Shoe Outsole Tube Structures for Impact Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing athletic shoes fail to adequately absorb impact and provide stability, leading to over-pronation and potential injury due to the loss of cushioning over time and increased stiffness in the sole, which results in higher impact stress on the foot and joints.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates tube structures in the outsole that deform vertically and horizontally to dissipate impact forces, providing improved shock absorption and stability without relying on soft midsoles, with varying sizes, shapes, and materials across different areas of the shoe to optimize support and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If foam midsole thickness is increased to enhance cushioning, then shock absorption is improved, but sole stiffness increases causing foot rotation and over-pronation
Solution Approach 1:
The outsole is segmented into multiple independent tube structures distributed across the sole surface. Each tube acts as an independent cushioning element that can compress individually upon impact, providing shock absorption without requiring the entire sole to be thick and stiff. This segmentation allows localized cushioning while maintaining overall sole flexibility and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube structures are strategically positioned in specific areas of the outsole where impact forces are most likely to occur. The tubes vary in size, shape, and material properties across different regions, with larger, softer tubes in high-impact zones and smaller, firmer tubes in stability-critical areas. This local differentiation provides optimized cushioning and stability characteristics without uniformly increasing sole thickness.
2Reliability
If soft midsole materials are used to absorb impact, then shock absorption is improved, but cushioning ability deteriorates over time due to material failure
Solution Approach 1:
The tube structures are designed with specific material parameters and geometric configurations that optimize their cushioning performance for long-term durability. The tubes can be constructed from elastomeric materials with controlled viscosity and elasticity, allowing them to dissipate impact energy through controlled deformation rather than material fatigue. The geometric parameters of the tubes (diameter, wall thickness, length) are optimized to provide consistent cushioning over extended periods.
3Reliability
If thick foam midsole is used to provide cushioning, then impact absorption is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cushioning function is extracted from the traditional foam midsole structure and transferred to discrete tube elements integrated into the outsole. This extraction simplifies the overall manufacturing process by allowing the tubes to be molded as integral parts of the outsole or inserted as separate components, eliminating the need for complex multi-layer foam construction and bonding processes.
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 solution reduces stress and strain on the feet, ankles, knees, back, and joints by effectively absorbing and dissipating impact forces, minimizing the transmission of force to the user and enhancing overall comfort and stability during running and walking.
Implementation Method 1
The one or more tube portions in an example of the invention are designed to deform both vertically, e.g. compress substantially perpendicular to the ground surface toward the foot, and horizontally, e.g. shear or deform in a plane substantially parallel to the ground surface
Implementation Method 2
the one or more tubes dissipate the force of the foot impact and therefore minimize the force transferred to the user
Data Source
AI summary
A shoe sole structure includes an outsole having a plurality of cushioning members formed with the bottom surface of the outsole that can extend at least partially between the lateral edge and the medial edge of the shoe and also around a heel end of the shoe. One or more of the cushioning members can differ in size, location, orientation, length and/or material from one or more of the remaining cushioning members.