Article of footwear with dynamic support

• US 10,070,683 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Rushbrook, Thomas J., Beers, Tiffany A., Gilbreath, Nathan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Shaun R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao-Thieu L
• Application Number:
  US15/197,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20160309830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 36 68, 36 45, 36 501, 36 53, 36 56, 36 88, 36 97, 36112, 36107, 36 93, 36100, 36101, 36114, 36113, 36115, 36116, 361171, 3611769, 361181, 361185, 361186, 36136, 36 3 A, 36 71, 36 505, 21952, 2 217
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 1/08 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/06 Trousers
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/065 Knee protectors
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 20/00 Wristbands or headbands, e.g. for absorbing sweat
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/026 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/028 Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0295 Pieced uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/16 made of impregnated fabrics, plastics or the like A43B23/086 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/44 with sensors, e.g. for detecting contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/48 with transmitting devices, e.g. GSM or Wi-Fi®
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/002 Mountain boots or shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/025 : characterised by an element which improves the contact between the ball and the footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 : Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/141 : having an anatomical or curved form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 : with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/401 : characterised by control arrangements for measuring, e.g. calibration and initialisation, measuring workpiece for machining purposes G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37399 : Pressure

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.

Claims

1. A left article of footwear and a right article of footwear,

the left article of footwear comprising:

a first microprocessor;

a first pressure sensor in a left sole of the left article of footwear in communication with the first microprocessor;

a first reversible motor is communication with the first microprocessor;

a first reel attached to the first motor; and

a first array of tiles in a left upper of the left article of footwear, wherein the first array of tiles is mechanically connected to the first reel by a first cable system;

the right article of footwear comprising;

a second microprocessor;

a second pressure sensor in a right sole of the right article of footwear in communication with the second microprocessor;

a second reversible motor in communication with the second microprocessor;

a second reel attached to the second motor; and

a second array of tiles in a right upper of the right article of footwear, wherein the second array of tiles is mechanically connected to the second reel by a second cable system;

wherein the first microprocessor is configured to receive input from both the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor, and to respond to input received from the second pressure sensor by activating the first motor to compress the first array of tiles;

wherein the second microprocessor is configured to receive input from both the second pressure sensor and the first pressure sensor, and to respond to input received from the first pressure sensor by activating the second motor to compress the second array of tiles;

wherein the first array of tiles is an array of diamond-shaped tiles that is mechanically connected to the first reel by a first plurality of first cables traversing the tiles diagonally; and

wherein the second array of tiles is an array of diamond-shaped tiles that is mechanically connected to the second reel by a second plurality of second cables traversing the tiles diagonally.

2. The left article of footwear and the right article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first microprocessor and the second microprocessor are in wireless communication with each other.

3. The left article of footwear and the right article of footwear of claim 2,

wherein the second pressure sensor is in communication with the second microprocessor and wherein the first microprocessor receives data indicative of a level of pressure from the second pressure sensor via wireless communication with the second microprocessor, and

wherein the first pressure sensor is in communication with the first microprocessor and wherein the second microprocessor receives data indicative of a level of pressure from the first pressure sensor via wireless communication with the first microprocessor.

4. The left article of footwear and the right article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the array of tiles is located in a forefoot region of a first upper of the first article, and the pressure sensor is located in a big toe region of the first upper.

5. The left article of footwear and the right article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the left article includes an accelerometer sensor.

6. The left article of footwear and the right article of footwear of claim 5, wherein the accelerometer sensor is in communication with the first microprocessor and wherein the second microprocessor receives data indicative of a level of acceleration from the accelerometer sensor via wireless communication with the first microprocessor.

7. The left article of footwear and the right article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the second microprocessor responds to input received from the accelerometer by activating the second motor to compress the second array of tiles.

8. A left article of footwear and a right article of footwear,

the left article of footwear comprising:

a first microprocessor;

a first pressure sensor in a left sole of the left article of footwear in communication with the first microprocessor;

a first reversible motor is communication with the first microprocessor;

a first reel attached to the first motor; and

a first array of tiles in a left upper of the left article of footwear, wherein the first array of tiles is mechanically connected to the first reel by a first cable system;

the right article of footwear comprising;

a second microprocessor;

a second pressure sensor in a right sole of the right article of footwear in communication with the second microprocessor;

a second reversible motor in communication with the second microprocessor;

a second reel attached to the second motor; and

a second array of tiles in a right upper of the right article of footwear, wherein the second array of tiles is mechanically connected to the second reel by a second cable system;

wherein the first microprocessor is configured to receive input from both the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor, and to respond to input received from the second pressure sensor by activating the first motor to compress the first array of tiles;

wherein the second microprocessor is configured to receive input from both the second pressure sensor and the first pressure sensor, and to respond to input received from the first pressure sensor by activating the second motor to compress the second array of tiles;

wherein a first plurality of cables is laced through the first array of tiles and mechanically connected to the first reel attached to the first reversible motor, wherein the first plurality of cables is laced through alternate columns and alternate rows of tiles.

9. A dynamic support system for an article of footwear comprising:

at least one sensor located in the article of footwear;

at least one sensor located in an article configured to be worn by a wearer of the article of footwear, wherein the article worn by the wearer is different than the article of footwear;

a microprocessor in the article of footwear in communication with the at least one sensor located in the article of footwear and with the at least one sensor located in the article configured to be worn by the wearer of the article of footwear;

wherein the microprocessor receives a first input from the sensor located in the article of footwear and a second input from the sensor located in the article worn by the wearer of the article of footwear over a personal-area network and responds to at least one of the first input and the second input by determining whether to activate a motor to compress an array of tiles in a fabric portion of the article of footwear;

wherein the array of tiles comprises columns and rows of tiles and wherein at least two cables are laced diagonally through the tiles.

10. The dynamic support system of claim 9,

wherein the article of footwear has a sole and an upper,

wherein the sensor located in the article of footwear is one of a pressure sensor located in the sole and a tension sensor located in the upper;

and

wherein the sensor located in the article is a motion sensor.

11. The dynamic support system of claim 10, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

12. The dynamic support system of claim 11, wherein when the microprocessor receives data from the accelerometer the microprocessor determines whether to activate the motor to compress an array of tiles in the fabric portion of the article of footwear.

13. The dynamic support system of claim 9, further comprising a second article of footwear, wherein the second article of footwear includes at least one sensor and at least a second microprocessor.

14. The dynamic support system of claim 13, wherein the second microprocessor receives data from at least one sensor of the second article of footwear and wirelessly communicates that data to the microprocessor of the other article of footwear.

15. The dynamic support system of claim 9, wherein the article configured to be worn by the wearer also includes an array of tiles and a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor of the article worn by the wearer determines whether to activate a motor in the article worn by the wearer to compress the array of tiles in the article worn by the wear.

16. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the array of tiles is located in a forefoot region of the fabric portion of the article of footwear, and the sensor is located in a big toe region of the fabric portion of the article of footwear.

17. A dynamic support system for an article of footwear comprising:

at least one sensor located in the article of footwear;

at least one sensor located in an article configured to be worn by a wearer of the article of footwear, wherein the article worn by the wearer is different than the article of footwear;

a microprocessor in the article of footwear in communication with the at least one sensor located in the article of footwear and with the at least one sensor located in the article configured to be worn by the wearer of the article of footwear;

wherein the microprocessor receives a first input from the sensor located in the article of footwear and a second input from the sensor located in the article worn by the wearer of the article of footwear over a personal-area network and responds to at least one of the first input and the second input by determining whether to activate a motor to compress an array of tiles in a fabric portion of the article of footwear;

wherein a plurality of cables is laced through alternate columns of tiles and alternate rows of tiles.

18. The dynamic support system of claim 17,

wherein the article of footwear has a sole and an upper,

wherein the sensor located in the article of footwear is one of a pressure sensor located in the sole and a tension sensor located in the upper;

and

wherein the sensor located in the article is a motion sensor.

19. The dynamic support system of claim 18, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

20. The dynamic support system of claim 19, wherein when the microprocessor receives data from the accelerometer the microprocessor determines whether to activate the motor to compress an array of tiles in the fabric portion of the article of footwear.

21. The dynamic support system of claim 17, further comprising a second article of footwear, wherein the second article of footwear includes at least one sensor and at least a second microprocessor.