Article of Footwear with Lighting System

• US 20090272013A1
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Hatfield, Tinker L., Friton, Michael R., Beers, Tiffany A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,056,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/137
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0027 made at least partially from a material having special colours
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0036 with fluorescent or phosphorescent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0054 provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 11/00 Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/24 Ornamental buckles; Other ornaments for shoes without fastening function
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0078 provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration A43B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/36 with light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00

Abstract

An article of footwear with a lighting system is disclosed. The lighting system includes three lighting devices disposed on the article of footwear. The lighting system is also associated with an automatic fastening system.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper including an automatic ankle cinching system;

the automatic ankle cinching system including an ankle strap configured to move into and out of a housing;

a lighting device disposed on the ankle strap, the lighting device having an illuminated state and a non-illuminated state;

an ECU configured to control the operation of the lighting device;

a wire including a first end portion configured to connect to the lighting device and the wire including a second end portion configured to connect to a port of the ECU; and

wherein an intermediate portion of the wire disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion is disposed within the housing.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device is configured to rotate about an ankle portion of the article with the ankle strap.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device is in the non-illuminated state when the automatic ankle cinching system is in a loosened position.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the lighting device is illuminated state when the automatic ankle cinching system is in a tightened position.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 4, wherein the illumination of the lighting device indicates to a user that the automatic ankle cinching system is in a tightened position.

6. An article of footwear, comprising:

an automatic fastening system configured to tighten a portion of an upper, the automatic fastening system including a tightened position and a loosened position;

a lighting system comprising at least one lighting device, the lighting system in communication with the automatic fastening system; and

wherein the at least one lighting device is in an illuminated state when the automatic fastening system is in a tightened position and wherein the at least one lighting device is in a non-illuminated state when the automatic fastening system is in a loosened position.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the automatic fastening system is an automatic lacing system associated with an arch portion of an upper.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the automatic fastening system is an automatic ankle cinching system associated with an ankle portion of an upper.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein the at least one lighting device is disposed on an ankle strap of the automatic ankle cinching system.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the at least one lighting device is disposed on a side portion of the upper.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the at least one lighting device is disposed on a sole of the article of footwear.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the lighting system is configured to receive information from a pressure switch, the pressure switch being configured to depress when a foot is inserted into the upper.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein the lighting system is disposed in the illuminated state when the pressure switch is depressed.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the lighting system is configured to receive information from a manual switch.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the lighting system is disposed in the illuminated state when the manual switch is engaged by a user.

16. An article of footwear, comprising:

an automatic fastening system configured to tighten a portion of an upper, the automatic fastening system including a tightened position and a loosened position;

a lighting system comprising at least one lighting device, the lighting system in communication with the automatic fastening system; and

wherein the at least one lighting device is configured to alert a user when the automatic fastening system is in the tightened position.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein the at least one lighting device is illuminated in order to alert the user.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein the automatic fastening system is an automatic ankle cinching system including an ankle strap.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein the at least one lighting device is disposed on the ankle strap.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 19, wherein the at least one lighting device is oriented towards a forefoot of the article of footwear to increase visibility of the lighting device for the user.