U.S. patent application number 10/704135 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-08 for static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom, static electricity removing footwear bottom and electricity removing method of footwear bottom.
Invention is credited to Hasegawa, Masahiro, Kimura, Hirokazu, Toyoda, Kayo.
Application Number | 20040128864 10/704135 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32171402 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040128864 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kimura, Hirokazu ; et
al. |
July 8, 2004 |
Static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom, static
electricity removing footwear bottom and electricity removing
method of footwear bottom
Abstract
A static electricity removing tool for a footwear bottom
includes a basal plate having in its inner face an attaching layer
for attaching to a ground contacting face of a footwear bottom, a
static electricity removing sheet in which a corona discharge is
made of an electricity removing material, and a concave portion
deeper than a thickness of the static electricity removing sheet,
formed in a ground contacting face of the basal plate. Furthermore,
a step difference more concave than the ground contacting face of
the basal plate is formed in an outer face of the static
electricity removing sheet by attaching the static electricity
removing sheet to a bottom face of the concave portion by
bonding.
Inventors: |
Kimura, Hirokazu; (Osaka,
JP) ; Toyoda, Kayo; (Osaka, JP) ; Hasegawa,
Masahiro; (Osaka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WESTERMAN, HATTORI, DANIELS & ADRIAN, LLP
1250 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, NW
SUITE 700
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Family ID: |
32171402 |
Appl. No.: |
10/704135 |
Filed: |
November 10, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/113 ; 36/103;
36/25R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/34 20220101; A43B
3/163 20130101; A43B 13/36 20130101; A43B 7/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/113 ;
036/103; 036/025.00R |
International
Class: |
A43B 013/00; A43B
003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 15, 2002 |
JP |
2002-331544 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom,
comprising: a basal plate having in its inner face an attaching
means for a ground contacting face of a footwear bottom; a static
electricity removing sheet in which a corona discharge is made an
electricity removing means; a concave portion deeper than a
thickness of the static electricity removing sheet, formed in a
ground contacting face of the basal plate; and a step difference
concaved than the ground contacting face of the basal plate, which
is formed in an outer face of the static electricity removing sheet
by attaching the static electricity removing sheet to a bottom face
of the concave portion through a bonding means.
2. A static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom according
to claim 1, wherein a sheet covering piece is formed in a concave
portion edge of the basal plate, and an outer face end portion of
the static electricity removing sheet is covered by the sheet
covering piece.
3. A static electricity removing footwear bottom, comprising: a
concave portion deeper than a thickness of a static electricity
removing sheet in which a corona discharge is made an electricity
removing means in a ground contacting face of a footwear bottom; a
step difference concaved than the ground contacting face of the
footwear bottom, which is formed in an outer face of the static
electricity removing sheet by attaching the static electricity
removing sheet to a bottom face of the concave portion through a
bonding means.
4. A static electricity removing footwear bottom according to claim
3, wherein a sheet covering piece is formed in a concave portion
edge of the footwear bottom, and an outer face end portion of the
static electricity removing sheet is covered by the sheet covering
piece.
5. An electricity removing method of footwear bottom, wherein by
attaching to a groove previously formed in a ground contacting face
of a footwear bottom a static electricity removing sheet which is
thinner than a depth of the groove and in which a corona discharge
is made en electricity removing means, there is brought about a
state that an outer face of the static electricity removing sheet
is concaved than the ground contacting face.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a static electricity
removing tool for footwear bottom, which is provided in the
footwear bottom and removes the static electricity generated
between the footwear and the ground when walking by utilizing a
corona discharge by conductive fibers, and to a footwear bottom
having the static electricity removing function.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] From old times, there have been publicly known a static
electricity preventing footwear in which a material of stainless
fibers of 0.5 to 1.5 deniers in fineness and 0.01 to 0.15 mm in
length is contained in 3 to 5% by weight ratio in materials, such
as rubber and fibers, forming a portion contacting with the ground
at the bottom of a footwear main body, and a static electricity
preventing foot wear (hereafter, referred to as prior art 1) in
which a chip-like or foil-like stainless is used in place of the
stainless fibers (for example, refer to JP-A-2002-101904 (pages
2-3)).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Since the footwear bottom is a place severely rubbed with
the ground, it becomes a great cause for generating the static
electricity when walking. As a result, it follows that the static
electricity is accumulated in the footwear bottom and,
additionally, the whole human body is electrified by a static
electricity movement. From such a viewpoint, it is very desirable
that the electricity can be removed in the footwear bottom in order
that the human body is not electrified.
[0006] However, as mentioned above, the invention according to the
prior art 1 is one in which the stainless fibers of the ground
contacting place in the footwear bottom attempt to damp the static
electricity by a neutralization/reduction at tips of the conductive
fibers regardless of a material of floor face. However, since it is
one which is used by being blended with a synthetic rubber and the
like and is always under a ground contacting state, there has been
a fear that the discharge is hindered by the fact that exposed
faces of the conductive fibers are contaminated by contacts with
the ground.
[0007] Further, in the case where the stainless fibers are blended
with the synthetic rubber and the like, there is a high possibility
that the blended material is inferior in comparison with a
durability, an elasticity and the like possessed inherently by the
synthetic rubber, so that a reduction in quality is brought about
in points of wear feeling and easiness in walking.
[0008] The invention is one made in view of the above
circumstances, and provides a static electricity removing tool and
a static electricity removing footwear bottom, in each of which
characteristics of a material of the footwear bottom, such as
durability and elasticity, are not affected, and there is not
brought about a reduction in electricity removing function owing to
the fact that exposed faces of conductive fibers are
contaminated.
[0009] According to the invention, there are provided a static
electricity removing tool which comprises a basal plate having in
its inner face an attaching means for a ground contacting face of a
footwear bottom and a static electricity removing sheet in which a
corona discharge is made an electricity removing means, and in
which a concave portion deeper than a thickness of the static
electricity removing sheet is formed in a ground contacting face of
the basal plate, and a step difference concaved than the ground
contacting face of the basal plate is formed in an outer face of
the static electricity removing sheet by attaching the static
electricity removing sheet to a bottom face of the concave portion
through a bonding means; and a static electricity removing footwear
bottom in which a step difference concaved than a ground contacting
face of a footwear bottom is formed in an outer face of a static
electricity removing sheet by forming a concave portion deeper than
a thickness of the static electricity removing sheet in a ground
contacting face of a footwear bottom and attaching a static
electricity removing sheet, in which a corona discharge is made a
electricity removing means, to a bottom face of the concave portion
through a bonding means; and the like.
[0010] According to a static electricity removing tool for footwear
bottom of the invention, as mentioned above, since there is adopted
the constitution in which, by attaching the static electricity
removing sheet in which the corona discharge is made the
electricity removing means to the bottom face of the concave
portion deeper than the thickness of the static electricity
removing sheet, the outer face of the static electricity removing
sheet is concaved than the ground contacting face of the basal
plate, it is possible to effectively neutralize the static
electricity generated when walking and accumulated in the footwear
bottom by the corona discharge of the static electricity removing
sheet adjoining the footwear bottom, so that an excellent
electricity removing effect can be obtained.
[0011] Further, according to the static electricity removing tool
for footwear bottom of the invention, a removal of the static
electricity can be simply performed merely by attaching the static
electricity removing sheet to a bottom face of the footwear
bottom.
[0012] In addition to the above constitution, by forming a sheet
covering piece in a concave portion edge of the basal plate to
thereby cover an outer face end portion of the static electricity
removing sheet, the static electricity removing sheet is prevented
from carelessly dropping, and the static electricity removing sheet
can be protected from a contamination and the like.
[0013] Additionally, also in the static electricity removing
footwear bottom according to the invention, similarly to the above
static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom, since there
is adopted the constitution in which the outer face of the static
electricity removing sheet is concaved than the ground contacting
face of the basal plate by attaching the static electricity
removing sheet in which the corona discharge is made the
electricity removing means to the bottom face of the concave
portion deeper than the thickness of the static electricity
removing sheet, the static electricity generated when walking is
neutralized by the corona discharge without the fact that the outer
face of the static electricity removing sheet contacts with the
ground, so that an excellent electricity removing effect can be
obtained. Further, in the case where the sheet covering piece is
formed in the concave portion edge of the footwear bottom and the
outer face end portion of the static electricity removing sheet is
covered by the sheet covering piece, it is possible to protect the
static electricity removing sheet from the contamination and the
like.
[0014] And, since there is adopted the constitution in which the
electricity removing means is provided from the beginning, it is
possible to obtain one fundamentally having no fear that the
electricity removing means drops.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a static electricity
removing tool for footwear bottom according to an embodiment 1 of
the invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is an A-A line enlarged sectional view of the static
electricity removing tool for footwear bottom according to the
embodiment 1 of the invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to the A-A line of FIG. 2
in a static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom according
to an embodiment 2 of the invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state that
the static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom according
to the embodiment 2 of the invention has been attached to the
footwear bottom;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state that the static
electricity removing tool for footwear bottom according to the
embodiment 1 of the invention has been attached to the footwear
bottom;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a footwear, showing a static
electricity removing footwear bottom according to an embodiment 3
of the invention;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a B-B line enlarged end view showing the static
electricity removing footwear bottom according to the embodiment 3
of the invention;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view showing a static electricity
removing footwear bottom according to other embodiment of the
invention;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view showing a static electricity
removing footwear bottom according to other embodiment of the
invention;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view showing a state that a static
electricity removing sheet has been attached to a footwear bottom
of a ready-made footwear; and
[0025] FIG. 11 is a C-C enlarged sectional view of the footwear
bottom, showing the state that the static electricity removing
sheet has been attached to the footwear bottom in the ready-made
footwear.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 5, a static electricity
removing tool for footwear bottom according to an embodiment 1 of
the invention comprises a plate-like urethane rubber basal plate 1
of about 4 mm in thickness, which mainly approximates to an ellipse
whose major axis is about 105 mm and whose minor axis is about 65
mm, and a nonwoven fabric-like static electricity removing sheet 2,
of about 1.5 mm in thickness t, consisting of very fine conductive
fibers.
[0027] Here, as shown in FIG. 1, concave portions 11, of about 2.5
mm in depth m, for fitting the static electricity removing sheet 2
are formed in three places in a ground contacting face 10 of the
basal plate 1. To the whole inner face 13 becoming a back face of
the ground contacting face 10, there are laminated in order a
pressure sensitive adhesive double coated tape 5 of about 0.3 mm in
thickness, and a release coated paper 6. The pressure sensitive
adhesive double coated tape 5 acts as means for attaching the
static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom to a footwear
bottom 7.
[0028] Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the three static electricity
removing sheets 2 from which the release coated papers 6 have been
peeled are adhered to each of bottom faces 12 of the concave
portions 11 of three places in the basal plate 1 by a pressure
sensitive adhesive double coated tape 41 of 0.3 mm in thickness. By
this, it follows that, in an outer face 20 of the static
electricity removing sheet 2, there is formed a step difference 40
concaved than the ground contacting face 10 of the basal plate 1,
and thus it follows that, under a state that the ground contacting
face 10 of the basal plate 1 butts against the ground, the static
electricity removing sheet 2 does not contact with the ground, so
that a space is formed between the outer face 20 of the static
electricity removing sheet 2 and the ground.
[0029] And, since the static electricity removing sheet 2 does not
contact with the ground when wearing by the fact that the step
difference 40 is formed, the exposed faces of the conductive fibers
can be prevented from being contaminated when walking.
[0030] When used, if the static electricity is accumulated in the
footwear bottom by walking and the like, since the footwear bottom
is in a positional relation very adjacent in distance to the static
electricity removing sheet, the static electricity can be removed
by the fact that the corona discharge is generated from the outer
face 20 of the static electricity removing sheet 2 toward the
footwear bottom to thereby electrically neutralize the footwear
bottom.
[0031] Incidentally, as the static electricity removing sheet 2 in
the embodiment 1, it is possible to use, for example, a nonwoven
fabric consisting of organic conductive fibers (trademark:
THUNDERON) in which surfaces of acrylic fibers are covered by
coatings of copper sulfide.
[0032] As shown in the enlarged sectional views of FIG. 3 and FIG.
4, a static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom according
to an embodiment 2 of the invention is one common to the embodiment
1 about a basic constitution, i.e., a point that it comprises a
basal plate 1 having in its inner face 13 the pressure sensitive
adhesive double coated tape 5 as an attaching means for a ground
contacting face 30 of a footwear bottom 3 and the nonwoven
fabric-like static electricity removing sheet 2 consisting of very
fine conductive fibers, the concave portion 11 whose depth
dimension m is larger than the thickness t of the static
electricity removing sheet 2 is formed in the ground contacting
face 10 of the basal plate 1, the static electricity removing sheet
2 is attached to the bottom face 12 of the concave portion 11
through the pressure sensitive adhesive double coated tape 41, and
in the outer face 20 of the static electricity removing sheet 2
there is formed the step difference 40 concaved than the ground
contacting face 10 of the basal plate 1; but is one different from
the static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom according
to the embodiment 1 in a point that a sheet covering piece 15 is
formed in a concave portion edge 14 of the basal plate 1, and an
outer face end portion 21 of the static electricity removing sheet
2 is covered by the sheet covering piece 15.
[0033] And, according to the embodiment 2, by the fact that the
sheet covering piece 15 is formed in the concave portion edge 14 of
the basal plate 1 and the outer face end portion 21 of the static
electricity removing sheet 2 is covered by the sheet covering piece
15, the static electricity removing sheet 2 is prevented from
carelessly dropping, the static electricity removing sheet 2 is
protected from the contamination and the like when walking, a
ground contacting area of the concerned static electricity removing
tool for footwear bottom can be increased in comparison with the
static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom according to
the embodiment 1, and a gripping force with respect to the ground
can be made more well.
[0034] Incidentally, in the attaching means between the static
electricity removing tool for footwear bottom 4 and the ground
contacting face 70 of the footwear bottom 7 according to the
embodiment 1 and the embodiment 2, in a case where simple and
strong bonding means such as the pressure sensitive adhesive double
coated tape 5 is used, a position can be simply changed in
compliance with a wearer's taste by exchanging only the pressure
sensitive adhesive double coated tape 5.
[0035] Further, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a static electricity
removing footwear bottom 3 according to an embodiment 3 of the
invention is one using, as the static electricity removing sheet 2,
the nonwoven fabric consisting of organic conductive fibers
(trademark: THUNDERON) in which surfaces of acrylic fibers are
covered by coatings of copper sulfide similar to the static
electricity removing tool for footwear bottom 4 according to the
embodiment 1 and the embodiment 2, and is one having a constitution
in which concave portions 31 of a depth dimension of 2.5 mm deeper
than the thickness 1.5 mm of the static electricity removing sheet
2 are formed in three places in a ground contacting face 30 of the
static electricity removing footwear bottom 3, a step difference 34
concaved than the ground contacting face 30 of the footwear bottom
3 is formed in the outer face 20 of the static electricity removing
sheet 2 by attaching the static electricity removing sheet 2 to a
bottom face 32 of the concave portion 31 by a pressure sensitive
adhesive double coated tape 33, a sheet covering piece 36 is formed
in a concave portion edge 35 of the static electricity removing
footwear bottom 3 by the method similar to the embodiment 2, and
the outer face end portion 21 of the static electricity removing
sheet 2 is covered by the sheet covering piece 36.
[0036] That is, in the static electricity removing footwear bottom
3 according to the embodiment 3, by causing it to have a function
similar to the static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom
4 according to the embodiment 1 and 2, it is possible to ensure an
ability for neutralizing and removing the static electricity by the
corona discharge, by previously forming it as the footwear bottom
there is no fear that the electricity removing means drops and,
additionally, the durability can be obtained.
[0037] Further, as to a disposition of the concave portion in the
static electricity removing tool for footwear bottom and the static
electricity removing footwear bottom of the invention, it is not
limited only to one having the concave portions in three places
shown in the embodiment 1 to the embodiment 3 and, as shown in FIG.
8 and FIG. 9, it can be also made, for example, into many circular
concave portions, plural band-like concave portions and the
like.
[0038] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 10, in the invention, by the
fact that, to a groove 81 previously formed in a ground contacting
face 80 of a footwear bottom 8 of a ready-made footwear, there is
attached the static electricity removing sheet 2, which is thinner
than a depth of the groove 81 and in which the corona discharge is
made the electricity removing means, by cutting it to a size
fitting to the groove 81 to thereby bring about a state that the
outer face 20 of the static electricity removing sheet 2 is
concaved than the ground contacting face, it is also possible to
perform the electricity removal of the footwear bottom 8.
[0039] As mentioned above, in the invention, as the static
electricity removing sheet in which the corona discharge is made
the electricity removing means, there is used the nonwoven fabric
consisting of organic conductive fibers (trademark: THUNDERON) in
which surfaces of acrylic fibers are covered by coatings of copper
sulfide, but it is not necessarily limited to this. For example,
like conductive fibers (trademark: SOLDION) whose basic materials
are polyethylene terephthalate cotton, pulp and carbon and in which
conductive substances are mixed, and like carbon fibers, etc., if
the fibers are ones which can obtain the electricity removing
effect by the corona discharge, they are allowed in a gist of the
invention.
[0040] And, even in a case where whichever fibers are used, there
is brought about such a very excellent advantage is obtained that
the corona discharge can be effectively performed by the
characteristic constitution of the invention, i.e., the
constitution in which it comprises the basal plate 1 having in its
inner face 13 the attaching means for the ground contacting face 70
of the footwear bottom 7 and the static electricity removing sheet
2 in which the corona discharge is made the electricity removing
means, the concave portion 11 deeper than the thickness of the
static electricity removing sheet is formed in the ground
contacting face 10 of the basal plate 1, and the step difference
concaved than the ground contacting face 10 of the basal plate 1 is
formed in the outer face 20 of the static electricity removing
sheet 2 by attaching the static electricity removing sheet 2 to the
bottom face 12 of the concave portion 11 through the bonding means;
or the constitution in which the step difference 34 concaved than
the ground contacting face 30 of the footwear bottom 3 is formed in
the outer face 20 of the static electricity removing sheet 2 by
forming the concave portion 31 deeper than the thickness of the
static electricity removing sheet 2 in the ground contacting face
of the footwear bottom 3 and attaching the static electricity
removing sheet 2, in which the corona discharge is made the
electricity removing means, to the bottom face 32 of the concave
portion 31 through the bonding means; or the constitution in which
by the fact that, to the groove 81 previously formed in the ground
contacting face 80 of the footwear bottom 8, there is attached the
static electricity removing sheet 2, which is thinner than the
depth of the groove 81 and in which the corona discharge is made
the electricity removing means, to thereby bring about the state
that the outer face 20 of the static electricity removing sheet 2
is concaved than the ground contacting face, since the static
electricity removing sheet 2 does not contact with the ground, the
wear feeling is not adversely affected irrespective of a degree of
hardness of the static electricity removing sheet 2 and, further,
the static electricity removing sheet is disposed while forming the
space in the vicinity of the footwear bottom without the fact that
the static electricity removing sheet is contaminated and
abraded.
* * * * *