Patent Publication Number: US-2023147381-A1

Title: Thermal-resistant shoe components

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/023,346, filed Sep. 16, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/268,320, filed Feb. 5, 2019, now abandoned, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/626,352, filed on Feb. 5, 2018, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The claimed invention relates to shoe components, and more specifically to thermal-resistant shoe components. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Artificial turfs were first invented in 1965. At the time, some members of the industry thought that as more teams moved to an indoor stadium, grass would not grow as well and would require a substitute. And thus, artificial turfs came into existence. The first artificial turfs were not much more than green, plastic indoor-outdoor mats. 
     While artificial turfs today have evolved from the green, plastic mats of old, the artificial turfs are still attached to such mats with the fibers composed of polyethylene lubricated with silicone. A layer of expanded polypropylene or rubber granules (made mostly from recycled car tires) and sand serve as an infill to add shock absorbency. It is recommended that this infill be replenished and/or redistributed on a regular basis. The advantages of artificial turf lie in its ability to withstand heavy use, even during or immediately after a rainstorm. 
     There are several kinds of artificial turf surfaces (e.g., surfaces that use a fill material (“infill”) between the blades of artificial grass and those that do not), and artificial turf may be installed for different uses (e.g., single or multiple sport athletic fields, landscaping, golf applications). One type of artificial turf is fabricated using artificial fibers, manufactured to resemble natural grass, and a base material that stabilizes and cushions the playing surface. The fibers are typically made from nylon, polypropylene or polyethylene and are connected to a backing material. 
     It is well documented in various studies that artificial turf is significantly hotter than natural dirt and grass. In a study conducted at Brigham Young University (“BYU”) in June 2002, results found that artificial turf was 37° F. hotter than asphalt and 86.5° F. hotter than natural grass under similar environmental conditions. The average air temperature on the day of the study was 81.42° F. and the temperature of the artificial turf reached 157° F. On the same day, the natural grass only reached a maximum temperature of 88.5° F. Per the same study, on a hot summer day, during peak hours, the surface temperature of artificial turfs can reach over 200° F. A University of Nevada, Las Vegas study also documented excessive surface temperatures of artificial turfs well into October and November (112.4° F., 32.4° F. higher than the air temperature). The study concluded that surface temperature of artificial turfs is affected more by the amount of direct sunlight than air temperature, which explains why even in colder months artificial turf can be extremely hot. According to various studies, any temperature above 122° F. can burn the skin in less than 10 minutes. Thus, it is generally accepted that playing on artificial turf is potentially dangerous when the surface temperature exceeds 122° F. With the growing number of artificial turfs, the issue of a safe and comfortable playing environment has become a major issue. 
     Solutions have been proposed to counteract the heat of the artificial turf, such as watering the fields and changing the material of the turf itself; but all proposed solutions are either not feasible or have failed. In the BYU study, when the artificial turf field was watered, the temperature immediately dropped from 174° F. to 85° F., but within five minutes it rebounded to 120° F. and within 20 minutes it was back up to 164° F. Further, the method of watering a hot artificial turf is both expensive and ineffective. Another proposed solution of changing the materials within the artificial turf was tested, but a Penn State study concluded that in such cases, the temperature drop was at most 10° F. At temperatures still exceeding 150° F., these changes offer virtually no advantage. 
     Despite the temperature issues with the artificial turfs, they are still widely used. It is well documented in professional sports that athletes have complained of blistering and burned feet from playing on artificial turf. In 2007, Sports Illustrated reported that six Peruvian soccer players from the Sporting Cristal were unable to train because of burns and blisters suffered from hot artificial turfs. Currently, athletes whose feet burn simply pour water on their feet to reduce the temperature. However, such a tactic only solves the problem temporarily. In fact, pouring water on the athletes&#39; feet actually creates more problems as it wets the socks, causes friction, and creates blisters. 
     Thus, there is a need for thermal-resistance between the feet of the athletes and the artificial turfs. The best way of alleviating the artificial turfs temperature issue is to reduce the temperature before the heat reaches the athletes&#39; feet. Accordingly, there is a need for thermal-resistant shoe components that facilitate dramatic temperature differences (ideally between 30-50° F.) between the athletes&#39; feet and the artificial turf so that the athletes&#39; feet stay cooler. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Provided herein are embodiments of a shoe component. The shoe component may include a toebox, an insole, an adhesive membrane, a thermal-resistant insert, a midsole, and an outsole. The insert may further include a footbed. The footbed may include an upper surface and a bottom surface. The insert may further include an upper laminate on the upper surface of the footbed and a bottom laminate on the bottom surface of the footbed. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention are or will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description, which illustrate, by way of examples, the principles of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention may be better understood by referring to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosure. In the figures, reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
         FIG.  1    illustrates shoe components, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  2 A  illustrates a bottom view of an insert, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  2 B  illustrates a top view of insert, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a laminating material used in shoe components, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  4 A  illustrates an insert for a left foot of a wearer, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  4 B  illustrates an insert for a right foot of a wearer, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates a side view of an insert, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  6 A  illustrates an insert for a left foot of a wearer, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  6 B  illustrates an insert for a right foot of a wearer, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIGS.  7 - 12    illustrate tabulated views of various experiment results, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIGS.  13 - 19    illustrate graphical views of various experiment results, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The below described figures illustrate the described invention and method of use in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiments, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications to what is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope. While this invention is susceptible to different embodiments in different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiment illustrated. All features, elements, components, functions, and steps described with respect to any embodiment provided herein are intended to be freely combinable and substitutable with those from any other embodiment unless otherwise stated. Therefore, what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and should not be taken as a limitation on the scope of the present invention. 
     In the following description and in the figures, like elements are identified with like reference numerals. The use of “e.g.,” “etc.,” and “or” indicates non-exclusive alternatives without limitation, unless otherwise noted. The use of “including” or “includes” means “including, but not limited to,” or “includes, but not limited to,” unless otherwise noted. 
     As used herein, the term “and/or” placed between a first entity and a second entity means one of (1) the first entity, (2) the second entity, and (3) the first entity and the second entity. Multiple entities listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same manner, i.e., “one or more” of the entities so conjoined. Other entities may optionally be present other than the entities specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those entities specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including entities other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including entities other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other entities). These entities may refer to elements, actions, structures, steps, operations, values, and the like. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates an exploded view of a shoe component  100 . The shoe component  100  may include a cleat upper and toebox  110 , insole  120 , an adhesive membrane  130 , an insert  140 , such as a Blusol Heat Shield Insert, midsole  150 , and outsole  160 . The insert  140  may be positioned at any other location within the shoe component  100 . For example, there may be no insole  120  or the insert  140  may be placed on top of the insole  120  rather than at the bottom. Additional layers of insole  120  and/or insert  140  and/or midsole  150  may be used as well depending on the required heat insulation. In addition, or in lieu of the adhesive membrane  130  being in between the insole  120  and the insert  140 , there may be an adhesive membrane between the insert  140  and the midsole  150  as well that helps keep the insert  140  in place. The adhesive membrane may be any source capable of attaching the insert  140  to the insole  120  and/or the cleat midsole  150 . In some embodiments, the adhesive membrane  130  may be made by  3 M™. I.e., any, or a combination thereof, of the products made by  3 M™ that have adhesive properties, such as all the Adhesives, Tapes, and any other materials, such as the Advanced Materials as illustrated on its website: https://www.3 m.com/ may be used. n some other embodiments, any adhesive that is double sided or one that has a top piece that when peeled away exposes the adhesive layer may also be used. There may be on or more adhesive membranes. Other means of attaching the insert  140  to the insole  120  and/or to the midsole  150 , such as buttons, snaps, zippers, nails, glue, etc. may also be used. The insert  140  may prevent heat from permeating through the insole  120  and/or the midsole  150  and/or the outsole  160 . The insert  140  may be thin, durable, pliable, and may fit any shoe providing the wearer&#39;s maximum comfort. The insert  140  may be integrated into the shoe itself (i.e., be affixed) or may be formed as a separate component that may be inserted and removed from the shoe by a wearer. 
       FIGS.  2 A and  2 B  illustrate inserts  200 A and  200 B that can be inserted into a shoe on a wearer&#39;s left and right foot, respectively. The inserts  200 A and  200 B may have a thermal-resistant technology that helps keep the wearer&#39;s foot cool under high temperatures. In some embodiments, the inserts  200 A and  200 B may be made using a molded Ortholite®—with its open-cell material (such as foams, rubbers, etc.) structure, breathability, lightweight design, washable quality, and moisture wicking properties—footbed with a maximum thickness of 2 mm. In some embodiments, one or more, or portions thereof, of the Ortholite® products may be used. For example, the Ortholite® Originals, X40, X35, X25, UltraLite, Lazy, Impressions, Imperial, FlexLite, R&amp;R, Eco, EcoLT, and/or Hybrid or any combinations thereof may be used. Any other type or dimension of molded footbed may also be used. In other embodiments, the inserts may be eco-friendly, i.e., recyclable and/or biodegradable. The insert  200 A may have an upper laminate and a bottom laminate. The upper laminate may be bonded in any manner to the upper surface of the footbed and the bottom laminate may be bonded in any manner to the bottom surface of the footbed. For example, the footbed&#39;s bottom surface may be laminated by bonding a light grey (or any other color) CarbonX material, which has hydrophilic fiber that is moisture wicking, to create a bottom-laminate layer  210  to its bottom surface such that when the insert  200 A is worn, the CarbonX material layer faces the turf. In some embodiments, one or more, or portions thereof, of the CarbonX products, such as, CarbonX Active, Ultimate, Aluminized Solutions, Repel, Wovens, Nonwovens, 8861 Welding Blanket Felt, NSM 18-19 Hoods may be used. The bottom-laminate layer  210  may be made of any other material that has similar properties to CarbonX materials as well. For example, in some embodiments, the bottom-laminate layer  210  may include non-flammable properties. The bottom-laminate layer  210  may be highly resistant to molten metal splash, flammable liquids, and certain chemicals and provide excellent protection from arc flash hazards. The bottom-laminate layer  210  may also be made of any material that is made from TK-60 fabric, a 6 oz double jersey interlock knit that is flexible, soft-to-the-touch, and comfortable next to skin. The bottom-laminate layer  210  may also comprise of a material that breathes well and dries quickly, thus enhancing the wearer&#39;s comfort and productivity. Next, the footbed&#39;s upper surface may be laminated with an Outlast® temperature-regulating material, which works by continually regulating the wearer&#39;s skin&#39;s microclimate, to create a top-laminate layer  220 , thus creating the insert  200 B. In some embodiments, one or more, or portions thereof, of the Outlast® materials, such as Coated Outlast® linings, nonwovens, foams, polyester, viscose, or acrylic fiber may be used. The top-laminate layer  220  may be made of any material that has heat storage and release properties, i.e., one which may be able to absorb and store the excess heat radiating from the skin of the wearer, thus preventing heat and sweat from building up. Once the wearer&#39;s skin starts to cool, the material of the top-laminate layer  220  may release the stored heat back to the wearer to prevent chill. In some embodiments, the material of the top-laminate layer  220  may be made of varying degrees of phase-change material and down. Any other materials, such as para aramids, or a combination of materials that bring about similar effects may be used for the bottom-laminate layer  210  and/or the top-laminate layer  220 . In some embodiments, any other or a combination of other similarly thermal-resistant material may be used to laminate the footbeds as well, such as the materials produced by Nomex®, such as their Kevlar® Fibers, Nomex® Fibers, Kevlar® Engineered Elastomers, Kevlar® Aramid Pulp, etc. I.e., the materials used in the top-laminate layer  220  and/or the bottom-laminate layer  210  may have additional properties than just thermal resistance. For example, the materials used for the top-laminate layer  220  and/or bottom-laminate layer  210  may also be chemical and/or radiation resistant. The insert  200 B may resemble the insert  200 A in its properties or have a completely different set of properties.  FIG.  3    illustrates an exemplary sheet of laminating material, such as CarbonX Active material,  300  that may be used to laminate the footbed described in  FIGS.  2 A and  2 B . While the laminating material, such as CarbonX Active material,  300  is depicted in grey, it may be of any color. 
       FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  illustrate insert  410  corresponding to the left feet of a wearer and insert  410 ′ corresponding to the right feet of a wearer, respectively. As illustrated, the inserts  410  and  410 ′ may have any dimensions and/or may be customizable. Various lines  430  and  430 ′ on inserts  410  and  410 ′, respectively, denote a footwear sizing gauge ranging from women&#39;s foot size 5 to men&#39;s foot size 14. The initial sizing may be done to a men&#39;s size 12, 13, or 14, and then the insert  410  and  410 ′ may be cut down, using scissors or other cutting methods, to the required size of a wearer.  FIG.  5    illustrates that an insert  510  may have a height  530  and a thickness  540 . The height  530  may vary depending on the shoe size of a wearer. The thickness  540  may ideally be around 1.5 mm-2 mm. However, depending on the amount of thermal-resistance needed, the thickness  540  may vary. The inserts may be of any color. For example, insert  410  and  410 ′ in  FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  are black in color and insert  610  and  610 ′ illustrated in  FIGS.  6 A and  6 B  are white in color. 
     Various tests were conducted on the inserts described above in order to determine a combination of materials to be used in some embodiments so as to make the inserts and increase the general efficacy of the inserts. In one of the experiments, shoes with and without the inserts were heat tested. Specifically, a crock pot was filled with sand. The sand was heated, both with and without a lid, and a laser thermometer was used to measure its temperature. Once the temperature reached 160° F., a shoe (with and without the inserts) was inserted into the heated sand, such that the sole of the shoe was exposed to the highest heat. The shoe was left in the sand for ten minutes. It was observed that the heat in the sand fluctuated the most when heated without a lid. In one case, after ten minutes, it was observed that that the sand was at a temperature of approximately 112.4° F. and the temperature of the sole without the inserts was 109° F. The difference was barely 4° F. Various other materials were inserted into the shoe using different techniques and the temperature differences were observed. While the temperature of the sand fluctuated, the temperature difference between the shoe and the sand created by the materials being tested was not high. For example, in some cases, the following temperature differences between the sole and the sand were observed. Case  1 : Differential was 8° F.; Case  2 : Differential was 12° F.; Case  3 : Differential was 17° F.; Case  4 : Differential was 9° F.; Case  5 : Differential was 19° F.; Case  6 : Differential was 14° F.; Case  7 : Differential was 23° F.; Case  9 : Differential was 19° F.; Case  10 : Differential was 22° F.; and Case  11 : Differential was 22° F. However, these temperature differences were too low. Finally, the current iteration of the inserts was developed and greater temperature differences ranging from 35-50° F. were observed. Finally, the test data was collected. 
     In the second test, one insert was placed in the left shoe of a tennis player. The tennis player did not know that an insert was placed in one of his shoes. The player played tennis for an hour. The outside temperature at the time was 90° F. and the tennis court&#39;s surface temperature was 125° F. After an hour, the athlete said that he felt as if his right foot was hotter. After a couple of weeks, the athlete had already started wearing inserts on both feet and felt that his feet were cooler and had no complaints about the inserts. 
     During the third test, the outside temperature was 94° F. The artificial turf had a temperature of 145° F. Inserts were placed in the shoes of five soccer players without their knowledge. By the halftime of the first game, it was obvious who was wearing the inserts and who was not. All but the five players, who were wearing the inserts, complained of burning feet. Upon learning that they were wearing inserts, the five players refused to take them out and the rest of the players wanted to wear them. In other experiments, multiple collegiate soccer teams wore inserts during the soccer season, and all of them reported positive results and that their players felt a difference. Humboldt State University actually felt that the inserts helped them win a few games because they played in comfort and were able to keep key players on the field for longer periods of time. 
     In other tests, as illustrated in  FIGS.  7 - 19   , various materials were inserted into a shoe and the internal temperature of the shoe with those materials were tested compared to the temperature of sand. Four trials were conducted for each material. As illustrated in  FIGS.  7  and  13   , the temperature difference with embodiments of the present invention were significant. 
     In some embodiments, the inserts may work well on cold surfaces as well, i.e., they may help keeping the wearers&#39; feet warm by insulating their feet from the outside cold. For example, many people trail run in the snow or engage in some activity or another in cold weather. The common complaint during such times is that the peoples&#39; feet get too cold. Woolen socks are bulky, and many times are not effective enough. In some embodiments, the inserts described herein can create a temperature differential between the cold surface and the wearers&#39; feet and keep the wearers&#39; feet warm. Some exemplary experiments on ice blocks, fields, frozen asphalt, and in snow have shown that approximately a 30-degree temperature differential can be reached on cold surfaces using the inserts. The exact temperature differences may depend on the weather, the sole, and/or the shoe. 
     While the inserts are described herein primarily for athletes, they can be used for any day to day or other professional needs, such as any blue-collar job, military, construction, law enforcement, firefighting, etc. Further, the dimensions of these inserts may be changed to be useable in other articles, such as backpacks, socks, cell phone cases, jackets, sweaters, etc. In other words, the inserts are not just limited to be work in shoes but can be used in any other article where a temperature differential is to be created between the article&#39;s inside and the outside temperature. Further, various components, such as the toebox, inserts, soles, etc. may be made of any materials, such as rubber, plastic, cloth, etc., or any combinations thereof.