WEARABLE ARTICLE WITH A KINETIC ENERGY GENERATOR

• US 20180125147A1
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Published: 05/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Folske, Keith A., Malhotra, Vikram, Pheil, Holli, Schneider, Summer L.
• Application Number:
  US15/575,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20180125147A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/40 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/42 where power is generated by conversion of mechanical movement to electricity, e.g. by piezoelectric means
• 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: A43D 999/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/181 Circuits; Control arrangements or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A wearable article, a system, and methods include a structural material configured to be worn on a body, a volatile energy storage device, a wireless transmission circuit, coupled to the volatile energy storage device, comprising an antenna having a minimum transmission energy, a kinetic energy generator, positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be manipulated to induce a voltage output, the kinetic energy generator coupled to and configured to charge the volatile energy storage device, a sensor configured to output activity data related to the wearable article, and an electronic data storage, coupled to the sensor, configured to store the activity data. Upon the volatile energy storage device charging to at least the minimum transmission energy, the wireless transmission circuit transmits the activity data as stored in the electronic data storage based on energy discharged from the volatile energy storage device.

Claims

1. A wearable article, comprising:

a structural material configured to enable the wearable article to the worn on a body;

a volatile energy storage device;

a wireless transmission circuit, coupled to the volatile energy storage device, comprising an antenna having a minimum transmission energy;

a kinetic energy generator, positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be manipulated to induce a voltage output, the kinetic energy generator coupled to and configured to charge the volatile energy storage device;

a sensor configured to output activity data related to the wearable article; and

an electronic data storage, coupled to the sensor, configured to store the activity data;

wherein, upon the volatile energy storage device charging to at least the minimum transmission energy, the wireless transmission circuit transmits the activity data as stored in the electronic data storage based on energy discharged, at least in part, from the volatile energy storage device.

2. The wearable article of claim 1, wherein the kinetic energy generator is a piezoelectric generator.

3. The wearable article of claim 2, further comprising a sole, wherein the piezoelectric generator is positioned, at least in part, in relation to the sole.

4. The wearable article of claim 3, wherein the piezoelectric generator is positioned within the sole.

5. The wearable article of claim 3, wherein the sole comprises an insole and an outsole and wherein the piezoelectric generator is positioned on a top surface of the sole outsole and a bottom surface of the insole.

6. The wearable article of claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric generator comprises a plurality of piezoelectric generators and wherein the plurality of piezoelectric generators are positioned in discrete and separate locations in the wearable article.

7. The wearable article of claim 6, wherein a first piezoelectric generator of the plurality of piezoelectric generators is positioned proximate a forefoot of the wearable article and wherein the second piezoelectric generator of the plurality of piezoelectric generators is positioned proximate a heel of the wearable article.

8. The wearable article of claim 6, further comprising a sole, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric generators are distributed substantially evenly with respect to the sole.

9. The wearable article of claim 2, further comprising a sole having a major surface, wherein the piezoelectric generator is substantially coextensive to and conformal with the major surface of the sole.

10. The wearable article of claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric generator is configure to generate a discrete energy output less than the minimum transmission energy upon a discrete flexing of the piezoelectric generator, and wherein the energy storage device is configured to charge to at least the minimum transmission energy upon a plurality of discrete flexing events of the piezoelectric generator.

11. The wearable article of claim 1, wherein the volatile energy storage device is a capacitor.

12. The wearable article of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to cause the wireless transmission circuit to transmit the activity data based, at least in part, on receiving an indication that the volatile energy transmission device has a charge of at least the minimum transmission energy.

13. The wearable article of claim 1, wherein the electronic data storage is further configured to store identity data of the wearable article and wherein the wireless transmission circuit is further configured to transmit the identity data upon the volatile energy storage device charging to at least the minimum transmission energy.

14. The wearable article of claim 1, wherein the wearable article is an article of footwear, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a footstep and wherein the activity data is indicative, at least in part, of a number of footsteps for which the article of footwear was worn.

15. A method, comprising:

outputting, with a kinetic energy generator positioned with respect to a structural material of an article of footwear in a configuration to be manipulated with a manipulation of the article of footwear, a voltage output, the kinetic energy generator coupled to and configured to charge a volatile energy storage device;

outputting, with a sensor, activity data related to the article of footwear; and

storing, in an electronic data storage, coupled to the sensor, the activity data;

transmitting, with a wireless transmission circuit, upon the volatile energy storage device charging to at least the minimum transmission energy, the activity data as stored in the electronic data storage based on energy discharged, at least in part, from the volatile energy storage device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the kinetic energy generator is a piezoelectric generator.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the piezoelectric generator is positioned, at least in part, in relation to a sole of the article of footwear.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the piezoelectric generator is positioned within the sole.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the sole comprises an insole and an outsole and wherein the piezoelectric generator is positioned on a top surface of the sole outsole and a bottom surface of the insole.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the piezoelectric generator comprises a plurality of piezoelectric generators, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric generators are positioned in discrete and separate locations in the article of footwear, and wherein outputting a voltage output is from at least one of the plurality of piezoelectric generators.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a first piezoelectric generator of the plurality of piezoelectric generators is positioned proximate a forefoot of the wearable article and wherein the second piezoelectric generator of the plurality of piezoelectric generators is positioned proximate a heel of the article of footwear.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising a sole, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric generators are distributed substantially evenly with respect to the sole.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising a sole having a major surface, wherein the piezoelectric generator is substantially coextensive to and conformal with the major surface of the sole.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the piezoelectric generator is configure to generate a discrete energy output less than the minimum transmission energy upon a discrete flexing of the piezoelectric generator, and wherein the energy storage device is configured to charge to at least the minimum transmission energy upon a plurality of discrete flexing events of the piezoelectric generator.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the volatile energy storage device is a capacitor.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising causing, with a controller, the wireless transmission circuit to transmit the activity data based, at least in part, on receiving an indication that the volatile energy transmission device has a charge of at least the minimum transmission energy.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic data storage is further configured to store identity data of the article of footwear and further comprising transmitting, with the wireless transmission circuit, the identity data upon the volatile energy storage device charging to at least the minimum transmission energy.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a footstep and wherein the activity data is indicative, at least in part, of a number of footsteps for which the article of footwear was worn.