U.S. patent application number 12/023307 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-22 for absorbent footwear liner.
Invention is credited to Shannon Michelle McLinden.
Application Number | 20080115385 12/023307 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46330096 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080115385 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McLinden; Shannon Michelle |
May 22, 2008 |
ABSORBENT FOOTWEAR LINER
Abstract
An absorbent footwear liner comprising an upper absorbent layer
and a lower layer comprising an adhesive equal in size to the upper
layer for adhering the liner to substantially the entire surface of
a footbed for absorbing and dissipating moisture thereon and
preventing foot slippage on a shoe footbed due to perspiration.
Inventors: |
McLinden; Shannon Michelle;
(Frisco, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL A. O'NEIL, P.C.
5949 SHERRY LANE, SUITE 820
DALLAS
TX
75225
US
|
Family ID: |
46330096 |
Appl. No.: |
12/023307 |
Filed: |
January 31, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11380954 |
May 1, 2006 |
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12023307 |
Jan 31, 2008 |
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60686666 |
Jun 2, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/44 ;
36/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 17/102 20130101;
A43B 7/1425 20130101; A43B 17/02 20130101; A43B 7/144 20130101;
A43B 13/38 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/044 ;
036/043 |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/38 20060101
A43B013/38 |
Claims
1. A liner for placement upon an upper surface of a footbed of an
article of footwear to absorb and dissipate moisture, comprising: a
layer of moisture absorbing material having a top and a bottom
surface; the layer of moisture absorbing material extending across
substantially the entire upper surface of the footbed when placed
thereon; The layer of moisture absorbing material having
encapsulated essential oils incorporated therein; an adhesive
removably adhering the bottom surface of the layer of moisture
absorbing material to the upper surface of the footbed; and the
adhesive covering substantially the entire bottom surface of the
layer of moisture absorbing material.
2. The liner according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive comprises a
series of stripes extending longitudinally along substantially the
entire bottom surface of the layer of moisture absorbing
material.
3. The liner according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive comprises a
series of circular applications positioned substantially across the
entire length and width of the bottom surface of the layer of
moisture absorbing material.
4. The liner according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive comprises a
strip extending about the perimeter of the entire bottom surface of
the layer of moisture absorbing material.
5. The liner according to claim 1 wherein the layer of moisture
absorbing material comprises felt.
6. The liner according to claim 1 wherein the layer of moisture
absorbing material comprises an open-cell foam material.
7. The liner according to claim 1 wherein the layer of moisture
absorbing material comprises suede.
8. The liner according to claim 1 wherein the layer of moisture
absorbing material further comprises additional material to cushion
the ball and heal of a foot resting thereon.
9. The liner according to claim 1 wherein the encapsulated
essential oils are released by contact between a foot of a person
wearing the article of footwear and the layer of moisture absorbing
material having the encapsulated essential oils incorporated
therein.
10. A liner for placement upon an upper surface of a footbed of an
article of footwear to absorb and dissipate moisture, comprising:
an upper layer of moisture absorbing material; a lower layer
providing cushioning and support; the upper layer and lower layer
shaped so that they extend across substantially the entire upper
surface of the footbed when placed thereon; and an adhesive for
removably adhering the bottom surface of the upper layer to the
lower layer; the upper layer having encapsulated essential oils
incorporated therein.
11. The liner according to claim 10 wherein the lower layer
comprises a gel material.
12. The liner according to claim 10 wherein the lower layer
comprises a moisture absorbing material.
13. The liner according to claim 10 wherein the layer of moisture
absorbing material comprises felt.
14. The liner according to claim 10 wherein the layer of moisture
absorbing material comprises an open-cell foam material.
15. The liner according to claim 10 wherein the layer of moisture
absorbing material comprises suede.
16. The liner according to claim 10 wherein the lawyer of moisture
absorbing material further comprises additional material to cushion
the ball and heal of a foot resting thereon.
17. The liner according to claim 10 wherein the encapsulated
essential oils are released by contact between a foot of a person
wearing the article of footwear and the layer of moisture absorbing
material having the encapsulated essential oils incorporated
therein.
18. The liner according to claim 10 wherein the moisture absorbing
material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of
hemp and hemp/wool blends.
19. A liner for placement upon an upper surface of a footwear
orthotic to absorb and dissipate moisture, comprising: a layer of
moisture absorbing material having a top and a bottom surface; the
layer of moisture absorbing material extending across substantially
the entire upper surface of the footbed when placed thereon; the
layer of moisture absorbing material having micro-encapsulated
essential oils incorporated therein; an adhesive removably adhering
the bottom surface of the layer of moisture absorbing material to
the upper surface of the footwear orthotic; and the adhesive
covering substantially the entire bottom surface of the layer of
moisture absorbing material.
20. The liner according to claim 19 wherein the moisture absorbing
material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of
hemp and hemp/wool blends.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is continuation-in-part application of
application Ser. No. 11/380,954 filed May 1, 2006, currently
pending, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference; which claims priority of provisional Application Ser.
No. 60/686,666 filed Jun. 2, 2005, the entire content of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates generally to footwear liners, and
more particularly to an absorbent footwear liner that substantially
covers a footwear sole for absorbing and dissipating perspiration
from a foot engaged therewith.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] There are over 250,000 sweat glands in a human foot.
Unfortunately, shoes are not created with this in mind.
Perspiration not only causes odor but also causes the surface of
the foot to become moist. In fact the human foot has the capacity
to produce at least % a cup of perspiration per day.
[0004] Typical footbeds of non-athletic shoes such as pumps,
loafers, and sandals comprise a liner comprising a leather,
plastic, or synthetic material which cannot absorb nor release foot
produced perspiration. As a result, feet accumulating perspiration
thereon slip on the footbeds causing the foot to shift inside the
shoe and even slip completely out of the shoe in some cases.
Further, persons with hyperhidrosis, commonly referred to as
excessive sweating, have even more difficulties with typical
footbeds such that simply keeping an open shoe on their feet is
nearly impossible.
[0005] Heretofore shoe liners have been available for orthotic
purposes, for overall cushioning, and as inserts for either the
heel or ball of a foot to improve overall fit of the shoe. Existing
shoe liners have not been designed to absorb moisture and prevent
slippage due to perspiration. Further, existing shoe liners
typically have adhesive tabs which do not secure the entire
liner.
[0006] The present invention comprises an absorbent shoe liner
which overcomes foregoing and other difficulties which have long
since characterized the prior art. In accordance with the broader
aspects of the invention, an absorbent shoe liner comprises an
upper footbed layer which absorbs and dissipates perspiration and a
lower layer comprising an adhesive area equal in size to the upper
footbed layer for adhering the liner to substantially the entire
surface of the footbed of a shoe.
[0007] In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention,
an absorbent shoe liner comprises an upper layer comprising a
fabric with moisture wicking capabilities and a lower layer
comprising an adhesive material. Both the upper and lower layers
extend across the entire footbed of a shoe covering the footbed
from edge to edge and end to end. The fabric comprising the upper
layer absorbs excess moisture from the foot thereby preventing the
foot from slipping out of the shoe and further absorbing bacteria
which prevents accumulation of odor inside the shoe. The adhesive
lower layer keeps the shoe liner secure on the footbed of the
shoe.
[0008] The fabric comprising the upper layer of absorbent shoe
liner may comprise 100% hemp fibers. Alternatively, the upper layer
of the absorbent shoe liner may comprise a blend of hemp fibers and
wool fibers.
[0009] Regardless of the materials) utilized in the construction of
the upper layer of the absorbent shoe liner, micro-encapsulated
essential oils may be incorporated therein. When absorbent shoe
liners having micro-encapsulated essential oils incorporated
therein are installed in shoes and the shoes are worn, contact
between the feet of the wearer and the upper layer of the absorbent
shoe liner releases the essential oils thereby keeping the feet
fragranced and feeling refreshed.
[0010] The upper layer may also include additional foam material
substantially near where the ball or heel of the foot rests thereon
for providing cushion for the foot. The foam material may be
adhered either above or below the upper layer.
[0011] The shoe liner of the present invention is equally
applicable to both open and close toed shoes for men, women, and
children. The shoe liner can be fitted to nearly all shoe sizes by
simply trimming the perimeter thereof. In addition to absorbing
moisture and odor and preventing foot slippage, the shoe liner also
provides a soft surface on which the foot rests contributing to the
wearer's overall comfort. Further, the shoe liner may be also
adhered to an orthotic that is placed inside a shoe, instead of
directly onto the footbed of a shoe.
[0012] The shoe liner of the present invention may further include
an additional layer comprising a gel material. The additional gel
layer is placed beneath the lower adhesive layer. The gel layer
adheres the shoe liner to a footbed of a shoe while providing
additional cushioning.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] A more complete understanding of the present invention may
be had by reference to the following Detailed Description when
taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:
[0014] FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of a shoe liner
comprising a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the adhesive layer of the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1A having a different adhesive
pattern;
[0016] FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the adhesive layer of the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1A having yet another adhesive
pattern;
[0017] FIG. 1D is a perspective view of the adhesive layer of the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1A having yet another adhesive
pattern;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a shoe liner
comprising a second embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a shoe liner
comprising a third embodiment of the present invention; and
[0020] FIG. 4 is a an exploded perspective view of a shoe liner
comprising the embodiment of FIG. 1 applied to an insertable shoe
orthotic.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1A,
there is shown a footwear liner 10 comprising a first embodiment of
the present invention. The footwear liner 10 comprises an upper
layer 12 and a lower layer 14 adhered therebelow. The lower layer
14 comprises an adhesive material whereby the shoe liner covers and
is adhered to an upper surface 16 of a footbed 18.
[0022] The upper layer 12 comprises a fabric material capable of
absorbing and dissipating moisture such as an athletic-wool felt
comprising 70% wool and 30% rayon or other suitable materials known
to those skilled in the art, including suede or synthetic suede;
open and closed-cell foam materials; woven, nonwoven, or knit
textiles; and manmade or natural textile blends, including
microfibers. The upper layer 12 may also comprise hemp or a blend
comprising hemp and wool. Regardless of the materials utilized in
its construction the upper layer 12 may be provided with
encapsulated essential oils.
[0023] The lower layer 14 comprises a double-sided adhesive film
such as double-faced acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive tape with
release liner sold by AdChem Corporation under the Product Name
Adchem 8311M-76G-54 or other suitable adhesive materials known to
those skilled in the art, including those applied by
pressure-sensitive tape equipment, spray, slot die, sheet, roller
coating, continuous pour, and embossed patterns, to maintain the
upper layer 12 in adhesive engagement with a leather, plastic or
synthetic material while leaving no residue once removed from the
upper surface 16 of the footbed 18. Both the upper layer 12 and
lower layer 14 are formed such that the shoe liner 10 substantially
covers the entire upper surface 16 of the footbed 18 and the entire
shoe liner 10 is maintained in adhesive engagement therewith.
[0024] FIG. 1B illustrates an alternative lower layer 14 having an
adhesive comprising a series of stripes extending longitudinally
along substantially the entire layer 14. This series of stripes
could also extend transversely across substantially the entire
layer 14. FIG. 1C illustrates an alternative lower layer 14 having
an adhesive comprising a series of circular applications positioned
substantially across the entire length and width of layer 14. FIG.
1D illustrates yet another alternative lower layer 14 having an
adhesive comprising a strip extending about the entire perimeter of
the upper layer 12.
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates the shoe liner 10 having an additional
lower layer 20 comprising a gel material. The gel layer 20
comprises a gel material which adheres the shoe liner 10 to the
footbed 18 while providing additional cushioning and comfort to a
foot resting thereon. The gel layer 20 may be fabricated from a
biodegradable synthetic material or other suitable materials known
to those skilled in the art.
[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates the show liner 10 wherein the upper layer
12 comprises additional foam support 22 adhered to the upper layer
12 substantially near the location where the ball and the heal of
the foot rest thereon.
[0027] FIG. 4 illustrates the shoe liner 10 adhered to the surface
24 of an orthotic 26 for insertion into a shoe. In FIG. 4 the shoe
liner 10 is illustrated in accord with the embodiment of FIG. 1,
but the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 can also be applied to the
orthotic 26.
[0028] The shoe liner is illustrated in conjunction with a right
foot configuration but is equally applicable to a left foot
configuration. Further, the shoe liner of the present invention is
equally applicable to both open and close toed shoes for men,
women, and children. The shoe liner is fitted to nearly all shoe
sizes by simply trimming the perimeter thereof.
[0029] When the upper layers 12 of shoe liners comprising the
present invention are provided with encapsulated essential oils and
absorbent shoe liners 10 comprising such upper layers are installed
in shoes, contact between the feet of a person wearing the shoes
with the upper layers 12 of the absorbent shoe liners installed in
the shoes releases essential oils which keep the feet fragranced
and feeling refreshed.
[0030] Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the
foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the
invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is
capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and
substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the
spirit of the invention.
* * * * *