Automated footwear lacing systems, devices, and techniques
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsMartine Stillman, Bret Richmond
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an example, a lacing engine apparatus can include a housing and a drivetrain. The housing can be securable within a footwear article. The drivetrain can include a motor, a sun gear, a planet gear, a rotating ring gear, and a spool. The spool can be secured to the ring gear and can be rotatable therewith. The spool can be configured to control a lace of the footwear article and can be configured to wind the lace as the ring gear rotates in a first direction.
Claims12
A lacing engine for an automated footwear platform, the lacing engine comprising:
- a housing securable within a footwear article;
- and
- a drivetrain located at least partially within the housing, the drivetrain comprising:
- a motor including a shaft rotatable within the housing;
- a power spring driven by the shaft to rotate about a central axis to deliver stored energy upon activation;
- a spring arbor connected to the housing and rotatable relative thereto, the spring arbor supporting the power spring, and the spring arbor controllably coupled to the shaft to transfer rotation from the shaft to the power spring;
- a spool rotatable about the central axis, the spool configured to controllably wind a lace of the footwear article;
- and
- a clutch configured to controllably couple the power spring to the spool to transfer rotation therebetween.
A lacing engine for an automated footwear platform, the lacing engine comprising:
- a housing securable within a footwear article;
- and
- a drivetrain located at least partially within the housing, the drivetrain comprising:
- a motor including a shaft rotatable within the housing;
- a power spring driven by the shaft to rotate about a central axis to deliver stored energy upon activation;
- a spool rotatable about the central axis, the spool configured to controllably wind a lace of the footwear article;
- a clutch configured to controllably couple the power spring to the spool to transfer rotation therebetween;
- and
- a spool arbor positioned at least partially within the housing and coaxially with the power spring, the spool arbor controllably coupled to the spool and coupled to the clutch, the spool arbor rotatable about the central axis.
A lacing engine for an automated footwear platform, the lacing engine comprising:
- a housing insertable within a portion of a footwear article;
- and
- a drivetrain located within the housing, the drivetrain comprising:
- a motor including a shaft rotatable within the housing;
- a power spring driven by the shaft to rotate about a central axis to deliver stored energy upon activation;
- a spool rotatable about the central axis, the spool configured to receive a lace of the footwear article;
- a clutch selectively couplable to the power spring to the spool to transfer rotation therebetween;
- a printed circuit board (PCB) containing circuitry to control portions of the drivetrain;
- and
- a battery,
- wherein the clutch is an electromechanical clutch and receives power from the battery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.