Lacing apparatus for automated footwear platform

Abstract

Systems and apparatus related to automated tightening of a footwear platform including a footwear lacing apparatus are discussed. In an example, a footwear lacing apparatus can include a housing structure, a spool, and a drive mechanism. The housing structure can include a top section and a bottom section. The spool can include a superior surface, a lace spool under the superior surface and a spool shaft with a keyed connection pin. The spool can also be integrated into the top section of the housing structure. The drive mechanism can couple with the spool via the keyed connection pin on the spool shaft. The drive mechanism can be adapted to rotate the spool to tighten or loosen a lace cable integrated into the footwear.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A footwear apparatus, comprising:
 an upper;   a sole structure coupled to the upper; and   
       an adaptive engine positioned with respect to one of the upper and the sole structure and configured to change a property of one of the upper and the sole structure according to a continuum related to a parameter of the adaptive engine, wherein the continuum is divided into segments associated with different, increasing degrees of the property, and wherein the adaptive engine is configured to select one of the segments of the continuum and implement the property according to the segment as selected. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a rotational device including a shaft with a keyed connection pin extending through the shaft; and
 wherein the adaptive engine is coupled to the rotational device via the keyed connection pin on the spool shaft and includes a key to engage the keyed connection pin;   wherein the adaptive engine coupling with the keyed connection pin on the shaft is adapted to produce a lag time between reversing the adaptive engine to produce a transition from a first state associated with a first one of the segments to a second state associated with a second one of the segments and engaging the keyed connection pin to drive rotation of the rotational device in a direction to produce the second state.   
     
     
         4 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the adaptive engine includes a gear surrounding a portion of the shaft and engaging the keyed connection pin. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the gear includes a key engaging the keyed connection pin on the shaft over a faction of the rotational travel of the gear. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein lacing engine coupling with the keyed connection pin includes a protrusion extending from a surface of a gear surrounding the shaft, wherein the protrusion engages a first side of the keyed connection pin when the gear is rotated in a first direction and engages a second side of the keyed connection pin when the gear is rotated in a second direction. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the lag time is produced by a travel time for the protrusion to rotate from engagement with a first side of the keyed connection pin to engagement with a second side of the keyed connection pin. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein during the transition between the first state and the second state the rotational device is free to rotate in the direction to produce the second state until the keyed connection pin re-engages the adaptive engine. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein rotation of the rotational device in the direction to produce the second state can lengthen the lag time. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a housing having a top section enclosing the rotational device and the shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the segments of a low end of the continuum reflect larger changes in the property than the segments at a high end of the continuum. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making a footwear apparatus, comprising:
 coupling an upper to a sole structure; and   positioning an adaptive engine with respect to one of the upper and the sole structure, the adaptive engine configured to change a property of one of the upper and the sole structure according to a continuum related to a parameter of the adaptive engine, wherein the continuum is divided into segments associated with different, increasing degrees of the property, and wherein the adaptive engine is configured to select one of the segments of the continuum and implement the property according to the segment as selected.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising coupling a rotational device including a shaft with a keyed connection pin extending through the shaft to the adaptive engine; and
 wherein the adaptive engine is coupled to the rotational device via the keyed connection pin on the spool shaft and includes a key to engage the keyed connection pin;   wherein the adaptive engine coupling with the keyed connection pin on the shaft is adapted to produce a lag time between reversing the adaptive engine to produce a transition from a first state associated with a first one of the segments to a second state associated with a second one of the segments and engaging the keyed connection pin to drive rotation of the rotational device in a direction to produce the second state   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the adaptive engine includes a gear surrounding a portion of the shaft and engaging the keyed connection pin. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the gear includes a key engaging the keyed connection pin on the shaft over a faction of the rotational travel of the gear. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein adaptive engine coupling with the keyed connection pin includes a protrusion extending from a surface of a gear surrounding the shaft, wherein the protrusion engages a first side of the keyed connection pin when the gear is rotated in a first direction and engages a second side of the keyed connection pin when the gear is rotated in a second direction. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the lag time is produced by a travel time for the protrusion to rotate from engagement with a first side of the keyed connection pin to engagement with a second side of the keyed connection pin. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein during the transition between the first state and the second state the rotational device is free to rotate in the direction to obtain the second state until the keyed connection pin re-engages the adaptive engine. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein rotation of the rotational device in the direction to achieve the second state can lengthen the lag time. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising enclosing the rotational device and shaft inside a housing. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the segments of a low end of the continuum reflect larger changes in the property than the segments at a high end of the continuum.