Footwear having sensor system

• US 10,070,680 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Molyneux, James, Weast, Aaron B., Rice, Jordan M., Schrock, Allan M., Amos, Michael S., Owings, Andrew A., Stillman, Martine, Horrell, Joseph B., Knight, Jonathan Bing, Weitmann, Dane R., Hebert, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prange, Sharon M
• Application Number:
  US13/399,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20120234111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,398 Days
• Field of Search: 36132, 36136
• 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: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 26/003 for improving balance or equilibrium balance beams A63B4/00; apparatus for rope dancing A63B7/08; balancing drums, balancing boards or the like A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 : involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 : using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/26 : Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0334 : Foot operated pointing devices

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper member and a sole structure, with a sensor system connected to the sole structure. The sensor system includes a plurality of sensors that are configured for detecting forces exerted by a user'"'"'s foot on the sensor. The sensor system also includes a port that is configured to receive a module to place the module in communication with the sensors. The port includes a housing with a chamber configured to receive the module and an interface engaged with the housing and having at least one electrical contact exposed to the chamber. Additional retaining structure and interface structure may be included.

Claims

1. An insert for use with an article of footwear adapted to engage a foot, the article of footwear having a sole structure and an upper portion connected to the sole structure, the insert comprising:

an insert member adapted to be placed in contact with the sole structure of the article of footwear, the insert member being formed of a flexible polymer material, wherein the insert member has an opening extending completely through the insert member;

a plurality of force sensors connected to the insert member, the force sensors being adapted to sense a force exerted on the insert member;

a plurality of sensor leads extending away from the force sensors; and

a port connected to the insert member and the plurality of sensor leads, the port comprising;

a housing connected to the insert member and adapted to be at least partially received within the sole structure of the article of footwear such that the housing is accessible through the opening in the insert member, the housing comprising a plurality of side walls defining a chamber adapted to receive an electronic module therein, the housing further comprising a retaining member located at a rear end of the housing, wherein the retaining member is a resilient tab located on at least one of the side walls; and

an interface engaged with the housing at a front end of the housing opposite the rear end and having at least one electrical contact exposed to the chamber, the interface being adapted to form an electrical connection with the module such that the module engages the at least one electrical contact when the module is received within the chamber,

wherein the retaining member is adapted to exert a downward force on the module to retain the module within the housing, and wherein the retaining member is further adapted to exert a forward force on the module to push the module into contact with the interface.

2. The insert of claim 1, wherein the housing has four side walls forming a substantially rectangular chamber.

3. The insert of claim 1, wherein the tab is adapted to be received in a notch in the electronic module.

4. The insert of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a bottom wall defining a bottom of the chamber, with the side walls extending upward from the bottom wall.

5. The insert of claim 4, the chamber further having an open top adapted to permit insertion of the module into the chamber.

6. The insert of claim 1, wherein the interface further comprises at least one electrical connector positioned along at least one of the side walls of the chamber, the at least one electrical connector holding the at least one electrical contact so that the at least one electrical contact is exposed to the chamber.

7. The insert of claim 6, wherein the housing further comprises a slot adjacent one of the side walls, and the at least one electrical contact has a portion that is received in the slot to mount the at least one electrical contact within the chamber.

8. The insert of claim 1, wherein the interface is engaged with at least one of the side walls defining the chamber.

9. The insert of claim 1, wherein the insert member further comprises a strip of the flexible polymer material extending from the insert member into the opening and into the housing and having the sensor leads thereon, wherein the sensor leads are connected to the force sensors, and wherein the at least one electrical contact is connected to the sensor leads on the strip.

10. An insert for use with an article of footwear adapted to engage a foot, the article of footwear having a sole structure and an upper portion connected to the sole structure, the insert comprising:

an insert member adapted to be placed in contact with the sole structure of the article of footwear, the insert member being formed of a flexible polymer material, wherein the insert member has an opening extending completely through the insert member;

a plurality of force sensors connected to the insert member, the force sensors being adapted to sense a force exerted on the insert member;

a plurality of sensor leads extending away from the force sensors; and

a port connected to the insert member and the plurality of sensor leads, the port comprising;

a housing adapted to be at least partially received within the sole structure of the article of footwear such that the housing is accessible through the opening in the insert member, the housing comprising a chamber adapted to removably receive an electronic module therein; and

an interface engaged with the housing and having a plurality of electrical contacts, the interface further comprising a support structure engaged with the housing and supporting the electrical contacts to position the electrical contacts to be exposed to the chamber, such that the interface is adapted to form an electrical connection with the module such that the module engages the electrical contacts when the module is received within the chamber, the insert member further comprising a strip of flexible material extending from the insert member into the opening to extend into the housing, the strip having the sensor leads thereon, wherein the sensor leads are configured to be connected to the plurality of sensors, and wherein the electrical contacts are connected to the sensor leads on the strip.

11. The insert of claim 10, wherein the electrical contacts comprise a plurality of electrical contact pads, the electrical contact pads each having a flat contact surface.

12. The insert of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a slot, and a mounting portion of the support structure is received within the slot to connect the support structure to the housing.

13. The insert of claim 12, wherein the chamber is defined by a plurality of side walls, and wherein the slot is positioned at one end of the chamber and extends across the chamber between two opposed side walls.

14. The insert of claim 10, wherein the electrical contacts comprise a plurality of electrical contact pads, the electrical contact pads each having a flat contact surface, wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of ribs, each rib having one of the contact pads mounted thereon such that the flat contact surface of each contact pad faces toward an interior of the chamber.

15. An article of footwear adapted to engage a foot, comprising:

a sole structure comprising an outsole member and a midsole member supported by the outsole member, the midsole member having a well therein;

an upper portion connected to the sole structure;

a sensor system comprising a flexible insert member connected to the sole structure, a plurality of force sensors connected to the insert member, and a plurality of sensor leads connected to the insert member and extending away from the force sensors, the force sensors being adapted to sense a force exerted on the sole structure by the foot, wherein the insert member has an opening extending completely through the insert member; and

a port connected to the sole structure and the sensor system, the port comprising;

a housing at least partially received within the well in the midsole member such that the housing is accessible through the opening in the insert member, the housing comprising a plurality of side walls defining a chamber adapted to receive an electronic module; and

an interface engaged with the housing and having a plurality of electrical contacts exposed to the chamber and adapted to be engaged by the module to form an electrical connection, the insert member further comprising a strip of flexible material extending from the flexible insert member into the opening to extend into the housing, the strip having the sensor leads thereon, wherein the electrical contacts are connected to the plurality of sensor leads on the strip to place the electrical contacts in communication with the force sensors.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15, further comprising a retaining member connected to the housing, the retaining member adapted to exert a downward force on the module to retain the module within the housing.

17. The article of footwear of claim 15, further comprising a support structure engaged with the housing and supporting the plurality of electrical contacts to position the electrical contacts to be exposed to the chamber.

18. A system for use with article of footwear adapted to engage a foot, comprising:

a sole structure comprising an outsole member and a midsole member supported by the outsole member, the midsole member having a well therein;

an upper portion connected to the sole structure;

a sensor system comprising a flexible insert member connected to the sole structure, a plurality of force sensors connected to the insert member, and a plurality of sensor leads connected to the insert member and extending away from the force sensors, the force sensors each being adapted to sense a force exerted on the sole structure by the foot, wherein the insert member has an opening extending completely through the insert member;

a port connected to the sole structure and the sensor system, the port comprising;

a housing at least partially received within the well in the midsole member such that the housing is accessible through the opening in the insert member, the housing comprising a plurality of side walls defining a chamber and a retaining member connected to at least one of the side walls; and

an interface engaged with the housing and having a plurality of electrical contacts exposed to the chamber, the flexible insert member further comprising a strip of flexible material extending from the flexible insert member into the housing, the strip having the sensor leads thereon, wherein the electrical contacts are connected to the plurality of sensor leads on the strip and are thereby in electronic communication with the force sensors; and

an electronic module received in the chamber of the port, wherein the module engages the plurality of electrical contacts of the interface when the module is received within the chamber, forming an electrical connection with the interface,

wherein the module is configured to receive signals from the force sensor through the electrical connection with the interface and store data received from the force sensor, and

wherein the retaining member exerts a force on the module to retain the module within the chamber.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the retaining member is further adapted to exert a forward force on the module to push the module into contact with the interface.

20. An insert configured for use in an article of footwear, comprising:

an insert member adapted to be placed in contact with a sole structure of the article of footwear, the insert member being formed of a flexible polymer material;

a plurality of force sensors connected to the insert member, the force sensors being adapted to sense a force exerted on the insert member;

a plurality of sensor leads extending away from the force sensors; and

a port connected to the insert member and the plurality of sensor leads, the port comprising;

a housing connected to the insert member and configured to be at least partially received within the sole structure, the housing comprising a plurality of side walls defining a chamber adapted to removably receive an electronic module therein, wherein the housing is accessible through an opening extending completely through the insert member; and

an interface engaged with the housing and having a plurality of electrical contacts, the interface further comprising a support structure engaged with the housing and supporting the electrical contacts to position the electrical contacts to be exposed to the chamber, such that the interface is adapted to be engaged by the module to form an electrical connection with the module when the module is received within the chamber, wherein the electrical contacts are connected to the sensor leads and thereby in electronic communication with the force sensors,

wherein the insert member further comprises a strip of the polymer material extending from the insert member and having the sensor leads thereon, wherein the strip extends into the opening and into the housing, and wherein the electrical contacts are connected to the sensor leads on the strip.

21. The insert of claim 20, further comprising a retaining member connected to the housing, the retaining member adapted to exert a downward force on the module to retain the module within the housing.

22. The insert of claim 21, wherein the retaining member is further adapted to exert a forward force on the electronic module to push the electronic module into contact with the interface.

23. The insert of claim 20, wherein the housing is received within the opening.

24. An insert for use with an article of footwear adapted to engage a foot, the article of footwear having a sole structure and an upper portion connected to the sole structure, the insert comprising:

an insert member adapted to be placed in contact with the sole structure of the article of footwear, the insert member being formed of a flexible polymer material;

a plurality of force sensors connected to the insert member, the force sensors being adapted to sense a force exerted on the insert member;

a plurality of sensor leads extending away from the force sensors; and

a port connected to the insert member and the plurality of sensor leads, the port comprising;

a housing adapted to be at least partially received within the sole structure of the article of footwear, the housing comprising a chamber adapted to removably receive an electronic module therein; and

an interface engaged with the housing and having a plurality of electrical contacts, the interface further comprising a support structure engaged with the housing and supporting the electrical contacts to position the electrical contacts to be exposed to the chamber, such that the interface is adapted to form an electrical connection with the module such that the module engages the electrical contacts when the module is received within the chamber, the insert member further comprising a strip of flexible material extending from the insert member into the housing and having the sensor leads thereon, wherein the sensor leads are configured to be connected to the plurality of sensors, and wherein the electrical contacts are connected to the sensor leads on the strip,

wherein the electrical contacts comprise a plurality of electrical contact pads, the electrical contact pads each having a flat contact surface, wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of ribs, each rib having one of the contact pads mounted thereon such that the flat contact surface of each contact pad faces toward an interior of the chamber.