Polymeric Exoskeleton Footwear Upper Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The labor-intensive process of manufacturing footwear, which requires substantial labor for assembly and retooling for different designs and sizes, remains a significant challenge despite efforts to address it over the centuries.
Innovation Solution
A method involving molding a polymeric exoskeleton onto a sheet of material to form a structural three-dimensional upper, which can be joined with a sole, reducing the need for multiple components and assembly steps, and allowing for flexible production of various patterns and sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple individual pieces of material are used to construct the upper, then the upper can be assembled with traditional stitching or cementing methods, but the manufacturing process requires substantial labor input across multiple steps including cutting, modifying thickness, joining, and shaping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple separate upper components into a single monolithic upper constructed from one continuous piece of material. This merging eliminates the need for cutting, joining, and assembling multiple pieces, thereby dramatically reducing labor input while maintaining the structural integrity and functionality of the upper.
Solution Approach 2:
The single continuous material serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the structural framework, the aesthetic surface, and the functional components of the upper. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components that would otherwise require assembly, directly addressing the labor intensity problem.
2Productivity
If the material used to construct the upper is consolidated into a single piece, then labor for stitching is reduced, but the material must balance structural integrity and flexibility, and aesthetic details are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs material with varying local properties within the single continuous structure. Different regions of the monolithic upper have different thicknesses, densities, or material compositions to provide structural integrity where needed (heel, toe) while maintaining flexibility in other areas (quarters, vamp), thus resolving the contradiction between structural requirements and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the material such as thickness, density, or durometer at different locations within the single piece to achieve both structural integrity and flexibility simultaneously. This parameter variation allows the monolithic upper to meet conflicting mechanical requirements without requiring assembly of multiple components.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional multi-component upper construction is used, then aesthetic details can be achieved through separate components, but the manufacturing process is labor intensive and requires retooling for new designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the monolithic upper dynamically adaptable to different designs through molding technology. The single-piece construction can be rapidly reconfigured by changing mold configurations rather than requiring complete retooling of assembly processes, enabling quick adaptation to new aesthetic requirements and design variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes in the molding process (such as mold temperature, injection pressure, or mold cavity configuration) to produce different aesthetic details and design variations in the monolithic upper, eliminating the need for physical retooling while maintaining aesthetic quality.
4Productivity
If a monolithic upper construction is used, then assembly labor is reduced, but the material must be sufficiently rigid for structural integrity while remaining flexible for wearer comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying material properties at different locations within the monolithic upper. Structurally critical areas (heel counter, toe box) use more rigid material or greater thickness, while areas requiring flexibility (quarters, vamp) use more compliant material or lesser thickness, thus achieving both structural integrity and wearer comfort in a single piece.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials with different mechanical properties within the monolithic construction. By combining materials of varying rigidity and flexibility in a single molded piece, the upper achieves the necessary structural strength in key areas while maintaining overall flexibility for comfort, resolving the contradiction between strength and flexibility requirements.
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
This method significantly reduces labor and time required for footwear production, minimizes pattern retooling costs, and enables efficient manufacturing in small facilities, accommodating multiple designs and sizes with a reduced workforce.
Implementation Method 1
The exoskeleton can bond mechanically and chemically to the surface of the sheet.
Implementation Method 2
The exoskeleton can bond mechanically and chemically to the surface of the sheet.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A method for manufacturing footwear including injection molding a polymeric material on a sheet of material in preselected locations and/or in a preselected pattern so that the polymeric material bonds to the sheet and forms a structural exoskeleton of an upper of the footwear. The upper can be joined with a sole. The polymeric material can be injection molded on the sheet while the sheet is in a planar or flat configuration, and subsequently, the sheet and bonded exoskeleton can be conformed to a three-dimensional configuration of an upper. Additional polymeric materials can be injected on the exoskeleton to reinforce certain areas of the same. The exoskeleton can define one or more holes through which the sheet is visible to form one or more aesthetic regions on the upper. An article of footwear constructed with the method is also provided.