Footwear Having Sensor System

• US 20190335844A1
• Filed: 07/16/2019
• Published: 11/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synapse Product Development LLC (DXC Technology Company), Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Amos, Michael S., Owings, Andrew A., Rice, Jordan M., Schrock, Allan M., Walker, Steven H., Hebert, Jeffrey J., Stillman, Martine W., Tempel, Mark A., Weitmann, Dane, Steier, Andreas Heinrich, Atang, Ndikum Protus
• Granted Patent: US 11,071,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/203 provided with a pump or valve
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/386 multilayered
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/084 characterised by the location of the holes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/088 in the side of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0252 Load cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/168 Fluid filled sensor housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 : Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 : Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 : Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/20 : by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids of piezo-resistive materials G01L1/18; by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/205 : using distributed sensing elements

Abstract

A sensor system is adapted for use with an article of footwear and includes an insert member including a first layer and a second layer, a port connected to the insert and configured for communication with an electronic module, a plurality of force and/or pressure sensors on the insert member, and a plurality of leads connecting the sensors to the port.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

a compressible sole member configured to support a foot of a user as part of a sole structure of an article of footwear;

an insert comprising an insert member supported by the compressible sole member, with a bottom surface of the insert member in confronting relation to the sole member, a sensor system connected to the insert member, and a vent configured to allow passage of air out of the insert member; and

a cavity within the compressible sole member extending laterally from the vent to a distal end located outside a peripheral boundary of the insert member, the cavity configured to permit the air exiting the vent to pass away from the insert member.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cavity extends to a peripheral boundary of the sole member.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises a second vent configured to allow passage of the air out of the insert member, wherein the vent is located in a forefoot portion of the insert member, and the second vent is located in a heel portion of the insert member, and wherein the assembly further comprises a second cavity within the compressible sole member that is separate from the cavity and extends laterally from the second vent to a second distal end located outside the peripheral boundary of the insert member, the second cavity configured to permit the air exiting the second vent to pass away from the insert member.

4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a foot contacting member positioned on top of the insert member, opposite the compressible sole member.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the foot contacting member has one or more passages located at the distal end of the cavity, the passages configured to permit the air exiting the vent to pass through the foot contacting member.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the vent comprises an opening on the bottom surface of the insert member, and wherein the cavity is located directly below the vent.

7. The assembly of claim 6 further comprising:

a first selectively permeable closure connected to the bottom surface of the insert member around the opening and covering the opening, the first closure permitting inward and outward flow of air, while resisting inward flow of moisture and particles.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert member comprises first and second layers, and the sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors located between the first and second layers, and wherein the vent permits air to pass from between the first and second layers out of the insert member.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the compressible sole member comprises a foam member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface having a recess configured to receive the insert member therein and the bottom surface configured to confront a midsole member of the sole structure.

10. An assembly comprising:

a sole member configured to support a foot of a user as part of a sole structure of an article of footwear;

an insert comprising an insert member supported by the sole member, a sensor system connected to the insert member, and a vent configured to allow passage of air out of the insert member; and

a foot contacting member positioned on top of the insert member, opposite the sole member, wherein the foot contacting member has one or more passages configured to permit the air exiting the vent to pass upward through the foot contacting member.

11. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a cavity within the sole member configured to permit the air exiting the vent to pass away from the insert member, wherein the one or more passages are located above the cavity, such that the one or more passages are configured to permit the air in the cavity to pass upward through the foot contacting member.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the vent is located on a bottom surface of the insert member, and the cavity is located directly below the vent and extends laterally from the vent to a distal end located outside a peripheral boundary of the insert member, and wherein the distal end of the cavity is located below the one or more passages.

13. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising:

a first selectively permeable closure connected to the insert member around the vent and covering the vent, the first closure permitting inward and outward flow of air, while resisting inward flow of moisture and particles.

14. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the insert further comprises a second vent configured to allow passage of the air out of the insert member, wherein the vent is located in a forefoot portion of the insert member, and the second vent is located in a heel portion of the insert member, and wherein the foot contacting member has one or more second passages configured to permit the air exiting the second vent to pass upward through the foot contacting member.

15. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the insert member comprises first and second layers, and the sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors located between the first and second layers, and wherein the vent permits air to pass from between the first and second layers out of the insert member.

16. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the sole member comprises a foam member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface having a recess configured to receive the insert member therein and the bottom surface configured to confront a midsole member of the sole structure.

17. An assembly comprising:

a sole member configured to support a foot of a user as part of a sole structure of an article of footwear;

an insert comprising an insert member supported by the sole member, the insert member having first and second layers, and a vent configured to allow passage of air out of the insert member from between the first and second layers; and

a cavity within the sole member configured to permit the air exiting the vent to pass away from the insert member; and

a foot contacting member positioned on top of the insert member, opposite the sole member, wherein the foot contacting member has one or more passages in communication with the cavity and configured to permit the air exiting the vent to pass from the vent, into the cavity, and upward through the foot contacting member.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the vent is located on a bottom surface of the insert member, and the cavity is located directly below the vent and extends laterally from the vent to a distal end located outside a peripheral boundary of the insert member, and wherein the distal end of the cavity is located below the one or more passages.

19. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the insert further comprises a second vent configured to allow passage of the air out of the insert member, wherein the vent is located in a forefoot portion of the insert member, and the second vent is located in a heel portion of the insert member, wherein the assembly further comprises a second cavity within the sole member that is separate from the cavity and is configured to permit the air exiting the second vent to pass away from the insert member, and wherein the foot contacting member has one or more second passages in communication with the second cavity and configured to permit the air exiting the second vent to pass from the second vent, into the second cavity, and upward through the foot contacting member.

20. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the sole member comprises a foam member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface having a recess configured to receive the insert member therein and the bottom surface configured to confront a midsole member of the sole structure.