Sensor for an article of footwear
An article of footwear or an article of apparel can include provisions for facilitating the use of a sensor device and protecting the sensor device from external particles or fluid. The sensor device can include a conduit for moving air through the sensor device from one portion of the sensor device to another portion of the sensor device. An elastic membrane can be attached to an opening formed in the sensor device. The elastic membrane can deform in response to changes in air pressure within the sensor device.
1. An article of footwear, the article of footwear comprising: a sole structure with a cavity formed in the sole structure;
a force sensitive resistor including a tail portion;
the force sensitive resistor including a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers comprising a substantially two-dimensional material;
the plurality of layers comprising a top substrate layer and a bottom substrate layer;
a shaft extending in a substantially vertical direction through at least two of the plurality of layers in the tail portion, the shaft leading to a first opening formed in an outermost surface of the force sensitive resistor, the first opening being covered by an elastic membrane;
a horizontal passageway extending in a substantially horizontal direction through the force sensitive resistor, the horizontal passageway being in fluid communication with the shaft;
the elastic membrane being configured to deform and expand in a direction away from the top substrate layer and thereby transition from a neutral state to an actuated state; and
the elastic membrane including a first surface area in the neutral state and a second surface area in the actuated state, the second surface area being greater than the first surface area.
2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the cavity includes a recess that is sized and dimensioned to accommodate the expansion of the elastic membrane in the actuated state.
3. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the force sensitive resistor includes a chamber formed between the top substrate layer and the bottom substrate layer, and wherein the chamber has a first volume in the neutral state and a second volume in the actuated state, and wherein the first volume is greater than the second volume.
4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein an inwardly facing surface of the elastic membrane is substantially flat in the neutral state and wherein the inwardly facing surface of the elastic membrane is substantially concave in the actuated state.
5. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the force sensitive resistor transitions from the neutral state to the actuated state when a vertical force is applied to the force sensitive resistor, and wherein air pressure exerted against the elastic membrane is greater in the actuated state relative to the neutral state.
6. The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the elastic membrane is configured to transition from an expanded configuration to a flattened configuration after the vertical force is removed.