Source: http://patents.com/us-10051912.html
Timestamp: 2018-11-16 03:39:29
Document Index: 620115874

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 10', 'Application No. 138579875', 'Application No. 2893334', 'Application No. 2015', 'Application No. 201380071611', 'Application No. 2015', 'Application No. 2015124788']

US Patent # 1,005,1912. Tuning elements for footwear - Patents.com
United States Patent 10,051,912
Darden , et al. August 21, 2018
Darden; Edwin S. (Cypress, CA), Modena; Tristan (Venice, CA)
Vans, Inc. (Costa Mesa, CA)
Family ID: 50828475
14/648,676
PCT/US2013/072319
WO2014/085646
US 20150313309 A1 Nov 5, 2015
61732055 Nov 30, 2012
Current CPC Class: A43B 3/0031 (20130101); A43B 5/0401 (20130101); A43B 23/0265 (20130101); A43B 5/0454 (20130101); A43B 5/0405 (20130101); A43B 3/0005 (20130101); A43B 5/0464 (20130101); A43B 23/26 (20130101)
Current International Class: A43B 3/00 (20060101); A43B 5/04 (20060101); A43B 23/26 (20060101); A43B 23/02 (20060101)
Field of Search: ;36/118.2,118.3,118.5,118.6,132,54
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Office Action dated Oct. 21, 2016, in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-7016914. cited by applicant .
Extended European Search Report dated Nov. 23, 2016, in European Patent Application No. 138579875. cited by applicant .
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Search Report dated Mar. 23, 2017 for co-pending Russian Application No. 2015124788. cited by applicant.
1. A boot with a tongue having a first receiver disposed on a lateral or medial side of the tongue and a corresponding tuning element, and the first receiver being configured to removably and slideably receive the tuning element generally over the lateral or medial side of an ankle joint region and to sufficiently secure the tuning element in place so that the tuning element is disposed from an upper portion of the boot corresponding to a lower leg region, across the front of the ankle joint region, and over at least a portion of an instep region of the boot, wherein the tuning element is disposed on a lateral or medial side of the tongue, and thereby increases the boot's resistance to flex in the ankle joint region, and at least a mid-portion of the first receiver is configured so as to restrict the tuning element off a longitudinally central portion of the instep, leaving the longitudinally central portion of the instep exposed so as to distribute pressure more to the lateral or medial side of the boot.
2. The boot of claim 1 further comprising a second receiver configured mirroringly like the first receiver disposed on the other of the lateral or medial side of the tongue.
3. The boot of claim 2 further comprising a second tuning element, each tuning element configured to correspond to a respective receiver.
4. The boot of claim 3 wherein the tuning elements each comprise a molded plastic element.
5. The boot of claim 4 wherein at least one tuning element has a variable thickness and/or width.
6. The boot of claim 5 wherein the at least one tuning element has a variable width.
7. The boot of claim 6 wherein the at least one tuning element has a variable width and variable thickness.
8. The boot of claim 5 wherein the width of the at least one tuning element narrows in the ankle joint region relative to the lower leg region.
9. The boot of claim 1 wherein the boot comprises a snowboarding boot.
10. The boot of claim 1 wherein the first receiver comprises a first channel disposed on the boot.
11. The boot of claim 10 wherein the channel is disposed on the tongue for the boot.
12. The boot of claim 11 wherein the channel is disposed on the boot between inner and outer surfaces of the tongue.
13. The boot of claim 12 wherein the channel is a pocket having an opening at the top of the tongue for slideably receiving a tuning element.
14. The boot of claim 1 wherein the tuning element includes a transition zone where the tuning element angles or curves from a first plane that is configured to generally follow the front of the intended user's tibia to a second plane that is configured to generally follow the top and/or side of the intended user's foot.
For illustrative purposes, a snowboard boot will be used as a representative boot in which the inventive subject matter may be embodied. From the following discussion, persons skilled in the art will understand how the inventive subject matter may be embodied in other forms of boots. A snowboard boot 10 typically has a tongue 12 or a region corresponding to a tongue, in the case of a tongueless boot, such as rear entry boot (hereinafter tongue and corresponding region at a tongueless boot may be simply referred to as the "tongue"). The boot has an inner liner 14, which is usually removable. The boot has an outer shell 16 into which the inner liner is disposed. The inner liner as well as the shell may have a tongue or a tongue region. Lateral edges of the upper of the boot are spaced apart and in-filled by tongue 12. The lateral edges include a closure system such as the lacing system shown. Other closure systems could be based on straps, buckles, reel/cables, and other known or to be discovered closure systems.
The tuning elements disclosed herein may be associated with the tongue 12 or tongue region for liner 14 and/or the tongue or tongue region for outer shell 16. In the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the Figures, the boot 10 has a tuning element 20a associated with a lateral side of the boot and a tuning element 20b associated with a medial side of the boot. In some embodiments, the tuning elements are slideably disposed so that relative to the ground they move generally vertically over the upper tongue region 12a of the boot, angularly relative to instep area 12b, and generally horizontally relative to lower tongue or foot region 12c. The tuning element may be semi-flexible, resilient planar structures to accommodate sliding in the different planes of the foregoing regions. Or it may be a three-dimensionally contoured structure that generally conforms to the contours of the different regions, as described in the examples discussed below.
Boot 10 has a flex zone 18 that generally corresponds to the ankle joint of the intended wearer. The ankle joint is the hinge joint between the foot and the leg. The uppermost bone of the foot, called the talus (ankle-bone), is disposed between the two bony protuberances formed by the lower ends of the tibia (shin bone) and the fibula. By locating a portion of the tuning elements over the ankle hinge joint, the tuning element can influence the level of force and pattern of force (e.g., constant force or progressive force) for flexation at the joint. A tuning element that remains completely rigid under normal loads of use for the boot would not allow any flexation, while a thin, highly flexible tuning element would have negligible impact on flexation. By varying the flexibility of the tuning element structure, a range of flexation control can be provided.
Accordingly, the boot can be constructed so that one or more tuning elements may be selectively located over the hinge joint on the lateral and/or medial sides to control the flex of the boot at the flex zone 18. A first configuration for a boot that provides maximum flexibility and minimum stiffness would have no tuning element disposed on the lateral or medial sides of the tongue or tongue region. A second configuration of a boot with medium flexibility or medium stiffness could have a tuning element disposed over just a lateral or medial side of the tongue or tongue region. A third configuration for minimum flexibility or maximum stiffness could have tuning elements disposed on both the lateral and medial sides of the tongue or tongue region. To allow for such control, some or all of the tuning element may be selectively adjusted so that it may be dislocated from the hinge joint, and therefore no longer influencing the amount of force needed for flexation.
In the embodiment shown in the Figures, tuning elements 20a, 20b are slideably disposed in pockets 24a and 24b. The pockets are disposed in between the inner and outer surfaces of outer shell 16. The pockets are channels that extend from the top of tongue 12 to the front portion of the lower tongue region 12c. The size and shape of the channels generally correspond to the size and shape of the tuning elements, which are elongated in shape. When the tuning elements are pushed down into the pockets, they are are guided by the channels along regions 12a, 12b, and 12c. With both tuning elements fully slid into the channels and across flex zone 18, the boot is in its stiffest flex configuration.
FIGS. 2-3 show a pair of tuning elements 20a, 20b fully or almost fully inserted into receivers, such as pockets 24a, 24b, as viewed from the inside surface of outer shell 16. In the embodiments shown, the tuning elements in a pair may have mirror configurations. The tuning elements may optionally include a pull tab 22 or other graspable element for sliding up a tuning element out of a pocket or other channel. FIG. 4 shows a lateral tuning element 20a partially removed from pocket 24a. Its lower end would be above flex zone 18 and therefore no longer influencing the flexibility of the ankle hinge. Medial tuning element 20b is still in place and therefore capable of restricting the flexibility of the boot. It will particularly restrict flexibility on the medial side, thereby creating an asymmetrically tuned response to forces applied toward the medial direction. With just one tuning element dislocated from the flex zone 18, the boot is now in its medium flex configuration.
FIG. 5 shows both the medial tuning elements partially removed in the same manner as described above for the lateral element. With both elements dislocated from the flex zone 18, the boot now is in its most flexible configuration.
FIGS. 10-13 show lateral (left side) and medial (right side) tuning elements 20a, 20b standing apart from a boot. FIGS. 10-11 are front and side views of the right tuning element for the left boot shown. And FIGS. 12-13 are corresponding views for the left tuning element. The tuning elements shown are mirror images in this case, but they can have independent conformations. The system is customizable according to the nature of the product, the affected area, and the performance needed. The tuning elements may be designed specifically for the medial (inside) and lateral (outside) anatomy and ergonomics of the foot by adjusting the shape, support, materials, structural configuration, and/or placement on the boot or other item of footwear.
The wider area of the tuning element 120a, 120b, corresponding to the upper tongue region 12a, helps distribute force to avoid pressure points and to provide more responsive feel to the boot. That area may be configured to conform to contours of the tibia area of a lower leg. The relatively narrow area 121a, 121b in the tuning elements, corresponding to flex zone 18, allows for more flexibility. The flex zone (also generally indicated by reference numbers 121a, 121b) is a transition zone where the tuning element may angle or curve from a first generally plane, oriented along an y-axis that follows the front of the tibia, to a second or third general plane, oriented along z and/or x axes, along the top and/or side of the foot. The areas 122a, 122b of the tuning elements extend from the flex zone 18, across the top of the foot, and generally correspond to region 12c. These areas help distribute pressure to avoid pressure points and improve responsiveness of the boot. The elbow in the tuning element at areas 121a, 121b, just below the flex zone 18 distributes pressure more to the side of the foot, which is less sensitive than the top of the foot. Thicker portions in a given material will increase rigidity. Flexibility may also be influenced by structural configurations. For example, corrugations in a tuning element may increase strength or stiffness. Grooves or other hinging structures may be formed in materials to increase flexibility, for example. The anatomical features may create a constant flex with gradual support and customized performance to the user. In other embodiments, the tuning elements can be configured to provide progressive changes in flexibility, e.g., progressively stiffer flex. This may be achieved by varying material thickness or use of different materials or structures in different portions of a tuning element. Advantageously, a kit of tuning elements can give the user a variety of flexibility options, a variety of differential flex responses on lateral and medial sides of the boot, and a variety of constant or progressive flex options. The inventive subject matter also contemplates that tuning elements can be stacked to provide fine-tuning in a given receiver.
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