Shoe Midsole DeFuzer Cells for Impact Pressure Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional footwear fails to effectively distribute and manage ground reaction forces, leading to inadequate comfort and increased risk of injury during athletic activities, as they lack efficient mechanisms to reduce impact pressure while maintaining force transfer efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a DeFuzer system in the shoe's midsole and outsole, featuring a layered structure with geometrically designed cells that distribute ground reaction forces over a larger area, reducing pressure on the foot while maintaining minimal loss of force transfer efficiency, achieved through a combination of materials like EVA, TPU, and metal, and manufacturing techniques such as injection molding and 3D printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional footwear structures are used, then the shoe is simple in design and easy to manufacture, but it fails to effectively distribute ground reaction forces leading to increased impact pressure and injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The midsole is divided into multiple DeFuzer cells with different geometries (triangular, rectangular, circular) arranged in specific patterns. Each cell type serves to distribute ground reaction forces across different regions of the foot, transforming the solid midsole into a segmented force-management system that reduces impact pressure while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different DeFuzer cell geometries are strategically placed in different regions of the midsole based on local force distribution requirements. The varying cell shapes and sizes create localized force management zones that adapt to the specific biomechanical demands of each foot region, optimizing both comfort and performance.
2Stress or pressure
If ground reaction forces are distributed over a larger area to reduce impact pressure, then comfort is improved, but force transfer efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented DeFuzer cell structure distributes impact forces across multiple discrete zones rather than concentrating them in a single area. This segmentation allows the shoe to reduce peak impact pressure on the foot while maintaining overall force transfer efficiency through the coordinated deformation and recovery of individual cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The midsole combines different materials (EVA, TPU, metal) with distinct mechanical properties to create a composite structure. This composite approach allows simultaneous optimization of impact absorption (through softer materials) and force transfer efficiency (through stiffer materials), resolving the contradiction between pressure reduction and energy retention.
3Productivity
If a layered structure with geometric cells is implemented to manage forces, then athletic performance and comfort are enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention varies geometric parameters (cell shape, size, orientation, density) within the midsole structure to optimize athletic performance for different force management requirements. These parameter variations are achieved through controlled manufacturing processes that can adjust geometric features while maintaining production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The midsole is manufactured as an integrated unit with pre-formed DeFuzer cell patterns, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps. This segmentation approach allows complex geometric features to be created directly during molding, simplifying manufacturing despite the intricate cell structures.
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 DeFuzer system provides enhanced comfort by reducing impact pressure and improving athletic performance by efficiently transferring forces, thereby mitigating the risk of injury and enhancing endurance.
Implementation Method 1
geometrically designed cells that distribute ground reaction forces over a larger area, reducing pressure on the foot
Implementation Method 2
a combination of materials like EVA, TPU, and metal
Implementation Method 3
The DeFuzer system provides enhanced comfort by reducing impact pressure and improving athletic performance by efficiently transferring forces
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for a shoe that includes an inner layer of defusing cells and an outer layer of defusing cells. The inner layer is towards a foot when the shoe is worn and the and the outer layer is towards ground when the shoe is worn and the wearer is standing. The outer layer of defusing cells is aligned with the inner layer of defusing cells and, as aligned, function to reduce impact pressure of an impact force of the wearer.