Intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal

Abstract

This invention provides an intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal, including an upper body and a conductive pattern disposed in the interlayer of the upper body. The conductive pattern is formed by continuous flexible and stretchable wires. The conductive pattern has a connecting part and a strain detection part. The strain detection part is arranged in the detection area of ​​the upper body. The strain detection part is formed by continuous flexible and stretchable wires in a meandering manner. The connecting part connects the strain detection part to the circuit board. The detection area is located within the longitudinal interval between the metatarsophalangeal joint and the navicular bone.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of smart wearable technology, and in particular to an intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of technologies such as big data and wireless transmission, smart wearable products have become widely accepted and used. Designers integrate sensors and other electronic devices into clothing or accessories to receive data and assess the wearer's health index, behavioral habits, and athletic performance. Current smart footwear products, in order to improve the ease of installation of electronic devices, directly mount sensors on the outer surface of the shoe. However, in fast-paced running scenarios, sensors are prone to loosening and falling off, and this also increases the overall size of the shoe, making it inconvenient for daily storage and carrying.

[0003] To address this issue, engineers modified the midsole structure of shoes, placing sensors within the sole space. This method ensures both installation space and concealment for the sensors; however, it still fails to meet the lightweight requirements of footwear products. Furthermore, the sole structure of certain types of shoes, such as carbon fiber running shoes, makes it impossible to install sensors, limiting the types of shoes this method is applicable to. In addition, current intelligent footwear technologies cannot collect data on the flexion, extension, and torsion of the user's foot, further restricting the application scenarios for intelligent footwear products. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention provides an intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal.

[0005] Specifically, this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] This utility model provides an intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal. The shoe upper extends longitudinally between the toe and the heel. The intelligent shoe upper includes a shoe upper body and a conductive pattern disposed in the interlayer of the shoe upper body. The conductive pattern is formed by continuous flexible and stretchable wires. The conductive pattern has a connecting part and a strain detection part. The strain detection part is arranged in the detection area of ​​the shoe upper body. The strain detection part is formed by continuous flexible and stretchable wires in a meandering manner. The connecting part connects the strain detection part to the circuit board. The detection area is located within the longitudinal interval between the metatarsophalangeal joint and the navicular bone.

[0007] In some embodiments, the upper body has a sandwich structure, and the conductive pattern is disposed within the sandwich structure.

[0008] In some embodiments, the detection area includes a first sub-detection area located on the medial side of the foot, near the metatarsophalangeal joint.

[0009] In some embodiments, the detection area includes a second sub-detection area located on the medial side of the foot, near the navicular bone.

[0010] In some embodiments, the number of strain detection units arranged in the first sub-detection region is less than that in the second sub-detection region.

[0011] In some embodiments, the detection area includes a third sub-detection area located on the lateral side of the foot, near the metatarsophalangeal joint.

[0012] In some embodiments, the number of strain detection units arranged in the first sub-detection region is less than that in the third sub-detection region.

[0013] In some embodiments, the connecting portion connects the strain detection unit in parallel to the circuit board, and the connecting portion of the connecting portion of at least two strain detection units connected in parallel to the circuit board shares the same polarity line.

[0014] In some embodiments, a sensor is also included, which is disposed on the upper body and is connected to the circuit board.

[0015] In some embodiments, the detection area further includes a fourth sub-detection area, which is located near the heel.

[0016] According to an embodiment of this utility model, a conductive pattern formed by flexible and stretchable wires is obtained by preparing liquid metal. The flexible and stretchable wires are then arranged to form a strain detection unit. The strain detection unit is arranged within the longitudinal interval between the metatarsophalangeal joint and the navicular bone of the upper body, enabling the strain detection unit to collect tensile data in these areas. This allows for the assessment of the user's foot flexion and torsion, enriching the application scenarios of intelligent footwear products. The conductive pattern is placed in the interlayer of the upper body, and the interlayer structure of the upper body can protect the conductive pattern, extending the service life of the intelligent footwear. Furthermore, the liquid metal conductive pattern has a small thickness and light weight (with minimal additional mass monitoring, such as foot flexion, extension, and torsion in competitive running shoes, the additional mass is no more than 20g), making it suitable for more types of footwear products.

[0017] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the layer structure of the manufacturing process of the intelligent shoe upper in one embodiment of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the conductive pattern on the intelligent shoe upper in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the distribution of conductive patterns on the foot surface of an intelligent shoe upper according to an embodiment of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the distribution of conductive patterns on the inner side of the foot in an embodiment of the intelligent shoe upper of this utility model.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the distribution of conductive patterns on the outer side of the foot in an embodiment of the present invention for an intelligent shoe upper.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the strain detection unit in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating how glow-in-the-dark putty powder on the shoe upper falls off during running.

[0026] Figure label:

[0027] 10: Conductive pattern; 11: Connecting part; 12: Strain detection part; 13: Interface part;

[0028] 21: Outer fabric; 22: Bottom fabric; 23: Template;

[0029] 31: Flexible circuit board. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present invention will now be discussed with reference to several embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are discussed only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and thus implement the present invention, and are not intended to imply any limitation on the scope of the present invention.

[0031] As used herein, the term "comprising" and its variations are to be interpreted as open-ended terms meaning "including but not limited to"; the terms "embodiment" and "one embodiment" are to be interpreted as "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" is to be interpreted as "at least one other embodiment"; the terms "first," "second," etc., may refer to different or the same objects; the term "setup" is not limited to direct or indirect connections, nor to specific connection methods. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0032] Specific numerical values ​​or ranges may be mentioned in the following description. It should be understood that these values ​​and ranges are merely exemplary and may be helpful in putting the ideas of this invention into practice. However, the description of these examples is not intended to limit the scope of this invention in any way. These values ​​or ranges may be set differently depending on the specific application scenario and requirements.

[0033] In this utility model, the directional term "longitudinal" refers to the direction of the line connecting the toe and heel of the shoe upper, and "lateral" refers to the direction of the line connecting the inner and outer sides of the foot.

[0034] As mentioned above, existing intelligent footwear products have shortcomings in terms of lightweight design, wide applicability to various shoe types, and the inability to collect data on the user's foot flexion, extension, and torsion. The intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal proposed in this invention at least partially solves these problems. The following will refer to... Figure 1 to- Figure 7 This describes the structure and working principle of the intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal according to this utility model. For example... Figures 1-7 As shown, the intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal of this utility model generally includes an upper body, a conductive pattern, a circuit board, and a power supply. The upper body is used to connect with the sole to form a complete footwear product. The upper body has a sandwich structure, and the conductive pattern is set in the sandwich structure of the upper body. The local strain at the corresponding position is detected by the strain detection part of the conductive pattern, and the data is transmitted to an external terminal for usage factor evaluation through the circuit board. The power supply supplies power to the conductive pattern through the circuit board. For example, the power supply is a rechargeable battery.

[0035] The upper body of this invention has a sandwich structure. In one embodiment, the sandwich structure consists of a bottom fabric and an outer fabric. A conductive pattern is printed on the bottom fabric, and then the outer fabric is used to cover the conductive pattern by sewing or bonding, preventing the conductive pattern from being exposed and damaged on the outside of the footwear product, while also improving the aesthetics of the footwear product. For example, as shown... Figure 1 As shown, during the preparation process, the outer and inner fabrics are cut and shaped using a template, which can be, for example, cardboard.

[0036] The conductive pattern of this utility model embodiment is based on a flexible and stretchable wire made of liquid metal and attached to the sandwich structure of the shoe upper body. The flexible and stretchable wire forms a connection part and a strain detection part. The number of strain detection parts can be one, two or more. Each strain detection part is formed by a single strand of flexible and stretchable wire forming a local wire density area through meandering. When the shoe upper body deforms in the detection area, the flexible and stretchable wire in the local wire density area will then be flexibly stretched. The strain condition can be identified by the change of current.

[0037] like Figure 6 As shown, each strain detection unit has a length direction L, which is defined as the direction of the long side of the flexible stretchable conductor. To obtain the most sensitive strain detection effect, the length direction L of the strain detection unit is arranged to coincide with the direction of the maximum local stretching deformation of the shoe upper body. Here, "direction of maximum local stretching deformation" refers to the direction of the maximum stretching deformation caused by creases in a certain area of ​​the shoe upper body when the user's foot flexes, extends, or twists.

[0038] To assess the flexion, extension, and torsion of the foot during walking and running, a strain gauge was used to collect the stretching and compression deformation in key areas of the shoe upper. The applicant identified areas of significant and minor deformation in the shoe upper through testing, such as... Figure 7 As shown, for example, when glow-in-the-dark putty powder is applied to the surface of the shoe upper, areas where the glow-in-the-dark putty powder detaches from the shoe upper after a period of running are considered to have a greater degree of deformation. In one embodiment, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, three detection areas—a first sub-detection area a, a second sub-detection area b, and a third sub-detection area c—are set on the shoe upper. The first sub-detection area a and the second sub-detection area b are located on the medial side of the foot, and the third sub-detection area c is located on the lateral side of the foot. Specifically, the first sub-detection area a is located near the metatarsophalangeal joint, the second sub-detection area b is located near the navicular bone, and the third sub-detection area c is located on the lateral side of the foot near the metatarsophalangeal joint. The strain detection unit is arranged within these three detection areas.

[0039] In one embodiment, only the first sub-detection area a can be sampled to assess the flexion and extension of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe; only the second sub-detection area b can be sampled to assess the torsion of the midfoot; and only the third sub-detection area c can be sampled to assess the flexion and extension of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the little toe.

[0040] In one embodiment, the first sub-detection area a and the second sub-detection area b can be collected simultaneously. Since the second sub-detection area b can detect the inversion and supination of the foot, the flexion and extension of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe during inversion can be comprehensively evaluated.

[0041] In one embodiment, the number of strain detection units in the first sub-detection region is less than that in the second sub-detection region, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the arch of the foot is relatively high in the axilla region. Setting up more strain sensors in the second sub-detection area allows for the collection of a sufficiently large range of midfoot extension and contraction data. For example, one strain sensor is arranged in the first sub-detection area, and three strain sensors are arranged at lateral intervals in the second sub-detection area.

[0042] In one embodiment, the first sub-detection area a, the second sub-detection area b, and the third sub-detection area c can be collected simultaneously. Since the second sub-detection area b can detect the inversion and eversion of the foot, it can comprehensively evaluate the flexion and extension of the metatarsophalangeal joints of the big toe and little toe when the foot is inverted or everted.

[0043] In one embodiment, the number of strain detection units in the first sub-detection region is less than that in the third sub-detection region, such as... Figure 5 As shown, more strain detection units are set in the third sub-detection area c, which can accurately detect the flexion and extension data of the metatarsophalangeal joints of multiple lateral toes. For example, one strain detection unit is arranged in the first sub-detection area, and two strain detection units are arranged at a lateral interval in the third sub-detection area.

[0044] In one embodiment, the area near the heel on the shoe upper can be defined as the fourth sub-detection area. A strain detection unit is arranged in the fourth sub-detection area (not shown in the figure) to collect the strain data of the area near the heel on the shoe upper. The strain data in this area is related to the deformation of the midsole thickness of the shoe. By collecting the strain data in this area, it is possible to understand the difference in midsole thickness between the used and unused states of the shoe. Based on the difference, the degree of thinning of the midsole foam after long-term use and compression can be assessed, and further, proactive prompts can be made to replace the shoes.

[0045] The connecting part is used to connect the strain detection unit to the circuit board. The connecting part is composed of multiple flexible and stretchable wires. When multiple strain detection units are provided, they are connected in parallel via these multiple flexible and stretchable wires. In one embodiment, each strain detection unit is connected to two flexible and stretchable wires as different pole lines. In another embodiment, the same pole lines of two adjacent strain detection units can be shared, thereby reducing the number of strands of the flexible and stretchable wires and ensuring good insulation between different strands of flexible and stretchable wires in situations where space is limited on the shoe upper body.

[0046] In one embodiment, the connecting part is connected to the circuit board through the interface part. For example, the circuit board may be a flexible circuit board that is also disposed in the sandwich structure of the shoe upper body.

[0047] In one embodiment, the shoe upper may be configured with only a conductive pattern formed of liquid metal, or additional sensors may be configured to collect data in conjunction with the conductive pattern. For example, the additional sensors may be infrared distance sensors used to collect the real-time distance between the shoe upper and obstacles.

[0048] This invention involves adding liquid metal to a polymer solution to create liquid metal ink, which is then used to form flexible, stretchable conductive lines within the interlayer structure of the shoe upper. In one embodiment, the liquid metal is composed of one or more of gallium, mercury, gallium-indium alloy, gallium-indium-tin alloy, bismuth-tin alloy, and bismuth-tin-lead-indium alloy.

[0049] In one embodiment, the polymer solution comprises one or more of the following: polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyoxyethylene (PEO), polyacrylamide (PAMD), polyurethane (PU), polyacrylic acid (PAA), polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), polylactic-glycolic acid copolymer (PLGA), and polycaprolactone (PCL).

[0050] This invention employs ultrasonic vibration combined with rotational shearing to process liquid metal ink, transforming the liquid metal within the ink into nano- or micron-sized particles. The core of each particle is liquid metal, encapsulated by a thin layer of polymer oxide. In this state, the liquid metal ink is non-conductive. The particle size depends on the amplitude and duration of the physical action. In one embodiment, the ultrasonic duration can be selected as 1 min, 30 min, 60 min, 90 min, and 120 min, resulting in average diameters of 4700 nm, 800 nm, 520 nm, 315 nm, and 274 nm for the obtained liquid metal particles, respectively. In another embodiment, the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration is 30%.

[0051] This invention involves printing granular liquid metallic ink into the interlayer of a two-dimensional shoe upper. For example, the interlayer structure of the shoe upper consists of a bottom layer and an outer layer. First, the liquid metallic ink is printed onto the bottom layer according to a pre-designed conductive pattern. Then, the outer layer is connected to the bottom layer by sewing, bonding, or other methods, thereby hiding the conductive pattern between the bottom and outer layers. The outer layer protects the conductive pattern from damage by sharp objects. The interlayer structure further ensures that the conductive pattern is firmly set, preventing it from loosening even during high-speed running. Furthermore, the conductive pattern is not visible on the surface of the footwear, improving its aesthetics.

[0052] In one embodiment, liquid metallic ink is first printed onto a substrate using methods such as screen printing, digital direct-to-garment printing, or inkjet printing to form a conductive pattern. Then, the conductive pattern is transferred onto the bottom fabric of the shoe upper using a heat transfer method. In another embodiment, liquid metallic ink can be directly printed onto the bottom fabric using methods such as screen printing, digital direct-to-garment printing, or inkjet printing.

[0053] Lasting is a key process in shoemaking, transforming a two-dimensional planar shoe upper into a three-dimensional one. In this embodiment, the shoe upper with a printed conductive pattern is lasted. During lasting, the conductive pattern within the shoe upper's interlayer structure is stretched, resulting in a strain of 20%-200%. This strain causes the insulating oxide film of the liquid metal particles to rupture, releasing the conductive core. This imbues the liquid metal ink within the shoe upper's interlayer structure with conductivity, and the resulting conductive pattern's conductors possess flexible and stretchable properties, adapting to shoe upper deformation. This embodiment integrates the liquid metal particle insulating oxide film rupture treatment step into the lasting process, ensuring a simplified intelligent shoe upper manufacturing process.

[0054] In another embodiment, other conventional techniques can also be used to prepare conductive liquid metal patterns. For example, as disclosed in prior art (application number 201810391669.6), liquid metal is added to a polymer solution, and the liquid metal is prepared into nanoscale or microparticles using physical methods to obtain conductive ink; the conductive ink is used to draw patterns on a substrate material and the patterns are dried; the dried patterns are stretched, and the stretched patterns then possess conductivity. Finally, the prepared substrate material with conductive patterns is placed within the interlayer structure of the shoe upper.

[0055] The description of the embodiments herein, including any references to directions and orientations, is for ease of description only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this utility model. The description of preferred embodiments involves combinations of features, which may exist independently or in combination; this utility model is not particularly limited to the preferred embodiments. The scope of this utility model is defined by the claims.

[0056] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model shall be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A smart shoe upper based on liquid metal, the shoe upper extending longitudinally between the toe and heel, characterized in that, The intelligent upper includes an upper body and a conductive pattern disposed within the interlayer of the upper body. The conductive pattern is formed by continuous flexible and stretchable wires. The conductive pattern has a connecting part and a strain detection part. The strain detection part is arranged in the detection area of ​​the upper body. The strain detection part is formed by continuous flexible and stretchable wires in a meandering manner. The connecting part connects the strain detection part to the circuit board. The detection area is located within the longitudinal interval between the metatarsophalangeal joint and the navicular bone.

2. The intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection area includes a first sub-detection area located on the inner side of the foot, near the metatarsophalangeal joint.

3. The intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal according to claim 2, characterized in that, The detection area includes a second sub-detection area located on the medial side of the foot, which is close to the navicular bone.

4. The intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first sub-detection area has fewer strain detection units than the second sub-detection area.

5. The intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal according to claim 3, characterized in that, The detection area includes a third sub-detection area located on the outer side of the foot, near the metatarsophalangeal joint.

6. The intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first sub-detection area has fewer strain detection units than the third sub-detection area.

7. The intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connector connects the strain detection unit in parallel to the circuit board, and is used to connect at least two strain detection units in parallel to the circuit board to share the same polarity circuit.

8. The intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes sensors, which are mounted on the shoe upper and connected to the circuit board.

9. The intelligent shoe upper based on liquid metal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection area also includes a fourth sub-detection area, which is located near the heel.

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