WO2023041587A1

WO2023041587A1 - Footwear having an electrode arrangement for generating plasma

Info

Publication number: WO2023041587A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/075537
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan-Hendrik Hellmold; Dirk Wandke; Ronny Lettke
Original assignee: Cinogy Gmbh
Priority date: 2021-09-15
Filing date: 2022-09-14
Publication date: 2023-03-23
Also published as: DE102021123900A1

Abstract

The invention relates to footwear having an inner sole and an electrode arrangement for forming a dielectric barrier plasma discharge between at least one electrode and a sole of the foot to be treated, the insole having the electrode and a dielectric which completely covers the electrode towards the sole of the foot to be treated and forms a contact side facing towards the sole of the foot to be treated, and the electrode arrangement being connected or connectable to a control device which is designed to supply the electrode with an alternating high voltage in order to generate the dielectric barrier plasma discharge, characterised in that a contact apparatus is provided for electrically connecting the electrode to the control device, the contact apparatus comprising a first contact element which is connected to the electrode and interacts with a second contact element for electrical connection provided in a shoe sole of the footwear such that the electrode is electrically connected or connectable to a high-voltage stage arranged in the shoe sole in order to transmit the alternating high voltage to the electrode.

Description

Footwear with an electrode arrangement for generating plasma

The invention relates to footwear with an inner sole and an electrode arrangement for forming a dielectrically impeded plasma discharge.

Shoes, also called footwear or footwear, have the primary task of protecting the soles of the feet of a person wearing the footwear when walking or running. Shoes have two main components for this purpose, namely the shoe upper (short upper), which forms the upper part of the shoe, and the shoe bottom, which is connected to a firm base, the shoe sole, and the upper part, the shoe upper . The sole of the shoe thus forms a base that protects the sole of the foot from the surface to be walked on.

A generic shoe sole usually contains at least two layers in the form of an inner sole and the remaining part of the shoe sole, which also includes the outer sole. The insole (fixed or replaceable) forms a layer of the shoe sole that is provided to support the sole of the foot and on which the sole of the foot is directly supported when walking. The insole is usually inside the shoe and serves as a support for the sole of the foot (with or without intervening textiles such as stockings). Such an insole of the shoe sole can also be an insert which, for example, follows an orthopedic indication and has certain properties in order to support the foot.

The remaining part of the shoe sole with the outsole, also called outsole, forms the part of the shoe sole pointing towards the ground, which comes into contact with the running surface or the ground on which the person wearing the footwear walks. The outsole primarily serves to protect the insole and the sole of the foot and can have a profile on the surface facing the ground. The outsole as part of the entire shoe sole is usually included an integral part of the footwear and is in particular non-detachably connected to it. The insole can be detachably connected to the footwear and is in particular a thin layer that contacts the sole of the foot.

Depending on the type and intended use of the shoe, other intermediate layers between the inner sole and the outer sole are also conceivable, such as a bulge. This often serves to give the shoe a cushioning or missing property when running in order to increase the wearing comfort.

In everyday life, shoes are often worn over a longer period of time, usually for several hours, without the shoes being removed. The feet are usually additionally protected by additional textiles, such as stockings or socks. However, wearing shoes for a longer period of time can be hygienically problematic. Fungi and bacteria can not only settle in the additional textiles, but also on the skin of the foot or the sole of the foot. In the case of work shoes in particular, which the person in question has to wear daily, often several days in a row over a long period of time, there can be serious hygienic disadvantages for the foot health of the person in question. Because work shoes cannot be changed and washed every day, like the protective textile layer, for example, in order to improve foot hygiene. The same applies to sports shoes and orthopedic shoes.

There is therefore a need, particularly when shoes are worn for long periods, to improve the foot hygiene of the person wearing the shoes.

DE 102020 115 532 A1 discloses a device and method for cleaning and disinfecting items of clothing, in particular shoes. The device has a chamber surrounding a housing in which the items of clothing to be cleaned and disinfected are placed and then irradiated with UV light by means of a UV radiation source in order to kill organic materials. The disadvantage here is that the footwear has to be removed for the cleaning process and placed in the chamber provided for this purpose. The cleaning process is therefore local and not very practical. In addition, if the footwear is worn for a long time, foot hygiene can be maintained over the entire period cannot be optimally secured. In addition, it is hereby not possible to improve the foot health or foot hygiene of the foot when wearing it.

DE 10 2016 118 569 A1 discloses an electrode arrangement for forming a dielectrically impeded plasma discharge, the electrode arrangement having two sub-electrodes arranged next to one another and insulated from one another by a dielectric, which are fed by means of a control device with mutually compensating alternating high voltages with regard to the waveform of the voltage level with the surface to be treated serving as the ground electrode. As a result, a plasma forms in the air layer provided between the surface to be treated and the dielectric. The plasma treatment not only promotes wound healing, but also serves in particular to disinfect the skin of human or animal bodies.

However, the electrode arrangement described there provides that the control device required for feeding in the alternating high voltage has a housing device which is required next to the electrode and in which the control device is accommodated. Another aspect of the plasma treatment of human or animal skin areas consists in the safe handling of the electrode arrangement and the avoidance of sparks striking the skin. For this purpose, the electrical contacting of the electrode with the AC high-voltage generator must be designed in such a way that accidental contact with electrically conductive elements or flashover to the skin is avoided.

It is the object of the present invention to specify an improved device with which foot hygiene can be improved, in particular when the footwear is worn.

The object is achieved with the footwear according to claim 1 according to the invention. Advantageous configurations of the invention can be found in the corresponding subclaims.

According to claim 1, footwear is proposed which has an electrode arrangement for forming a dielectrically impeded plasma discharge between at least one electrode and a foot sole to be treated, with a at least one part of an inner sole, which completely covers at least one electrode towards the sole of the foot to be treated and forms a contact side pointing towards the sole of the foot to be treated, and wherein the electrode arrangement is connected or can be connected to a control device which, for feeding the at least one connected electrode, has a AC high voltage is designed to generate the dielectric barrier plasma discharge to treat the sole of the foot with a dielectric barrier plasma. For this purpose, the control device comprises at least one high-voltage stage (high-voltage generator) and control electronics that are designed to correspondingly control the high-voltage stage for generating the alternating high voltage. The control device can be partially or completely accommodated in the shoe sole of the footwear, with the high-voltage stage and control electronics not necessarily having to form a common component. It is also conceivable that the high-voltage stage is housed in the sole of the shoe, while the control electronics are arranged in the upper part of the shoe, for example in the shoe upper.

The dielectric, which embeds the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement, forms at least part of an inner sole that supports the sole of the foot when wearing a shoe with such a shoe sole. When the footwear is worn, the sole of the foot thus rests directly on at least part of the dielectric as the insole (possibly using a foot textile, for example in the form of a sock or a spacer fabric). The insole of the footwear according to the invention not only takes on the task of supporting the sole of the foot when the shoe is worn, but also the task of a dielectric of an electrode arrangement in order to be able to form a plasma in an air space between the contact side of the dielectric and the sole of the foot. This air space can be formed, for example, by wearing a foot textile or by a profiled surface on the contact side of the dielectric, in which corresponding air spaces are formed between elevations (spacer elements) on the contact side upon contact with the sole of the foot, in which the plasma can form.

The footwear can be based on the principle that the sole of the electrically conductive body to be treated is used as a ground electrode, so that in principle only a single electrode is required for the formation of a plasma field which interacts with the sole of the foot to be treated as a ground electrode to form the plasma. In this way, an ideally homogeneous electrical field is created across the surface of the electrode, in which the field lines run parallel to one another. As is known, curved or sloping field lines can arise only at the edge of the electrode.

It was recognized here that by using a dielectric as the inner sole of a shoe, an electrode arrangement for forming a dielectrically impeded plasma discharge can be implemented, which is suitable for generating a plasma in one or more air spaces between the contact side of the dielectric and the sole of the foot of the person wearing the shoe Train a person, which can significantly improve foot hygiene. It has been shown that fungi, bacteria and germs in the shoe and on the skin surface of the sole of the foot can be significantly reduced when shoes are worn for a long time and foot hygiene can be improved. In addition, the plasma treatment significantly improves the microcirculation in the blood vessels, so that the invention provides advantages in particular for people with diabetes or neuropathies.

It was also recognized that, despite the supporting force that occurs when using the sole of the shoe, which acts through the sole of the foot on the insole designed as a dielectric, such an air space can be formed between the sole of the foot and the contact side of the dielectric that is suitable for generating a plasma between To form the sole of the foot and the contact side of the dielectric when the electrode embedded in the dielectric is subjected to an alternating high voltage by the control unit.

The electrode arrangement and in particular the at least one electrode contained therein is or can be connected to the high-voltage stage of the control device, so that the alternating high voltage generated by the high-voltage stage can be transmitted to the electrode in order to generate a dielectrically impeded plasma discharge. According to the invention, a contact device is now provided for electrically connecting the electrode to the control device, in particular the high-voltage stage of the control device, the contact device comprising a first contact element connected to the electrode, which is provided with a second contact element provided in a shoe sole of the footwear Contact element for the electrical connection interacts in such a way that the electrode is electrically connected or connectable to a high-voltage stage arranged in the shoe sole for transmission of the alternating high voltage to the electrode.

The contact device is designed to transmit a high voltage from the high-voltage stage to the electrode with the aid of the contact elements. The high-voltage stage is housed in the sole of the shoe, preferably in the heel, of the footwear and can generate a corresponding high-voltage alternating current through appropriate activation by the control electronics of the control device and transmit this to the electrode for generating the dielectrically impeded plasma.

The contact elements of the contact device can be designed in such a way that they produce a detachable electrical connection, with a particularly positive, non-positive and/or magnetic connection being able to be provided for safe operation for transmission of the high-voltage potential to the electrode. In particular, it is conceivable that the contact elements of the contact device represent a plug-in connection, which are plugged into one another when the insole (dielectric with electrode) is inserted and are thus engaged for the transmission of the high-voltage potential. A magnetic connection is also conceivable, for example, in which the electrical contact is held by a magnetic force. However, a plug connection with a contact pin and a contact socket that engage in one another is also conceivable. Contacting a contact pin coated with a dielectric on the end face is also conceivable. It is certainly also conceivable that a fixed, non-detachable electrical connection is established.

The dielectric can completely form the insole, so that the contact side of the dielectric forming the insole completely covers the sole of the wearer's foot. This has the advantage that the entire sole of the foot can be treated with a plasma.

However, it is also conceivable that the dielectric only forms part of the insole and as a result the sole of the foot is not completely covered by the contact side. Here, only a part of the sole of the foot is treated with a plasma when the electrode embedded in the dielectric is subjected to an alternating high voltage by the control unit. For example, the dielectric can only be provided in the area of the heel of the sole of the foot. It is conceivable that the dielectric extends from the heel area into the area of the arch of the foot, for example up to the ball of the foot. However, it is certainly also conceivable that the dielectric only covers the area of the arch of the foot and/or the area of the ball of the foot.

The insole formed partially or completely by the dielectric can, for example, be an integral component of the shoe sole and is in particular firmly and non-detachably connected to the other components of the shoe sole or the footwear. This simplifies the contacting of the electrode embedded in the dielectric with the control device, in that this contacting is designed to be fixed and non-detachable. The electrode embedded in the dielectric is thus connected or electrically contacted to the high-voltage stage via a fixed, non-detachable connection.

The idea of the invention also includes the fact that the insole, which is at least partially formed by the dielectric, is detachably connected to the shoe sole and is therefore designed in particular to be exchangeable. This allows the insole with the electrode and the dielectric embedding the electrode to be replaced as required, for example to meet higher hygienic requirements or to be able to replace the electrode or the dielectric if the electrode or dielectric is defective without having to discard the entire shoe. The insole formed from the dielectric and the at least one electrode can also be an insole that can be exchanged or exchanged if necessary.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the electrode arrangement has at least two electrodes which are insulated from one another by the dielectric and are arranged next to one another, with the contact device for each electrode comprising a first contact element and a second contact element in such a way that the electrodes are connected or can be connected separately from one another to the control device . It can be provided that the control device contains only a single high-voltage stage for feeding the alternating high voltage for the individual electrodes is provided. However, it is also conceivable that a single, separate high-voltage stage is provided for each electrode, as a result of which each electrode can be supplied with an alternating high voltage separately and independently of the other electrodes. Arranged next to one another means here that the electrodes are arranged next to one another in the dielectric in the direction of travel and are aligned in a common plane that lies essentially parallel to the plane spanned by the shoe sole. The two electrodes arranged next to one another in the running direction are therefore essentially at the same distance from the common contact side of the dielectric.

In this embodiment, the electrodes are preferably formed with such a surface area that the expansion of the electric field and the ideally parallel field lines is more than 50%, preferably more than 65% and more preferably more than 80% of the surface of the insole. The electrodes are extended over a large area and are positioned parallel to the contact side of the dielectric and are preferably embedded in the dielectric in such a way that the electrodes are arranged next to one another at the same distance from the contact side and are insulated from one another by the dielectric. The electrodes are connected to the control device separately from one another and can thus be supplied with the alternating high voltage separately from the control device.

It is conceivable that more than two electrodes are provided. In this way, for example, a plurality of pairs of electrodes can be implemented, with the electrodes of one pair of electrodes being arranged next to one another and next to one another in the dielectric in an electrically insulated manner. Each electrode of a pair of electrodes can be connected to the control device separately from the other and fed separately with an alternating high voltage.

According to a further embodiment, it is provided that the control device is set up to feed neighboring electrodes with mutually compensating partial alternating high voltages with regard to the waveform and the voltage level. This results in an increased effective voltage for the formation of the plasma compared to just one electrode with the same peak voltage of the partial alternating high voltages. Furthermore, there is no reference to earth potential required, so that an earth potential-independent power supply, for example from batteries, is possible.

The electrode arrangement with its at least two adjacent electrodes is therefore designed in such a way that the electrodes ideally form a substantially homogeneous field over their almost entire surface with the sole of the foot to be treated, which ideally generates a uniform plasma. In this case, the half-waves can be identical in size and shape, so that a constant mid-potential, which does not change over the period of the AC voltage, is established in the separation region and forms a ground potential. In practice, the identity of the opposite half-wave can only be approximated, so that there is a constant total potential in the separation region even if there is still a slight fluctuation in the total potential, which is less than 5% of the peak voltage, for example.

According to one embodiment it is provided that at least two electrodes are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the shoe sole. The longitudinal direction here means the usual running direction.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the control device generates the alternating high voltage in the form of individual pulses, in the form of pulse trains and/or in the form of damped oscillations and delivers it to the respective electrode. In a pulse train with a damped oscillation, the initial half-wave has the highest amplitude, so the polarity of this pulse signal is primarily determined by the polarity of the initial half-wave.

The pulse signals can oscillate around a neutral line or zero line, so that starting from this neutral line, a positive half-wave is then followed by a negative half-wave, which can then be followed by a positive half-wave again, for example.

The ratio between the pulse duration of an individual pulse signal and the pulse interval between two pulse signals is preferably less than 1:10, preferably less than 1:20. The pulse duration is therefore significantly smaller than the pulse interval between two pulse signals. The duty cycle (also called control degree) as a The ratio between the pulse duration and the period duration is less than 10%, preferably less than 5%.

The peak voltages of the AC high voltages used can be ±1 kV to ±100 kV, preferably between ±2 kV and ±25 kV. The alternating frequencies of the alternating high voltages are expediently between a few 100 Hz and about 100 MHz. The electrical power of the dielectric barrier plasma discharge is preferably less than 10 W, particularly preferably less than 5 W. However, the electrical power can also be 1 W or even less. The alternating high voltage of the at least one electrode can be generated in the form of individual, bipolar voltage pulses which, for example, have a magnitude of 1 kV. This is possible with commercially available electronic semiconductor components.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the at least one electrode is in the form of a flat, flexible electrode which has a multiplicity of openings, the dielectric embedding the at least one electrode extending through these openings. An electrode according to the invention can be made of spring steel, for example, so that the insole is given a certain stability (flexural rigidity). The dielectric extending into the openings ensures that the electrode is held securely within the dielectric and, under constant load, prevents the electrode from slipping within the dielectric and thus a defect. Due to its openings and the dielectric extending into them, the electrode is held in the dielectric in the manner of a form fit.

The electrode embedded in the dielectric also has flexible properties so as not to impede the rolling of the foot when using the shoe sole. In particular, the dielectric and electrode are designed to be flexible in such a way that the foot can roll off and the dielectric and electrode can be bent in the longitudinal direction while walking or running.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the first contact element of the contact device is a contact plug which is connected to the respective electrode at one end and is made of the dielectric at the opposite end. kum extends, wherein the contact plug positively and/or non-positively engages or can be engaged in a contact socket provided as a second contact element in the shoe sole.

If several electrodes are provided, each electrode has at least one contact pin which positively and/or non-positively engages in a corresponding contact socket in order to be able to connect the respective electrode separately to the control device and to be able to control it with an alternating high voltage.

The contact pins are preferably provided in an area that is in the immediate vicinity of the high-voltage stage, so that the connection between the electrodes and the high-voltage stage is as short as possible. It is preferred here if the high-voltage stage is arranged in the other layers of the shoe sole, in particular in the heel supporting the heel. However, the high-voltage stage can also be arranged in the insole of the shoe sole and thus become an integral part of the insole, which enables compact handling and integration of the electrode arrangement in a shoe.

The contact pins protrude from the side of the dielectric facing away from the contact side, with the contact sockets being arranged essentially completely in the shoe sole. This prevents accidental touching of the second contact elements, which carry the high-voltage potential. In this way, on the one hand, safe operation of the electrode arrangement can be implemented without having to fear the risk of a voltage flashover. In addition, contact with the high-voltage source in the shoe sole can be avoided when replacing the insole. For this purpose, provision can preferably also be made for electrical contact to take place only at the bottom of the socket, so that the contact pins of the dielectric are only electrically contacted with the control device from a certain penetration depth, which is suitable for avoiding accidental contact with the high-voltage source.

By means of this plug-in connection consisting of a contact plug and contact socket, not only can the electrode be electrically connected to the high-voltage potential, but the inner lining can also be fixed. le inside the footwear. Because the plug-in connection creates a form fit that keeps the insole in the desired position. This is particularly advantageous if the insole is replaceable, for example with a replaceable insole.

A self-closing opening can be provided over the contact receptacles in order to prevent accidental touching of the contacts of the contact receptacle. Such a self-closing opening can be realized, for example, by means of rubber lips that adjoin one another.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the dielectric consists of silicone or is formed from it. In another embodiment it can be provided that the dielectric is formed from a flexible and/or gel-like material. Such a gel-like material can, for example, be a sol-gel (for example produced in a sol-gel process). The gel-like material can, for example, be a polyurethane-based gel, in particular without a plasticizer, and has the dimensional stability of a solid body with elastic properties. In particular, it cannot be a hydrogel. This is in particular a cast material which is approximately liquid in the manufacturing process and in particular can fill the openings provided in the electrode. Surprisingly, it has been shown that such a polyurethane gel is suitable as a dielectric.

The bearing surface of the dielectric can be produced by skin formation of the polyurethane gel or preferably by applying a film, which can consist of silicone or preferably of polyurethane, to the gel during a casting process for shaping the dielectric. The soft and supple polyurethane gel can be produced from the reaction of at least one polyol with at least one suitable isocyanate, the immobilized disperse (liquid) phase of the gel being formed by the at least one polyol and not - as in the case of a hydrogel - by water. Rather, the water content of the polyurethane gel is preferably below 5% by weight, preferably below 3% by weight, due to the absorption of moisture after production. The skin, which can completely enclose the polyurethane gel, has a thickness of less than 1 mm, preferably less than 0.5 mm, more preferably less than 0.2 mm and is thus flexible designed so that the advantageous mechanical properties of the gel (softness, adaptability to curved surfaces, pleasant feeling of contact) are not impaired.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the insole is formed entirely from the dielectric and the at least one electrode embedded therein.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the footwear has an electrical energy store—in particular a chargeable one—which is connected to the control device and supplies it with electrical energy. Both the control device and the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement are supplied with electrical energy from the electrical energy store. If a chargeable energy storage device is provided, then it is advantageous if a contacting interface is provided in the shoe sole in order to charge the electrical energy storage device by contacting it with an external electrical energy source via the contacting interface. Such a contacting interface can, for example, correspond to the USB (for example USB-C) standard.

As an alternative or in addition to this, it can be provided that the mechanical force applied when walking or running is converted into electrical energy by means of a converter element (for example based on the piezoelectric effect). For example, with the help of a generator suitable for this purpose, the force acting on the sole of the shoe when walking or running can be converted into electrical energy, which either feeds the chargeable energy store or is used directly to feed an alternating high voltage.

According to one embodiment, both the control electronics and the at least one high-voltage stage of the control device are arranged in the shoe sole, in particular in the heel, of the footwear.

Since there is usually a fairly voluminous heel on the sole of the shoe, particularly in the case of protective work shoes or orthopedic shoes, this is particularly suitable for accommodating the control device, including any self-sufficient electrical energy source. In this embodiment, the contacts ELEMENTS of the contact device of the respective electrode are provided in the area of the heel in order to realize the shortest possible connection path. However, it is conceivable that the control device can be connected to an external energy source, for example to charge an electrical energy store provided in the paragraph. This enables autonomous operation over a certain period of time. However, it is also conceivable for an external high voltage to be supplied to the control device in order to be able to dispense with energy stores in the footwear.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the dielectric is structured on the contact side in order to form a plurality of cavities in cooperation with the sole of the foot to be treated, or is smooth. The structured dielectric is designed in relief on the system side, with elevations and depressions alternating. This can be realized, for example, by a lattice or nub structure. Due to the alternating peaks and valleys, an air space forms when the sole of the foot contacts the dielectric of the insole. The plasma can then form in the air space formed in this way. Such spacer elements provided in the contact side of the dielectric form, in cooperation with the sole of the foot, cavities in which the plasma can form. However, it is also conceivable that a smooth contact side is provided, with the formation of the cavities then being realized by wearing a foot textile (e.g. socks) or a spacer fabric which ensures a distance between the skin or the sole of the foot and the dielectric .

Advantageously, the insole designed as an insole partially or completely fills the length of the shoe interior and, in particular, has a width over the length that is adapted to the shape of a foot. The electrode or electrodes embedded in the insole by the dielectric are preferably designed in such a way that they are also adapted to the shape of the foot and, in particular, have a greater width in the ball area than in the heel area.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the electrode arrangement has one or more through-openings (through-holes) for air exchange. In this case, the through-openings extend through the electrodes and the dielectric. The through openings of the electrode have a large re opening width than the corresponding through-openings of the dielectric, so that the electrode in the region of the through-opening is also completely covered by the dielectric.

The invention is explained in more detail by way of example on the basis of the accompanying figures. Show it:

FIG. 1 Schematic representation of footwear with a shoe sole according to the invention in a lateral sectional representation;

Figure 2 shows the longitudinal section A-A;

Figure 3a, 3b representation of the longitudinal section D-D in two embodiments;

Figure 4 Representation of cross-section C-C.

FIG. 1 shows footwear 10, which has a shoe sole 11 and a shoe upper 12 adjoining the shoe sole 11 in the upper part. The shoe sole 11 and the shoe upper 12 form a cavity 13 into which an opening 14 can be reached. The cavity 13 serves to accommodate a foot.

The shoe sole 11 has an inner sole 15 which is aligned with a contact side 16 in the direction of the cavity 13 . The contact side 16 of the insole 15 is designed in such a way that it is intended to accommodate the sole of the foot located around the cavity 13 . The insole 15 and in particular the contact side 16 are shaped accordingly in order to receive and support the sole of the foot accordingly.

According to the invention, it is now provided that the insole 15 forms a dielectric 20 in which at least one electrode 21 is embedded. The dielectric 20 and the at least one electrode 21 embedded therein are flexible and can follow the resulting change in shape of the footwear 10 when the foot rolls during a walking or running movement.

In heel 17 of shoe sole 11 there is also a control device 22, which includes a high-voltage stage 23 and control electronics 24 for controlling high-voltage stage 23 (FIG. 2). Both the high-voltage stage 23 and the control electronics 24 are arranged in the heel of the footwear 10 . The electrode 21 is electrically connected to the control device 22 , in particular to the high-voltage stage 23 , by means of a contact device 25 , so that the alternating high voltage generated by the high-voltage stage 23 can be delivered to the electrode 21 . For this purpose, the contact device 25 has a contact pin 26 as the first contact element, which positively engages in a contact socket 27 as the second contact element. The contact pin 26 is electrically connected to the electrode 21 and leads out of the dielectric 20 at the point of contact. The contact socket 27 is located in the heel 17 of the shoe sole 11 and is here in particular an integral part of the footwear 10. The contact socket 27 is then electrically connected to the high-voltage stage 23 of the control device 22 and can thus transmit the high-voltage potential to the electrode 21.

In this case, the control device 22 can be supplied by a self-sufficient electrical energy source, for example a battery or an accumulator. An accumulator can be charged via an external energy source 28 which can be contacted with the control device 22 as required. For this purpose, the shoe sole 11 has a contacting interface 29 in the rear area of the heel 17, which is designed to be contacted with an external energy source 28. Such a contacting interface 29 can, for example, follow a plug standard, such as the USB standard.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view through the longitudinal section AA, as shown in FIG. 1, the arrangement of dielectric 20 and electrodes 21a, 21b being shown in more detail in FIG. 3a. The insole 15 with the dielectric 20 extends from the front part of the footwear 10 to the rear area of the footwear 10, where the heel of the sole of the foot is. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the dielectric 20 embeds two adjacent electrodes 21a and 21b arranged next to one another, which are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the footwear and are on average at the same distance from the contact side 16. Each of the two electrodes 21a and 21b has a contact pin 26a and 26b, respectively, which engage in a contact socket (not shown) and separate the respective electrode with the control device 22 and connect it separately from the other electrode. As a result, both the first electrode 21a and the second Electrode 21b can be charged separately and separately from the other with an alternating high voltage.

FIG. 2 shows the control device 22 with an electronic control system 24 which includes a microprocessor-controlled or microcontroller-controlled or also FPGA-controlled arithmetic unit 30 and the chargeable energy store 31 .

The upper part of FIG. 2 shows a control device 22 in which two transformers 23a and 23b are provided as high-voltage stages. The first transformer 23a feeds the first electrode 21a with a first alternating high voltage, while the second transformer 23b feeds the second electrode 21b with a second alternating high voltage. This means that each electrode can be supplied with a corresponding alternating high voltage independently and separately from one another. These can preferably be opposite in terms of waveform and voltage level.

The first, right electrode 21a can be subjected to a first alternating high voltage that is characteristic in terms of waveform and magnitude, which is opposite to the waveform and magnitude of the second alternating high voltage of the second, left electrode 21b.

The lower representation in FIG. 2 shows a control device 22 which has only a single transformer 23 in order to feed the electrodes with a corresponding alternating high voltage. It can be provided that the electrodes are connected to the two terminals of an alternating high voltage. It is also conceivable, however, for the two electrodes to be fed simultaneously with the phase of the alternating high voltage as a kind of one electrode.

FIG. 3b shows an embodiment in which only one electrode 21 is arranged in the dielectric 20. FIG. Here, too, there is a contact pin 26 in the heel area, which protrudes out of the dielectric 20 from the viewing plane. Furthermore, it can be seen that the electrode 21, like the sub-electrodes 21a and 21b, has a plurality of openings 35, so that a type of perforation is created. These openings 35 are occupied by the material of the dielectric 20 and thus fix the electrode 21 in a form-fitting manner in the dielectric 20. FIG. 4 shows a cross section CC through the rear heel area of the footwear 10. This can be seen as the insole. 15 formed dielectric 20, in which the first and second electrode is embedded. A contact pin 26a, 26b extends from each of the two electrodes in the direction of the control device 22. In the layer of the shoe sole 11 lying under the insole 15 there are contact sockets 27a, 27b for the respective contact pin 26a, 26b of the respective electrode, into which the contact pins are each used and their respective electrode with the control device 22 electrically connects. The contact sockets 27a, 27b together with the contact pins 26a, 26b form a type of plug-socket system or plug-in connection in order to be able to connect the respective electrode of the control device 22 and which can in particular be detachable. In this way, an exchangeable insole 15 can be implemented, which can be exchanged as required and correspondingly safely connected to the control device 22 for applying an alternating high voltage to the electrodes. The arrangement of the contact sockets 27a, 27b in the area of the control device 22 ensures that the electrical connection between the electrodes 21a, 21b and the control device 22 is kept as short as possible.

The exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4 shows that the control device 22 is arranged in a special cavity 33 in the shoe sole 11 under the insole 15 . The control device 22 can thus be safely accommodated in the shoe sole 11 without having to fear that the high-voltage source can be accidentally touched. A narrow web 34 which covers the cavity 33 is located between the cavity 33 and the insole 15 . During a walking or running movement, the heel of the foot exerts a force on the insole 15 in the direction of the control device 22 , which can lead to a deformation of the insole 15 and the web 34 . This shortens the distance between the contact pins 26a, 26b and the control device 22, which has to be compensated for by a flexible connection between the contact socket and the control device.

It is conceivable that the hollow space 33 is filled with a soft or flexible material, as a result of which the control device 22 is completely embedded in the shoe sole 11 . This allows the inner sole to be replaced, for example in the form of an insole.

Footwear Shoe sole Shoe upper Cavity of the footwear Opening of the footwear Inner sole Contact side Heel of the sole of the shoe Dielectric Electrode Control device High-voltage stage/transformer Control electronics Contact device Contact pin Contact socket External energy source Contacting interface Computing unit Chargeable energy store Separation area Cavity of the sole of the shoe Web Openings of the electrode

Claims

patent claims

1 . Footwear (10) with an inner sole (15) and an electrode arrangement for forming a dielectrically impeded plasma discharge between at least one electrode (21) and a foot sole to be treated, the inner sole (15) having the electrode (21) and the electrode (21) has a dielectric (20) that completely covers the sole of the foot to be treated, which forms a contact side (16) that faces the sole of the foot to be treated, and wherein the electrode arrangement is connected or can be connected to a control device (22) that is used to feed the electrode (21) with an alternating high voltage for generating the dielectric barrier plasma discharge, characterized in that a contact device (25) is provided for electrically connecting the electrode (21) to the control device (22), the contact device (25) having a first connection to the electrode (21 ) comprises a connected contact element which is connected to a shoe sole (11) of the footwear (10) second contact element provided for the electrical connection interacts in such a way that the electrode (21) is electrically connected or can be connected to a high-voltage stage (23) arranged in the shoe sole (11) for transmission of the alternating high voltage to the electrode (21).

2. Footwear (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the electrode arrangement has at least two electrodes (21) which are insulated from one another by the dielectric (20) and are arranged next to one another, the contact device (25) for each electrode (21) having a first Contact element and a second contact element comprises such that the electrodes (21) are separately connected or connectable to the control device (22).

22

3. Footwear (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the control device (22) is set up to feed adjacent electrodes (21) with partial alternating high voltages that are essentially opposite in terms of waveform and voltage level.

4. Footwear (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that at least two electrodes (21) are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the shoe sole (11).

5. Footwear (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (22) generates the alternating high voltage in the form of individual pulses, in the form of pulse trains and/or in the form of damped oscillations and transmits it to the respective electrode (21). .

6. Footwear (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one electrode (21) is designed as a flat, flexible electrode (21) having a plurality of openings (35), the at least one electrode (21) embedding dielectric (20) extends through these openings (35).

7. Footwear (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first contact element of the contact device (25) is a contact plug which is connected to one end with the respective electrode (21) and is connected to the opposite end from the dielectric (20), the contact plug engaging or being engageable in a contact socket (27) provided as a second contact element in the shoe sole (11) in a positive and/or non-positive manner.

8. Footwear (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dielectric (20) is formed from a flexible and/or gel-like material. Footwear (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insole (15) is formed entirely from the dielectric (20) and the at least one electrode (21) embedded therein. Footwear (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the footwear (10) has an - in particular chargeable - electrical energy store (29) which is connected to the control device (22) and supplies it with electrical energy. Footwear (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that both the control electronics and the at least one high-voltage stage (23) of the control device (22) are arranged in the shoe sole (11) of the footwear (10). Footwear (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dielectric (20) on the contact side (16) is structured to form a plurality of cavities in cooperation with the sole of the foot to be treated, or is smooth. Footwear (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insole (15) is an exchangeable insole.