Footwear having air-controlled active element
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
A43B-003/30
A43B-013/20
A63H-003/06
A41D-027/08
A43B-013/04
A43B-003/00
A43B-023/24
F15B-015/18
F15B-015/10
출원번호
US-0588035
(2012-08-17)
등록번호
US-8752308
(2014-06-17)
발명자
/ 주소
Strong, Finn Alexander
출원인 / 주소
Strong, Finn Alexander
대리인 / 주소
Patent Law Offices of Michael E. Woods
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
35
초록▼
A clothing article for a foot including a sole including a sealed collapsible air cavity having disposed therein a return support for expanding a collapsed air cavity wherein the air cavity includes an outlet permitting a quantity of air to exit when the air cavity is collapsed; an upper, coupled to
A clothing article for a foot including a sole including a sealed collapsible air cavity having disposed therein a return support for expanding a collapsed air cavity wherein the air cavity includes an outlet permitting a quantity of air to exit when the air cavity is collapsed; an upper, coupled to the sole, for covering a portion of the foot; an air-actuated active element coupled to the upper, the active element including a first mode and a second mode, the active element biased to the first mode and responsive to the quantity of air to transition from the first mode to the second mode; and a communication channel, coupled to the outlet and to the active element, for transferring the quantity of air from the air cavity to the active element.
대표청구항▼
1. An air-powered actuator system, comprising: a first air cavity wherein said first air cavity includes a first capacity for a first quantity of air and includes an outlet permitting a portion of said first quantity of air to exit when said first air cavity is collapsed;an air-actuated active eleme
1. An air-powered actuator system, comprising: a first air cavity wherein said first air cavity includes a first capacity for a first quantity of air and includes an outlet permitting a portion of said first quantity of air to exit when said first air cavity is collapsed;an air-actuated active element, remotely located relative to said first air cavity and having a generally clamshell-shaped configuration with a first portion, a second portion, and a hinging portion moveably coupling said first portion to said second portion wherein said first portion moves relative to said second portion about said hinging portion, including a second air cavity having a second capacity for a second quantity of air, said air-actuated active element including a closed mode having said second air cavity substantially deflated with said first portion folded over said second portion about said hinging portion and an opened mode having said second air cavity at least partially inflated with said first portion unfolded from over said second portion about said hinging portion, wherein said air-actuated active element is self-biased to said closed mode with said first portion and said second portion in a repeatable predetermined relative orientation to each other, wherein said air-actuated active element transitions from said closed mode to said opened mode responsive to air entering into said second air cavity; anda communication channel, coupled to said outlet and to said air-actuated active element, transferring said portion of air from said first air cavity towards said second air cavity to transition said air-actuated active element towards said opened mode responsive to said first quantity of air exiting said first cavity when said first air cavity is collapsed. 2. The air-powered actuator system of claim 1 further comprising a first biasing element returning said air-actuated active element to said closed mode after said portion of air has been transferred to said second air cavity. 3. The air-powered actuator system of claim 2 further comprising a valving structure disposed in fluid communication with said first air cavity, said valving structure open with respect to a transfer of a third quantity of air into said first air cavity from ambient air, said valving structure substantially inhibiting a transfer of said portion of air from said first air cavity to ambient air, and said valving structure enabling two-way air flow between said first cavity and said second cavity. 4. The air-powered actuator system of claim 3 further comprising a bleed vent disposed in fluid communication with said second air cavity, said bleed vent open with respect to a transfer of a fourth quantity of air out of said second air cavity. 5. The air-powered actuator system of claim 4 wherein said second air cavity is generally elongate when in said opened mode, said second air cavity having a proximal end and a distal end opposite of said proximal end, said distal end coupled to said communication channel and wherein said bleed vent is coupled to said distal end. 6. The air-powered actuator system of claim 1 further comprising a valving structure disposed in fluid communication with said first air cavity, said valving structure open with respect to a transfer of a third quantity of air into said first air cavity from ambient air, said valving structure substantially inhibiting a transfer of said portion of air from said first air cavity to ambient air, and said valving structure enabling two-way air flow between said first cavity and said second cavity. 7. The air-powered actuator system of claim 6 further comprising a first air bladder wherein said first air cavity is disposed within said first air bladder. 8. The air-powered actuator system of claim 6 wherein said communication channel includes a flexible elongate cannulated structure coupling said first air cavity to said air-actuated active element and wherein said valving structure is coupled to said flexible elongate cannulated structure. 9. The air-powered actuator system of claim 1 further comprising a bleed vent disposed in fluid communication with said second air cavity, said bleed vent open with respect to a transfer of a fourth quantity of air out of said second air cavity. 10. The air-powered actuator system of claim 9 wherein said second air cavity is generally elongate when in said opened mode, said second air cavity having a proximal end and a distal end opposite of said proximal end, said distal end coupled to said communication channel and wherein said bleed vent is coupled to said distal end. 11. The air-powered actuator system of claim 10 wherein said portion of said first quantity of air exceeds said second quantity of air by a delta quantity and wherein said bleed vent is configured so a portion of said delta quantity begins to escape through said bleed vent after said second air cavity is substantially inflated. 12. The air-powered actuator system of claim 1 further comprising an article of clothing to be worn by a person, wherein said article of clothing includes a theme having a motive element capable of a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein said first air cavity is disposed in a portion of said article of clothing actuable by said person and wherein said air-actuated active element is disposed within a moveable structure of the article of clothing associated with said motive element, with said air-actuated active element in said closed mode imparting said first configuration to said moveable structure and imparting in said opened mode said second configuration to said moveable structure. 13. The air-powered actuator system of claim 12 wherein said motive element includes one or more simulated structures selected from the group consisting of an eyelid, an eye, an ear, a mouth, a tongue, a paw, a hand, a wing, an limb, a bubble, a horn, a tail, a nose, a lidded container, a structure with a portal, a vehicle, a flower, a body part, a body appendage, an article of jewelry, and combinations thereof. 14. The air-powered actuator system of claim 12 wherein said article of clothing includes a footwear article to be worn on a foot of said person, said footwear article having a sole and an upper coupled to said sole for covering a portion of said foot, wherein said first air cavity is disposed within said sole and wherein said air-actuated active element is coupled to said upper. 15. The air-powered actuator system of claim 1 wherein said air-actuated active element includes a memory material formed into said closed mode wherein said air-actuated active element is self-biased to said closed mode without an additional discrete biasing element. 16. The air-powered actuator system of claim 1 wherein said first air cavity is provided within a collapsible and expandable structure and wherein said collapsible and expandable structure, said air-actuated active element, and said elongate communication channel all form an independent discrete assembly. 17. A footwear article, comprising: a sole including a bladder defining a first air cavity wherein said first air cavity includes a first capacity containing a first quantity of air and said bladder includes an outlet enabling a portion of said first quantity of air to exit when said first air cavity is collapsed, said bladder automatically expanding when a bladder-compressing force is removed;an upper, coupled to said sole, covering a portion of a foot of a wearer;an air-actuated active element, coupled to said upper and having a generally clamshell-shaped configuration with a first portion, a second portion, and a hinging portion moveably coupling said first portion to said second portion, including a second air cavity having a second capacity for a second quantity of air, said air-actuated active element including a folded closed mode having said second air cavity substantially deflated and an unfolded opened mode having said second air cavity at least partially inflated, wherein said air-actuated active element transitions from said folded closed mode to said unfolded opened mode responsive to said portion of air entering into said second air cavity and wherein said air-actuated active element automatically transitions from said unfolded opened mode to said folded closed mode responsive to a self-folding closing bias material construction of said air-actuated active element; anda communication channel, coupled to said outlet and to said air-actuated active element, transferring said portion of air from said first air cavity towards said second air cavity. 18. An air-actuated amusement device, comprising: an article of manufacture configured to be worn on a foot of a user, said article of manufacture having a collapsible sole, an upper coupled to said collapsible sole, and a fabric assembly coupled to said upper, said fabric assembly including an exterior wall having a first outside portion and a second outside portion with said fabric assembly having an unactuated mode and an actuated mode, said unactuated mode providing said fabric assembly overlying said article of manufacture displaying said first outside portion while concealing said second outside portion and said actuated mode providing said fabric assembly extending from said article of manufacture and displaying said second outside portion; anda discrete air-powered actuator assembly coupled to said article of manufacture, said discrete air-powered actuator assembling including:a first air bladder disposed within said collapsible sole and having a first exterior wall containing a first bladder volume, said first exterior wall providing a first shape memory repeatedly inflating said first bladder volume after a collapse of said first bladder volume, said first bladder volume including a first capacity for a first quantity of air with said first air bladder including an outlet exiting a portion of said first quantity of air from said first bladder volume when said first exterior wall is collapsed;a second air bladder coupled to both said upper and to said fabric assembly and having a generally clamshell-shaped configuration with a first portion disposed within said fabric assembly, a second portion outside said fabric assembly, and a hinging portion moveably coupling said first portion to said second portion, said second air bladder having a second exterior wall containing a second bladder volume, said second air bladder remotely located relative to said first air bladder, and said second bladder volume including a second capacity for a second quantity of air, said second discrete air bladder including a folded closed mode and an unfolded opened mode, said folded closed mode providing said second air bladder in a folded closed configuration having said first portion of said second air bladder overlaying said second portion of said second air bladder, said folded closed configuration defining a separation between said portions equal to a first distance with said second bladder volume at least partially deflated, and said unfolded opened mode providing said second air bladder in an unfolded opened configuration having said separation greater than said first distance and said second bladder volume at least partially inflated to said unfolded opened configuration, wherein an unfolding opening transition of said second air bladder from said folded closed mode to said unfolded opened mode transitions said fabric assembly from said unactuated mode to said actuated mode and wherein a folding closing transition of said second air bladder from said unfolded opened mode to said folded closed mode transitions said fabric assembly from said actuated mode to said unactuated mode; anda communication channel, coupled to said outlet and to said second air bladder, transferring air between said first air bladder and said second air bladder;wherein said second air bladder is self-biased to said folded closed mode;wherein said second air bladder unfolds from said folded closed configuration to said unfolded opened configuration responsive to air entering into said second bladder volume responsive in turn from air exiting from said first bladder volume; andwherein said second air bladder foldingly closes from said opened configuration to said folded closed configuration when air inflates said first bladder volume. 19. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 18 wherein said first portion is coupled to said upper and to said communication channel, and wherein said transitions of said second air bladder result from folding and unfolding movements of said second portion about said hinging portion. 20. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 18 wherein said fabric assembly is coupled to a forward portion of said upper at an attachment point, wherein said unactuated mode includes said fabric assembly overlaying said upper from said attachment point towards a front of said article of manufacture, and wherein said actuated mode reveals said second outside portion from a viewpoint forward of said front of said article of manufacture. 21. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 18 wherein said article of manufacture includes a characterization of a creature and wherein said fabric assembly includes a characterization of an appendage of said creature. 22. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 18 wherein said communication channel includes a flexible cannulated tube extending between said bladders. 23. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 18 wherein said biasing of said second air bladder includes said second exterior wall having a second shape memory configuring said second air bladder into said folded closed configuration, said second shape memory transitioning said second air bladder from said unfolded opened configuration to said folded closed configuration. 24. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 18 further including an air vent providing fluid communication from said first air bladder to ambient air surrounding said article of manufacture. 25. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 24 further including a one-way valve providing fluid communication from ambient air surrounding said article of manufacture into said first air bladder. 26. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 25 wherein said one-way valve is disposed in said elongate communication channel and includes a two-way channel communicating air transfer between said bladders. 27. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 26 wherein said second air bladder includes a bend portion disposed between said first and second portions, wherein said first portion is coupled to said upper and to said elongate air channel, and wherein said transitions of said second air bladder result from folding and closing movements of said second portion about said hinging portion. 28. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 27 wherein said fabric assembly is coupled to a forward portion of said upper at an attachment point, wherein said unactuated mode includes said fabric assembly overlaying said upper from said attachment point towards a front of said article of manufacture, and wherein said actuated mode reveals said second outside portion from a viewpoint forward of said front of said article of manufacture. 29. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 28 wherein said article of manufacture includes a characterization of a creature and wherein said fabric assembly includes a characterization of an appendage of said creature. 30. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 29 wherein said communication channel includes a flexible cannulated tube extending between said bladders. 31. An air-powered actuator system, comprising: a first air bladder having a collapsible wall defining a first air cavity having a first capacity containing a first quantity of air, said first air bladder includes an outlet exiting a portion of said first quantity of air when said collapsible wall is collapsed;an air-actuated active element, remotely located relative to said first air bladder and having a generally clamshell-shaped configuration with a first portion, a second portion, and a hinging portion moveably coupling said first portion to said second portion, having a flexible wall defining a second air cavity having a second capacity configured to contain a second quantity of air, said air-actuated active element including a folding closed mode having said second air cavity substantially deflated and an unfolded opened mode having said second air cavity at least partially inflated, wherein said air-actuated active element is self-biased to said folded closed mode, wherein said air-actuated active element transitions from said folded closed mode to said unfolded opened mode responsive to air entering into said second air cavity responsive in turn to said portion of said first quantity of air exiting from said outlet when said collapsible wall is collapsed and wherein said air-actuated active element automatically transitions from said unfolded opened mode to said folded closed mode; anda communication channel, coupled to said outlet and to said air-actuated active element, transferring said portion of air from said first air cavity towards said second air cavity which transitions said air-actuated active element towards said unfolded opened mode responsive to said first quantity of air exiting said first cavity when said first air cavity is collapsed. 32. The air-powered actuator system of claim 31 further comprising an air bleed system coupled to said communication channel wherein said air-actuated active element automatically transitions from said unfolded opened mode to said folded closed mode when said collapsible wall remains collapsed responsive to air exiting from said air-actuated active element through said air bleed system. 33. The air-powered actuator system of claim 32 wherein said air bleed system includes a bleed valve disposed in said air-actuated active element. 34. The air-powered actuator system of claim 31 further comprising an article of manufacture supporting said first air bladder and said air-actuated active element. 35. The air-powered actuator system of claim 34 further comprising a fabric assembly coupled to said article of manufacture, said fabric assembly including an exterior wall having a first outside portion and a second outside portion with said fabric assembly having an unactuated mode and an actuated mode, said unactuated mode providing said fabric assembly overlying said article of manufacture displaying said first outside portion while concealing said second outside portion and said actuated mode providing said fabric assembly extending from said article of manufacture and displaying said second outside portion. 36. The air-powered actuator system of claim 34 wherein said first air bladder is disposed inside a collapsible portion of said article of manufacture and wherein a portion of said air-actuated active element extends outside said article of manufacture. 37. The air-powered actuator system of claim 36 further comprising a fabric assembly coupled to said article of manufacture and covering said portion of said air-actuated active element that extends outside said article of manufacture, said fabric assembly including an exterior wall having a first outside portion and a second outside portion with said fabric assembly having an unactuated mode and an actuated mode, said unactuated mode providing said fabric assembly overlying said article of manufacture displaying said first outside portion while concealing said second outside portion and said actuated mode providing said fabric assembly extending from said article of manufacture and displaying said second outside portion. 38. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 18 further including a one-way valve providing fluid communication from ambient air surrounding said article of manufacture into said first air bladder. 39. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 38 wherein said one-way valve is disposed in said elongate communication channel and includes a two-way channel communicating air transfer between said bladders.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (35)
Strong, Finn Alexander, Active head covering with moveable element.
Chang Shyh T. (No. 6 ; Lane 305 ; Sec. 3 ; Chung Shan Road Tan Tzu Hsiang ; Taichung Hsien TWX) Chang Koong M. (No. 1782 ; Chung Cheng Rd. Tsao Tun Chen ; Nan Tou Hsien TWX), Shoe having a vibratable ornament.
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