KR20170120047A - An inner sole for a shoe - Google Patents

Abstract

Insole for shoes (100). The insole includes a main body made at least partially of a compressible material and many components inserted into the body. The components include a pressure sensor 2, a power source connected to one or more of a transmitter, a global positioning tracker, an accelerometer, a pressure sensor, a transmitter, a satellite positioning tracker and an accelerometer, And a control circuit (41) configured to receive data from the device and the accelerometer and transmit it to a remote location via a transmitter.

Description

AN INNER SOLE FOR A SHOE

The present invention relates to an insole for shoes.

A tracker device, such as Nike +, is known to be inserted into a shoe and providing a limited amount of information about the distance and speed of running or walking.

The present invention aims to improve such a system.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an insole for a shoe, the insole comprising a main body made at least partly of a compressible material and a number of components inserted in the body, do:

Pressure sensors;

telautograph;

A global positioning tracking device;

Accelerometer;

A power source connected to at least one of a pressure sensor, a transmitter, a satellite positioning tracking device, and an accelerometer; And

A control circuit configured to receive data from a pressure sensor, a satellite localization tracking device, and an accelerometer, and transmit the data to a remote location via a transmitter.

The invention allows the pressure sensor, the satellite positioning tracking device and the accelerometer to collect data on the entire way the user is running or walking. This information is then gathered and sent to the remote site to obtain information that has not been obtained in the prior art until now.

The insole may further include a subscriber identity module (SIM) card. The SIM card may be detachable, or preferably integrated e-SIM. The transmitter can connect the insole to a local device with SIM or e-SIM with mobile communication capability.

The pressure sensor may include first and second pressure sensing areas, wherein the first pressure sensing area is located in the heel area of the body of the insole and the second pressure sensing area is located in the forefoot area of the body of the insole .

Alternatively, the insole may further comprise a second pressure sensor, wherein the first pressure sensor is located in the heel area of the body and the second pressure sensor is located in the forefoot area of the body.

The insole can be provided as a removable insole for shoes. However, the insole may be integrated directly into the finished shoes.

The insole may preferably include an altimeter connected to a control circuit.

The insole may preferably include an electrocardiograph sensor connected to a control circuit.

The power source may be any suitable source, such as a high output capacitor. However, this is preferably a battery. It may be replaceable, detachable for charging, or rechargeable at its original state. In the latter case, the insole preferably includes a power input port.

The invention extends to a second aspect, a system comprising an insole according to the first aspect of the invention, together with a remote device for receiving information from a transmitter of the insole, wherein the remote device processes, manipulates and manipulates the received data And means for displaying information. The remote device can be provided with the appropriate operating system and compatible software, most often in the form of an app, to read and display the received data. The received data may be displayed on the remote device itself, on another third device, and / or on a social media platform. The app is preferably customizable to allow the user to choose what information is displayed and how it is displayed. The insole may also be provided with means for processing and manipulating information before being transmitted from the insole's transmitter. This allows the amount of information and frequency of communication to be reduced. The remote device may be the user's personal device. Alternatively, or in addition, the data may be transmitted to a remote device operated by a second user. This data may include, for example, the position of the insole for the second user to track the progress of the first user. This location data can be overlaid on the map of the path of the first user, such as contention conditions.

The system includes a database of data related to the brand and / or type of footware (including the brand and / or type of the insole) regarding the ability of the footwear to support the user ' s soles; And means for comparing the information from the pressure sensor to the database and providing the user with an indication of the desired footwear brand and / or type based on the comparison. This instruction allows the user to place an order for a specific brand and / or type of footwear. Using known techniques such as affiliate marketing, the user can be informed, for example, at the point of purchase of an online retailer.

The data on the ability of the footwear to support the user's sole may be used to determine the brand of footwear worn for use by the manufacturer to determine how to make improvements to newer versions of the brand and / / RTI > may be stored in an additional database along with the identifier < RTI ID = 0.0 > and / or &

This makes up a third aspect of the invention, which is a method for determining optimal footwear usage for a user, the method including the use of a system according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein when a user's feet land on the ground Determining from the information received from the pressure sensor the degree of pressure applied to the user's foot when the user's weight is distributed and / or sideways to the side; Transmitting the information to a remote device, wherein the remote device accesses data for a number of footwear brands and / or types, and wherein the data relates to the ability of a brand and / or type of footwear to support the user 'step; And comparing the sensed force distributions for the brand and / or type of data of the stored footwear and recommending the brands and / or types of preferred footwear based on the comparison. Using known techniques such as affiliate marketing, the user can be informed, for example, at the point of purchase of an online retailer.

Currently, if a user wishes to obtain information about their gait, kick, and / or player loading as a guide for buying new shoes, they can be used to visit the sportswear store and analyze their gait You have to run a tread mill with the camera to create the image you want.

Along with the present invention, information about their gait, kicker, and player loading characteristics can be obtained in real-time during normal use. A preferred footwear instruction may be, for example, a recommendation to obtain a particular footwear or footwear fit. In addition, information regarding the characteristics of the user's gait, kick, and / or player loading may be used with known biomechanics, sports science knowledge and expertise to recommend an ideal running style. Additionally or alternatively, event-specific recommendations, such as running speed, power output, and cadence, may be provided for a particular event in which the user participates. Recommendations can include advice on conditions such as resting or drinking water.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of determining the length of time an individual floats on the floor, said method comprising: providing an individual with an insole according to at least one of the first aspects of the invention; Using a combination of an accelerometer for determining a rapid acceleration and a pressure sensor for determining a sudden drop in sensed pressure representing a leap time at which the individual leaves the floor and the connection at the same time; Using a combination of an accelerometer for determining a sudden deceleration and a pressure sensor for determining a sudden increase in sensed pressure representing a landing time at the same time an individual is landing; And measuring the time between the leap and landing states to determine the length of time the user floats on the floor. Data from the altimeter can be used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the above method to determine hopping and landing conditions.

This allows the insole to measure the "hang time", ie, the time the shoe wears on the floor. This can provide important statistical information to the sports director and can also provide interesting information to spectators.

Are included in the specification of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings only by way of example.
1 is a side section cut view of an insole according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a synthetic outline view of an insole according to one embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a bottom view of the top layer of the insole according to one embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a top view of the middle layer of an insole according to one embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a top view of an additional intermediate layer of an insole according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a top view of the lower layer of the insole according to one embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a bottom cut-away view of an insole according to one embodiment of the invention.
8 is a schematic diagram of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

One embodiment of the present invention is shown as an insole 100 of Figs. 1-7. The insole 100 comprises a hardware layer 40 and a multi-layer sensor layer 2. As shown in Fig. 1, the insole 100 is substantially contoured to conform to the user's foot 1. As shown in Fig.

The sensor layer 2 will now be described in more detail in Figures 2-5. Figure 3 shows the top layer 10 of the multilayer sensor layer 2. The figure is shown looking upward from figure 1 towards the user ' s feet 1. The top sensor layer 10 can be formed of a high impact engineering polymer (e.g., polycarbonate or nylon), a glass or carbon fiber composite, a bi-axial oriented film or any of a variety of materials that provide high bending strength, As well as other materials of the < / RTI >

This material provides a connection point for the user ' s foot 1. On the lower surface of the layer 10, first and second sensing arrangements 11, 15 are provided. The first sensing arrangement 11 is located towards the front of the layer 10 and includes a sensing area 12 positioned to sense the applied force by the front face of the user's foot. The electrical connection with the sensing area 12 is a tracking section 13, which in turn is electrically connected to the connection pad 14. The second sensing arrangement 15 is located towards the back of the layer 10 and includes a sensing area 16 positioned to sense the force applied by the user's heel. The electrical connection with the sensing area 16 is a tracking section 17, which in turn is electrically connected to the connection pad 18.

The intermediate layer 20 of the multilayer sensor layer 2 is shown in Fig. This view is viewed downward from the user's feet (in the opposite direction to the view of FIG. 3) in FIG. The intermediate layer 20 is a conductive layer for conducting electricity. The layer is typically formed of a polymeric film impregnated with a carbon black ink to form a number of conductive areas. These zones include front and rear sensor conductive areas 21, 22 that are in electrical connection with the first and second sensing areas 12, 16 of the first layer 10. Conductive pads 23, 24, 25 and 26 are also provided. These conductive pads are electrically isolated from each other and from the front and rear sensor conductive areas 21, 22. The conductive pads 23 and 25 are electrically connected to the first and second connection pads 14 and 18 of the first layer 10.

The lower layer 30 of the multilayer sensor layer 2 is shown in Fig. The layer is made of a suitable cushioning material, such as a foamed elastomer, a thermoplastic elastomer, a foamed thermoplastic elastomer, or any suitable conformable material. On the upper surface of the layer 30, from the user's foot 1, first and second sensing arrangements 31, 35 are provided. The first sensing arrangement 31 is positioned towards the front of the layer 30 and includes a sensing area 32 positioned to sense the applied force by the user's forefoot. The electrical connection with the sensing area 32 is a tracking section 33, which in turn is electrically connected to the connection pad 34. The second sensing arrangement 35 is located towards the bottom of the layer 3 and includes a sensing area 36 positioned to sense the applied force by the user's heel. The electrical connection with the sensing area 36 is a tracking section 37, which in turn is electrically connected to the connection pad 38.

The three layers 10, 20 and 30 of the multilayer sensor layer 2 can be formed together in a multi-step forming process. Alternatively, the layers 10,20, 30 may be adhesively bonded to one another.

The hardware layer 40 is depicted in Fig. This layer 40 is made of a structural material to support the sensor and to fit and protect any hardware necessary for the operation of the insert. The hardware layer 40 includes a PCB assembly 41. The PCB assembly includes any additional sensors connected to the insole 100. In particular, the PCB may be a microprocessor, a motion sensor (e.g., an accelerometer and / or gyroscope), a satellite navigation receiver / antenna, a wireless communication module (e.g., Bluetooth and / or an integrated subscriber identity module (E-SIM)), and a power source (e.g., a battery module) coupled to the components. In a preferred embodiment, the battery module is a lithium ceramic battery. The hardware layer 40 provides a number of hardware connections 43, 44, 45, 46. These connections are arranged such that the conductive areas 23, 24 of the intermediate layer 20 are connected to the first and third layers 10, 30 to transmit and receive signals to the first and second sensing areas 11, 15, 31, 24, 25, and 26, respectively. These signals are processed by the micro-processor on the PCB to determine the force exerted by the user's feet 1 on each area. In order to ensure that the data collected by the sensor zone is not affected by the PCB, the PCB is located in the arch region of the user's foot 1, as shown in FIG. This ensures that the sensor area can be extended over the entire contact area at the forefoot and heel.

A composite schematic diagram showing the multi-layer sensor 2 coupled and attached to the hardware layer 40 is shown in FIG. In this schematic, the material of the layer was not included. The components of the bottom layer 30 are located below the components of the first and second layers 10, 20 and are indicated by dashed lines because they are blocked by the components.

Figure 8 shows a system according to the invention. The user wears the footwear 5 including the insole 100. The data is transferred from the footwear 5 to the remote device 6, which in this embodiment is a smartphone. The remote device (6) then communicates with the external server (7). The remote device 6 may be adapted to provide a user with a desired position and / or aspect of the user's weight when the user's feet land on the floor, in order to provide the user with an indication of the brand and / The degree of pressure applied to the user's foot when moving to the side is compared with the data stored on the external server 7 with information received from the pressure sensor.

Claims (14)

A footwear inner layer comprising a main body made at least partly of a compressible material and a number of components interposed in the body,
Pressure sensors;
telautograph;
A global positioning tracking device;
Accelerometer;
A power source connected to at least one of a pressure sensor, a transmitter, a satellite positioning tracking device, and an accelerometer; And
A control circuit configured to receive data from a pressure sensor, a satellite localization tracking device, and an accelerometer, and transmit the data to a remote location via a transmitter. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the pressure sensor comprises first and second pressure sensing areas, wherein the first pressure sensing area is located in the heel area of the body of the insole and the second pressure sensing area is located in the forefoot area of the body of the insole Shoe insole. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a second pressure sensor, wherein the first pressure sensor is located in the heel area of the body and the second pressure sensor is located in the forefoot area of the body. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
And a subscriber identity module (SIM) card. A shoe comprising an insole according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Further comprising an altimeter coupled to the control circuitry. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Further comprising an electrocardiograph sensor connected to the control circuit. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Wherein the insole comprises a sensor layer and a hardware layer, the hardware layer comprising at least a power source and a control circuit. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the sensor layer comprises a first and a second sensing layer, and a conductive layer therebetween. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The power source is a rechargeable battery, and the insole includes a power input port. A system comprising an insole according to claim 1 with a remote device for receiving information from a transmitter of the insole, the remote device having means for processing and manipulating the received data and for displaying the manipulated information. . 12. The method of claim 11,
A database of data related to the brand and / or type of many footwear related to the ability of the footwear to support the user ' s soles; And means for comparing the information from the pressure sensor to a database and providing the user with an indication of a preferred brand and / or type of footwear based on the comparison. A method for determining an optimal footwear for a user, the method comprising using the system according to claim 11,
Determining from the information received from the pressure sensor the degree of pressure applied to the user's foot when the user's foot is landing on the floor and the user's weight is dispersed and / or lateral to the side;
Transmitting the information to a remote device, wherein the remote device accesses data for a number of footwear brands and / or types, and wherein the data relates to the ability of a brand and / or type of footwear to support the user 'step; And
Comparing the distribution of the sensed forces to the brand and / or type of data of the stored footwear, and indicating the brand and / or type of the preferred footwear based on the comparison. CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. A method for determining the length of time an individual floats on the floor, said method comprising: providing at least one at least one insole according to claim 1;
Using a combination of an accelerometer for determining a rapid acceleration and a pressure sensor for determining a sudden drop in sensed pressure representing a leap time at which the individual leaves the floor and the connection at the same time;
Using a combination of an accelerometer for determining a sudden deceleration and a pressure sensor for determining a sudden increase in sensed pressure representing a landing time at the same time an individual is landing; And
And measuring the time between the leap and landing states to determine the length of time the user floats on the floor.

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