Technical field

The present invention relates to the field of shoes, and more particularly relates to an electronic "shoe", i.e. a shoe in which there are electronic components of various types for the detection of parameters such as, for example, foot pressure in the shoe, movement speed, position in space, etc., and which uses such parameters for various purposes, such as recreational, medical, sports, usefulness purposes, etc.

Background art

Shoes containing electrical or electronic components of various types have been known for some years. Descriptions of such shoes are given for example in patent applications WO2009/152456, US2003/009308, WO2007/051628, US201 1/077904, US2014/266670, US2014/20834.

A particular and innovative electronic shoe is also described in the Italian patent no. IT0001406465 on behalf of the present Applicant. This patent describes a shoe with sole, heel and upper, provided with an electronic circuitry, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises at least the following components: a) a microprocessor with memory for data and program, b) a first pressure sensor placed in the sole at the forefoot and connected to said microprocessor, c) a second pressure sensor placed in the sole at the hindfoot and connected to the microprocessor, d) an accelerometric sensor connected to the microprocessor, e) a gyro sensor connected to the microprocessor, f) a radio communication interface connected to the microprocessor; the shoe further comprises a battery connected to the electronic circuitry and adapted to supply electrical power thereto. The various electronic components are integrated in or associated with the sole and/or heel and/or the upper.

The shoe described in this patent has a sole structure particularly suitable for "stylish" shoes, while the same structure is not optimally suitable for other types of shoes.

Object and summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide an "electronic" shoe with improved construction which has a structure adapted to be used with different types of shoes.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an "electronic" shoe that has a structure that allows easy production.

Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide an

"electronic" shoe that can be manufactured using standardized shoe manufacturing techniques.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide an "electronic" shoe that can protect the electronic components from shock, while main- taining a certain flexibility in the walk.

Not least important object of the present invention is to provide an "electronic" shoe which is robust and reliable both as shoe and in its "electronic" use.

These and other objects, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved with an electronic shoe that comprises a sole, an insole and electronic means comprising at least one pressure sensor and/or at least one inertial sensor, such as at least one gyro sensor and/or at least one accelerometric sensor, and a processor for managing the sensors and substantially the operation of the electronic part of the shoe as a whole; the midsole of the sole comprises, in the area corresponding to the position of the user's heel, or hindfoot, a cavity, open at the top, wherein part of the electronic means are accommodated. The shoe is characterized in that the cavity of the sole accommodates a box-shaped body, open towards the insole, distinct from the cavity, adapted to accommodate said part of said electronic means, said box-shaped body has an upper opening for the insertion of said electronic means and a bottom area, spaced from said up- per opening, for defining a depth of said box-shaped body.

For example, the electronic means associated with said shoe are adapted to allow the use of the shoe as a sort of control device for other devices, such as a control device for smartphones, tablets, desktop computers, laptops, etc. By moving the foot and tapping it on the floor, due to the gyroscopic, accelero- metric and pressure sensors, it is for example possible to move a pointer on a screen or give an input to the device with which one is interacting.

Therefore, suitably, the electronic means may also comprise radio com- munication means with systems or devices external to the shoe. For example, such radio communication means may include communication means such as wi fi, Bluetooth or others, according to the prior art. Therefore, if the "electronic" shoe is a control device of a device, the radio communication means can allow the mutual interaction thereof.

In preferred embodiments, at least the processor and electrical supply means of the electronic means, such as a rechargeable battery, are contained in the box-shaped body. Battery charging means are conveniently also provided, such as a connector coming out of the shoe for connecting an external charging system (such as a USB connector, which can also be used to exchange data between processor and an external electronic system).

The presence of the box-shaped body, which is distinct from the cavity made in the midsole of the sole, allows having a dedicated seat for the most delicate electronic components that is affected to a lesser extent by the defor- mations of the sole during use, to the benefit of the protection of the components inserted therein, and in particular of the processor. In the present description, the term "processor" should be understood broadly to encompass the terms microprocessor, microcomputer, ECU and yet other terms that are generally associated with volatile and/or non-volatile memory systems and manage- ment programs loaded therein.

Preferably, the box-shaped body has an upper edge that defines an upper opening and a bottom vertically spaced from said edge, to define a depth of the box-shaped body for accommodating the electronic components. The box- shaped body has side walls, the top of which defines the edge of the upper opening. The walls may be solid or lightened, continuous or discontinuous. The edge of the upper opening may be continuous or discontinuous. For example, the walls may consist of solid walls or may be formed by uprights connected by upper crosspieces that define the edge of the upper opening, or even by pillars alone, which discretely define the walls. Also the bottom may be solid or light- ened, for example only defined by peripheral portions from which the walls extend.

Conveniently, the box-shaped body may be made of a stiffer material than the material that forms the walls of the cavity of the sole. For example, said box- shaped body may be made of a high strength rigid plastic such as ABS while the midsole may for example be made of a less rigid plastic, such as rubber, polyurethane, EVA, Phylon or others.

Preferably, the box-shaped body is substantially complementary to the cavity so as to allow a stable arrangement in the ole and facilitate the production step.

In preferred embodiments, the shoe comprises an insole, integral with the sole, formed by a front part and a rear part; a through window superimposed to the upper opening of the box-shaped body is provided on the rear part, so that when the sole is assembled, it is possible to introduce the electronic components in the box-shaped body through the insole.

In the preferred embodiments, the electronic means comprise a printed circuit shaped as an elongated base, also commonly called PCBs or electronic card (printed circuit, PCB, electronic board are terms are considered equivalent- ly in the present description), with which at least one pressure sensor and/or at least one gyro sensor and/or at least one accelerometric sensor and the processor are associated. Conveniently, a footprint for accommodating said base is provided on the insole, e.g. a small-depth slot counter-shaped to the base.

Preferably, the front part and the rear part of the insole are made separately, preferably of two different materials and joined prior to the binding to the shoe.

Preferably, the front part is made of a material that is less rigid than the rear part so as to allow more flexibility to the shoe sole, with the rear part that has the proper stiffness to support most of the user's load. For example, the rear part is made of plastic such as ABS, while the front part is made of plastic material such as TPU.

In preferred embodiments, the insole comprises a plate-shaped group covering the base fixed on the rear part, whose purpose is to ensure stability and protection to the base itself in the most stressed zone.

Preferably, the plate-shaped covering group comprises a through channel for the passage of the connection of a pressure sensor to the base, placed on the plate-shaped covering group for measuring the user's pressure at the foot heel.

In some examples, the plate-shaped covering group has a recess, extending through its thickness, formed on its rear portion and opened towards the rear area of the upper, a port being provided, arranged to close said recess, adapted to allow access to a portion of the rear area of the insole, for inspection.

In preferred embodiments, the plate-shaped covering group comprises a sheet placed directly on the base and a cover plate placed directly on the sheet.

Preferably, the sheet is of a stiffer material and with greater hardness than the plate; for example, the sheet is made of metal, such as steel; otherwise, the plate is for example made of plastic.

The sheet mainly has a protection function of the underlying base.

Conveniently, two respective through holes are provided on the sheet and on the plate, vertically mutually aligned to define the channel for the passage of the connection of the pressure sensor placed on the plate to the base.

Preferably, said recess is only defined on the plate.

According to preferred embodiments, the manufacturing process may be as follows.

a) the sole is made separately with the sole cavity preferably already present therein;

b) a semi-finished insole is made which comprises the front part and the rear part of the insole; the insole in this step does not have the plate-shaped covering group; the rear part of the insole is for example made by plastic mold- ing; in its formation, the through window is not present, being closed by a partition of the same shape, made during the molding step;

c) in a first type of construction (for example of the tubular moccasin, needle or Blake-Rapid), the semi-finished insole is fastened to a mounting mold. d) the mounting mold - semi-finished insole assembly is associated to the upper;

e) then, the partition is removed, thus freeing the through window of the rear part of the semi-finished insole; f) the sole is associated with the upper-mold-semi-finished insole assembly with the cavity which is mating with the through window;

g) then, the mounting mold is removed from the inside of the upper; the semi-finished insole is thus accessible from the inside of the upper;

k) then, the box-shaped body is inserted in the cavity, through the through window of the semi-finished insole;

h) then, the base/electronic board/printed circuit is inserted in the upper, making it match with the imprint on the insole; part of the electronic components, including the electronic processor, is inserted in the box-shaped body; i) then, insert the plate-shaped covering group is inserted and attached to the rear part of the semi-finished insole, thus covering the through window;

I) an insole is inserted into the upper, to cover the insole;

bis) alternatively to step c), there may be the following changes:

c1 ) (replaces c) the semi-finished insole is glued onto the sole;

d1 ) the sole-semi-finished insole assembly is attached to the mounting mold;

e1 ) the upper is attached to the mounting mold-sole-semi-finished insole assembly;

then, the preceding steps are carried out in the order, g), e), h), i), i).

Brief description of the drawings

Further features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment thereof, shown by way of a non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which

figure 1 shows a schematic lateral view of a shoe according to the invention, with highlighted, partially in section, an inner part of the shoe, without insole;

figure 2 shows an exploded view of the insole of the shoe according to the invention, associated with the electronic board for the management of the same and the box-shaped containment body of the electronic processor of the electronic board;

figure 3 shows the steps of a process for making a show according to the preceding figures.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

With reference to the above figures, an electronic shoe according to the invention is globally designated by reference numeral 10.

Such a shoe comprises a sole 1 1 , in turn comprising a tread 12A and a midsole 12B. An insole 13 is provided onto the midsole, described in detail hereinafter. Upper 14 is associated with the sole-insole assembly. Depending on the production process, part of the upper may be interposed between sole 1 1 and insole 13.

An insole 15 is provided within upper 14.

The shoe comprises electronic means 16 which can have various functions, such as that described in Italian patent no. IT0001406465 on behalf of the present Applicant, which is deemed to be incorporated herein by reference, or yet other functions.

The electronic means 16 comprise an elongated printed circuit, or an electronic board or PCB and also defined in the present description as base, globally designated with reference numeral 17, arranged on insole 13.

One or two inertial sensors are for example connected to base 17 for speed and orientation/position of the foot (for example, a gyro sensor 18 and an accelerometric sensor 19 or in any case, a combination of inertial sensors for these measurements), for example positioned towards the rear and front ends of the base, corresponding to the front part of the insole. Moreover, base 17 is connected to a pair of pressure sensors 20 and 21 , positioned for example one on the rear part of insole 13, corresponding to the zone of the user's heel/hindfoot, and one on the front part of the insole, corresponding to the front portion of the foot.

Of course, the number and type of sensors and their position may be the most various, depending on the need.

Moreover, an electronic processor 22 is provided on base 17 which con- trols the operation of the shoe, which may comprise volatile and non-volatile memory systems. Of course, the processor is associated with an electronic management program or firmware. The processor is associated with electrical supply means 23 of the electronic means 16, such as a rechargeable battery.

Conveniently, there are also means 24 for charging battery 23, such as an induction recharging system (not shown in the figures) associated with a com- plementary charging system external to the shoe, which allows recharging the battery without a physical connection cable. Alternatively, there may be a connector coming out of the shoe for connecting an external charging system (such as a USB connector, not shown in the figures, which can also be used to exchange data between processor and an external electronic system).

Conveniently, the electronic means also comprise radio communication means (not shown in the figures) with devices or systems external to the shoe (such as said smartphones, tablet computers, or others). For example, such radio communication means may include communication means such as wi fi, Bluetooth or others, according to the prior art. Therefore, if the "electronic" shoe is a control device of a device, the radio communication means allow the mutual interaction thereof.

Conveniently, said communication means also allow the exchange of management data of the shoe with the external electronic systems to which it is associated.

Insole 13 includes two parts, a front part 25 and a rear part 26, related to the front of the foot and the heel or hindfoot, respectively.

Preferably, the front part 25 and the rear part 26 of insole 13 are made separately, preferably of two different materials and joined prior to the binding to the shoe, such as using an adhesive.

Conveniently, the front part 25 is made of a material that is less rigid than the rear part 26 so as to allow more flexibility to the shoe sole, with the rear part 26. For example, the rear part 26 is made of plastic such as ABS, while the front part is made of plastic material such as TPU.

Midsole 12B of sole 1 1 comprises, in the area corresponding to the user's heel or hindfoot position, a cavity 27, open at the top, i.e. towards insole 15, in which part of the electronic means 16 is accommodated.

Preferably, cavity 27 is made within midsole 12B and therefore is sur- rounded on all sides by a portion of midsole, and thus the cavity is accessible only from above and not from the side of the midsole.

According to the invention, a box-shaped body 28 is arranged into cavity 27, also open at the top, distinct from cavity 27 but substantially complementary thereto, adapted to accommodate said part of the electronic means.

A through window 29 is provided on the rear part 26 of insole 13, superimposed to the upper opening 28A of the box-shaped body 28, in such a way that when the sole is assembled with the insole, it is possible to introduce the corresponding part of electronic components in the box-shaped body 28 through insole 13.

The box-shaped body 28 has an upper edge that defines the upper opening 28A and a bottom zone 28B vertically spaced from said edge, to define a depth of the box-shaped body for accommodating the electronic components. The box-shaped body has side walls 28C, the top of which defines the edge of the upper opening 28A. Such walls may be solid or lightened, continuous or discontinuous. The edge of the upper opening may be continuous or discontinuous. For example, the walls may consist of solid walls, as in the figures, or may be formed by uprights connected by upper crosspieces that define the edge of the upper opening, or even by pillars alone (at least 4 at the bottom corners), which discretely define the walls. Also the bottom area may be solid or lightened, i.e. devoid of material.

For example, the electronic processor 22 is arranged in said box-shaped body so that it is protected by the box-shaped body itself. In practice, the electronic processor 22 is fixed on base 17 and this is in turn superimposed on win- dow 29 and on the upper opening of the box-shaped body, just at processor 22, which is thus inserted into the box-shaped body.

The rear part 26 of insole 13 and the box-shaped body 28 are bound together, for example by shape coupling, in the shoe manufacturing step, as better explained hereinafter.

Conveniently, a footprint 30 is provided on base 13 for accommodating base 17, small-depth slot substantially counter-shaped to the base, in such a way that the thickness of the base is contained in the height of the insole (of course, such a footprint 30 is made on the two parts 25 and 26 forming the insole).

Conveniently, the box-shaped body 28 is made of a stiffer material than the material that forms the walls of cavity 27 of the midsole. For example, said box-shaped body 28 may be made of rigid plastic such as ABS while the mid- sole may for example be made of a less rigid plastic, such as rubber, polyure- thane, EVA, Phylon or others.

Insole 13 comprises a plate-shaped group 31 covering base 17 fixed on the rear part 26 thereof, whose purpose is to ensure stability and protection to the base itself in the zone subjected to the highest load, i.e. that underneath the heel.

The plate-shaped covering group 31 comprises a through channel 32 for the passage of the connection of the pressure sensor 20 to base 17, placed on the plate-shaped covering group for measuring the user's pressure at the foot heel.

In this example, the plate-shaped covering group 31 has a recess 33, passing through its thickness, formed on the rear portion thereof and open towards the rear zone of the upper. A port 34 is arranged at such recess 33 to close the space defined by the recess itself. Such a port is adapted to allow ac- cess to a portion of the rear zone of the insole, for inspection, if there are connecting cables for a USB socket placed on the outside of the upper, at the heel (not present here). These cables come from the electronic card and pass through a raceway 26A on the rear part 26 and recess 31 C formed on the rear portion of the sheet. The connection of these cables to the USB socket is deli- cate and the port allows checking that everything is in order.

In this example, the plate-shaped covering group 31 comprises a sheet 31 A placed directly on base 17 and a cover plate 31 B placed directly on sheet 31 A. Sheet 31 A is placed in the underlying peripheral footprint present on the rear part 26 and fixed, for example by means of small nails inserted in corre- sponding through holes (not numbered in the figures). Part 31 B is instead fixed on the sheet by means of adhesive.

Sheet 31 A is of a stiffer material and with greater hardness than the plate; for example, the sheet is made of metal, such as steel; otherwise, the plate is for example made of plastic, such as ABS. The sheet mainly has a protection function of the underlying base.

Conveniently, two respective through holes are provided on the metal sheet 31 A and on the plastic plate 31 B, vertically mutually aligned to define the through channel 32 for the passage of the connection of the pressure sensor placed on plate 31 B to the base.

Recess 33 is only defined on the plastic plate 31 B.

The method for manufacturing the shoe is as follows.

a) Sole 1 1 is made separately with cavity 27 preferably already present therein.

b) (see Figure 3 I) The front part 25 and the rear part 26 are bound to produce a semi-finished product 13' of insole 13. The insole, at this step, is devoid of the plate-shaped covering group 31 . The rear part 26 of the insole is made for example by molding of plastic material. In its formation, the through window 29 is not present, since it is closed by a partition 29A of the same shape, made in the molding step.

c) (see figure 3 II) In a first type of construction (for example of the tubular moccasin, needle or Blake-Rapid), the semi-finished insole 13 is fastened to the mounting mold F.

d) (see figure 3 II I) The mold F - semi-finished insole 13' assembly is associated with the upper (in a different way depending on whether it is for example a tubular moccasin or needle or Blake-Rapid).

e) Then, partition 29A is removed, thus freeing the through window 29 of the rear part of the semi-finished insole 13'.

f) (see figure 3 IV) The sole is associated with the upper-mold F-semi- finished insole 13 assembly (for example by gluing, stitching or a combination thereof), with cavity 27 which is mating with the through window 29.

g) Then, the mounting mold is removed from the inside of the upper. The semi-finished insole 13' is thus accessible from the inside of the upper.

k) (see figure 3 V) Then, the box-shaped body 28 is inserted in cavity 27, through the through window 29 of the semi-finished insole 13'. h) (see figure 3 VI) The base/electronic board/printed circuit 17 are then inserted and matched with the footprint 30. In so doing, part of the electronic components, including the electronic processor 22 and battery 23, is inserted in the box-shaped body 28.

i) (see figure 3 VII) Then, insert the plate-shaped covering group 31 is inserted and attached to the rear part 26, thus covering the through window 29. More in particular, sheet 31 A is inserted first to cover the through window 29 and on top of that, plate 31 B with the optional port 34;

I) the pressure sensor 20 is for example inserted, connecting it to base 17 via the through channel 32.

m) (see figure 3 VIII) Insole 15 is inserted into upper 14 to cover insole 13.

For example, in the type of construction called "ideal", step c) is different. In this case, step c1 ) involves gluing the semi-finished insole 13 onto sole 12.

The new step d1 ) involves bonding the sole 12-semi-finished insole 13 assembly to the mounting mold F.

Then in e1 ), the upper is attached to the mounting mold F-sole 12-semi- finished insole 13' assembly.

Then, the preceding steps are carried out in the order, k) g), e), h), i), I).

It is understood that the description above only represents practical non- limiting embodiments of the invention, which can vary in forms and arrangements without however departing from the scope of the concept on which the invention is based. Any use of reference numbers in the attached claims is made exclusively for the purpose of facilitating the reading of the claims in the light of the above description and attached drawings, and shall not be deemed to restrict the scope of the invention in any way.