Inflatable sole lining for shoes and boots

A shoe with an inflatable lining which comprises:

• a. a laminate of first and second sheets of plastic film having the size and shape of the sole of said shoe and bonded together by a first peripheral seam about their peripheral edges to form a sealed interior with a plurality of discontinuous seams between their opposed surfaces disposed at preselected locations to subdivide said sealed interior into a plurality of interconnecting generally tubular passageways having freedom of air flow therebetween, and to form channels on the surfaces of said lining, and
• b. pressure inflation means located within said shoe and comprising:
• (1) a flexible and resilient bulb;
• (2) an inlet port opening into said bulb;
• (3) discharge port communicating from said bulb to said sealed interior of said lining;
• (4) a pair of check valves with one each of said check valves being positioned in a respective one of said inlet and discharge ports in opposite flow directions, whereby said bulb functions as a pump, to increase the pressure of air within said sealed interior of said lining;
• and
• (5) a pressure control valve in communication with said sealed interior of said lining and adjustable to regulate the pressure of air within said lining.

An inflatable lining for a shoe which comprises:

• a. an air enclosure having flexible walls and including a portion having the size and shape of the sole of said shoe with a sealed interior and formed as a laminate of first and second sheets of plastic bonded together by a first peripheral seam about their peripheral edges to form said sealed interior, wherein said discontinuous seams form interconnecting generally tubular passageways having freedom of air flow therebetween and form channels on the top and under surfaces of said sole lining which are inset into said first and second sheets;
• and
• b. pressure inflation means comprising:
• (1) a flexible and resilient bulb located at a preselected position of said lining;
• (2) an inlet port opening into said bulb;
• (3) a discharge port communicating from said bulb with a flexible tube to said sealed interior of said lining;
• (4) a pair of check valves with one each of said check valves being positioned in a respective one of said inlet and discharge ports in opposite flow directions and with the check valve associated with said discharge port being located in said flexible tube, whereby said bulb functions as a pump, to increase the pressure of air within said sealed interior of said lining;
• and
• (5) a pressure control valve connected to said flexible tube and having a pressure controlled valve means with a second discharge port communicating exteriorly of said sealed interior in communication with said sealed interior of said lining, said pressure control valve having a valve housing with a valve seat and a valve member resiliently biased against said valve seat to maintain said valve closed against the pressure within said sealed interior and including adjustment means on said valve housing to permit adjustment of the tension of said resilient means and thereby permit controlled regulation of the pressure within said sealed interior whereby the resiliency and softness of said lining can be adjusted;
• and
• wherein said second discharge port of said pressure control valve is positioned to discharge air into said channels formed on the under surface of said lining.

An inflatable lining for a shoe which comprises:

• a. an air enclosure having flexible walls and including a portion having the size and shape of the sole of said shoe with a sealed interior and with a plurality of discontinuous seams between its opposed surfaces disposed at preselected locations to subdivide said sealed interior into a plurality of interconnected zones having freedom of air flow therebetween and including at least one side flap dependent from said lining;
• and
• b. pressure inflation means located on said side flap and comprising:
• (1) a flexible bulb formed of a resilient material and internally receiving a tee having an inlet port opening internally of said bulb and two ports opening exteriorly of said bulb,;
• (2) an inlet port opening into said bulb;
• (3) a discharge port communicating from said bulb to said sealed interior of said lining;
• (4) a pair of inlet and outlet check valves with the inlet check valve being positioned in the inlet port and the discharge check valve being located in the port opening internally of said bulb, whereby said bulb functions as a pump, to increase the pressure of air within said sealed interior of said lining;
• and
• (5) a pressure control valve in communication with said sealed interior of said lining and adjustable to regulate the pressure of air within said lining, whereby the resiliency and softness of said lining can be adjusted.

An inflatable lining for a shoe which comprises:

• a. an air enclosure having flexible walls and including a portion having the size and shape of the sole of said shoe with a sealed interior and with a plurality of discontinuous seams between its opposed surface disposed at preselected locations to subdivide said sealed interior into a plurality of interconnected zones having freedom of air flow therebetween and including at least one flap dependent from said lining;
• b. pressure inflation means located on said flap and comprising:
• (1) a first flexible and resilient bulb;
• (2) an inlet port opening into said bulb;
• (3) a discharge pot communicating from said bulb to said sealed interior of said lining;
• (4) a pair of check valves with one each of said check valves being positioned in a respective one of said inlet and discharge ports in opposite flow directions, whereby said bulb functions as a pump, to increase the pressure of air within said sealed interior of said lining;
• and
• (5) a pressure control valve in communication with said sealed interior of said lining and adjustable to regulate the pressure of air within said lining, whereby the resiliency and softness of said lining can be adjusted;
• and
• c. air blower means to induce air flow through said shoe comprising a second flexible bulb received in an opening formed through the heel of said first and second sheets and within a closed loop seam between said first and second sheets and including a subjacent chamber with a transverse wall subdividing said chamber into inlet and outlet chambers.

An inflatable lining for footwear which comprises:

• a. an air enclosure having flexible walls formed of first and second sheets of plastic film and including a portion having the size and shape of the sole of said shoe with a sealed interior and with a plurality of discontinuous seams between its opposed surfaces disposed at preselected locations to subdivide said sealed interior into a plurality of interconnected zones having freedom of air flow therebetween and wherein said first and second sheets also include integral rear flaps at the heel of said inflatable lining, which rear flaps extend laterally and medially a sufficient distance to permit said rear flaps to fold entirely about the periphery of said lining when placed in an upright orientation to said inflatable lining, thereby forming a complete upper lining for a boot;
• and
• b. pressure inflation means comprising:
• (1.) a flexible and resilient bulb;
• (2.) an inlet port opening into said bulb;
• (3.) a discharge port communicating from said bulb to said sealed interior of said lining;
• (4) a pair of check valves with one each of said check valves being positioned in a respective one of said inlet and discharge ports in opposite flow directions, whereby said bulb functions as a pump, to increase the pressure of air within said sealed interior of said lining;
• and
• (5) a pressure control valve in communication with said sealed interior of said lining and adjustable to regulate the pressure of air within said lining, whereby the resiliency and softness of said lining can be adjusted.