BUFFER DOUBLE AIR CUSHION

Abstract: A buffer double air cushion adaptable to a shoe vamp includes an outer air cushion (1) and an inner air cushion (2). The outer air cushion (1) and the inner air cushion (2) are inflated to a different inner pressure. An upper surface of both the outer (1) and inner (2) air cushion are curved down to two sides with non-specific curvature. So the buffer double air cushion has a good 3D curvature to closely fit a foot wearing it, and excellent buffer and shock-absorbing function by means of air or gas pressure.

Description: TTTI.E ; BUFFER DOUBLE AIR CUSHION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Common conventional shoe vamps have an inner layer of elastic foam rubber or sponge is added under an outer layer of leather, in order to produce comfortable and shock-absorbing function in wearing. In truth, the inner layer of foam rubber has limits in its elasticity and the thickness of the layer so that the capacity of buf ¬ fer and shock-absorbing for the conventional shoe vamps is not so ideal to meet practical use An inflatable air cushion for a shoe vamp has been disclosed by the same applicant of this invention, but it has only a 2D structure not so good as to produce ideal shock-absorbing function. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the disadvantage of the conventional shoe vamp air cushions, this invention has been devised to offer a buffer double air cushion adaptable to a shoe vamp. The main feature of the invention is an outer air cushion and an inner air cushion disposed in the outer air cushion, respectively having different inner pressure for forming a soft outer layer so as to give comfortable feeling and close fitting on a foot in wearing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS This invention will be better understood by refer ¬ ring to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side view of a buffer double air cu ¬ shion in the present invention, adapted to a shoe vamp Figure 2 is an upper view of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a right side view of Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of line 4 - 4 in Fig. 2; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of line 5 - 5 in Fig. 2; Figure 6 is a side view of a second preferred em ¬ bodiment of a buffer double air cushion in the present invention, adapted to a shoe vamp; Figure 7 is an upper view of Fig. 6; Figure 8 is a right side view of Fig. 6; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of line 9 - 9 in Fig. 7; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of line 10 - 10 in Fig. 7; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of inflating steps for the buffer double air cushion in the present invention; Figure 12 is a side view of a third preferred embodiment of an buffer double air cushion in the present invention; Figure 13 is an upper view of Fig. 12; Figure 14 is a right side view of Fig. 12; Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of line 15 15 in Fig. 13; and, Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of line 16 - 16 in Fig. 13. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A buffer double air cushion in the present invention is to be adapted to a shoe vamp, so functions it should have are close fitting on a foot, and buffer and shock-absorbing function, not the same as that adapted to a shoe heel. Its thickness is rather thin, its upper surface has to be of a very similar curvature to a foot. In addition, the area surrounded by the peripheral hol- low edge is smaller than the surface area of the air cushion, permitting at least one surface or two surfaces have a swelled-up 3D arch shape. Figs. 1 - 5 show a first preferred embodiment of a buffer double air cushion, which includes an outer air cushion 1, and at least one inner air cushion 2 disposed in the outer air cushion 1. The outer air cushion 1 has a plurality of recess ¬ ed holes 11 or recessed grooves 12 in an upper surface and/or a lower surface, but the recessed holes or the recessed grooves 12 may be omitted (as shown in Figs. 12 - 16). Further, the outer air cushion 1 has at least one side open for the inner air cushion 2 to be inserted and sealed up after the inner air cushion 2 is disposed therein. The inner air cushion 2 to be disposed in the outer air cushion 1 has an inner pressure higher than that in the outer air cushion 1, and a plurality of recessed holes 21 or recessed grooves 22 formed in at least one surface or two surfaces. The depth of the re- cessed holes 21 and the recessed grooves 22 is shorter than those 11 and 12 of the outer air cushion 1. The width of the recessed holes 21 or the recessed grooves 22 is at least the same as the outer diameter or width of the holes 11 or the grooves 12 of the outer air cu- shion 1. Further, the inner air cushion 2 has a layer of glue or adhesive attached on an upper surface to adhere a contacting portion of an inner surface of the outer air cushion 1 when the inner air cushion 2 is disposed in the outer air cushion, with the open side of the outer air cushion 1 sealed up with heating. Then this doule air cushion has a single thickness but with two different inner pressures. Figs. 6 - 9 show a second preferred embodiment of a buffer double air cushion in the present invention, wherein an outer air cushion 1 and an inner air cushion 2 are combined together, with recessed holes 11 or recessed grooves 12 of the outer air cushion 1 fitting in recessed holes 21 or recessed grooves 22 of the inner air cushion 2, and with those holes 12 and 21 or grooves 12 and 22 of both the air cushions 1 and 2 firmly engag ¬ ing one another after the inner air cushion 2 is inflated with higher pressure than that of the outer air cushion 1. The inner pressure of the outer air cushion 1 is effected by a hollow passageway 10 attached on the same cushion 1. Then the outer air cushion 1 is inflated through the passageway 10 after its peripheral edge is sealed up. The inner air cushion 2 also has a hollow passageway 20 for filling a gas in its interior to a preset pressure. In practical process, the inner air cushion 2 inflated in advance is inserted in the outer air cushion 1, and then the outer air cushion 1 is sealed and inflated. Another method of inflating different inner pressure in the outer and the inner air cushion 1 and 2 is shown in Fig. 11. Then the hollow passageway 10 of the outer air cushion 1 and that 20 of the inner air cushion 2 are made coaxial. At first, the same pressure is in- flated in both the outer and the inner air cushion 1 and 2, and then the passageway 10 of the outer air cushion 1 is sealed up. In this condition, the inner pressure of both the outer and the inner air cushion 1 and 2 are the same because of the passageway 20 still open to permit the inner air cushion 2 communicate with the outer air cushion 1. Next, the outer air cushion 1 is compressed to force gas therein to flow into the inner air cushion 2 not compressed through the passageway 20, resulting in a higher pressure in the inner air cushion 2 than that in the outer air cushion 1. Then the passageway 20 is sealed up with the passageway 10, finishing the process. The finished buffer double air cushion has the outer air cushion 1 being soft owing to lower inner pre- sure than the inner air cushion 2, which is harder than the outer air cushion 1 owing to high inner pressure. When at first the outer air cushion 1 is sealed with the inner pressure 20 lbs, the inner pressure of the inner air cushion 2 is also of the same pressure, 20 lbs, as both the two air cushions 1 and 2 communicate with each other. Then if the outer air cushion 1 is compressed to force its inner surface contact the upper surface of the inner air cushion 2, 10 lbs pressure of the outer air cushion 1 may be moved into the inner air cushion 2, with the pressure of the outer air cushion 1 becoming 10 lbs, and with the pressure of the inner air cushion 2 becoming 30 lbs. Then the passageway 20 of the latter is sealed to keep the different pressure for the both 1 and 2. However, when the buffer double air cushion is compressed, the inner air cushion 2 only receives 20 lbs pressure because the outer air cushion 1 have 10 lbs, with the original 30 lbs pressure of the inner one subtracted 10 lbs. Therefore, the whole structural load is not increased, but as to buffer and shock-absorbing effect, the outer layer of the double air cushion is soft and comfortable and the inner layer is a little harder than the outer layer with different buffer effect. Thus the buffer double air cushion has a special structure of different inner pressures, but with a single height, which has not yet been found in conventional air cushions. In addition, the interior of both the inner and the outer air cushion 1 and 2 may be filled with air, a low-percolating large particle gas such as SF6, C2F6, etc., a fluid, a semi-fluid or a liquid. While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and un- stood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modi- fications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A buffer double air cushion comprsing an outer air cushion, and an inner air cushion disposed in said outer air cushion, said outer air cushion having a plu- rality of recessed holes or recessed grooves provided at least in one surface or two surfaces, said inner air cushion having a plurality of recessed holes or recessed grooves at least in one surface or two surfaces, said inner air cushion having an adhesive layer on its upper surface adhering an inner surface of said outer air cushion. 2. A buffer double air cushion comprising an outer air cushion, and an inner air cushion disposed in said outer air cushion, said outer air cushion having a plu- rality of recessed holes or recessed grooves at least in one surface or two surfaces, said inner air cushion hav ¬ ing a plurality of recessed holes or recessed grooves at least in one surface or two surfaces, at least one of said recessed holes or said recessed grooves of said outer air cushion fitting in one of said recessed holes or said recessed grooves of said inner air cushion and said fitting-together pair of recessed holes or recessed grooves of both said outer and said inner air cushion engaging firmly with each other after said outer air cu- shion and said inner air cushion are inflated with d i - fernt pressure. 3. A buffer double air cushion comprising an outer air cushion, and at least one inner air cushion disposed in said outer air cushion, said outer air cushion having a hollow passageway communicating with outer air, said inner air cushion having a hollow passageway communicating with said outer air cushion, said outer air cushion and said inner air cushion inflated with a preset pressure, then said passageway of said outer air cushion sealed up, then said outer air cushion compressed to a preset depth and then said passageway of said inner air cushion sealed up with said passageway of said outer air cushion. 4. The buffer double air cushion as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said outer air cushion has at least one open side for inserting said inner air cushion before said inner air cushion is disposed in said outer air cushion. 5. The buffer double air cushion as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said hollow passageway of said outer air cushion and said inner air cushion are generally coaxial. 6. The buffer double air cushion as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said outer air cushion has an inner pressure different from that in said inner air cusnion. 7. The buffer double air cushion as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said buffer double air cushion is adapted in a shoe vamp, a heel patch, sports protec- tive pads. 8. The buffer double air cushion as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said buffer double air cushion has a hollow inner space of a smaller area than an upper surface thereof, permitting at least said upper surface and/or a lower surface curved upward to have an arch- shaped 3D structure.

Inventors: HUANG ING CHUNG, HUANG, ING, CHUNG
Applicants: CHEN CHUNG CHIN, HUANG ING CHUNG, CHEN, CHUNG, CHIN, HUANG, ING, CHUNG
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B32B3
IPC codes: A43B5, A43B13