Article of footwear with a heating system

• US 9,427,041 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2012
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Lupinek, Jaroslav J., Smaldone, Patricia L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kinsaul, Anna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Carolyn W
• Application Number:
  US13/597,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20140059882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 36/26, 36/55, 36/77.R, 219/200, 219/211
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 Linings therefor lining laminated with upper A43B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/35 with electric heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/40 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0405 Linings, paddings or insertions; Inner boots
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/34 with protection against heat or cold

Abstract

A heated article of footwear that includes an outer shell and a removable inner liner is described. The inner liner includes a heating system with a toe cap heating element. The toe cap heating element is disposed around a perimeter of the forefoot region of the inner liner. The heating system is integrated within the inner liner and is removable with the inner liner from the outer shell. A power source for the heating system is contained within a battery compartment area disposed along a cuff of the inner liner to provide access to the power source.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper and a sole structure;

an inner liner, the inner liner being a separate component designed to be inserted and also removed from within an interior of the outer shell;

the inner liner further comprising a heating system, the heating system including a power source and a heating element;

wherein the heating system is disposed within the inner liner;

the inner liner having an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion, wherein the upper liner portion includes a cuff;

the lower liner portion having a forefoot region, a heel region opposite the forefoot region, a midfoot region disposed between the forefoot region and the heel region, and an outermost front tip portion of the forefoot region;

wherein the outermost front tip portion of the forefoot region, is disposed adjacent a toe cap perimeter and extends vertically between a bottom of the inner liner and a top portion of the forefoot region, wherein the outermost front tip portion comprises a gap, the gap is positioned between the toe cap perimeter and an interior liner layer;

wherein the forefoot region having a lateral side and a medial side;

wherein the cuff includes a battery compartment area disposed in between an outer layer of the inner liner and an inner layer of the inner liner, the battery compartment area being configured to receive the power source of the heating system; and

wherein the heating element is a toe cap heating element that is designed to be positioned only within the gap, the heating element having a rectangular and arcuate geometry including a vertical portion extending vertically between the bottom of the inner liner and the top portion of the forefoot region and a horizontal portion extending in a curve from the lateral side to the medial side of the forefoot region.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the battery compartment area is disposed along a top edge of the upper liner portion of the inner liner and extends downward along a front edge of the upper liner portion.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the battery compartment area comprises a fastening mechanism that is configured to join the outer layer with the inner layer.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the fastening mechanism is a zipper.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the upper liner portion of the inner liner further comprises an embossed battery area;

and

wherein the embossed battery area extends outwards from an outer surface of the upper liner portion.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein the battery compartment area includes a recess disposed along the outer layer that corresponds to the embossed battery area.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 6, further comprising a securing member within the battery compartment area that is configured to hold the power source within the recess.

8. An article of footwear comprising:

an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper and a sole structure;

an inner liner, the inner liner being a separate component designed to be inserted and also removed from within an interior of the outer shell;

the inner liner further comprising a heating system, the heating system including a power source and a heating element;

wherein the heating system is disposed within the inner liner;

the inner liner having an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion;

the lower liner portion including a bottom disposed along an underside of the inner liner, the bottom being configured to rest along a bottom of the interior of the outer shell when the inner liner is inserted within the outer shell;

the lower liner portion further comprising a top forefoot portion disposed along a top of the inner liner in a forefoot region, a toe cap perimeter disposed along an outer edge of a toe end of the forefoot region, the toe cap perimeter extending between the bottom of the lower liner and the top forefoot portion, and an outermost front tip portion of the forefoot region;

wherein the outermost front tip portion of the forefoot region is disposed adjacent the toe cap perimeter and extends vertically between the bottom of the lower liner and the top forefoot portion, wherein the outermost front tip portion comprises a gap, the gap is positioned between the toe cap perimeter and an interior liner layer;

wherein the heating element is designed to be positioned within the gap;

a reflective film is disposed along the toe cap perimeter and is designed to be positioned within the gap;

the interior liner layer is disposed along the toe cap perimeter; and

wherein the heating element is disposed between the reflective film and the interior liner layer, and the reflective film is disposed between the heating element and the toe cap perimeter.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein the heating system is entirely integrated within the inner liner.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein the heating system further comprises a control mechanism;

and

wherein the control mechanism is connected to at least one of the power source and the heating element.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the control mechanism is disposed on the upper liner portion adjacent to a top edge of the inner liner.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the upper liner portion further comprises a battery compartment area configured to receive the power source;

and

wherein the battery compartment area is disposed along a top edge of the upper liner portion of the inner liner and extends downward along a front edge of the upper liner portion.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein the heating element extends between a lateral side and a medial side along the toe cap perimeter;

and

wherein the heating element is disposed between the top forefoot portion of the lower liner portion and the bottom of the lower liner portion.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the heating element corresponds in size and shape to the reflective film.

15. An article of footwear comprising:

an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper and a sole structure;

an inner liner, the inner liner being a separate component designed to be inserted and also removed from within an interior of the outer shell;

the inner liner having an outer layer and an inner layer;

the inner liner further comprising a heating system, the heating system including a power source and a heating element;

wherein the heating system is disposed between the outer layer and the inner layer of the inner liner;

the inner liner having an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion, wherein the upper liner portion includes a cuff disposed along a top edge of the upper liner portion and extending downwards along a front edge of the upper liner portion, and the lower liner portion having a forefoot region, a heel region opposite the forefoot region, a midfoot region disposed between the forefoot region and the heel region;

wherein the heating element is positioned along only an outermost front tip portion of the forefoot region of the lower liner portion;

wherein the outermost front tip portion of the forefoot region is disposed adjacent a toe cap perimeter and extends vertically between a bottom of the inner liner and a top portion of the forefoot region, wherein the outermost front tip portion comprises a gap, the heating element is designed to be positioned within the gap;

wherein the cuff includes a battery compartment area disposed in between the outer layer of the inner liner and the inner layer of the inner liner, the battery compartment area being configured to receive the power source of the heating system; and

wherein the battery compartment area comprises a fastening mechanism that is configured to join the outer layer with the inner layer.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein the upper liner portion of the inner liner further comprises an embossed battery area;

and

wherein the embossed battery area extends outwards from an outer surface of the upper liner portion.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein the battery compartment area includes a recess disposed along the outer layer that corresponds to the embossed battery area.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 17, further comprising a securing member within the battery compartment area that is configured to hold the power source within the recess.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein the fastening mechanism is a zipper.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein the heating element is a toe cap heating element having a rectangular and arcuate geometry.