Lighting assembly for articles of footwear
An article of footwear can include provisions for facilitating the installation of various components such as a lighting apparatus. During manufacture of the article of footwear, the upper and/or sole structure can include a chamber designed to receive the lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus can be installed in the chamber after manufacture of the article of footwear. In some cases, the lighting apparatus can include provisions for facilitating the installation of the lighting apparatus in the chamber, including a removable handle portion that can help guide the lighting apparatus within the chamber.
1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
a footwear structure including a footwear upper coupled to a footwear sole and forming an interior void configured to admit a foot of a wearer, the upper including a rear wall portion formed of light-diffusive material forming a compartment therein and a light diffusing window over the compartment;
a battery contained, at least in part, within the footwear sole;
an adjustable tensioning system coupled to the footwear structure, operatively coupled to and powered by the battery, and configured to adjustably apply tension to adapt a physical property of the article of footwear;
a bootie, seated within the interior void, configured to be removed from the interior void to provide access to the battery; and
an elongate array of light emitting devices operatively coupled to the battery and positioned within and extending along the compartment such that light from the light emitting devices is visible external to the article of footwear through the light diffusing window.
2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the elongate array is attached to the footwear upper.
3 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the elongate array bends or curves.
4 . The article of footwear of claim 3 , wherein the elongate array comprises individual light emitting devices positioned on a flexible substrate that is configured to conform to the contour of the article of footwear.