FOOTWEAR WITH MECHANICAL FOOT-INSERTION ASSIST
An article of footwear and methods include an insole, an upper configured to form a space between the upper and the insole configured to admit and secure a foot of a wearer, and a rotatable conveyor element. The rotatable conveyor element is seated in at least one of the insole and the upper. The rotatable conveyor element is configured to rotatably engage a body part of the wearer as the foot enters the space and draw the foot into the space.
1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
an insole;
an upper configured to form a space between the upper and the insole configured to admit and secure a foot of a wearer; and
a rotatable conveyor element, seated in at least one of the insole and the upper, configured to rotatably engage a body part of the wearer as the foot enters the space and draw the foot into the space.
2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motor, coupled to the rotatable conveyor element, configured to deliver motive power to the rotatable element;
an activation mechanism, configured to output a signal to activate the motor; and
a controller, coupled to the motor and to the activation mechanism, configured to cause the motor to deliver motive power to the rotatable element based, at least in part, on the signal form the activation mechanism.
3 . The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the activation mechanism is a foot sensor.
4 . The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the activation mechanism is a switch.
5 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable conveyor element is a conveyor belt.
6 . The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the conveyor belt is seated in and extends along a portion of the insole.
7 . The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the conveyor belt is seated in an extends a long a portion of the upper.
8 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the upper forms a collar to admit the foot of the wearer and wherein the rotatable conveyor element is a collar mechanism positioned in the collar.
9 . The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the collar mechanism comprises a wheel.
10 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the collar mechanism further comprises a flexible tube extending around at least a portion of the collar, wherein the wheel is secured within the tube.
11 . The article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein the collar mechanism further comprises a coating around the flexible tube comprised of at least one of: latex and a polymer.
12 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the upper forms a sock section and wherein the collar mechanism is coupled to the sock section and configured to cause the sock section to extend and retract as the wheel turns.
13 . A method of making an article of footwear, comprising:
seating a rotatable conveyor element in at least one of an insole and an upper, the rotatable conveyor element configured to rotatably engage a body part of the wearer as the foot enters a space and draw the foot into the space; and
securing the insole with respect to the upper, the insole and upper form the space between the upper and the insole configured to admit and secure a foot of a wearer.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
coupling a motor to the rotatable conveyor element, the motor configured to deliver motive power to the rotatable element;
coupling a controller to the motor, the motor configured to cause the motor to deliver motive power to the rotatable element; and
coupling an activation mechanism to the controller, the activation mechanism configured to output a signal to activate the motor.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the activation mechanism is a foot sensor.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the activation mechanism is a switch.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the rotatable conveyor element is a conveyor belt.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein seating the rotatable conveyor element comprises seating the conveyor belt in and extending along a portion of the insole.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein seating the rotatable conveyor element comprises seating the conveyor belt in an extending a long a portion of the upper.
20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the upper forms a collar to admit the foot of the wearer and the rotatable conveyor element is a collar mechanism, and wherein seating the rotatable conveyor element comprises securing the collar mechanism in the collar.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the collar mechanism comprises a wheel.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the collar mechanism further comprises a flexible tube extending around at least a portion of the collar, wherein the wheel is secured within the tube.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the collar mechanism further comprises a coating around the flexible tube comprised of at least one of: latex and a polymer.
24 . The method of claim 21 wherein the upper forms a sock section and wherein the collar mechanism is coupled to the sock section and configured to cause the sock section to extend and retract as the wheel turns.