Shoe Outsole with Integrated Injection Molded Tread Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional outsoles with individual tread elements are prone to falling off when excessive force is applied, compromising grip performance and durability.
Innovation Solution
An outsole design featuring an injection molded article with connecting members that integrate adjacent elements to the substrate sheet, using a thermoplastic resin composition with specific melt viscosity characteristics to enhance adhesion and prevent element detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual tread elements are integrated with substrate sheet by injection molding, then grip performance is improved, but the elements may fall off when excessive force is applied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual tread elements into a single integrated injection molded article with connecting members that link adjacent elements together. This integration ensures that when force is applied, the load is distributed across the entire article rather than individual elements, preventing detachment from the substrate sheet while maintaining grip performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin and a rubber component, creating a composite material that combines the adhesion benefits of thermoplastic resin with the elasticity and grip benefits of rubber. This composite structure enhances both the attachment strength to the substrate sheet and the grip performance on various surfaces.
2Ease of manufacture
If resin composition has low melt viscosity for good injection molding, then manufacturing ease is improved, but adhesion to substrate sheet may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a controlled range for melt viscosity (100 Pa·s ≤ η100 ≤ 900 Pa·s) and resin composition ratio (rubber component: 5-50 parts by mass per 100 parts thermoplastic resin) to optimize both injection molding flowability and adhesion strength. This parameter optimization ensures the resin fills the mold cavity completely while maintaining sufficient bonding strength to the substrate sheet.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite resin composition combines thermoplastic resin (providing adhesion and structural integrity) with rubber component (providing flexibility and grip). This composition ratio optimization allows the material to exhibit both good injection molding characteristics and strong adhesion to the substrate sheet simultaneously.
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 provides a shoe with improved grip performance and durability by ensuring the tread elements remain securely attached to the substrate sheet, even under stress, while maintaining flexibility and lightness.
Implementation Method 1
the resin composition having, when a thermal melting temperature is set to T(° C.), a melt viscosity (η100) at a shear rate of at least 100 (sec−1) in at least part of a temperature range of (T+0° C.) to (T+50° C.)
Data Source
AI summary
Provided in the present disclosure is an outsole including a sheet body which includes a substrate sheet and an injection molded article fixed to the substrate sheet, and a shoe that has the injection molded article having a certain melt viscosity and thereby being excellent in grip performance and long-term durability.