EP3202275B1 - Shoe with air pump device and air cushions - Google Patents

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a shoe with an air pumping device which is adapted to pump air into the interior of the shoe during a walking movement of a user of the shoe and which comprises a cavity which is arranged in the heel region of the shoe and compressible under load by a user's foot. with an air duct communicating with at least one duct, via which air can be forced out of the cavity into the at least one duct, with an insole having openings through which air can pass from the at least one duct into the interior of the boot, and with an outsole having a plurality of air cushions, which are provided on the outer side of the outsole, which faces during walking to the ground to be walked.

State of the art

A shoe of the type mentioned is for example from the US 4,071,963 A known. In the known shoe, an air pumping device is formed in a multi-layered sole construction. Between an outsole and an inner sole are formed both in the heel and in the cavities, which are interconnected by channels. Above the cavities, the inner sole has openings which connect the cavities directly to the interior of the shoe in the forefoot area and which in the heel area connect the cavities to a padding material arranged above the inner sole. The padding material is compressible and in turn covered at the top with a deformable cloth, which in turn has ventilation openings. In the forefoot region, the outsole for forming the cavities has downwardly projecting portions, so that compressible chambers are formed between the outsole and the inner sole. Due to the changing load during the running motion in the known shoe air circulation inside the shoe should be effected as follows. When loading the heel area, the ventilation openings in the deformable cloth above the padding material should be closed by the foot and the padding material should be compressed. Thereby, the trapped air in the cushioning material to be pressed through the rear openings in the inner sole down into the cavities in the shoe heel, which cavities themselves are not compressed. The air should be directed through the channels to the compressible chambers in the forefoot, until a pressure equalization between the cavities in the heel and the compressible Chambers in the forefoot area has taken place. When rolling the foot compressible chambers are then compressed in the forefoot, in which case the air is to be pressed through the front openings in the inner sole into the interior of the shoe. At the same time by relieving the heel release of the ventilation openings in the cloth, a re-expansion of the cushioning material to its original extent and consequently a suction of fresh air on the shoe inside the heel area and the Fußeinstiegsöffnung take place. It turns out, however, that such an arrangement leads only to a slight air circulation, because neither an effective intake of fresh air nor an effective injection of sucked air takes place in the shoe interior.

From the WO 2014/131698 A1 Shoes are known which are equipped in the sole with devices that promote air circulation in the shoe, whereby the internal moisture in the shoe and thus the foot comfort of the user are improved. An air pumping device is adapted to suck in air from outside the shoe and to expel it into the interior of the shoe, for example via openings in the insole (and, if present, via openings in other insoles in the shoe).

While the air pumping device also provides a cushioning effect during walking, shock absorption in shoes with prior art air pumping devices is in need of improvement.

In addition, shoes are known which have shock-absorbing elements, such as in the EP 1 509 100 A1 shown. FIG. 1 the EP 1 509 100 A1 shows a shoe 100, on whose outsole 110 cavity elements 120 are mounted made of plastic. The cavity members 120 are similar at the front and rear and dampen impacts on a user's foot during walking. The cavity members 120 have open side surfaces, and air is expelled when compressing the cavity members 120 in the course of the walking movement to the outside. However, such a shoe does not allow fresh air ventilation of the interior of the shoe.

From the DE 1 287 477 A It is known to improve a sole including air cavities for elastic cushioning having shoe, especially when loaded to avoid rapid pressure build-up of the trapped in such cavities air and thus to achieve a flatter spring characteristic by such air chambers in paragraph with air chambers in the forefoot be interconnected by channels of a certain flow cross-section, so as to effect a damping back and forth flow of the trapped air.

From the WO 03/103430 A1 Shoes are also known, at the outsole hollow elements are attached with laterally open air chambers, which are intended to absorb cushioning and damping.

Starting from the prior art, the object is to provide a shoe that ensures an efficient and permanent air circulation and at the same time a clearly noticeable shock absorption, whereby the wearing comfort over the prior art is further increased.

Description of the invention

The above object is achieved by a shoe having the features of claim 1. According to the invention, a shoe of the type mentioned in the introduction is characterized in that the shoe comprises an air supply with an air inlet device arranged on the outside of the shoe and with a first one-way valve which is designed such that it can only air from outside the shoe via the air supply in the Cavity allows the air duct communicating with the at least one duct, via which air can be forced out of the cavity into the at least one duct, to comprise a second one-way valve which is designed such that it can only extract air from the cavity to the at least one duct a channel through which the air cushions comprise rear air cushions in the heel region of the shoe into which the cavity extends through openings in an outsole main body, and the air cushions comprise front air cushions in the front region of the shoe into which the air pump device does not extend. In this case, the compressible cavity of the air pump device extends partially in at least two of the rear air cushion.

The air pump device can be completely embedded in the outsole. In this case, the sole construction may be formed as a monobloc sole. In the case of a sole construction comprising a plurality of sole parts, the air pumping device may be located exclusively in the outsole, but may also be provided only partially in the outsole and to its other part in the other sole sole construction. It should be noted in this connection that the insole is not understood as a sole part of this sole construction, but as part of the shaft of the shoe.

The air cushions each contact, with their lower surface in use of the shoe, the ground trodden by a user of the shoe. The air pump device is in the Heel region of the outsole of the shoe, which extends from the foot to the joint area provided. The air pump device may be formed as a cavity or as an independent entity, which may comprise a plastic pump reservoir.

In the present application, the terms top, top, etc., refer to locations that are farther away from a substrate that the shoe contacts via the air pads than positions referenced by terms such as below, lower, and so on.

The front air cushions can each be at least partially open on at least one side surface. The rear and / or front air cushions may be molded or glued to the sole outsole body.

Outside air is sucked in by the air pumping device depending on the walking phase, and the previously sucked air is discharged into the channels. If, in the appropriate walking phase, a user's foot is not loaded on the air pumping device, the air pumping device may draw air from outside the shoe via said first air supply, when the foot is resting on it, it may pump the air into the channels via said air guide, from where they can escape upwards to the foot of a user, for example through openings provided in an insole and a sock, for effective ventilation of the user's foot.

When the rear air cushion is loaded by a user's foot, a controlled removal of air from the rear shock-absorbing air cushion takes place via the air pump device and the air duct. The regulation takes place via the second one-way valve. By contrast, from the front air cushions, which are not connected to the air pump device, air escapes freely, for example through open side surfaces.

So that they can optimally fulfill the function of shock absorption, the rear and front air cushion are formed elastically deformable. In particular, they can be formed elastically deformable in the vertical direction (from bottom to top) and at the same time in the horizontal direction (in the longitudinal direction).

According to one example, hoses having openings along their longitudinal axes may also be provided upwardly from the air pumping means along the channels into which air is pumped from the air pumping means. For effective ventilation of the foot of the user, the air from the openings of the tubes, for example via appropriately provided Openings of an insole of the shoe, escape. The hoses can be made of silicone, for example.

In the sole, the part in which the air pump device is formed (at least partially) may be designed to be more elastic than the outsole formed by the air cushions. This more elastic training a pumping effect over the entire sole, ie from the heel on the joint to the bale can be achieved. In this case, when loaded by a user's foot, this more elastic part is pushed downwards (toward the running surface) and thus can actuate the air pumping device to push air out of the air pumping device and through the channels.

As already mentioned, according to alternative developments, the air pump device is formed by a cavity, or the air pump device is designed separately as an independent entity and is completely or partially embedded in a cavity of the sole. In this application, it is understood that the cavity of the sole need not be a cavity completely enclosed by the sole, but may at least partially be formed by a saving in the sole. The use of only one formed cavity as the air pumping device simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces the manufacturing cost and can increase the reliability and life of the air pumping device. This cavity is compressed when the foot of a user loads on it, whereby air is forced out of the cavity. If, during walking, the cavity is again relieved of the foot, it expands and, due to the previously created negative pressure, draws in air from the outside, which is freshly available for the subsequent ventilation of the interior of the shoe and thus of the foot of a user.

For example, the air pump device can also comprise a plastic pump reservoir as an independent entity. This is compressed when a user's foot rests on it, which squeezes air out of the plastic pump reservoir. If, during walking, the plastic pump reservoir is again relieved of the foot, it expands and, due to the previously created negative pressure, draws in air from the outside, which is freshly available for subsequent ventilation of the interior of the shoe and thus of a user's foot. The formation of the air pump device as a separate entity allows a material selection independent of the sole and in particular material strength. Thus, the air pump device may consist of a transparent plastic material and / or self-closing tubing or include this.

If the air pumping device is designed as a separate entity, a part of the air pumping device can rest without intermediate space on inner walls of the first air cushion. By Openings in side walls of the rear air cushions may make the air pump device visible. These openings may be formed, for example, like a window with at least partially undulating contours. Furthermore, these openings of the rear air cushions may extend in the longitudinal direction thereof (the longitudinal direction goes from heel to bale) over a length of 1/4 to 2/3 of the length of the rear air cushions.

The shoe as described in the above examples may comprise a shaft having a part near the sole and a part remote from the sole, and the above-mentioned air supply may be partially along the shaft, in particular through a lining of the shoe Shaft separated from the foot of the wearer of the shoe, extending from the near part to the remote part, that air from the remote part can be pumped into the air pumping device.

• Figur 1 einen Schuh des Stands der Technik mit Luftpolster an der Sohle darstellt;
• Figur 2 einen Schuh gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung zeigt, in der eine Luftpumpeinrichtung in Form eines Hohlraums vorgesehen ist, der sich teilweise in die Luftpolster erstreckt; und
• Figur 3 einen Schuh gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung zeigt, in der eine Luftpumpeinrichtung in Form einer eigenständigen Entität vorgesehen ist, die sich teilweise in die Luftpolster erstreckt.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed but non-limiting description of embodiments illustrated with the aid of the attached drawings, in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a shoe of the prior art with air cushion on the sole;
• FIG. 2 a shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which an air pumping means is provided in the form of a cavity which extends partially into the air cushion; and
• FIG. 3 discloses a shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which an air pumping means is provided in the form of a separate Entität which extends partially into the air cushion.

As it is in FIG. 2 10, a shoe 10 according to an example of the present invention comprises an outsole with an outsole body 11, with rear air cushions 12a and with front air cushions 12b, the air cushions being attached, for example molded or glued, to the sole body. Alternatively, the entire outsole 11, 12a and 12b could be injected as a monobloc sole. The rear air cushions 12a and front air cushions 12b form the part of the outsole that touches the ground when walking or running. Above the outsole 11, 12a, and 12b is an insole 19, which is not part of the sole construction but part of the shaft. The outsole body 11 may be made of relatively soft polyurethane, while the rear air pads 12a and front air cushion 12b may be made of elastic but abrasion resistant plastic.

In the heel region of the shoe, an air pumping device is formed in the form of a cavity 14 and extends into the rear air cushion 12a. At least the heel region of the outsole body is sufficiently compressible to withstand loading by a user's foot, i. when it shifts its weight on the heel area when walking, it is pressed in, thus reducing the volume of the cavity and forcing air out of the cavity.

The shoe 10 further comprises an air supply 15 and a channel 16. A first one-way valve 17a regulates the suction of air from outside the shoe via the air supply 15 into the cavity 14 with relief of the heel area and a second one-way valve 17b controls the flow of the sucked air into the channel 16 when loading the heel area. Via the openings 18, which are provided in the insole 19 and optionally one or more overlying insoles, the air can then reach the fresh air ventilation in the interior of the shoe 10.

Furthermore, the shoe 10 comprises an air intake device (Airlntake) 20. The air intake device has an air inlet, can be sucked through the air. The suction of the air takes place via the cavity 14, when it returns in the course of the walking movement with relief of the shoe from its compressed form back to its normal shape. The air inlet device 20 may include an outlet through which water, which may enter via the air inlet, may be discharged outside the shoe.

In the in FIG. 2 In the embodiment shown, the shoe comprises two different types of air cushions 12a and 12b. The rear air cushions 12a in the heel area are made of a resilient plastic material and closed all around to the outside. They only open into the cavity 14 or the cavity 14 extends through corresponding openings 21 in the outsole base body 11 into the rear air cushion 12a. Side surfaces (in FIG. 2 hatched) can be made of a transparent plastic material. The attached in the front region of the shoe 10 air cushion 12b are also made of a resilient plastic material, but not completely closed to the outside. The air cushions 12b have through openings 22 on the side surfaces. As shown, the openings 22 may be window-like with a partially undulating contour. However, any other opening shapes are conceivable, round, oval, rectangular, etc, as long as the desired shock absorption properties are guaranteed.

In the in FIG. 2 As shown, the shoe 10 only contacts the ground to be walked on via the air cushions 12a and 12b. During the walking movement, the air cushions 12a and 12b can deform horizontally and vertically. As a result, a very good shock absorption during walking is achieved. When the front air cushions 12b are compressed under load of the ball portion, air escapes from them through the window-like openings 22. When the rear air cushions 12a are compressed under load of the heel portion, air escapes therefrom through the openings 21 and the cavity 14 via the second one-way valve 17b in the channel 16. The air thus escapes under load of the heel area of the rear air cushion 12a in a regulated by the second one-way valve 17b manner, whereby a controlled and thus controllable efficient shock absorption can be achieved as it is not known in the prior art.

In FIG. 3 another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The in FIG. 3 Shoe 30 shown comprises an outsole main body 31 to which rear air cushions 32a and front air cushions 32b are attached. The shoe further comprises an insole 39. In the heel region, an air pump device 34, which comprises a plastic reservoir, is provided. The plastic sheath of the plastic reservoir is in FIG. 3 denoted by H. The reservoir has at its bottom openings communicating with the cavities in the rear air cushions so that the air pumping means extends into the rear air cushions.

Alternatively to the in FIG. 3 As shown, the reservoir may also extend into the openings of the outsole body 31 or extend into the openings of the outsole body 31 and completely fill the cavity in the rear air cushions.

The shoe 30 further includes an air supply 35 and a channel 36. A first one-way valve 37a controls the intake of air from outside the shoe via the air supply 35 into the air pump 34 with relief of the heel area and a second one-way valve 37b controls the flow of the sucked air into the channel 36 when loading the heel area. Through the openings 38, which are provided in the insole 39 and optionally an overlying insole, the air can then reach the fresh air ventilation in the interior of the shoe 30. As well as in the FIG. 2 embodiment shown is also in the embodiment according to Fig. 3 an air inlet device 40 provided in the heel area.

In the in FIG. 3 As shown, the front air cushions 32b are on the sides continuous window-like openings 42. The rear air cushions 32a are closed to the outside and can be attached to side surfaces (in FIG. 3 hatched) have transparent plastic material that is visible from the outside.

As previously mentioned, in an alternative embodiment, the air pump 34 may extend into the rear air cushions 32a to abut the inner walls of the rear air cushions 32a without clearance. In this case, the side surfaces may have window-like openings through which the part of the air pumping device 34 which extends into the rear air cushions 32a is visible from the outside.

Claims (8)

1. A shoe (10; 30) having
   an air pumping device which is configured to pump air into the inner space of the shoe while a user of the shoe is walking and which comprises a cavity (14; 34) arranged in a heel area of the shoe (10; 30) which is compressible when force is exerted by the foot of a user,
   an air duct, connected to at least one channel (16; 36), via which the air can be pressed from the cavity (14; 34) into the at least one channel (16; 36),
   an insole (19; 39) having openings (18; 38) via which the air from the at least one channel (16; 36) can reach the inner cavity of the shoe (10; 30), and
   an outsole having several air cushions provided on the outside of the outsole which during the walking movement faces the substrate being walked on,
   characterised
   in that the shoe (10; 30) comprises an air duct (15; 35) having an air inlet device (20; 40) arranged on the outside of the shoe (10; 30) and having a first one-way valve (17a; 37a) which is configured in such a way that it only lets air from outside the shoe (10; 30) into the cavity (14; 34) via the air duct (15; 35),
   in that the air duct, which is in connection with at least one channel (16; 36) and via which the air can be pressed out of the cavity (14; 34) into the at least one channel(16; 36), comprises a second one-way valve (17b; 37b) which is configured in such a way that it only lets air from the cavity (14; 34) through to the at least one channel (16; 36),
   in that the air cushions comprise rear air cushions (12a; 32a) in the heel area of the shoe (10; 30) into which the cavity (14; 34) extends through openings (21; 41) of a main outsole body (11; 31), and
   in that the air cushions comprise front air cushions (12b; 32b) in the front area of the shoe (10; 30) into which the air pumping device does not extend.
2. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein the air pumping device is configured in the form of a plastic pump reservoir arranged in the cavity (34).
3. The shoe according to claim 2, wherein a part of the plastic pump reservoir adjoins inner walls of the rear air cushions (32a) without an intermediate cavity.
4. The shoe according to claim 3, wherein the air pumping device is configured in the form of a plastic pump reservoir with a plastic mantle (H) arranged in the cavity (34), wherein the plastic mantle (H) has openings on its underside which are in connection with the cavities of the rear air cushions (32a).
5. The shoe according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the front air cushions (12b; 32b) are each at least partially open on at least one side area.
6. The shoe according to claim 5, wherein the front air cushions are each closed on at least one side area by a transparent plastic material.
7. The shoe according to claim 5, wherein the front air cushions each have openings on at least one side area and these openings extend in the longitudinal direction of the front air cushions over a length of 1/4 to 2/3 of the length of the front air cushions.
8. The shoe according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rear and/or front air cushions are elastically deformable both vertically and horizontally.

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