Foot support systems including fluid movement controllers and adjustable foot support pressure

Inventors: Matthew Browne (Portland, OR); Stepan Ryabinin (Vancouver, WA); Michael Fairchild (Vancouver, WA)

Assignee: NIKE, Inc.

A43B13/203 A43B3/34 A43B13/186 A43B13/206 F04B43/08 F04B43/113 F16K11/02 F16K27/065 F16K11/0856

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12677907
App. No.: 18/779,364
Granted: Jul 14, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

Foot support systems include a fluid flow control system that facilitates movement of fluid into, out of, and/or within a sole structure and/or article of footwear, e.g., to change and/or control pressure in fluid filled bladder(s). Aspects of this technology may relate to one or more of: (a) footwear structures in which such systems are incorporated; (b) valve stem based fluid flow transfer systems; (c) solenoid based fluid flow transfer systems; (d) user input button features; (e) air filter features; (f) fluid tube to fluid distributor connection features; (g) fluid distributor to footwear connection features; (h) valve position sensor features; (i) valve transmission features; (j) pressure control algorithm features; (k) electronic communication features; (l) system sealing features; and/or (m) pressure sensor mounting features.

Claims (36)

1 . A foot support system for an article of footwear, the foot support system comprising:

a foot support bladder;

a fluid distributor that includes a valve stem, the fluid distributor accepting incoming fluid from a fluid source and selectively distributing the incoming fluid to one of a plurality of locations in the foot support system based on a rotational position of the valve stem;

a first fluid line placing the foot support bladder in fluid communication with the fluid distributor; and

a drive system for moving the valve stem to a plurality of different rotational positions, wherein the drive system includes: (a) a motor including a drive shaft, and (b) a transmission operative coupled between the drive shaft and valve stem to rotate the valve stem in response to rotation of the drive shaft.

2 . The foot support system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid source includes a pump that supplies the incoming fluid to the fluid distributor via a second fluid line.

3 . The foot support system according to claim 2 , further comprising a fluid container and a third fluid line placing the fluid container in fluid communication with the fluid distributor, wherein in a first rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the pump to the fluid container.

4 . The foot support system according to claim 3 , wherein in a second rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the pump to the foot support bladder.

5 . The foot support system according to claim 4 , wherein in a third rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the fluid container to the foot support bladder.

6 . The foot support system according to claim 5 , wherein in a fourth rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the pump to an external environment location.

7 . The foot support system according to claim 6 , wherein in a fifth rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the foot support bladder to the external environment location.

8 . The foot support system according to claim 7 , wherein in a sixth rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the fluid container to the external environment location.

9 . The foot support system according to claim 2 , wherein the pump is a foot activated pump.

10 . The foot support system according to claim 2 , wherein in a first rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the pump to the foot support bladder.

11 . The foot support system according to claim 10 , wherein in a second rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the pump to an external environment location.

12 . The foot support system according to claim 1 , further comprising a fluid container and a second fluid line placing the fluid container in fluid communication with the fluid distributor, wherein in a first rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the fluid container to the foot support bladder.

13 . The foot support system according to claim 12 , wherein in a second rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the foot support bladder to an external environment location.

14 . The foot support system according to claim 13 , wherein in a third rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the fluid container to the external environment location.

15 . The foot support system according to claim 12 , wherein in a second rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the fluid container to an external environment location.

16 . The foot support system according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission comprises a three stage transmission.

17 . An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper; and

a sole structure engaged with the upper, the sole structure including a foot support system that includes:

(i) a foot support bladder;

(ii) a fluid distributor that includes a valve stem, the fluid distributor accepting incoming fluid from a fluid source and selectively distributing the incoming fluid to one of a plurality of locations in the foot support system based on a rotational position of the valve stem;

(iii) a first fluid line placing the foot support bladder in fluid communication with the fluid distributor; and

(iv) a drive system for moving the valve stem to a plurality of different rotational positions, wherein the drive system includes: (a) a motor including a drive shaft, and (b) a transmission operative coupled between the drive shaft and valve stem to rotate the valve stem in response to rotation of the drive shaft.

18 . The article of footwear according to claim 17 , wherein the fluid source includes a pump that supplies the incoming fluid to the fluid distributor via a second fluid line, wherein the foot support system further includes: (a) a fluid container and (b) a third fluid line placing the fluid container in fluid communication with the fluid distributor.

19 . The article of footwear according to claim 18 , wherein:

in a first rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the pump to the fluid container;

in a second rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the pump to the foot support bladder;

in a third rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the fluid container to the foot support bladder;

in a fourth rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the pump to an external environment location;

in a fifth rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the foot support bladder to the external environment location; and

in a sixth rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the fluid container to the external environment location.

20 . The article of footwear according to claim 17 , wherein the foot support system further includes: (a) a fluid container and (b) a third fluid line placing the fluid container in fluid communication with the fluid distributor, and wherein in a first rotational position of the valve stem, the fluid distributor is configured to move fluid from the fluid container to the foot support bladder.