U.S. patent number 3,795,994 [Application Number 05/140,132] was granted by the patent office on 1974-03-12 for air-cushion socks.
Invention is credited to Yvan Dall Ava.
United States Patent |
3,795,994 |
Ava |
March 12, 1974 |
AIR-CUSHION SOCKS
Abstract
This sock is of the type described in the head patent i.e.
arranged to constitute air cushions interposed between the wearer's
foot and the boot. It consists of a thin, flexible and
air-impervious envelope divided longitudinally into a number, for
example five, of internal, air-tight compartments of relatively
great dimensions, each of them forming an air cushion, since air is
contained in each of them, this air being adapted to flow from one
compartment to another through throttling passages. These socks can
easy by the manufactured commercially scale, in a trouble-free
manner, and are adapted to prove entirely satisfactory to the
wearer.
Inventors: |
Ava; Yvan Dall (32 Eauze,
FR) |
Family
ID: |
26215720 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/140,132 |
Filed: |
May 4, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
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May 5, 1970 [FR] |
|
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70.16269 |
Apr 26, 1971 [FR] |
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71.14749 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B
17/03 (20130101); A41B 11/005 (20130101); A43B
13/16 (20130101); A41B 11/006 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A43B
17/03 (20060101); A43B 17/00 (20060101); A43b
013/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;36/29,43,3R,3A,3B |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lawson; Patrick D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Levy; Edward F.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sock comprising a thin envelope of flexible, air-impervious
material, divided longitudinally into a plurality of internal
fluid-tight compartments of relatively large dimensions, each
compartment containing air and forming an air cushion, said
envelope being sized to extend beneath the full length of a foot
with each compartment producing an individual damping action when a
load is applied thereto, a different air pressure being obtained in
each one of said compartments in order better to adapt each of them
to the load to be applied thereto.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to socks, that is,
complementary inner soles utilized sometimes in boots, shoes and
other footwears for modifying or rendering more comfortable these
boots or the like, and more particularly to an improved sock of
this type, characterized in that it consists of a relatively thin
envelope of flexible, air impervious material, divided in the
longitudinal direction into a plurality of air-tight compartments,
for example five in number of relatively large dimensions and
forming each an air cushion, since each compartment is filled with
air adapted, if desired, to flow from one compartment to another
through a relatively narrow or throttled passage adapted to retard
this flow.
According to a preferred form of embodiment of this invention the
air-cushion sock constituting the subject-matter thereof comprises
two relatively thin superposed sheets of p.v.c. or other suitable
heat-weldable resin materials, these sheets being die-cut to the
desired shape and welded along their edges to form the afore said
separate compartments each containing a sufficient quantity of
air.
These two thin superposed sheets of resin material may be obtained
from two separate webs or from a single but tubular piece of
extruded material; in the last case the transverse weld seams
assembling the two sheets may be formed directly during the
extrusion process.
Flat sheets may be used as such; in certain cases, one or both of a
pair of thin, air-impervious sheets may be heat-shaped in such a
manner that each compartment may have the same thickness along its
edge and in it central portion.
If desired, means may be implemented for causing the air pressure
to differ from one compartment to another, so that each compartment
be "inflated" at the pressure best suited to the weight to be
supported during the actual use of the sock. This result may be
obtained directly from the welding operation by simply causing
these two sheets to adhere, for example by suction, to patterns or
forms having the desired contour, except of course along the weld
seams; thus by properly selecting the curvature of these patterns
or forms, it is possible to adjust with a high degree of precision
the pressure values obtained in the various compartments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The attached drawing illustrates diagrammatically by way of example
several forms or embodiment of the present invention. In the
drawing:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sock;
FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections showing different forms
of embodiment of this sock;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the possibility of utilizing a
different material for the sheet material constituting the envelope
of the sock;
FIG. 6 is a similar view showing different way of utilizing this
sheet material;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the toe end of the sock with a
modified detail;
FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line VIII--VIII of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a plane view showing a modified form of embodiment of one
of the sheets constituting a sock according to this invention;
FIGS. 10 and 11 are sections taken along the lines X--X and X--XI
of FIG. 9, respectively, and
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view showing on a larger scale
the sock illustrated in the preceding FIGS. 9 and 10.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The sock shown in the various figures of the drawing comprises
essentially two relatively thin sheets 1, 2 of a flexible,
air-impervious material, such as p.v.c., these sheets being welded
along their peripheral edge 3 and also along transverse lines 4, 5,
6 and 7 to form air-tight compartments 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 filled
with air so as to have a certain thickness.
As shown in FIG. 3, the quantity of air contained in each
compartment may differ, according to the weight to be supported
thereby and also to the particular contour of the wearer's
foot.
This result may be obtained very easily by welding the two sheets
1, 2 along their edges 3 and along transverse lines 4 to 7 while
these sheets are caused to adhere by suction, except of course
along the weld seams or lines, against registering surfaces of a
pair of forms or patterns leaving therebetween a more or less
considerable free space for the air.
Instead of being formed from two separate sheets 1 and 2 as
described hereinabove, the flexible and air-impervious envelope
constituting the sock according to this invention may be obtained
from a tubular blank or web 13 in which the compartments are formed
either by means of the transverse weld seams or lines 4 to 7, as in
the preceding case, or by means of integral joints 14, 15, 16 and
17 formed directly during the extrusion process.
In certain cases these sheets 1 and 2 of flexible, air-impervious
material may be lined with a relatively thin sheet of foam 18, 19
in which air is retained (closed-cell foam structure), as shown in
FIG. 5.
As in the preceding case and as illustrated in FIG. 6, these two
sheets are welded together along their edges and also along
transverse lines 20, unless these transverse lines are obtained
directly by extrusion in the form of a small partition 21
interconnecting the sheets.
In certain cases the sock may be reinforced by providing a stiff
edge 22 along the more strained side, that is, as a rule, the outer
side.
According to a modified form of embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9
to 12 the sheets of thin flexible, air-impervious material may be
heat-shaped to comprises a number of separate longitudinal
compartments 24 between which a double partition 25, 26 is formed
to an inverted U configuration, as shown, in the case of the lower
sheet, and comprises a marginal flange 27 coplanar with the top or
upper face 28 of these double partitions 25, 26; small passages 29
may be provided in the partitions to permit the flow of air from
one compartment to another with a sufficient throttling effect.
A longitudinal partition may also be provided, if desired, this
longitudinal partion consisting similarly of two sheets 30 and 31,
with a top face 32 level with the other top faces 28 of the
aforesaid transverse partitions and also with the flange 27 of the
sock; this longitudinal partition may also comprise small
throttling passages 33 interconnecting a pair of transversely
aligned compartments.
The assembly is closed and sealed by simply superposting thereto a
thin sheet 34 of flexible and air-tight material welded along the
flanges 27 of the sock and also to the top faces 28 and 32 of the
transverse partitions and possibly of the longitudinal
partition.
Of course, the specific forms of embodiment of the invention
illustrated in the drawing and described in detail hereinabove
should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention
since various modifications may be brought thereto without
departing from the basic principles thereof as set forth in the
appended claims.
Thus, notably, it may be advantageous to use a sock of the type set
forth by completing same with another inner sole adapted on the one
hand to isolate the wearer's foot from the flexible and air-tight
material constituting said sock, an on the other hand to ensure a
better distribution of the foot pressure over the entire surface of
the sock; thus, an inner sole of the type described and illustrated
in the French Pat. No. 1.426.837 of its Certificate of Addition No.
91.180 may advantageously be used, this second sole being cemented
to, or simply laid on the first one.
* * * * *