U.S. patent application number 11/667487 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-20 for shock-absorbing device for shoes.
Invention is credited to Jang Won Park.
Application Number | 20080066342 11/667487 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36336700 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080066342 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Park; Jang Won |
March 20, 2008 |
Shock-Absorbing Device for Shoes
Abstract
The present invention provides a shock-absorbing device for
shoes comprises a cross-linked foam having a body and at least one
inner cavity formed in the body; and a housing containing the
cross-linked foam. The shock-absorbing device of the present
invention can easily be applied to soles of shoes having diverse
sizes and shapes to effectively reduce an impact applied to a foot.
Besides, the present invention can cut down a manufacturing cost
greatly by simplifying a manufacturing process of the
shock-absorbing device.
Inventors: |
Park; Jang Won; (Busan,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
36336700 |
Appl. No.: |
11/667487 |
Filed: |
November 12, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
November 12, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR05/01078 |
371 Date: |
May 10, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/29 ; 36/30R;
36/35B |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 7/144 20130101;
A43B 13/187 20130101; A43B 7/1445 20130101; A43B 13/20
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/029 ;
036/030.00R; 036/035.00B |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/20 20060101
A43B013/20; A43B 13/12 20060101 A43B013/12; A43B 21/28 20060101
A43B021/28 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 12, 2004 |
KR |
10-2004-0092660 |
Claims
1. A shock-absorbing device for shoes, comprising: a cross-linked
foam having a body and at least one inner cavity formed in the
body; and a housing containing the cross-linked foam.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cross-linked foam
has a plurality of inner cavities that is not connected to each
other.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cross-linked foam
has a plurality of inner cavities that is connected to each
other.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cross-linked foam
has a plurality of groups of the inner cavities and the inner
cavity is connected to a neighboring inner cavity in a same
group.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cross-linked foam
has a plurality of groups of the inner cavities that are classified
into a first group in which the inner cavities are connected to
each other and a second group in which the inner cavities are not
connected to each other.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the body has a
partially different color.
7. The device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least
one inner cavity is exposed to outside.
8. The device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least
one inner cavity is filled with at least one of gas, liquid and
material that is same as or different from the body.
9. The device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein molded
material that is formed of at least one of materials that are same
as or different from the body is inserted into at least one inner
cavity.
10. The device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the
housing is filled with at least one of gas, liquid and material
that is same as or different from the body.
11. The device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein molded
material that is formed of at least one of materials that are same
as or different from the body is inserted into the housing.
12. The device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least
one inner cavity is connected to at least one outer surface of the
body.
13. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one hollow
portion is formed on the housing.
14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the hollow portion is
formed by attaching one side of the housing to an opposing side of
the housing.
15. The device according to claim 14, wherein an attachment of the
hollow portion of the housing is done by one of a high frequency
attachment, a supersonic attachment and a heat-compression
attachment.
16. The device according to claim 1, wherein an attaching means is
formed on a whole surface or a portion of a surface of the
cross-linked foam for attaching the cross-linked foam to an inner
surface of the housing.
17. The device according to claim 1, wherein a sealing of the
housing is done by one of a high frequency attachment, a supersonic
attachment, a heat-compression attachment and a blow injection
molding method.
18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is formed
of thermoplastic polyolefin based resin or thermoplastic
polyurethane resin.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a shock-absorbing device
for shoes, and more specifically a shock-absorbing device for shoes
that mainly has a cross-linked foam having at least one inner
cavity and a housing containing the cross-linked foam to
effectively reduce an impact applied to a foot.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] We usually spend most of the time standing with shoes on
feet. The shoe was developed to protect the bare feet of men.
However, an importance of the shoes has been increasingly
emphasized nowadays. Accordingly, the function of the shoes has
been improved to protect a spinal column, a knee joint and an ankle
joint as well as the feet. While men are walking or doing exercise,
an impact delivered from the earth to the feet may do a great harm
to a human body and accordingly an additional means needs to be
added to the shoes to reduce the impact. According to the related
art, the impact delivered to the feet can be reduced by a
shock-absorbing means attached to the shoe that reduces the impact
using an air of a certain pressure.
[0003] Though the shock-absorbing means using an injected air of a
certain pressure can reduce the impact to a certain degree, it is
very difficult to keep a dimension and a shape of the
shock-absorbing means because the shock-absorbing means uses an
injected air that is fluent and formless. This problem becomes more
serious considering that the air is injected into the
shock-absorbing means not at a normal pressure but at a certain
pressure over the normal pressure.
[0004] The shock-absorbing means of the related art is formed by
injecting the air of a certain pressure into a housing and then
attaching an edge of the housing. Because a shape of the
shock-absorbing means can be deformed by the pressure of the
injected air, an amount and a pressure of the injected air must be
controlled during a manufacturing process. To overcome the problem,
an improved method has been suggested.
[0005] That is, upper and lower housing material are attached at
intermediate portions of the housing as well as at the edge to keep
the shape of the housing even when the air of a certain pressure is
injected. Though the shape of the shock-absorbing means according
to the above method is not greatly influenced by the amount and
pressure of the injected air, shoe components must be formed
correspondingly to unevenness of the housing so that it becomes
difficult to manufacture the shoe component corresponding to the
shape of the housing.
[0006] In addition, an additional process of an air injection is
required to produce the shock-absorbing means. It is very difficult
to make the shock-absorbing means to have a different color and a
physical property in each portion. Moreover, because the injected
air itself serves to reduce the impact, the shock-absorbing means
is likely to lose its function as a shock-absorber once the air
leaks out of the housing owing to a damage of the housing or a
leakage of the attached edge of the housing.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in
mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and an object
of the present invention is to provide a shock-absorbing device for
shoes that can be formed in diverse sizes, thickness and shapes and
thus can be installed at any portion of the shoes.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
shock-absorbing device for shoes that can give a different elastic
power for each portion of soles of shoes.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
shock-absorbing device that can serve as a shock-absorber even when
an injected air of a certain pressure is lost.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
shock-absorbing device that can absorb an impact applied to each
portion of the shoes more effectively without injecting an air into
the housing.
[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
shock-absorbing device that has more diverse colors and shapes.
Technical Solution
[0012] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with
the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly
described, a shock-absorbing device for shoes comprises a
cross-linked foam having a body and at least one inner cavity
formed in the body; and a housing containing the cross-linked
foam.
[0013] In the above, the cross-linked foam may have a plurality of
inner cavities that is not connected to each other.
[0014] In the above, the cross-linked foam may have a plurality of
inner cavities that is connected to each other.
[0015] In the above, the cross-linked foam may have a plurality of
groups of the inner cavities and the inner cavity is connected to a
neighboring inner cavity in a same group.
[0016] In the above, the cross-linked foam may have a plurality of
groups of the inner cavities that are classified into a first group
in which the inner cavities are connected to each other and a
second group in which the inner cavities are not connected to each
other.
[0017] In the above, the body may have a partially different
color.
[0018] In the above, at least one inner cavity may be exposed to
outside.
[0019] In the above, at least one inner cavity may be filled with
at least one of gas, liquid and material that is same as or
different from the body.
[0020] In the above, molded material that is formed of at least one
of materials that are same as or different from the body may be
inserted into at least one inner cavity.
[0021] In the above, the housing may be filled with at least one of
gas, liquid and material that is same as or different from the
body.
[0022] In the above, molded material that is formed of at least one
of materials that are same as or different from the body may be
inserted into the housing.
[0023] In the above, at least one inner cavity may be connected to
at least one outer surface of the body.
[0024] In the above, at least one hollow portion may be formed on
the housing.
[0025] In the above, the hollow portion may be formed by attaching
one side of the housing to an opposing side of the housing.
[0026] In the above, an attachment of the hollow portion of the
housing may be done by one of a high frequency attachment, a
supersonic attachment and a heat-compression attachment.
[0027] In the above, an attaching means may be formed on a whole
surface or a portion of a surface of the cross-linked foam for
attaching the cross-linked foam to an inner surface of the
housing.
[0028] In the above, a sealing of the housing may be done by one of
a high frequency attachment, a supersonic attachment, a
heat-compression attachment and a blow injection molding
method.
[0029] In the above, the housing may be formed of thermoplastic
polyolefin based resin or thermoplastic polyurethane resin.
[0030] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of
the invention as claimed.
Advantageous Effects
[0031] According to the present invention, a size, a thickness and
a shape of a shock-absorbing device can be freely controlled by
using a cross-linked foam having a plurality of inner cavities so
that the shock-absorbing device can be applied to any portions of
shoes.
[0032] The shock-absorbing device of the present invention can
provide a different elastic power to each portion of soles for
shoes because the cross-linked foam of which physical properties
can be varied mainly fulfills a function of shock absorption
instead of an air.
[0033] Because the shock-absorbing device of the present can
fulfill the function of shock absorption satisfactorily without an
injected air of a certain pressure, an additional air injection
process is not necessary in a manufacturing process of the
shock-absorbing device. Accordingly, the manufacturing process can
be simplified and thus a manufacturing cost can be reduced.
[0034] Because the air does not play a key role in a shock
absorption in the present invention, a shock-absorbing function of
the shock-absorbing device can be maintained even when the injected
air in the housing leak out owing to a damage of the housing.
[0035] A shape and color of the shock-absorbing device of the
present invention can be varied diversely by changing a color of
the cross-linked foam contained in the housing and filling inner
cavities with diverse material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] The above and other objects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0037] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shock-absorbing device
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 2 is illustrating various modifications of the
embodiment of FIG. 1;
[0039] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a shock-absorbing device
according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 4 is illustrating various modifications of the
embodiment of FIG. 3;
[0041] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a shock-absorbing device
according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
[0042] FIG. 6 is illustrating cross-sectional views of a sole of
shoes having a shock-absorbing device of the present invention.
MODE FOR THE INVENTION
[0043] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
[0044] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shock-absorbing device
according to an embodiment of the present invention and (a) to (d)
of FIG. 2 are illustrating various modifications of the embodiment
of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the shock-absorbing device of the
present invention mainly comprises a cross-linked foam 100 and a
housing 200 containing the cross-linked foam 100. The cross-linked
foam 100 is a main means to absorb an external impact applied to
the shock-absorbing device and mainly has a body 110 and at least
one inner cavity 120 formed in the body 110. The body 110 can be
manufactured by foaming various foaming material known in the field
by various foaming method known in the field. Ethylene-vinyl
acetate (EVA) based resin having diverse vinyl acetate contents (VA
%) or polyethylene (PE) based resin having diverse density may
desirably be selected as a raw material for the foaming material.
However, the foaming material is not confined to those
materials.
[0045] The body 110 can be formed in any shape and a shape of the
body is not confined to that of FIG. 2. The shape of the body 110
can be freely changed depending on a thickness and a shape of soles
of shoes as shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is illustrating cross-sectional
views of a sole of shoes having a shock-absorbing device of the
present invention. A color of the body 110 can be freely changed.
That is, the body 110 may have a single color or have diverse color
variation for each portion by controlling a pigment properly. The
inner cavity 120 can be formed in the body 110 in a various shape
to absorb the impact applied to the shock-absorbing device. That
is, the inner cavity 120 is a space separated from the body 110 by
an inner-formed surface 121 that is formed in the body.
[0046] If a plurality of the inner cavities 120 is formed in the
body 110, the plurality of inner cavities 120 may have diverse
structure such as a closed type cavity structure, a connected type
cavity structure and a mixture of those structures. In the closed
type cavity structure, each of the plural inner cavities 120 is
independently formed in the body 110 and gas trapped in each of the
inner cavities 120 serves to absorb the impact independently. In
the connected type cavity structure, each of the inner cavities 120
is connected to each other so that gas in the inner cavity 120
serves to absorb the impact while passing through the connected
inner cavities 120. In the mixed type cavity structure, the plural
inner cavities 120 form the closed cavity structure and the
connected cavity structure. (a), (c), and (d) of FIG. 2 are
illustrating various examples of the closed type cavity structure
and (b) of FIG. 2 illustrating an example of the mixed type cavity
structure. The present invention is not confined to any of those
structures.
[0047] At least one inner cavity 120 may be formed on at least one
surface of the body 110 to be exposed to outside of the body 110 or
at least one inner cavity 120 may be connected to at least one
surface of the body 110 to increase a shock-absorbing power by
allowing the gas such as an air to flow freely in a space between
at least one inner cavity 120 and an area formed between the
cross-linked foam 100 and the housing 200.
[0048] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a shock-absorbing device
according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown
in the figure, at least one air passage 130 having a various shape
is formed in the body 110 to connect the inner cavity to the
surface of the body 110.
[0049] At least one inner cavity may be filled with at least one of
gas (such as an air), liquid and material that is same as or
different from the body in order to increase an absorption power
and an aesthetic value of the cross-linked foam 100. As an
alternative, a molded material that is formed at least one of
materials that are same as or different from the body 110 may be
put into at least one inner cavity.
[0050] The filling material may be filled into the inner cavity 120
via an air passage that is formed on a surface of the body 110 and
connected to the inner cavity 120. The molded material may be put
into the inner cavity 120 by cutting a portion of the body 110 and
then injecting it into the inner cavity 120. However, the filling
method and the injection method are not confined to those. Once the
filling materials or the molded materials having different
properties and functions are put into all or some of the inner
cavities 120, each portion of the shock-absorbing device can have a
different shock-absorbing power.
[0051] The housing 200 contains the cross-linked foam 100 and
separates the cross-linked foam 100 from the outside environment
for the cross-linked foam 100 to keep its shape and fulfills the
function of shock absorption. Though the housing 200 may be formed
in a various shape, it is desirable that the housing 200 have a
shape corresponding to a shape of the cross-linked foam 100
contained therein. The housing 200 may desirable be formed of a
thermoplastic polyolefin based resin or a thermoplastic
polyurethane resin. However, the housing material is not limited as
long as it has enough endurance and sealing property to prevent a
leakage of the filling material.
[0052] The sealing of the housing 200 may be performed by one of a
heat-compression method, a supersonic attachment method and a high
frequency attachment method. These attachment methods are well
known in the field and detailed explanation about those methods
will not be described here. If the housing 200 containing the
cross-linked foam 100 is filled with gas or liquid, the
cross-linked foam 100 may float and move in the housing 200 while a
user wears the shoes on. Besides, the shock-absorbing function of
the shock-absorbing device may be deteriorated owing to a
deformation of the cross-linked foam 100 caused by a local
difference of the applied pressure. To overcome this problem, an
attaching means may be formed on a whole surface or a portion of a
surface of the cross-linked foam 100 for attaching the cross-linked
foam 100 to an inner surface of the housing 200. The cross-linked
foam 100 may be attached to the facing inner surface of the housing
200 by coating a liquid or a solid adhesive on the whole or a
portion of the surface of the cross-linked foam 100. The
cross-linked foam 100 may also be attached to the facing inner
surface of the housing 200 using at least one attaching means that
is formed on the cross-linked foam 100 with one of textile and the
housing material. The textile needs to be easily attached to the
housing 200 and have a low elasticity. Above attaching method are
only examples and other diverse attaching methods may be applied to
the present invention.
[0053] The cross-linked foam 100 of the present invention is
excellent in a shock-absorption and maintenance of the form.
Besides the shock absorbing function of the cross-linked foam 100
can be increased by an action of the gas trapped in the inner
cavities 120. Accordingly, a desired shock-absorbing function can
be fulfilled without an additional injection of gas into the
housing 200.
[0054] However, a certain amount of gas (such as an air) or liquid
may be filled into the housing 200 to further increase the
shock-absorption power. The filling material that is same as or
different from the cross-linked foam 100 may be filled into the
housing instead of the gas or liquid. In an alternative, a molded
material that is formed at least one of materials that are same as
or different from the cross-linked foam 100 may be inserted into
the housing 200. As described before, at least one inner cavity 120
may be filled with at least one of gas, liquid and material that is
same as or different from the body 110 or molded material that is
formed of at least one of materials that are same as or different
from the body 110 may inserted into at least one inner cavity 120.
The filling and inserting process of materials into the inner
cavity 120 and the housing 200 are to improve the shock-absorbing
function of the shock-absorbing device. Thus the filling and
inserting process may be selectively performed to the inner cavity
120 and the housing 200 or it may be performed to both of the inner
cavity 120 and the housing 200. For an example, if the gas or
liquid are filled into the hosing 200 containing the cross-linked
foam 100 having the closed type cavity structure, each of the
filled gas or liquid in the housing 200 and the gas trapped in the
inner cavity 120 independently fulfills the shock-absorbing
function. If the gas or liquid are filled into the housing 200
containing the cross-linked foam 100 having the connected type
cavity structure and the air passage 130 formed on the body 110,
the filled gas or liquid fulfills the shock-absorbing function
while the filled gas or liquid flows freely through the connected
inner cavities.
[0055] Meanwhile, if the gas of a certain pressure or the liquid of
a certain amount is filled into the housing 200 and sealed, a
portion of the housing 200 may be deformed by a pressure formed in
the housing 200 and thus fail to keep its shape. To overcome this
problem, the present invention provides another embodiment. FIG. 3
is a perspective view of a shock-absorbing device according to
another embodiment of the present invention and (a) to (b) of FIG.
4 are illustrating various modifications of the embodiment of FIG.
3. In the present embodiment, at least one hollow portion 210 is
formed in the housing 200 unlike the previous embodiments. The
hollow portion 210 keeps the shape of the housing 200 even when the
gas of a certain pressure or the liquid of a certain amount is
filled into the housing 200. The hollow portion 210 may be
desirably formed by attaching the facing surfaces of the housing
200 together. In (a) of FIG. 4, at least one hollow portion 210 is
formed on a top surface of the housing 200 and extended to a bottom
surface of the housing 200. The top and bottom surfaces of the
housing 200 corresponding to the hollow portion 210 are attached
together. In (b) of FIG. 4, at least one pair of facing hollow
portions 210 is respectively formed on the top and bottom surfaces
of the housing 200 and the top and bottom surfaces of the housing
200 between top and bottom hollow portions 210 facing each other
are attached together.
[0056] When the hollow portion 210 is formed in the housing 200, a
hole must be formed in the cross-linked foam 100 at a corresponding
position to the hollow portion 210 to accommodate the hollow
portion 210. Thus the cross-linked foam 100 can keep its position
and fulfill the shock-absorbing function owing to an existence of
the hole and the hollow portion 210 even when the housing 200 is
filled with the gas or liquid.
[0057] Though not shown in the figures, if the cross-linked foam
100 consists of plural separated cross-linked foam, the hollow
portion 210 may separate each of the plural cross-linked foam and
seal it. The attachment of the hollow portion 210 may be done by
one of the heat-compression attachment, the supersonic attachment
and a high frequency attachment as in the attachment of the housing
200 but the attaching method is not confined to those.
[0058] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made in the shock-absorbing
device for shoes without departing from the spirit or scope of the
invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover
the modifications and variations of this invention provided they
come within the scope of the appended claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *