Variable support footwear using electrorheological or magnetorheological fluids
First Claim
1. A variable footwear support system, comprising:
- at least one rheological body within a sole of an article of footwear, wherein the sole is formed of a resilient material and wherein the rheological body contains a rheological fluid having a viscosity that is variable in the presence of an energy field;
control electronics adapted to generate at least one control signal; and
at least one E/M field generator coupled to the control electronics and arranged operably proximate to at least one rheological body, wherein the at least one E/M field generator is adapted to generate an energy field corresponding to a control signal generated by the control electronics upon the rheological body.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A variable footwear support system includes at least one rheological body within a sole of an article of footwear, control electronics within the article of footwear, and at least one E/M field generator coupled to the control electronics and arranged operably proximate to at least one rheological body. The sole is formed of a resilient material and the rheological body contains a Theological fluid having a viscosity that is variable in the presence of an energy field. The control electronics is adapted to generate at least one control signal. The at least one E/M field generator is adapted to generate an energy field corresponding to a control signal generated by the control electronics upon the rheological body.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A variable footwear support system, comprising:
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at least one rheological body within a sole of an article of footwear, wherein the sole is formed of a resilient material and wherein the rheological body contains a rheological fluid having a viscosity that is variable in the presence of an energy field;
control electronics adapted to generate at least one control signal; and
at least one E/M field generator coupled to the control electronics and arranged operably proximate to at least one rheological body, wherein the at least one E/M field generator is adapted to generate an energy field corresponding to a control signal generated by the control electronics upon the rheological body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A variable footwear support method, comprising:
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receiving sensor data from at least one sensor, the sensor data describing at least one of an intensity and a frequency of footfalls of a wearer of an article of footwear;
generating at least one control signal based on the received sensor data; and
energizing at least one E/M field generator based on the at least one generated control signal, wherein each energized E/M field generator generates an energy field upon at least one rheological body arranged within a sole of an article of footwear, wherein the sole is formed of a resilient material and wherein the at least one rheological body contains a rheological fluid having a viscosity that is variable in the presence of the generated energy field. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A variable footwear support method, comprising:
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receiving user input from a user interface;
generating at least one control signal based on the received user input; and
energizing at least one E/M field generator based on the at least one generated control signal, wherein each energized E/M field generator generates an energy field upon at least one rheological body arranged within a sole of an article of footwear, wherein the sole is formed of a resilient material and wherein the at least one rheological body contains a rheological fluid having a viscosity that is variable in the presence of the generated energy field.
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Specification