Methods of making a midsole having a winding are also discussed.