Adjustable foot support systems including fluid-filled bladder chambers
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsAaron B. Weast, Timothy P. Hopkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Foot support systems, e.g., for articles of footwear, include systems for changing the hardness or firmness of the foot support portion (e.g., of a sole structure) and/or systems for moving (e.g., selectively moving) fluid between various portions of the foot support system. Such systems may include: a foot support bladder, a pump, and a fluid reservoir. Two or more fluid transfer lines may be provided to connect these components, and these fluid lines are equipped with fluid flow control device(s) and/or check valves to enable selective movement of fluid between the fluid reservoir and the foot support bladder. Such systems enable one to set and maintain two or more foot support pressures in the foot support bladder.
Claims20
A foot support system, comprising:
- a foot support bladder for supporting at least a portion of a wearer's foot;
- a pump;
- a first fluid transfer line extending between the foot support bladder and the pump;
- a first valve in the first fluid transfer line, wherein the first valve allows fluid to move from the foot support bladder to the pump but inhibits fluid from moving from the pump into the foot support bladder via the first fluid transfer line;
- a fluid reservoir in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump to receive fluid from the pump;
- a fluid flow controller selectively switchable between an open configuration and a closed configuration and configured to selectively open and close fluid flow between the fluid reservoir and the foot support bladder;
- a second fluid transfer line extending between the pump and the foot support bladder;
- and
- a second valve in the second fluid transfer line, wherein the second valve allows fluid to move from the pump to the foot support bladder but inhibits fluid from moving from the foot support bladder into the pump via the second fluid transfer line.
A foot support system, comprising:
- a foot support bladder for supporting at least a portion of a wearer's foot;
- a pump;
- a first fluid transfer line extending between the foot support bladder and the pump;
- a first valve in the first fluid transfer line, wherein the first valve allows fluid to move from the foot support bladder to the pump but inhibits fluid from moving from the pump into the foot support bladder via the first fluid transfer line;
- a second fluid transfer line extending between the pump and the foot support bladder;
- a second valve in the second fluid transfer line, wherein the second valve allows fluid to move from the pump to the foot support bladder but inhibits fluid from moving from the foot support bladder into the pump via the second fluid transfer line;
- and
- a fluid reservoir in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump to receive fluid from the pump.
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper;
- a sole structure engaged with the upper;
- and
- a foot support system engaged with at least one of the upper or the sole structure, wherein the foot support system includes:
- (a) a foot support bladder for supporting at least a portion of a wearer's foot, (b) a pump, (c) a first fluid transfer line extending between the foot support bladder and the pump, (d) a first valve in the first fluid transfer line, wherein the first valve allows fluid to move from the foot support bladder to the pump but inhibits fluid from moving from the pump into the foot support bladder via the first fluid transfer line, (e) a second fluid transfer line extending between the pump and the foot support bladder, (f) a second valve in the second fluid transfer line, wherein the second valve allows fluid to move from the pump to the foot support bladder but inhibits fluid from moving from the foot support bladder into the pump via the second fluid transfer line, and (g) a fluid reservoir in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump to receive fluid from the pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.