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
A43B-023/24
출원번호
US-0249285
(2014-04-09)
등록번호
US-8756835
(2014-06-24)
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-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 exter
1. 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 discrete 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 discrete 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 discrete air bladder coupled to both said upper and to said fabric assembly, said second discrete air bladder having a second exterior wall containing a second bladder volume and defining a proximal end and a distal end opposite from said proximal end, said second discrete air bladder remotely located relative to said first discrete air bladder, and said second bladder volume including a second capacity for a second quantity of air, said second discrete air bladder including a closed mode and an open mode, said closed mode providing said second discrete air bladder in a closed configuration having a first portion of said second discrete air bladder concealing a second portion of said second discrete air bladder, said closed configuration having a closed separation between said proximal end and said distal end equal to a closed distance with said second bladder volume at least partially deflated, and said open mode providing said second discrete air bladder in an open configuration having an open separation between said proximal end and said distal end equal to an open distance with said second bladder volume at least partially deflated with said open distance greater than said closed distance, wherein an opening transition of said second discrete air bladder from said closed mode to said open mode transitions said fabric assembly from said unactuated mode to said actuated mode and wherein a closing transition of said second discrete air bladder from said open mode to said closed mode transitions said fabric assembly from said actuated mode to said unactuated mode; andan elongate communication channel, coupled to said outlet and to said proximal end of said second discrete air bladder, transferring air between said first bladder volume and said second bladder volume;wherein said second discrete air bladder is biased to said closed mode;wherein said second discrete air bladder transitions from said closed configuration to said open configuration responsive to air exiting from said first bladder volume into said elongate communication channel; andwherein said second discrete air bladder automatically transitions from said open configuration to said closed configuration when air exits said second bladder volume; wherein said discrete air bladder includes an elongate bladder extending from said proximal end to said distal end, wherein said close mode includes said second discrete air bladder in a retracted configuration having said distal end rolled to said proximal end. 2. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 1 wherein said open mode includes said second discrete air bladder in an extended configuration having said distal end at least partially unrolled from said retracted configuration, wherein said transition from said closed mode to said open mode unrolls said distal end from said proximal end, and wherein said transition from said open mode to said closed mode rolls said distal end towards said proximal end. 3. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 1 wherein said biasing of said second discrete air bladder includes said second exterior wall having a second shape memory configuring said second discrete air bladder into said closed configuration, said second shape memory transitioning said second discrete air bladder from said open configuration to said closed configuration. 4. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 2 wherein said biasing of said second discrete air bladder includes said second exterior wall having a second shape memory configuring said second discrete air bladder into said retracted configuration, said second shape memory transitioning said second discrete air bladder from said extended configuration to said retracted configuration. 5. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 1 further including a refill mechanism providing fluid communication from ambient air surrounding said article of manufacture into said first discrete air bladder. 6. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 5 wherein said refill mechanism is disposed in said elongate communication channel and includes a two-way channel communicating air transfer between said bladders. 7. The air-actuated amusement device of claim 2 wherein said fabric assembly includes a first element and a second element, each said element having said outside wall with said outside portions and each operable in said actuated and unactuated modes and wherein said second discrete air bladder is coupled to said first element and further comprising a third discrete air bladder coupled to both said upper and to said second element of said fabric assembly, said third discrete air bladder configured substantially similar to said second discrete air bladder and in fluid communication with said first discrete air bladder configured to operate said second element substantially similar to operation of said first element by said second discrete air bladder. 8. 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 coiled configuration with a distal end, a proximal end and an intermediate portion wherein said distal end moves relative to said proximal end by a motion of said intermediate portion, including a second air cavity having a second capacity for a second quantity of air, said air-actuated active element including a retracted mode having said second air cavity substantially deflated with said distal end rolled toward said proximal end about said intermediate portion and an extended mode having said second air cavity at least partially inflated with said distal end unrolled away from said proximal end about said intermediate portion, wherein said air-actuated active element is self-biased to said retracted mode with said distal end and said proximal end in a repeatable predetermined relative orientation to each other, wherein said air-actuated active element transitions from said retracted mode to said extended mode responsive to air entering into said second air cavity; anda communication channel, coupled to said outlet and to said proximal end of 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 extended mode responsive to said first quantity of air exiting said first cavity when said first air cavity is collapsed;and further comprising:a fabric assembly coupled to said air-actuated active element, 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 displaying said first outside portion while concealing said second outside portion and said actuated mode providing said fabric assembly displaying said second outside portion;wherein said fabric assembly is responsive to said air-actuate active element, said fabric assembly having said unactuated mode when said air-actuated active element is in said retracted mode, and said fabric assembly having said actuated mode when said air-actuated active element is in said extended mode. 9. The air-powered actuator system of claim 8 further comprising a first biasing element returning said air-actuated active element to said retracted mode after said portion of air has been transferred to said second air cavity. 10. The air-powered actuator system of claim 8 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. 11. The air-powered actuator system of claim 10 wherein said valving structure is disposed within said communication channel. 12. The air-powered actuator system of claim 8 wherein said self-biasing of said air-actuated active element includes said air-actuated active element having an wall with a second shape memory configuring said air-actuated active element into said retracted mode, said second shape memory transitioning said air-actuated active element from said extended mode to said retracted mode. 13. A method for operating an air-powered actuator system, the method comprising the steps of: (a) collapsing repeatedly a first air cavity defined in a bladder coupled to an article of manufacture, each collapse expelling a portion of a first quantity of air contained within said first air cavity; and(b) expanding repeatedly said first air cavity; and(c) initiating, responsive to each said collapsing step (a), a transfer of each portion of air towards a second air cavity included within an air-actuated active generally rolled element coupled to said article of manufacture, said rolled element having a distal end, a proximate end, and an intermediate portion wherein said distal end moves relative to said proximal end by unrolling about said intermediate portion when inflating and rolling about said intermediate portion when deflating, each said portion of air flowing in a flexible conduit connecting said first air cavity to said second air cavity with said portion of air flowing in said flexible conduit beginning a transition of said air-actuated active element from a biasedly-rolled retracted mode towards an unrolled extended mode, said biasedly-rolled retracted mode having said second air cavity substantially deflated and said unrolled extended mode having said second air cavity at least partially inflated and unrolled; and(d) controlling a mode of a fabric assembly disposed around said air-actuated active generally rolled element responsive to said modes of said air-actuated active generally rolled element, said fabric assembly having a first portion, a second portion, an unactuated mode wherein said first portion is exposed with said second portion concealed, and an actuated mode wherein said second portion is concealed, wherein said mode of fabric assembly transitions to said unactuated mode when said air-actuated active generally rolled element transitions to said biasedly-rolled retracted mode and wherein said mode of fabric assembly transitions to said actuated mode when said air-actuated active generally rolled element transitions to said unrolled extended mode.
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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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