Homing mechanism for automated footwear platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10952506-B2
Application number	US-202016884163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2020
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A homing mechanism within a drive mechanism of a lacing engine for an automated footwear platform can include an indexing wheel, a plurality of Geneva teeth and a stop tooth. The plurality of Geneva teeth can be distributed around a portion of a perimeter of the indexing wheel. Each Geneva tooth of the plurality of Geneva teeth can include side profiles conforming to a first side profile that generates a first force when engaged by an index tooth on a portion of the drive mechanism. The stop tooth can be located along the perimeter of the indexing wheel between two Geneva teeth. Additionally, the stop tooth can include side profiles conforming to a second side profile that generates a second force when engaged by the index tooth.

First claim

The claimed invention includes:

1. An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper portion including a lace to adjust fit of the upper portion against a foot, the lace adjustable between a first position and a second position based at least in part on manipulation of an effective length of the lace;
a lower portion including a mid-sole and an out-sole, the lower portion coupled to the upper portion at the mid-sole;
a battery, positioned in the lower portion;
a lacing engine, coupled to the power source, including:
a lace spool to engage the lace to enable manipulation of the effective length of the lace through rotation of the lace spool;
a gear coupled to the lace spool;
a motor operatively coupled to a worm drive, wherein the motor is configured to turn the worm drive to rotate the gear and the lace spool in a forward direction; and
an indexing system, coupled to the gear, configured to home the gear in case the motor disengages;
a controller, operatively coupled to the lacing engine, configured to cause the lacing engine to rotate the lace spool to adjust between the first position and the second position.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the indexing system is configured to home the gear to a predetermined orientation.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined orientation corresponds to a predetermined tension on the lace.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3 , wherein the gear is a worm gear.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the lacing engine further comprises a worm drive, engaged with the worm gear and operatively coupled to the motor, wherein the motor is configured to drive the worm drive.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the lacing engine is configured to switch among the plurality of preset tension settings based on interaction with the user interface.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6 , wherein the user interface is configured to increase the tension on the lace based on touching the user interface in a first location and decrease the tension on the lace based on touching the user interface in a second location.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the user interface comprises a molded covering.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the preset tightened state corresponds to a state including a shortest effective lace length and the preset loosened state corresponds to a state including a longest effective lace length.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined orientation corresponds to the preset loosened state.

11. A method of making an article of footwear, comprising:
engaging a lace with an upper portion to adjust fit of the upper portion against a foot, the lace adjustable between a first position and a second position based at least in part on manipulation of an effective length of the lace;
coupling a lower portion to the upper, the lower portion including a mid-sole and an out-sole;
positioning a battery in the lower portion;
coupling a lacing engine to the power source, the lacing engine including:
a lace spool to engage the lace to enable manipulation of the effective length of the lace through rotation of the lace spool;
a gear coupled to the lace spool;
a motor operatively coupled to a worm drive, wherein the motor is configured to turn the worm drive to rotate the gear and the lace spool in a forward direction; and
an indexing system, coupled to the gear, configured to home the gear in case the motor disengages;
operatively coupling a controller to the lacing engine, configured to cause the lacing engine to rotate the lace spool to adjust between the first position and the second position.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the indexing system is configured to home the gear to a predetermined orientation.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined orientation corresponds to a predetermined tension on the lace.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the gear is a worm gear.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the lacing engine further comprises a worm drive, engaged with the worm gear and operatively coupled to the motor, wherein the motor is configured to drive the worm drive.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising operatively coupling a user interface to the controller, wherein the lacing engine is configured to switch among the plurality of preset tension settings based on interaction with the user interface.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the user interface is configured to increase the tension on the lace based on touching the user interface in a first location and decrease the tension on the lace based on touching the user interface in a second location.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the user interface comprises a molded covering.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the preset tightened state corresponds to a state including a shortest effective lace length and the preset loosened state corresponds to a state including a longest effective lace length.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the predetermined orientation corresponds to the preset loosened state.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Schneider Summer L
• Kelso Jamie
• Chang Narissa

Classifications

• A43B3/34

  with electrical or electronic arrangements · CPC title

• A43C11/165 Primary

  characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation · CPC title

• A43C11/14

  Clamp fastenings {, e.g. strap fastenings}; Clamp-buckle fastenings; Fastenings with toggle levers · CPC title

• A43C11/008

  Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening · CPC title

• A43C7/08

  Clamps drawn tight by laces · CPC title