GB2323264A - Pneumatic sole - Google Patents

Abstract

A sole comprises multiple sealed cells 50 formed by vertical walls 40 between upper and lower surfaces. A continuous cell 30 surrounds the sole to protect the multiple cells from damage eg by puncturing.

Description

MULTIPLE INSOLE WITH EMPTY INSIDE & AIR CELLS MOLDED BY HEAT-BLOWING This invention relates to a multiple insole with empty inside and air cells molded by heat-blowing.

An air insole structure for footwear, comprising pillars disposed in curves across the insole. The pillars are disposed across and are connected to form a structure of plural independent closed air cells.

They are formed by melting-connection with the top and bottom side walls. The periphery is surrounded with cell air flow channels, divided by pillars, air filled in the air cell and cell air flow. When used in a variety of footwear in co-ordination, the pillars, as a supporting structure, and side wall distort when urged by heavy pressure, compressing the air in the plural independent air cells, creating the effect of air pressure springs, offering comfort and safe shock-absorbing.

The widespread use and universality of air insoles is known. There are various design forms of special function applied to sports or casual footwear. Comfort and shock-absorbing effects must be offered by the air insole. More particularly, when applied to a variety of footwear, there will be a huge rushing pressure created because of the kinetic energy of physical activity created by movement of the insole layer during exercise. At this time, the feet will bear directly excessive shocking power, which makes the feet feel uncomfortable, and even worse, hurts the feet, if the air insole can not offer effective buffering, according to current visible insole structures in footwear.

Please refer to Figure 5 and 6 indicated, the effect is not obvious though there is the disposition of closed air cell (A), the design consists of closed spaces and pillars, the pillars (B) are connections of solid and with a convex layer on the top and with a concave layer on the bottom, middles ridge pole of plural solid hardware, filled with PU foam which is formed by re-combination. The pressure space of effective ability is limited by the middle ridge pole of this plural solid hardware, so the obtainable effect, by air pressure is not apparent, and the structure air flow (C) are in circulation, so the air can circulate therein.

Consequently, the structure of single closed air cell (A) is formed.

However, the disposition of side wall (D) exposes the air pressure inside and the pressure outside of the air cell to mixing and circulation through each other. If broken by excessive friction or pierced by a sharp object, the closed space is completely lost when the air cell (A) is extruded by heavy power. Therefore although the conception of the ordinary insole shock-absorbing structure is good, there are some faults in the structure, with the result that the full value is diminished. This invention addresses these problems and enables the insole structure to offer good shock-absorbing efficacy in a variety of insoles of a variety of footwear, and does not result in loss of the whole air-pressure effect because of damage to a single air cell. Therefore, this invention relates to a multiple insole with air cells molded by heat-blowing, the major purpose of this invention lies in offering a multiple respectively independent insole with closed air cell, utilizing the design in form of combination of plural closed air cell, and the disposition of cell air flow surrounding, forms respective independent closed spaces, creates the effect of elasticity by air pressure producing the buffering against different rushing pressure and the absorbing function against shock power, so as to offer comfort and safe protection to the feet.

This invention is a multiple closed insole with empty inside and air cells molded by heat-blowing, the insole molded by the side wall, which heatblowed is combined by melting to middle layer structure of air cells in cross form, the pillars connected one by one and disposed inside of the insole, and the top and bottom end also covered with side walls, which will form plural independent air cells, the periphery of the insole are consisted of cell air flow going along its curve and connected with bottom and top side walls, this will form a closed structure with an air flow surrounding around the periphery of the insole, this can be coordinated to the demand of insole structure of variety of footwear, offer an excellent resilient buffer power by using the enriched air-pressed elasticity, in order to increase the comfort and special shock-absorbing function of insole of varieties of footwear.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an insole in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the insole of Figure 1, from above; Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the insole of Figure 1; Fig. 4 is an end elevation view of the insole of Figure 1; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a conventional insole; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of part of a conventional insole.

Expression of figure's number.

(10) pillar (20) air cell (30) cell air force (40) side wall (50) cell air flow (60) top side wall (70) bottom side wall (A) air cell (B) pillar (C) air flow (D) side wall As illustrated in Figure 1 to 4 the insole in accordance with this invention is molded by heat-blowing. Therefore, the parts are molded to one piece and in connecting form between them. The pillars 10 in repeated curving form the air cell 20 structure, and are connected adjacently in order to get the structure required to create air pressure and are formed in dependence of the curving transformation of air insole. They are connected with the side wall 40 around the outer rim, to create cell air flow by being attached in curves, the cell air flow 50 surrounding around the outer rim of the cell air force 30. The cell air force 30 created in the air cell 20, is formed by the cross disposition of pillars combined curvingly. However, the bottom and top ends are connected with top side wall 60 and bottom side 70 respectively, forming wall air force 30 disposed between the bottom and top ends.

Around the edges, the top side wall 60 and bottom side wall 70 are connected by side wall 40 of cell air flow 50 mutually. This will enable both the structure of the air cell 20 of cell air force 30 and the cell air flow 50 around the air cell to form independent closed space, with this to form a shape of board.

The insole structure is formed according to the curve of the footwear mold. The advantages of this invention are as follows: 1. To increase the elasticity of air pressure in the air cell, the air cells are connected adjacently in order to create the structure of plurality of cell air force, with this, more volume of air is obtained, the effecting resilience of air pressure is also increased correspondingly when bearing pressure. This provides excellent elastic buffering power, offers shock-absorbing and comfort from a cell air insole for a variety of footwear.

2. Disposition of a plurality of hollow air pressure cells formed with irregular and cross disposition of the pillars, and connected with side walls by melting to become air cell spaces, with a closed structure. By this structural disposition the cell air force in each of the plurality of closed air cells and air cell flow in between the air cells are divided by pillars and side walls, respectively forming closed spaces. If the insole is broken because of excessive friction or is pierced by a sharp object, air pressure will circulate between an air cell and outside. However, the cell air forces are respectively independently isolated and not interlinked, therefore, this can avoid the deprivation of elasticity of other air pressure structures because of the damage of one position or air cell.

3. Adjustable hardness properties of pillars, according to the requirements of a variety of air insoles for footwear, can be considered and co-ordinated with the required modulus of elasticity. Further, the density and hardess of middle pillars, and the thickness of pillars is changeable, the hardness of pillars is different from and softer than side walls, it depends on the need for adjustment of hardness of the air insole for various footwear, in order to obtain ideal conditions.

4. The middle pillar layer can be changed, to adjust to the functional demand of or physical requirements for a variety of footwear.

The shape of the middle pillars can be changed completely or partly and the middle plurality of cell air force is still independently closed respectively, this function not being lost because of shape change.

5. The control of color form, the middle pillar layer of this invention can be made in demanded color by direct injection, made of transparent or non-transparent material, can also be coated with color via laser vacuum electroplate to reach the needed form of color. To meet the design or look of different colors from the outer transparent layer of side walls.

To summarize an insole in accordance with this invention can provide all of above narrated functions.

Claims (8)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A multiple closed insole with empty inside and air cell molded by heat-blowing, the structure of air cell formed by the cross disposition of middle pillars, and in arranging mode of being connected adjacently in order to get the structure form of creating air pressure, and cell air flow is connected with this insole on its outer rim, besides, the ends of top and bottom of cell air force formed by air cells combined are connected with side walls, and connected with side wall of cell air flow on the edge which makes air cell of cell air force and cell air flow formed on the side enable to be the structure of independent closed space.

2. An insole as claimed in Claim 1, stated a multiple insole with closed air cell, the middle pillars and the outer side wall and top and bottom side walls can be made in complete different hardness, density and color, which is form of multiple combination.

3. An insole as claimed in Claim 1, stated a multiple insole with closed air cell, cell air force and the pillars can be changed to any shape, and still formed independent plurality of closed air cell, and arranged in being connected adjacently.

4. An insole having a plurality of air cells arranged to absorb the shock produced by movement of the insole during use.

5. A method of manufacturing an insole including the step of forming a plurality of hollow air cells.

6. A method as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the air cells are formed by hot air blowing during a molding process.

7. An insole as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of manufacture of an insole as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.