Electronic Bladder Assembly With Iterative Pressure Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing footwear technologies lack an efficient mechanism to dynamically adjust bladder pressure in response to user activity, leading to suboptimal cushioning and comfort during various ambulatory activities.
Innovation Solution
An article of footwear with an adjustable bladder and a constant pressure reservoir, controlled by an electronically controlled valve and an electronic control unit, which iteratively adjusts bladder pressure based on heel strike events to maintain a target pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If bladder pressure is manually adjusted or fixed, then the structure is simple, but the cushioning performance cannot adapt to different user activities
Solution Approach 1:
The bladder pressure system transitions from a static fixed-pressure design to a dynamic adjustable-pressure design. The electronically controlled valve enables real-time pressure modulation based on sensor feedback, allowing the bladder to adapt its cushioning characteristics to different user activities and conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback control loop is implemented using pressure sensors that continuously monitor bladder pressure and transmit data to an electronic control unit. The control unit processes this feedback information and adjusts the valve position accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that maintains optimal pressure levels despite varying conditions.
2Reliability
If electronic control system is added to dynamically adjust bladder pressure, then cushioning performance is optimized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bladder pressure control system operates autonomously using onboard sensors and electronic control. The system self-regulates pressure by detecting its own state through pressure sensors and automatically adjusting the valve without external intervention, enabling the footwear to adapt to user needs independently.
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional mechanical pressure adjustment mechanisms are replaced with an electronically controlled valve system. The electronic control unit uses electrical signals to actuate the valve, substituting complex mechanical linkages and manual adjustment mechanisms with a more compact and controllable electronic system.
3Measurement precision
If iterative pressure adjustment is implemented, then target pressure accuracy is achieved, but the response time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure control system operates using periodic sampling and adjustment cycles. The pressure sensor continuously monitors bladder pressure at regular intervals, and the electronic control unit makes incremental adjustments during each cycle, achieving accurate target pressure through repeated small corrections rather than single large adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The iterative adjustment process may temporarily exceed or undershoot the target pressure slightly, using over-correction followed by fine-tuning adjustments. This approach allows the system to reach the target pressure more quickly by making bold initial adjustments and then refining the pressure in subsequent iterations.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronically controlled bladder assembly includes an adjustable pressure bladder and a reservoir connected by an electronically controlled valve. The electronically controlled valve is operated in a manner that inflates the adjustable bladder when the current pressure is below a target pressure and in a manner that deflates the adjustable bladder when the current pressure is above the target pressure. The system and process described herein allows the bladder pressure to be iteratively increased toward and decreased toward the target pressure.