Ventilating footwear and method of ventilating footwear
OwnerAlvaro Z. Gallegosinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ventilating footwear provides air circulation under and around the foot. Apertures in the heel and/or sole and/or midsole communicate with an air compartment in the heel and/or sole and/or midsole, and as the wearer strides, the heel and/or sole and/or midsole are compressed, expelling the air from the compartment and into the footwear upper. The top side surface of the sole or midsole may also be provided with a plurality of air channels which direct and circulate air from the compartment around and underneath the wearer's foot. The footwear may also provide shock absorbence and energy return through the compressible heel and/or sole and/or midsole, and may have a rigid or semi-rigid midsole, which provides support, as well as cushioning below the midsole for comfort.
Claims52
Footwear comprising:
- an upper;
- a sole mounted with said upper;
- a plurality of apertures in said sole which open into said upper;
- a heel mounted with said sole;
- at least one air compartment disposed within said heel, said compartment communicating with said apertures and providing air ventilation to said upper;
- and
- a support member within said heel compartment which compresses and recovers to an expanded position.
Footwear comprising:
- an upper;
- a sole or midsole mounted with said upper;
- at least one channel on the top surface of said sole or midsole;
- a plurality of apertures in said sole or midsole which open into said upper and which are positioned within said channel or channels;
- a heel mounted with said sole or midsole;
- at least one air compartment within said heel, said compartment communicating with said apertures and providing air ventilation to said upper;
- and
- a support member within said heel compartment which compresses and recovers to an expanded position.
Footwear comprising:
- an upper;
- a midsole mounted with said upper;
- a plurality of apertures in said midsole which communicate with said upper;
- a heel mounted to said midsole;
- at least one air compartment disposed within said heel, said compartment communicating with said apertures and providing air ventilation to the inside of said upper;
- a support member within said heel compartment which compresses and recovers to an expanded position;
- and
- an undersole mounted below said midsole.
Footwear comprising:
- an upper;
- a lower assembly having a top side and mounted with said upper;
- a heel mounted to said lower assembly;
- at least one air compartment within said heel, said compartment communicating with said apertures and providing air ventilation to said upper;
- a plurality of apertures in the lower assembly which extend through said top side of said assembly;
- a support member within said heel compartment which compresses and recovers to an expanded position;
- and
- a venting means within said footwear.
The method of providing ventilation in footwear comprising the steps of:
- forming an upper, mounting a sole and/or midsole to said upper;
- making a plurality of apertures in said sole and/or midsole which communicate with said upper;
- providing at least one air compartment within said heel which communicates with said apertures and provides air ventilation to said upper;
- and mounting a heel with said sole and/or midsole;
- providing a support member within said heel which compresses and recovers to an expanded position;
- expelling air from said compartment through said apertures and into said upper when said heel and said support member are compressed;
- and
- drawing air back into said compartment as said heel and said support member recover to an expanded position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.