The present invention is directed toward an article of footwear effective to regulate the temperature of the feet of a wearer. In an embodiment, the article of footwear includes an upper and an insole with a thermal effect membrane. The thermal effect membrane contains a plurality of system-reactive components selectively engaged heat and/or moisture. In an embodiment, the printed coating includes a cooling agent, a phase change material, and a heat dissipation material. The bottom of the sole structure of the article of footwear further includes a multiple openings in the forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot regions. The multiple openings promote airflow into the interior of the upper. In operation, the article of footwear is effective to delay/diminish the rise in skin temperature (compared to footwear lacking the membrane and/or openings), increasing wearer comfort.

Footwear assembly comprising a foot bed in an interior area defined by an upper and positioned atop a sole assembly, wherein the foot bed has a plurality of air holes through the forefoot and/or arch portions, and has air channels connected to the air holes. A compressible convex pump in the foot bed's heel portion faces the sole assembly and is movable between expanded and compressed positions. In the expanded position, the pump supports a portion of the heel portion apart from the sole assembly to define an air chamber coupled to the air channels. Movement of the pump member from the expanded position to the compressed position causes the air chamber to collapse and forces air from the air chamber through the air channels and upwardly through the air holes into the interior area of the upper, wherein the pump member is biased toward the expanded position.

A breathable sole, including a midsole and an outsole; a bottom surface of the midsole has an air chamber, an air inlet channel and a single-way air outlet channel; the air chamber is provided at a heel position; the air inlet channel comprises a dispersed air-collecting channel and an air-guiding channel; the dispersed air-collecting channel is provided at the sole and is provided with air inlet holes; the air-guiding channel is connected with a rear position of the dispersed air-collecting channel and the air chamber; the single-way air outlet channel is a Tesla Valve which has an end connecting to a front position of the air chamber, and has another end provided with an air outlet hole penetrating the upper surface of midsole; the single-way air outlet channel imposes a higher resistance against air flowing from the air outlet hole to the air chamber.

Systems and devices are described for creating a more effective mechanical ventilation system for footwear. For example, a mechanical ventilation system can include an air reservoir that is almost as large as the entire shoe under the footwear's foot bed. In some examples, the air reservoir can be connected to an area that includes a foot of a user in the footwear. The air reservoir can be compressed using a movable part that circulates air in the footwear with every step. The movable part can be relatively small, extending into the air reservoir, and able to compress and inflate the air reservoir. Movement of the movable part can cause a large effective compressible area of the air reservoir to release fresh air near the toes of a foot to flush stale air out of the footwear.

A ventilation apparatus including at least one flexible energy storage device (FESD), a switching unit, a pump, and a fluid diffuser is provided. The FESD flexibly conforms to varying contours of footwear. The FESD positioned at one or more locations of the footwear supplies electrical energy to the pump via the switching unit. The switching unit in communication with the FESD and the pump selectively changes modes of operation of the pump. The pump attached to the footwear pumps fluid into and exhausts fluid from a cavity of the footwear. A feed pipe of the fluid diffuser connected to the pump, within the cavity of the footwear, transfers the fluid pumped from the pump to the cavity of the footwear during a pump mode and transfers the fluid in the cavity of the footwear to an ambient environment external to the footwear during an exhaust mode for ventilating the footwear.

A temperature-adjustment shoe sole, including a supporting member. The supporting member is provided with an air guide channel. A semiconductor temperature control unit, wherein the semiconductor temperature control unit is arranged in the supporting member. The semiconductor temperature control unit has a first temperature control end and a second temperature control end. The first temperature control end of the semiconductor temperature control unit is in contact with an air fluid in an accommodating space to generate a first air fluid. The second temperature control end of the semiconductor temperature control unit is in contact with the air fluid in the accommodating space to generate a second air fluid.

A forced-air footwear is presented and comprises a foot supporting portion including a sole with cavities therein covered with a foot-contacting layer, and a channel communicating between the cavities and the interior of the footwear to allow air flow between the cavities and the interior of the footwear; a foot covering portion, the foot covering portion including a valve allowing air passage therethrough in a single direction, the cavities including a compressed configuration, when supporting a weight of a wearer, and an expanded configuration when not supporting the weight of a wearer, the passage between the compressed configuration and the expanded configuration forcing an air movement of the air contained in the cavities, the valve blocking the air movement in one direction, wherein the compression of the cavities and the blocking action of the air by the valve is forcing air through the footwear.

An article of footwear has a shoe upper, a sole connected to the shoe upper and the sole is provided with peripheral walls which together define a cavity therein. A layer of material extends across and is connected to the walls or adjacent to the walls at a perimeter of the layer of material, the layer of material dividing the cavity into at least a first chamber and a second chamber. The layer of material and the walls on one side of the perimeter of the layer of material define the first chamber, and the layer of material and the walls on the other side of the perimeter of the layer of material define the second chamber. The sole is configured such that movement of the layer of material within the cavity causes simultaneous changing of interior volume between the chambers and thus pumping of air into or out of the chambers for air circulation of the article of footwear.

Described is an insole including: a first body having an upper surface, having a first channel, extending close to an edge of said upper surface, and a second channel, extending between a central zone and an edge of said upper surface; a second body, in contact with the upper surface of the first body for closing said first and second channels, including at least a first through opening, positioned at the first channel, and at least a second through opening, positioned at the second channel; an attachment, constrained to said first and second body, including at least a first conduit, in fluid communication with the first channel and with the outside environment, and at least a second conduits, in fluid communication with the second channel and with the outside environment.

The shoe sole comprises a flexible chamber therein with an inlet and an outlet. The shoe sole also comprises an inlet valve assigned to the inlet, and an outlet valve assigned to the outlet. The flexible chamber is arranged in the front region of the shoe sole, where an air inlet space is provided. The air inlet space is connected by the inlet valve to the chamber which is open to the environment via openings in the insole. The chamber is connected by the outlet valve to the outlet on the outer face of the shoe sole outside the insole. The chamber is filled almost completely with an elastically deformable material which absorbs air during its elastic expansion and releases air that has been previously absorbed during its compression. In this way, an air circulation that feels comfortable to the foot can be achieved in the shoe having this sole.