Patent Publication Number: US-2013247411-A1

Title: Air pressure adjustable elastic body used in shoe sole as a shock absorber

Description:
This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/901,351, which claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of Oct. 8, 2010. Claims  1 - 6  and  7 - 11  of this application are the same as the previous claims 1-6 and 8-12 of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/901,351. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an elastic buffer member, and more particularly to an air pressure adjustable elastic body used in shoe sole as a shock absorber. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional elastic body  10  used in shoe sole as a shock absorber comprises two joining members  11  that are oppositely connected. The two joining members  11  are formed by plastic injection molding. A connecting member  12  connects the two joining members  11  of elastic body  10  by injection welding. 
     While the connecting member  20  is made by injection molding, the gas produced by the injection molding of the connecting member  20  can be charged into the elastic body to make the elastic body have a buffer elasticity to offer a buffer function. The joining members  11  are also made by injection molding, so that the shape and the thickness of the joining members can be controlled by changing the mold, thus not only making the production convenient but improving the product yield and widening the application range. However, the shock absorbing effect of the above elastic body cannot be adjusted once the elastic body is formed. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an air pressure adjustable elastic body used in shoe sole as a shock absorber, which can be applied in different conditions since the air pressure can be adjusted by the user. 
     To achieve the above objective, an air pressure adjustable elastic body used in shoe sole as a shock absorber in accordance with the present invention comprises two joining members and a connecting member. 
     The two joining members are oppositely connected. Each of the joining members includes an inner surface and an outer surface and is formed with a connecting edge along a circumference thereof. The connecting edge extends outwards from the respective joining members. A first joining member of the two joining members is formed with an accommodation space. The two joining members are disposed in such a manner that the two inner surfaces of the two joining members are oppositely arranged while the two connecting edges abut against each other. The respective joining members are formed by plastic injection molding, and a second joining member of the two joining members is provided with at least one inflation/deflation module. 
     The inflation/deflation module includes an inflation apparatus passage unit and a restoration unit that are integrally formed by injection molding. The inflation apparatus passage unit is a hollow structure protruding from the inner surface of the second joining member and includes an inflation apparatus insertion space which is open toward the outer surface of the second joining member. The inflation apparatus passage unit is formed with a notch, and an extending direction of the notch is defined as a notch direction. The notch is in communication with the inflation apparatus insertion space. 
     The restoration unit is integrally formed with the inflation apparatus passage unit by plastic injection molding. The restoration unit produces an elastic restoration force in an elastic restoration force direction which is vertical to the notch direction and applies the elastic restoration force to the notch from two opposite sides of the notch. 
     The connecting member connects the two joining member by injection welding and is formed by injection molding while sealing gas between the two joining members. 
     With the inflation/deflation module, the user can inflate or deflate the elastic body to adjust the air pressure of the elastic body. The restoration unit can force the notch to closely abut against the inflation head to avoid the occurrence of clearance between the inflation head and the notch, ensuring the airtightness. Furthermore, the elastic body of the present invention is formed by the integral injection molding, such that the manufacturing procedure is simplified, reducing the production cost while enhancing the economic benefit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a conventional elastic body; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of an air pressure adjustable elastic body in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembly view of the air pressure adjustable elastic body in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the air pressure adjustable elastic body in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an operational view showing that the air pressure adjustable elastic body in accordance with the present invention cooperates with an inflation head; and 
         FIG. 6  is another operational view showing that the air pressure adjustable elastic body in accordance with the present invention cooperates with an inflation head. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , an air-pressure adjustable elastic body used in shoe sole as a shock absorber in accordance with the present invention comprises plural joining members  20  and a connecting member  30 . 
     In the present embodiment, the air-pressure adjustable elastic body used in shoe sole as a shock absorber is a ring-shaped structure which comprises two joining members  20 A,  20 B that are oppositely connected to form the ring-shaped air-pressure adjustable elastic body. The two joining members  20 A,  20 B are the same in circumference shape. The joining member  20 A is an empty shell while the joining member  20 B is a plane structure. The respective joining members  20 A,  20 B are formed by plastic injection molding. Each of the joining members  20 A,  20 B includes an inner surface  21  and an outer surface  22 . At a joint of the inner surface  21  and the outer surface  22  of the respective joining members  20 A,  20 B is formed a connecting edge  23  along the circumference of the respective joining members  20 A,  20 B, and the connecting edges  23  extend outwards from the respective joining members  20 A,  20 B. An extending direction of the connecting edge  23  is defined as a horizontal direction X. A direction vertical to the horizontal direction X is defined a longitudinal direction Y. The joining member  20 A is formed with an accommodation space  24  in the longitudinal direction Y. The two joining members  20 A,  20 B are disposed in such a manner that the two inner surfaces  21  of the two joining members  20 A,  20 B are oppositely arranged while the two connecting edges  23  abut against each other. The joining member  20 B is provided on the inner surface  21  thereof with at least one inflation/deflation module  25 . 
     The inflation/deflation module  25  includes an inflation apparatus passage unit  251  and a restoration unit  252  that are integrally formed. 
     The inflation apparatus passage unit  251  is a hollow structure protruding from the inner surface  21  of the joining member  20 B and includes an inflation apparatus insertion space  253  which is open toward the outer surface  22  of the joining member  20 B. The inflation apparatus passage unit  251  is further formed with a notch  254  in an end thereof which protrudes toward the inner surface  21  of the joining member  20 A. An extending direction of the notch  254  is defined as a notch direction D 1 , and the notch direction D 1  is parallel to the longitudinal direction Y. The notch  254  is in communication with the inflation apparatus insertion space  253 . 
     The restoration unit  252  is integrally formed with the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  by plastic injection molding. The restoration unit  252  produces an elastic restoration force F in an elastic restoration force direction D 2  which is vertical to the notch direction D 1  but parallel to the horizontal direction X. The restoration unit  252  applies the elastic restoration force F to the notch  254  from two opposite sides of the notch  254 . In the present embodiment, the restoration unit  252  encloses an outer periphery of the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  fully. In addition, the restoration unit  252  can also partially enclose the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  with the notch  254  exposed. The joining members  20 A,  20 B, the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  and the restoration unit  252  are all formed by the plastic injection molding. The elastic restoration ability of the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  is greater than that of the restoration unit  252 , and the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  and the restoration unit  252  are made of different characteristics of plastic materials. 
     The connecting member  30  is an integral structure formed by the plastic injection molding and includes an upper portion  31 , a lower portion  32  and a lateral portion  33  which connects the upper portion  31  and the lower portion  32 . The upper portion  31  and the lower portion  32  cooperate with the lateral portion  33  to define a clamping opening  34  for enclosing the connecting edges  23  of the two joining members  20 A,  20 B and sealing the two joining members  20 A,  20 B. The gas produced by heating the plastic will be charged between the two joining members  20 A,  20 B during the plastic injection molding of the connecting member  30 . 
     The aforementioned is the summary of the positional and structural relationship of the respective components of the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     The respective joining members  20 A,  20 B are integrally formed by the plastic injection molding, and the inflation/deflation module  25  is also integrally formed on the joining member  20 B by the plastic injection molding, so that the respective joining members  20 A,  20 B are elements that are suitable for quick mass production. After the respective joining members  20 A,  20 B are formed and joined together, the connecting member  30  will be formed by the plastic injection molding to seal the respective joining members  20 A,  20 B, and the gas produced during the plastic injection molding of the connecting member  30  will be sealed in the accommodation space  24  between the joining members  20 A,  20 B. By such arrangements, with the gas between the joining members  20 A,  20 B, the elastic body of the present invention can offer the buffer elasticity. 
     When the elastic body of the present invention is used in different conditions or by different users, the buffer elasticity can be adjusted as desired through the inflation/deflation module  25 . As shown in  FIGS. 5-6 , the user can insert an inflation head A of an inflation apparatus into the space defined between the two joining members  20 A,  20 B through the notch  254  of the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  from the inflation apparatus insertion space  253  to inflate the elastic body of the present invention. At this moment, the inflation head A props the notch  254  of the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  open. As a result of this, the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  will apply a force onto the restoration unit  252  to make it expand outwards. Since the elastic restoration force F of the restoration unit  252  is applied on the notch  254  from the two opposite sides of the notches  254 , although the inflation head A props the notch  254  open during the inflation process, the restoration unit  252  will force the notch  254  to closely abut against the inflation head A without causing clearance between the inflation head A and the notch  254 , avoiding the gas leakage. 
     After finishing the inflation, the user will draw the inflation head A out. When the inflation head A disengages from the notch  254 , the inflation head A will apply the elastic restoration force F onto the notch  254  continuously to close the notch  254  quickly. As shown in  FIG. 5 , after the inflation head A completely disengages from the notch  254 , the restoration unit  252  will make the notch  254  to restore to its original closed state, preventing the gas from leaking through the notch  254 . In addition, the gas in the elastic body can further produce inner pressure to enhance the closing force. 
     Furthermore, when the user needs to deflate the elastic body of the present invention, he can prop the notch  254  of the inflation/deflation module  25  open, and then the gas will be discharged through the notch  254 , realizing the objective of deflation. When the user stops propping the notch  254  open, the elastic restoration force F of the restoration unit  252  will make the notch  254  restore to its original closed state. 
     Since the elastic body of the present invention is integrally formed by the plastic injection molding, the present invention has no structural defects. In addition, there is no open clearance between the joining members, the inflation apparatus passage unit  251  and the restoration unit  252 , ensuring a high airtightness of the elastic body of the present invention. With the inflation/deflation module  25 , the user can change the air pressure of the elastic body of the present invention to adjust the buffer elasticity of the elastic body of the present invention, improving the application of the elastic body of the present invention while enhancing the added value of the elastic body of the present invention. 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.