US 10,952,506 B2Granted

Homing mechanism for automated footwear platform

AssigneeNIKE, Inc.

InventorsSummer L. Schneider, Jamie Kelso, Narissa Chang

Life of this patent

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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.

Claims20

Dependent claims

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.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/884,163Filed 27 May 2020 · continuation
Priority: 15 Mar 2016
Published: US 2020/0093225 A110 Sep 2020
Granted: 23 Mar 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

A43C 11/165
Fastenings secured by wire, bolts, or the like: characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation
A43B 3/34
Footwear characterised by the shape or the use: with electrical or electronic arrangements
A43B 13/14
Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units: characterised by the constructive form
A43C 1/00
Shoe lacing fastenings

Family

Application62/308,728Us provisional application · filed 15 Mar 2016
Application15/459,754Parent of this division · filed 15 Mar 2017
Application16/591,869Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Oct 2019
US 2020/0281320 A1Pre-grant publication · published 10 Sep 2020
US 10,463,109 B2Parent of this division
Application16/591,869Parent of this division
US 11,510,461 B2Related patent
US 2017/0265586 A1Published application
US 2020/0093225 A1Published application
US 10,952,506 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.