US20130174451A1

US20130174451A1 - Shoe or boot with an integrated electrical device

Info

Publication number: US20130174451A1
Application number: US13/344,668
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerhard Kremer; Urs Maron
Original assignee: Therm IC Products GmbH Nfg and Co KG
Current assignee: Sidas Central GmbH; Therm IC Products GmbH Nfg and Co KG
Priority date: 2012-01-06
Filing date: 2012-01-06
Publication date: 2013-07-11

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe having an electrical device integrated in the shoe, an operating part for manual control of the device by means of at least one operating element of the operating part, an electrical contact element which is connected to the device via an electrical conductor, a housing for the electrical contact element, a housing part of the housing which is connected securely to the shoe having a recess for receiving the contact element in the recess, the housing having a closing element which is connected securely to the housing part and covers the recess in a closed position of the closing element, the closing element having a first connection element and the housing part having a second connection element which can be connected detachably to the first connection element for fixing the closing element in the closed position.

Description

The invention relates to a shoe having a sole, an upper and an electrical device integrated in the shoe, in particular a heating device of the shoe, an operating part for manual control or operation of the device, an electrical contact element, and having a housing for the electrical contact element.
There should be understood here by the term shoe all types of shoes. There are hence possible as shoe, both boots, such as for instance walking boots, ski boots, wellingtons or work boots, and also shoes, such as for instance walking shoes, sports shoes or golf shoes. The shoe comprises a sole (base) and an upper (upper part). The mentioned device can concern for example a heating device of the shoe. The device generally includes an electrical energy store which can likewise be integrated in the shoe. It is known to charge the device with an external battery charger via the contact element.
The housing for the contact element typically serves to protect the contact element from external influences, such as for instance vibrations, impacts, moisture or contamination. A further object of the housing can reside in avoiding undesired electrical contacting of the contact element, for example with an electrically charged or electrically conducting body.
In order to fulfil these tasks, the housing of a conventional generic shoe includes a housing part which is securely connected to the shoe and typically has a recess for receiving the contact element in this recess. As a result of the fact that the housing part circumscribes or encapsulates the contact element in the recess spatially at least in regions, the contact element is protected from the external influences mentioned above to a certain degree. Frequently, this recess is configured in the form of an undercut so that only a relatively small access opening in the recess is produced, through which the contact element disposed in the recess is accessible from outside, for example by a plug of a battery charger which is inserted into the recess through the access opening for contacting with the contact element.
It is frequently attempted to prevent penetration of moisture and/or dirt up to the contact element by means of a particularly small or narrow shaping of this access opening. Nevertheless, sufficient protection of the contact element cannot always be achieved in this way.
The shoe proposed here is therefore intended to ensure particularly reliable protection of the contact element from external influences, such as from the above-mentioned external influences, and nevertheless to offer easy accessibility of the contact element.
The shoe proposed here is intended in addition to make it possible to separate as many as possible of the electrical components of the shoe, i.e. in particular the contact element, and as far as possible also a control unit of the device contained typically in the operating part, from the shoe without great complexity and to be able to connect them later again to the shoe. In this way, it is intended to be possible to repair the relevant components or to exchange them or even to keep them separate from the shoe, for example in order to be able to clean the shoe thoroughly without running the risk of damaging these electrical components of the shoe.
This object is achieved by a shoe according to the main claim. Developments and special embodiments of the shoe are revealed in the dependent claims.
In the shoe according to the invention which is proposed here and has a sole and an upper, an electrical device, for example a heating device is accordingly integrated and can include one or more electrical energy stores. The device includes a control unit for controlling the device, for example for adjusting a heating power of the mentioned heating device. The control unit can be connected for this purpose via electrical lines to other components of the device, such as for instance the mentioned energy store or one or more heating elements. In addition, the shoe has an operating part connected to the upper for manual operation of the device via the control unit. For this purpose, the operating part can have one or more, preferably two, operating elements, such as keys, push buttons, control knobs or switches, for manual operation of the control unit via these operating elements.
The shoe according to the invention includes in addition an electrical contact element and also a housing for this contact element, the housing having a housing part which is connected securely to the upper. The housing part can have a receiving means for the contact element, into which the contact element can be received partially or preferably completely. The receiving means can be configured for example as a recess of the housing part, into which recess the contact element can be received partially or preferably completely.
The device is connected or can be connected preferably via an electrical conductor to the contact element. The device can have an electrical energy store which is chargeable preferably via the mentioned electrical conductor and the contact element, for example via an electrical battery charger which can be connected to the contact element.
The housing has a closing element which can be moved into a closed position, the closing element covering the contact element partially or preferably completely. If the housing part has the above-mentioned receiving means or recess, this receiving means or recess is covered partially or preferably completely by the closing element provided that this is situated in the closed position.
In one embodiment, the closing element has a first connection element and the housing part has a second connection element which can be connected detachably to the first connection element (for example in a form-fit and/or frictionally) and with which the closing element can be fixed in the closed position. In order for instance to open the mentioned receiving means or the recess and to make the contact element possibly contained therein accessible, this connection between closing element and housing part is released and the closing element is moved out of the closed position.
The closing element is connected securely to the housing part, preferably by a flexible, elastic intermediate part, so that the closing element is not mislaid. This intermediate part is connected preferably integrally to the housing part and the closing element or configured in one piece with the closing element or the housing part.
As a result of the fact that the contact element can be covered partially or preferably completely with the closing element which can be provided for example by a flap or a cover, it is achieved that the contact element (possibly contained in the receiving means or recess) can be protected effectively by the closing element from the mentioned external influences, such as for instance soiling or moisture.
Preferably, the closing element is configured in such a manner that it seals the contact element or the receiving means or the recess completely against moisture.
The housing part can be manufactured from a plastic material. Preferably, the housing part is manufactured from a flexible and/or elastic material. The closing element can also be manufactured from a plastic material. Preferably, the closing element is manufactured (likewise) from a flexible and/or elastic material. The use of flexible and/or elastic materials for the housing part and/or the closing element has the advantage of being pliable and hence of ensuring better wearing comfort of the shoe. For the housing part and the closing element there are therefore possible, for example thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), thermoplastic (poly)urethanes (TPU), rubber-like materials and silicones.
For connection of the housing part to the upper, the housing part can have a flange which surrounds the mentioned receiving means or recess preferably over the entire circumference. The flange can be connected or become connected securely, integrally and/or in a form-fit, for example by sewing, glueing, vulcanising or similar methods, to the upper or to an outer casing of the upper. Apart from by means of a flange, the housing part can of course also be connected to the shoe in a different way, a flange being however the preferred variant since it allows a particularly reliable and compact connection.
In a preferred embodiment, the contact element can be removed manually from the receiving means or recess of the housing part. This can be achieved by providing exclusively a connection between the contact element and the housing part which is releasable and restorable manually in an easy way and which can be imparted for example by a frictional connection and/or form-fit but not for instance by an integral connection. Removability of the contact element from the receiving means or recess improves the accessibility of the contact element for producing an electrical contact to the contact element, for example with an energy- or voltage source, such as for instance a battery charger. In addition, if the contact element is configured as a plug, this can be inserted particularly easily into a corresponding socket.
It is provided in a further development that the receiving means or the recess is shaped corresponding to the contact element by means of as exact a shape adaptation of the housing part as possible in the region of the receiving means or recess to an outer contour of the contact element. As a result, it can be achieved that the contact element can be retained particularly securely in the receiving means or recess (for instance by frictional and/or contact forces) since, due to the shape adaptation, a particularly large contact surface between the contact element and the housing part can be achieved. It can also be provided that the housing part has at least one retaining element in and/or on the receiving means or on the recess, for example in the form of a locking lug or a clip, in order to fix the contact element in the receiving means or recess.
Furthermore, the housing part can have a recessed grip or two or more recessed grips which abuts or abut directly against the receiving means or recess of the contact element. As a result, manual removal of the contact element from the receiving means or recess can be facilitated.
In one embodiment, an upper edge of the receiving means or recess extends within a plane defined by the above-mentioned flange of the housing part. It is also possible that this upper edge of the recess is disposed recessed in the housing part relative to this flange. As a result, a particularly compact configuration of the housing part with only a small constructional height of the housing part can be achieved in many cases. For example, it is possible to connect the housing to the upper by means of the flange such that the housing thereby protrudes only slightly beyond an outer surface of the shoe. It can also be provided that the operating part and/or the housing, provided that the closing element is situated in the closed position, terminates flush with the upper or at least protrudes outwards beyond the upper (10) by no more than 5 mm, preferably no more than 3 mm. This in turn has the advantage that the housing and hence also the contact element contained in the housing can be protected particularly well from external influences, such as for instance impacts or other mechanical influences, or from inadvertent removal of the closing element out of the closed position. For this purpose, it can also be provided that the receiving means or the recess for the contact element is disposed completely or at least partially below the upper, i.e. the receiving means or the recess for the contact element is disposed completely or at least partially below an outer surface of the upper. Correspondingly, it is likewise advantageous if the operating part likewise has a receiving means for the control unit of the device and this receiving means is disposed completely or at least partially below the upper, i.e. an outer surface of the upper.
In a further development which is distinguished by particularly easy operability and reliability of the closing element, it is provided that the first connection element of the closing element and the second connection element of the housing part are configured as corresponding locking elements which can be brought into a form-fit engagement with each other for fixing the closing element in the closed position. These locking elements respectively can be configured in the shape of a locking lug, a bead, a rim or as indentations or bulges which are configured in another manner or combinations hereof. In particular, it is possible that the housing part has a channel-shaped further recess which surrounds the first-mentioned recess (for receiving the contact element) preferably over the entire circumference. The second connection element of the housing part is then preferably configured as a locking element which is disposed on an upper edge of this further recess, for example in the form of a rim, a locking lug, a bead or the like. The first connection element of the closing element can be received as completely as possible in this further recess as soon as the closing element is situated in the closed position. In this way, a particularly effective sealing effect by the closing element can be achieved, on the one hand, with only a small constructional height of the housing.
It is also possible that the first connection element and/or the second connection element comprise Velcro elements which are likewise easy to operate and allow reliable fixing of the closing element in the closing position with merely a small constructional height.
Inside the recess for receiving the contact element, the housing part can have a through-opening, through which an electrical conductor connected to the contact element can be led or is led. (This through-opening should be differentiated from the above-mentioned access opening of the recess which is delimited by the upper edge of the recess and which can be closed by the closing element.) This conductor has the object of connecting the contact element to an electrical device, in particular to an energy store.
Preferably, this through-opening is dimensioned such that the conductor can be pushed through this through-opening or can be pulled through it, for instance in the case of the above-described manual removal of the contact element from the recess, in the case of which the conductor is not separated from the contact element. In addition, it can be provided that the contact element can also be pushed or pulled through this through-opening.
For this purpose, the housing part can be manufactured completely or at least in the vicinity of this through-opening from an elastic and/or flexible material in order to enable or facilitate such a movement of the contact element and/or of the conductor through the through-opening. By means of leading the contact element and/or the conductor through this through-opening in the recess, the contact element together with the electrical conductor connected to the contact element can be separated from the housing manually and without further aids. This is of particular advantage for example when the housing is connected securely to the shoe and the contact element is intended to be exchanged or the shoe is intended to be cleaned and the contact element must be separated from the shoe for this purpose.
In a further development, the recess includes an additional receiving region so that, in addition to the contact element, also an end-part of the electrical conductor connected to the contact element can be received in the recess or in this receiving region. In this way, removal of the contact element from the recess, on the one hand, and withdrawal of the contact element from the recess can be achieved up to a length of the end-part. In addition, it is subsequently possible to stow away the end-part again inside the recess.
As already described above, the mentioned conductor can be led through a through-opening through the housing part. This through-opening is preferably disposed in the recess of the housing part. In this way, it can be achieved in particular that the contact element can be removed from the recess or can be separated even entirely from the housing part without thereby separating the connection between the contact element and the conductor.
The contact element can be configured for example as a plug, for example for inserting the plug in a socket configured corresponding to the plug, for example of an electrical energy source, for example for energy supply of the device. In particular if this plug, as described above, can be removed from the recess and preferably subsequently pulled forward again a little bit, such insertion in a socket can be implemented very easily.
In a further embodiment of the shoe, it is provided that the operating part includes a first moulded part which is connected securely to the upper of the shoe and which can have the mentioned at least one operating element. The operating part includes in addition a second moulded part which can have a receiving means for the above-mentioned control unit of the device and which can be connected preferably detachably to the first moulded part. In this way, the control unit together with the second moulded part can be separated manually, i.e. by hand and without further aids, from the upper and connected again to the upper at a later time. This is advantageous in particular when the carrier or the clothing part is intended to be washed or when the control unit must be exchanged because of a defect. Advantageously, also the contact element can be separated manually from the shoe and possibly also exchanged at the same time through the housing proposed here for the contact element. Hence, the combination of the housing and operating part proposed here offers particularly simple and convenient handling of the shoe and, at the same time, high protection for the sensitive control unit and the contact element. Since in principle higher wear and tear, attrition and defects, such as for instance short circuits, can result precisely to these two electrical components as a result of frequent use and mechanical stress, simple manual exchangeability of precisely these two components is particularly advantageous. In conventional shoes, these components often cannot in contrast be separated from the shoe without further aids or not without further damage to these components, the housing, the operating part or the upper.
Preferably, the first moulded part has at least one first retaining element and, furthermore, the second moulded part has at least one second retaining element, the two retaining elements being able to be brought into mutual engagement for producing a detachable connection between the first moulded part and the second moulded part. These two moulded parts hence form an encapsulation for the control unit which protects it from external influences.
For example, it is possible that one of the at least one first retaining element is configured as a rim, locking lug or bead which preferably completely surrounds the first moulded part or that one of the at least one second retaining element is configured as a rim, locking lug or bead which preferably completely surrounds the second moulded part. As a result, a particularly stable and possibly also water-tight connection between the first and the second moulded part can be produced.
The second moulded part can have a hole which is disposed preferably in the receiving means for the control unit for leading electrical lines, in particular control lines, through the second moulded part. The receiving means can be configured as a recess in the second moulded part.
The receiving means or the recess can be covered for example by a protective covering, such as for instance a protective foil or a protective cover. There are possible for the protective covering (just as for the first and the second moulded part) the same materials which were mentioned above for the housing for the contact element, i.e. in particular silicone. By means of the protective covering, the control unit can be protected particularly well, for example from moisture, spray water, contamination or mechanical influences, even if the second moulded part is separated from the first moulded part. Preferably, the protective covering is connected integrally to the second moulded part, for instance by glueing with silicone or another adhesive, and in fact preferably with a region or flange of the second moulded part which surrounds the receiving means. In this way, the protection class with IP code 54 (IP54) can be achieved. In addition, by means of a protective covering, the control unit can be prevented from falling out of the receiving means unintentionally, if the moulded parts are not connected to each other. It is also possible to fill the receiving means entirely or partially with an adhesive, such as for instance silicone, before inserting the control unit and subsequently to insert the control unit in the receiving means. In this way, the control unit is fixed particularly well and protected from external influences.
Further embodiments of the operating part can be deduced from the patent application U.S. 61/544,392, the content of which is herewith incorporated in its entirety into the present patent application.
The first moulded part of the operating part is connected securely to the upper of the shoe, preferably via the flange of the first moulded part, for example by sewing, glueing to the carrier or by vulcanising.
In principle, it is also possible to equip another clothing part, instead of the shoe, with the housing and operating part proposed here. Therefore, the term “shoe” could be replaced, in the preceding and subsequent description, in general by “clothing part” and “upper” by outer casing. There are possible inter alia as clothing part: glove, jacket, trousers, pullover, cap, sleeping bag and cover.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the special embodiments shown in the subsequent Figures. There are shown:

FIG. 1 a a schematic overview over components of a shoe of the type proposed here,

FIG. 1 b cross-section through an operating part of a shoe of the type proposed here,

FIG. 1 c cross-section through a housing for a contact element of a shoe of the type proposed here,

FIGS. 2 a to 2 d two special embodiments of a shoe of the type proposed here in different views,

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b detailed views of the housing part of the housing shown in FIG. 1 c,

FIG. 3 c further development of the housing part shown in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b,

FIG. 4 view of the housing shown in FIG. 1 c,

FIGS. 5 a and 5 b further views of the housing shown in FIG. 1 c,

FIG. 6 a detailed view of the housing shown in FIGS. 2 d and 2 e.

Repeated reference numbers thereby mark the same or corresponding features.
In FIG. 1 a, individual components of a shoe 1 of the type proposed here and electrical connections between these components are represented schematically. Some of these components of the shoe 1 are in particular a housing 2 and an operating part 19. A preferred embodiment of the operating part 19 is shown in FIG. 1 b, a preferred embodiment of the housing 2 in FIG. 1 c respectively in a detailed, schematic representation.
A schematic representation of an outer view on a preferred embodiment of a shoe 1 of the type proposed here with the components shown in FIG. 1 a is represented in FIGS. 2 a-2 c. A further embodiment is shown in FIGS. 2 d and 2 e which differs from the embodiment shown in. FIGS. 2 a-2 c merely by the configuration of the housing 2. As can be detected from these representations, the shoe 1 concerns respectively a boot, for example a walking boot.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 c, the housing 2 includes a housing part 3 which has a recess 4 in which an electrical contact element 5 can be received. The housing 2 has furthermore a closing element 6 which is connected securely to the housing part 3 and, as shown in FIG. 1 c, is situated in a closed position in which the closing element 6 covers the recess 4 of the housing part 3 completely and in a water-tight manner.
The closing element 6 has a first connection element 7 which is configured as a rim or bead which completely surrounds an edge of the closing element 6. The housing part 3 has a second connection element 8 which is formed likewise as a rim or bead which is disposed on an upper edge 11 of the recess 4 and hence completely surrounds the recess 4 circumferentially.
The first closing element 7 and the second closing element 8 are configured as locking elements which can be connected to each other detachably by mutual rear-engagement in order to fix the closing element 6 in this way in the closed position. By means of the closing element 6, the recess 4 and hence also the contact element 5 contained therein is protected completely from external influences, such as for instance dirt and moisture.
The housing part 2 has in addition a flange 9 which surrounds the recess 4 over the entire circumference and which is sewn to an upper 10 of the shoe 1, as represented in FIGS. 2 a to 2 e.
The upper edge 11 of the recess 4 is situated in a plane defined by the flange 9. However it could also be disposed further recessed in the housing part 3 in order to ensure in this way an even flatter constructional shape of the housing 2 which then protrudes even less beyond the carrier 4. As can be detected with reference to FIGS. 1 b and 1 c, the housing 2 and also the operating part (19) are flush with the upper (10) and protrude by no more than 5 mm, preferably no more than 3 mm, beyond the upper (10) externally (i.e. at the top in the Figures).
The housing part 3 and also the closing element 6 of the housing 2 are manufactured from an elastic, flexible material which is provided in the present case by silicone.
The housing part 3 has in addition a further recess 12 which is formed as a channel which surrounds the recess 4 over the entire circumference and into which the first connection element 7 engages. In this way, the closing element 6 also protrudes only slightly beyond the flange 9.
Inside the recess 4, the housing part 3 has a through-opening 13 through which an electrical conductor 14 is led. The electrical conductor 14 is connected by one end to the contact element 5 and, by another end, to an electrical, controllable device 15 of the shoe 1, as is shown in FIG. 1 a.
The device 15 in this example is configured as a heating device and has an energy store 16 which can be charged by an external battery charger (not shown here) via the contact element 5,
The device 15 includes a plurality of heating elements 17 configured as heating wires (only one is illustrated in FIG. 1 a) which are connected to the energy store 16 in an electrically conducting manner. The heating elements 17 and also the energy store 16 can be integrated for example in an insole of a boot or in a glove or in a different item of the clothing parts mentioned above. As a result of the fact that the housing part 3 consists of a flexible, elastic material, the contact element 5 can be pushed or pulled through the through-opening 13. Hence the contact element 5 can be separated for example from the housing 2 and subsequently inserted again into the housing 2. This has the advantage that the contact element 5 can also be detached from the carrier 10 although the housing part 3 is connected securely to the carrier. In addition, it is possible, after the closing element 6 which is configured as a cover has been removed from the recess 4, to pull the contact element 5 upwards out of the recess 4 by a small distance, the electrical conductor 14 being able to be led a little further through the through-opening. In this way, it is particularly simple to plug the contact element 5, which is configured in this embodiment as a plug, into a socket of a battery charger (not shown here) in order to charge the energy store 16.
The device 15 can be controlled via a control unit 18 of the device 15, via which various heating levels or power levels of the device 15 can be adjusted. The control unit 18 is disposed inside an operating unit 19 of the system 1, as is shown in the embodiment represented schematically in FIG. 1 b.
The operating part 19 has a first moulded part 20 which is connected securely to the carrier 10 via a flange 21 of the first moulded part 20 by means of sewing and has two operating elements 22 which are configured as keys and via which the control unit 18 can be operated manually in order to set different heating levels. The operating part 19 includes in addition a second moulded part 23 which has a receiving means 24 which is configured as a recess and in which the control unit 18 is received. The receiving means 24 is covered by a foil-like protective covering 34 so that the control unit 18 is also protected from moisture and dust when the second moulded part 23 is not connected to the first moulded part 20. The protective covering 34 and also the first and second moulded part 20, 23 respectively are manufactured from silicone, the protective covering 34 being connected (glued) integrally to the second moulded part 23 by a silicone adhesive. The receiving means 24 is likewise filled with silicone adhesive below the control unit 18 in order to achieve a material connection between the receiving means 24 and the control unit by means of this silicone adhesive.
As can be detected in FIGS. 1 b and 1 c, both the control unit 18 and the contact element 5 are disposed (at least partially) below an outer surface 10′ of the upper 10 and hence are protected particularly well from external influences, such as for instance impacts.
In addition, the first moulded part 20 includes a first retaining element 25 and the second moulded part 23 includes a second retaining element 26, the two retaining elements 25, 26 being brought into mutual engagement in order to produce a detachable connection between the first moulded part 20 and the second moulded part 23. By means of the two moulded parts 20, 23 of the operating part 19 which are connected to each other, the control unit 18 is completely encapsulated and protected in this way from external influences, such as for example from dirt and moisture. The two moulded parts 20, 23 are manufactured from an elastic material, such as silicone. As a result, it is particularly simple to connect the two retaining elements 25, 26 to each other or again to detach them from each other. In addition, the wearing comfort of the carrier 10 can be increased, if this is for instance a clothing part, by the flexibility of the operating part 19 and of the housing 2.
The second moulded part 23 has a hole 27 through which a control line 28 is led, which control line connects the control unit 18 to the energy store 16, and also a further control line 28′ which connects the control unit to the heating element 17. Via the control lines 28 and 28′, an electrical power is transferred to the heating element from the energy store 16 via the control unit 18 according to the heating level set by the operating elements 22 so that said heating element is heated to a greater or lesser extent according to the heating level.
In FIG. 2 a, in particular the operating part 19 of the shoe 1 can be detected, having the operating elements 22 for operating the control unit contained in the operating part 19. The operating part 19 is disposed on an outer side of the shoe 1 and connected securely to the outer casing 10 of the shoe.
In FIGS. 2 b and 2 c, the inside of the shoe 1 can be seen, on which the housing 2 of the shoe 1 is connected securely to the outer casing 10 of the shoe 1. In. FIG. 2 b, the closing element 6 is situated in the closed position in which the closing element 6 covers and seals the recess 4. In FIG. 2 c, the closing element 6 is opened. In addition, the contact element 5 which is configured as a plug and is pulled out a. little from the recess 4 can be detected. The connection elements with which the closing element 6 is fixed in the closed position shown in FIG. 2 b are configured as locking elements in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 c.
In the second of the two mentioned embodiments of the shoe 1, which is represented schematically in FIGS. 2 d and 2 e, the connection elements of the housing 2 are designed as Velcro elements 29.
In FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, the housing part 3 of the housing 2 shown in FIGS. 1 c, 2 b and 2 c is represented schematically in a detailed view diagonally from above, one with and one without contact element 5, the closing element however not being shown. The features of the housing part 3 have hereby been provided with the corresponding reference numbers. As can be detected in FIG. 3 a, the contact element 5 is received in a form-fit in a rim which is formed in the recess 4 and which has the complementary shape of the contact element 5. As a result of the elasticity of the rim and the friction between contact element 5 and rim, the contact element 5 is retained securely.
The housing part 3 shown in FIG. 3 c differs from that shown in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b by recessed grips 31, a receiving region 32 in which an end-part of the conductor 14 can be stowed away, and also by retaining elements 33 which are configured as locking lugs and with which the contact element 5 can be fixed particularly securely in the receiving means 4.
In FIGS. 4 and 5 a, the housing 2 shown in FIGS. 1 c, 2 b and 2 c is represented in a view diagonally from above, the closing element 6 being shown in the closed position—in contrast to the representations shown in FIGS. 3 a to 3 c. In addition, an intermediate part 30 can be detected which connects the closing element 6 to the housing part 3 so that the closing element 6 cannot be mislaid.
In FIG. 5 b, the housing 2 shown in FIGS. 1 c, 2 b and 2 c is represented schematically in a detailed view diagonally from above, the closing element 6 now being open so that the contact element 5 is freely accessible.
In FIG. 6, the housing shown in FIGS. 2 d and 2 e is represented schematically in a detailed view, the closing element 6 being opened and the contact element 5 configured as a plug being pulled out a little from the housing 2. In addition, a Velcro element 29 on the closing element 6 can be detected.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

1 shoe
2 housing
3 housing part
4 recess
5 electrical contact element
6 closing element
7 first connection element
8 second connection element
9 flange
10 carrier
11 upper edge of the recess
12 further recess
13 through-opening
14 electrical conductor
15 electrical device
16 energy store
17 heating element
18 control unit
19 operating part
20 first moulded part
21 flange
22 operating element
23 second moulded part
24 receiving means for the control unit
25 first retaining element
26 second retaining element
27 hole
28 control line
29 Velcro element
30 connection part
31 recessed grip
32 receiving region
33 retaining element
34 protective covering

Claims

1. Shoe (1) having an upper (10) and a sole, comprising:

an electrical device (15) integrated in the shoe (1), having a control unit (18) for controlling the device (15),

an operating part (19) connected to the upper (10) for manual operation of the control unit (18),

an electrical contact element (5),

a housing (2) for the electrical contact element (5), the housing (2) including a housing part (3) which is connected securely to the upper (10) and a closing element (6) which is connected securely to the housing part (3), the closing element (6) being able to be brought into a closed position in which the closing element (6) covers the contact element (5).

2. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the closing element (6) has a first connection element (7) and the housing part (3) has a second connection element (8) which can be connected detachably to the first connection element (7) for fixing the closing element (6) in the closed position.

3. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the housing part (3) has a receiving means (4) for receiving the contact element (5) in the receiving means (4), the receiving means (4) being closed by the closing element (6) if the closing element (6) is situated in the closed position.

4. Shoe (1) of claim 3, characterised in that the receiving means (4) is configured as a recess in the housing part (3).

5. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the housing part (3) has a flange (9), via which the housing part (3) is connected securely to the upper (10), in particular by sewing, glueing or vulcanising.

6. Shoe (1) of claim 5, characterised in that an upper edge (11) of the receiving means (4) is disposed within a plane defined by the flange (9) or in that the upper edge (11) of the receiving means (4) is disposed recessed relative to the flange (9) in the housing part (3).

7. Shoe (1) of claim 3, characterised in that the receiving means (4) is shaped corresponding to the contact element (5) by means of a shape adaptation of the housing part (3) in the region of the receiving means (4) to an outer contour of the contact element (5).

8. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the housing part (3) and/or the closing element (6) is manufactured from a flexible material, in particular from silicone.

9. Shoe (1) of claim 2, characterised in that the first connection element (7) of the closing element (6) and the second connection element (8) of the housing part (3) are configured as corresponding locking elements which can be brought into a form-fit engagement for fixing the closing element (6) in the closed position.

10. Shoe (1) of claim 2, characterised in that the first connection element (7) and/or the second connection element (8) comprise Velcro elements (29).

11. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the operating part (19) and/or the housing (2), provided that the closing element (6) is situated in the closed position, terminate flush with the upper (10) or protrude outwards beyond the upper (10) by no more than 5 mm, preferably no more than 3 mm.

12. Shoe (1) of claim 3, characterised in that the receiving means (4) for the contact element (5) is disposed completely or at least partially below the upper (10).

13. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the operating part (19) has a receiving means (24) for the control unit (18) of the device (15), the receiving means (24) being disposed completely or at least partially below the upper (10).

14. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that exclusively detachable connections exist both between the contact element (5) and the housing (2) and also between the control unit (18) and the operating part (19), preferably exclusively form-fit and/or frictional connections, for simple, manual separability of the contact element (5) and of the control unit (18) from the upper (10).

15. Shoe (1) of claim 3, characterised in that a conductor (14) connected to the contact element (5) is led through a through-opening in the housing part (3), the contact element (5) being removable manually from the receiving means (4), whilst maintaining the electrical connection between the contact element (5) and the conductor (14).

16. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the contact element (5) is configured as a plug for inserting the plug in a socket configured corresponding to the plug, in particular in a socket of an electrical voltage source for energy supply of the device (15).

17. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the device (15) includes a heating device for heating the shoe, which device includes an electrical energy store which can be charged via the electrical contact element (5), in particular by means of an electrical battery charger which can be connected to the contact element.

18. Shoe (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the operating part (19) includes a first moulded part (20) which is connected securely to the upper (1) and which has at least one operating element (22) for operating the device (15) by means of the operating element (22), and the operating part (19) including in addition a second moulded part (23) which has a receiving means (24) for a control unit (18) of the device (15) and being connectable to the first moulded part (20), the first moulded part (20) having at least one first retaining element (25) and the second moulded part (23) having at least one second retaining element (26), the two retaining elements (25, 26) being able to be brought into mutual engagement for producing a detachable connection between the first moulded part (20) and the second moulded part (23).

19. Shoe (1.) of claim 18, characterised in that one of the at least one first retaining element (25) is configured as a rim, locking lug or bead which completely surrounds the first moulded part (20) or in that one of the at least one second retaining element (26) is configured as a rim, locking lug or bead which completely surrounds the second moulded part (23).

20. Shoe (1) of claim 18, characterised in that the second moulded part (23) has a hole (27) for leading a control line (28) through the second moulded part (23).