Bicycle shoe with ventilating sole

The ventilated shoe comprises an outer sole and at least two interchangeable inner soles. The inner sole in disposed in contact with and over the outer sole. The outer sole has ventilation ports at the toe portion and at the heel portion. The ventilation ports extend through the entire thickness of the outer sole. A support is provided to spacedly rest the inner sole over the outer sole in a manner to allow air to penetrate through the ventilation ports and to circulate between the outer sole and the inner sole. The inner sole may be air permeable and is used when the temperature is medium to high. Under cold temperature it is preferable to use an impermeable inner sole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a ventilated shoe. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a shoe that is adapted for use by a person when riding a bicycle and that is provided with a arrangement of outer and inner soles that permits air to circulate therebetween for improved comfort of the foot. According to one preferred embodiment, the ventilating air is permitted to reach the foot of the cyclist when the temperature is elevated, while according to another embodiment, ventilating air is prevented to reach the foot under cold temperature, its circulation being restricted to the inner space between the inner and outer soles.

b) Description of Prior Art

Cycling is an activity of increasing popularity. For a person who practices this sport to a limited extent, the equipment that is necessary is restricted, it being often only necessary to wear a helmet when it is required by local laws. However, for those who get deeply involved into this physical activity, for example long distance rides or trail cycling, some additional pieces of equipment are required, including especially designed cycling shoes. It will be understood that for such a demanding physical exercise, comfort of the foot is an essential condition.

It is known in the prior art to provide bicycle shoes that are vented for a better comfort of the foot. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,335 discloses a vented bicycle shoe comprising air scoops at the front of the shoe that direct air to channels formed in the inner base of the shoe and extend toward the heel. This design allegedly provides a cooling action on the foot of the cyclist.

Another example of bicyclist shoe that provides ventilation is U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,565. According to this patent, the sole body is formed with vent openings at the face of the body that directs air through dual channels provided in the upper face of the sole, the channels extending rearwardly near the side edges of the sole.

It is not believed that the above patents defined ventilated cyclist shoes that provide sufficient comfort to the cyclist's foot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ventilated shoe for cyclist that provides comfort notwithstanding the outside temperature.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination of inner and outer soles for a cyclist shoe that permits a good ventilation while exhausting foot heat and humidity from the shoe.

The above and other objects of the present invention may be achieved by providing a ventilated shoe for use by a person when riding a bicycle, comprising an outer sole having a toe portion, a heel portion and an arch portion separating the toe portion from the heel portion, and an inner sole disposed in contact with and over the outer sole. The outer sole has an outer face and an inner face, first ventilation ports are provided at the toe portion of the outer sole and second ventilation ports are provided at the heel portion of the outer sole. The first and second ventilation ports extend through the entire thickness of the outer sole. Support means are provided to spacedly rest the inner sole over the inner face of the outer sole and means are provided to allow air to penetrate through the ventilation ports. The support means are arranged to cause air to circulate between the outer sole and the inner sole.

One aspect of the invention provides a cycling shoe comprising: an upper portion defining an inner space sized and shaped to receive a foot of a rider therein; an outer sole mounted to the upper portion and having an inner face, an outer face, a toe section, and a heel section, the outer sole having at least one toe ventilation port in the toe section, the at least one toe ventilation port extending though the outer sole between the outer face and the inner face and providing an air input in the toe section, and at least one heel ventilation port in the heel section, the at least one heel ventilation port extending through the outer sole between the outer face and the inner face and providing an air input in the heel section; and an inner sole insertable in the inner space and superposable to the inner face of the outer sole, the inner sole cooperating with the at least one toe ventilation port and the at least one heel ventilation port for providing a continuous airflow between the toe section and the heel section by defining at least one continuous air channel extending longitudinally between the inner face of the outer sole and a lower face of the inner sole and in fluid communication with at least one of the toe ventilation port and at least one of the heel ventilation port.

Another aspect of the invention provides a cycling shoe comprising: an upper portion defining an inner space sized and shaped to receive a foot of a rider therein; an outer sole mounted to the upper portion and having a toe section, a heel section, an inner face, and an outer face, the heel section including at least one ventilation port extending through the outer sole with an inner end on the inner face and an outer end on the outer face, the ventilation ports providing fluid communication between the inner space and the exterior of the cycling shoe in both the toe section and the heel section, the outer end of the ventilations ports being spaced from a substantially flat surface when the cycling shoe lies thereto: and an inner sole insertable in the inner space, superposable to the outer sole and defining a continuous ventilation channel with the outer sole, the aeration channel being in fluid conununication with the at least one ventilation port and extending longitudinally between the inner face of the outer sole and a lower face of the inner sole, the at least one ventilation port and the ventilation channel defining a linear aeration pattern along a longitudinal axis of the outer sole.

Another aspect of the invention provides a cycling kit. The cycling kit comprises: a cycling shoe having an upper portion defining an inner space sized and shaped to receive a foot of a rider therein and an outer sole mounted to the upper portion and having an outer face with at least one ventilation port providing a fluid communication between the inner space and the exterior of the cycling shoe; a first inner sole insertable in the inner space and juxtaposable over the outer sole, the first inner sole being provided with apertures therein, at least one of the apertures being influid communication with the at least one ventilation port of the outer sole when the first inner sole is juxtaposed thereto; and a second inner sole insertable in the inner space and juxtaposable over the outer sole, the second inner sole fully covering the at least one ventilation port of the outer sole when the second inner sole is juxtaposed thereto and substantially preventing fluid communication between the at least one ventilation port of the outer sole and the inner space above the second inner sole.

A further aspect of the invention provides a cycling shoe comprising: an upper portion defining an inner space sized and shaped to receive a foot of a rider therein; an outer sole mounted to the upper portion and having a toe section and a heel section, the heel section including at least two ventilation ports therein disposed in a linear aeration pattern along a longitudinal axis of the outer sole, the ventilation ports providing fluid communication between the inner space and the exterior of the cycling shoe; and an inner sole insertable in the inner space and juxtaposable over the outer sole, the ventilation ports of the outer sole cooperating with the inner sole and providing a linear aeration flow in the heel section of the inner space between the ventilation ports with the at least two ventilation ports of the heel section being in fluid communication through a ventilation channel extending longitudinally between the outer sole and a lower face of the superposed inner sole.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings, particularlyFIGS. 1,2and3, it will be seen that a ventilated cycling shoe according to the invention comprises a standard shoe upper1illustrated in dotted lines inFIG. 1, and an outer sole3. The ventilated shoe that is illustrated additionally comprises two interchangeable inner soles that are not shown inFIGS. 1,2and3, and that will be used alternately depending on the outside temperature. These inner soles will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 4 to 7.

Outer sole3is manufactured preferably by moulding a hard plastic material and is fixed in known manner to shoe upper1as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art. The outer face of outer sole3will now be described with particular reference toFIGS. 1 and 2. A series of three ventilation ports in the form of arcuate channels5,7and9that extend throughout the entire thickness of outer sole3, as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7are provided in the toe portion11of the outer sole. As seen inFIG. 3, it will be noted that arcuate channels5,7and9curve in an orientation that is similar to curving front end13of outer sole3.

Outer sole3is also provided with a second series of ventilation ports in the form of twelve arcuate channels15,17,19,21,23,25,27,29,31,33,35, and37that extend from heel portion39to arch portion41of outer sole3. It will also be realised that arcuate channels, referred to above, curve in an orientation that is similar to curving rear end43of outer sole3. Of course the number of arcuate channels5,7,9and15,17,19,21,23,25,27,29,31,33,35, and37may vary to a large extent depending on the size of the outer sole and the quantity of air that is intended to be circulated between the outer and inner soles and inside the shoe, as will be appreciated by the skilled designer.

The outer face of outer sole3is completed by a pair of curving ribs45,47that follow both sides of the alignment of arcuate channels15-37. Also provided on the outer face of outer sole3, are a toe support member49that comprises a pair of stud members51,53as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, and a heel support member55that comprises a pair of stud members57,59. As shown, toe support member49is fixed in known manner at the front end of outer sole3in toe portion11thereof. Similarly, heel support member55is also fixed in known manner, at the rear end of outer sole3in heel portion39thereof.

Slots61and63and holes65,67and69(which form no part of the present invention) are provided as in any known cycling shoe to mount a bracket (not shown) for attachment to pedals.

Turning now to the inner face of outer sole3it will be seen that it is formed with a plurality of depressions of various geometrical configurations, generally four sided, that will now be described more in detail. However, beforehand, it will be noted that there is a larger depression71, generally of triangular shape for mounting the bracket mentioned above. It will also be noted that the depressions are distributed and arranged to define longitudinal and transverse ridges as well as arcuate ridges. More particularly, from front to rear, starting past the three arcuate channels5,7, and9, there are provided lateral depression73and75central depressions77as well as intermediate depressions79and81, the latter intermediate depressions generally surrounding larger depression71. As shown, the above mentioned depressions define central, intermediate and outer transverse ridges82,83and84as well as longitudinal ridges85. In addition, arcuate ridges87are formed by arcuate channels5,7and9. The above ridges83,84,85and87will serve to support inner soles that will, be described later while providing voids defined by said depressions, between the inner and outer soles, as particularly shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, that will be described more in detail later.

With reference again toFIG. 3central and intermediate ridges82and83are formed with rounded recesses88,88aand88b, that are respectively aligned to define three air ducts between inner sole89, when the inner soles are placed over the outer sole.

As mentioned above, a ventilated shoe according to the invention also comprises an inner sole. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 4inner sole89is intended to allow air circulation between inner and outer soles3and89while at the same time allowing circulated air to reach the inside of the shoe to comfort and cool the foot of the cyclist, when the outside temperature is medium to high. More particularly, with reference toFIG. 4, inner sole89comprises a layer of elastomeric material91and a layer of a grid material93that is laminated in known manner to the layer of elastomeric material. As shown particularly inFIGS. 4,6and7, elastomeric layer91is provided with a plurality of outwardly flaring openings95that easily allow circulated air to reach layer93of grid material and penetrate inside the shoe for refreshing and cooling comfort. With particular reference toFIG. 4, it will be seen that the elastomeric layer is also formed with an arrangement of grooves97that facilitate air circulation between inner sole89and outer sole3. This embodiment is particularly useful when the outside temperature is medium to high.

Turning now to the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 5, the latter consists of an air impermeable inner sole99which is preferably made of a layer of elastomeric material. For better comfort, this layer of elastomeric material is laminated with a layer of foam material (not shown in the drawings) and the latter is laminated with a grid material (again not shown). On the inner face of inner sole99there are provided channels101that are distributed an arranged to spread circulated air through the entire space between inner sole99and outer sole3.

Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments it is understood that modifications are possible as provided for in appended claims.