Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to shoes, especially athletic shoes, and, more particularly, to a ventilated insole having a minimal height in a front region of the insole. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Air circulation, especially in an enclosed toe region of a shoe, is often inadequate to properly deal with the dual problems of accumulating moisture (sweat) and odor at the affected region not only when the shoe is used for normal day-to-day activities, but also when the shoe is used for strenuous activities such as sports. Attempts to address these problems by using permeable, breathable fabrics and insoles having on-board pumps capable of pumping air are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,441,879; 2,668,372; 4,654,982; 4,760,651; 4,974,342 and 5,282,324. 
     Experience has shown, however, that the known ventilated shoes have not proven to be altogether satisfactory. In order to deliver fresh air to the toe region, air channels were created within and under front portions of an insole. These air channels occupied a non-negligible amount of height for which many shoes simply did not provide sufficient toe room. To minimize this height and space requirement for the air channels, the air channels could be reduced in height. However, this decreased the air flow therethrough and could even block airflow if the air channels were folded during walking or running. 
     Also, many known ventilated shoes employed a foot-operated pump in which virtually the same volume of drawn-in air was discharged. If a small volume of air was drawn into the pump, one must repeatedly activate the pump for adequate ventilation. There are times, however, when such repeated activity is not desired or possible. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to advance the state of the art of ventilated insoles and shoes. 
     More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to effectively and adequately ventilate a shoe. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a ventilated insole of minimal height to fit inside shoes, even with low overhead toe room. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to use a small volume of air to entrain and accelerate a larger volume of air to effect ventilation. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to keep one&#39;s foot drier and to remove moisture and odor from shoes. 
     FEATURES OF THE INVENTION 
     In keeping with the above objects and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a ventilated shoe insole extending between a heel region and a toe region. The insole has a top apertured layer and a bottom apertured layer superimposed at the toe region. Each of the apertured layers has a multitude of openings extending therethrough. The insole also has a pump at the heel region and connected to the apertured layers. The pump has an inlet into which air is drawn during use of the pump, and an outlet from which drawn-in air is discharged through the openings in the apertured layers. 
     The apertured layers occupy a minimal combined height. Preferably, at least one of the layers, if not a plurality of the layers, is constituted of a thin, flexible mesh or of a fabric. Two apertured layers, and even up to six to eight apertured layers for increased performance, can be superimposed and still fit easily inside shoes, even those having low overhead toe room. Air channels of appreciable height, as taught by the prior art discussed above, have been eliminated. 
     In the preferred embodiment, a base layer is connected to the apertured layers, and the pump is supported on the base layer. The pump includes an elongated conduit connected at one end region to the pump, and at an opposite end region to the outlet. The pump includes a pumping chamber and a resilient element mounted in the chamber. The resilient element has a plurality of dome-shaped hollow protuberances bounding voids interconnected in air flow communication with one another. The resilient element has connecting channels for interconnecting the voids. The pump is sandwiched between the apertured layers and the base layer at the heel region. The bottom apertured layer has an underside, and the outlet is positioned below the underside of the bottom apertured layer. The base layer includes a plurality of channels in air flow communication with the outlet. Air within the channels is entrained by, and discharged with, the air discharged from the outlet during use of the pump. The entrained air provides for a greater volume of ventilation air than would be achieved by the pump only delivering the drawn-in air. 
     The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a broken-away, top plan view of an insole according to one embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 in one operating position of a pump; 
     FIG. 3 is analogous to FIG. 2, but in another operating position of the pump; 
     FIG. 4 is a broken-away, top plan view of an insole according to another embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4 in one operating position of a pump; and 
     FIG. 6 is analogous to FIG. 5, but in another operating position of the pump. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference numeral  10  in FIGS. 1-3 identifies a first embodiment of an insole, and reference numeral  100  in FIGS. 4-6 identifies a second embodiment of an insole, according to this invention. 
     Insoles  10 ,  100  extend between heel regions  12 ,  112  and toe regions  14 ,  114 , respectively. Insoles  10 ,  100  respectively have top apertured layers  16 ,  116  and bottom apertured layers  18 ,  118  superimposed at the toe regions  14 ,  114 . Insoles  10 ,  100  respectively have pumps  20 ,  120  at the heel regions  12 ,  112  connected to the apertured layers  12 ,  14  and  112 ,  114 . Pumps  20 ,  120  have respective inlets  22 ,  122  through which air is drawn in the direction of arrows A (see FIGS.  2  and  5 ), and outlets  24 ,  124  from which the drawn-in air is discharged in the direction of arrows B (see FIGS.  3  and  6 ). 
     Apertured layers  18 ,  116 ,  118  are each constituted of a thin, flexible mesh, preferably of synthetic plastic material for shape retention. Each layer is on the order of a few thousandths of an inch in thickness (height). The mesh has a multitude of openings (see checkerboard pattern in FIGS. 1 and 4) each of which can have any configuration in top plan view, e.g., square, circular, hexagonal. Each opening extends entirely through the mesh to allow air to pass freely therethrough. 
     Apertured layer  16  is constituted of a thin, flexible fabric, preferably of cloth, and also on the order of a few thousandths of an inch in thickness. The fabric, preferably woven, has a multitude of interstices or openings extending entirely therethrough to allow the free passage of air. 
     Either the top layer or the bottom layer, or both, can be constituted of the mesh, or of the fabric, or of a combination of the two. Although only two apertured layers are shown in the drawings, this was done so as not to unduly encumber the drawings. In some applications, more than two apertured layers, for example from six to eight in number, can be superimposed at the toe region, and still the resulting assembly has a minimal combined height which occupies very little space in a toe region of a shoe. Preferably, the top and bottom layers are joined together along their respective peripheries by a hot melt adhesive. 
     Insoles  10 ,  100  further respectively have base layers  26 ,  126  connected to the apertured layers, again preferably by a hot melt adhesive. Each base layer is constituted of a flexible, cushioned, foam sheet material and has a well  28 ,  128  into which the pumps  20 ,  120  are received and fixed in position, again preferably with a hot melt adhesive. 
     Insoles  10 ,  100  further respectively have optional cover layers  30 ,  130  of cushioned sheet material for comfort. Each cover layer overlies and is secured to the top apertured layer only at the heel region. Each cover layer has a hole  32 ,  132  in alignment with the pump inlets  22 ,  122 . 
     Pumps  20 ,  120  are of identical construction and each includes a pumping chamber  60  into which a pumping element  62  is accommodated. Pumping element  62  has a plurality of dome-shaped, spaced-apart, protuberances  64  bounding air-filled voids  66 . The protuberances are interconnected by a connecting portion  68 , and are arranged along linear rows and linear columns orthogonal to the rows. As shown, the protuberances in one row are staggered relative to an adjacent row for increased packing density. Linear longitudinal channels  70  connect the voids in each row of protuberances. Linear transverse channels  72  connect the voids in each column of protuberances. 
     Each pump includes a flap valve  74  movable between a closed position (FIGS. 3 and 6) in which the valve covers the pump inlet, and an open position (FIGS. 2 and 5) in which the valve is remote from the pump inlet. Each pump includes an elongated conduit  76  centrally disposed on the insole and having one end connected to the pump, and an opposite end connected to the outlets  24 ,  124 . As shown, each conduit  76  lies on the base layers  26 ,  126  and in a central channel  78 ,  178  formed in the base layers to prevent the conduit from displacement. A plurality of air channels  80 ,  180  (see FIGS. 1 and 4) is also provided in the base layers and straddle the central channel. All of the channels  78 ,  80  and  178 ,  180  lead to common discharge ports  82 ,  182 . A cover sheet  84 ,  184  overlies the conduit, the discharge port and all the channels in the respective base layers. 
     Reference numeral  90  represents a foot raised above the pump (FIGS. 2 and 5) and pressing down against the pump (FIGS. 3 and 6) during walking and running. In use, as the heel of the foot is raised, a first volume of air is drawn through inlets  22 ,  122  in the direction of arrows A past valve  74  which has been opened due to an under-pressure condition within the voids  66 . As the heel of the foot is lowered, the valve  74  closes, and the protuberances  64  are compressed, thereby creating an over-pressure in the voids and expelling the previously drawn-in air in the voids  66  through the conduit  76 , the pump outlets  24 ,  124 , and the discharge ports  82 ,  182  in the direction of the arrows B. 
     A second volume of air within the air channels  80 ,  180  is entrained by the expelled air from the voids and is commonly discharged as a ventilating air stream through the discharge ports. The air stream flows forwardly toward the toe region and upwardly through the openings and between the apertured layers following the path of least resistance. As the foot is again raised, the compressed protuberances return to their initial dome-shaped configurations due to their inherent resilience, and create the under-pressure condition in the voids to repeat the pumping action. To enhance the resilience of the pumping element, it is advantageously made of an elastomeric material. 
     The insole may be manufactured as a stand-alone item, or may be incorporated in a finished shoe. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, also may find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a ventilated shoe insole having minimal height front region, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims. 
     What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by letters patent is set forth in the appended claims.

Technology Category: 1