Electronically controlled bladder assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An article of footwear comprising:
- a bladder and a reservoir, wherein the pressure of the bladder is adjustable and wherein the pressure of the reservoir is substantially constant;
an electronically controlled valve including a first fluid port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second fluid port in fluid communication with the reservoir;
a pressure sensor associated with the bladder;
an electronic control unit for controlling the electronically controlled valve, wherein the electronic control unit receives information from the pressure sensor; and
wherein the electronic control unit is configured to operate the electronically controlled valve in an iterative manner to create a first maximum pressure in the bladder during a time period period between a first heel strike and a sequential second heel strike and to create a second maximum pressure in the bladder during a time period following the second heel strike, wherein the second maximum pressure is greater than the first second maximum pressure.
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Abstract
An electronically controlled bladder assembly includes an adjustable pressure bladder and a constant pressure reservoir connected by an electronically controlled valve. The electronically controlled valve is operated in a manner that inflates the adjustable bladder when the current pressure is below a target pressure and in a manner that deflates the adjustable bladder when the current pressure is above the target pressure. The inflation and deflation of the adjustable bladder are achieved in an iterative manner by controlling the flow of fluid between the constant pressure reservoir and the adjustable bladder over several cycles of heel strikes.
56 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An article of footwear comprising:
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a bladder and a reservoir, wherein the pressure of the bladder is adjustable and wherein the pressure of the reservoir is substantially constant; an electronically controlled valve including a first fluid port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second fluid port in fluid communication with the reservoir; a pressure sensor associated with the bladder; an electronic control unit for controlling the electronically controlled valve, wherein the electronic control unit receives information from the pressure sensor; and wherein the electronic control unit is configured to operate the electronically controlled valve in an iterative manner to create a first maximum pressure in the bladder during a time period period between a first heel strike and a sequential second heel strike and to create a second maximum pressure in the bladder during a time period following the second heel strike, wherein the second maximum pressure is greater than the first second maximum pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of controlling an electronically controlled valve in an article of footwear, wherein the electronically controlled valve provides controllable fluid communication between an adjustable bladder and a constant pressure reservoir, including:
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receiving a current bladder pressure for the adjustable bladder; comparing the current bladder pressure is greater than the target pressure; determining that the current bladder pressure is greater than the target pressure; receiving information associated with a first heel strike event; based on the determination that the current bladder pressure is greater than the target pressure, opening the electronically controlled valve during the first heel strike event; maintaining a first pressure level in the bladder during a time period between the first heel strke event and a sequential second heel strike event by closing the electronically controlled valve during the time period between the first and second heel strike events; receiving information associated with the second heel strike event; opening the electronically controlled valve during the second heel strike event; and maintaining a second pressure level in the bladder during a time period after the second heel strike event by closing the electronically controlled valve during the time period after the second heel strike event, wherein the second pressure level is less than the first pressure level. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of controlling an electronically controlled valve in an article of footwear, wherein the electronically controlled valve provides controllable fluid communication between an adjustable bladder and a constant pressure reservoir, including:
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receiving a current bladder pressure for the adjustable bladder; comparing the current bladder pressure with a target pressure; determining that the current bladder pressure is less than the target pressure receiving information associated with a first heel strike event; based on the determination that the current bladder pressure is less than the target pressure, closing the electronically controlled valve during the first heel strike event; causing a maximum pressure in the bladder during a time period between the first heel strike event and a sequential second heel strike event to reach a first pressure level by opening the electronically controlled valve during at least a portion of the time period between the first and second heel strike events; receiving information associated with the second heel strike event; closing the electronically controlled valve during the second heel strike event; and causing a maximum pressure in the bladder during a time period between the second heel strike event to reach a second pressure level by opening the electronically controlled valve during at least a portion of the time period after the second heel strike event, wherein the second pressure level is greater than the first pressure level. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification