Footwear Control Lockout During High-Intensity Activity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing footwear systems lack a reliable method to automatically disable manual controls during high-intensity activities, preventing accidental adjustments and ensuring secure fit during competitive or athletic events.
Innovation Solution
A control device-implemented method that uses sensors to detect high-intensity activity levels, triggering a lockout mode to disable manual controls, thereby preventing unintended adjustments and ensuring a secure fit during intense physical activities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual controls are always enabled in footwear systems, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to accidental adjustments during high-intensity activities
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically changes its state based on detected activity levels. During low-intensity activities, manual controls remain enabled for ease of adjustment. During high-intensity activities, the system automatically disables manual controls to prevent accidental adjustments, thereby maintaining fit stability while preserving operational flexibility when needed.
2Reliability
If manual controls are disabled during high-intensity activity, then reliability is improved by preventing accidental adjustments, but ease of operation worsens when adjustments are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The footwear system monitors the wearer's activity level through sensors and automatically determines when manual control disablement is appropriate. The system serves itself by detecting high-intensity activity patterns and autonomously disabling controls without requiring user intervention, thereby maintaining reliability while minimizing impact on ease of operation during appropriate periods.
3Reliability
If activity detection sensors and control systems are added to footwear, then reliability during activity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs multiple functions: it manages manual control enablement/disability, detects activity levels through integrated sensors, and communicates system state to the wearer. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional control device rather than separate components, the system achieves improved reliability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An article (100) of footwear can include provisions for improving the operation and use of various systems associated with the article. A control device (173) included in the article can be configured to allow manual control of a system by a user. A lockout feature that can disable manual control may be included. During periods of competitive activity, the manual controls may be disabled to allow a user wearing the article to engage in different activities without inadvertent activation of a system. In some cases, the control device and lockout feature can be used in conjunction with a motorized tensioning system (150).