Shoe Sole With Ventilation, and Shoe Having Such A Sole

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A shoe sole with a compressible chamber containing an elastically deformable material with at least one inlet having an inlet valve and at least one outlet having an outlet valve, wherein the chamber is connected by the inlet valve and an air inlet space, the air inlet space being a pre-chamber that opens to a plurality of passages opening on an upper face of the shoe sole and wherein the chamber is connected by the outlet valve to an outlet on an outer face of the shoe sole, wherein the chamber is disposed in the front region of the shoe sole and is filled almost completely with the elastically deformable material, which is such that, during an elastic expansion of the elastically deformable material, the chamber absorbs air and, during a compression of the elastically deformable material, the chamber releases air which has previously been absorbed, and wherein the air inlet space provided by the pre-chamber and the plurality of passages is disposed in the front region of the shoe sole and in front of the chamber.

2. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the shoe sole comprises an insole and an outsole, wherein the insole provides the upper face of the chamber and provides the passages to the air inlet space.

3. (canceled)

4. The shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the elastically deformable material is an open-cell foamed plastic.

5. The shoe sole according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastically deformable material is disposed in an airtight sleeve which has at least one inlet connection and at least one outlet connection.

6. The shoe sole according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with a throttle assigned to the outlet.

7. The shoe sole according to claim 6, characterized in that the throttle is an adjustable throttle or a throttle disposed replaceably in the shoe sole.

8. The shoe sole according to claim 1, characterized in that a second chamber filled with elastic material having an inlet valve and an outlet valve is formed in the heel region and is connected via the inlet valve to an air inlet space which is in air connection with the upper face of the sole.

9. The shoe sole according to claim 8, characterized in that the air inlet space is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the sole before the second chamber.

10. A shoe with the shoe sole according to claim 1.

11. The shoe according to claim 10, characterized in that the shoe with the sole is formed in directly soled construction, with the sole being injection molded on and having an inner sole applied by a Strobel process, or that the shoe with the sole is formed in a stitched manner.

12. A method for adjusting the damping in a shoe having a shoe sole according to claim 7, characterized in that the damping is adjusted by adjustment of the adjustable throttle or by replacement of the throttle by a throttle with a different passage.

13. A shoe sole comprising: a first compressible chamber disposed in a front region of the shoe sole and being filled almost completely with an elastically deformable material and containing at least one inlet having a first inlet valve and at least one outlet having a first outlet valve, the first compressible chamber being connected to a second outlet on an upper face of the shoe sole by the first outlet valve; a first air inlet space disposed in a front region of the shoe sole in front of the first compressible chamber, the first air inlet space being a pre-chamber that opens to a plurality of passages opening on an upper face of the shoe sole, the first compressible chamber being connected to the plurality of passages by the first inlet valve and the first air inlet space, wherein during an elastic expansion of the elastically deformable material, the first compressible chamber absorbs air and during a compression of the elastically deformable material, the first compressible chamber releases air the previously absorbed air; a second compressible chamber disposed in a heel region of the shoe sole and being filled with the elastic material, the second compressible chamber having a second inlet valve and a second outlet valve; and a second air inlet space disposed in a longitudinal direction of the shoe sole before the second compressible chamber, the second air inlet space being in air connection with the upper face of the shoe sole, wherein the second compressible chamber is connected to the second air inlet space by the second inlet valve, and wherein the first compressible chamber is isolated from the second compressible chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Further embodiments, advantages and applications of the invention are apparent from the dependent claims and from the following description with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a vertical section through a shoe with a shoe sole or a shoe base according to the invention in a first embodiment;

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of the lower part of the shoe sole according to FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 3 shows the elastic material disposed in a sleeve;

[0021] FIG. 4 shows an upper sole part or an insole with openings in the front region which form the passages to the air inlet chamber;

[0022] FIG. 5 shows a vertical section through a shoe with a shoe sole or a shoe base in a second embodiment;

[0023] FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic view of the lower part of the shoe sole according to FIG. 5;

[0024] FIG. 7 shows the elastic material in an airtight sleeve for use in the pump chamber of the heel region; and

[0025] FIG. 8 shows an upper sole part or an insole with additional passages in the heel region.

WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0026] FIGS. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of a shoe sole or a shoe base according to the invention or a shoe equipped therewith. FIG. 1 shows a vertical section through a shoe 10 having the shoe sole 1. First of all the air circulation is explained:

[0027] a) The used air A located in the shoe is drawn in via passages or openings 2 in the upper face 13 (shown in FIG. 4) of the shoe sole out of the interior of the shoe via an air inlet space 4 in the sole 1 and via an air inlet 5 in the chamber 6 at the moment in which the previously compressed chamber 6 expands again, i.e. when the shoe sole 1 is lifted from the floor and the sole is relieved of load thereby. In this case an air inlet valve, which for the sake of better clarity is not shown in FIG. 1, is effective between the space and the chamber 6;

[0028] b) thus at the same time fresh air Fr, which replaces the used air A, is drawn in from the outside of the shoe into the inside of the shoe by an underpressure generated at this moment in the interior of the shoe. Thus the ventilation effect is achieved;

[0029] c) the used air A is first of all stored temporarily in the chamber 6 until the next time the user treads on the shoe sole 1; and

[0030] d) finally, the next time the user treads and rolls on the shoe sole 1, the used air A is released to the environment outside the shoe by the loading and thus the compression of the chamber 6 through an outlet 8 (which may be a channel or a conduit) via an outlet valve, also not shown for the sake of clarity, through an air outlet 9 in the region of the outside of the shoe. In this case the outlet valve may be disposed at any point in the air path between the chamber 6 and the air outlet 9, but in particular in the outlet 9, where the valve can be disposed so that it is accessible from the outside.

[0031] Then with a new lifting of the foot and the relief of loading on the shoe sole 1 a new air circulation cycle begins with the step a).

[0032] Moreover, when the shoe sole 1 steps or rolls on the floor, the shoe sole 1 according to the invention enables shock absorption, represented by the arrow D in FIG. 1 illustrated, as a result of the compression of the chamber 6 filled with used air A. After the relief of loading the chamber expands in direction of the arrow F.

[0033] The combination of periodic air circulation in quick succession and damping/spring action D/F results in considerably improved comfort in the shoes even over a comparatively long period of time. Moreover the described characteristics of the shoe sole 1 according to the invention also result in extraordinarily positive effects in people suffering back pain.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic plan view of the lower part of the shoe sole 1. In this connection the air inlet space 4, the chamber 6 and the air inlet 5 thereof and the air outlet 9 on the outer face of the shoe sole 1 are shown. The outlet 9 could also be disposed directly in the side wall of the chamber 6, but in the illustrated example the outlet 9 is connected to the chamber 6 via a channel 8 disposed in the sole 1. The outlet can also open into a shoulder of the shoe separate from the sole, or the channel or the conduit 8 leads directly into the shoulder, and in this case the waste air is discharged to the environment via an air outlet opening in the shoulder. In this case an outlet valve can be disposed in the shoulder. For the sake of better clarity the inlet valve 15 on the corresponding inlet opening 5 and the outlet valve 19, which here is employed directly in the opening of the sole or the air outlet 9 of the sole, are only indicated in FIG. 2. These valves 15 and 19 may be valves of conventional construction which are known to the person skilled in the art. The function of the inlet valve 15 is to enable the passage of air from the air inlet space 4 into the chamber 6 via the air inlet 5 when an underpressure prevails in the chamber 6 by comparison with the space 4. On the other hand the valve 15 blocks the air flow from the chamber 6 back into the space 4, when the same or a higher air pressure prevails in the chamber 6 than in the space 4. The outlet valve 19 has the function of allowing the passage of air from the chamber 6 to the air outlet 9 and thus to the environment when an overpressure prevails in the chamber 6 by comparison with the ambient pressure. On the other hand the valve 19 blocks the air path from the outlet 9 to the chamber 6 when an underpressure prevails in the chamber 6 by comparison with the ambient pressure outside the shoe. In this way the valves 15 and 19 enable the previously described air circulation and prevent another air flow. The valves are commercially available valve and are airtight and watertight in the closed position. They are preferably low-noise, oil-resistant and fireproof in a defined manner. The color and shape of the valves may be chosen to match the shoe. As mentioned, they can be combined with an adjustable or a non-adjustable throttle 20 for the outflow of air.

[0035] The chamber 6 is filled almost completely with an elastically deformable material 16, which is such that, during its elastic expansion, it absorbs air and, during its compression, it releases air which has previously been absorbed. In FIG. 2 the material 16 is only partially illustrated in order to make the drawing clearer. The chamber 6 is completely filled with the material 16, wherein this means that the chamber has practically no cavities which are not filled. Naturally a filling of the chamber 6 with the material which differs slightly from 100% filling may likewise be sufficient, for example a filling to 90% or to more than 90% but below 100%. The elastically deformable material 16 may in particular be an open-cell plastic. Foams of the type V16 B21 or MR 6290 or V10 B21 from Metzeler Schaum GmbH, Memmingen, Germany, or the foam AstiTech from Beil GmbH, Peine, Germany, as well as the foam with the product No. 110190 from Schaumstoff Hrti AG, Switzerland, are particularly suitable as filling for the chamber 6.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the elastic material is enclosed in an airtight sleeve 17 which can be inlaid in the chamber 6. In this example the sleeve 17 is provided with an inlet connection 11 which forms the air inlet 5. The inlet valve (not shown here) can be disposed in the connecting piece 11 or in the sleeve at the transition from the connecting piece to the sleeve 17. The sleeve 17 is connected to the outlet 9 via a conduit 8 disposed here on the sleeve 17. The conduit 8 can be inlaid in the channel of the lower part of the sole of FIG. 2. The outlet valve is then for example disposed in the outlet 9 or in the sleeve 17 at the transition from the sleeve to the conduit 8 or along the conduit 8. The advantage of the embodiment according to FIG. 3 is that the chamber 6 in the sole itself does not need to be airtight, since the sleeve 17 surrounds the elastic material in an airtight manner. This is particularly advantageous if the sole has a structure which is configured for the stitched design of the shoe. FIG. 4 shows an insole 3 of the shoe sole with openings or with the passages 2 in the front region which connect the inside of the shoe to the air inlet space 4. The openings 2 are formed by perforation holes, but in other variants can also be formed as slots or other shapes.

[0037] FIGS. 5 to 8 show in a similar representation a second embodiment of a sole or a shoe equipped therewith. The same reference numerals as before are used for elements which are identical or have the same function. The difference from the first variant according to FIGS. 1 to 4 is that in addition to the chamber 6 in the front region a second chamber 6 is formed in the heel region with all the necessary elements for it to function such as additional insole openings 2, a second air inlet space 4 in the heel region as well as an inlet opening 5 and outlet opening 9 or inlet and outlet conduit, if also in the heel region the elastic material is not introduced directly into the chamber 6, but has previously been enclosed in an airtight sleeve. In the variant shown the air inlet chamber 4 is positioned before the chamber 6. In other variants, however, it could also be disposed beside or behind the chamber 6. Both chambers 6, 6 could also be supplied via an individual air chamber 4, but this is not preferable. Moreover in contrast to the first variant the outlet opening 9 is disposed laterally further forward and the second outlet opening 9 is disposed right at the rear in the heel region. In the second variant the valves are not illustrated but are likewise present, in order to determine the air circulation in the previously described manner.

[0038] Thus with the second variant a ventilation cycle is made possible in the front region and in the heel region and moreover a damping/spring action is ensured in the front region D/F and in the heel region D/F. By analogy with the first variant the used air A is discharged out of the heel region, wherein the flow direction is again indicated by arrows.

[0039] FIG. 7 shows, similarly to FIG. 3, that the elastic material can also be disposed in an airtight sleeve 17 in the heel region. Correspondingly the elements 5, 8 and 10 (connecting pieces) have the same function as in FIG. 3. It is indicated by 19 that the valve for the air outlet can be disposed at the end of the short conduit 8. FIG. 8 shows the additional apertures 2 in the upper face 13 of the sole 3 for the air inlet into the chamber 4.

[0040] It does not show an additional throttle or additional throttle function of the particular outlet valve, which is preferably provided for all variants, and which, during the compression of the material in the chamber 6 (or optionally the chamber 6) by decreasing the flow cross-section, throttles the outflow of air from the chamber or slows it down more strongly than the outlet valve does. This increases the damping effect due to the elastic material, which can only release the air contained in it through the throttle more slowly. Such a throttle makes possible, as mentioned, an individual adjustment of the damping to an individual body weight and/or individual preference and/or to the shoe type. The throttle can be disposed at any location between the elastic material and the outlet 9. They can form a structural unit with the outlet valve. The throttle may be adjustable or replaceable. Preferably it is disposed at or in the outlet 9 (and/or optionally the outlet 9), so that it is readily accessible for the replacement/adjustment.