Shoe sole comprising a shock absorber

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional shock absorbers with increased compressive stiffness face challenges such as increased weight and stress concentration due to added thickness, which compromises durability and weight reduction.

Innovation Solution

A shoe sole with a three-dimensional shock absorber featuring a triply periodic minimal surface structure, including a meandering portion with reinforcement at turning points, which enhances compressive stiffness while maintaining a lightweight design and reducing stress concentration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the wall thickness of the shock absorber is increased to achieve large compressive stiffness, then the compressive stiffness is improved, but the weight of the shock absorber is significantly increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompressive stiffnessVSAvoidweight of shock absorber
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing reinforcement portions at specific locations (turning points of meandering portions) rather than uniformly increasing wall thickness throughout the entire shock absorber. This allows compressive stiffness to be enhanced at critical stress points while maintaining lighter weight in non-critical areas, thus resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces meandering portions with turning points that add geometric complexity in three-dimensional space. By strategically reinforcing these turning points, the design achieves enhanced compressive stiffness through spatial configuration rather than simply increasing material quantity, thereby improving strength without proportionally increasing weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Strength

If the wall thickness is increased to locally enhance compressive stiffness, then the compressive stiffness of that portion is improved, but the overall weight of the shock absorber is significantly increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompressive stiffness of specific portionVSAvoidoverall weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement portions are strategically placed only at turning points of meandering portions where stress concentration occurs. This localized reinforcement approach enhances compressive stiffness precisely where needed without adding unnecessary weight to other areas, effectively resolving the contradiction between local strength enhancement and overall weight control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4000441B1Shoe sole comprising a shock absorber
Publication Date: 2023.09.20 ASICS CORP
  • EP4000441B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4000441B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4000441B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A shock absorber (1A) includes a three-dimensional structure (S) composed of a unit structure (U) repeatedly, regularly and continuously arranged in at least one direction, the unit structure (U) being a three-dimensional shape formed by a wall (10) having an external shape defined by a pair of parallel planes or curved surfaces. In the shock absorber (1A), a differently shaped portion (30) which does not correspond to the wall (10) defining the unit structure (U) is locally provided in a shock absorbing region which is a region in which the three-dimensional structure (S) has the unit structure (U) disposed.