Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B5/00—Footwear for sporting purposes
  • A43B5/04—Ski or like boots
  • A43B5/0405—Linings, paddings or insertions; Inner boots
  • A43B5/0407—Linings, paddings or insertions; Inner boots inflatable

Definitions

• the present invention relates to foot appliances such as sneakers, running shoes and ski boots.
• the present invention relates to a foot appliance incorporating an electronic feedback system for changing the shape of the foot appliance to maintain a desired level of support and/or comfort for the foot of a user.
• a foot appliance comprises a sole and side walls attached to the sole. Generally, laces or a strap or some other mechanism is provided for securing the side walls together.
• the sole and side walls of a foot appliance define a load bearing surface for supporting the foot of the user including in some cases the ankle of the user.
• the term foot appliance includes but is not limited to sneakers, running shoes, ski boots and orthopedic appliances for helping those with orthopedic problems or handicaps, walk or perform other functions.
• the nature of the support to be provided by a particular foot appliance varies.
• shoes such as sneakers, running shoes, or ski boots are commercially available in a limited number of discrete sizes.
• the feet of individuals have an infinite variety of sizes and shapes.
• the foot appliance to include a mechanism for automatically configuring the shape of its load bearing surface so that the load exerted on the load bearing surface is distributed to achieve a desired level of comfort and support for the individual user.
• the physical properties of the materials of which a ski boot is made e.g., the resin of the outer shell and foam plastic of the inner boot
• the support provided by the ski boot changes over time.
• the load bearing surface defined by the sole and side walls of a ski boot could sense the changes in load distribution and automatically reconfigure itself to provide a desired level of support and/or comfort for the foot of the user.
• a human foot changes in size during the course of a day. It is usually the smallest size in the morning and tends to expand toward the night. It is desirable for the load bearing surface of a foot appliance to automatically adjust to the changes in foot size of a user to maintain a desired level of comfort and support.
• a foot appliance including a sensor apparatus for sensing the current distribution of load exerted by the foot of the user on the load bearing surface of the foot appliance, and an electronic system responsive to the sensor apparatus for adjusting the load bearing surface to achieve a desired level of comfort.
• SUBSTITUTESHEET It is an object of the present invention to provide such a foot appliance to improve fit and minimize discomfort and injury potential.
• U.S. Patent 5,060,174 describes a system for measuring the load or pressure distribution exerted on a load bearing surface such as a seat or bed.
• the system of this patent comprises a two or three dimensional array of pressure sensors located within the load bearing surface and a processor for processing the data generated by the pressure sensors.
• the processor evaluates certain attributes of the pressure distribution on the load bearing surface. For example, it is possible to divide the load bearing surface into a plurality of regions to determine the fraction of the total exerted load on each region, the mean and median pressures of the various regions, and the pressure gradients between regions.
• the U.S. Patent 5,060,174 discloses that it is possible to statistically correlate subjective comfort sensations of the user with certain attributes of the objectively measured pressure distribution exerted on the load bearing surface by the user.
• a seat pan is divided into eight regions, left thigh, right thigh, left buttock, right buttock, two left bolsters and two right bolsters.
• a seat back may be divided into eight regions: left bolster, right bolster, three lumbar regions and three thoracic regions. It is possible to
• SUBSTITUTESHEET statistically correlate the fraction of the total load which is exerted on each of these regions with a user's comfort. In this manner, it is possible to determine for each seat region a desired range for the fraction of the total load which is exerted on a region. A seat may then be objectively classified as comfortable for a user if the actual distribution of the load exerted by the user on a seat is such that the fraction of total load in each region falls into the corresponding desired range.
• Other attributes of the objectively measurable pressure distribution may also be statistically correlated with comfort. For example, small pressure gradients correlate with high comfort levels and large pressure gradients correlate with low comfort levels.
• the U.S. Patent 5,060,174 also discloses that a quantitative comfort level of a user of a load bearing surface can be evaluated as a function of attributes of the objectively measurable pressure distribution.
• an electronic feedback system for a load bearing surface such as a seat or bed is disclosed.
• the feedback system includes an array of sensors for outputting data indicative of the actual pressure distribution pattern.
• a processor receives this data and determines from this data the actual comfort level of user supported by the seat or bed using the techniques described in U.S. Patent 5,060,174. If
• the reconfiguration system changes the shape of the load bearing surface and, thus, changes the actual pressure distribution on the load bearing surface until the actual comfort level reaches a desired comfort level.
• the reconfiguration system comprises one or more air bladders located within the load bearing surface and a valve system controlled by the processor for adding or removing air from the air bladders. By adjusting the amount of air in the air bladders, it is possible to adjust the shape of the load bearing surface.
• This foot appliance will improve the biomechanics of the foot through the minimization of stress risers, hysteresis and creep during normal and abnormal foot-ground loading patterns.
• a foot appliance comprises a sole and side walls attached to the sole.
• the sole and side walls form a load bearing surface for the foot of a user.
• a plurality of air bladders are located within the load
• An electronic feedback system is provided for adjusting the load bearing surface by controlling the amount of air in the air bladders.
• the electronic closed loop feedback system comprises a pressure sensor apparatus for generating data indicating an actual distribution of load (or pressure) exerted by the foot on the load bearing surface.
• An electronic processor receives the actual load distribution data and determines if the actual load distribution is a desired load distribution. For example, to determine if an actual load distribution is a desired load distribution, an actual comfort level may be calculated as a function of attributes of the actual load distribution. The actual comfort level may then be compared with a range of comfort levels predetermined to be desirable. Additionally, through the use of artificial intelligence incorporating, for example, fuzzy logic, the optional comfort/support level can be determined in real-time.
• a valve apparatus is activated by the electronic processor to change the amount of air contained in the air bladders. This changes the shape and mechanical characteristics of the load bearing surface and thus changes the actual distribution of load.
• a pump supplies air to the air bladders via the valve apparatus. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pump is located in the sole
• SUBSTITUTESHEET of the foot appliance is activated by running or walking activity.
• FIGs 1A, IB, 1C, and ID illustrate a foot appliance with air bladders in accordance with the present invention.
• FIG 2 illustrates a feedback system for use in the foot appliance of FIG 1.
• FIG 3 is a flowchart of an algorithm carried out by a processor in the feedback system of FIG 2.
• FIG 4 illustrates a pump for supplying air to the air bladder of FIGs 1A, IB, 1C, and ID.
• FIG 1A schematically illustrates a foot appliance 10 in accordance with the invention.
• the foot appliance 10 comprises a sole 12 and side walls 14.
• the interior surfaces of 13 and 15 of the sole and side walls (shown in phantom) form a load bearing surface for a foot of a user.
• a fastening device in the form of strap 16 is provided to hold the side walls together although other fastening means would accomplish this, i.e., laces.
• FIGs IB, 1C and ID A plurality of air bladders are located within the load bearing surface of the foot appliance. These air bladders are illustrated schematically in FIGs IB, 1C and ID.
• FIG IB is an ankle cross-section of the side walls 14 taken along the line
• FIG IB illustrates a cross-section of the sole 12 along the line C-C of FIG 1A.
• the pump 40 is located in the heel portion 19 of the sole. As is described in greater detail below, the purpose of the pump 40 is to supply air to the air bladders 19-20, 21-26, 31-36. A portion of the sensor array 102 is also located just under the interior surface 13 of the sole 12 of the foot appliance.
• a feedback system for adjusting the amount of air in the air bladders is incorporated into the foot appliance 10 of FIG 1A.
• the closed loop feedback system continuously or discretely adjusts the amount of air in the air bladders to control the shape of the load bearing surface 13, 15 to provide a desired amount of comfort or support for the foot of
• the feedback system 100 is illustrated in greater detail in FIG 2.
• the feedback system 100 includes the pressure sensor array 102.
• the pressure sensors 102 are located just underneath the load bearing surface 13, 15 (see FIGs 1A, IB, 1C) .
• each of the pressure sensors is a Force Sensing Resistor available from Interlink Electronics, Santa Barbara, California. These devices are flexible polymer thick film devices which exhibit a decreasing resistance when an increasing force is applied normal to the device surface.
• the sensors are arranged in strips and connected to form a voltage divider network.
• the load bearing surface 13,15 may be divided into a plurality of regions. Associated with each region is a subset of the pressure sensors 102. In some embodiments of the invention, different regions may overlap so that some of the sensors belong to more than one region.
• the feedback system also includes a multiplexer 104, an interface 106, an analog digital converter 107, and a microprocessor 108.
• the multiplexer 104 connects a signal from any one of the pressure sensors 102 to the interface 106.
• the sequence in which the pressure sensors are integrated is transmitted from the microprocessor 108 to the interface 106.
• Analog signals, generated by the pressure sensors and transmitted via the multiplexer 104, are converted to digital form by the analog-to-digital converter 107.
• the digital signals generated by the pressure sensors and transmitted via the multiplexer 104, are converted to digital form by the analog-to-digital converter 107.
• SUBSTITUTESHEET signals are then transmitted to the microprocessor 108 which stores these signals in a memory.
• the circuitry in the feedback system 100 is powered by a battery or solar cell 112.
• the microprocessor 108 optionally outputs two indicator signals. If battery operated, when the battery needs to be changed, a first indicator signal activates a first light emitting diode 113. When the feedback system 100 is operating, a second indicator signal activates a second light emitting diode 114.
• the circuit elements 104, 106, 107, 108 are located in the strap 16 as is the battery 112.
• the indicator diodes 113, 114 are located on the strap 16.
• the feedback system 100 of FIG 2 also comprises a plurality of valves 120.
• the valves 120 are activated by electronic control signals transmitted via the lines 109 from the microprocessor 108.
• the valves 120 control the flow of air into or out of the air bladders 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36.
• the valves 120 occupy one of three states: a first blocking state in which no air enters or leaves the corresponding air bladder, a second state in which air leaves the corresponding air bladder, and a third state in which air is supplied to the
• SUBSTITUTESHEET corresponding air bladder.
• the bladders may be perforated to allow for controlled steady leakage.
• the pump 40 is utilized.
• the pump 40 is located in the heel portion 19 of the sole 12 (see FIG 1A) and is activated by running or walking activity. The operation of the pump 40 is discussed in greater detail below.
• the feedback system 120 operates as follows.
• the processor 108 receives from the array of pressure sensors 102 data representative of the actual distribution of pressure on the load bearing surface. This data is processed by the processor 108.
• the processor 108 outputs signals on the lines 109 to control the valves 120 and thereby control the amount of air in each of the bladders 19, 20, 21, etc.
• the processor 108 controls the shape of the load bearing surface 13,15.
• the processor 108 controls the shape of the load bearing surface 12 to achieve a desired level of comfort and support for the user.
• the first step of the load bearing surface shape-changing process is to interrogate the pressure sensors 102 (box 70 of FIG 3) to obtain data representative of the actual distribution of pressure exerted by a foot on the load bearing surface. Because the shape reconfiguration mechanism operates continuously, this data is time averaged (box 72 of FIG 3) to avoid changing the shape of the load bearing surface for each small movement or other change of the user's foot or each small change of the ambient conditions. Rather, the shape of the load bearing surface is preferably changed only in response to larger, longer term or more substantive movements of the user's foot or larger longer term changes of the ambient conditions.
• the processor 108 determines the fraction of total load exerted on each of a plurality of regions of the load bearing surface (box 74 of FIG 3) . The processor then determines if the fraction of total load exerted on each region is within a desired range (box 76 of FIG 4) . If the fraction of the total load in each region is within the desired range no action is taken. If the fraction of total load in each region is not within the desired range, a linear programming algorithm (box 78 of FIG 3) or other optimization strategy is executed to determine how to change the shape of the load bearing surface with the fewest number of adjustments so that the fraction of total load exerted on each region is within the desired range. Once this is done, selected ones of the valves 120 are activated to change the shape of the load bearing surface.
• the desired range of load fraction for each region is determined experimentally by using conventional statistical techniques to correlate the comfort and support of a statistically valid sample of users with the fraction of total load exerted on each region by these users .
• the linear programming algorithm utilized by the processor 40 of FIG 2 to determine how to change the shape and characteristic of the load bearing surface is as follows.
• N is maximized subject to the following constraints
• a ⁇ lower limit of region i load fraction range of a "very comfortable and supportive" foot appliance
• W ⁇ priority (i.e. weighting) factor for region i
• an actual comfort level of a user's foot may be set equal to a linear combination of a variety of attributes of the actual pressure distribution such as the standard deviation of the pressure distribution in particular regions, pressure gradients within or between particular regions, mean gradients in particular regions, maximum gradients in particular regions, median pressure in particular regions, fractions of total load in particular regions and sums of load fractions over several regions.
• attributes of the actual pressure distribution such as the standard deviation of the pressure distribution in particular regions, pressure gradients within or between particular regions, mean gradients in particular regions, maximum gradients in particular regions, median pressure in particular regions, fractions of total load in particular regions and sums of load fractions over several regions.
• the processor compares the actual comfort level to a desired comfort level range. If the actual comfort level is outside the desired range, the shape of the load bearing surface is altered until the actual comfort level is within the desired range.
• the pump 40 (see FIG 1A and FIG 2) is now discussed in greater detail.
• the pump 40 is formed as a chamber having upper and lower flexible side walls 42 and 44.
• the pump 40 has an inlet valve 46 and an outlet valve 48.
• a bent metal spring 49 biases the chamber in its expanded volume configuration.
• the spring may be omitted and the chamber filled by a resilient open cell foam material to
• SUBSTITUTE SHEET bias the chamber in its expanded volume configuration.
• the outlet valve 48 opens, the inlet valve 46 closes and air is transmitted out of the pump chamber.
• the resilient spring member 49 expands the pump chamber. In this case, air is drawn in through the inlet valve 46 while the outlet valve 48 is closed.
• the pump 40 is activated by walking, running or other activity which causes the foot of the user to step down on the pump chamber.
• This kind of pump is highly advantageous because its operation does not require a motor and it does not require any source of electric or other power.
• a pump of this type is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,999,932, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• the air line 127 includes an additional valve
• the additional valve 121 which is controlled by the microprocessor 108.
• the additional valve 121 is open when all the valves 120 are closed or when some of the valves 120 are open but not all of the air emitted by the pump 40 is required by the air
• a pump powered by a small motor may be used to supply air to the bladders.
• a pump and motor may be contained in a small pack which may, for example, be mounted on the back heel portion of the side walls of the shoe or other foot appliance.
• This embodiment may be especially useful in the case where the foot appliance is a ski boot as ski boots are generally large and heavy enough to support such a pack without discomfort to the user.
• a pack containing a pump and motor is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,583,305, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• the feedback system controls the shape of the load bearing interior surface of the footwear to provide support and/or comfort for the user depending on the size and shape of the individual user's foot and the activities the user is undertaking.
• the feedback system senses the actual distribution of load exerted by the foot on the load bearing surface and automatically, electronically changes the shape of the load bearing surface (e.g., by changing the amount of air in air bladders contained within the load bearing surface) to change the actual distribution of load until a desired distribution of load is realized.
• SUBSTITUTESHEET are intended to be illustrative only. Numerous alternative embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the following claims.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Massaging Devices (AREA)
• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

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• 1993
  • 1993-09-09 CA CA 2122492 patent/CA2122492A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-09-09 JP JP6507553A patent/JPH08501958A/ja active Pending
  • 1993-09-09 EP EP93921490A patent/EP0620710A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1993-09-09 WO PCT/US1993/008560 patent/WO1994005177A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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