Shoe housing

• US 7,980,009 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas International Marketing BV (Adidas AG)
• Original Assignee: Adidas International Marketing BV (Adidas AG)
• Inventors: Tomlinson, Scott, Carnes, James, Vincent, Stephen Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US12/548,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 361/32, 36/25.R, 361/36, 36/1, 361/08, 36/76.R, 36/76.C
• US Class Current: 36/132
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0031 provided with a pocket, e.g. for keys or a card
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe with a sole unit, where the sole unit includes a recess for removably receiving a housing of an electronic assembly, for example, an electronic pedometer, an accelerometer, or a speed sensor. Further, the invention relates to a housing for receiving an electronic assembly, for example, a pedometer, an accelerometer, or a speed sensor, where the housing has an outer shape corresponding to the shape of a recess formed in a shoe sole.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper forming a cavity for receiving a wearer'"'"'s foot;

a sole unit attached to the upper;

a reinforcing element at least partially disposed in the sole unit;

a recess formed within the sole unit, wherein at least a portion of the recess is integrated into at least a portion of the reinforcing element;

a housing positioned within the recess and configured to receive an electronic assembly.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a torsion support configured to control rotation of a forefoot portion of the sole unit relative to a rearfoot portion of the sole unit.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein the torsion support comprises a substantially incompressible material.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a plate configured for dispersing impact forces arising on the sole.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a plate configured for providing energy return to the wearer'"'"'s foot during a push-off phase of a step cycle.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element extends from a rearfoot portion of the sole unit into a forefoot portion of the sole unit.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element extends substantially along an entire length of the sole unit.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the recess is at least partially accessible through the cavity of the upper.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1 further comprising a receptacle configured to engage with the housing.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein a shape of the housing corresponds to a shape of the receptacle.

11. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the housing is adapted to mate with the receptacle via a friction-fit engagement.

12. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the housing comprises at least one flexible profile element disposed about a perimeter of the housing, wherein the at least one flexible profile element is configured to engage with the receptacle.

13. The article of footwear of 1, wherein the electronic assembly is selected from the group consisting of a pedometer, a shock sensor, a global positioning system, a pulse sensor, an accelerometer, a speed sensor, an MP3 player, and combinations thereof.