Segmented Shank System for Lightweight Boot Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear, such as hiking and hunting boots, achieve stability at the cost of increased weight, making it desirable to maintain durability and stability while reducing weight.
Innovation Solution
A footwear assembly with a sole assembly comprising a midsole made of a lightweight material and a stiffener made of a stiffer material, where the stiffener is connected to the midsole and outsole, providing longitudinal and lateral stiffness and stability without adding excessive weight, and featuring a full-length external shank that is partially or fully exposed to enhance foot support and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional boot construction with internal shank is used, then stability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shank system is divided into separate components: a first shank element integrated into the midsole and a second shank element as an external component. This segmentation allows the stability function to be distributed across multiple elements rather than requiring a single heavy internal shank, thereby maintaining stability while reducing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The second shank element is extracted as an external component that can be removed or adjusted. This allows the boot to maintain stability through the first shank element while the external second shank element provides additional support only when needed, reducing weight when maximum stability is not required.
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional stability features are added to the boot, then stability is improved, but the product becomes heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The shank system is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The external second shank element can be adjusted, removed, or repositioned based on the specific stability needs of the wearer. This dynamic configuration allows the footwear to provide stability only when and where needed, avoiding unnecessary weight in other conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The shank elements are positioned at specific locations within the sole assembly where they provide maximum stability benefit. The first shank element is integrated into the midsole at critical support points, while the second shank element can be positioned externally at locations needing additional support. This localized approach ensures stability is added only where necessary rather than uniformly throughout the entire boot.
Data Source
AI summary
An aspect of the present invention includes a footwear assembly comprising: an upper and a sole assembly connected to the upper. The sole assembly has a footwear assembly comprising a sole assembly connected to an upper. The sole assembly has a midsole made of a first material and having a forefoot portion, an arch portion, a heel portion, and a sidewall extending around a lateral side, a medial side, and a heel side of the midsole. A stiffener is connected to the midsole. The stiffener is made of a second material stiffer than the first material. The stiffener has a base portion adjacent to the arch portion and at least one of the forefoot portion and the heel portion of the midsole. The stiffener has a side stabilizer and a heel wrap coupled to the base portion. The side stabilizer is adjacent to the sidewall in at least one of the arch portion and forefoot portion. The heel wrap is adjacent to the heel side and at least one of the lateral side and medial side of the midsole's sidewall.