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US 11,154,119 B2Granted
Compact motorized tensioning device for footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsTiffany A. Beers, Ryan Frederick, Clayton Lindsay, Austin Orand, Andrew A. Owings
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tensioning system for articles of footwear and articles of apparel is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a spool system that can be engaged or disengaged from a driveshaft through the use of a cam device. The motorized tensioning device includes a torque transmitting system that allows for incremental tightening, incremental loosening and full loosening of the tensile element.
Claims15
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper;
- a sole structure;
- and
- a motorized tensioning device seated in the sole structure and comprising:
- a cam device;
- a spool;
- a tensile element wound, at least in part, around the spool;
- a driveshaft extending through the spool and coupled to the cam device to deliver torque to the cam device to cause the spool to turn to increase or decrease tension on the tensile element;
- and
- an engagement plate configured to:
- engage with and receive torque from the cam device;
- couple to the spool in an engaged state to cause the spool to rotate with the drive shaft;
- and
- space apartfrom the spool in a disengaged state to cause the spool to rotate independently of the drive shaft,
- wherein:
- the cam device includes a step portion;
- and
- the engagement plate comprises a first spoke portion, the first spoke portion configured to be flush against a first end of the step portion of the cam device when the spool system is in the disengaged state.
15 more elements
A method of controlling in an article of footwear, a motorized tensioning device having a spool, the method comprising:
- turning a driveshaft in a first direction. causing the driveshaft to turn a cam device in the first direction, causing a ramped edge of the cam device to push against a lower surface of an engagement plate such that a rotation of the cam device increases an axial distance between the cam device and the engagement plate;
- increasing the axial distance between the spool is coupled to the cam device and the enagement plate, thereby transitioning the spool system from an enaged state to a disengaged state;
- and
- in the disengaged state, imparting a force on one of an upper of the article of footwear and a tensile element of the article of footwear to freely unwind the tensile element around the spool;
- turning a driveshaft in a second direction, the second direction being a direction opposite to that of the first direction, the driveshaft turning a cam device in the second direction;
- decreasing an axial distance between the cam device and the engagement plate, thereby transitioning the spool system from the disengaged state to the engaged state;
- and
- in the engaged state. turning the spool in the second direction to wind the tensile element about the spool;
- wherein:
- the cam device includes a step portion;
- and
- increasing the axial distance includes placing a first spoke portion of the engagement plate flush against a first end of the step portion of the cam device.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.