Nike, Inc.

Nike Innovate C.v.

Kevin Steward

Keith A Folske

Brian L Kash

Brendan Donohoe

A system includes a wearable article and a housing assembly including a receptacle defining a chamber and having an access opening providing access to the chamber to removably receive an electronic module within the chamber. The housing assembly further includes an interface having first and second electrical contacts exposed to the chamber. First and second conductive leads are connected to the electrical contacts through the bottom side of the receptacle to place the leads in electronic communication with the contacts. The housing assembly is bonded between top and bottom layers of material forming a portion of the wearable article, such that the layers are bonded to the receptacle by a bonding material.

Wearable article with removable module

A system includes an electronic module containing an electronic component and a connector in communication with the electronic component, and a housing defining a chamber and having an opening providing access to the chamber to receive the electronic module. The housing has an interface for removable electronic connection to the connector of the module when the module is received in the chamber, and the housing further has a magnet connected to the housing. The module includes a sensor configured to sense the magnet when the module is received in the chamber, and the module is configured to deactivate the connector when the sensor does not sense the magnet and to activate the connector when the sensor does sense the magnet. The sensor may be a Hall effect sensor and/or the connector may be configured for connection to a USB port in various configurations.

A system includes a wearable article and a housing assembly including a receptacle defining a chamber and having an access opening providing access to the chamber to removably receive an electronic module within the chamber. The housing assembly further includes first and second contact members each having a contact pad positioned outside the chamber and an arm extending from the contact pad into the chamber to form electrical contacts of an interface exposed to the chamber. Conductive leads are connected to the contact pads to place the leads in electronic communication with the contacts, and bonding the housing assembly to a wearable article. The housing assembly is bonded between top and bottom layers of material forming a portion of the wearable article, such that the layers are bonded to the receptacle by a bonding material. The article has an electrically-powered component, and the leads are connected to the component.

A manufacturing method a housing assembly including a receptacle defining a chamber and having an access opening providing access to the chamber to removably receive an electronic module within the chamber. The housing assembly further includes first and second contact members each having a contact pad positioned outside the chamber and an arm extending from the contact pad into the chamber to form electrical contacts of an interface exposed to the chamber. The method includes connecting conductive leads to the contact pads to place the leads in electronic communication with the contacts, and bonding the housing assembly to a wearable article. The housing assembly is bonded between top and bottom layers of material forming a portion of the wearable article, such that the top and bottom layers are bonded to the receptacle by a bonding material. The article has an electrically-powered component, and the leads are connected to the component.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Kevin Steward