Nested-Lobe Sole Structure for Heel Cushioning and Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sole structures for footwear lack an efficient and balanced combination of cushioning, support, and stability, particularly in the heel region, leading to inadequate responsiveness and energy distribution during foot movement.
Innovation Solution
A composite midsole structure with a chassis, cradle, and a cushioning arrangement featuring stacked bladders with interconnected lobes and a support plate, providing enhanced cushioning and stability through a resilient polymeric material and a quad-shaped lobe configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sole structures use simple midsole designs, then manufacturing is easier and device complexity is lower, but cushioning and stability performance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The midsole is divided into multiple functional segments: a chassis providing structural support, a cradle receiving the cushioning arrangement, and stacked bladders with lobes providing graduated cushioning. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific functions, improving overall performance while maintaining manufacturability through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The cushioning arrangement is nested within the cradle, which is attached to the chassis. The bladders contain interconnected lobes that nest within each other, creating a compact hierarchical structure. This nesting approach maximizes cushioning functionality within limited space while organizing complexity in a manageable hierarchy.
2Use of energy by moving object
If conventional sole structures use simple cushioning materials, then device complexity is lower, but energy distribution and responsiveness are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The cushioning arrangement uses fluid-filled bladders containing lobes that compress and expand like pneumatic elements. The fluid pressure dynamics provide responsive energy distribution during foot strike and movement, creating spring-like effects that enhance energy return without requiring complex mechanical spring systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The lobes are designed with varying sizes, shapes, and compression characteristics to create graduated cushioning zones. This parameter variation allows different regions of the midsole to respond differently to applied loads, optimizing energy distribution across various foot contact points while maintaining a relatively simple overall 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 solution enhances cushioning and stability in the heel region, improving foot comfort and energy distribution by allowing for spring-like compression and balanced support, addressing the limitations of conventional sole structures.
Implementation Method 1
The midsole provides cushioning for the foot and may be partially formed from a polymer foam material that compresses resiliently under an applied load to cushion the foot by attenuating ground-reaction forces
Implementation Method 2
The midsole may additionally or alternatively incorporate a fluid-filled bladder to provide cushioning to the foot by compressing resiliently under an applied load to attenuate ground-reaction forces
Data Source
AI summary
A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a chassis and a cushioning arrangement. The chassis includes a recess formed between a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface. The cushioning arrangement includes a first cushioning element protruding from the first surface and including a first plurality of lobes and a second cushioning element protruding from the second surface and including a second plurality of lobes contacting the first plurality of lobes. At least one of the first cushioning element and the second cushioning element may include a fluid-filled bladder. A first side of each cushioning element includes a substantially planar base and a second side of each cushioning element includes the lobes formed on an opposite side from the base. The base of each cushioning element is attached to a respective one of the surfaces of the recess.