Shoe housing

• US 9,032,647 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas International Marketing BV (Adidas AG)
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Carnes, James, Tomlinson, Scott, Vincent, Stephen Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• APPLICATION: US 20130247423A1
• Time in patent office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 361/32, 36/25.R, 361/36, 361/39, 361/37
• US Class Current: 36/132
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0005 Footwear provided with electrical or electronic systems
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0031 Footwear provided with a pocket, e.g. for keys or a card
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe with a sole unit, where the sole unit includes a recess for removably receiving a housing of an electronic assembly, for example, an electronic pedometer, an accelerometer, or a speed sensor. Further, the invention relates to a housing for receiving an electronic assembly, for example, a pedometer, an accelerometer, or a speed sensor, where the housing has an outer shape corresponding to the shape of a recess formed in a shoe sole.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

a shoe comprising an upper forming a cavity for receiving a wearer'"'"'s foot and a sole unit attached to the upper;

a recess formed within the sole unit of the shoe, wherein the recess is at least partially accessible through the cavity of the upper of the shoe;

at least one sensor arranged on the shoe in a location outside of the sole unit;

an electronic assembly communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, wherein the electronic assembly receives and analyzes data from the at least one sensor; and

a housing removably mounted within the recess of the shoe and configured to receive the electronic assembly, wherein the electronic assembly is disposed within the housing.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the recess comprises a tub-like structure.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the recess is arranged in a region of the sole unit corresponding to a wearer'"'"'s midfoot region.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing element at least partially disposed in the sole unit, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a plate configured for dispensing impact forces arising on the sole.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing element at least partially disposed in the sole unit, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a plate configured for providing energy return to the wearer'"'"'s foot during a push-off phase of a step cycle.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a receptacle configured to engage with the housing.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein a shape of the housing corresponds to a shape of the receptacle.

8. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the housing is adapted to mate with the receptacle via a friction-fit engagement.

9. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the housing comprises at least one flexible profile element disposed about a perimeter of the housing, wherein the at least one flexible profile element is configured to engage with the receptacle.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a plurality of electrical connections, at least one of which is electrically connected to the at least one sensor.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly is configured to wirelessly communicate with a receiver unit.

25. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly electrically connected to the at least one sensor.

12. An article of footwear comprising:

a shoe comprising an upper forming a cavity for receiving a wearer'"'"'s foot and a sole unit attached to the upper;

a reinforcing element extending from a rearfoot portion of the sole unit into a forefoot portion of the shoe;

a recess formed within the sole unit of the shoe, wherein at least a portion of the recess is integrated into at least a portion of the reinforcing element;

at least one sensor arranged on the shoe in a location outside of the sole unit;

an electronic assembly electrically connected to the at least one sensor, wherein the electronic assembly receives and analyzes data from the at least one sensor; and

a housing positioned within the recess of the shoe and configured to receive the electronic assembly, wherein the electronic assembly is disposed within the housing and wirelessly communicates the analyzed data to a receiver unit.

13. An article of footwear comprising:

a shoe comprising an upper forming a cavity for receiving a wearer'"'"'s foot and a sole unit attached to the upper;

a reinforcing element at least partially disposed in the sole unit of the shoe;

a recess integrated into a region of the sole unit of the shoe corresponding to a wearer'"'"'s midfoot region, wherein at least a portion of the recess is integrated into at least a portion of the reinforcing element;

at least one sensor arranged on the shoe in a location outside of the sole unit;

an electronic assembly coupled to the at least one sensor, wherein the electronic assembly receives and analyzes data from the at least one sensor; and

a housing positioned within the recess of the shoe and configured to receive the electronic assembly, wherein the electronic assembly is disposed within the housing.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the recess comprises a tub-like structure.

15. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the recess is at least partially accessible through the cavity of the upper.

16. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a plate configured for dispensing impact forces arising on the sole.

17. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the reinforcing element comprises a plate configured for providing energy return to the wearer'"'"'s foot during a push-off phase of a step cycle.

18. The article of footwear of claim 13, further comprising a receptacle configured to engage with the housing.

19. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein a shape of the housing corresponds to a shape of the receptacle.

20. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the housing is adapted to mate with the receptacle via a friction-fit engagement.

21. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the housing comprises at least one flexible profile element disposed about a perimeter of the housing, wherein the at least one flexible profile element is configured to engage with the receptacle.

22. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a plurality of electrical connections, at least one of which is electrically connected to the at least one sensor.

23. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the electronic assembly is configured to wirelessly communicate with a receiver unit.

24. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the electronic assembly electrically connected to the at least one sensor.