FR2743701A1 - Shock absorbing device for use within shoe - Google Patents

Abstract

The vibration and shock absorber includes one or more detectors sensing the vibrations to which the shoe is subjected. The sensor system (4) may be attached to the outside of the shoe. An electronic system develops a counter signal for application to an actuator (3) which may be built into the sole of the shoe. The actuator has the characteristic of modulating its thickness and/or its rigidity in one or more co-ordinate directions, as a function of the applied electric signal. The operational mode of the system may be as an open loop, a closed loop, or a combination both. The actuator may be a piezoelectric element, or a ferro-liquid element providing the necessary modulation of its characteristics.

Description

SHOCK ABSORBER AND VIBRATION DEVICE
FOR SHOE OR SIMILAR SHOE
The invention relates to a shock and vibration absorbing device for a shoe or similar shoe, such that all or part of the vibrations or shocks currently existing are neutralized.

 Man has always had the concern of protecting his feet, either against external aggressions, or against the repercussion of the impacts of the ground on the foot. For this purpose, he invented the shoe, which although very primitive at the start has become very complicated over time. The manufacturers have indeed played on all the tables, textile, sole, laces, etc ... Nevertheless the predominant element in a shoe remains the sole. The sole is the interface between the foot and the ground, we immediately understand the importance of the quality of this one.

 In addition, with the evolution of medicine, we have noticed that the simple action of walking has a considerable impact on the whole body (back, cervicasle, etc ...). Manufacturers are waging a merciless war in order to optimize their products. For this purpose, the material composing the sole, and the forms thereof are preponderant. The behavior of the sole subjected to the constraints of walking is very complex. The complexity of human mechanics helping, the efforts to absorb are variously distributed under the foot. It is easy to see that it is not easy to "mold a sole that can meet all that is asked of it.

On top of that, if people wear identical shoes, they are not at all identical.

 It appears that it is impossible with a passive system (inert matter) to be able to cover all cases, but only to achieve acceptable behavior on average.

 The invention therefore aims to remedy these problems by proposing an active system which neutralizes, by absorbing, harmful shocks and vibrations.

To do this, the invention consists of one or more vibration or shock sensors (1) making it possible to measure in real time the vibrations or shocks arising between the sole and the ground, an electronic block (2) which develops the counter signal to be supplied to the actuator (3), one or more actuators (3) allowing an electrical signal to modulate its thickness and / or its rigidity in order to absorb parasitic vibrations.

As shown in Figures 1 to 5, there are different possible embodiments.

In everything that follows, we will agree to designate by: 1 the vibration or shock sensor (s) 2 the electronic control unit 3 the actuator (s) 4 the measurement module (including 1 and 2) 5 the shoe or similar shoe 6 sole of the shoe 7 electrical connection between 4 and 3 9 axis of measurement of the vibration or shock sensor 1 10 positive shock wave (ground-shoe wave or similar) It negative response 12 battery or accumulator
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description which refers to the appended figures in which:
Figure 1 shows an example of integration of the electronic control unit and the vibration or shock sensor.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment allowing the original fit.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of first or second assembly.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of original equipment.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of original equipment.

By original equipment is meant an embodiment which can only be executed by the manufacturer in the factory, before your sale. Aftermarket designates an embodiment which can be carried out even after the sale.

- Figure A shows the synthetic operation of the invention in open loop.

FIG. B shows the synthetic operation of the invention in a closed loop.

 The invention relates to a vibration and shock absorbing device for a shoe or the like, vibrations or shocks arising on impact between the ground and the shoe, for example by making a measurement of these vibrations or shocks on the shoe or the like and by neutralizing the shock wave which it represents by electrically modulating the thickness and (or the rigidity of one or more actuator (3) in particular placed between the foot and the shoe, or integrated inside the sole of the shoe or assimilated.

The parasitic vibrations or shocks which arise and apply to the shoe or the like exist, in variable proportions, in the three dimensions (Ox, Oy, Oz) of the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system which in fact represents three possible vibration planes (Ox, 0y), (Ox, Oz) and (Oy, Oz).

In order to make the description as simple as possible, we will describe the operation of the invention in a single vibration plane.

According to the invention, the device can be applied in particular in one, two or three planes or any partial combination of these planes.

 According to the invention the device comprises one or more vibration or shock sensors (1) intended to measure the value of the shock wave created during the impact between the shoe and the ground, for example by propagating in particular the contact between the shoe and the ground vertically in the plane (Ox, Oy), an electronic unit (2) producing the counter signal intended to drive the actuator (3), one or more actuators (3) which may be beech in particular of type o electric and having the characteristic of being able to modulate its thickness and its rigidity in its three dimensions (Ox, Oy, Oz) according to an appropriate electrical signal.

 According to the invention, the vibration or shock sensor (s) (1) can be of different types, in particular of the accelerometer, pressure sensor or any other type. The role of this vibration or shock sensor (1) is to give an image in magnitude that can be manipulated by the electronic unit (2), in particular an electrical voltage, vibrations or shocks applied to the shoe or the like, in one or more of the planes of the reference. Cartesian associated with the shoe.

According to rimrention, the electronic unit (2) has the function of developing the counter signal to be supplied to the actuator (3). This signal can be of different nature, in particular electrical, this one allowing the electronic unit (2) to control the actuator (3).

According to the invention, the actuator (3) has the function of being able to modulate its thickness and / or its rigidity in its three dimensions (Ox, Oy, Oz) as a function of an appropriate electrical signal. This actuator can be of different types, electrical, mechanical, electromechanical, ferrofluid, in particular piezoelectric or any other.

In Figure 1, we give an example of monolithic integration of i, 12 and 2.

In the first embodiment, Figure 2, the measurement module (4) is installed at the quarry of the shoe. This positioning is not restrictive, the invention claims any other positioning of this module. The actuator (3) is integrated directly into the sole (6) of the shoe in order to be able to modify the desired parameters at the very heart of the sole. This embodiment is only possible as original equipment, during the manufacture of the sole by the manufacturer.

In the second embodiment, Figure 3, 8actuator (3) is positioned on the sole (6), which provides an interface between the foot and the sole. Due to its design, this embodiment is possible as original equipment (in the factory) or aftermarket (after purchase). Due to its design, this embodiment is the preferred of the inventor.

In the third embodiment, FIG. 4, the actuator (3) is integrated into the sole, but it is in several parts, which makes it possible to produce more punctual counter-shock sources. This embodiment is only possible in original equipment.

In the fourth embodiment, FIG. 5, the actuator (3) integrates the measurement module (1) within it. This embodiment makes it possible to have a monolithic system
According to the invention, the 3 preceding embodiments are not restrictive, and the invention claims any total or partial combination of these embodiments.

The third and fourth figures represent 2 possible functional realizations.

In the first functional mode of the third figure, the device is said to be "in open loop", in fact, the latter performs a measurement of the vibration or of the shock and emits a counter signal on hypotheses provided from the manufacturing of the device in order to 'cancel this shock.

In the second functional mode of the fourth figure, the device is said to be zen closed loop ", in fact, this device performs in closed loop a regulation of vibrations or shocks for a zero setpoint, the purpose of which is to seek to regulate vibrations and cancel them.

To do this, the electronic unit (2) actuates the actuator (s) (3), and measures using the vibration sensor (s) (1) the result of its action, and corrects it if it is not optimal .

This operating mode is preferred by the inventor, in fact this allows automatic adaptation of the counter signal to the original signal.

According to the invention, the 2 preceding functional modes are not restrictive, and the invention claims any total or partial combination of these functional modes.

 It therefore appears obvious after the description of the invention, that this allows real-time correction of the mechanical problems intrinsic to any manufacture, and therefore opens the possibility of having a shoe or the like fully self-adapting to its environment ( weight, environment, aging, etc.).

Claims (6)

 1- A vibration or shock absorbing device for a shoe or the like, characterized in that it comprises one or more vibration or shock sensors (i) allowing the measurement of the vibrations or shocks emitted on the shoe or the like, an electronic block (2 ) allowing the development of the counter signal to be applied to the actuator (3), an actuator (3) having the characteristic of being able to modulate its thickness eVou its rigidity in one or more of its axes as a function of an appropriate electrical signal, in order to modify the above characteristics in order to absorb parasitic vibrations and shocks. 2-Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the measurement module (4) can be attached externally to the shoe or the like, integrated into the actuator (3) or integrated into the shoe or the like but having the purpose of measurement vibrations or shocks applied to the shoe or the like. 3- Device according to claim 1 and 2 characterized in that the functional mode of the device can be either open loop, or closed loop or a combination of some or all of these modes.  4-device according to claim 1 characterized in that the vibration sensor or sensors can be of different nature, in particular accelerometer, pressure sensor or any other but having the characteristic of giving an image in size manipulable by the electronic unit ( 2) in particular an electric voltage, vibrations or shocks applied in one or more of the planes of the Cartesian coordinate system associated with the shoe or the like, the vibration or shock sensor (s) (1) can in particular measure the vibrations in one or more planes. 5- Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the actuator (s) (3) can be of different nature, in particular piezoelectric, ferrofluid or any other but having the characteristic of being able to modulate its thickness andlou its rigidity in its three dimensions (Ox , Oy, Oz) based on an appropriate electrical signal. 6- Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the actuator (3) can be located in particular inside the sole of the shoe or assimilated as a controllable core of the sole, or can be fixed in particular on the top of the sole of the shoe or assimilated as a dynamic shock absorber, or any partial or total combination of the preceding descriptions.