Presented are intelligent electronic footwear with controller automated features, methods for making/using such footwear, and control systems for executing automated features of intelligent electronic footwear. An intelligent electronic shoe includes an upper that attaches to a user's foot, and a sole structure attached to the upper for supporting thereon the user's foot. A collision threat warning system, a detection tag, a wireless communications device, and a footwear controller are all mounted to the sole structure/upper. The detection tag receives a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module and responsively transmits thereto a response signal. The footwear controller receives, through the wireless communications device, a pedestrian collision warning signal generated by the remote computing node responsive to the response signal. Responsively, the footwear controller transmits a command signal to the collision threat warning system to generate a visible, audible and/or tactile alert warning the user of an impending collision with a vehicle.

A position sensing assembly for a tensioning system designed to provide tension to a lace, cord, or other type of strand is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a reel member configured to rotate about a central axis and the position sensing assembly. The position sensing assembly includes a shaft, an indicator tab, and an optical sensing unit. The position sensing assembly assists in controlling the degree to which the strand is tightened and loosened. The position sensing assembly prevents tightening of the strand when the strand is meant to be loosened.

A lacing system for an article of footwear has a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. The system includes a sole structure, an upper attached to the sole structure, the upper having a lateral side, a medial side, and a tongue, a housing that is disposed along the tongue and entirely within the midfoot region, and an electronics assembly enclosed entirely within the housing. The electronics assembly includes at least a motor and a gear assembly. A first lace extends from the housing through a first aperture and a second aperture, and the first lace is drawn into the housing when the motor is activated by a user.

A fastening device including a case unit and a spool is provided. The case unit includes a wall forming a receiving space, an upper opening communicated with the receiving space, and a lower opening opposite to the upper opening and communicated with the receiving space. The spool is within the receiving space. The spool is limited by the wall, and the wall prohibits the spool from leaving the receiving space from the upper opening.

Presented are intelligent electronic footwear with controller automated features, methods for making/using such footwear, and control systems for executing automated features of intelligent electronic footwear. An intelligent electronic shoe (IES) includes an upper that attaches to a user's foot, and a sole structure that is attached to the upper and supports thereon the user's foot. An alert system, which is mounted to the sole structure and/or upper, generates predetermined outputs in response to electronic command signals. The IES system also includes a wireless communications device that wirelessly communicates with a remote computing node, and a footwear controller that communicates with the wireless communications device and alert system. The footwear controller receives location data indicative of the user's and remote computing node's locations, determines whether the user's location is within a predetermined location/proximity to the node's location and, if so, transmits command signals to the alert system to notify the user/vehicle.

Footwear for rehabilitation after an ankle sprain or for preventive training to avoid an ankle sprain includes a sock body including a foot section and a leg section. The footwear further includes a leg strap device and an adjustable tensioning device connected to the leg strap device. A tensioning element is defined with a first end section, a second end section and an intermediate section between the first and second end sections, where the first end section is connected to the foot section, the second end section is connected to the adjustable tensioning device and the intermediate section is provided below, or integrated as part of, an arch section of the foot section. The adjustable tensioning device is connected to the leg strap device.

A fastener device includes a first fastener part and a second fastener part which can be mounted on one another along a closing direction, are held against one another in a closed position, and are releasable from one another in order to open the fastener device. The second fastener part has an actuating element with a first engagement means and has a winding element which is arranged on the actuating element and which is rotatable in a winding direction in order to wind up a tension element and which has a second engagement means. The first and the second engagement means, in a release position, are not in engagement with one another, such that the winding element is rotatable relative to the actuating element, and can be placed in engagement with one another, such that, in an engagement position, the winding element is rotatable by means of the actuating element.

A lacing system configured to selectively adjust the size of an opening on an object and allow for the incremental release of the lace within the lacing system. The lacing system can have a reel comprising a housing, a spool supported by the housing, and a knob supported by the housing. The reel can be configured so that cable is gathered in the channel formed in the spool when the spool is rotated in a first direction relative to the housing, and so that cable can be incrementally released from the spool when the spool is rotated in a second direction relative to the housing. In some embodiments, the reel can include a rotation limiter which can be configured to prevent over-tightening of the lacing system and/or to prevent rotation past the substantially fully loosened state.

A charging system can include provisions for providing power to various systems or components associated with the article of footwear. A charging system may include a charging device dimensioned to be used with one or more articles of footwear, where the articles of footwear can include different sizes. In some cases, the charging system can be used to facilitate the transfer of power to components in a motorized tensioning system.

This disclosure relates to articles that include a tightening mechanism, such as reel-based lace tightening mechanism, configured to tighten the article by rotation of a knob. The articles can include a concealing portion that is configured to conceal or protect at least a portion of the tightening mechanism, such as the knob. The concealing portion can be configured to prevent unintentional actuation of the tightening mechanism, such as during contact sports. The concealing portion can be configured to hide the tightening mechanism from view to improve the visual appearance of the article. The concealing portion can be collapsible such that a user can press the concealing portion down to expose the knob of the tightening mechanism.