Article of footwear with dynamic support
First Claim
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1. An article of footwear comprising:
- a sole;
an upper, the upper including an interior layer and an exterior layer;
a microprocessor;
a sensor in communication with the microprocessor, wherein the sensor is embedded in at least one of the sole and the upper;
an array of tiles, located between the interior layer and the exterior layer of the upper, forming a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;
a first tile of the array of tiles having a first diagonal and a second diagonal crossing the first diagonal, the first tile including;
a first passageway extending along the first diagonal; and
a second passageway extending along the second diagonal;
a first cable positioned in the first passageway and mechanically connected to a reel coupled to a motor;
a second cable positioned in the second passageway and mechanically connected to the reel;
wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive an input from sensor and control the reversible motor to rotate the reel to compress the array of tiles according to the input received from the sensor.
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Abstract
An article of footwear with a dynamic support system that controls arrays of tiles in the upper of the footwear to adjust the level of support provided in different regions of the upper. Sensors in the sole of the footwear, in the upper of the footwear and/or in an article worn by the wearer of the footwear measure the level of stress or other characteristics and provide input to one or more microprocessors that control motors located in the sole or in the upper of the footwear. When the motors are activated, they may compress or loosen arrays of tiles to adjust the stiffness of the upper in one or more regions of the upper.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An article of footwear comprising:
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a sole; an upper, the upper including an interior layer and an exterior layer; a microprocessor; a sensor in communication with the microprocessor, wherein the sensor is embedded in at least one of the sole and the upper; an array of tiles, located between the interior layer and the exterior layer of the upper, forming a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;
a first tile of the array of tiles having a first diagonal and a second diagonal crossing the first diagonal, the first tile including;a first passageway extending along the first diagonal; and a second passageway extending along the second diagonal; a first cable positioned in the first passageway and mechanically connected to a reel coupled to a motor; a second cable positioned in the second passageway and mechanically connected to the reel; wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive an input from sensor and control the reversible motor to rotate the reel to compress the array of tiles according to the input received from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An article of footwear comprising:
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a sole; an upper including first layer and a second layer; a microprocessor; a sensor in communication with the microprocessor, wherein the sensor is embedded in at least one of the sole and the upper; an array of tiles, located between the interior layer and the exterior layer of the upper, forming a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, a first tile of the array of tiles including a first major surface, a second major surface, and a passageway extending therethrough; a first cable positioned in the passageway and coupled to a reel coupled to a motor; a second cable positioned in between the first surface of the tile and the first layer of the upper and coupled to the reel; wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive an input from the sensor and control the motor to rotate the reel to compress the array of tiles according to the input received from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, comprising:
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securing and upper to a sole of an article of footwear, the upper including an interior layer and an exterior layer; securing a microprocessor to one of the upper and the sole; coupling a sensor in communication with the microprocessor, wherein the sensor is embedded in at least one of the sole and the upper; securing an array of tiles between the interior layer and the exterior layer of the upper, forming a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, a first tile of the array of tiles having a first diagonal and a second diagonal crossing the first diagonal, the first tile including; a first passageway extending along the first diagonal; and a second passageway extending along the second diagonal; lacing a first cable through the first passageway and mechanically connecting the first cable to a reel coupled to a motor; lacing a second cable in the second passageway and mechanically connecting the second cable to the reel; wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive an input from sensor and control the reversible motor to rotate the reel to compress the array of tiles according to the input received from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification