Article of footwear with variable support structure
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorJoseph L. Ungari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article of footwear having a variable support structure includes a sole structure and an upper secured to the sole structure. At least one reservoir of magneto-rheological fluid is positioned in at least one of the upper and the sole structure. A magnet assembly is positioned proximate each reservoir, and a magnetic field produced by the magnet assembly transforms the magneto-rheological fluid from a fluid state to a near-solid state.
Claims19
An article of footwear having a variable support structure comprising, in combination:
- a sole structure;
- an upper secured to the sole structure;
- at least one reservoir of magneto-rheological fluid in the upper;
- and
- a magnet assembly comprising a plurality of electromagnets proximate each reservoir;
- and
- a load cell configured to activate the electromagnets upon detection of a force from a user's foot and positioned in a sidewall of the upper;
- wherein a magnetic field produced by the magnet assembly transforms the magneto-rheological fluid from a fluid state to a near-solid state.
An article of footwear having a variable support structure comprising, in combination:
- a sole structure;
- an upper secured to the sole structure;
- a reservoir of magneto-rheological fluid in a sidewall of the upper;
- a plurality of electromagnets in the sidewall;
- and
- a load cell configured to activate the electromagnets upon detection of a force from a user's foot and positioned in a sidewall of the upper;
- wherein a magnetic field produced by the electromagnets transforms the magneto-rheological fluid from a fluid state to a near-solid state.
An article of footwear having a variable support structure comprising, in combination:
- a sole structure;
- an upper secured to the sole structure;
- a first reservoir of magneto-rheological fluid formed in a lateral sidewall of the upper;
- a second reservoir of magneto-rheological fluid formed in a medial sidewall of the upper;
- a first plurality of electromagnets positioned in the lateral sidewall;
- a second plurality of electromagnets positioned in the medial sidewall;
- and
- a load cell configured to activate the electromagnets upon detection of a force from a user's foot and positioned in a sidewall of the upper;
- wherein each plurality of electromagnets is configured to produce a magnetic field in a corresponding reservoir and transforms the magneto-rheological fluid from a fluid state to a near-solid state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.