Vacuum release mechanism for a footwear article
AssigneeThomas Wayne Newton
InventorsTHOMAS WAYNE NEWTON, LISA FITZGERALD
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A footwear article having a vacuum release mechanism is disclosed. The vacuum release mechanism is configured to equalize pressure and release a vacuum created beneath a sole of the footwear article. The vacuum release mechanism mitigates undesired retention of the footwear article in high-viscosity materials such as mud or concrete. The vacuum release mechanism includes at least one sleeve fixedly secured within at least one fluid passageway formed in the sole, which fluidly connects an exterior environment to an interior of the footwear article. A replaceable check valve is removably disposed within the at least one sleeve. An installation and removal tool may be used to engage and disengage the check valve from the at least one sleeve.
Claims20
A vacuum release mechanism for a footwear article, comprising:
- at least one sleeve fixedly secured within at least one passageway formed in a sole of the footwear article;
- and
- at least one replaceable check valve removably disposed within the at least one sleeve.
A footwear article, comprising:
- a sole including an insole, an outsole, and a heel;
- an upper coupled to the sole, wherein the insole and the upper defines an interior of the footwear article;
- at least one passageway formed in the sole, the at least one passageway fluidly connects an exterior environment with the interior of the footwear article;
- and
- at least one vacuum release mechanism disposed within the at least one passageway of the sole, comprising:
- at least one sleeve fixedly secured within at least one passageway formed in the sole;
- and
- at least one replaceable check valve removably disposed within the at least one sleeve.
A footwear article, comprising:
- a sole including an insole, an outsole, and a heel having a side face, wherein the side face of the heel intersects and is formed at an angle relative to an outer contact surface of the outsole;
- an upper coupled to the sole, wherein the insole and the upper defines an interior of the footwear article;
- at least one passageway formed in the sole, the at least one passageway fluidly connects an exterior environment with the interior of the footwear article, wherein a first end opening of the at least one passageway is formed in the side face of the heel and a second end opening of the at least one passageway is formed in the insole;
- and
- at least one vacuum release mechanism disposed within the at least one passageway of the sole, comprising:
- at least one sleeve fixedly secured within at least one passageway formed in a sole of the footwear article;
- and
- at least one replaceable check valve removably disposed within the at least one sleeve, wherein the at least one replaceable check valve is a spring-type check valve, comprising:
- a valve body;
- a movable valve piston disposed within the valve body, the valve piston positionable between a closed position to militate against a flow of fluid through the at least one passageway and an open position to permit the flow of fluid through the at least one passageway;
- and
- a biasing element configured to urge the movable valve piston towards the closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.