Article of Footwear With An Indicator For A Heating System

Abstract

An indicator for a heated article of footwear that includes an outer shell and a removable inner liner is described. The inner liner includes a heating system with an indicator disposed on a forefoot region of the inner liner. The heating system is integrated within the inner liner and is removable with the inner liner from the outer shell. A viewing window is disposed on the outer shell at a location corresponding to the indicator located on the inner liner. With this arrangement, the status condition of the heating system on the inner liner may be communicated to a wearer of the article through the viewing window from within the interior of the article.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper, a sole structure and an entry hole;   an inner liner, the inner liner being configured to be inserted into the entry hole;   the inner liner further comprising a heating system, the heating system including a power source and at least one heating element;   the inner liner having an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion, wherein the lower liner portion includes an indicator disposed along a top of a forefoot region of the inner liner;   wherein the indicator is in electrical communication with the heating system,   wherein the indicator includes a plurality of lighting devices being configured to indicate a status condition of the heating system; and   wherein the outer shell further comprises a viewing window disposed on a top portion of the upper, the viewing window being substantially aligned over the indicator disposed on the inner liner.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lighting devices are light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lighting devices are arranged approximately in a straight line. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lighting devices includes at least a first lighting device, a second lighting device and a third lighting device. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lighting devices includes between one and five lighting devices. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lighting devices is configured to be switched between a non-illuminated condition and an illuminated condition. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear according to  claim 6 , wherein one of the plurality of lighting devices is configured to be switched to the illuminated condition in a low power setting and all of the plurality of lighting devices is configured to be switched to the illuminated condition in a high power setting. 
     
     
         8 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outer shell, the outer shell including an upper and a sole structure;   an inner liner, the inner liner being configured to be removably inserted within an interior of the outer shell;   the inner liner further comprising a heating system, the heating system including a power source, a control mechanism, and at least one heating element;   the inner liner having an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion;   the lower liner portion including a bottom disposed along an underside of the inner liner, the bottom being configured to rest along a bottom of the interior of the outer shell when the inner liner is inserted within the outer shell;   the lower liner portion further comprising a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion;   wherein the forefoot portion includes a top forefoot portion disposed along a top of the inner liner portion in the forefoot region and an indicator disposed on the top forefoot portion;   wherein the indicator is electrically connected to the heating system;   wherein the indicator includes a first light device, a second lighting device, a third lighting device, a fourth lighting device and a fifth lighting device; and   wherein the indicator is visible from within the interior of the outer shell through a viewing window disposed on a top portion of the upper in the forefoot region of the outer shell.   
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear according to  claim 8 , wherein the viewing window comprises a non-transparent material configured to partially obscure the view of the indicator. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear according to  claim 9 , wherein the viewing window comprises a smoked viewing window configured to hide the indicator when in a non-illuminated condition. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear according to  claim 9 , wherein the viewing window comprises a prismatic viewing window configured to reflect light from within the interior of the outer shell. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear according to  claim 9 , wherein the viewing window comprises a holographic viewing window configured to partially obscure the indicator when in a non-illuminated condition. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear according to  claim 8 , wherein the viewing window is substantially the same size and shape of the indicator. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear according to  claim 8 , further comprising a second indicator disposed on the top forefoot portion configured to indicate a status condition of the heating system. 
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outer shell and an inner liner, the inner liner including an integrated heating system;   the inner liner being configured to be removably inserted within an interior of the outer shell;   the integrated heating system including a control mechanism, a power source, and a heating element;   the inner liner having an upper liner portion and a lower liner portion, wherein the lower liner portion includes an indicator disposed along a top of a forefoot region of the inner liner;   wherein the indicator is electrically connected to at least one of the control mechanism and the heating element, the indicator being configured to indicate a status condition of the heating system;   wherein the indicator is configured to be in a non-illuminated condition when the heating system is in a first state and wherein the indicator is configured to be in an illuminated condition when heating system is in a second state;   wherein the indicator includes a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in an array; and   wherein outer shell further comprises a viewing window disposed on a top portion of an upper, the viewing window being substantially aligned over the indicator disposed on the inner liner.   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear according to  claim 15 , wherein the first state is associated with an off state of the heating system and the second state is associated with an on state of the heating system. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear according to  claim 16 , wherein during the second state one or more of the light emitting diodes may be illuminated in a predetermined order. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear according to  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined order may correspond to a sequence of illumination of each light emitting diode over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear according to  claim 18 , wherein the predetermined order is associated with a frequency of illumination of each light emitting diode;
 and wherein the frequency of illumination is faster during a high power setting of the heating system than a low power setting of the heating system.   
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear according to  claim 15 , wherein during the second state a single light emitting diode may be illuminated to indicate a low power setting of the heating system, all of the light emitting diodes may be illuminated to indicate a high power setting of the heating system, and an intermediate number of light emitting diodes may be illuminated to indicate a medium power setting of the heating system.