GB2405781A - Ventilated footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

A ventilation system for footwear containing a pump C that has one way inlet and outlet valves connected to intake ports A and outlet ports E, so that when the wearer walks in the footwear, the pump is compressed and air is pumped into the shoe thereby ventilating the footwear. When the footwear contacts the ground, the pump C is compressed and air is forced through the outlet valve to the required parts of the footwear via air veins/ducts D. When the footwear is lifted off the ground, the air chamber is inflated via an inlet valve. The pump may be located within the sole of the shoe. The footwear may have an innersole made from carbon fibre material.

Description

240578 1 Air An, r, t _ = .1^ JO 1. _ The basic construction of the Air

Con System comprises of six main components: A, he ir'.a'e pot Is.

B. The supply artery.

C. The pump (heal11.

D. The delivery Veins.

E. The outlet ports.

F. The vented inner-sole.

A. The intake ports are positioned high on the outside edge of the heal. The reasons for this is to reduce the risk of dust and water being drawn into the intake ports' this can happen as the opposite foot strikes the ground causing splash.

B. The supply artery links the intake ports to the intake side of the pump. The diameter of the supply artery should be larger than that of the delivery veins to allow the pump to draw air in faster and at low pressure.

C. The main pump or heart is constructed within the sole of the sports shoe at manufacture. The heart is basically a pre-formed cavity within the heal of the shoe, it has one, one way Valve as the inlet and a second one way valve as the exit, therefore airflow can only travel one way.

D. The delivery veins deliver the airflow from the exit valve on the heart to the outlet ports at the front of the sports shoe.

E. There can be between four and eight ports in the sole of one shoe, these ports should vary in size, if there were six ports, the first two nearest the pump should have a diameter of approximately 1mm, the second two a diameter of 1.5mm and the third pair a diameter of 2mm.

By varying the diameters from small to large will insure each outlet port delivers equal amounts of air at a stable pressure this in turn cools the front area of the foot, F. the suggestion for iEIe innersole would be eriss, cross carbon fiber racer a', This material is good with regards to perspiration absorption and will allow the airflow to circulate around the foot. It will also provide a vented layer between the wearers Dot and the outlet ports.

The construction of the air con system ensures the circulation of air to the front of the sports shoe, this air produced must escape, the air naturally travels towards the heal and out around the wearers ankles, This in turn provides cool air at the rear of the shoe giving the complete foot the benefit of air conditioning.

The pump in the heal of the shoe will also provide a reasonable amount of shock absorption helping to cushion the heal on impact.

Tams PLW OR AT T he p =Lp i s s i =e t 0 DO e d Lit o, v 1 lC m t U I C; . 1 L 1 All V al d_ A V soic OA lile s uorts shoe GILA A > U'i I^Ctio i i. L i;, in:o IOIA; 4.; ,e. ; - d L,, i 17 L vaives7 the intake valve and the out let vlve troth v?lses should rinly be.

shle to or!erate '?ne ^v- ,'".? i.P \i keepin ihem directional when snAe is open the other w,i sih-i -^d vi&e versa. This wiI1 allow air to flow one w-ay o-y, Dom'e he:o the toes.

PRONATIQN

Tl-ie pump is activated by e we-ers ot' uhe nahlral wa1nking pa:ttern is om the heal rolling L,rouch the foot to the toes, this is c221ed pron2ttn.

As the wearer walks his heal first r,akes contact with the ound, conpressing the p amp w-hich is situated the heal of the shoe, dlis then forces air fUrwd througl tle delivery veins into the shoe ventilai ng and cooling the wearers ot. As +dle wearer coinues to waLk the foot rolls bom lea1 to toe, as e wei,t of the wearer is transfeed off e heal to the ball of the foot the heal nses allowing tL7e nump ro reh'm to its orina1 shape. As the p,1'p expards;.t draws fresh, cool air in through the inlet ports replemslaing e pumps air supply; as the wearer counues to wa the air cycle is repeated providng the wearer wi coniuntos ar condhonTng coolig the wenre:rs fePt.

Claims (1)

1. - -

   C.T.A'IS.

   Air ci.-ula+eA a+ pressure produces a cooling effect.

   One way valves ensure the air only travels in The desired direction.

   The arte - 's and veins should be produced from a flexible material strong enough not to be ci-ushed at.

   The basic design of the air con system can be fitted to ably shoe providing the sole can accommodate it.

   a ventilated irer-sole will ensure the air flow can circulate treeiy and Ine wee' this 100t does not block the airflow Dom the outlet ports.