AIR CUSHION INSOLE

Abstract

Disclosed is an air cushion insole comprising: a base; a cushion cover bonded to an upper surface of the base and provided with a cushioning portion convexly shaped to form an internal sealed air space; and a cushion retaining portion formed inside the cushioning portion and provided with a shaping portion shaped to match the cushioning portion and a rib structure extending by a predetermined length from the inside of the shaping portion toward the base side to maintain a cushioning space while preventing excessive distortion of the cushioning portion.

Claims

1. An air cushion insole comprising: a base; a cushion cover bonded to an upper surface of the base and provided with a cushioning portion convexly shaped to form an internal sealed air space; and a cushion retaining portion formed inside the cushioning portion and provided with a shaping portion shaped to match the cushioning portion and a rib structure extending by a predetermined length from the inside of the shaping portion toward the base side to maintain a cushioning space while preventing excessive distortion of the cushioning portion.

2. The air cushion insole according to claim 1, wherein the cushioning portion has an arch cushioning portion formed in a plantar arch part of a wearer's foot and a heel cushioning portion formed in a heel part of the wearer's foot.

3. The air cushion insole according to claim 2, wherein the cushion retaining portion has an arch cushion retaining portion provided inside the arch cushioning portion and a heel cushion retaining portion provided inside the heel cushioning portion.

4. The air cushion insole according to claim 1, wherein the rib structure has a grid shape.

5. The air cushion insole according to claim 1, wherein the rib structure has at least one rib having a hollowed column shape.

6. The air cushion insole according to claim 2, wherein a plantar air cushioning portion is formed around the arch cushioning portion, the plantar air cushioning portion protruding upward and being filled with air inside to support a plantar part of the wear's foot.

7. The air cushion insole according to claim 2, wherein the heel cushioning portion of the cushion cover is recessed downward at the center so as to abut on the base.

8. The air cushion insole according to claim 1, further comprising a lower cap formed on an upper surface of the base and provided with multi-layered base ribs formed on an upper surface of a bottom plate in a closed curve shape, silicon gel being filled between the outermost one and its neighboring inner one of a plurality of the base ribs of the lower cap, wherein the cushion retaining portion has at least a rib formed on its lower surface in a closed curve shape and inserted between the base ribs where the silicon gel is filled.

9. The air cushion insole according to claim 3, further comprising: a first lower cap formed on an upper surface of the base and provided with multi-layered first base ribs formed on an upper surface of a first bottom plate in a closed curve shape, silicon gel being filled between the outermost one and its neighboring inner one of a plurality of the first base ribs of the first lower cap; and at least a first lower rib provided on a lower surface of the heel cushion retaining portion in a closed curve shape, wherein an edge of the heel cushion retaining portion and its neighboring inner first lower rib are inserted between the first base ribs where the silicon gel is filled.

10. The air cushion insole according to claim 9, further comprising: a second lower cap formed beside the first lower cap and provided with multi-layered second base ribs formed on an upper surface of a second bottom plate in a closed curve shape, silicon gel being filled between the outermost one and its neighboring inner one of a plurality of the second base ribs of the second lower cap; and at least a second lower rib formed on a lower surface of the arch cushion retaining portion in a closed curve shape, wherein an edge of the arch cushion retaining portion and its neighboring inner second lower rib are inserted between the second base ribs where the silicon gel is filled.

11. The air cushion insole according to claim 10, wherein the first lower fib is formed over the first base rib in height, and the second lower rib is formed over the second base rib in height.

12. The air cushion insole according to claim 11, wherein a filling height of the silicon gel is set to ? of the height of the first and second base ribs.

13. An air cushion insole comprising: a base; a cushion cover abutting on an upper surface of the base and having an arch cushioning portion and a heel cushioning portion convexly formed; an arch cushion retaining portion inserted into the arch cushioning portion of the cushion cover; a heel cushion retaining portion inserted into the heel cushioning portion of the cushion cover; an arch airbag inserted into the arch cushion retaining portion to form an air layer in combination with the arch cushion retaining portion; and a heel airbag inserted into the heel cushion retaining portion to form an air layer in combination with the heel cushion retaining portion.

14. The air cushion insole according to claim 13, wherein the arch airbag has an air density greater than that of the air layer between the arch cushion retaining portion and the arch airbag, and the heel airbag has an air density greater than that of the air layer between the heel cushion retaining portion and the heel airbag.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0030] FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate an air cushion insole according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates an air cushion insole according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates an air cushion insole according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate an air cushion insole according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and

[0034] FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a rib structure of an arch cushion retaining portion of the air cushion insole according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides an air cushion insole comprising: a base; a cushion cover bonded to an upper surface of the base and provided with a cushioning portion convexly shaped to form an internal sealed air space; and a cushion retaining portion formed inside the cushioning portion and provided with a shaping portion shaped to match the cushioning portion and a rib structure extending by a predetermined length from the inside of the shaping portion toward the base side to maintain a cushioning space while preventing excessive distortion of the cushioning portion.

[0036] Hereinafter, embodiments of the air cushion insole according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate an air cushion insole according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 illustrates an air cushion insole according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] In addition, FIG. 7 illustrates an air cushion insole according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate an air cushion insole according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] The air cushion insole according to the present invention includes a base 10, a cushion cover 20 abutting on an upper surface of the base 10, an arch cushion retaining portion 30 provided between the base 10 and the cushion cover 20, and a heel cushion retaining portion 40 provided between the base 10 and the cushion cover 20.

[0040] The base 10 corresponds to the lowermost part of the air cushion insole of the present invention and comes into contact with an outsole of the shoe when inserted into the shoe.

[0041] The cushion cover 20 is a part coming into contact with a plantar part of the shoe wearer, and may be integrated with the base 10 by thermal fusion or the like. The cushion cover 20 has an arch cushioning portion 21, a heel cushioning portion 22, and a plantar air cushioning portion 23 protruding upward.

[0042] The arch cushioning portion 21 is formed to protrude upward and comes into contact with the plantar fascia (or arch) part of the shoe wearer's foot.

[0043] The heel cushioning portion 22 protrudes upward at the rear of the arch cushioning portion 21 and comes into contact with the heel of the shoe wearer's foot. The heel cushioning portion 22 abuts on the base 10 as its center part is depressed downward. Therefore, the overall shape of the heel cushioning portion 22 is substantially trapezoidal (or square).

[0044] The plantar air cushioning portion 23 protrudes upward around the arch cushioning portion 21, and is filled with air to support the plantar part of the wearer's foot.

[0045] That is, the plantar air cushioning portion 23 is formed in front of the heel cushioning portion 22, and supports the midfoot part of the shoe wearer with an air cushion.

[0046] The arch cushion retaining portion 30 is formed of an elastic material such as silicon in an arched dome-like shape. The arch cushion retaining portion 30 has a shaping portion 32 inserted into the arch cushioning portion 21 of the cushion cover 20 to form the arched dome-like shape and a rib structure 31 extending by a certain length from the lower surface of the shaping portion 32 to the base 10 in a grid shape where the ribs intersect each other.

[0047] Specifically, the arch cushion retaining portion 30 abuts on the inner surface of the arch cushioning portion 21 because the shaping portion 32 has a convex shape matching the arch cushioning portion 21 of the cushion cover 20. The arch cushion retaining portion 30 has an opened bottom and a hollowed inner space. In the inner space of the arch cushion retaining portion 30, a plurality of ribs 31 intersecting in the horizontal and vertical directions are formed in an integrated manner.

[0048] The heel cushion retaining portion 40 is made of an elastic material such as silicon and is inserted into the heel cushioning portion 22 of the cushion cover 20. The heel cushion retaining portion 40 has a rib structure 41 consisting of ribs intersecting in a grid shape.

[0049] Specifically, the heel cushion retaining portion 40 has a shaping portion 42 protruding in a shape matching the heel cushioning portion 22 of the cushion cover 20 and abutting on the inner surface of the heel cushion portion 20. The heel cushion retaining portion 40 has an opened bottom and a hollowed inner space. In the inner space of the heel cushion retaining portion 40, the rib structure 41 having a plurality of ribs intersecting in the horizontal and vertical directions is formed in an integrated manner.

[0050] Here, the rib structure 31 formed inside the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the rib structure 42 formed inside the heel cushion retaining portion 40 extend long downward so that the lower ends of the rib structures 31 and 41 can make contact with the upper surface of the base 10 when the arch cushion retaining portion 30 is inserted into the arch cushioning portion 21 of the cushion cover 20, and the heel cushion retaining portion 40 is inserted into the heel cushioning portion 22 of the cushion cover 20 as shown in FIG. 5.

[0051] When pressure is applied to the insole in which the lower ends of the rib structures 31 and 41 make contact with the base 10, the cushion cover 20, the arch cushion retaining portion 30, and the heel cushion retaining portion 40 are pressed, and the rib structures 31 and 41 are distorted. However, since the rib structures 31 and 41 resist the pressure to a certain extent, the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the heel cushion retaining portion 40 are prevented from being excessively distorted to maintain the cushioning function. In addition, the air layers filled between ribs of the rib structures 31 and 41 perform an auxiliary (or secondary) cushioning function to assist the insole of the present invention not to lose its cushioning effect.

[0052] As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the rib structures 31 and 41 of the cushion retaining portions 30 and 40 have a grid shape. Alternatively, the rib structures 31 and 41 may have any shape without a limitation as long as they can maintain the cushioning space while preventing the cushioning portions 21 and 22 from being excessively distorted.

[0053] For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the rib structure 31 may have a plurality of ribs provided in a cylindrical hollow shape, and as shown in FIG. 12, the rib structure 31 may have only a single rib 31 occupying a considerable area at the center of the shaping portion 32 in an elliptical column shape. Similar to the grid-like rib structure described above, the hollowed column-like rib structure 31 resists the pressure applied to the insole to a certain extent and prevents the arch cushioning portion 21 from being excessively distorted to maintain the cushioning function. In addition, the air layer inside the column (serving as the same role as that of the air layer between the grids) may serve as an auxiliary (or secondary) cushion to prevent the insole of the present invention from losing its cushioning effect. Although the hollowed column-like rib structure is applied to the rib structure 31 of the arch cushion retaining portion 30 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 in the aforementioned description, this may similarly apply to the rib structure 41 of the heel cushion retaining portion 40.

[0054] Alternatively, unlike the above description, the rib structure 31 formed inside the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the rib structure 41 formed inside the heel cushion retaining portion 40 according to the present invention may be spaced apart from the upper surface of the base 10 by a certain distance (as shown in FIG. 6).

[0055] In this case, when pressure is applied to the insole, the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the heel cushion retaining portion 40 are pressed and distorted, and then, at a certain point, the lower ends of the rib structures 31 and 41 come into contact with the base 10. From this time, the rib structures 31 and 41 resist the pressure, so that it is possible to prevent the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the heel cushion retaining portion 40 from being excessively distorted.

[0056] However, the cushioning effect in this case is weaker than when the lower ends of the rib structures 31 and 41 make contact with the base 10. Therefore, when the lower ends of the rib structures 31 and 41 are spaced apart from the base 10 by a certain distance in this manner, an airbag made by filling the inside of silicon with air is preferably provided in the gap between the lower ends of the rib structures 31 and 41 and the base 10.

[0057] Specifically, an arch airbag 33 is provided between the rib structure 31 of the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the base 10, and a heel airbag 43 is provided between the rib structure 41 of the heel cushion retaining portion 40 and the base 10. The arch airbag 33 and the heel airbag 43 provided in this manner allow, when pressure is applied to the insole, the lower ends of the rib structures 31 and 41 to come into contact with the airbags and resist to the pressure, and the arch airbag 33 and the heel airbag 43 themselves also resist to the pressure not to be distorted. As a result, it is possible to allow the insole according to the present invention to maintain the cushioning effect.

[0058] While the description has been made with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, the air cushion insole according to the present invention may also be configured as shown in FIG. 7 (in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and they will not be described in more detail to avoid redundancy).

[0059] The air cushion insole shown in FIG. 7 includes a base 10, a cushion cover 20 abutting on the upper surface of the base 10 and having an arch cushioning portion 21 and a heel cushioning portion 22 convexly formed, an arch cushion retaining portion 30 inserted into the arch cushioning portion 21 of the cushion cover 20, a heel cushion retaining portion 40 inserted into the heel cushioning portion 22 of the cushion cover 20, an arch airbag 33 inserted into the arch cushion retaining portion 30 to form an air layer A1 in combination with the arch cushion retaining portion 30, and a heel airbag 43 inserted into the heel cushion retaining portion 40 to form an air layer A2 in combination with the heel cushion retaining portion 40.

[0060] That is, the air cushion insole shown in FIG. 7 does not have the rib structure 31 or 41 inside the arch cushion retaining portion 30 or the heel cushion retaining portion 40, but has the arch airbag 33 and the heel airbag 43 formed of silicon and filled with the air each inside. As a result, the internal space of the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the internal space of the heel cushion retaining portion 40 are bisected.

[0061] More specifically, the internal space of the arch cushion retaining portion 30 is divided into the air layer A1 between the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the arch airbag 33 and the air layer inside the arch airbag 33 itself, and the internal space of the heel cushion retaining portion 40 is divided into the air layer A2 between the heel cushion retaining portion 40 and the heel airbag 43 and the air layer inside the heel airbag 43 itself.

[0062] In this case, preferably, the air density in the arch airbag 33 is higher than that of the air layer A1 between the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the arch airbag 33, and the air density in the heel airbag 43 is higher than that of the air layer A2 between the heel cushion retaining portion 40 and the heel airbag 43.

[0063] As a result, when pressure is applied to the insole, the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the heel cushion retaining portion 40 are pressed and distorted (primary cushion), and then, at a certain point, the arch airbag 33 and the heel airbag 43 start to resist to the pressure with a slightly greater force (secondary cushion). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the heel cushion retaining portion 40 from being completely pressed and crushed. Accordingly, the insole according to the present invention can robustly maintain the cushioning effect.

[0064] Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, in the air cushion insole according to the present invention, the opened lower face of the cushion retaining portion may be sealed with a lower cap. In this case, by bonding the cushion retaining portion and the lower cap with silicon gel, a double shock absorption function can be provided by the soft silicon gel and the air layer provided between the lower cap and the cushion retaining portion.

[0065] For this purpose, according to the present invention, a lower cap having multi-layered base ribs formed on the upper surface of the bottom plate in a closed curve shape is provided on the upper surface of the base, and silicone gel is filled between the outermost one and its neighboring inner one of a plurality of the base ribs of the lower cap. In addition, at least a rib having a closed curve shape is formed on the lower surface of the cushion retaining portion, and this rib is cured together with the silicon gel, so that the cushion retaining portion and the lower cap can be bonded together. As a result, it is possible to fundamentally prevent air from escaping from the cushion retaining portion 30, and robustly maintain the cushioning effect of the cushion retaining portion 30. In addition, it is possible to use the cushioning effect of the silicon gel and the cushioning effect of the air layer formed over the silicon gel in combination.

[0066] More specifically, (without mentioning redundant parts in the following description), the air cushion insole shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 includes a first lower cap 50 provided between the base 10 and the heel cushion retaining portion 40, a second lower cap 60 provided between the base 10 and the arch cushion retaining portion 30, one or more first lower ribs 44 formed on the lower surface of the heel cushion retaining portion 40, and one or more second lower ribs 34 formed on the lower surface of the arch cushion retaining portion 30.

[0067] The first lower cap 50 is provided on one side of the upper surface of the base 10, and multi-layered first base ribs 52 protrude on the upper surface of the first bottom plate 51 concentrically in a closed curve shape. Out of these multi-layered first base ribs 52, the liquid silicon gel 70 is filled between the outermost one and its neighboring inner one and is then cured.

[0068] The second lower cap 60 is provided on the other side of the upper surface of the base 10, that is, beside the first lower cap 50, and multi-layered second base ribs 62 protrude on the upper surface of the second bottom plate 61 concentrically in a closed curve shape. Out of the second multi-layered base ribs 62, the silicon gel 70 is filled between the outermost one and its neighboring inner one.

[0069] Here, when the silicon gel 70 is filled in the first base rib 52 and the second base rib 62, the filling height is set to ? of the height of the first and second base ribs 52 and 62. Therefore, an air layer is formed over the silicon gel 70. As a result, when a shoe wearer steps on, the cushioning effect can be obtained not only by the silicon gel 70 but also by the air layer formed over the silicon gel 70.

[0070] One or more first lower ribs 44 are formed concentrically in a closed curve shape on the lower surface of the heel cushion retaining portion 40. The edge of the heel cushion retaining portion 40 and the first lower rib 44 immediately inward of the heel cushion retaining portion 40 are inserted between the first base ribs 52 filled with the silicon gel 70.

[0071] In this case, the first lower rib 44 is formed over the first base rib 52 in height. Therefore, when the heel cushion retaining portion 40 is placed over the first lower cap 50, the first lower rib 44 comes into contact with the upper surface of the first bottom plate 51 of the first lower cap 50. In this state, when the silicon gel 70 is cured, the first lower rib 44, the first bottom plate 51, and the first base rib 52 are integrated with each other, so that the heel cushion retaining portion 40 and the first lower cap 50 can be strongly bonded.

[0072] One or more second lower ribs 34 are formed concentrically in a closed curve shape on the lower surface of the arch cushion retaining portion 30. The edge of the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the second lower rib 34 immediately inward of the arch cushion retaining portion 30 are inserted between the second base ribs 62 filled with the silicon gel 70.

[0073] In this case, the second lower rib 34 is formed over the second base rib 62 in height. Therefore, when the arch cushion retaining portion 30 is placed over the second lower cap 60, the second lower rib 34 comes into contact with the upper surface of the first bottom plate 61 of the second lower cap 60. In this state, when the silicon gel 70 is cured, the second lower rib 34, the second bottom plate 61, and the second base rib 62 are integrated with each other, so that the arch cushion retaining portion 30 and the second lower cap can be strongly bonded.

[0074] Hereinbefore, the air cushion insole shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 has been described. If the first base rib 52 of the first lower cap 50, the second base rib 62 of the second lower cap 60, and the first and second lower ribs 44 and 34 are not provided, the air inside the insole may move irregularly, and the balance of the foot may be collapsed when the shoe wearer steps on the insole. In comparison, according to the present invention, due to the ribs formed in this manner, it is possible to prevent the collapse of balance.

[0075] The present invention relates to an air cushion insole, and can be applied to footwear such as sneakers or shoes and foot health industries. In addition, the present invention can be applied to shoe business, shoemaking industries, and foot health-related industries.

[0076] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, or alterations to the invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit of the present invention. All such changes, modifications and alterations should therefore be seen as within the scope of the present invention.