阅读说明：本技术 用于制造物品的输入组件 (Input assembly for an article of manufacture ) 是由 蒂凡妮.A.比尔斯 A.A.奥因斯 S.H.沃克 于 2017-03-15 设计创作，主要内容包括：鞋类物品、服装物品或护具可以包括用于收紧的张紧设备,例如,将物品固定到穿着者的鞋带、缆绳或绳子或其它装置。张紧设备接收来自与张紧设备通信的输入组件的信号。输入组件可以包括具有扭转环或允许所述输入组件适应鞋类的穿着者的不同动作的其它曲线节段的成对的导线。输入组件还可包括柔性环氧树脂覆盖物,该柔性环氧树脂覆盖物保护做导线和包括输入装置的印刷电路板之间的连接。(An article of footwear, apparel, or brace may include a tensioning device for tightening, such as a lace, cable, or rope or other means of securing the article to the wearer. The tensioning device receives a signal from an input assembly in communication with the tensioning device. The input assembly may include pairs of wires with twist rings or other curvilinear segments that allow the input assembly to accommodate different motions of the wearer of the footwear. The input assembly may also include a flexible epoxy cover that protects the connections between the wires and the printed circuit board that includes the input device.)

1. An input assembly, comprising:

a first conductor having a proximal end and a distal end;

a second conductor having a proximal end and a distal end;

a printed circuit board having a first connection point and a second connection point, the first conductor connected to the first connection point at the distal end portion, the second conductor connected to the second connection point at the distal end portion;

the first conductor forms a first torsion ring between the distal end of the first conductor and the proximal end of the first conductor, the first torsion ring having a first diameter, and the second conductor forms a second torsion ring between the distal end of the second conductor and the proximal end of the second conductor, the second torsion ring having a second diameter, such that the first torsion ring and the second torsion ring form opposing torsion rings;

wherein the first torsion ring comprises a first inner retaining member that slidably retains the first conductor; and

the second torsion ring includes a second inner retaining member that slidably retains the second conductor.

2. The input assembly of claim 1, wherein the first torsion ring further comprises a first outer retaining member that fixedly retains the first conductor, and wherein the second torsion ring further comprises a second outer retaining member that fixedly retains the second conductor.

3. The input assembly of claim 1, wherein the first diameter decreases and the second diameter decreases as a distance from the proximal end of the first conductor to the distal end of the first conductor increases.

4. The input assembly of claim 1, wherein the first diameter increases and the second diameter increases as a distance from the proximal end of the first conductor to the distal end of the first conductor decreases.

5. The input assembly of claim 1, wherein the first torsion ring operates to reduce tension between the distal end of the first conductor and the first connection point and the second torsion ring operates to reduce tension between the distal end of the second conductor and the second connection point as a distance between the proximal end of the first conductor and the distal end of the first conductor increases.

6. The input assembly of claim 1, further comprising a flexible epoxy covering surrounding the first connection point and the distal end portion of the first conductor and the second connection point and the distal end portion of the second conductor.

7. The input assembly of claim 6, wherein the distal end of the first conductor and the distal end of the second conductor are connected to the printed circuit board at a connection angle, and wherein the flexible epoxy covering limits the connection angle to less than 5 °.

8. A method, comprising:

forming a first pair of conductors having a proximal end and a distal end, the first pair of conductors comprising a first conductor and a second conductor, wherein the first conductor has a proximal end and a distal end and the second conductor has a proximal end and a distal end;

forming a second pair of conductors having a proximal end and a distal end, the second pair of conductors including a third conductor and a fourth conductor, wherein the third conductor has a proximal end and a distal end and the fourth conductor has a proximal end and a distal end;

obtaining a printed circuit board having a first connection point, a second connection point, a third connection point, and a fourth connection point; and

a first connection point connecting the first conductor to a printed circuit board at the distal end portion, a second connection point connecting the second conductor to a printed circuit board at the distal end portion, a third connection point connecting the third conductor to a printed circuit board at the distal end portion, and a fourth connection point connecting the fourth conductor to a printed circuit board at the distal end portion;

wherein the first conductor forms a first torsion ring between the distal end of the first conductor and the proximal end of the first conductor, the first torsion ring having a first diameter, and the second conductor forms a second torsion ring between the distal end of the second conductor and the proximal end of the second conductor, the second torsion ring having a second diameter such that the first torsion ring and the second torsion ring form opposing torsion rings;

a first stationary inner retaining member slidably retaining the first conductor and the second conductor; and

a second inner retaining member is secured that slidably retains the third and fourth conductors.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

a first outer holding member that fixedly holds the first conductor and the second conductor,

a second external holding member that fixedly holds the third conductor and the fourth conductor is fixed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first diameter decreases and the second diameter decreases as a distance from the proximal end of the first conductor to the distal end of the first conductor increases.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first diameter increases and the second diameter increases as a distance from the proximal end of the first conductor to the distal end of the first conductor decreases.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first torsion ring operates to reduce tension between the distal end of the first conductor and the first connection point and the second torsion ring operates to reduce tension between the distal end of the third conductor and the third connection point as a distance between the proximal end of the first pair of conductors and the distal end of the first pair of conductors increases.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising surrounding the first connection point and the distal end of the first conductor, the second connection point and the distal end of the second conductor, the third connection point and the distal end of the third conductor, and the fourth connection point and the distal end of the fourth conductor with a flexible epoxy covering.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the distal end of the first conductor, the distal end of the second conductor, the distal end of the third conductor, and the distal end of the fourth conductor are connected to the printed circuit board at a connection angle, and wherein the flexible epoxy covering limits the connection angle to less than 5 °.

15. An input assembly, comprising:

a first pair of conductors having a proximal end and a distal end, the first pair of conductors comprising a first conductor and a second conductor, wherein the first conductor has a proximal end and a distal end and the second conductor has a proximal end and a distal end;

a second pair of conductors having proximal and distal ends, the second pair of conductors including a third conductor and a fourth conductor, wherein the third conductor has a proximal end and a distal end and the fourth conductor has a proximal end and a distal end;

a printed circuit board having a first connection point, a second connection point, a third connection point, and a fourth connection point;

the first conductor is connected to the first connection point at the distal end portion, the second conductor is connected to the second connection point at the distal end portion, the third conductor is connected to the third connection point at the distal end portion, and the fourth conductor is connected to the fourth connection point at the distal end portion;

the first pair of conductors forming a first torsion ring between the distal ends of the first pair of conductors and the proximal ends of the first pair of conductors, the first torsion ring having a first diameter, and the second pair of conductors forming a second torsion ring between the distal ends of the second pair of conductors and the proximal ends of the second pair of conductors, the second torsion ring having a second diameter;

the first torsion ring includes a first inner retaining member that slidably retains both the first conductor and the second conductor; and

the second torsion ring includes a second inner retaining member that slidably retains both the third conductor and the fourth conductor.

16. The input assembly of claim 15, wherein the first torsion ring further comprises a first outer retaining member that fixedly retains both the first conductor and the second conductor, and wherein the second torsion ring further comprises a second outer retaining member that fixedly retains both the third conductor and the fourth conductor.

17. The input assembly of claim 15, wherein the first diameter decreases and the second diameter decreases as a distance from the proximal end of the first conductor to the distal end of the first conductor increases.

18. The input assembly of claim 15, wherein the first diameter increases and the second diameter increases as a distance from the proximal end of the first conductor to the distal end of the first conductor decreases.

19. The input assembly of claim 15, wherein the first torsion ring operates to reduce tension between the distal end of the first conductor and the first connection point and the second torsion ring operates to reduce tension between the distal end of the third conductor and the third connection point as the distance between the proximal end of the first pair of conductors and the distal end of the first pair of conductors increases.

20. The input assembly of claim 15, further comprising a flexible epoxy covering surrounding the first connection point and the distal end of the first conductor, the second connection point and the distal end of the second conductor, the third connection point and the distal end of the third conductor, and the fourth connection point and the distal end of the fourth conductor.

Technical Field

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to input assemblies for articles of manufacture.

Background

An article of footwear generally includes two primary elements: an upper and a sole structure. The upper is generally formed from a plurality of material elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheets, foam layers, leather, and synthetic leather) that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form a void on the interior of the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving a foot. More specifically, the upper forms a structure that extends over instep and toe areas of the foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot. The upper may also incorporate a closure system to adjust the fit of the footwear, as well as to allow the foot to enter and be removed from the void within the upper. Likewise, some articles of apparel (e.g., pants, shorts, hats, jogging bras) and certain braces (e.g., knee braces, shoulder pads, helmets, and knee pads) may include various closure systems for adjusting the fit of the apparel or brace.