Presented are intelligent electronic footwear and apparel with controller-automated features, methods for making/operating such footwear and apparel, and control systems for executing automated features of such footwear and apparel. A method for operating an intelligent electronic shoe (IES) includes receiving, e.g., via a controller through a wireless communications device from a GPS satellite service, location data of a user. The controller also receives, e.g., from a backend server-class computer or other remote computing node, location data for a target object or site, such as a virtual shoe hidden at a virtual spot. The controller retrieves or predicts path plan data including a derived route for traversing from the user's location to the target's location within a geographic area. The controller then transmits command signals to a navigation alert system mounted to the IES's shoe structure to output visual, audio, and/or tactile cues that guide the user along the derived route.

Presented are intelligent electronic footwear and apparel with controller-automated features, methods for making/operating such footwear and apparel, and control systems for executing automated features of such footwear and apparel. A method for automating a collaborative operation between an intelligent electronic shoe (IES) and an intelligent transportation management (ITM) system includes receiving, via a detection tag attached to the IES shoe structure, a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module communicatively connected to a traffic system controller of the ITM system. In reaction to the received prompt signal, the detection tag transmits a response signal to the transmitter-detector module. The traffic system controller uses the response signal to determine a location of the IES's user, and the current operating state of a traffic signal proximate the user's location. The traffic system controller transmits a command signal to the traffic signal to switch from the current operating state to a new operating state.

Provided is an apparatus for tightening wire, including: a housing (10); a spool (20) mounted to the housing to wind a wire; a winder (30) that engages with the spool to wind the wire or disengages from the same to unwind the wire; a ratchet (40) that allows axial rotation in one direction in which the wire is tightened; a spiral cam (50) where the winder and the ratchet are mounted; and a dial (60) mounted to the spiral cam to axially rotate the winder. The apparatus provides an engagement and disengagement structure that allows the spool and the winder to engage or disengage, so that, by forward and backward rotations, only the wire is wound when the spool and the winder engage and the wire is unwound when the spool and the winder disengage, thereby allowing the winding and unwinding of the wire by simple forward and backward rotating operation.

A fastening device is configured to be installed on an article and includes a base, an installing assembly and a reel part. The base is located on the article. The installing assembly includes at least one needle which is pivotally disposed at the base so as to rotate relatively to the base. The reel part is coupled to a lace and disposed on the base. The at least one needle is inserted from a first surface of the article into a second surface of the article, then inserted from the second surface of the article into the first surface of the article, and the at least one needle is restricted to the article for securing the base on the first surface of the article.

A quick lacing machine is disclosed, including a base, a screw cap, a pulley, a rotating wheel, a rotary driving member, an elastic member, and a pressing member. The base is provided with a rotating cavity, a lace hole and a ratchet; the pulley is rotatably arranged in the rotating cavity, and the pulley is provided with a plurality of a first spiral teeth; the rotating wheel is provided with a pawl, the pawl is engaged with the ratchet, and the rotating wheel is provided with a sliding hole, the rotary driving member is slidably arranged in the sliding hole. The present disclosure can loosen a shoelace by pressing the pressing member, and tighten the shoelace by rotating the screw cap, which is simple and convenient to operate, saves time and effort, and thereby improving efficiency of a user taking off and putting on shoes.

A footwear is provided for preventing or treating a pathological deformity of a wearers foot, comprising a toe strap for being fastened to the great toe, an upper for being fastened to a metatarsus region of the foot and comprising a lateral section and a medial section, and an adjustment mechanism comprising a tension element coupled to the toe strap and configured for variably adjusting a pulling force applied to the toe strap, wherein the adjustment mechanism is arranged in or on the lateral section of the upper such that the tension element is guided to a lateral side of the footwear. The medial section of the upper extends from the adjustment mechanism in a medial direction to a medial side of the footwear and is adjustable in its circumferential length.

A shoelace arrangement is provided for a shoe. The shoelace arrangement is basically provided with an upper, a shoelace tightener and a shoelace. The upper includes a first surface and a second surface opposite side of the first surface. The shoelace tightener is disposed to the upper. The shoelace is coupled to the shoelace tightener. The shoelace includes a first shoelace portion entirely extending on the first surface, and a second shoelace portion entirely extending on the second surface. The first shoelace portion and the second shoelace portion cross one another via the first surface and the second surface.

Various embodiments of an improved rotary closure to prevent jamming when rotated in a particular direction and allow de-tensioning of the spool are disclosed herein.

Disclosed is a bidirectional spool apparatus (BSA) and method of use. The BSA comprises a spool apparatus having a plurality of spools, a plurality of cables, and an adjustment knob. When the BSA is in a first mode, rotation of the adjustment knob causes a corresponding rotation of a first spool in a tightening direction and a tightening of a first cable but allows a second cable to rotate substantially freely, and such that when the BSA is in a second mode, rotation of the adjustment knob causes a corresponding rotation of a second spool in a tightening direction and a tightening of a second cable but allows a first cable to rotate substantially freely. Switching of the BSA from a first mode to a second mode and vice versa is accomplished by pulling the adjustment knob out a distance and by pushing the adjustment knob in a distance.

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.