Inflatable boot and method for its manufacture

An inflatable boot comprising:

• a bladder for encasing at least a portion of a human foot and at least a portion of an ankle, the bladder defined by an inner and an outer layer of substantially gas-tight material, and including wall portions fluidically interconnected to a sole portion, the wall portions sized and shaped for collectively encasing a human ankle and the sole portion sized and shaped for encasing a sole of a human foot, the sole portion having a heel region and a toe region each said heel and toe region having outer ends;
• a pair of spaced apart structural interconnections, each structural interconnection joining the inner layer of the bladder substantially directly to the outer layer at a location interposed the sole portion and one of the wall portions and interposed the heel region and the toe region, each said structural interconnection having a heel end and a toe end spaced from respective outer ends of the heel and toe regions each structural interconnection creating a foot-supporting contour for the sole portion of the bladder when the bladder is inflated and defining at least a first and a second passageway, the first passageway fluidically interconnecting the toe region of the sole portion substantially directly to one of the wall portions between the toe end of each structural interconnection and the outer end of the toe region and the second passageway fluidically interconnecting the heel region of the sole portion substantially directly to one of the wall portions between the heel end of each structural interconnection and the outer end of the heel region, allowing relatively unobstructed fluid flow between the sole portion and the one of the wall portions within portions within the heel region and within the toe region.

An inflatable boot comprising:

• a first layer of substantially gas-tight material folded over upon itself to create an inner boot for encasing a human foot when so folded;
• and
• a second layer of substantially gas-tight material folded over upon the first layer to create an outer boot for encasing a human foot and the inner boot when so folded, the second layer joined to the first layer along a continuous seal to define a substantially gas-tight bladder;
• wherein
• the first and second layers of material encompass an interior of the bladder;
• the bladder includes fluidically interconnected wall and sole portions, the sole portion including a heel region and a toe region;
• the first layer is connected substantially directly to the second layer to form a structural interconnection for the bladder substantially separate from the seal, the structural interconnection operating on the bladder so that a fluid-filled cushion may be caused to form under a foot that is inserted into the inner boot, when the bladder is inflated and defining at least a first and a second passageway the first passageway fluidically interconnecting the toe region of the sole portion substantially directly to one of the wall portions and the second passageway fluidically interconnecting the heel region of the sole portion substantially directly to one of the wall portions, allowing relatively unobstructed fluid flow between the sole portion and one of the wall portions within the heel region and within the toe region.

A bladder for an inflatable boot, the bladder comprising:

• an inflatable leg portion having an opening through which a human foot may be inserted, the leg portion defined by an inner layer of flexible material and an outer layer of material, a portion of the outer layer defining an external surface of the bladder;
• an open-looped, inflatable sole portion contiguous with the leg portion, the sole portion having a toe and a heel each said toe and heel having outer ends, the sole portion being defined by the inner layer of material and the outer layer of material;
• a structural interconnection connecting the inner layer substantially directly to the outer layer on the external surface of the bladder, the structural interconnection located between the leg portion and the sole portion of the bladder, and located between the toe and heel of the sole portion each said structural interconnection having a heel and a toe end spaced from respective outer ends of the toe and heel;
• and
• a first and a second passageway, the first passageway fluidically interconnecting the toe of the sole portion substantially directly to the leg portion between the toe end of the structural interconnection and the outer end of the toe and the second passageway fluidically interconnecting the heel of the sole portion substantially directly to the leg portion between the heel end of the structural interconnection and the outer end of the heel, allowing relatively unobstructed fluid flow between the sole portion and the leg portion within the heel region and within the toe region.

An inflatable boot comprising:

• a first layer of substantially gas-tight material folded over upon itself to create an inner boot for encasing a human foot when so folded;
• and
• a second layer of substantially gas-tight material folded over upon the first layer to create an outer boot for encasing a human foot and the inner boot when so folded, the second layer joined to the first layer along a continuous peripheral seal to define a substantially gas-tight bladder, at least two folded-over, adjacent portions of the bladder substantially directly interconnected to form a seam defining a portion of the inner and outer boots;
• wherein the folding over of the first and second layers defines a fold line;
• the first and second layers include a substantial inwardly extending notch along a portion of the seal and including an end of the seam;
• the seam extends along only approximately an upper one-half of the notch;
• paired portions of the seal extend along approximately a lower half of the notch, separate from the seam so that the paired portions of the seal may extend in approximately opposite directions relative to each other, approximately perpendicular to the seam;
• and
• a portion of the seal forms a loop extending from the seam to the fold line and back again, the loop allowing the bladder to expand outwardly to form a fluid-filled cushion under a foot that is inserted into the inner boot, when the bladder is inflated.