Abstract:
An inflatable footwear for providing customized support for the user. The inflatable footwear includes an inner assembly with sole and upper portions and an outer assembly also having sole and upper portions, said outer assembly being coupled to said inner assembly along a annular edge and defining an interior air chamber for being inflated and supporting the foot and ankle of the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to foot-ware devices and more particularly pertains to a new inflatable footwear for providing customized support for the user. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   The use of footwear devices is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,448 describes a device using a fixed third web bubble material for the formation of footwear, but has a fixed inflation and size so as not to be customizable. Another type of footwear devices in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,584 having a plastic film for producing a waterproof sole for a sock-like insert. 
   While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that has certain improved features including by way of illustration and not limitation, customizable support for the entire foot of the user, and customizable sizing. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention meets the needs presented above by providing a custom inflatable interior air chamber for providing a user defined level of support for the foot of the user. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a new inflatable footwear that may be worn alone or in conjunction with conventional shoes or boots. 
   To this end, the present invention generally comprises an inflatable footwear for providing customized support for the user. The inflatable footwear includes an inner assembly with sole and upper portions and an outer assembly also having sole and upper portions, said outer assembly being coupled to said inner assembly along a annular edge and defining an interior air chamber for being inflated and supporting the foot and ankle of the user. 
   There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
   The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a new inflatable footwear according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 2  thereof, a new inflatable footwear embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
   As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 2 , the inflatable footwear  10  generally comprises an inner assembly  20  and an outer assembly  40 . 
   The inner assembly  20  includes a sole portion  22  and an upper portion  24 . The sole portion  22  includes a perimeter edge  23 . The upper portion  24  is coupled to the sole portion  22  along the perimeter edge  23 . The upper portion  24  includes an annular edge  25  for receiving a foot and ankle of the user. The inner assembly  20  includes an overall length and an overall width. 
   The outer assembly  40  includes an outer sole portion  42  and an outer upper portion  44 . The outer sole portion  42  includes an outer perimeter edge  43 . The outer upper portion  44  includes an outer annular edge  45  being for receiving a foot and ankle of the user. The outer assembly  40  includes an outer overall length and outer overall width. The outer overall length is greater than the overall length of the inner assembly  20 . The outer overall width is greater than the overall width of the inner assembly  20 . The outer assembly  40  is coupled to the inner assembly  20  along the annular edge  25 , 45 . 
   The inner  20  and outer assemblies  40  define an interior air chamber  30 . The interior air chamber  30  is inflatable for supporting the foot of the user. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the inner assembly  20  further comprises an aperture  50  and a valve assembly  52 . The aperture  50  extends through the upper portion  24  and includes a perimeter edge. The valve assembly  52  is coupled to the upper portion  24  along the perimeter edge of the aperture  50 . The valve assembly  52  is for inflating the interior air chamber  30 . The valve assembly  52  is positionable within the interior air chamber  30  when not is used. The valve assembly  52  is positionable to extend from the upper portion  24  when is used to change an inflation of the interior air chamber  30 . 
   In an alternate embodiment, the outer assembly  40  further comprises and aperture  54  and a valve assembly  56 . The aperture  54  extends through the outer upper portion  44 . The aperture  54  includes a perimeter edge. The valve assembly  56  is coupled to the outer upper portion  44  along the perimeter edge of the aperture  54 . The valve assembly  56  is for inflating the interior air chamber  30 . The valve assembly  56  is positionable within the interior air chamber  30  when not is used. The valve assembly  56  is positionable to extend from the outer upper portion  44  when is used to change an inflation of the interior air chamber  30 . 
   In a further embodiment, the inner assembly  20  further comprises a support member  60  coupled to the sole portion  22 . The support member  60  provides arch support for the foot of the user. The arch support  60  is designed for abutting an arch portion of the foot of the user. 
   In still a further embodiment, the interior air chamber  30  is inflatable such that ¼ to 1 inch of air supports and separated the inner assembly  20  from the outer assembly  40  along the sole portion  22  and the outer sole portions  42 . The outer assembly  40  is separated from the inner assembly  20  by the interior air chamber  30  except along the annular edge  25 , 45 . 
   In yet a further embodiment, the outer assembly  40  comprises an elastomeric material, which is substantially gas impermeable. Similarly, the inner assembly  20  also comprises an elastomeric material is substantially gas impermeable such that the interior air chamber  30  maintains inflation during use. 
   In use, the inflatable footwear device is placed on the foot of the user. The user then inflates the device to the desired level of support. The device may be worn alone or in conjunction with conventional shoes or boots. 
   With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
   Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.