# US 10,441,023 B2 · Flow insole > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,023 B2 - Document ID: US10441023B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/295,786 - Filed: 2014-06-04 - Published: 2014-09-25 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-02 - Assignees: Implus Footcare, LLC - Applicants: Implus Footcare, LLC - Inventors: Paul Lewis; David Bradley Granger; Jacob Martinez; William Sterling Wynn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441023B2 ## CPC - A43B 17/08: ventilated - A43B 7/06: ventilated - A43B 13/38: Built-in insoles joined to uppers during the manufacturing process, e.g. structural insoles; Insoles glued to shoes during the manufacturing process - A43B 17/006: {multilayered} - A43B 17/102: {Moisture absorbing socks; Moisture dissipating socks} - A43B 17/14: made of sponge, rubber, or plastic materials - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract An insole which generates an air flow during use, which assists in cooling or warming the foot of a user is disclosed. In a first embodiment, air flow facilitated by said insole provides for convective heat transfer away from the plantar surface of the foot. The insole is intended for insertion into a shoe which is ventilated, preferably an athletic shoe with a ventilated upper. The bottom layer defines a plurality of ridges and channel lining portions which together define a plurality of air channels. The bottom layer defines a heel recess in which a heel pad is situated. In a second embodiment, an insole which collects, retains, and heats a user's foot is disclosed. Said insole further comprises a middle layer of thermal reflective material secured to and coextensive with a top layer and a bottom layer secured to said middle layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An insole comprising: a bottom layer having a top side and a bottom side, a heel portion, a toe portion and an arch portion; a heel pad positioned in a heel recess area in said heel portion on said bottom side of said bottom layer; a plurality of curvilinear ridges located on bottom side of by the bottom layer and protrude outwardly from the bottom side of said bottom layer and extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal insole axis that extends longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion, said plurality of longitudinal curvilinear ridges occupy substantially the lateral width of the bottom side of said insole bottom layer; one or more channels positioned between said curvilinear ridges and extending essentially lengthwise along said longitudinal insole axis extending essentially longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion in parallel with one or more of said curvilinear ridge; a portion of one or more of said plurality of curvilinear ridges adapted to make contact with the bottom internal surface of a user's shoe, said channels forming a plurality of air channels to force air flow along an air pathway positioned in one or more of said channels; one or more elongated recesses located on said bottom layer, said one or more elongated recesses being positioned within one or more of said channels and occupying a portion of the longitudinal length of said one or more channels; said heel pad having inside heel ridges that each protrude outwardly from the surface of the heel pad occupying substantially the lateral width of the heel pad and having heel channels defined by the space between said heel ridges, wherein said heel ridges and heel channels extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal heel axis and extend essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bottom layer, said heel ridges being adjacent to said curvilinear ridges of said bottom layer such that heel channels are in communication with adjacent channels in said bottom layer of said insole and assist air flow along the bottom layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The insole of claim 1, wherein said air channels formed by said ridges form individual air pathways for air flow between said heel portion and said toe portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The insole of claim 1, wherein said air channels are collapsible when pressure is applied. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The insole of claim 1, further comprising a top layer secured to said bottom layer and having a substrate for foot contact. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The insole of claim 4, wherein said substrate of said top layer comprises a moisture wicking textile that assists in thermal regulation of the foot. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The insole of claim 5, wherein said substrate is a cooling textile comprising jadeite. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The insole of claim 5, wherein said substrate is a textile comprising 100% polyester and incorporates a phase change material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The insole of claim 1, wherein said bottom layer comprises ethylene vinyl acetate (“EVA”), and a thermally conductive material selected from magnesium oxide, boron nitride and combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The insole of claim 4, further comprising a middle layer secured between said top layer and said bottom layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The insole of claim 9, wherein said middle layer is a thermal reflective barrier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The insole of claim 1, wherein said heel pad has a concave shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The insole of claim 11, wherein said heel pad comprises inside heel ridges that have greater thickness at the front and back portions of the heel pad and lesser thickness at a middle portion of the heel pad to form said concave shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The insole of claim 4, further comprising a secondary middle layer situated between said top layer and said middle layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The insole of claim 13, wherein said secondary middle layer comprises EVA. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The insole of claim 13, wherein said secondary middle layer is about 1.5 mm thick. ### Claim 16 An insole comprising: a bottom layer having a top side and a bottom side, a heel portion, a toe portion and an arch portion, a plurality of curvilinear ridges located on bottom side of the bottom layer and protrude outwardly from the bottom side of said bottom layer and extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal insole axis that extends longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion, said plurality of longitudinal curvilinear ridges occupy substantially the lateral width of the bottom side of said insole bottom layer, one or more channels positioned between curvilinear ridges and extending essentially lengthwise along said longitudinal insole axis and extending essentially longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion in parallel with one or more of said curvilinear ridges, a portion of one or more of said plurality of curvilinear ridges adapted to make contact with the bottom internal surface of a user's shoe, said channels forming a plurality of air channels to force air flow along said plurality of air channels forming an air pathway positioned in one or more of said channels; and said heel portion having inside heel ridges that each protrude outwardly from the bottom surface of the bottom layer of the heel portion and extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal heel axis that extends essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bottom layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The insole of claim 16, wherein said heel portion further comprises a heel pad positioned in a recessed area in said heel portion on said bottom side of said bottom layer, said heel pad having inside heel ridges that each protrude outwardly from the surface of the heel portion occupying substantially the lateral width of the heel pad and having heel channels defined by the space between said heel ridges, wherein said heel ridges and heel channels extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal heel axis and extend essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bottom layer, said heel ridges being adjacent to said curvilinear ridges of said bottom layer such that heel channels are in communication with adjacent channels in said bottom layer of said insole and assist in air flow along the bottom layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The insole of claim 17, wherein said heel channels formed by said heel ridges and said one or more channels form individual air pathways for air flow between said heel portion and said toe portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The insole of claim 16, wherein said air channels are collapsible when pressure is applied. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The insole of claim 16, wherein said bottom layer has a hardness of about 45 Asker C ±3. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The insole of claim 17, wherein said heel pad has a hardness of about 45 Asker C ±3. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The insole of claim 16, wherein said bottom layer comprises polyurethane. ### Claim 23 An insole comprising: a bottom layer having a top side and a bottom side, a heel portion, a toe portion and an arch portion, a plurality of curvilinear ridges located on bottom side of the bottom layer that protrude outwardly from the bottom side of said bottom layer and extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal insole axis that extends longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion, said plurality of longitudinal curvilinear ridges occupy substantially the lateral width of the bottom side of said insole bottom layer, one or more channels positioned between said curvilinear ridges and extending essentially lengthwise along said longitudinal insole axis longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion in parallel with one or more curvilinear ridges, a portion of one or more of said plurality of curvilinear ridges adapted to make contact with a bottom internal surface of a user's shoe, said channels forming a plurality of air channels to force air flow along said plurality of air channels forming an air pathway positioned in one or more of said channels; a recessed area in said heel portion configured to receive a heel pad; and, a top layer secured to top side of said bottom layer. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The insole of claim 23, further comprising a heel pad positioned in said recessed area in said heel portion on said bottom side of said bottom layer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The insole of claim 24, wherein said heel pad has heel ridges that each protrude outwardly from the surface of the heel pad substantially occupying the lateral width of the heel pad and defined by the space between said heel ridges, said heel ridges and said heel channels extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal heel axis and extend essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bottom layer, said heel ridges being adjacent to said curvilinear ridges of said bottom layer such that heel channels are in communication with adjacent channels in said bottom layer of said insole and assist in air flow along the bottom layer. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The insole of claim 23, wherein said air channels formed by said ridges are configured to be located on the bottom internal surface of shoe and form individual air pathways for air flow between said heel portion and said toe portion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The insole of claim 23, wherein said air channels are collapsible when pressure is applied. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The insole of claim 23, further comprising: one or more elongated recesses positioned within said channels, and being defined between said curvilinear ridges, and said one or more elongated recesses occupying a portion of the longitudinal length of said one or more channels. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The insole of claim 23, wherein said top and bottom layers further define air vent holes which communicate from said top to said bottom layer of said insole through which air can travel between said top and bottom layers. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The insole of claim 29, wherein said air vent holes are conical in configuration and have a wider end and a narrower end. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The insole of claim 30, wherein said wider end is adjacent said bottom side of said bottom layer and said narrower end is adjacent said top side of said bottom layer. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The insole of claim 29, further comprising: one or more elongated recesses positioned within said channels, and being defined between said curvilinear ridges, and said one or more elongated recesses occupying a portion of the longitudinal length of said one or more channels, wherein said vent holes are located in said elongated recesses of said bottom layer. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The insole of claim 29, wherein said vent holes are located on said curvilinear ridges of said bottom layer.