WO2006021883A2

WO2006021883A2 - Ventilation system and device for shoes

Info

Publication number: WO2006021883A2
Application number: PCT/IB2005/002751
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giorgio Ferretti
Original assignee: Springtime Development S.A.
Priority date: 2005-09-16
Filing date: 2005-09-16
Publication date: 2006-03-02
Also published as: WO2007032037A1; WO2007032037A8; CN1819782A; CN101112259A; WO2006021883A3; WO2006021883A8

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ventilation. system for shoes comprising a ventilation device, specifically pumping means such as a bellows pump, which constitutes a further object of the invention. More particularly, the present invention relates to a ventilation system for shoes, comprising a hollow sole (1) having a ventilation device in flow communication both with the inside of the shoe and with the outside, at least one first and one second cavity (2, 3) being formed inside said hollow sole (1), pumping means (9) being housed in said at least one first cavity (2), said pumping means (9) comprising a shell (10) and a delivery spout (11), a flexible core (12) being housed inside said shell (10), and a pad (18) being housed inside said second cavity (3).

Description

"VENTILATION SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR SHOES" DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a ventilation system for shoes comprising a ventilation device, specifically pumping means such as a bellows pump, which constitutes a further object of the invention.

For both hygienic and medical reasons it is important to keep the foot dry and well ventilated. Good ventilation, in addition to dispersing bad odours, assists evaporation of the sweat which inevitably forms, in particular in hot climatic conditions or during physical effort. The sole of the foot is in fact one of the parts of the human body where the sweat glands are most concentrated. The problem of excessive sweating of the feet has been aggravated with the appearance of rubber soles as an alternative to leather soles. Rubber soles, in fact, which are advantageous in that they not only keep the foot warm and dry, but also allow moulding of the tread so as to favour gripping on the ground, are however impermeable to air and do not allow the sweat to escape.

Various attempts have been made to solve this problem. For example, hollow soles which comprise valves for external venting have been developed, but the quantity of air which is renewed is minimal and therefore does not allow efficient ventilation of the feet. One solution which has been particularly commercially successful is that of lining the inner side of a perforated rubber sole with a microporous membrane, which is therefore impermeable to water but permeable to air and to sweat in the form of water vapour. However, this solution also has drawbacks. Firstly it is a passive ventilation system, since there is no device inside the shoe favouring recirculation of the air. Renewal of the air occurs solely when the sole is raised from the ground. Moreover, after being used a few times, the microscopic pores may become blocked with dust and dirt and therefore no longer be able to perform their ventilating function. The problem underlying the present invention is therefore that of providing a ventilation system for shoes which allows an effective and efficient renewal of air and vapour between the inside and outside of the shoe. This problem is solved by a system and by a ventilation device for shoes as described in the accompanying claims.

Further characteristic features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the description of some examples of embodiment, provided hereinbelow by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan and cut-away view of the sole according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view in the direction II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of the sole for shoes according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the ventilation device according to the invention;

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the core of the ventilation device according to Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a plan view of a different embodiment of the ventilation device; Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional side view of a shoe comprising the ventilation system according to the invention.

With reference to the Figures, the ventilation system forming the subject of the present invention will now be described.

The ventilation system of the invention comprises a hollow sole 1, which is typically but not exclusively a hollow sole made of rubber or other synthetic material.

The sole may obviously also be made of leather or comprise a leather tread. The hollow sole 1 comprises a first cavity 2, which is formed substantially in the heel zone, and a second cavity 3, which is formed substantially in the fore sole zone of the foot and is delimited by an edge Ia. Said cavities 2, 3 are open upwards, i.e. towards the inside of the shoe. The first cavity 2 and the second cavity 3 are in flow communication by means of a channel 4 which is formed in the thickness of the sole and which continues, along the second cavity 3, in the form of a groove 5. A plurality of branched sections 6 extend on the right and on the left of the groove 5, in a substantially transverse direction and, similar to the main groove 5, extend as far as the edge Ia.

At the distal end of said main groove 5 and said branched sections 6, the edge Ia of the sole 1 comprises transverse holes 7 which place the cavity 3 in flow communication with the exterior. Valve means 8 are arranged at the point where the holes 7 emerge externally. The valve means 8 typically consist of a one-way valve for shoes. This type of valve is conventional and consists essentially of a cylinder containing a tongue which opens only if the air flow is directed towards the outside, while it does not allow air to enter from the outside. Said valve means 8 may also consist simply of a baffle or membrane made of microporous material (for example, GORETEX ) which allows air or vapour to pass through, but which is waterproof.

The sole 1 according to the invention houses a ventilation device. This ventilation device comprises preferably pumping means 9, typically a bellows pump, which are housed inside the first cavity 2 of the sole 1. These pumping means 9 comprise a shell 10, which is formed by two half-shells 10a, 10b, and a delivery spout 11. The opening of the spout 11 is situated opposite the channel 4. Said shell 10 is made of plastic material which ensures a certain degree of flexibility.

The shell 10 houses internally a resilient core 12. The main function of this resilient core 12 is to increase the treading resistance and act as a shock absorber. It has in fact been seen that the arrangement of a hollow pump without an inner core in the heel region results in excessive yielding of the insole at that point and consequently produces an irregular and uncomfortable walking action. Moreover, if the hollow pump collapses, it no longer manages to recover its initial form and the pumping function therefore ceases to work.

The resilient core 12 may consist of conventional resilient means, such as a spring. However, in the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, this resilient core comprises a resilient block which is made of an elastomer, such as, for example, polyethylene. Preferably, this elastomer will have a Shore D hardness value greater than 60, more preferably greater than 80 and even more preferably greater than 90. In order to prevent the resilient core 12 filling the entire internal volume of the shell 10, drastically reducing the volume of pumped air, this resilient core 12 has dimensions, in particular a thickness such as to create a space between the core and the internal walls of the shell 10. Basically, the resilient block has a form which is substantially the same as that of the shell 10, but has smaller dimensions so as to create the aforementioned space.

For the same purpose, according to the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 5, the resilient core is pierced on three sides, so that a network of channels 13, 13', 13' ', 13 ' ^■ ' , 13 ' ' ' ^■ is formed inside it. In this way the same resilient core 12 forms a bellows pump whose action is associated with that of the shell 10. According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the resilient core 12 and/or the shell will contain a perfume. Typically, a compound composed of the rubber/plastic material and the perfume will be made, so that the perfume will be absorbed in the material and released very gradually. Alternatively, the perfume may be contained inside microspheres arranged inside and/or outside the resilient core 12 or on the surface of the shell 10, so as to obtain a releasing action which is even more prolonged over time, assisted also by the mechanical action (rubbing) and not only by the normal evaporation of the perfume.

The shell 10 has preferably bottom and top surfaces 14, 14' which are substantially flat and a side surface 15 which has flanks with a concave profile connected by rounded edges. This form ensures the rigidity of the side surface 15, while maintaining a high degree of flexibility of the bottom and top surfaces 14, 14' . In this way the bellows pump is able to perform easily its pumping action without collapsing, even partially, under the weight of the heel.

Purely by way of example, the shell 10 may have the following dimensions: length about 6 cm, width about 4 cm, thickness about 2 cm. In this case it was established that the device according to the invention allows the recirculation of about 20 cc of air/vapour inside the shoe. It is clear that it will be possible to vary these dimensions depending on requirements, for example depending on the type of shoe or the size.

As shown in Figure 6, one or both the bottom and top surfaces 14, 14' may comprise a pumping pushbutton 16 formed as one piece in the thickness of the shell 10 by- shaping on the surface a blind groove 17 with a substantially C-shaped or horseshoe shape. In this way, the surface 14, 14' is strengthened since the groove 17 acts as a reinforcing rib, without thereby losing its pumping capacity.

As shown in Figure 3, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second cavity 3 houses a pad 18. This pad 18, which has the function of supporting the sole of the foot, increasing the walking comfort, may be preferably made of an open-cell expanded synthetic material, such as polyester-based expanded polyurethane or latex foam. Alternatively, the pad 18 may be made of a needle-punched material such as a non- woven fabric, preferably with a continuous yarn and needle-punched, a needle-punched felt or a needle-punched synthetic material (PE or PP) . Alternatively, the pad 18 will be made of an elastomer in which holes or microholes will be made in order to make it porous. With the materials described, the pad 18 will be permeable to air/vapour and will contribute to the pumping effect created by the pumping means 9 arranged in the heel.

The pad 18 will have substantially the same shape as the cavity 3 inside which it is housed, but will preferably have slightly smaller dimensions, so as to create a space along the perimeter of the cavity.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the pad 18 will contain a perfume. The same technology - known per se - described above for the resilient core 12 and for the shell 10 of the pumping means 9 may be used.

Figure 7 shows a cross-section of a shoe 19 which comprises the sole 1 according to the invention and an upper 21. The upper 21 may be made of any material which is normally used for shoes, including an impermeable material.

An insole 20, as is usual, is fixed onto the sole 1, on the side directed towards the inside of the shoe. This insole 20 will preferably be a perforated insole, so as to favour the passage of air/vapour. In any case, it must be a breathable insole. It is also important that the insole 20, if joined to the sole by means of gluing, is fixed only along the edges, so that the layer of glue does not prevent breathability of the insole 20. This insole 20 may also optionally comprise a perfume, as described above, or a substance with a hygienic, anti-bacterial or other action. The technology of microspheres may be particularly preferred in this case. In the preferred embodiment of Figure 7, the upper comprises inside it a breathable layer 22 of material which is permeable to air/vapour. This material may be generally one of the materials described above for the pad 18 and may optionally contain a perfume or substance with a hygienic or anti-bacterial action.

The inner side of said breathable layer 22 may be lined in turn with a thin layer of leather or other finishing material for shoes.

The ventilation system according to the invention functions in the following manner.

The inside of the shoe is in flow communication, by means of the perforated insole 20, with the cavities 2, 3 of the sole and therefore, by means of the holes 7 and the valve means 8, with the exterior. In the embodiment according to Figure 7, a further path communicating with the external environment consists of the breathable layer 22 which allows the entry/exit of the air from the instep of the shoe, as indicated by the arrows.

Basically, with each step first the heel is positioned and therefore the pumping means 9 are compressed, causing a flow of air/vapour from the first cavity 2 to the second cavity 3 and then towards the outside. Then the fore sole of the foot is positioned, with corresponding compression of the pad 18 and further expulsion of air/vapour towards the outside. When the heel (firstly) and the fore sole of the foot (subsequently) are raised, the ventilation device pumping means 9 and pad 18 - causes the sucking-up of air/vapour inside the shoe 19, via the holes of the insole 20, as schematically indicated by the arrows. A continuous and consistent circulation of air is therefore created, this having the effect of removing the sweat, keeping the foot dry, and regulating the temperature inside the shoe, preventing overheating of the foot in particular in hotter climates and/or during physical effort.

The advantages of the ventilation system according to the invention are obvious and partly have been mentioned in the above description. The ventilation system according to the invention essentially constitutes an active and not a passive system. In fact, the air/vapour is not simply let to exit via ventilation holes, as in many solutions of the known art, but a kind of forced circulation is created, this increasing considerably the ventilation efficiency.

The ventilation device - pumping means 9 and pad 18 - acts like a lung, sucking in and expelling air/vapour with each step, and therefore the volume of recirculated fluid is high. In addition to the effect of keeping the foot dry and at a regulated temperature, the preferential presence of perfume in the form of a slow release system is able to solve the problem of bad odours for a long if not indefinite period of time. The ventilation device, i.e. the pumping means 9 and the pad 18, also act as shock absorbers, in particular owing to the provision of the resilient core 12 inside the pumping means 9. In this way, the pumping effect is also associated with a notable walking comfort, which allows the use of the ventilation system according to the invention also for sports and "hi-tec" shoes.

In particular, the ventilation system according to the invention may be used both in ordinary shoes and in tennis and/or athletic shoes or in trekking and mountain footwear in general.

It is obvious that only some particular embodiments of the ventilation system for shoes according to the present invention have been described, so that a person skilled in the art will be able to make all those modifications necessary for adapting it to particular applications, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

It will be possible, for example, to envisage that the insole 20 is removable so as to allow access to the bellows pump 9 or to the pad 18 for replacement thereof or for impregnating them again with the perfume.

Claims

1. Ventilation system for shoes, comprising a hollow sole (1) having a ventilation device in flow communication both with the inside of the shoe and with the outside, at least one first cavity (2) being formed inside said hollow sole (1) , pumping means (9) being housed in said at least one first cavity (2) , characterized in that said pumping means (9) comprise a shell (10) and a delivery spout (11) , a flexible core (12) being housed inside said shell (10) .

2. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 1, in which said resilient core (12) comprises a resilient block made of an elastomer.

3. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 2, in which said elastomer has a Shore D hardness value greater than 60, preferably greater than 80 and even more preferably greater than 90.

4. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 2 or 3, in which said resilient block has substantially the same shape as that of the shell (10) inside which it is housed, but has smaller dimensions so as to create a space between the core and the internal walls of said shell (10) .

5. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, in which said resilient block is pierced on three sides, so that a network of channels (13, 13', 13 ' ' , 13^{1 1 1}, 13' ¹¹¹) is formed inside it.

6. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, in which said resilient core (12) and/or said shell (10) contain a perfume.

7. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 6, in which said perfume is absorbed in the material of the resilient core (12) and/or the shell (10) or is associated with it in the form of microspheres.

8. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 1, in which said resilient core (12) is a spring.

9. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, in which said shell (10) has bottom and top surfaces (14, 14') which are substantially flat and a side surface (15) which has flanks with a concave profile, connected by rounded edges.

10. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, in which one or both the bottom and top surfaces (14, 14') of said shell (10) comprise a pumping pushbutton (16) formed as one piece in the thickness of said shell (10) by shaping on the surface a blind groove (17) with a substantially C—shaped or horseshoe shape.

11. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, in which said pumping means (9) are bellows pumps.

12. Ventilation system for shoes according to any^¬ one of Claims 1 to 11, in which said hollow sole (1) comprises at least one second cavity (3) , positioned substantially in the fore sole zone of the foot and delimited by an edge (Ia) , said at least one second cavity (3) being in flow communication with said at least one first cavity (2) by means of a channel (4) .

13. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 12, in which said channel (4) continues, along said at least one second cavity (3) , in the form of a groove (5) , a plurality of branched sections (6) extending on the right and on the left of said groove (5) , in a substantially transverse direction, said main groove (5) and said branched sections (6) extending as far as said edge (Ia) .

14. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim

13, in which, at the distal end of said main groove (5) and said branched sections (6) , the edge (Ia) of the hollow sole (1) comprises transverse holes (7) which place said at least one cavity (3) in fluid communication with the exterior.

15. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim

14, in which valve means (8) are arranged at the point where said holes (7) emerge towards the exterior.

16. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 15, in which said valve means (8) comprise a cylinder having, positioned inside it, a tongue which opens only following a flow of air from the inside to the outside of said shoe.

17. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 12 to 16, in which said at least one second cavity (3) houses a pad (18) .

18. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 17, in which said pad (18) is made of an open-cell -, expanded synthetic material, such as polyester-based expanded polyurethane or latex foam, or a needle-punched material, such as a non-woven fabric, preferably with a continuous yarn and needle-punched, a needle-punched felt or a needle-punched synthetic material (PE or PP) , or a perforated or microperforated elastomer.

19. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 17 or 18, in which said pad (18) comprises a perfume.

20. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 1 to 19, in which said shoe (19) comprises said hollow sole (1) as described in the preceding claims and an upper (21) , a breathable insole (20) being provided on said hollow sole (1) , on the side directed towards the inside of the shoe (19) .

21. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 20, in which said insole (20) is perforated.

22. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 20 or 21, in which said insole (20) is joined to said hollow sole (1) by means of gluing only along the edges.

23. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 20 to 22, in which said insole (20) comprises a perfume and/or a substance with a hygienic or anti-bacterial action.

24. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 20 to 23, in which said upper (21) comprises, inside it, a breathable layer (22) of material which is permeable to air/vapour.

25. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 24, said breathable layer (22) being made of an open-cell expanded synthetic material, such as polyester-based expanded polyurethane or latex foam, or a needle-punched material, such as a non-woven fabric, preferably with a continuous yarn and needle-punched, a needle-punched felt or a needle-punched synthetic material (PE or PP) or a perforated or microperforated elastomer.

26. Ventilation system for shoes according to Claim 24 or 25, in which said breathable layer (22) comprises a perfume and/or a substance with a hygienic or anti¬ bacterial action.

27. Ventilation system for shoes according to any one of Claims 20 to 26, in which said insole (20) is removable, so as to allow access to the pumping means (9) and/or to the pad (18) for replacement thereof or for impregnation with the perfume.

28. Shoe (19) comprising a ventilation system as described in any one of Claims 1 to 27.

29. Ventilation device comprising pumping means (9) as described in any one of Claims 1 to 11.