METHOD FOR LACING A SHOE, PARTICULARLY A SPORTS SHOE

Abstract

A method for lacing a shoe having an upper on which a rotating closure is arranged for lacing the shoe by a tensioning element. The rotating closure includes a rotatable tensioning roller driven by an electric motor, and a closing button connected to a control system that actuates the electric motor. The lacing is carried out by the closing button generating a closing signal. The method includes lacing the shoe with a first level of lacing power, resulting in a first tension of the tensioning element, when the user of the shoe generates a first closing signal by the closing button, or alternatively lacing the shoe with a second level of lacing power, resulting in a second tension of the tensioning element, which is higher than the first tension, when the user generates a second closing signal by the closing button, which is different from the first closing signal.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for lacing a shoe, especially of a sports shoe, wherein the shoe comprises: an upper, wherein at or on the upper a rotating closure is arranged for lacing the shoe at the foot of the wearer by means of at least one tensioning element, wherein the rotating closure comprises a rotatably arranged tensioning roller, wherein the tensioning roller is driven by means of an electric motor, wherein the rotating closure has or comprises furthermore at least one closing button which closing button is connected to a control system which actuates the electric motor, wherein the lacing of the shoe is carried out by the user of the shoe generating a closing signal by means of the closing button, wherein the method comprises the steps: lacing the shoe with a first level of lacing power, resulting in a first tension of the at least one tensioning element, when the user of the shoe generates a first closing signal by means of the closing button, wherein the first closing signal is a singular tap on the closing button to which no further tap impulse follows within a predetermined waiting time, or alternatively lacing the shoe with a second level of lacing power, resulting in a second tension of the at least one tensioning element, which is higher than the first tension, when the user of the shoe generates a second closing signal by means of the closing button, which is different from the first closing signal, wherein the second closing signal is a done twice tap on the closing button, wherein the two tap impulses follow within a predetermined following time and wherein no further tap impulse follows within a predetermined waiting time to the done twice tap.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the method comprises alternatively the further step: lacing the shoe with a third level of lacing power, resulting in a third tension of the at least one tensioning element, which is higher than the second tension, when the user of the shoe generates a third closing signal by means of the closing button, which is different from the first and second closing signal.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein after obtaining of the first or second level of lacing power in dependence of the applied closing signal the step is carried out: increasing of the level of lacing power from the first level of lacing power to the second level of lacing power or from the second level of lacing power to the third level of lacing power when the user of the shoe generates a further closing signal by means of the closing button.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the further closing signal is a singular tap on the closing button.

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein the third closing signal is a triple tap on the closing button, wherein each two of the tap impulses follow within a predetermined following time and wherein no further tap impulse follows within a predetermined waiting time to the triple tap.

21. A method according to claim 16, wherein the waiting time is at the most 1.0 seconds.

22. A method according to claim 16, wherein the following time is between 0.05 seconds and 0.75 seconds, preferably between 0.1 seconds and 0.5 seconds.

23. A method according to claim 16, wherein the first level of lacing power is defined by a first predetermined maximum current which is pretended to the electric motor by the control system at the lacing process, wherein the first predetermined maximum current is preferably between 1.1 A and 1.9 A.

24. A method according to claim 16, wherein the second level of lacing power is defined by a second predetermined maximum current which is pretended to the electric motor by the control system at the lacing process, wherein the second maximum current is higher than the first maximum current, wherein the second predetermined maximum current is preferably between 2.1 A and 2.9 A.

25. A method according to claim 17, wherein the third level of lacing power is defined by a third predetermined maximum current which is pretended to the electric motor by the control system at the lacing process, wherein the third maximum current is higher than the second maximum current, wherein the third predetermined maximum current is preferably between 3.1 A and 3.9 A.

26. A method according to claim 16, wherein the control system initiates the tension relief of the at least one tensioning element when an opening button is actuated which is different from the closing button.

27. A method according to claim 16, wherein a rotating closure is used at which a gearing is arranged between the tensioning element and the electric motor.

28. A method according to claim 16, wherein a rotating closure is used which is arranged on the instep of the shoe.

29. A method according to claim 16, wherein a rotating closure is used at which the closing button and if applicable the opening button are arranged on the rotating closure.

30. A method according to claim 16, wherein a control system is used which is in connection with a mobile phone via a wireless connection, especially via a Bluetooth connection, wherein the closing button and if applicable the opening button are formed by the mobile phone.

Description

[0040] In the drawing an embodiment of the invention is shown.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows schematically a side view of a sport shoe which can be laced with a rotating closure,

[0042] FIG. 2 shows schematically in the view C according to FIG. 1 a part of the instep of the shoe on which a rotating closure is arranged which can be actuated by a closing button and an opening button,

[0043] FIG. 3a shows a schematic depiction of a first closing signal for the rotating closure,

[0044] FIG. 3b shows a schematic depiction of a second closing signal for the rotating closure and

[0045] FIG. 3c shows a schematic depiction of a third closing signal for the rotating closure.

[0046] In FIG. 1 a shoe 1 being a sports shoe can be seen which has an upper 2 and a sole 11. The lacing of the shoe 1 takes place by means of a rotating closure 3 (i. e. of a central fastener), wherein by rotating of a tensioning roller 5 at least one tensioning element 4 is winded on the tensioning roller 5 and thus the upper 2 is tensioned and laced respectively at the foot of the wearer of the shoe 1.

[0047] The rotating closure 3 is arranged on the instep 10 of the shoe 1. The axis of rotation of the tensioning roller is thereby perpendicular to the region of the instep 10 of the shoe 1. Accordingly, a convenient access to the rotating closure 3 is ensured for the user of the shoe who must only actuate corresponding buttons, namely a closing button 7 and an opening button 9 (s. FIG. 2), for opening and closing of the rotating closure because the rotating closure 3 is electric motor operated. The electric motor 6 is indicated which is required for that; it can drive the tensioning roller 5 via anot depictedgear. In the embodiment the axis of rotation of the electric motor 6 is arranged horizontally and transverse to the longitudinal direction of the shoe.

[0048] The actuation of the electric motor 6 for the opening and the closing of the rotating closure 3 is initiated by a control system 8 which is correspondingly also connected with the closing button 7 and the opening button 9.

[0049] For closing of the shoe 1 the user proceeds as follows:

[0050] When he wants to put on the shoe at his foot with a first (low) tensioning force level he taps once onto the closing button 7. This tap impulse is denoted in FIG. 3a with the arrow. The control system 8 registers the tap impulse and waits a waiting time tW to find out if further tap impulses follow by the user. If this is not the case the software which is stored in the control system 8 knows that the user wanted to give a first closing signal S1 which corresponds to said first tensioning force level.

[0051] Accordingly the electric motor 6 is driven until a first predetermined maximum value for the motor current is given, for example 1.5 A.

[0052] When the user wants to put on the shoe at his foot with a second (medium) tensioning force level he taps twice onto the closing button 7. This sequence of tap impulses is denoted in FIG. 3b with the arrows. The control system 8 registers again the tap impulses wherein intended double impulsesas shown in FIG. 3bcan be identified by the fact that they follow within a predetermined following time tF. Otherwise the control system waits again the waiting time tW after the last identified tap impulse to find out if still further tap impulses follow by the user. If this is not the case the software which is stored in the control system 8 knows that the user wanted to give said second closing signal S2 which corresponds to said second tensioning force level.

[0053] Accordingly the electric motor 6 is driven now until a second predetermined maximum value for the motor current is given which is higher than the first value, for example 2.5 A.

[0054] The analogue applies, when the user wants to put on the shoe at his foot with a third (high) tensioning force level. He taps in this case three times onto the closing button 7. This sequence of tap impulses is denoted in FIG. 3c with the arrows. The control system 8 registers again the tap impulses wherein intended multiple impulseas shown in FIG. 3ccan be identified by the fact that the time distance between two tap impulses is within the predetermined following time tF. Otherwise the control system waits again the waiting time tW after the last identified tap impulse to find out if still further tap impulses follow by the user. If this is not the case the software which is stored in the control system 8 knows that the user wanted to give said third closing signal S3 which corresponds to said third tensioning force level.

[0055] Accordingly the electric motor 6 is driven now until a third predetermined maximum value for the motor current is given which is higher than the second value, for example 3.5 A.

[0056] Accordingly the possibility exists by the proposed proceedings to reach a selective tensioning force level by different closing signals S1, S2 and S3 respectively.

[0057] The user needs notas in the state of the artactuate the closing button 7 for a longer time; rather it is sufficient that he gives the respective sequence of impulses. Furthermore, the user can thereby directly obtain a tensioning force level which fits to his desires without adjusting the same by a respective long pressing of the closing button.

[0058] When the shoe fits at least with the first tensioning force level at the foot of the user and when the user presses once onto the closing button 7, when he thus gives a single tap impulse onto the button, the next tensioning force level can be automatically obtained according to a further embodiment, thus from the first into the second tensioning force level or from the second into the third tensioning force level. This is mentioned above when reciting the further closing signal which is applied in the given case by the user to the closing button.

[0059] For opening of the shoe, i. e. for releasing of the tensioning element 4, the user presses once onto the opening button 9. The electric motor 6 drives then into the completely tensionless state which can detected by a respective rotation angle sensor at the tensioning roller 5.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0060] 1 Shoe [0061] 2 Upper [0062] 3 Rotating closure [0063] 4 Tensioning element [0064] 5 Tensioning roller [0065] 6 Electric motor [0066] 7 Closing button [0067] 8 Control system [0068] 9 Opening button [0069] 10 Instep [0070] 11 Sole [0071] S1 First closing signal [0072] S2 Second closing signal [0073] S3 Third closing signal [0074] S4 Further closing signal [0075] tW Waiting time [0076] tF Following time