Back to results
US 11,758,969 B2Granted
Sensor for an article of footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsTiffany A. Beers, Andrew A. Owings
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear or an article of apparel can include provisions for facilitating the use of a sensor device and protecting the sensor device from external particles or fluid. The sensor device can include a conduit for moving air through the sensor device from one portion of the sensor device to another portion of the sensor device. An elastic membrane can be attached to an opening formed in the sensor device. The elastic membrane can deform in response to changes in air pressure within the sensor device.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a force sensitive resistor, comprising:
- a top substrate layer,
- a bottom substrate layer,
- an adhesive layer securing the top substrate layer to the bottom substrate layer,
- wherein the top substrate layer, the bottom substrate layer, and the adhesive layer form an active portion, a tail portion, and a horizontal passageway operatively coupled between the active portion and the tail portion;
- wherein the active portion is configured to compress in response to a force placed on the active portion;
- wherein the tail portion forms a vertical channel in the bottom substrate layer leading to an opening in the bottom substrate layer, and
- an elastic membrane secured over the opening in the bottom substrate layer, and
- wherein the horizontal passageway and the vertical channel are configured to move air from the active portion to the horizontal passageway and the vertical channel when the active portion is compressed and thereby transition from a neutral state to an actuated state and return air to the active portion when the active portion is no longer compressed and thereby return to the neutral state;
- and
- a control device configured to determine the force on the active portion based on a deformation of the elastic membrane.
8 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a force sensitive resistor, comprising:
- a top substrate layer,
- a bottom substrate layer,
- an adhesive layer securing the top substrate layer to the bottom substrate layer,
- wherein the top substrate layer, the bottom substrate layer, and the adhesive layer form an active portion, a tail portion, and a horizontal passageway operatively coupled between the active portion and the tail portion;
- wherein the active portion forms a chamber configured to compress in response to a force placed on the active portion;
- wherein the tail portion forms a vertical channel in the bottom substrate layer leading to an opening in the bottom substrate layer, and
- an elastic membrane secured over the opening in the bottom substrate layer, and
- wherein the horizontal passageway and the vertical channel are configured to move air from the active portion to the horizontal passageway and the vertical channel when the active portion is compressed and thereby transition from a neutral state to an actuated state and return air to the active portion when the active portion is no longer compressed and thereby return to the neutral state;
- and
- a control device configured to determine the force on the active portion based on a deformation of the elastic membrane.
8 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a force sensitive resistor, comprising:
- a top substrate layer,
- a bottom substrate layer,
- an adhesive layer securing the top substrate layer to the bottom substrate layer;
- wherein the top substrate layer, the bottom substrate layer, and the adhesive layer form an active portion, a tail portion, and a horizontal passageway operatively coupled between the active portion and the tail portion;
- wherein the active portion is configured to compress in response to a force placed on the active portion;
- wherein the tail portion forms a vertical channel in the bottom substrate layer leading to an opening in the bottom substrate layer;
- and
- an elastic membrane secured over the opening in the bottom substrate layer;
- and
- wherein the horizontal passageway and the vertical channel are configured to move air from the active portion to the horizontal passageway and the vertical channel when the active portion is compressed and thereby transition from a neutral state to an actuated state and return air to the active portion when the active portion is no longer compressed and thereby return to the neutral state;
- and
- a control device configured to determine the force on the active portion based on a deformation of the elastic membrane.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.