SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FASTENING A SHOE

Abstract

A method for fastening a shoe is disclosed. The shoe has an upper part connected to a sole and a rotary closure that fastens the shoe using at least one tensioning element. The rotary closure has a rotatably arranged tensioning roller, and the tensioning roller is driven by an electric motor and a switching element. The switching element is connected to a controller, and includes touch sensitive sensors which form a surface that is accessible to the wearer. The switching element and the controller are configured to actuate the motor, and operation of fastening the shoe takes place by the controller detecting a first swipe signal over the touch sensitive sensors, and causing the fastening of the shoe at a first level of fastening force by the controller and the electric motor.

Claims

1. A method for fastening a shoe, wherein the shoe comprises: an upper part and a sole which is connected with the upper part; a rotary closure for fastening the shoe on a wearer's foot using at least one tensioning element, wherein the rotary closure comprises a rotatably arranged tensioning roller for winding the tensioning element, wherein the tensioning roller is driven by an electric motor; and a switching element which is arranged at an instep and which is connected to a controller, wherein the switching element and the controller are configured to actuate the electric motor, wherein an operation of fastening the shoe takes place by actuating of the switching element, wherein the switching element comprises a number of touch-sensitive sensors which are arranged one beside the other and form a surface which is accessible to the wearer, and wherein the method comprises the steps of: receiving a first swipe over the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in a first direction, detecting the first swipe signal of the touch-sensitive sensors by the controller, and causing the fastening of the shoe at the foot of the wearer at a first level of fastening force by the controller and the electric motor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: receiving a second swipe over the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in the first direction, and detecting the second swipe signal of the touch-sensitive sensors by the controller and causing the fastening of the shoe at the foot of the wearer at a second level of fastening force which is higher than the first level of fastening force by the controller and the electric motor.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of: receiving a third swipe over the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in the first direction, and detecting the third swipe signal of the touch-sensitive sensors by the controller and causing the fastening of the shoe at the foot of the wearer at a third level of fastening force which is higher than the second level of fastening force by the controller and the electric motor.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: receiving a fourth swipe over the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and detecting the fourth swipe signal of the touch-sensitive sensors by the controller and causing an opening of the shoe or a reduction of the level of the fastening force by the controller and the electric motor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of illumination elements are arranged along the switching element, and wherein the level of the fastening force is displayed by a plurality of activated illumination elements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of illumination elements are arranged along the switching element, and wherein an open state of the shoe is indicated by the illumination elements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the tensioning roller includes a rotation angle sensor which is configured to detect a zero position of the tensioning roller once the shoe reaches a fully de-laced end position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a pressure sensor on or inside the shoe is configured to detect a degree of lacing tension of the shoe on the wearer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pressure sensor provides a pressure reading that is compared with a set value to determine if the pressure is too high, and wherein a pressure that is determined to be too high triggers an automatic reduction of lacing tension.

10. A method for fastening a shoe, wherein the shoe comprises: an upper part and a sole which is connected with the upper part; a rotary closure for fastening the shoe on a wearer's foot using at least one tensioning element, wherein the rotary closure comprises a rotatably arranged tensioning roller for winding the tensioning element, wherein the tensioning roller is driven by an electric motor; and a switching element which is arranged at an instep and which is connected to controller, wherein the switching element and the controller are configured to actuate the electric motor, wherein an operation of fastening the shoe takes place by actuating of the switching element, wherein the switching element comprises a number of touch-sensitive sensors, wherein the method comprises the steps: receiving a first swipe over a surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in a first direction, and detecting the first swipe signal of the touch-sensitive sensors by the controller and causing the fastening of the shoe at the foot of the wearer at a first level of fastening force by the controller and the electric motor, wherein passing over the touch-sensitive sensors in the first direction, over only a part of the surface, causes an increase in force proportional to a length of a pass compared to a full length of the switching element.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a number of illumination elements, including a plurality of LEDs, are arranged along the switching element, wherein a level of the fastening force is displayed by a first number of activated illumination elements, and wherein passing over the touch-sensitive sensors in the first direction, over only a part of the surface, causes a proportional partial activation of the illumination elements to reflect a change in fastening force.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of: receiving a second swipe over the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and detecting the second swipe signal of the touch-sensitive sensors by the controller and causing an opening of the shoe or a reduction of the level of the fastening force by the controller and the electric motor, wherein passing over the touch-sensitive sensors in the second direction, over only a part of the surface, causes a decrease in force proportional to a length of a pass compared to the full length of the switching element.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a number of illumination elements, including a plurality of LEDs, are arranged along the switching element, wherein a level of the fastening force is displayed by a first number of activated illumination elements, and wherein passing over the touch-sensitive sensors in the second direction, over only a part of the surface, causes a proportional partial deactivation of the illumination elements to reflect a change in fastening force.

14. A method for fastening a shoe, wherein the shoe comprises: an upper part and a sole which is connected with the upper part; a rotary closure for fastening the shoe on a wearer's foot using at least one tensioning element, wherein the rotary closure comprises a rotatably arranged tensioning roller for winding the tensioning element, wherein the tensioning roller is driven by an electric motor; and a switching element which is arranged at an instep and which is connected to a controller, wherein the switching element and the controller are configured to actuate the electric motor, wherein an operation of fastening the shoe takes place by actuating of the switching element by the wearer of the shoe, wherein the switching element comprises a number of touch-sensitive sensors, wherein the method comprises the steps: receiving a first swipe over a surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in a first direction, and detecting the first swipe signal by the controller and causing the fastening of the shoe at the foot of the wearer at a first level of fastening force by the controller and the electric motor, and wherein the first level fastening force is defined by a first current level, and wherein the first current level is between 1.1 and 3.9 A.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of: receiving a second swipe over the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in the first direction, and detecting the second swipe signal by the controller and causing the fastening of the shoe at the foot of the wearer at a second level of fastening force which is defined by a second current which is different than the first current.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of: receiving a third swipe over the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in the first direction, and detecting the third swipe signal by the controller and causing the fastening of the shoe at the foot of the wearer at a third level of fastening force which is defined by a third current which is different than the first current and the second current.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of: receiving a fourth swipe over the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and detecting the fourth swipe signal of the touch-sensitive sensors by the controller and causing an opening of the shoe which is defined by reverting to a fourth current which is less than the first current level.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of: receiving a fifth swipe over the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and detecting the fifth swipe signal of the touch-sensitive sensors by the controller and causing a reduction of the level of the fastening force by one incremental current level.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first current level is a maximum current level.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein passing over the touch-sensitive sensors in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, over only a part of the surface, causes a proportional decrease in force, and wherein the decrease in force is defined by a current decrease from the first current level by one incremental current level.

Description

[0060] In the drawings an embodiment of the invention is shown.

[0061] FIG. 1 shows schematically in the side view a sports shoe, depicted partially cut, which can be fastened with a rotary closure and

[0062] FIG. 2 shows in perspective view a switching element for the actuation of the rotary closure by the finger of the person which uses the sports shoe.

[0063] FIG. 1 shows a shoe 1, being a sports shoe, which comprises an upper part 2 and a sole 3. The lacing of shoe 1 is carried out by means of a rotary closure 4 (i. e. a central closure), whereby by turning a tensioning roller 6 at least one tensioning element 5 is wound onto the tensioning roller 6 and so the upper part 2 is tensioned or laced at the foot of the wearer of shoe 1. The tensioning element 5 and its course are only very schematically indicated in FIG. 1.

[0064] The rotary closure 4 is located in the sole 3 of shoe 1. A switching element 8 for actuating the rotary closure 4 is arranged on the instep 13 of the shoe 1 at a distance from the rotary closure 4. This provides easy access to the switching element 8 for operating the rotary closure 4.

[0065] The electric motor 7 required to operate the rotary closure 4 is indicated; it drives the tensioning roller 6 via a gearing 16. The operation of the electric motor 7 to open and close the rotary closure 4 is initiated by control means 9 which are connected to the switching element 8. A battery 14 is provided for the power supply of electric motor 7 and control means 9.

[0066] To close and open shoe 1, the user proceeds as follows:

[0067] As shown in FIG. 2, the switching element 8 has a surface 11 which is equipped with a number of touch-sensitive sensors 10. Specifically, five touch-sensitive sensors 10 are arranged linearly next to each other. The individual touch-sensitive sensors 10 are designed as capacitive sensors, which are known as such in the state of the art. They react to contact with the finger 15 of the user of shoe 1.

[0068] To close the shoe, the user uses his finger 15 to sweep the touch-sensitive sensors 10 in a first direction R1. If the control means detects said contacting of the sensors 10, it causes a first lacing force level to be reached, i.e. the electric motor 7 is operated with a first, predetermined maximum value for the motor current, e. g. 1.5 A.

[0069] Illumination elements 12 in the form of LEDs are arranged on switching element 8. By activating one or more of the illumination elements 12, the user can be informed of the lacing force level.

[0070] If the passing of the sensors 10 is repeated with the finger 15 in the first direction R1, a second, higher lacing force level can be approached; a second, preset maximum value for the motor current can now be 2.5 A, for example.

[0071] If the sensors 10 are passed again, the lacing force level can be further increased; a third, preset maximum value for the motor current can now be 3.5 A, for example.

[0072] The illumination elements 12 can in turn be used to indicate the current lacing force level.

[0073] To open the shoe 1, the user sweeps the surface 11, i. e. the touch-sensitive sensors 10, in a second direction R2, opposite to the first direction R1, with his finger 15. The control means 9 then initiate the complete opening of the shoe. The electric motor 7 then moves to the fully relaxed state, which can be determined by a corresponding rotation angle sensor on the tensioning roller 6.

[0074] This means that the user does not have to operate a closing or opening switch for a longer period of timeas in the state of the art; it is sufficient to pass over the touch-sensitive sensors 10 in the manner described.

[0075] This is an advantage for the user as it allows him to select the appropriate lacing force level for his requirements without having to adjust this by pressing the closing switch for a corresponding length of time.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0076] 1 Shoe [0077] 2 Upper part [0078] 3 Sole [0079] 4 Rotary closure [0080] 5 Tensioning element [0081] 6 Tensioning roller [0082] 7 Electric motor [0083] 8 Switching element [0084] 9 Control means [0085] 10 Touch-sensitive sensor [0086] 11 Surface [0087] 12 Illumination element (LED) [0088] 13 Instep [0089] 14 Battery [0090] 15 Finger [0091] 16 Gearing [0092] R1 First direction [0093] R2 Second direction