Support members with variable viscosity fluid for footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12484660-B2
Application number	US-202418765979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2024
Priority date	Mar 5, 2013
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

An article of footwear including an adaptive support system includes a plurality of support members. Each support member includes an outer chamber and an inner chamber, the inner chamber being filled with a magnetorheological fluid. An electromagnet is disposed adjacent to the inner chamber and can be used to vary the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
a support member having an outer portion made of a compressible material and an inner portion, the support member disposed on one of a lateral side and a medial side of the article of footwear; a sensor disposed adjacent to the support member; a reservoir separate from the inner portion by a distance and in fluid communication with the inner portion via a tubular line, wherein the inner portion is fluidly isolated from the outer portion such that the reservoir is out of fluid communication with the outer portion; an electronic control unit configured to be activated to change a material property of the support member in response to sensed information from the sensor.

2 . The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor provides pressure information.

3 . The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

4 . The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a gyroscope.

5 . The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein, upon the sensed information indicating that the support member is experiencing higher compression forces than a second member is experiencing at a different one of the lateral side and the medial side from the support member, the electronic control unit is configured to increase the material property of the support member.

6 . The article of footwear according to claim 1 , further comprising a lower plate having a ground-engaging surface, wherein, upon the sensed information indicating that the lower plate is engaging with an uneven surface, the electronic control unit is configured to increase the material property of the support member.

7 . The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein, upon the sensed information indicating that the article of footwear is experiencing a cutting motion made by a wearer of the article of footwear, the electronic control unit is configured to increase the material property of the support member.

8 . An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper: an upper plate disposed adjacent the upper; a lower plate disposed opposite the upper plate, the lower plate having a ground-engaging surface; a support member extending between the upper plate and lower plate disposed on one of a lateral side and a medial side of the article of footwear, the support member having a outer portion made of a compressible material and an inner portion; a sensor disposed adjacent the support member and configured to indicate a position of the upper plate with respect to the lower plate; a reservoir separate from the inner portion by a distance and in fluid communication with the inner portion via a tubular line, wherein the inner portion is fluidly isolated from the outer portion such that the reservoir is out of fluid communication with the outer portion; an electronic control unit configured to be activated to change a material property of the support member in response to sensed information from the sensor.

9 . The article of footwear according to claim 8 , wherein the position of the upper plate is adjusted to cause the upper plate to be closer to the lower plate on one of the medial side and the lateral side of the article of footwear than the other of the medial side and the lateral side.

10 . The article of footwear according to claim 8 , wherein the outer portion has an approximately cylindrical shape, and wherein the inner portion are generally coaxial with the outer portion.

11 . The article of footwear according to claim 8 , wherein the first outer portion is solid material.

12 . The article of footwear according to claim 8 , wherein the outer portion comprises an outer chamber of a bladder and the inner portion comprises an inner chamber of the bladder.

13 . A method, comprising:
coupling a support member to a sole structure of an article of footwear on one of a lateral side and a medial side of the article of footwear, the support member having an outer portion made of a compressible material and an inner portion; disposing a sensor adjacent to the first support member; placing a reservoir separate from the inner portion by a distance and in fluid communication with the inner portion via a tubular line, wherein the inner portion is fluidly isolated from the outer portion such that the reservoir is out of fluid communication with the outer portion; coupling an electronic control unit to the reservoir, the electromagnetic device configured to be activated to change a material property the inner portion in response to sensed information from the sensor.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the sensor provides pressure information.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the sensor is a gyroscope.

17 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein, upon the sensed information indicating that the support member is experiencing higher compression, the electronic control unit is configured to increase the material property of the inner portion.

18 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein, upon the sensed information indicating that a lower plate having a ground-engaging surface is engaging with an uneven surface, the electronic control unit is configured to increase the material property of the inner portion.

19 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein, upon the sensed information indicating that the article of footwear is experiencing a cutting motion made by a wearer of the article of footwear, one the electronic control unit is configured to increase the material property of the inner portion.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Meschter James C
• Chamblin Mike A
• Owings Andrew A

Classifications

• A43B1/0054

  provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances · CPC title

• A43B3/38

  with power sources · CPC title

• A43B13/188

  Differential cushioning regions · CPC title

• A43B13/206

  provided with tubes or pipes or tubular shaped cushioning members · CPC title

• A43B13/20

  Pneumatic soles {filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas (inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407)} · CPC title