US20030121174A1 - Ventilated insole - Google Patents

Abstract

An insole includes an insole pad which has a toe section, a heel section and a shank section and which is constituted of top and bottom sheets heat sealed together. The top and bottom sheets confine therebetween a first air chamber in the toe section, a second air chamber in the heel section and an air passage in the shank section. The air passage is relatively narrower than the first and second air chambers. A compressible resilient member is disposed in the second air chamber so that, when the heel section is compressed and released, the second air chamber can act as an air pump to draw air into the first air chamber and force the air out of the first air chamber through vent holes formed in the toe section.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention [0001]
• The invention relates to a shoe sole, more particularly to an insole capable of circulating air inside a shoe. [0002]
• 2. Description of the Related Art [0003]
• It is known in the art to ventilate shoes by using shoe soles incorporating air circulation systems which can circulate air inside the shoes or which can draw fresh air into the shoes or expel internal air from the inside to the outside of the shoes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,349 discloses a ventilated shoe having an outsole which has a plurality of resilient encasements positioned within the sole, a plurality of check valves connected between the resilient encasements, an air intake connected to the resilient encasements, and a plurality of apertures projecting into the sole. While the aforesaid outsole can draw fresh air from the heel part of the shoe and discharge the same to the toe part of the shoe, the construction thereof is complicated. [0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• An object of the present invention is to provide an insole with a simple ventilation system which can be fabricated via a simple manner and which can circulate air inside a shoe. [0005]
• Accordingly, an insole comprises an insole pad having a heel section, a toe section, and a shank section between the heel and toe sections, the insole pad being constituted of top and bottom sheets which are laid one over the other and which are heat sealed together, the top and bottom sheets confining therebetween a first air chamber at the toe section, a second air chamber at the heel section, and an elongated and narrow air passage extending in the shank section and connected fluidly to the first and second air chambers, the air passage being narrower than the first and second air chambers, the insole pad further having a resilient member disposed in the second air chamber, the insole pad being compressible when the heel section is compressed and expandable to return the heel section to an uncompressed original state, the top sheet having vent holes formed in the toe section.[0006]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: [0007]
• FIG. 1 is a plan view of an insole embodying the present invention; [0008]
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the insole of FIG. 1; [0009]
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a top sheet of the insole of FIG. 1; and [0010]
• FIG. 4 is a plan view of a resilient member of the insole of FIG. 1.[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, [0012] 3, and 4, an insole embodying the present invention is shown to include an insole pad 1 having a toe section 11, a heel section 12 and a shank section 13 between the toe and heel sections 11, 12. The insole pad 1 is constituted of top and bottom sheets 21, 22 which are preformed individually and which are laid one over the other and heat sealed together. The top and bottom sheets 21, 22 confine a first air chamber 31 in the toe section 11, a second air chamber 32 in the heel section 12, and a narrow and elongated air passage 33 formed in the shank section 13 and connected fluidly to the first and second air chambers 31, 32. To provide the first and second air chambers 31, 32 and the air passage 33, the toe, heel and shank regions 211, 212, 213 of the top sheet 21 in this embodiment are concave as best shown in FIG. 3. A plurality of vent holes 214 are formed in the toe region 211 of the top sheet 21 to communicate with the first air chamber 31. Preferably, a plurality of protrusions 215 are formed in the top sheet 21 to project downward and toward the second sheet 22 to serve as a reinforcement support for the top sheet 21.
• The [0013] insole pad 1 further has a resilient member 4 disposed in the second chamber 32. The resilient member 4 is compressible when the heel section 12 is compressed and expandable to return the heel section 12 to an uncompressed original state. The top end of the resilient member 4 abuts against the top sheet 21, whereas the bottom end thereof abuts against the bottom sheet 22. The resilient member 4 is configured as a resilient block 41 which is fabricated from an elastomeric material. The resilient block 41 has a plurality of through-holes 42 extending from the top to the bottom of the resilient block 41.
• When the [0014] insole pad 1 is placed inside a shoe and when the heel section 12 of the insole pad 1 is pressed by the foot of a wearer, the second air chamber 32 and the resilient block 41 are compressed so that the air in the second chamber 32 is forced into the first air chamber 31 through the air passage 33 and is expelled out of the first air chamber 31. When the pressure on the heel section 12 is removed, the resilient block 41 returns to its original state, and the second air chamber 32 expands, thereby producing a suction force inside the second air chamber 32. The suction force draws air into the first air chamber from the outside of the insole pad 1. As such, the insole pad 1 can circulate the air inside a shoe which includes the insole pad 1.
• Note that the [0015] air passage 33 is relatively narrower than the first and second air chambers 31, 32 and that the vent holes 214 are provided only in the toe section 11 of the insole pad 1 so that effective blowing of air can be accomplished in the toe section 11 of the insole pad 1.
• While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. [0016]

Claims (3)

I claim:

1. An insole comprising

an insole pad having a heel section, a toe section, and a shank section between said heel and toe sections, said insole pad being constituted of top and bottom sheets which are laid one over the other and which are heat sealed together,

said top and bottom sheets confining therebetween a first air chamber at said toe section, a second air chamber at said heel section, and an elongated and narrow air passage extending in said shank section and connected fluidly to said first and second air chambers, said air passage being narrower than said first and second air chambers,

said insole pad further having a resilient member disposed in said second air chamber, said insole pad being compressible when said heel section is compressed and expandable to return said heel section to an uncompressed original state,

said top sheet having vent holes formed in said toe section.

2. The insole as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resilient member is configured as a resilient block disposed in said second air chamber and formed with a plurality of through-holes extending along a direction from said top sheet to bottom sheet.

3. The insole as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top sheet further has a plurality of protrusions projecting downward and toward said bottom sheet.

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