Shoe Insole and Generator

• US 20190159543A1
• Filed: 11/30/2017
• Published: 05/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Department of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: US Department of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Sharpes, Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 10,499,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/06 with metal springs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/35 with electric heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 19/04 comprising a rack
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/06 Means for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1853 driven by intermittent forces

Abstract

Linear movement of a heel strike sequence for a shoe insole can be converted into rotational movement. This rotational movement can cause rotation of an interior of a generator. Rotation of this interior of the generator can cause an electricity to be generated and outputted. The generator can be considered a source of damping, so at the start of the heel strike sequence the generator can be non-engaged. After some time, the generator can be engaged and in turn rotate. This can allow for standing inertia to be more quickly overcome.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a conversion component, that is hardware, configured to convert a force of heel strike sequence on a shoe insole into a rotational motion of a rotational mechanism; and

an engagement component, that is hardware, configured to engage the rotational mechanism with an electrical generator such that the electrical generator experiences rotation from the rotational motion of the mechanism,

where engagement of the mechanism occurs after a start of the heel strike step sequence and

where engagement of the mechanism occurs before an end of the heel strike step sequence.

2. The system of claim 1,

where the conversion component comprises a linear movement mechanism that linearly moves from a neutral position to an off-neutral position and

where the linear movement mechanism is coupled to the rotational mechanism such that the linear movement of the linear movement mechanism causes the rotational motion.

3. The system of claim 2,

where after the heal strike sequence, a heel lift sequence occurs and

where during the heel lift sequence the linear movement mechanism linearly moves from the off-neutral position to the neutral position.

4. The system of claim 1,

where the electrical generator, in response to engagement by the mechanism, generates an electricity that powers a battery of a personal electronic device of a wearer of the shoe insole.

5. The system of claim 1,

where the mechanism comprises a circuit completion hardware switch such that at the start of the heel strike step sequence a harvesting circuit associated with the electrical generator is open and such that at the end of the heel strike step sequence the harvesting circuit associated with the electrical generator is closed.

6. The system of claim 1,

where the mechanism comprises a potentiometer with a changeable value such that at the start of the heel strike step sequence a harvesting circuit associated with the electrical generator functions similar to an open circuit and such that at the end of the heel strike step sequence the harvesting circuit associated with the electrical generator functions similar to a closed circuit.

7. The system of claim 1,

where a heel lift causes the rotational mechanism to reverse the rotational motion and

where the engagement component is configured to not engage the rotational mechanism with the electrical generator when the rotational mechanism reverses the rotational motion.

8. A shoe insole, comprising

a linear movement mechanism configured to make a linear movement from a neutral position to an off-neutral position during a heel strike sequence;

and

a rotational movement mechanism, that is coupled to the linear movement mechanism, configured to make a rotational movement in response to the linear movement,

where the rotational movement causes a rotation of an electrical generator during less than a full duration of the heel strike sequence.

9. The shoe insole of claim 8, comprising:

the electrical generator,

where the electrical generator produces an electricity that powers a battery of a device associated with a wearer of the shoe insole.

10. The shoe insole of claim 9, comprising:

a circuit completion hardware configured to complete a circuit after a start of the heel strike sequence,

where the heal strike sequence causes the circuit to be completed by way of the circuit completion hardware and

where when the circuit is completed an interior of the electrical generator rotates and when the circuit is not completed the interior of the electrical generator does not rotate.

11. The shoe insole of claim 10,

where the heel strike sequence terminates with a foot toward a ground for a shoe that retains the shoe insole,

where after the heel strike sequence ends a heel lift sequence occurs,

where during the heel lift sequence the linear movement mechanism linearly moves from the off-neutral position to the neutral position,

where the heel lift sequence causes the circuit to be open, and

where the electrical generator is not caused to be rotated due to the heel lift sequence.

12. The shoe insole of claim 9, comprising:

a potentiometer configured to function at a first value and configured to function at a second value,

where the potentiometer is part of a circuit associated with the electrical generator,

where a start of the heel strike sequence the potentiometer is at the first value,

where after the start of the heel strike sequence the potentiometer is at the second value,

where the heel strike sequence causes the potentiometer to change from the first value to the second value,

where the first value is such that the circuit functions as an open circuit,

where the second value is such that the circuit functions as a closed circuit.

where when the circuit is completed the rotational movement of the generator causes the damping of rotation of the electrical generator and when the circuit is not completed the rotational movement does not cause damping of the rotation of the electrical generator.

13. The shoe insole of claim 12,

where the heel strike sequence terminates with a foot toward a heel of a shoe that retains the shoe insole,

where after the heel strike sequence ends a heel lift sequence occurs,

where during the heel lift sequence the linear movement mechanism linearly moves from the off-neutral position to the neutral position,

where the heel lift sequence causes the circuit to be open, and

where the electrical generator is not caused to be rotated due to the heel lift sequence.

14. The shoe insole of claim 8,

where the linear movement mechanism comprises a rack,

where the rotational movement mechanism comprises a pinion gear physically coupled to the rack,

where when the rack moves laterally, the pinion gear experiences a rotation, and

where the rack and pinion gear are inline.

15. The shoe insole of claim 8,

where the linear movement mechanism comprises a rack,

where the rotational movement mechanism comprises a pinion gear physically coupled to the rack,

where when the rack moves laterally, the pinion gear experiences a rotation,

where the pinion gear has a varied gear ratio,

where a varied gear ratio value of the pinion gear is lower at a start of the rotation experienced by the pinion gear, and

where the varied gear ratio value of the pinion gear is higher at an end of the rotation experienced by the pinion gear.

16. The shoe insole of claim 8, comprising:

a mechanical clutch,

where the rotational movement is a first rotational movement in a first mechanical direction,

where the linear movement is a first linear movement that is followed by a second linear movement,

where the second linear movement is a movement from the off-neutral position to the neutral position,

where, in response to the second linear movement, the rotational movement mechanism is configured to make a second rotational movement that is in a second mechanism direction that is a reverse direction to the first mechanism direction, and

where the mechanical clutch prevents the electrical generation from rotation in a reverse direction.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising:

closing a circuit,

where closing the circuit causes an end to the first time frame and a start to the second time frame.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising:

changing a value of a potentiometer from a first value to a second value,

where the potentiometer being at the first value causes the rotational mechanism not to spin the electrical generator and

where the potentiometer being at the second value causes the rotational mechanism to spin the electrical generator.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising:

preparing the shoe mechanism to experience linear energy from a subsequent heel strike.

17. A method, performed by a shoe mechanism, comprising:

experiencing a linear energy that is resultant from a heel strike;

using the linear energy to rotate a rotational mechanism over a first time frame and a second time frame;

where the second time frame follows the first time frame without overlap,

where during the first time frame the rotational mechanism does not spin an electrical generator, and

where during the second time frame the rotational mechanism does spin the electrical generator.