DEVICES, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS FOR REMOTE CONTROL OF A MOTORIZED CLOSURE SYSTEM

• US 20160157561A1
• Filed: 10/07/2015
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOA Technology Incorporated (The Kattegat Trust Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: BOA Technology Incorporated (The Kattegat Trust Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Schum, Noah S., Crow, John, Venturini, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 10,575,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/14 Shoes for cyclists
• 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 11/165 characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 23/02 hand actuated arrangements of controls on handle-bars of engine-driven cycles B62K11/14

Abstract

According to one aspect, a mechanism for wirelessly adjusting tension of an article includes a tension input component that is coupleable with a vehicle in an area that is easily accessible to a user. The tension input component is configured to receive input from the user corresponding to an adjustment of a motorized tensioning device that is attached to the article and that is configured to adjust a tension of a tension member. The tension input component is configured to wirelessly transmit the received input to the motorized tensioning device. Adjustment of the tension member tightens or loosens the article in accordance with the input received from the tension input component.

Claims

1. A tension adjustment mechanism comprising:

a tension input component that is coupled with a bicycle in an area that is easily accessible to a user'"'"'s hands, the tension input component being configured to receive input corresponding to an adjustment of a motorized tensioning device for a shoe that includes;

a main body configured to be fit about a foot of the user;

a tension member coupled with the main body such that tensioning of the tension member effects tightening of the main body about the user'"'"'s foot; and

the motorized tensioning device, the motorized tensioning device being operably coupled with the tension member and configured to adjust the tension member in accordance with said input received from said tension input component to tighten or loosen the main body about the user'"'"'s foot.

2. The tension adjustment mechanism of claim 1, further comprising an additional tension input component that is coupled with the user'"'"'s shoe, the additional tension input component also being configured to receive input corresponding to an adjustment of the motorized tensioning device for the shoe so as to enable adjustment of the motorized tensioning device remote from the bicycle.

3. The tension adjustment mechanism of claim 2, further comprising an adjustment component that is operable by the user to provide input corresponding to the adjustment of the motorized tensioning device, the adjustment component being removably couplable with the tension input component that is coupled with the bicycle and being removably couplable with the additional tension input component that is coupled with the user'"'"'s shoe.

4. The tension adjustment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the motorized tensioning device is a first motorized tensioning device that is configured to adjust a fit of a first portion of the shoe about the user'"'"'s foot, and wherein the shoe further includes a second motorized tensioning device that is configured to adjust a fit of a second portion of the shoe about the user'"'"'s foot.

5. The tension adjustment mechanism of claim 4, wherein the tension input component of the bicycle includes a first control that is configured to adjust a tension setting of the first motorized tensioning device and that includes a second control that is configured to adjust a tension setting of the second motorized tensioning device.

6. The tension adjustment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the tension input component is configured to wirelessly communicate with the motorized tensioning device.

7. The tension adjustment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the tension input component is configured to simultaneously adjust the fit of a right shoe about the user'"'"'s right foot and a left shoe about the user'"'"'s left foot.

8. The tension adjustment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the tension input component is configured to adjust the fit of a right shoe about the user'"'"'s right foot independent from adjustment of a left shoe about the user'"'"'s left foot.

9. A mechanism for wirelessly adjusting tension of an article comprising a tension input component that is coupleable with a vehicle in an area that is easily accessible to a user so as to receive input corresponding to an adjustment of a motorized tensioning device that is attached to the article and configured to adjust a tension of a tension member and thereby tighten or loosen the article in accordance with the input received from the tension input component, wherein the input received at the tension input component is wirelessly transmitted to the motorized tensioning device.

10. The mechanism of claim 9, wherein the article also includes a tension input component that is configured to receive input corresponding to an adjustment of the motorized tensioning device so as to enable adjustment of the motorized tensioning device from multiple sources.

11. The mechanism of claim 10, further comprising an adjustment component that is removably attachable to the vehicle and to the article, the adjustment component being operable with the tension input component of the vehicle and the tension input component of the article to enable input to be provided to the respective component.

12. The mechanism of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is a bicycle.

13. A method for adjusting the fit of a shoe comprising:

providing a shoe comprising;

a main body configured to be fit about a foot of a user;

a tension member coupled with the main body such that adjusting a tension of the tension member effects tightening or loosening of the main body about the user'"'"'s foot; and

a motorized tensioning device operably coupled with the tension member and configured to adjust the tension of the tension member to effect tightening or loosening of the main body about the user'"'"'s foot;

receiving input via a tension input component that is coupled with a vehicle in an area that is easily accessible to a user'"'"'s hands, the received input corresponding to an adjustment of the tension of the tension member; and

transmitting information from the tension input component to the motorized tensioning device in accordance with said input received via said tension input component to effect adjustment of the tension of the tension member and thereby tighten or loosen the main body about the user'"'"'s foot.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving input via an additional tension input component that is coupled with the user'"'"'s shoe, the received input corresponding to an additional adjustment of the tension of the tension member; and

transmitting information from the additional tension input component to the motorized tensioning device in accordance with said input received via said additional tension input component to effect said additional adjustment of the tension of the tension member and thereby tighten or loosen the main body about the user'"'"'s foot.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said input received at said tension input component or said additional tension input component is received via an adjustment component that is removably couplable with the vehicle and that is also removably couplable with the user'"'"'s shoe.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the motorized tensioning device is a first motorized tensioning device that is configured to adjust a fit of a first portion of the shoe about the user'"'"'s foot, and wherein the shoe further includes a second motorized tensioning device that is configured to adjust a fit of a second portion of the shoe about the user'"'"'s foot.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the tension input component of the vehicle includes a first control that is configured to adjust a tension setting of the first motorized tensioning device and that includes a second control that is configured to adjust a tension setting of the second motorized tensioning device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the tension input component is configured to wirelessly communicate said information with the motorized tensioning device.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the tension input component is configured to simultaneously adjust the fit of a right shoe about the user'"'"'s right foot and a left shoe about the user'"'"'s left foot.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the tension input component is configured to adjust the fit of a right shoe about the user'"'"'s right foot independent from adjustment of a left shoe about the user'"'"'s left foot.