U.S. patent application number 11/211289 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for article of footwear with solar panel assembly.
Invention is credited to Chia-Chyi Cheng, Joseph L. Ungari.
Application Number | 20070044346 11/211289 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37802071 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070044346 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ungari; Joseph L. ; et
al. |
March 1, 2007 |
Article of footwear with solar panel assembly
Abstract
An article of footwear includes a sole assembly and an upper
secured to the sole assembly and has an exterior surface. At least
one solar cell on the exterior surface of the upper is configured
to provide power to a power receiving device.
Inventors: |
Ungari; Joseph L.;
(Hillsboro, OR) ; Cheng; Chia-Chyi; (Hillsboro,
OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD.
28 STATE STREET
28th FLOOR
BOSTON
MA
02109-9601
US
|
Family ID: |
37802071 |
Appl. No.: |
11/211289 |
Filed: |
August 25, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/136 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/24 20130101; A43B
3/242 20130101; G01C 22/006 20130101; A43B 3/0015 20130101; A43B
3/001 20130101; Y02E 10/50 20130101; H02S 10/40 20141201; A43B
3/0031 20130101; A43B 3/0005 20130101; A43B 23/0235 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/136 |
International
Class: |
A43B 23/00 20060101
A43B023/00 |
Claims
1. An article of footwear comprising, in combination: a sole
assembly; an upper secured to the sole assembly and having an
exterior surface; and a solar panel assembly comprising: at least
one solar cell on the exterior surface of the upper; and a battery
operably connected to the at least one solar cell.
2. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising at least
one fastener, each fastener securing a corresponding solar cell to
the upper.
3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein the fastener
comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion
secured to one of the upper and the solar cell, and the second
portion secured to the other of the upper and the solar cell.
4. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein the fastener
comprises a snap, the first portion comprises a male portion of the
snap, and the second portion comprises a mating female portion of
the snap.
5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a plurality of solar
cells are secured to the exterior surface of the upper, each solar
cell having a color, at least one of the solar cells having a color
different than at least one other solar cell.
6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a plurality of solar
cells are secured to the exterior surface of the upper, each solar
cell having a shape, at least one of the solar cells having a shape
different than at least one other solar cell.
7. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a
plurality of wires on an interior of the upper, the wires
connecting the solar panel assembly to the battery.
8. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a layer
of material positioned on an interior of the upper, the plurality
of wires extending between the upper and the layer of material.
9. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a powered
element operably connected to the battery.
10. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the powered element
is an illuminated element.
11. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the battery is
removably attached to one of the the upper and the sole
assembly.
12. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the solar panel
assembly comprises a flexible base member and a plurality of solar
cells secured to the flexible base member.
13. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the flexible base
member is formed of thermoplastic urethane.
14. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the flexible base
member is formed of a polymer fabric.
15. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the solar panel
assembly comprises a plurality of flexible solar cells.
16. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the flexible solar
cells are secured to the upper with stitching.
17. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the flexible solar
cells are formed of one of pentacene, an organic polymer and
plastic.
18. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the sole assembly
includes a midsole secured to the upper and an outsole secured to
the midsole.
19. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the battery is a
rechargeable battery.
20. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising at least
one retainer secured to the upper, each retainer capturing at least
a portion of a peripheral edge of a solar cell to secure the solar
cell to the upper.
21. The article of footwear of claim 20, wherein at least one
retainer is formed of an elastomeric material.
22. The article of footwear of claim 20, wherein at least one
retainer is formed of rubber.
23. An article of footwear comprising, in combination: a sole
assembly; an upper secured to the sole assembly and having an
exterior surface; and a solar panel assembly comprising: a
plurality of solar cells on the exterior surface of the upper; a
plurality of wires connecting the solar cells; and a rechargeable
battery connected to the solar cells by the wires.
24. The article of footwear of claim 23, further comprising a
plurality of fasteners, each fastener securing a corresponding
solar cell to the upper.
25. The article of footwear of claim 23, further comprising a layer
of material positioned on an interior of the upper, the plurality
of wires extending between the upper and the layer of material.
26. The article of footwear of claim 23, further comprising a
powered element operably connected to the rechargeable battery.
27. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein the solar panel
assembly comprises a flexible base member secured to the upper, the
plurality of solar cells being secured to the flexible base
member.
28. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein the solar cells
are flexible solar cells.
29. An article of footwear comprising, in combination: a sole
assembly; an upper secured to the sole assembly and having an
exterior surface; and a solar panel assembly comprising: a
plurality of solar cells releasably secured to the exterior surface
of the upper; and a rechargeable battery operably connected to the
at least one solar cell.
30. The article of footwear of claim 29, further comprising a
plurality of fasteners, each fastener securing a corresponding
solar cell to the upper.
31. The article of footwear of claim 23, wherein each fastener
comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion
secured to one of the upper and the solar cell, and the second
portion secured to the other of the upper and the solar cell.
32. The article of footwear of claim 28, wherein the fastener
comprises a snap, the first portion comprises a male portion of the
snap, and the second portion comprises a mating female portion of
the snap.
33. The article of footwear of claim 29, further comprising a layer
of material positioned on an interior of the upper, the plurality
of wires extending between the upper and the layer of material.
34. The article of footwear of claim 29, further comprising a
powered element operably connected to the rechargeable battery.
35. The article of footwear of claim 29, wherein the solar panel
assembly comprises a flexible base member secured to the upper, the
plurality of solar cells being secured to the flexible base
member.
36. The article of footwear of claim 29, wherein the solar cells
are flexible solar cells.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to an article of footwear
and, in particular, to an article of footwear having a solar panel
assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Electronic devices are commonly integrated into footwear
including, for example, illuminated elements such as flashing
lights. Flashing lights can provide aesthetic appeal and improve
safety for the user by providing increased visibility. The users of
such footwear face the problem of providing sufficient power to the
electronic devices incorporated in the footwear. It would be
desirable to provide a source of power in the footwear to power
electronic devices or provide power to other devices that may be
temporarily stored in or attached to the footwear.
[0003] Particular objects and advantages of the invention will be
apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are
knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view
of the following disclosure of the invention and detailed
description of certain preferred embodiments.
SUMMARY
[0004] The principles of the invention may be used to advantage to
provide an article of footwear with a solar panel assembly. In
accordance with a first aspect, an article of footwear includes a
sole assembly and an upper secured to the sole assembly and has an
exterior surface. At least one solar cell on the exterior surface
of the upper is configured to provide power to a power receiving
device.
[0005] In accordance with another aspect, an article of footwear
includes a sole assembly and an upper secured to the sole assembly
and having an exterior surface. A solar panel assembly includes a
plurality of solar cells on the exterior surface of the upper and a
plurality of wires connecting the solar cells. A rechargeable
battery is connected to the solar cells by the wires.
[0006] In accordance with a further aspect, an article of footwear
includes a sole assembly and an upper secured to the sole assembly
and having an exterior surface. A solar panel assembly includes a
plurality of solar cells releasably secured to the exterior surface
of the upper and a rechargeable battery operably connected to the
at least one solar cell.
[0007] Substantial advantage is achieved by providing an article of
footwear with a solar panel assembly. In particular, certain
embodiments of the present invention allow powered elements on the
footwear to operate without an independent power source. This will
allow a user to operate an electrical device on their footwear for
an indefinite period of time, without the need to worry about
replacing batteries, enhancing convenience for the user and
reducing operating costs.
[0008] These and additional features and advantages of the
invention disclosed here will be further understood from the
following detailed disclosure of certain preferred embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article of footwear with
a solar panel assembly including a plurality of solar cells on an
exterior surface of its upper.
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a solar cell and a portion of
the upper of the article of footwear of FIG. 1 to which it is
attached, showing a fastener that secures the solar cell to the
upper.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a section view of the solar panel assembly of the
article of footwear of FIG. 1, showing two solar cells connected to
a battery.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view, shown partially broken away,
of another embodiment of the article of footwear of FIG. 1, showing
a removable battery.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an
article of footwear with a solar panel assembly.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of an
article of footwear with a solar panel assembly.
[0015] The figures referred to above are not drawn necessarily to
scale and should be understood to provide a representation of the
invention, illustrative of the principles involved. Some features
of the article of footwear with a solar panel assembly depicted in
the drawings have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to
facilitate explanation and understanding. The same reference
numbers are used in the drawings for similar or identical
components and features shown in various alternative embodiments.
Footwear with solar panels as disclosed herein would have
configurations and components determined, in part, by the intended
application and environment in which they are used.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] The present invention may be embodied in various forms. An
embodiment of an article of footwear 10 is shown in FIG. 1.
Footwear 10 includes an upper 12 and a sole assembly 14 secured to
upper 12. Sole assembly 14 may be secured to upper 12 by adhesive
or any other suitable means. For purposes of general reference,
footwear 10 may be divided into three general portions: a forefoot
portion 16, a midfoot portion 18, and a heel portion 20. Portions
16, 18, and 20 are not intended to demarcate precise areas of
footwear 10. Rather, portions 16, 18, and 20 are intended to
represent general areas of footwear 10 that provide a frame of
reference during the following discussion. In addition, as seen in
FIG. 4, footwear 10 includes a medial, or inner, side 22 and a
lateral, or outer, side 24.
[0017] Unless otherwise stated, or otherwise clear from the context
below, directional terms used herein, such as rearwardly,
forwardly, top, bottom, inwardly, downwardly, upwardly, etc., refer
to directions relative to footwear 10 itself. Footwear 10 is shown
in FIG. 1 to be disposed substantially horizontally, as it would be
positioned on a horizontal surface when worn by a wearer. However,
it is to be appreciated that footwear 10 need not be limited to
such an orientation. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1,
rearwardly is toward heel portion 20, that is, to the left as seen
in FIG. 1. Naturally, forwardly is toward forefoot portion 16, that
is, to the right as seen in FIG. 1, and downwardly is toward the
bottom of the page as seen in FIG. 1.
[0018] Top refers to elements toward the top of the page as seen in
FIG. 1, while bottom refers to elements toward the bottom of the
page as seen in FIG. 1. Inwardly is toward the center of footwear
10, and outwardly is toward the outer peripheral edge of footwear
10.
[0019] Sole assembly 14 may include an insole (not shown) located
within upper 12, a midsole 26, and an outsole 28. Midsole 26 is
attached to upper 12 and functions as the primary shock-attenuating
and energy-absorbing component of footwear 10. Midsole 26 may be
secured to upper 12 by adhesive or other suitable means. Suitable
materials for midsole 26 include polymer foam materials such as
ethylvinylacetate or polyurethane, or any other material that
compresses resiliently. Outsole 28 is attached to the lower surface
of midsole 26 by adhesive or other suitable means. Suitable
materials for outsole 28 include polymers, e.g., polyether-block
co-polyamide polymers (sold as Pebax.RTM. by ATOFINA Chemicals of
Philadelphia, Pa.), and nylon resins such as Zytel.RTM., sold by
Dupont. Other suitable materials for outsole 28 will become readily
apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this
disclosure.
[0020] A solar panel assembly 30 is positioned on footwear 10. In
certain embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 1, solar panel assembly
30 includes an array of a plurality of photovoltaic or solar cells
32 secured about footwear 10. In the illustrated embodiment, solar
cells 32 are positioned about forefoot portion 16 and midfoot
portion 18 of upper 12. It is to be appreciated that solar cells 32
can be positioned on any desired portion of upper 12.
[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, solar cells 32 are
substantially square. However, it is to be appreciated that solar
cells 32 may have any desired shape, e.g., triangular as seen in
FIG. 5 below, round or rectangular, and that other suitable shapes
will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In
certain embodiments, the shapes, sizes, and/or colors of the
individual solar cells 32 or the combinations of shapes, sizes
and/or colors of solar cells 32 can be varied to provide a desired
aesthetic design on the exterior of footwear 10.
[0022] Solar panel assembly 30 includes a battery 34, which is
operably connected to solar cells 23 by one or more cables or wires
36 that extend through footwear 10. In certain embodiments, wires
36 extend be on an interior of upper 12. Battery 34 is a
rechargeable battery that is recharged by energy received from
solar cells 23. Battery 34 may be any suitable rechargeable battery
type, e.g., nickel cadmium (NiCad), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), or
lithium.
[0023] A powered element 38 on footwear 10 is connected to battery
34 by a cable or wire 40. Powered element 38 can be any desired
device that requires power to operate. For example, powered element
38 may be a light or other illuminated element. Powered element 38
may also be an exercise related device, such as a pedometer. Other
suitable powered elements will become readily apparent to those
skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure.
[0024] In certain embodiments, as seen in FIG. 2, solar cells 32
may be secured to upper 12 by way of a fastener 42. In the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, fastener 42 is a releasable
fastener, such as a snap 42. Snap 42 has a first male portion 44
secured to solar cell 32 and a second female portion 46 secured to
upper 12. It is to be appreciated that in other embodiments having
snaps 42, that first male portion 44 may be secured to upper 12
with second female portion 46 being secured to solar cell 32. More
than one snap may be used to secure each individual solar cell 32
to upper 12. As illustrated here, each solar cell 32 has four snaps
42 to secure solar cell 32 to upper 12. Any number of snaps or
other fasteners 42 may be used to secure solar cells 32 to upper
12.
[0025] A benefit of using releasable fasteners such as snaps 42 is
that individual solar cells 32 can be removed, allowing for
replacement of damaged solar cells, or allowing a user to customize
their footwear by choosing solar cells of different colors, sizes
or different shapes, as noted above.
[0026] Other suitable types of fasteners 42 for securing solar
cells 32 to upper 12 will become readily apparent to those skilled
in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure.
[0027] Retainers 43 may also be used to secure solar cells 32 to
upper 12. Retainers 43 may be secured to upper 12 with an adhesive
or other suitable fastening means. Retainers 43 include a
peripheral lip 45 that captures a peripheral edge of a solar cell
32. In certain embodiments, retainer 43 is formed of a resilient,
flexible material, allowing it to be easily flexed away from solar
cell 32, thereby allowing solar cell 32 to be removed, thus
facilitating replacement or repair of the solar cell. In certain
embodiments, retainer 43 is formed of an elastomeric material such
as rubber.
[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 3, wires 36, which extend between
solar cells 32 and battery 34 may be positioned between upper 12
and an insulating layer of material 48, providing protection for
the user's foot from wires 36 and also providing increased comfort.
It is to be appreciated that in other embodiments, wires 36 can be
embedded in upper 12 or individually encased in an insulating
material in order to protect the user's foot.
[0029] In certain embodiments, as seen in FIG. 4, battery 34 may be
a removable battery. In such an embodiment, solar cells 32 are used
to recharge battery 34, and once battery 34 is suitably charged it
can be removed and used in a powered device, remote from footwear
10, such as a cellphone, GPS device, or any other desired powered
device. As illustrated here, upper 12 may have a recess 50 in heel
portion 20 that receives battery 34 while it is being charged. One
or more contacts 52 on battery 34 engage corresponding contacts 54
in recess 50, which are operably connected by wires 36 to solar
cells 32.
[0030] It is to be appreciated that although recess 50 is shown
here as being located in upper 12, it may be located in sole
assembly 14 in other embodiments. In other embodiments, removable
battery 34 may be temporarily secured to footwear 12 without
incorporating a recess in footwear 10 in which battery 34 is
received.
[0031] In other embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 5, solar cells
32 may be secured to a base member 53, formed of a flexible
material that can be easily wrapped about footwear 10, thereby
providing a cover for at least a portion of the laces of footwear
10. This can help contain the loose ends of the laces, thereby
enhancing the safety of footwear 10. Flexible base member 53 may be
formed of thermoplastic urethane, woven or non-woven polymer
fabrics, or any other suitable material. In the embodiment
illustrated here, flexible base member 53 extends across midfoot
portion 18 and forefoot portion 16 of upper 12 from lateral side 24
to medial side 22.
[0032] The flexibility of base member 53 allows it to easily
conform to the complex shape of the exterior surface of upper 12.
Flexible base member 53 may be releasably secured to upper 12 with
fasteners such as snaps 42 described above in connection with FIGS.
1-2, or other suitable fasteners. Flexible base member 53 may also
be more permanently secured to upper 12 by stitching, adhesive or
other suitable fastening means.
[0033] In other embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 6 solar panel
assembly 30 may be formed of a plurality of flexible solar cells
55. Flexible solar cells 55 may be secured to upper 12 by way of
stitching 56. It is to be appreciated that flexible solar cells 55
may be secured to upper 12 with other fastening means, such as
adhesive or releasable fasteners such as snaps 42 described
above.
[0034] Flexible solar cells 55 may be formed of pentacene sheets
(made of rings of hydrogen and carbon that occur naturally),
organic polymers or plastic. Forming the individual solar cells 55
of a flexible material allows them to easily conform to the complex
shape of the exterior surface of upper 12.
[0035] In light of the foregoing disclosure of the invention and
description of the preferred embodiments, those skilled in this
area of technology will readily understand that various
modifications and adaptations can be made without departing from
the scope and spirit of the invention. All such modifications and
adaptations are intended to be covered by the following claims.
* * * * *