U.S. patent application number 13/704862 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-16 for functional shoe having a cushioning function and an air circulation function.
The applicant listed for this patent is Keun Soo Yoon. Invention is credited to Keun Soo Yoon.
Application Number | 20130118028 13/704862 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43356885 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130118028 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yoon; Keun Soo |
May 16, 2013 |
FUNCTIONAL SHOE HAVING A CUSHIONING FUNCTION AND AN AIR CIRCULATION
FUNCTION
Abstract
A functional shoe pertains to a cushioning function and an air
circulation function, which integrally performs the cushioning
function and the air circulation function. The functional shoe
includes: an insole (110) and a midsole (120) having a tunnel
portion (122). The tunnel portion (122) has a lower surface (122a)
and an upper surface (122b) having a predetermined angle (.alpha.)
with the lower surface (122a); an outsole (130) having an anti-slip
tread (132); a foldable resilient member (140) having a support
portion (142) for supporting the lower surface (122a) of the tunnel
portion (122), and a rotating portion (144). The rotating portion
(144) is resiliently folded by the load being applied thereto; a
sealing member (150); and an air channel (160) having one end
communicated to the closed tunnel (122) and the other end located
at the front end of the insole (110).
Inventors: |
Yoon; Keun Soo; (Seoul,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Yoon; Keun Soo |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
43356885 |
Appl. No.: |
13/704862 |
Filed: |
June 15, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
June 15, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2010/003824 |
371 Date: |
January 22, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/27 ;
36/28 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/183 20130101;
A43B 7/081 20130101; A43B 13/145 20130101; A43B 13/181 20130101;
A43B 13/143 20130101; A43B 13/203 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/27 ;
36/28 |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/18 20060101
A43B013/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 17, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0053700 |
Claims
1. A functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions, comprising: an insole (110) having an upper surface to
which leather uppers (102) are adhered; a midsole (120) including a
tunnel portion (122) formed at a rear end thereof, and having a
lower side surface (122a) in contact with a lower surface of the
insole (110) and formed parallel to the ground surface and an upper
side surface (122b) configured to form a predetermined angle
(.alpha.) with respect to the lower side surface (122a); an outsole
(130) having a tread (132) adhered to a lower surface of the
midsole (120) and configured to prevent slippage thereof; a
foldable resilient member (140) having a support section (142)
configured to support a lower side surface (122a) of the tunnel
portion (122) and a pivot section (144) configured to support an
upper side surface (122b) of the tunnel portion (122), wherein the
pivot section (144) is resiliently folded by an applied load; a
sealing member (150) installed to seal the tunnel portion (122);
and an air channel (160) having one end in communication with the
sealed tunnel portion (122) and the other end disposed at a front
side of the insole (110).
2. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 1, wherein the foldable resilient
member (140) comprises: a pivot shaft (145); the support section
(142) and the pivot section (144) hinged by the pivot shaft (145);
and a resilient section (146) having a torsional coil spring (146a)
inserted into the pivot shaft (145), a first extension unit (146b)
extending from the torsional coil spring (146a) to support the
support section (142), and a second extension unit (146c) extending
from the coil spring (146a) to support the pivot section (144).
3. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 1, wherein the foldable resilient
member (140) is a flat spring in which the support section (142)
and the pivot section (144) are integrally formed.
4. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 1, wherein a discharge check valve
(162) is installed at one end of the air channel (160), and a
suction check valve (164) is installed at one side of the sealing
member (150).
5. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 1, wherein a suction check valve (164)
is installed at one end of the air channel (160), and a discharge
check valve (162) is formed at one side of the sealing member
(150).
6. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 1, wherein the midsole (120) is curved
such that a front side and a rear side are spaced apart from the
ground surface.
7. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 1, wherein the midsole (120) has at
least one high elastic or solid reinforcement member (170)
configured to maintain a shape of the midsole (120) and prevent a
fracture of the foldable resilient member (140) from a front side
of the midsole (120).
8. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 1, wherein the insole (110) contains
an inorganic material of emitting far-infrared light or is
anion-treated.
9. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 2, wherein a discharge check valve
(162) is installed at one end of the air channel (160), and a
suction check valve (164) is installed at one side of the sealing
member (150).
10. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 3, wherein a discharge check valve
(162) is installed at one end of the air channel (160), and a
suction check valve (164) is installed at one side of the sealing
member (150).
11. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 2, wherein a suction check valve (164)
is installed at one end of the air channel (160), and a discharge
check valve (162) is formed at one side of the sealing member
(150).
12. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 3, wherein a suction check valve (164)
is installed at one end of the air channel (160), and a discharge
check valve (162) is formed at one side of the sealing member
(150).
13. The functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to claim 6, wherein the midsole (120) has at
least one high elastic or solid reinforcement member (170)
configured to maintain a shape of the midsole (120) and prevent a
fracture of the foldable resilient member (140) from a front side
of the midsole (120).
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe, and more
particularly, to a functional shoe having cushioning and air
circulation functions capable of providing good landing comfort and
pleasant wearing comfort by simultaneously performing the
cushioning and air circulation functions.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In shoes, one of daily necessities, as the standard of
living is increased, various functional shoes based on an ergonomic
design beyond a simple function for protecting the feet are being
developed. Major functions of the functional shoes may include a
cushioning function, an air circulation function, and so on.
[0003] The cushioning function is provided to absorb impact applied
to a heel of a shoe that first comes in contact with the ground
surface upon walking, improving landing comfort. That is, the
impact applied from the heel through the cushioning function is
attenuated to reduce fatigue felt by a walker. As a conventional
art for the cushioning function, a method of manufacturing a sole
such as a midsole or an outsole using an elastic material such as
polyurethane or synthetic rubber, or a method of vertically
installing a plurality of coil springs in a heel of a shoe, is
mainly used. However, when elastic material is used, manufacturing
cost is increased, and elasticity of the elastic material is
gradually reduced as time elapses. In addition, since the method of
installing coil springs in the heel is limited to a resilient
distance of the spring, a sufficient cushioning function cannot be
expected and a structure thereof becomes complex, making it
difficult to manufacture the shoe.
[0004] The air circulation function is provided to remove moisture
in the shoe and improve wearing comfort. That is, the air
circulation function is provided to dry moisture due to sweat
generated from the foot of a walker to prevent breeding of various
bacteria, or prevent skin ailments such as athlete's foot. One of
conventional techniques for the air circulation function is a
method of manufacturing leather uppers of a shoe mainly using a
breathable material. However, since this technique is a passive
method, air circulation efficiency is largely decreased.
Accordingly, a technique of air-circulating the inside of the shoe
through a more active method is needed.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0005] In order to solve the foregoing and/or other problems, it is
an aspect of the present invention to provide a functional shoe
having cushioning and air circulation functions capable of
remarkably improving shock-absorbing efficiency and air circulation
efficiency, and increasing durability and production efficiency of
the shoe through a simple structure.
[0006] In addition, it is another aspect of the present invention
to provide a functional shoe having cushioning and air circulation
functions capable of implementing rolling movement and
sterilization action of the shoe to maximize landing comfort and
wearing comfort.
Technical Solution
[0007] The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention
may be achieved by providing a functional shoe having cushioning
and air circulation functions, including: an insole (110) having an
upper surface to which leather uppers (102) are adhered; a midsole
(120) including a tunnel portion (122) formed at a rear end
thereof, and having a lower side surface (122a) in contact with a
lower surface of the insole (110) and formed parallel to the ground
surface and an upper side surface (122b) configured to form a
predetermined angle (.alpha.) with respect to the lower side
surface (122a); an outsole (130) having a tread (132) adhered to a
lower surface of the midsole (120) and configured to prevent
slippage thereof; a foldable resilient member (140) having a
support section (142) configured to support a lower side surface
(122a) of the tunnel portion (122), and a pivot section (144)
configured to support an upper side surface (122b) of the tunnel
portion (122), wherein the pivot section (144) is resiliently
folded by an applied load; a sealing member (150) installed to seal
the tunnel portion (122); and an air channel (160) having one end
in communication with the sealed tunnel portion (122) and the other
end disposed at a front side of the insole (110).
[0008] In addition, in the functional shoe having cushioning and
air circulation functions according to the present invention, the
foldable resilient member (140) includes: a pivot shaft (145); the
support section (142) and the pivot section (144) hinged by the
pivot shaft (145); and a resilient section (146) having a torsional
coil spring (146a) inserted into the pivot shaft (145), a first
extension unit (146b) extending from the torsional coil spring
(146a) to support the support section (142), and a second extension
unit (146c) extending from the coil spring (146a) to support the
pivot section (144). Here, the foldable resilient member (140) may
be a flat spring in which the support section (142) and the pivot
section (144) are integrally formed.
[0009] Further, in the functional shoe having cushioning and air
circulation functions according to the present invention, a
discharge check valve (162) is installed at one end of the air
channel (160), and a suction check valve (164) is installed at one
side of the sealing member (150). Here, the suction check valve
(164) may be installed at one end of the air channel (160), and the
discharge check valve (162) may be formed at one side of the
sealing member (150).
[0010] Furthermore, in the functional shoe having cushioning and
air circulation functions according to the present invention, the
midsole (120) is curved such that a front side and a rear side are
spaced apart from the ground surface.
[0011] In addition, in the functional shoe having cushioning and
air circulation functions according to the present invention, the
midsole (120) has at least one high elastic or solid reinforcement
member (170) configured to maintain a shape of the midsole (120)
and prevent a fracture of the foldable resilient member (140) from
a front side of the midsole (120).
[0012] Further, in the functional shoe having cushioning and air
circulation functions according to the present invention, the
insole (110) contains an inorganic material of emitting
far-infrared light, or is anion-treated.
Advantageous Effects
[0013] As described above, the functional shoe having the
cushioning and air circulation functions according to the present
invention has a foldable resilient member, and thus, impact
absorption efficiency can be improved to provide good landing
comfort. At the same time, the inside of the shoe can be actively
air-circulated to remarkably improve air circulation efficiency,
and thus, the inside of the shoe can be maintained at a comfortable
state to improve wearing comfort.
[0014] In addition, since the foldable resilient member according
to the present invention has a simple structure, durability and
production efficiency of the shoe can be remarkably improved.
[0015] Further, effective walking through natural rolling movement
becomes possible, and wearing comfort can be maximized through
discharge of far-infrared light or anion from the insole.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0016] The above and other aspects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from
the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a side view showing major parts of a functional
shoe having cushioning and air circulation functions according to
an embodiment of the present invention, while an insole, a midsole
and an outsole are cut;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a foldable
resilient member of FIG. 1; and
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another example of the
foldable resilient member.
TABLE-US-00001 [0020]<Description of Major Reference
Numerals> 100: functional shoe having cushioning and air
circulation functions 102: leather uppers 110: insole 120: midsole
122: tunnel portion 130: outsole 132: tread 140', 140'': foldable
resilient member 142, 142'': support section 144, 144'': pivot
section 145: pivot shaft 145a: pivot shaft fixing member 146:
resilient section 146a: torsional coil spring 146b: first extension
unit 146c: second extension unit 150: sealing member 160: air
channel 162: discharge check valve 164: suction check valve 170:
elastic reinforcement member
MODE FOR INVENTION
[0021] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of
the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings. However, it will be apparent to those
skilled in the art that the following embodiments can be readily
understood and modified into various types, and the scope of the
present invention is not limited to the embodiments. Like elements
are designated by like reference numerals throughout the
specification as possible even though they are shown in the other
drawings.
[0022] First, a configuration of a functional shoe having
cushioning and air circulation functions according to an embodiment
of the present invention will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a side view showing major parts of the functional
shoe having cushioning and air circulation functions according to
the embodiment of the present invention, while an insole, a midsole
and an outsole are cut, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view
showing a foldable resilient member of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1,
a functional shoe 100 having cushioning and air circulation
functions according to an embodiment of the present invention
generally includes an insole 110, a midsole 120, an outsole 130, a
foldable resilient member 140, a sealing member 150 and an air
channel 160.
[0024] The insole 110 is a sole that comes in contact with the sole
of a wearer. Leather uppers 102 are adhered to an edge of an upper
surface of the insole 110. In addition, the insole 110 may be
adhered to an upper surface of the midsole 120, or may be
exchangeably disposed on the upper surface of the midsole 120.
[0025] Meanwhile, the insole 110 contains an inorganic material
that emits a far-infrared light. Far-infrared light is generally
well-known to penetrate the human body to show effects such as
improvement of blood circulation through thermal action,
sterilization action, prevention and improvement of diabetic
diseases, or the like. Moreover, effects such as deodorization,
dehumidification, air cleaning, and so on, are also well-known.
Such an inorganic material that emits far-infrared light may
include natural barley stone such as MgO, SiO.sub.2 or ZrO.sub.2,
ceramic, charcoal, jade, germanium, and so on. Such a far-infrared
light emitting material may be formed of a fiber, which may be used
to manufacture the insole 110.
[0026] In addition, the insole 110 may be anion-treated to emit an
anion. An anion is known to ionize and alkalize mineral elements
such as calcium, sodium or potassium contained in blood,
accomplishing effects such as purification of blood, improvement of
blood circulation, activation of cells, fatigue recovery, pain
relief, and so on.
[0027] The midsole 120 is disposed between the insole 110 and the
outsole 130, and formed of a material such as polyurethane or
synthetic rubber having a cushioning function itself. As shown in
FIG. 1, the midsole 120 has a tunnel portion 122 opened at a rear
end thereof. The tunnel portion 122 has a lower side surface 122a
formed parallel to the ground surface, and an upper side surface
122b configured to form a predetermined angle .alpha. with respect
to the lower side surface 122a. Here, the predetermined angle
.alpha. of the tunnel portion 122 may be 10.degree. to
30.degree..
[0028] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 1, the midsole 120 is curved
such that a front side and a rear side are spaced apart from the
ground surface to enable rolling movement of the shoe 100.
[0029] In addition, the midsole 120 has a reinforcement member 170
formed therein and configured to maintain a shape of the midsole
120. The midsole 120 is repeatedly deformed to reduce elasticity
thereof, and thus, recovery capability is also decreased.
Accordingly, the reinforcement member 170 may be formed of a high
elastic material such as synthetic rubber, or a solid material such
as solid synthetic resin may be inserted into the midsole 120 to
improve recovery capability. According to the embodiment, as shown
in FIG. 1, the reinforcement member 170 includes a first
reinforcement member 170a longitudinally formed in the midsole 120,
and a second reinforcement member 170b formed under the tunnel
portion 122. The first reinforcement member 170a reinforces a front
side of the midsole 120, and the second reinforcement member 170b
supports and reinforces the foldable resilient member 140. As
described above, the reinforcement members 170a and 170b doubly
reinforce the midsole 120, and thus, a fracture phenomenon in which
a central portion of the midsole 120, i.e., a front side of the
tunnel portion 122, is fractured, is prevented. As a result, upon
rolling movement of the shoe 100, a shape of the midsole 120 is
uniformly maintained to enable smooth rolling movement.
[0030] The outsole 130 is a portion that comes in contact with the
ground surface, and is adhered to a lower surface of the midsole
120. Here, the outsole 130 includes a tread 132 having a plurality
of grooves and protrusions, preventing slippage thereof.
[0031] The foldable resilient member 140 is inserted into the
tunnel portion 122 to absorb impact due to a load of the walker.
According to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2, the foldable resilient member 140 includes a
plate-shaped support section 142 configured to support the lower
side surface 122a of the tunnel portion 122, and a plate-shaped
pivot section 144 configured to support the upper side surface 122b
of the tunnel portion 122. Then, the support section 142 and the
pivot section 144 are hinged by a pivot shaft 145. Here, the pivot
shaft 145 is fixed to a pivot shaft fixing member 145a. In
addition, the pivot shaft 145 is disposed such that a resilient
section 146 is disposed between the support section 142 and the
pivot section 144. As shown in FIG. 2, the resilient section 146 is
constituted by a pair of torsional coil springs 146a, and a first
extension unit 146b) and a second extension unit 146c having a "C"
shape and extending from the torsional coil springs 146a,
respectively. The first extension unit 146b and the second
extension unit 146c form the predetermined angle .alpha. and
support the support section 142 and the pivot section 144,
respectively. Here, since the support section 142 supports the
lower side surface 122a of the tunnel portion 122 formed parallel
to the ground surface, the pivot section 144 is folded with respect
to the relatively fixed support section 142. Accordingly, in the
foldable resilient member 140, when the load is applied to the
upper surface of the pivot section 144, the pivot section 144 is
resiliently folded by resiliency of the resilient section 146.
[0032] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the foldable
resilient member 140 may be a flat spring 140'' in which a support
section 142'' and a pivot section 144'' are integrally formed. That
is, the flat spring 140'' is resiliently folded by elasticity of a
portion thereof to which the support section 142'' and the pivot
section 144'' are connected.
[0033] As described above, the foldable resilient member 140 may be
designed by adjusting an elastic modulus of the torsional coil
springs 146a and the flat spring 140'' in consideration of wearing
comfort or impact absorption efficiency of the shoe 100. The
foldable resilient member 140 has a simple structure to enable easy
manufacture. In addition, since the foldable resilient member 140
is largely deformed by the predetermined angle .alpha., impact
absorption efficiency can be remarkably improved in comparison with
the conventional art.
[0034] The sealing member 150 is manufactured using an elastic
material to be formed in a thin film shape, acting to seal the
tunnel portion 122. As shown in FIG. 1, the sealing member 150 is
inserted into the tunnel portion 122 while completely surrounding
an outer edge of the foldable resilient member 140. On the other
hand, the tunnel portion 122 can also be sealed by attaching the
sealing member 150 to the tunnel portion 122 into which the
foldable resilient member 140 is inserted.
[0035] The air channel 160 functions to bring the tunnel portion
122 in communication with air in the shoe 100. According to the
embodiment, the air channel 160 uses a hose. In addition, one end
of the air channel 160 is disposed at the front side of the insole
110 to be in communication with the inside of the shoe 100, and the
other end is in communication with the tunnel portion 122 through a
through-hole 143 formed in the support section 142 of the foldable
resilient member 140.
[0036] Check valves 162 and 164 are small valves using a thin film,
which function to flow air in one direction. According to the
embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the
discharge check valve 162 is installed at one end of the air
channel 160 disposed at the front side of the insole 110, and the
suction check valve 164 is installed at one side of the sealing
member 150. As air is continuously supplied into the inside of the
shoe 100 through a pumping action of the tunnel portion 122, the
inside of the shoe 100 is ventilated.
[0037] On the other hand, the suction check valve 164 may be
installed at one end of the air channel 160, and the discharge
check valve 162 may be installed at one side of the sealing member
150. As the air in the shoe 100 is continuously suctioned and
discharged to the outside, the inside of the shoe 100 is
ventilated.
[0038] Hereinafter, an operation of the functional shoe 100 having
cushioning and air circulation functions according to the
embodiment of the present invention will be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0039] First, the cushioning function and rolling movement of the
present invention will be described.
[0040] When a walker wears the shoes 100 according to the
embodiment of the present invention and walks, the rear side of the
shoe 100 first comes in contact with the ground surface. Here, the
load of the walker is applied to the heel, and the foldable
resilient member 140 inserted into the tunnel portion 122 is
resiliently folded to effectively absorb impact applied to the
heel, remarkably improving landing comfort. Here, the midsole 120
and the outsole 130 of the shoe 100 have a curved shape spaced
apart from the ground surface at the front and lower sides thereof,
enabling soft landing and providing a wide landing area to reduce
impact applied to the heel.
[0041] Next, the load of the walker after the landing is moved to
the ball of the foot. Then, as the outsole 130 of the shoe 100
performs rolling movement along the ground surface, the impact
still not absorbed in the foldable resilient member 140 is
continuously distributed and absorbed. In addition, since the load
of the wearer is gradually moved toward the ball of the heel along
the curved surface of the outsole 130, smooth and natural walking
becomes possible. The resilient member 140 folded in this process
is spread again by a resilient recovering force to generate a
repulsive force, and thus, the foot of the walker is pushed
forward. As a result, effective walking becomes possible.
[0042] Next, the air circulation function of the present invention
will be described.
[0043] When the walker wears the shoes 100 according to the
embodiment of the present invention and walks, the foldable
resilient member 140 is folded upon landing, and simultaneously,
the tunnel portion 122 of the midsole 120 is contracted. Here, the
air in the tunnel portion 122 is pumped to be supplied into the
shoe 100 through the discharge check valve 162 via the air channel
160. Then, when the load applied to the foldable resilient member
140 is released, the foldable resilient member 140 is spread to the
original state, and the tunnel portion 122 is expanded to the
original state. Here, air is introduced through the suction check
valve 164 installed at one side of the sealing member 150. As the
above processes are repeated, fresh external air is continuously
introduced into the shoe 100, and thus, air circulation can be
effectively performed to accomplish pleasant wearing comfort. In
addition, in an opposite case in which the suction check valve 164
is installed at one end of the air channel 160 and the discharge
check valve 162 is installed at one side of the sealing member 150,
wet air in the shoe 100 is continuously suctioned to be discharged
to the outside, and the air in the shoe 100 is circulated.
[0044] Meanwhile, the insole 110 effectively performs
deodorization, dehumidification, and an antibacterial function
through air circulation and effective discharge of far-infrared
light in the shoe 100, further improving wearing comfort. In
addition, foot health of the wearer such as improvement of blood
circulation, prevention and improvement of diabetic diseases, and
pain relief, can be enhanced through far-infrared light and anion
discharged from the insole 110.
[0045] The foregoing description concerns an exemplary embodiment
of the invention, is intended to be illustrative, and should not be
construed as limiting the invention. The present teachings can be
readily applied to other types of devices and apparatuses. Many
alternatives, modifications, and variations within the scope and
spirit of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled
in the art.
* * * * *