Shoe insole and generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10499703-B2
Application number	US-201715827442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2017
Priority date	Nov 30, 2017
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

Linear movement of a heel strike sequence for a shoe insole can be converted into rotational movement. This rotational movement can cause rotation of an interior of a generator. Rotation of this interior of the generator can cause an electricity to be generated and outputted. The generator can be considered a source of damping, so at the start of the heel strike sequence the generator can be non-engaged. After some time, the generator can be engaged and in turn rotate. This can allow for standing inertia to be more quickly overcome.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe insole, comprising:
a linear movement mechanism configured to make a linear movement from a neutral position to an off-neutral position during a heel strike sequence; and
a rotational movement mechanism, that is coupled to the linear movement mechanism, configured to make a rotational movement in response to the linear movement,
where the rotational movement causes a rotation of an electrical generator during less than a full duration of the heel strike sequence,
where the linear movement mechanism comprises a rack,
where the rotational movement mechanism comprises a pinion gear physically coupled to the rack,
where when the rack moves laterally, the pinion gear experiences a rotation,
where the pinion gear has a varied gear ratio,
where a varied gear ratio value of the pinion gear is lower at a start of the rotation experienced by the pinion gear, and
where the varied gear ratio value of the pinion gear is higher at an end of the rotation experienced by the pinion gear.

2. The shoe insole of claim 1 , comprising:
the electrical generator,
where the electrical generator produces an electricity that powers a battery of a device associated with a wearer of the shoe insole.

3. The shoe insole of claim 2 , comprising:
a circuit completion hardware configured to complete a circuit after a start of the heel strike sequence,
where the heal strike sequence causes the circuit to be completed by way of the circuit completion hardware and
where when the circuit is completed an interior of the electrical generator rotates and when the circuit is not completed the interior of the electrical generator does not rotate.

4. The shoe insole of claim 3 ,
where the linear movement mechanism comprises a rack,
where the rotational movement mechanism comprises a pinion gear physically coupled to the rack,
where when the rack moves laterally, the pinion gear experiences a rotation, and
where the rack and pinion gear are inline.

5. The shoe insole of claim 4 ,
where the pinion gear has a varied gear ratio,
where a varied gear ratio value of the pinion gear is lower at a start of the rotation experienced by the pinion gear, and
where the varied gear ratio value of the pinion gear is higher at an end of the rotation experienced by the pinion gear.

6. The shoe insole of claim 2 , comprising:
a potentiometer configured to function at a first value and configured to function at a second value,
where the potentiometer is part of a circuit associated with the electrical generator,
where a start of the heel strike sequence the potentiometer is at the first value,
where after the start of the heel strike sequence the potentiometer is at the second value,
where the heel strike sequence causes the potentiometer to change from the first value to the second value,
where the first value is such that the circuit functions as an open circuit,
where the second value is such that the circuit functions as a closed circuit, and
where when the circuit is completed the rotational movement of the generator causes the damping of rotation of the electrical generator and when the circuit is not completed the rotational movement does not cause damping of the rotation of the electrical generator.

7. The shoe insole of claim 6 ,
where the linear movement mechanism comprises a rack,
where the rotational movement mechanism comprises a pinion gear physically coupled to the rack,
where when the rack moves laterally, the pinion gear experiences a rotation, and
where the rack and pinion gear are inline.

8. The shoe insole of claim 2 ,
where the linear movement mechanism comprises a rack,
where the rotational movement mechanism comprises a pinion gear physically coupled to the rack,
where when the rack moves laterally, the pinion gear experiences a rotation, and
where the rack and pinion gear are inline.

9. The shoe insole of claim 1 ,
where the linear movement mechanism comprises a rack,
where the rotational movement mechanism comprises a pinion gear physically coupled to the rack,
where when the rack moves laterally, the pinion gear experiences a rotation, and
where the rack and pinion gear are inline.

10. The shoe insole of claim 9 ,
where the linear movement mechanism comprises a rack,
where the rotational movement mechanism comprises a pinion gear physically coupled to the rack,
where when the rack moves laterally, the pinion gear experiences a rotation, and
where the rack and pinion gear are inline.

11. The shoe insole of claim 1 , comprising:
a mechanical clutch,
where the rotational movement is a first rotational movement in a first mechanical direction,
where the linear movement is a first linear movement that is followed by a second linear movement,
where the second linear movement is a movement from the off-neutral position to the neutral position,
where, in response to the second linear movement, the rotational movement mechanism is configured to make a second rotational movement that is in a second mechanism direction that is a reverse direction to the first mechanism direction, and
where the mechanical clutch prevents the electrical generation from rotation in a reverse direction.

12. The shoe insole of claim 11 ,
where the linear movement mechanism comprises a rack,
where the rotational movement mechanism comprises a pinion gear physically coupled to the rack,
where when the rack moves laterally, the pinion gear experiences a rotation, and
where the rack and pinion gear are inline.

13. The shoe insole of claim 1 , comprising:
a mechanical clutch,
where the rotational movement is a first rotational movement in a first mechanical direction,
where the linear movement is a first linear movement that is followed by a second linear movement,
where the second linear movement is a movement from the off-neutral position to the neutral position,
where, in response to the second linear movement, the rotational movement mechanism is configured to make a second rotational movement that is in a second mechanism direction that is a reverse direction to the first mechanism direction, and
where the mechanical clutch prevents the electrical generation from rotation in a reverse direction.

14. A shoe insole, comprising:
an electrical generator;
a linear movement mechanism configured to make a linear movement from a neutral position to an off-neutral position during a heel strike sequence;
a rotational movement mechanism, that is coupled to the linear movement mechanism, configured to make a rotational movement in response to the linear movement; and
a circuit completion hardware configured to complete a circuit after a start of the heel strike sequence,
where the rotational movement causes a rotation of the electrical generator during less than a full duration of the heel strike sequence,
where the electrical generator produces an electricity that powers a battery of a device associated with a wearer of the shoe insole,
where the heal strike sequence causes the circuit to be completed by way of the circuit completion hardware,
where when the circuit is completed an interior of the electrical generator rotates and when the circuit is not completed the interior of the electrical generator does not rotate,
where the heel strike sequence terminates with a foot toward a ground for a shoe that retains the shoe insole,
where after the heel strike sequence ends a heel lift sequence occurs,
where during the heel lift sequence the linear movement mechanism linearly moves from the off-neutral position to the neutral position,
where the heel lift sequence cau

Assignees

• Us Gov Sec Army

Inventors

• Sharpes Nathan

Classifications

• F16H19/04

  comprising a rack · CPC title

• A43B17/06

  with metal springs · CPC title

• H02K7/06

  Means for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa · CPC title

• A43B13/181

  Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole · CPC title

• H02K7/1853 Primary

  driven by intermittent forces · CPC title