CN1819782A - Ventilation system and equipment for shoes - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ventilation system for shoes comprising a ventilation device, in particular a pumping device such as a bellows pump, which is a further object of the invention. More specifically, the invention relates to a ventilation system for shoes, comprising a hollow sole (1) having a ventilation device in fluid communication with both the inside and the outside of the shoe, at least one first and a second cavity (2, 3) formed inside said hollow sole (1), a pumping device (9) housed inside said at least one first cavity (2), said pumping device (9) comprising a shell (10) and an outlet nozzle (11), an elastic core (12) housed in said shell (10), and a pad (18) housed inside said second cavity (3).

Description

Ventilation system and equipment for shoes

technical field

The invention relates to a ventilation system for shoes comprising a ventilation device, in particular a pumping device such as a bellows pump, which constitutes a further object of the invention.

Background technique

For both hygienic and medical reasons it is important to keep the feet dry and well ventilated. In addition to stink, good ventilation also helps to evaporate the sweat that is inevitable, especially in hot weather and during sports. The soles of the feet actually have the highest concentration of sweat glands in the human body, and the problem of excessive sweating of the feet has been exacerbated with the advent of rubber soles as an alternative to leather soles. In fact, while rubber soles have the advantage of not only keeping the feet warm and dry, but also allowing the soles to be molded to grip the ground, they are impermeable and cannot allow sweat to escape.

Various attempts have been made to solve this problem. For example, a hollow shoe sole including a valve for exhausting air outside has been developed, but the amount of renewed air is extremely small so that the foot cannot be sufficiently ventilated. One solution that has been particularly successful commercially has been to line the inside of a porous rubber sole with a microporous membrane, so that the sole is impervious to water but breathable and permeable to perspiration in the form of water vapour. However, this solution also has disadvantages. First of all, it is a passive ventilation system, because there is no device inside the shoe that is conducive to air circulation. Breathe only when the soles are lifted off the ground. Furthermore, after a few uses, the micropores can become clogged with dust and dirt and can no longer perform their breathable function.

Contents of the invention

The basic problem addressed by the present invention is therefore to provide a ventilation system for a shoe which allows an efficient and sufficient exchange of air and water vapor inside and outside the shoe.

This problem is solved by a system and ventilation device for shoes as described in the appended claims.

Description of drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear by describing some of the following embodiments, provided as non-limiting examples, in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view and a cutaway view of a shoe sole according to the invention;

Fig. 2 represents the sectional view on the II-II direction shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 represents a sectional view of a sole for a shoe according to the invention;

Figure 4 represents a perspective view of a ventilation device according to the invention;

Figure 5 represents a perspective view of the core of the ventilation device according to Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a plan view of another embodiment of the ventilation device;

Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a shoe comprising a ventilation system according to the invention.

Detailed ways

The ventilation system forming the subject of the present invention is explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The ventilation system of the present invention comprises a hollow sole 1, generally but not limited to a hollow sole made of rubber or other synthetic material. Obviously the shoe can also be made of leather or comprise a leather sole.

The hollow sole 1 comprises a first cavity 2 formed essentially in the heel area, and a second cavity 3 formed essentially in the forefoot area of the foot and delimited by an edge 1a; said cavities 2, 3 It is open upwards, that is, towards the inside of the shoe. The first cavity 2 and the second cavity 3 are in fluid communication by a channel 4 formed in the thickness of the sole and extending along the second cavity 3 in the shape of a groove 5 . A plurality of legs 6 extend substantially transversely to the right and left of the groove 5 and, like the main groove 5 , up to the edge 1a.

At the ends of said main groove 5 and said legs 6, the edge 1a of the sole 1 comprises transverse holes 7 which place the cavity 3 in fluid communication with the outside. The valve device 8 is arranged at the position where the hole 7 is exposed to the outside. The valve means 8 generally consist of a one-way valve for shoes. This type of valve is existing and essentially consists of a cylinder containing a tongue which opens only when the airflow is directed to the outside and does not allow air to enter from the outside. Said valve means 8 may also consist only of an acoustic panel or membrane made of a microporous material that allows the passage of air or water vapor but is watertight (eg GORETEX® ⁾ .

The sole 1 according to the invention accommodates ventilation means. This ventilation device preferably comprises pumping means 9 , usually a bellows pump housed inside the first cavity 2 of the sole 1 . These pumping means 9 comprise a shell 10 formed by two half-shells 10 a , 10 b , and an output nozzle 11 . The opening of the nozzle 11 is located opposite the channel 4 . The case 10 is made of plastic ensuring a certain softness.

The shell 10 houses an elastic core 12 . The main function of this elastic core 12 is to increase pedaling resistance and act as a shock absorber. In fact it can be seen that the placement of a hollow pump without an inner core in the heel area leads to excessive yielding of the insole at this point, resulting in an irregular and uncomfortable walking motion. Furthermore, if the hollow pump collapses, it can no longer recover its original shape and pumping function and stops working.

The elastic core 12 may consist of conventional elastic means such as springs. However, in the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the elastic core comprises elastic blocks made of an elastomer such as polyethylene. Preferably, the elastic material has a Shore D hardness value greater than 60, more preferably greater than 80, and more preferably greater than 90.

In order to prevent the elastic core 12 from filling up the entire internal volume of the shell 10 and thus reducing the volume of the extracted air completely, the dimensions and especially the thickness of the elastic core 12 are such that a space is formed between the core and the inner wall of the shell 10 . Basically, the shape of the elastic block is substantially the same as that of the shell 10, but the size is smaller in order to form the aforementioned space.

For the same purpose, according to the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the elastic core is perforated on three sides, forming inside it a network of channels 13 , 13 ′, 13 ″, 13′′, 13′′. Thus , the same elastic core 12 forms a bellows pump whose function is related to that of the shell 10 .

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the elastic core 12 and/or the shell comprise a fragrance. Typically, a compound is made of rubber/plastic and a fragrance so that the fragrance is absorbed into the material and released very slowly and gradually. Optionally, the fragrance may be contained inside the microspheres distributed inside and/or outside the elastic core 12 or on the surface of the shell 10, so as to be released also by means of mechanical action (friction) and not only by normal volatilization of the fragrance. Achieve a longer release.

Preferably, the housing 10 has bottom and top surfaces 14, 14' joined by rounded edges and side surfaces 15, wherein the bottom and top surfaces are substantially planar and the sides have concave ribs. This shape ensures rigidity of the sides 15 while maintaining a high degree of flexibility of the bottom and top surfaces 14, 14'. In this way, the bellows pump can easily perform its pumping action and will not collapse even under the weight of the heel.

Purely by way of example, the shell 10 may have the following dimensions: about 6 cm long, about 4 cm wide, and about 2 cm thick. In this case, it was confirmed that the device according to the invention allows approximately 20 cc of air/water vapor to circulate inside the shoe. Obviously, these dimensions can be varied according to requirements, for example according to the type or size of the shoe.

As shown in Figure 6, one or both of the bottom and top surfaces 14, 14' include a pumping button 16, which is controlled by a blind slot 17 formed in the surface as a substantially C-shaped or horseshoe-shaped. Formed as one piece within the thickness of the shell 10 . This strengthens the surface 14, 14', since the groove 17 acts as a stiffening rib without losing its pumpability.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the second cavity 3 houses a gasket 18 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The liner 18, which has the function of supporting the sole of the foot and improving walking comfort, may preferably be made of open-cell expanded synthetic material, such as polyester-based expanded polyurethane or latex foam. Optionally, the liner 18 may be made of a needled material such as a non-woven fabric, preferably a non-woven fabric having such filaments and being needled, or a needled felt or a needled synthetic material (PE or PP) become. Optionally, the liner 18 is made of an elastomer with holes or micropores formed therein to render it porous. With said material, the padding 18 is air/water vapor permeable and contributes to the pumping effect produced by the pumping means 9 arranged at the heel.

The liner 18 is substantially the same shape as the cavity 3 in which it is housed, but preferably has slightly smaller dimensions so as to form a space along the perimeter of the cavity.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the liner 18 contains a fragrance. The same techniques described above for the elastic core 12 and for the shell 10 of the pumping device 9 can be used - known in practice.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of a shoe 19 comprising a sole 1 according to the invention and an upper 21 . The upper 21 may be made of any material commonly used in shoes, including impermeable materials.

Usually, the insole 20 is fastened on the side of the shoe sole 1 pointing towards the inside of the shoe. The insole 20 is preferably a porous insole to facilitate the passage of air/water vapor. In any case, it must be a breathable insole. It is also important that if the insole 20 is attached to the sole by gluing, it is fixed only along the edges so that the layer of glue does not impede the breathability of the insole 20 .

As mentioned above, the insole 20 may also optionally include fragrances, or substances having hygienic, antibacterial or other effects. Microsphere technology is especially preferred in this case.

In the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 7, the upper includes an air/vapour permeable breathable layer 22 on its interior. The material may generally be that described above for the liner 18 and may optionally contain a fragrance or a hygienic, antimicrobial substance.

The inside of the breathable layer 22 is also lined with a thin layer 22 of leather or other upholstery material for shoes.

The ventilation system according to the invention works in the following manner.

Via the porous insole 20 the interior of the shoe is in fluid communication with the cavities 2 , 3 and thus with the outside world via the holes 7 and valve means 8 . In the embodiment shown according to FIG. 7 , another channel of communication with the external environment consists of a breathable layer 22 which allows air to enter/exit from the instep of the shoe, as indicated by the arrows.

Basically, at each step, the heel is lowered first to press against the pumping means 9 so that the air/water vapor flows from the first cavity 2 to the second cavity 3 and then to the outside. Subsequently, the forefoot is lowered, which compresses the pad 18 accordingly and thereby expels air/water vapor outwards. When the heel (firstly) and the ball of the foot (secondly) are lifted, the ventilation means - the pumping means 9 and the padding 18 - cause air/water vapor to be drawn into the shoe 19 through the holes of the insole 20 inside, as indicated by the arrow. A continuous and uniform circulation of air is thus created, which has the effect of removing perspiration, keeping the foot dry and regulating the temperature inside the shoe, preventing the foot from overheating especially in hotter weather and/or during physical exercise.

The advantages of the ventilation system according to the invention are evident and partly mentioned in the above description.

The ventilation system according to the invention essentially constitutes an active rather than a passive system. In fact, not only is the air/water vapor expelled through the vent hole like many solutions in the known art, but a forced circulation is created which significantly increases the ventilation efficiency.

The ventilator - pumping device 9 and liner 18 - acts as a lung, sucking in/expelling air/water vapor with each step, thereby recirculating a larger volume of fluid.

Preferably, in addition to the effect of keeping the feet dry and maintaining a regulated temperature, the presence of the fragrance in the form of a slow release system is able to solve the problem of long lasting if not indefinite odor.

The ventilation device, ie the pumping device 9 and the pad 18 also act as a shock absorber, especially since the elastic core 12 is provided inside the pumping device 9 . In this way, the pumping action is also related to the perceived walking comfort, which makes it possible for the ventilation system according to the invention to be used also in sports and "high-tech" shoes.

In particular, the ventilation system according to the invention can generally be used both in normal shoes and in tennis and/or competition shoes or trekking or mountaineering footwear.

Obviously, only some specific embodiments for shoes according to the invention have been described, so that a person skilled in the art will be able to make all those necessary modifications in order to adapt it to a particular application without departing from the scope of protection of the invention .

For example, it is conceivable that the insole 20 is removable in order to gain access to the bellows pump 9 or the liner 18 in order to replace them or saturate them with fragrance.

Claims (29)

1. Ventilation system for a shoe, comprising a hollow sole (1) having a ventilation device in fluid communication with both the interior and exterior of the shoe, at least one first cavity (1) being formed inside said hollow sole (1) 2), a pumping device (9) accommodated in said at least one first cavity (2), characterized in that said pumping device (9) comprises a shell (10) and an output nozzle (11), containing An elastic core (12) in said shell (10). 2. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 1, wherein said elastic core (12) comprises elastic blocks made of elastomer. 3. The ventilation system for shoes according to claim 2, wherein the elastomer has a Shore D hardness greater than 60, preferably greater than 80, and more preferably greater than 90. 4. The ventilation system for shoes according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the shape of the elastic block is substantially the same as that of the shell (10) in which it is accommodated, but the size is smaller so that the core and the Spaces are formed between the inner walls of the shell (10). 5. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said elastic block is perforated on three sides so as to form channels (13, 13', 13 ″, 13, 13″″) network. 6. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the elastic core (12) and/or the shell (10) contains a fragrance. 7. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 6, wherein the fragrance is absorbed in the material of the elastic core (12) and/or the shell (10) or in the form of microspheres associated with it. 8. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 1, wherein said elastic core (12) is a spring. 9. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said shell (10) has bottom and top surfaces (14, 14') and side surfaces connected by rounded edges (15) wherein the bottom and top surfaces are substantially flat and the sides have concave ribs. 10. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein one or both of said bottom and top surfaces (14, 14') of said shell (10) comprise The pumping button (16) is formed as a part in the thickness of said shell (10) by means of a blind groove (17) formed in the face substantially in the shape of a C or horseshoe. 11. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said pumping means (9) is a bellows pump. 12. Ventilation system for a shoe according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said hollow sole (1) comprises a vent substantially located in the forefoot area of the foot and delimited by an edge (1a) At least one second cavity (3), the at least one second cavity (3) is in fluid communication with the at least one first cavity (2) through a channel (4). 13. The ventilation system for shoes according to claim 12, wherein the channel (4) extends along the at least one second cavity (3) in the shape of a groove (5), a plurality of branches Segments (6) extend substantially transversely to the right and left of said groove (5), and said main groove (5) and said branch segments (6) extend to said edge (1a). 14. The ventilation system for shoes according to claim 13, wherein, at the ends of the main groove (5) and the branch (6), the edge (1a) of the hollow sole (1) comprises such that the The at least one cavity (3) is a transverse hole (7) in fluid communication with the outside. 15. The ventilation system for shoes according to claim 14, wherein the valve means (8) is arranged at the position where the hole (7) is exposed outward. 16. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 15, wherein said valve means (8) comprises a cylinder with a tongue inside it, which only follows from said The inside of the shoe is opened to the airflow to the outside. 17. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein said at least one second cavity (3) accommodates a pad (18). 18. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 17, wherein said liner (18) is made of open-cell expanded synthetic material, such as polyester-based expanded polyurethane or latex foam, or of non-woven fabrics such as Needle-punched materials, for example preferably nonwovens with filaments and needle-punched, or needle-punched felt or synthetic material (PE or PP), or porous or microporous elastomers. 19. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the pad (18) comprises a fragrance. 20. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein said shoe (19) comprises a hollow sole (19) and an upper shoe upper (21 ), a breathable insole (20) is provided on the inner side of the shoe (19) on the hollow sole (1) 21. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 20, wherein said insole (20) is porous. 22. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the insole (20) is connected to the hollow sole (1 ) by gluing only along the edges. 23. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein said insole (20) comprises fragrances and/or substances having a hygienic or antibacterial effect. 24. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein said upper upper (21 ) comprises in its interior a breathable layer (22) permeable to air/water vapour. 25. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 24, characterized in that said breathable layer (22) is made of open-cell expanded synthetic material, such as polyester-based expanded polyurethane or latex foam, or such as non-woven The needle-punched material of the cloth is preferably a non-woven fabric with filaments and needle-punched holes, or a needle-punched felt or a needle-punched synthetic material (PE or PP), or a porous or microporous elastomer. 26. Ventilation system for shoes according to claim 24 or 25, comprising fragrances and/or substances having a hygienic or antibacterial effect. 27. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of claims 20 to 26, wherein said insole (20) is removable to allow access to the bellows pump (9) and/or The pads (18) thereby replace them or saturate them with fragrance. 28. Shoe (19) comprising a ventilation system according to any one of claims 1 to 27. 29. Ventilation device comprising a pumping device (9) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11.

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