Motorized tensioning system with sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11998086-B2
Application number	US-202017070298-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2020
Priority date	Aug 31, 2012
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A tensioning system for articles of footwear and articles of apparel is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a tensioning member that is tightened or loosened using a motorized tensioning device for winding and unwinding the tensioning member on a spool. The tensioning system may be used with various sensors to determine how the motorized tensioning device should be controlled.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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 plurality of preset positions 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;
a power source, positioned in the lower portion;
a motorized tensioning system, coupled to the power source, including:
a lace spool to engage a loop of the lace to enable manipulation of the effective length of the lace through rotation of the lace spool;
a motor operatively coupled to the spool, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the spool; and
an electronic control unit, operatively coupled to the motorized tensioning system, configured to cause the motorized tensioning system to transition between and among the plurality of preset positions, the plurality of preset positions including a preset tightened state, a preset loosened state, and a plurality of predetermined discrete transitory states.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to switch among the plurality of preset positions based on interaction with a control device.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2 , further comprising the control device.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3 , wherein the control device is configured to generate an output based on a touch of the control device by a user.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to transition among the plurality of transitory states to incrementally increase or decrease the effective length of the lace.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein a decrease of the effective length of the lace corresponds to a tightening of the lace and an increase of the effective length of the lace corresponds to a loosening of the lace.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6 , 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.

8. A system, comprising:
an upper footwear portion including a lace to adjust fit of the upper footwear portion against a foot, the lace adjustable between a plurality of preset positions based at least in part on manipulation of an effective length of the lace;
a lower footwear portion including a mid-sole and an out-sole;
a power source, positioned in the lower footwear portion;
a motorized tensioning system, coupled to the power source, including:
a lace spool to engage a loop of the lace to enable manipulation of the effective length of the lace through rotation of the lace spool;
a motor operatively coupled to the spool, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the spool; and
an electronic control unit, operatively coupled to the motorized tensioning system, configured to cause the motorized tensioning system to transition between and among the plurality of preset positions, the plurality of preset positions including a preset tightened state, a preset loosened state, and a plurality of predetermined discrete transitory states.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a control device, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to switch among the plurality of preset positions based on interaction with the control device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control device is configured to generate an output based on a touch of the control device by a user.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to transition among the plurality of transitory states to incrementally increase or decrease the effective length of the lace.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein a decrease of the effective length of the lace corresponds to a tightening of the lace and an increase of the effective length of the lace corresponds to a loosening of the lace.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein preset tightened state corresponds to a fully tightened state and the preset loosened state corresponds to a fully loosened state.

14. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:
forming an upper footwear portion including a lace to adjust fit of the upper footwear portion against a foot, the lace adjustable between a plurality of preset positions based at least in part on manipulation of an effective length of the lace;
coupling a lower footwear portion including a mid-sole and an out-sole to the upper footwear portion;
positioning a power source in the lower footwear portion;
coupling a motorized tensioning system to the power source, the motorized tensioning system including:
a lace spool to engage a loop of the lace to enable manipulation of the effective length of the lace through rotation of the lace spool;
a motor operatively coupled to the spool, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the spool; and
operatively coupling an electronic control unit to the motorized tensioning system, the electronic control unit configured to cause the motorized tensioning system to transition between and among the plurality of preset positions, the plurality of preset positions including a preset tightened state, a preset loosened state, and a plurality of predetermined discrete transitory states.

15. The method of manufacturing the article of footwear of claim 14 , further comprising configuring the electronic control unit to switch among the plurality of preset positions based on interaction with a control device.

16. The method of manufacturing the article of footwear of claim 15 , further comprising operatively coupling the control device to the electronic control unit.

17. The method of manufacturing the article of footwear of claim 16 , wherein the control device is configured to generate an output based on a touch of the control device by a user.

18. The method of manufacturing the article of footwear of claim 17 , further comprising configuring the electronic control unit is further configured to transition among the plurality of transitory states to incrementally increase or decrease the apparent length of the lace.

19. The method of manufacturing the article of footwear of claim 18 , further comprising configurating the electronic control unit to a decrease of the apparent length of the lace to tighten the lace and increase the apparent length of the lace to loosen the lace.

20. The method of manufacturing the article of footwear of claim 19 , wherein preset tightened state corresponds to a fully tightened state and the preset loosened state corresponds to a fully loosened state.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Beers Tiffany A
• Owings Andrew A
• Henderson Cody Collier
• Capra James Alan
• Soderberg Mark Stanley
• Hipwood Daniel

Classifications

• A43B3/34

  with electrical or electronic arrangements · CPC title

• A43B3/38

  with power sources · CPC title

• A43C11/165 Primary

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

• A43B11/00

  Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps · CPC title

• A43C11/00

  Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes (dress fastenings in general A44B) · CPC title