Granted Patent B2

US 12,653,263 · App. 17/340,805 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Inventors: James Molyneux (Portland, OR); Aaron B. Weast (Portland, OR); Jordan M. Rice (Portland, OR); Allan M. Schrock (Portland, OR); Michael S. Amos (Beaverton, OR); Andrew A. Owings (Portland, OR); Martine Stillman (Seattle, WA); Joseph B. Horrell (Seattle, WA); Jonathan B. Knight (Seattle, WA); Dane R. Weitmann (Seattle, WA); Jeffrey J. Hebert (Seattle, WA)

Assignee: NIKE, Inc.

A43B3/00A43B3/0031A43B3/34A43B3/44A63B24/0062A63B60/46A63B69/00A63B69/0028G01C22/006G01L1/26G06F3/0334A63B26/003A63B2069/0006A63B2071/0638A63B2102/02A63B2102/18A63B2102/182A63B2102/22A63B2102/32A63B2220/12A63B2220/40A63B2220/53A63B2220/836A63B2225/50A63B2243/0025A63F2300/1012A63F2300/1031

Abstract

Claims (34)

1 . An insert configured for use in an article of footwear, comprising:

an insert member adapted to be placed in contact with a sole structure of the article of footwear, the insert member being formed of a flexible polymer material and having an opening;

a plurality of force sensors connected to the insert member, the force sensors being adapted to sense a force exerted on the insert member;

a plurality of sensor leads extending away from the force sensors; and

a port comprising:

a housing connected to the insert member, the housing comprising a chamber accessible through the opening in the insert member and adapted to removably receive an electronic module therein by insertion through the opening;

a plug extending into the chamber from a wall of the housing, the plug configured to be received in a receiver within the electronic module when the electronic module is received in the housing; and

an interface in communication with the sensor leads and having a plurality of electrical contacts located on the plug, wherein the interface is configured to form an electrical connection with the electronic module, and each of the sensor leads is individually connected to one of the electrical contacts of the interface, such that the electronic module engages the electrical contacts to place the electronic module in communication with the sensor leads and the force sensors individually when the electronic module is received within the chamber and the plug is received within the receiver of the electronic module.

2 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the sensor leads are connected to the electrical contacts of the interface.

3 . The insert of claim 1 , further comprising the electronic module, wherein the electronic module has the receiver therein, and the plug is received in the receiver when the electronic module is received within the housing.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the plug has a rigid structure and engages the electronic module to removably retain the electronic module in the housing.

5 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the wall of the housing is a side wall of the housing, and the plug extends horizontally into the housing from the side wall.

6 . The insert of claim 5 , wherein the housing further has a bottom wall and a top opening, with the side wall extending upward from the bottom wall to the top opening.

7 . The insert of claim 5 , wherein the plug has a rigid structure and is further configured to engage the electronic module to removably retain the electronic module in the housing.

8 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to be received in a well in a sole structure of the article of footwear.

9 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a retaining structure adapted for removably retaining the electronic module in the housing.

10 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the plug has a rigid structure and is further configured to engage the electronic module to removably retain the electronic module in the housing.

11 . An article of footwear adapted to engage a foot, comprising:

a sole structure, the sole structure having a well defined therein;

an upper portion connected to the sole structure;

an insert member in contact with the sole structure, the insert member being formed of a flexible polymer material and having an opening;

a sensor system comprising a plurality of force sensors connected to the insert member;

an electronic module configured for data storage; and

a port comprising:

a chamber within the well of the sole structure that is accessible through the opening in the insert member, wherein the chamber is configured for receiving the electronic module therein by insertion through the opening;

a plug extending into the chamber from a wall of the well, the plug configured to be received in a receiver within the electronic module when the electronic module is received in the well; and

an interface in communication with the sensor system and having a plurality of electrical contacts located on the plug, wherein the interface is configured to form an electrical connection with the electronic module, and each of the force sensors of the sensor system is individually connected to one of the contacts of the interface, such that the electronic module engages the electrical contacts to place the electronic module in communication with the sensor system when the electronic module is received within the chamber and the plug is received within the receiver of the electronic module.

12 . The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the sensor system further comprises:

a plurality of sensor leads connected to the force sensors and extending from the force sensors to the port, wherein the sensor leads are connected to the electrical contacts of the interface.

13 . The article of footwear of claim 12 , wherein the port comprises a housing received in the well and defining the chamber and connected to the insert member.

14 . The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the wall of the well is a side wall of the well, and the plug extends horizontally into the chamber from the side wall.

15 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the well further has a bottom wall and a top opening, with the side wall extending upward from the bottom wall to the top opening.

16 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the plug has a rigid structure and engages the electronic module to removably retain the electronic module in the well.

17 . The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the plug has a rigid structure and engages the electronic module to removably retain the electronic module in the well.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (9)

References Cited (400)