Self-ventilating footwear
AssigneeBreeze Technology
InventorGregory Clark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Self-ventilating footwear using two simple check valves attached to a midsole insert that comprises a compression member and a displacement compartment, wherein the midsole insert is inserted into the lower part of a shoe. The check valves are located on the forefoot and heel of the shoe and operate by compression of the user's foot which forces air out of the heel valve and, in turn, creates a vacuum in the displacement compartment which draws air in through the forefoot valve. By walking or running, the user repeatedly compresses the displacement compartment and drives the airflow through the displacement compartment. The simple nature of the valve and compartment arrangement improves the ease of manufacture and reduces the cost of the footwear.
Claims18
A self-ventilating footwear having a midsole, the footwear comprising:
- (a) a midsole insert nested in the midsole, wherein the midsole insert comprises a compression member and a top layer having an underside, wherein the top layer and the compression member define a displacement compartment;
- (b) a first check valve embedded in the top layer, wherein the first check valve comprises a hole through the top layer and a polymer film welded around the hole on the underside of the top layer, leaving an opening between the polymer film and the top layer;
- and
- (c) a second check valve embedded in the midsole insert,
- wherein when the underside of the top layer comes into contact with the compression member, the polymer film closes the hole of the first check valve and the air exits the displacement compartment through the second check valve, and
- wherein when the underside of the top layer separates from the compression member, fresh air enters the displacement compartment through the opening between the polymer film and the top layer.
A midsole insert for a self-ventilating footwear, the midsole insert comprising:
- (a) a blow-molded compression member having ribs formed by a plurality of kiss-offs between a top surface and a bottom surface of the compression member;
- (b) a top layer attached to the compression member to a flange, wherein the top layer has an underside, and wherein the compression member and the top layer define a displacement compartment that contains air;
- (c) a forefoot valve embedded in a forefoot area of the top layer, wherein the forefoot valve comprises a hole through the top layer and a polymer film welded around the hole on the underside of the top layer, leaving an opening between the polymer film and the top layer;
- and
- (d) a heel valve embedded in a heel area of the midsole insert,
- wherein when the underside of the top layer comes into contact with the top surface of the compression member, the polymer film closes the hole of the forefoot valve and the air exits the displacement compartment through the heel valve, and
- wherein when the underside of the top layer separates from the compression member, fresh air enters the displacement compartment through the opening between the polymer film and the underside of the top layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.