U.S. patent application number 09/764345 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-09 for sole structure.
Invention is credited to Tomat, Andrea.
Application Number | 20010011426 09/764345 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11459743 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010011426 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tomat, Andrea |
August 9, 2001 |
Sole structure
Abstract
Sole structure able to associated to an upper of a shoe, having
first ducts in the area of the plantar arch and of the tip and one
or more lateral openings in the heel area. In the heel area is
obtained a seat for a counter-shaped insert provided with at least
an elastically compressible central area, inferiorly communicating
with second ducts communicating in turn with third ducts obtained
superiorly to the insert and communicating with the first ducts and
with the openings, and through the interposition of a gasket
permeable to air but not to water. The insert has an upper surface
whereon is obtained a central area, elastically compressible and
inferiorly communicating with a cavity, obtained on a lower surface
of the insert, in such a way that to a deformation of the central
area corresponds a variation of the volume of the cavity.
Inventors: |
Tomat, Andrea;
(Montebelluna, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROWDY AND NEIMARK, P.L.L.C.
624 NINTH STREET, NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-5303
US
|
Family ID: |
11459743 |
Appl. No.: |
09/764345 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/3R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 7/08 20130101; A43B
7/081 20130101; A43B 17/08 20130101; A43B 7/125 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/3.00R |
International
Class: |
A43B 007/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 21, 2000 |
IT |
TV2000U000002 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. Sole structure able to be associated to an upper of a shoe,
presenting first ducts in the area of the plantar arch and of the
tip and one or more lateral openings in the heel area, wherein a
seat is obtained in said area of the heel for a counter-shaped
insert provided with at least a central area elastically
compressible and inferiorly communicating with second ducts in turn
communicating with third ducts obtained superiorly to said insert
and communicating with said first ducts and with said openings, and
through the interposition of a gasket permeable to air but not to
water.
2. Structure as claimed in claim 1 comprising an arch support
presenting one or more areas, made of transpiring material, and in
that said first ducts are constituted by a first pair of ducts
positioned longitudinally and slightly diverging towards the tip of
said sole and transversely joined by a second pair, of first
ducts.
3. Structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said one or more
openings comprise a first, a second and a third opening, obtained
on a first lateral surface of said sole, in correspondence with the
heel area.
4. Structure as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first, second and
third openings,, are obtained on said first lateral surface, and
have circular, or oval, or elliptical or lanceolate shape, to allow
communication of the interior of the shoe with the exterior.
5. Structure as claimed in any other of the previous claims,
wherein said seat has box-like shape, open superiorly, for housing
said counter-shaped insert.
6. Structure as claimed in any other of the previous claims,
wherein said insert has an upper surface whereon is obtained said
elastically compressible central area, shaped as a spherical dome
and projecting superiorly from said upper surface itself.
7. Structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein said central area is
inferiorly in communication with a cavity, obtained on a lower
surface of said insert, in such a way that to a deformation of said
central area corresponds a variation of the volume of said
cavity.
8. Structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second ducts
depart from said cavity and develop on said lower surface of said
insert, said second ducts exiting radially from said cavity.
9. Structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein at the ends of each of
said ducts external to said cavity is obtained a hole passing
vertically through said insert in order to place in communication
said second ducts with said third ducts.
10. A structure as claimed in any of the claims from 6 to 9,
wherein said third ducts are obtained on said upper surface of said
insert, in proximity to said central area, and are in communication
both with an end of said first ducts and with one or more recesses
obtained on a second lateral surface of said insert.
11. Structure as claimed in claims 3 and 10 wherein said insert
presents a first, a second and a third recess, shaped, in a plan
view, as an arc of a circle, each being positioned respectively in
correspondence with said first, second and third opening.
12. Structure as claimed in claims 3 and 10, or 11 wherein said
gasket positioned between said first lateral surface, positioned
internally to said sole, and said second lateral surface of said
insert, said gasket presenting an approximately rectangular
development, in plan view, and a horse-shoe shape.
13. Structure as claimed in any other of the previous claims
wherein said gasket is constituted by a first, a second and a third
layer, heat sealed to each other, said second layer being
constituted by thermoplastic material and presenting one or more
openings.
14. Structure as claimed in claims 3 and 13 wherein said second
layer presents a fourth, a fifth and a sixth opening, in
correspondence with said first, second and third opening, obtained
on said sole.
15. Structure as claimed in claim 13 or 14 wherein said first,
second and third layer, are heat sealed to each other by means of
high frequency electromagnetic waves.
16. Structure as claimed in any of the claims from 13 to 15 wherein
said first internal layer is constituted by both impermeable and
transpiring fabric.
17. Structure as claimed in any of the claims from 13 to 16,
wherein said third layer is holed for the passage of air, and is
made of a mesh of plastic material.
18. Structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein said mesh of plastic
material is made of polyvinylchloride.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a sole structure able to be
associated to an upper of a shoe.
[0002] Nowadays, several known shoes present on the market have
multiple systems and methods for aerating the interior part of the
shoe.
[0003] Some known shoes partially achieved the assigned task by
means of appropriate holes, for instance obtained on the upper.
[0004] Such solutions have the considerable disadvantage of
allowing water infiltration inside the shoe.
[0005] The use, in correspondence with such holes, of possible
layers of materials which are transpiring and impermeable at the
same time does not completely solve the problem of achieving a good
aeration of the shoe, since the exchange of air between the
interior of the shoe and the environment is very limited.
[0006] In other known shoes, appropriate ducts are employed, for
instance obtained on the upper surface of the sole, and
advantageously communicating with the exterior, so that the air can
be circulated in said ducts and reach the foot passing through an
appropriate transpiring arch support, in contact with said
sole.
[0007] The main disadvantage of this solution also consists in the
possible infiltration of water in the interior of the shoe, which
takes place through the ducts.
[0008] A further known shoe is constituted by an upper comprising a
transpiring arch support, positioned superiorly to an impermeable
sole.
[0009] Between said sole and the arch support is positioned an
aerating device constituted by an air elastically deformable tank,
through a first one-way valve, with an air diffuser element
positioned in proximity to the metatarsus area and appropriately
holed, in order to distribute air within the upper.
[0010] The tank is also connected to a second check valve
positioned, for instance, laterally to the sole, able to draw air
from the exterior.
[0011] The second check valve has a sufficiently small internal
diameter to prevent water from entering, thereby guaranteeing
impermeability.
[0012] This device functions while the user walks, since at each
step, when the heel bears down on the ground, the tank is
compressed, thereby sending air to the diffuser element.
[0013] After the foot is raised, the elastically deformable tank
returns to its shape, thereby creating a vacuum that draws air from
the exterior, through the second check valve.
[0014] The main drawback of this known shoe consists of the fact
that it presents considerable construction complexity, having
multiple delicate mechanisms in an area, the sole, that usually
undergoes numerous strong stresses, with the risk that the aerating
device may be subject to malfunctions or breakage.
[0015] Another disadvantage of this shoe stems from the high global
cost, essentially due to the constructive complexity of the
aeration device, to the work processes to be executed and to the
need to assemble the various components of the sole at the end.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0016] The main aim of the present invention therefore is to solve
the technical problems highlighted above, eliminating the drawbacks
of the aforementioned prior art and thus devising an invention
which allows to obtain a shoe that allows a good aspiration through
the sole, whilst insuring a safe and effective impermeability.
[0017] Within the scope of the task set out above, another
important aim is to obtain an invention that allows to achieve the
specified aim by means of a simple and rugged aeration mechanism,
thereby avoiding possible breakage or malfunctions.
[0018] Yet another important aim is to obtain an invention that
achieves the specified aim without sacrificing the resistance and
aesthetic quality of the shoe.
[0019] Not the least aim is to obtain an invention that is
structurally simple, whilst also having low costs of
production.
[0020] The aforementioned task and aims, as well as others that
will become more readily apparent farther on, are achieved by a
sole structure as described in the claims that follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] Further features and advantages of the invention shall
become more readily apparent from the detailed description that
follows of a particular embodiment, illustrated purely by way of
non limiting indication in the accompanying drawing tables, in
which:
[0022] FIG. 1 shows, in an exploded view with some selected parts,
a shoe comprising an upper, an arch support and a sole made in
accordance with the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of a gasket;
[0024] FIG. 3 shows a top perspective view of an insert;
[0025] FIG. 4 shows a top perspective view of the upper surface of
the insert of FIG. 3;
[0026] FIG. 5 shows a three-quarters view of the lower surface of
the insert of FIG. 3;
[0027] FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of the layers constituting the
gasket of FIG. 2;
[0028] FIG. 7 shows a lateral section view of the sole in which are
positioned the insert, the gasket and the arch support;
[0029] FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the sole of FIG. 7.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] With reference to the aforementioned figures, the reference
number 1 indicates a shoe constituted by an upper 2 whereto is
inferiorly associated a sole 6.
[0031] Advantageously, the sole 6 comprises superiorly an arch
support 4, presenting a first and a second area, indicated with the
numbers 5a and 5b, made of a transpiring material.
[0032] The sole 6 further comprises an insert 12, as in FIGS. 4 and
5, and has, in the area 7 of the arch support and of the tip, first
ducts 8, suitable for the circulation of air flows.
[0033] The first ducts 8 can be positioned and shaped in multiple
ways; FIG. 8 shows a solution providing a first pair of first ducts
8a and 8b, positioned longitudinally and slightly diverging towards
the tip of the sole and transversely joined by a second pair of
first ducts 8c and 8d having also the function of facilitating the
deformation of the sole 6 when the user is walking, thereby easing
his/her ambulation.
[0034] Also obtained in the sole 6 are one or more openings 9, in
this embodiment a first, a second and a third opening, indicated
respectively with the numbers 9a, 9b and 9c, obtained for instance
on the first lateral surface 10 of the sole 6, in posterior and
lateral position, advantageously in correspondence with the
heel.
[0035] These first, second and third opening 9a, 9b and 9c can have
circular, oval, elliptical or lanceolate shape, and are able to
place the interior of the shoe in communication with the
exterior.
[0036] In the sole 6, preferably in correspondence with the area 30
of the heel, is also obtained a seat, indicated with the number 11,
having box-like shape and open superiorly, for housing the insert
12, which is shaped counter to the seat 11 itself.
[0037] In correspondence with an upper surface 13 of the insert 12,
and inferiorly to the first area 5a, a central area is
advantageously obtained, indicated with the number 14, elastically
compressible and opportunely shaped as a spherical dome, in such a
way as to project superiorly to said upper surface 13 itself.
[0038] The central area 14 is inferiorly communicating with a
cavity, indicated with the number 15, obtained on the lower surface
16 of the insert 12, in such a way that to a deformation of the
central area 14 corresponds a variation of the volume of the cavity
15.
[0039] On the lower surface 16 of the insert 12 are obtained second
ducts 17, which depart from said cavity 15, advantageously in the
radial direction.
[0040] Each second duct 17 joins the cavity 15 to the respective
hole 18, external to the cavity; said holes 18 pass vertically
through the insert 12 in order to place in communication the second
ducts 16 with respective appropriate third ducts 19.
[0041] The third ducts 19, also suitable for air circulation inside
the sole 6, are obtained on the upper surface 13 in proximity to
the central area 14 and are in communication both with the first
ducts 8 and with a plurality of recesses 20 in this particular
embodiment with a first, a second and a third recess, indicated
with the numbers 20a, 20b and 20c.
[0042] The first, second and third recesses 20a, 20b and 20c are
advantageously obtained on a second lateral surface, indicated with
the number 21, of said insert 12.
[0043] The first, second and third recess 20a, 20b and 20c are
shaped, in a plan view, as an arc of a circle, and are positioned
respectively in correspondence with the first, second and third
opening 9a, 9b and 9c.
[0044] Between the first lateral surface 10, located internally to
said sole 6, and the second lateral surface 21 of the insert 12 is
preferably positioned a gasket, indicated with the is number 22,
having approximately rectangular development and horse-shoe shape.
The gasket is impermeable to water but not to air.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 6, said gasket 22 is advantageously
constituted by a first, a second and a third layer, indicated with
the numbers 23a, 23b and 23c, heat sealed together, for instance
with high frequency electromagnetic waves.
[0046] The second layer 23b is conveniently constituted by
thermoplastic material and has one or more openings 24, in this
embodiment a fourth, a fifth and a sixth opening, indicated with
the numbers 24a, 24b and 24c, in correspondence with said first,
second and third opening 9a, 9b and 9c.
[0047] The first internal layer 23a is advantageously constituted
by impermeable and transpiring fabric, such as material known with
the trademark GORE-TEX; the third layer 23c, appropriately holed
for air passage, can be constituted, for instance, by a mesh of
plastic material such as polyvinylchloride, and serves a function
of support and protection against possible impacts or rubbings
against external elements.
[0048] The operation of the sole 6 of the present invention
therefore is as follows: with reference to FIG. 7, upon laying the
heel down, the user's Weight causes the compression and hence the
deformation of the central area 14, which consequently reduces the
volume of the cavity 15.
[0049] The air contained in this cavity is thus forced to travel
through the second ducts 17 and the through holes 18, in such a way
as to reach the third ducts 19.
[0050] Thence, the air can circulate through the first ducts 8 or
exit through the first, second and third openings 9a, 9b and 9c,
passing through the first layer 23a made of GORE-TEX and the third
layer 23c.
[0051] On the contrary, when the heel is raised off the ground and
the weight is taken off the sole, the central area 14 returns to
its non deformed configuration, causing an increase in the volume
of the cavity 15.
[0052] The increase in the volume of the cavity 15 consequently
causes a flow of air in the second and third ducts 17, 19 in
opposite direction relative to the previous flow.
[0053] This flow of air can also come through the first ducts 8,
thus aspirating the air from the interior of the shoe and through
the first, the second and the third opening 9a, 9b and 9c, thus
carrying external air inside the shoe.
[0054] It has thus been noted that the invention has reached its
specified task and aims, a shoe having been devised that is
provided with a sole that allows the exchange of air between the
interior and the exterior of the shoe, thus obtaining an effective
transpiration whilst maintaining the required characteristics of
impermeability and ruggedness.
[0055] Naturally, the materials employed as well as the dimensions
constituting the individual components of the invention may be more
pertinent according to specific requirements.
* * * * *