Running Shoe Sole Structure for Impact Absorption and Compression Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shoes designed for exercises like running face challenges in balancing the reduction of impact when the foot lands on the ground and suppressing excessive compression when the foot pushes off the ground, often leading to increased sole compression and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A sole structure comprising an elastic portion surrounded by a surrounding member made of a higher modulus material, with a pressing member fixed to the surrounding member to press the elastic portion in the thickness direction, ensuring the surrounding member's tensile rigidity is higher than its compression rigidity and the elastic portion's compression rigidity, with specific thickness configurations to manage compression and tension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the hardness of the sole is increased to suppress excessive compression when the foot pushes off the ground, then the sole compression is reduced, but the impact applied when the foot lands on the ground increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sole is segmented into multiple functional layers: a soft impact-absorbing layer at the bottom, a rigid plate in the midsole, and an elastic portion with surrounding member at the toe. This segmentation allows different regions to perform different functions - the soft bottom layer absorbs impact while the rigid plate prevents excessive compression, resolving the contradiction between impact reduction and compression suppression.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the sole are given different material properties and structures. The bottom surface has soft impact-absorbing material, the midsole has a rigid plate for compression resistance, and the toe area has an elastic portion with specific rigidity characteristics. This local differentiation allows the sole to simultaneously absorb impact and prevent excessive compression without increasing overall hardness.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a plate is provided in the midsole to suppress excessive compression, then the sole structure is stabilized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is integrated with the elastic portion and surrounding member to form a unified structure body. The elastic portion is formed by injecting elastic material into a mold that defines the plate and surrounding member geometry, creating a single-piece component that combines compression resistance, elastic deformation capability, and structural stability without requiring separate assembly of multiple parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The sole uses composite construction with a rigid plate material (higher elastic modulus) combined with elastic body material. This composite approach allows the plate to provide structural stability and compression resistance while the elastic material provides deformation capability, achieving structure stability without excessive complexity.
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 sole effectively absorbs impact upon landing and suppresses excessive compression upon pushing off, providing a comfortable and stable running experience by managing compression and tension forces.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic portion (103) formed of an elastic body
Implementation Method 2
tensile rigidity of the surrounding member (104) in the thickness direction is higher than compression rigidity of the elastic portion (103) in the thickness direction
Implementation Method 3
compression rigidity of the surrounding member (104) in the thickness direction
Data Source
AI summary
A sole includes: a sole body; an elastic portion disposed adjacent to the sole body; a surrounding member that surrounds the elastic portion, and a pressing member. Tensile rigidity of the surrounding member in a thickness direction is higher than compression rigidity of the elastic portion in the thickness direction and higher than compression rigidity of the surrounding member in the thickness direction. An uncompressed thickness of the elastic portion in an uncompressed state is larger than an initial thickness of the surrounding member in an initial state. A reference thickness of the elastic portion and the surrounding member in an unloaded state is smaller than the uncompressed thickness of the elastic portion and larger than the initial thickness of the surrounding member.