Electronically controlled bladder assembly
An electronically controlled bladder assembly includes an adjustable pressure bladder and a constant pressure reservoir connected by an electronically controlled valve. The electronically controlled valve is operated in a manner that inflates the adjustable bladder when the current pressure is below a target pressure and in a manner that deflates the adjustable bladder when the current pressure is above the target pressure. The inflation and deflation of the adjustable bladder are achieved in an iterative manner by controlling the flow of fluid between the constant pressure reservoir and the adjustable bladder over several cycles of heel strikes.
1. An article of footwear, comprising:
a bladder configured to be pressurized by a gas;
a reservoir containing a quantity of the gas and positioned in an article of footwear;
a first valve having a first fluid port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second fluid port in fluid communication with the reservoir, wherein the first valve is electronically controllable;
a pressure sensor configured to output bladder pressure values; and
an electronic control unit configured to iteratively transfer the gas between the bladder and the reservoir to iteratively increase gas pressure in the bladder by:
(a) closing the first valve during a first heel strike event,
(b) opening the first valve during at least a portion of a time period between the first heel strike event and a second heel strike event sequential to the first heel strike event to thereby move gas from the reservoir to the bladder and increase pressure in the bladder to a first pressure level during the time period between the first heel strike event and the second heel strike event,
(c) closing the first valve during the second heel strike event, and
(d) opening the first valve during at least a portion of a time period between the second heel strike event and a third heel strike event sequential to the second heel strike event to thereby move gas from the reservoir to the bladder and increase pressure in the bladder to a second pressure level during the time period between the second heel strike event and the third heel strike event, the second pressure level being greater than the first pressure level.
2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second valve in fluid communication with the bladder and an exterior of the article of footwear.
3. The article of footwear of claim 2 , further comprising a sole structure, and wherein the bladder, the reservoir, the first valve, and the second valve are located in the sole structure.
4. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the second valve is configured to place the bladder in fluid communication with an external fluid source.
5. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive distance information regarding a distance traveled by a user of the article of footwear.
6. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive acceleration information regarding acceleration of the article of footwear.
7. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive GPS information.
8. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit includes an input port for receiving target pressure information from a remote device.
9. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure control knob configured to receive target pressure information for the bladder from a user.
10. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising a user input device configured to receive target pressure information for the bladder from a user and transmitting the target pressure information to the electronic control unit.
11. An article of footwear, comprising:
a bladder configured to be pressurized by a gas;
a reservoir containing a quantity of the gas and positioned in an article of footwear;
a first valve having a first fluid port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second fluid port in fluid communication with the reservoir, wherein the first valve is electronically controllable;
a pressure sensor configured to output bladder pressure values; and
an electronic control unit configured to iteratively transfer the gas between the bladder and the reservoir to iteratively decrease gas pressure in the bladder by:
(a) opening the first valve during a first heel strike event to thereby move gas from the bladder to the reservoir during the first heel strike event,
(b) maintaining a first pressure level in the bladder during a time period between the first heel strike event and a second heel strike event sequential to the first heel strike event by closing the first valve during the time period between the first heel strike event and the second heel strike event,
(c) opening the first valve during the second heel strike event to thereby move gas from the bladder to the reservoir during the second heel strike event, and
(d) maintaining a second pressure level in the bladder during a time period after the second heel strike event by closing the first valve during the time period after the second heel strike event, the second pressure level being less than the first pressure level.
12. The article of footwear of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second valve in fluid communication with the bladder and an exterior of the article of footwear.
13. The article of footwear of claim 12 , further comprising a sole structure, and wherein the bladder, the reservoir, the first valve, and the second valve are located in the sole structure.
14. The article of footwear of claim 12 , wherein the second valve is configured to place the bladder in fluid communication with an external fluid source.
15. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive distance information regarding a distance traveled by a user of the article of footwear.
16. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive acceleration information regarding acceleration of the article of footwear.
17. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive GPS information.
18. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the electronic control unit includes an input port for receiving target pressure information from a remote device.
19. The article of footwear of claim 11 , further comprising a pressure control knob configured to receive target pressure information for the bladder from a user.
20. The article of footwear of claim 11 , further comprising a user input device configured to receive target pressure information for the bladder from a user and transmitting the target pressure information to the electronic control unit.