ES1247270U - Ventilated insole for footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

Ventilated insole for footwear, characterized in that it consists of an elastic and spongy base (1), waterproof at the bottom and side (2), and a top sheet (3) also of a waterproof nature, the latter being provided with one or more windows (4) or a zone (4') covered with a semi-permeable material, with the particularity that, in opposition to the windows (4) or zone (4'), it is established in the upper sheet (3) or on the side of the template, at least one anti-return valve (5 - 5') for air inlet to the template. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

Ventilated insole for footwear.

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention refers to a ventilated insole for footwear, the obvious purpose of which is to improve comfort in the use of footwear by generating an air flow within the footwear, in this case a recirculated flow, as well as by the participation of a partially waterproof inflatable chamber in functions of a damping element.

The object of the invention is to provide an insole that makes it possible to convert any existing shoe into a self-ventilated shoe, all with a simple and consequently economical structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are certain types of footwear that are self-ventilated and that are based on the existence of a floor in which an air chamber with air inlet and outlet valves participates, a chamber through which air is projected towards the user's foot when it loads on its foot on the shoe's floor, sucking air in the opposite direction when the foot is lifted through a one-way valve that communicates said chamber with the outside.

The problem with this type of self-ventilated footwear is that it is a specific footwear, so that although comfort is a factor that consumers must take into account, the aesthetic aspect is usually a priority over these benefits, so adapting this solution to footwear of very different configurations is practically an unfeasible task.

Trying to obviate this problem, although there are self-ventilated templates, these include anti-return valves for both air inlet and air outlet, which complicate and make the product more expensive, as well as being potentially annoying and affecting the aesthetics of the insole.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The ventilated insole for footwear that is recommended solves in a fully satisfactory way the problems previously exposed, when materializing in an insole, adaptable to any footwear, improving its performance, without having to design a specific insole for each type of footwear, all with a very simple and consequently economical structure.

For this, and more specifically, the insole of the invention is constituted from a spongy elastic base, which can be made of thermoformed foam, with a waterproofing on its bottom and side and a waterproof upper sheet, in which properly closed windows are defined from sheets of semi-permeable material that offers some resistance to the passage of air through them, windows of semi-permeable material that can be configured as a wider area.

The template thus described incorporates, in longitudinal opposition to the windows or semipermeable material area, at least one non-return valve that can be located on the upper face or on the side of the template, a valve that allows air to pass through it. towards the inside of the template, but not in the opposite direction, being therefore intended to fill the template with air each time it is emptied.

This air contained in the spongy base inside the insole will be forced, through the pressure exerted by the sole of the foot when the insole is stepped on, to flow through the windows or semipermeable material area, passing through them and generating a flow controlled air in the footwear. When the foot is raised to take the next step, the insole will fill with air through the non-return valve which, by not exerting any obstacle, allows air to flow through it into the spongy insole when tending to recover its shape by elasticity, absorbing air that replaces the one that had been evicted when stepping on it.

The ability to contain air by the spongy base of the template can be enhanced by providing this spongy base with some larger holes.

Regarding the form of materialization of the non-return valve, two equivalent solutions have been envisaged:

In a first variant of embodiment, the valve will be a sufficiently rigid sheet with a hole or central opening for the passage of air through it, a hole that is sealed with an elastic band attached to the sheet at two opposite end points, being able to present the rigid sheet various openings or holes, all of them closed by the elastic band.

According to a second variant of embodiment, the valve is formed by a small patch that is loose but encapsulated within a space formed between a perforated sheet and an external protection with a hole where this small patch fits, sealing it, preventing its exit of the air in that direction, so that when the air pressure reverses its direction, the small patch moves against a perforated surface with a larger area than said patch, leaving part of the holes free to allow air flow through the themselves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that will be made below and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of said description. where, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a top plan view of a ventilated insole for footwear made in accordance with the object of the present invention.

Figure 2.- Shows a view in profile and in longitudinal section of the template of the previous figure.

Figure 3.- Shows a plan view of a first variant of embodiment for the one-way valve that participates in the template of the invention, next to which an optional additional part is shown that ensures a minimum travel in the opening of said valve. .

Figure 4.- Shows an exploded view of a second variant of embodiment for the one-way valve.

Figure 5.- Shows, finally, a top plan view of a variant of the ventilated insole for footwear with non-return valves located in the lateral position and with the front area covered by semi-permeable material.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the figures outlined, it can be seen how the insole of the invention is constituted from a base (1) of thermoformed foam, with a waterproofing on its bottom and side (2), waterproofing that is achieved by applying based on a latex type product or simply a waterproof sheet or fabric that does not allow air to pass through it. This waterproofing can be carried out at the same time that the base is thermoformed or by subsequent application.

The upper surface of the insole has a top sheet (3) or waterproof fabric, provided with one or more windows (4) covered with a semi-permeable material, which offers some resistance to the passage of air through it, but without totally preventing its flow. , so that when stepping on the insole during the use of footwear, the air contained inside can be expelled, the semi-permeable material being able to cover a wider area (4 ').

In longitudinal opposition to said windows (4) or semipermeable material area (4 '), the insole incorporates at least one non-return valve (5) preferably located on the top sheet (3), for example in the heel area , in which case the windows (4) would be arranged in the anterior and superior zone of the insole, although said valve could be included on the side of the insole, at the heel height.

From this structure, when the foot is raised to take the next step, the insole will fill with air through the non-return valve (5) located in the heel area and which allows air to flow through it towards the inside of the template, to the detriment of the air that could enter through the windows (4) or the semi-permeable material area (4 '), which offer greater resistance to air flow than that offered by the valve ( 5), this air filling the alveoli of the spongy base (1).

According to the variant embodiment of figure 3, the non-return valve (5) may be materialized from a laminar body (6) of a rigid or semi-rigid nature, with a hole (7) or central opening for the passage of the air through it, hole (7) that is sealed with a small elastic band (8) joined at its ends to the sheet (6) at two diametrically opposite points, the sheet body (6) being able to have a protection grid to avoid the entry of foreign bodies through the hole (7).

This set can be complemented by an external protection (9) as an open cup, which when adapting to the valve on the elastic band (8) defines an internal space between them that ensures that the elastic sheet always has a free space for move downwards, releasing the hole (7), or upwards when returning to its position of rest by elasticity, closing in said rest position that hole (7).

In the same way and similar operation, the non-return valve (5) can be constituted by a rigid sheet (6) provided with openings or holes and which projects on one of its faces into an open prismatic body equivalent to the bowl (9) in the one that houses the elastic sheet (8) fastened on two opposite sides.

According to the practical embodiment variant of figure 4, the non-return valve (5 ') could be formed from two half-casings (10-11) in the form of plates, the first with a central hole (12 ) for the passage of air, and the second with a plurality of holes (13) suitably distributed, also for the passage of air, housings between which a small circular patch (14) is provided that plays in its bosom, with a diameter slightly larger than the central hole (12), but with a smaller surface area than the set of holes (13) of the half-shell (11), so that said patch when pressed against the half-shell (10) prevents the passage of air through the hole central (12), whereas when the air flow reverses its direction said patch only closes part of the holes (13), letting air pass through the rest.

The arrangement of the non-return valve (5) or (5 ') and of the windows (4) or zone of semi-permeable material (4') can vary, although they will always be arranged in opposite and extreme positions, so that in the solution represented in figure 2, air will enter the insole through the non-return valve (5) located in the back or the heel, to leave the insole through the anterior area or from the fingers through the fabric that covers the windows (4), while if the position of these elements is reversed the direction of air flow will be reversed, this last arrangement may be more suitable for promoting a cooling effect on the foot that can be Useful when the soil has high temperatures, such as in hot areas, in times or places of strong insolation, or in certain activities (works in foundries, near furnaces, asphalting of roads, etc.)

It only remains to note lastly that both non-return valves (5-5 ’) could coexist in the same template when it is intended for activities that require more physical activity such as sports, racing, jogging, etc.

Claims (6)

1a.- Ventilated insole for footwear, characterized in that it consists of an elastic and spongy base (1), waterproof at the bottom and side (2), and a top sheet (3) also of a waterproof nature, the latter being provided one or more windows (4) or a zone (4 ') covered with a semi-permeable material, with the particularity that, in opposition to the windows (4) or zone (4'), it is established on the upper sheet ( 3) or on the side of the insole, at least one non-return valve (5-5 ') for air inlet to the insole. 2a.- Ventilated insole for footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that the windows (4) or area (4 ') are located in the anterior part of the insole, while the anti-return valve (5-5') is available in the heel area. 3 a.- Ventilated insole for footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-return valve (5-5 ') is located in the anterior area of the insole, while the windows (4) or area (4') are arranged in the heel area. 4 a.- Ventilated insole for footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-return valve (5) is formed from a laminar body (6) of a rigid or semi-rigid nature, with one or more openings or holes (7 ) for the passage of air through it, holes (7) that are sealed with an elastic band (8) joined at their ends to the sheet (6) at two diametrically opposite points. 5 a.- template ventilated shoe according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that nonreturn (5) the valve is completed with an external protection (9) as an open cup, which fits over the valve elastic band (8), defining an internal space for displacement of the elastic sheet (8). 6a.- Ventilated insole for footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-return valve (5 ') is made up of two semi-casings (10-11) in the form of plates, the first with a central hole ( 12) for air passage, and the second with a plurality of holes (13) for air passage, housings between which a small circular patch (14) plays, with a diameter slightly larger than the central hole (12), but with Ċ an area smaller than the set of holes (13) of the half-shell (11).