Detector system for use with footwear

• US 10,477,923 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2019
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Walker, Steven H., Meneau, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Bays, Marie D
• Application Number:
  US16/280,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20190174871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• Field of Search: 36 501
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0054 provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/125 characterised by the midsole or middle layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/18 Resilient soles skating boots provided with resilient means A43B5/1658
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/00 Insoles for insertion, e.g. footbeds or inlays, for attachment to the shoe after the upper has been joined
• 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: A43B 3/36 with light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/44 with sensors, e.g. for detecting contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/00 Shoe lacing fastenings garment fastening devices A41F
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/003 Zone lacing, i.e. whereby different zones of the footwear have different lacing tightening degrees, using one or a plurality of laces laces combined with another system A43C11/008; zone tightening using straps A43C11/14
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/006 Rear lacing, i.e. with a lace placed on the back of the foot in place of, or in addition to the traditional front lace
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/02 with elastic laces
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/04 with rings or loops
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/06 tightened by draw-strings
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/00 Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes dress fastenings in general A44B
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/008 Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/14 Clamp fastenings , e.g. strap fastenings; Clamp-buckle fastenings; Fastenings with toggle levers
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/165 characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 7/00 : Holding-devices for laces
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 7/08 : Clamps drawn tight by laces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 : Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 : Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/12 : using electric or magnetic means G01D5/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 : influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/24 : by varying capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2405 : by varying dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/34 : the beams of light being detected by photocells
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/12 : by measuring variations in the magnetic properties of materials resulting from the application of stress
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/14 : by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 : using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/144 : with associated circuitry G01L1/146 and G01L1/148 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0009 : Force sensors associated with a bearing testing of bearings G01M13/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0014 : by using capacitive sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0071 : Specific indicating arrangements, e.g. of overload
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/12 : for measuring axial thrust in a rotary shaft, e.g. of propulsion plants
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/16 : for measuring several components of force
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/165 : using variations in capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/24 : for determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member which is similarly stressed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 : Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24015 : Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. In an example, the sensor system includes a capacitive sensor configured to sense changes in a capacitance signal in response to proximity of a body. A dielectric member can be provided between the capacitive sensor and the body to enhance an output signal from the sensor.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

a footwear structure including a footwear upper coupled to a footwear sole;

a motorized lacing engine coupled to the footwear structure;

a processor circuit; and

a body detector system including a body sensor configured to detect a presence of a user body based on a change in an electric field, wherein the change in the electric field is caused at least in part by the user body;

wherein the body sensor is configured to provide a sensor signal that includes information about a presence or absence of the user body; and

wherein the processor circuit is configured to receive the sensor signal and provide instructions to the motorized lacing engine based on information from the sensor signal.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a lacing cable, wherein a portion of the lacing cable is threaded through or coupled to a portion of the footwear upper, and wherein the motorized lacing engine is configured to spool a portion of the lacing cable based on information from the body detector system about the presence of the user body.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the body detector system includes a signal generator configured to provide a drive signal to the body sensor, and wherein the body sensor generates the electric field using the drive signal.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein the signal generator is configured to provide an AC drive signal to the body sensor.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the body sensor is configured to provide the sensor signal with information about a proximity of the user body to the body sensor.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the body sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

7. The article:

of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a housing structure that encloses at least a portion of the motorized lacing engine and at least a portion of the body detector system.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein the body detector system includes multiple electrodes, and wherein the housing structure encloses the electrodes.

9. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein the housing structure is coupled with a structural wall of the article of footwear.

10. A method for operating an active article of footwear, the article of footwear including a footwear structure with a footwear upper coupled to a footwear sole, the method comprising:

generating a drive signal for a body sensor using a signal generator, the body sensor disposed in or on the article of footwear;

receiving the drive signal at the body sensor and in response generating an electric field;

sensing, using the body sensor, a change in the electric field that is caused at least in part by a position of a user body relative to the body sensor; and

based on the change in the electric field, as sensed using the body sensor, controlling a motorized lacing engine that is coupled to the footwear structure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving the drive signal at the body sensor includes receiving the drive signal at an electrode that comprises a portion of a capacitive sensor.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a proximity of the user body to the body sensor based on the change in the electric field.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the controlling the motorized lacing engine includes spooling or de-spooling a lacing cable to tighten or relax the article of footwear.

14. An article of footwear comprising:

a footwear structure including a footwear upper and a footwear sole coupled to the footwear upper;

a lacing cable;

a motorized lacing engine coupled to the footwear structure and configured to adjust a fit of the article of footwear using the lacing cable;

a body detector system including a body sensor configured to detect a presence of a user body based on a change in an electric field, wherein the change in the electric field is caused at least in part by a location of the user body relative to the footwear structure; and

a processor circuit configured to receive information about a proximity of the user body from the body sensor and, in response, actuate the motorized lacing engine.

15. The article of footwear of claim 14, wherein the body detector system includes a signal generator configured to provide a drive signal to the body sensor, wherein the body sensor is configured to generate the electric field using the drive signal.

16. The detector of claim 14, wherein the body sensor includes a capacitive sensor.

17. The detector of claim 16, wherein the capacitive sensor includes at least one electrode that is configured to receive an AC drive signal.

18. The detector of claim 14, further comprising a housing configured to substantially enclose the motorized lacing engine and the body detector system.

19. An article of footwear comprising:

a footwear structure including a footwear upper coupled to a footwear sole;

a motorized lacing engine coupled to the footwear structure;

a body detector system including a body sensor configured to detect a presence of a user body based on a change in an electric field, wherein the change in the electric field is caused at least in part by the user body; and

a lacing cable, wherein a portion of the lacing cable is threaded through or coupled to a portion of the footwear upper, and wherein the motorized lacing engine is actuated based on information from the body detector system about the presence of the user body.

20. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the body detector system includes a signal generator configured to provide a drive signal to the body sensor, and wherein the body sensor generates the electric field using the drive signal.

21. The article of footwear of claim 20, wherein the signal generator is configured to provide an AC drive signal to the body sensor.

22. The article of footwear of claim 19, further comprising a processor circuit, wherein the body sensor is configured to provide a sensor signal to the processor circuit, the sensor signal including information about a presence or absence of the user body, and wherein the processor circuit is configured to receive the sensor signal and, in response, provide actuation instructions to the motorized lacing engine.

23. The article of footwear of claim 22, wherein the body sensor is configured to provide the sensor signal with information about a proximity of the user body to the body sensor.

24. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the body sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

25. The article of footwear of claim 19, further comprising a housing structure that encloses at least a portion of the motorized lacing engine and at least a portion of the body detector system.

26. The article:

of footwear of claim 25, wherein the body detector system includes multiple electrodes, and wherein the housing structure encloses the electrodes.