Microprocessor control of magnetorheological liquid in footwear with bladders and internal flexibility sipes
First Claim
1. A sole, sole insert, or sole component for footwear, comprising:
- at least one outer bladder;
at least one inner bladder located inside the outer bladder; and
said outer bladder and said at least one said inner bladder being separated at least in part by at least one internal sipe; and
wherein the at least one internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of said inner bladder; and
the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one sipe, oppose each other, and are configured to move relative to each other in a sliding motion; and
the at least one internal sipe includes a lubricating media with at least a magnetorheological liquid for use to increase or decrease the sliding resistance between the opposing sipe surfaces by changing an alignment of metal particles of the magnetorheological fluid to alter a flow resistant structure in order to control the sliding motion between the opposing surfaces of the at least one internal sipe; and
at least one electronic control system including a microprocessor controls a flow resistance of at least a part of the magnetorheological liquid by controlling the alignment of the metal particles in the magnetorheological fluid to alter a flow resistant structure in the at least one internal sipe.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sole, sole insert or sole component for footwear that includes at least one outer bladder, at least one inner bladder located in the outer bladder, an internal sipe, and at least one electronic control system including a microprocessor. The internal sipe is formed by a portion of an inner surface of the outer bladder and a portion of an outer surface of the inner bladder. The surface portions forming the sipe oppose each other and are configured to move relative to each other in a sliding motion. The sipe includes a lubricating media with at least a magnetorheological liquid for use to increase or decrease the sliding resistance between the opposing sipe surfaces by altering an arrangement of metal particles in the magnetorheological fluid. The control system controls a flow resistance of thee magnetorheological liquid by altering the arrangement of the metal particles in the magnetorheological fluid.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A sole, sole insert, or sole component for footwear, comprising:
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at least one outer bladder; at least one inner bladder located inside the outer bladder; and said outer bladder and said at least one said inner bladder being separated at least in part by at least one internal sipe; and wherein the at least one internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of said inner bladder; and
the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one sipe, oppose each other, and are configured to move relative to each other in a sliding motion; andthe at least one internal sipe includes a lubricating media with at least a magnetorheological liquid for use to increase or decrease the sliding resistance between the opposing sipe surfaces by changing an alignment of metal particles of the magnetorheological fluid to alter a flow resistant structure in order to control the sliding motion between the opposing surfaces of the at least one internal sipe; and at least one electronic control system including a microprocessor controls a flow resistance of at least a part of the magnetorheological liquid by controlling the alignment of the metal particles in the magnetorheological fluid to alter a flow resistant structure in the at least one internal sipe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A sole, sole insert, or sole component for footwear, comprising:
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at least one outer bladder; at least one inner bladder located inside the outer bladder; and said outer bladder and said at least one inner bladder being separated at least in part by at least one internal sipe; and wherein the at least one internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of said inner bladder; and
the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one sipe, oppose each other and are configured to move relative to each other in a sliding motion; andthe at least one internal sipe includes a lubricating media with at least a magnetorheological liquid for use to increase or decrease the sliding resistance between the opposing sipe surfaces by changing an alignment of metal particles in the magnetorheological fluid to alter a flow resistant structure in order to control the sliding motion between the opposing surfaces of the at least one internal sipe; and at least one electronic control system including a microprocessor controls a flow resistance of at least a part of the magnetorheological liquid by controlling the alignment of the metal particles in the magnetorheological fluid to alter a flow resistant structure in the at least one internal sipe; said inner bladder is formed by at least one flexible, resilient structural element, as viewed in a cross-section when the device is upright and in an unloaded condition, said at least one structural element comprising at least a foamed plastic or a blown rubber; and wherein at least a part of said at least one structural element is proximate to both an upper inner surface and a lower inner surface of the at least one outer bladder when the sole, sole insert, or sole component is upright and in an unloaded condition. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. The sole, sole insert, or sole component comprising,
at least one outer bladder; -
at least one inner bladder located inside the outer bladder; and said outer bladder and said at least one said inner bladder being separated at least in part by at least one internal sipe; and wherein the at least one internal sipe is formed by at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer bladder and at least a portion of an outer surface of said inner bladder; and
the inner and outer surface portions forming the at least one sipe, oppose each other, and configured to move relative to each other in a sliding motion; andthe at least one internal sipe includes a lubricating media with at least a magnetorheological liquid for use to increase or decrease the sliding resistance between the opposing sipe surfaces by changing an alignment of metal particles in the magnetorheological fluid to alter a flow resistant structure in order to control the sliding motion between the opposing surfaces of the at least one internal sipe; and at least one electronic control system including a microprocessor controls a flow resistance of at least a part of the magnetorheological liquid by controlling an alignment of the metal particles in the magnetorheological fluid to alter a flow resistant structure in the at least one internal sipe; wherein said inner bladder is formed by at least two flexible, resilient structural elements that are interconnected, as viewed in a frontal plane cross section when the sole, sole insert, or sole component is in an unloaded, upright position; and at least one said structural element includes at least a foamed plastic or a blown rubber. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification