A blow-molded full-piece inflatable air cushion

Abstract

This invention discloses a blow-molded, full-piece inflatable air cushion, which is integrated with a shoe outsole. It includes: a forefoot air cushion with a forefoot air chamber; a rearfoot adjustment part with a rearfoot air chamber, and a recessed groove formed on the top surface of the rearfoot adjustment part; a lateral guide part connecting the forefoot air cushion and the rearfoot adjustment part at both ends, and having lateral air chambers; the forefoot air cushion, rearfoot adjustment part, and lateral guide part are formed into a single blow-molded structure, and the forefoot air cushion, rearfoot air chamber, and lateral air chambers are interconnected; and an elastic suction assembly mounted in the recessed groove, the elastic suction assembly including an elastic bladder, a suction pipe assembly, and a discharge mechanism. The air duct assembly, including the inhalation duct assembly and the exhaust duct assembly, is connected at one end to the elastic bladder, while the other end of the exhaust duct assembly is connected to the forefoot air cushion and communicates with the forefoot air chamber. When the elastic bladder is compressed and deformed, the gas inside the elastic bladder can be filled into the forefoot air chamber through the exhaust duct assembly, and fill the forefoot, rearfoot, and sidefoot air chambers. This provides more comprehensive foot protection, not just limited to the forefoot area, but effectively cushioning all external forces on all parts of the foot, improving upon the conventional function of only providing cushioning for the forefoot area where the foot bears more force.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a blow-molded full-sheet inflatable air cushion, specifically a technology applied in the field of footwear. It mainly provides cushioning and shock absorption for all parts of the sole of the foot. The blow molding process is quick and convenient, and the air cushion can automatically inflate and automatically set the air pressure during walking, thus achieving the goal of comfortable and healthy walking. It is an invention with excellent practicality. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Shoes are the greatest product of current technological advancements, allowing wearers to walk comfortably and stably in any place. The most impressive feature today is the addition of air cushioning inside the shoes, which provides the wearer with optimal cushioning during any foot-related movements and actions, preventing foot injuries.

[0003] However, some air cushion structures simply provide cushioning, while others can draw in air from inside the shoe for release, or draw in outside air to keep the feet dry. Different air cushions have different functions. What we will discuss now is the use of air cushions. Please see Patent No. I735762 "Sports Shoes That Can Increase Marathon Speed" and Patent No. I54835 "Air Cushion Structure with Multiple Air Pressure Modes". In these two cases, it can be seen that the air cushion is directly embedded in the receiving groove of the outsole of the shoe, and the air cushion is filled by the foot's constant stepping to obtain the best elastic cushioning.

[0004] However, the air cushion part mentioned above is obviously only designed for the forefoot area. Therefore, only the forefoot area receives adequate cushioning when the entire foot is subjected to external force. This is somewhat flawed and insufficient for the current emphasis on complete foot protection. In addition, please refer to patent number I548359 "Air Cushion Structure with Multiple Air Pressure Modes". The technical part of this case also concentrates the air cushion position on the forefoot area, and the air cushion is a closed design. The air can only be stored in the supporting airbag layer and cannot circulate. In addition, each airbag in the supporting airbag layer is designed as a piece. The support of each airbag for the forefoot depends only on the internal inflation pressure. Once the internal gas is deflated, the support of each airbag is gradually lost, and the shock absorption function is lost. For the user, it is impossible to predict whether the gas inside the airbag is still full, which makes the foot vulnerable to injury. [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide more comprehensive foot protection for the wearer, not only limited to the forefoot area, but also to effectively cushion the external forces borne by all parts of the foot. This improves upon the shortcomings of the prior art listed in the prior art, which only provides cushioning for the forefoot area where the foot is subjected to more force.

[0006] However, in order to achieve the aforementioned effects and improve upon the deficiencies of conventional methods, the present invention provides a blow-molded, full-piece inflatable air cushion, comprising: a forefoot air cushion portion having a forefoot air chamber formed therein; a rearfoot adjustment portion having a rearfoot air chamber formed therein, and a receiving groove is recessed inward on the top surface of the rearfoot adjustment portion; and a side guide portion having its two ends connected to the forefoot air cushion portion and the rearfoot adjustment portion respectively, and a side air chamber being formed inside the side guide portion. The forefoot air cushion portion, the rearfoot adjustment portion, and the side guide portion are formed as a single unit by blow molding, and the forefoot air chamber and the rearfoot air chamber are... The side air chambers are interconnected; and an elastic suction assembly is installed in the receiving groove. The elastic suction assembly includes an elastic bladder, an air intake pipe assembly, and an exhaust pipe assembly. One end of the air intake pipe assembly and the exhaust pipe assembly are connected to the elastic bladder, and the other end of the exhaust pipe assembly is connected to the forefoot air cushion and communicates with the forefoot air chamber. When the elastic bladder is compressed and deformed, the gas inside the elastic bladder can be filled into the forefoot air chamber through the exhaust pipe assembly and fill the forefoot air chamber, the rear air chamber, and the side air chamber, thereby supporting the forefoot, rearfoot, and lateral arch of the foot.

[0007] According to the above definition of the present invention, its advantages lie in that, through the conductive arrangement between the forefoot air cushion, the heel adjustment part, and the lateral guide part, it can comprehensively protect the forefoot, heel, and lateral arch of the foot. Furthermore, the blow molding method reduces manufacturing time and ensures greater consistency and higher yield. Therefore, the present invention can be considered a highly practical and progressive invention, worthy of promotion by industry and public disclosure.

Implementation Method

[0009] The following specific examples illustrate the blow-molded full-sheet inflatable air cushion of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific examples, and the details in this specification can also be modified and changed based on different viewpoints and applications. The following embodiments further illustrate the viewpoints of the present invention in detail, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

[0010] As shown in Figures 1 to 8, the present invention discloses a blow-molded, full-piece inflatable air cushion, which is combined with a shoe outsole 100. It includes: a forefoot air cushion portion 1, which forms a forefoot air chamber 11; a rearfoot adjustment portion 2, which forms a rearfoot air chamber 21, and a recessed groove 22 is formed inwardly on the top surface of the rearfoot adjustment portion 2; and a side guide portion 3, whose two ends are respectively connected to the forefoot air cushion portion 1 and the rearfoot adjustment portion 2, and a side air chamber 31 is formed inside the side guide portion 3. The forefoot air cushion portion 1, the rearfoot adjustment portion 2, and the side guide portion 3 are formed as a single unit by blow molding, and the forefoot air chamber 11, the rearfoot air chamber 21, and the side air chamber 31 are... For mutual communication; and an elastic suction assembly 4, which is installed in the receiving groove 22. The elastic suction assembly 4 includes an elastic bladder 41, an air intake pipe assembly 42 and an exhaust pipe assembly 43. The air intake pipe assembly 42 and the exhaust pipe assembly 43 are each connected at one end to the elastic bladder 41, and the other end of the exhaust pipe assembly 43 is connected to the forefoot air cushion portion 1 and communicates with the front air chamber 11. When the elastic bladder 41 is deformed by pressure, the gas inside the elastic bladder 41 can be filled into the front air chamber 11 through the exhaust pipe assembly 43, and fill the front air chamber 11, the rear air chamber 21 and the side air chamber 31, thereby supporting the forefoot, heel and side arch of the foot.

[0011] Based on the above description of the present invention, the forefoot air cushion 1, the rearfoot adjustment part 2, and the lateral guide part 3 are integrally formed by blow molding. This not only provides the user with more comprehensive protection for their feet during pedaling, but also includes the forefoot, heel, and lateral arch (also known as the arch of the foot, located between the forefoot and heel). When the foot bears external force, the force can be cushioned through the corresponding parts. Please see Figures 6 and 8. The arrows in the figures indicate the direction of gas filling and flow. Compared to the prior art, the only problem is with thickness... While thicker forefoot cushioning is used, other parts of the foot are also subjected to external forces and may be injured. This invention effectively protects the foot from external forces. In addition, this invention uses blow molding to manufacture a complete insole (forefoot air cushion 1, heel adjustment part 2, and lateral guide part 3), which saves time in the manufacturing process and can be directly combined with the outsole 100. The finished product obtained by this manufacturing method has higher consistency and a higher yield rate. Compared with conventional technology, it has the disadvantages of not having to carve corresponding grooves in the outsole or making two different air cushion parts.

[0012] In addition to the main technical features described above, the detailed technical features and structural parts of the present invention will be further described below. First, please refer to Figures 1 and 4. In addition to providing a cushioning effect through inflation, a plurality of corresponding reinforcing grooves 12 are further recessed into the front air chamber 11 on the top and bottom surfaces of the forefoot air cushion 1. A reinforcing rib 121 is formed between each corresponding reinforcing groove 12. A step 122 is formed around the inner wall of each reinforcing groove 12 to distinguish the space inside each reinforcing groove 12. The space near each reinforcing rib 121 is smaller than the space near the opening of each reinforcing groove 12. The main function of each reinforcing groove 12 is to assist in supporting the weight of the foot. The step 122 of each reinforcing groove 12 forms the first support point. Then, each reinforcing rib 121 serves as the second support point that can distribute the support. This allows the force of the foot pressing on the forefoot air cushion 1 to be dispersed, so that the forefoot air cushion 1 can better protect the forefoot.

[0013] In addition, in order to ensure that the present invention can be reliably applied to the complete shoe body, an extension piece 5 is further extended around and upward at the top edge of the forefoot air cushion 1, the top edge of the rearfoot adjustment part 2, and the top edge of one side of the lateral guide part 3. The extension piece 5 is assembled with a shoe upper 200. As shown in the third figure, the manufacturer only needs to cover the shoe upper 200 with the extension piece 5 and surround it along the position of the extension piece 5, and then use subsequent processing methods (such as: gluing, hot pressing, melting, sewing, etc., the processing method is not limited here) to combine them, thereby completing a complete shoe body.

[0014] Continuing with the description of the storage groove 22 located in the rear palm adjustment section 2, the design of the storage groove 22 of the present invention is mainly to provide a place for the elastic suction assembly 4 and to facilitate future replacement. Therefore, the storage groove 22 is further divided into a first groove 221 and a second groove 222. The first groove 221 and the second groove 222 are connected. The first groove 221 is recessed according to the shape of the elastic bladder 41. The elastic bladder 41 is installed in the first groove 221. The intake pipe assembly 42 and the exhaust pipe assembly 43 are installed in the second groove 222. The second groove 222 is further divided into a long groove section 2221 and a side groove section 2222. The intake pipe assembly 42 is located in the side groove section 2222, and the exhaust pipe assembly 43 is located in the long groove section 2221 and connected to an adjustment control 6. The adjustment control 6 is located in the side groove section 2222 and is partially connected to the long groove section 2222. An adjustment port 23 is exposed on one side of the side groove section 2222. Corresponding to the design of the long groove section 2221 and the side groove section 2222, the adjustment control 6 further includes a cylindrical valve part 61, an adjustment part 62, and a venting part 63. One end of the valve part 61 is connected to the exhaust pipe assembly 43, while the other end of the valve part 61 is movably assembled with the adjustment part 62. Part of the adjustment part 62 is exposed in the adjustment port 23. The three locations are mainly for the convenience of the user to operate the adjustment part 62. The venting part 63 is located on one side of the valve part 61. The adjustment part 62 rotates relative to the valve part 61 to limit the air pressure in the front air chamber 11, the rear air chamber 21, and the side air chamber 31. When the air pressure inside the front air chamber 11, the rear air chamber 21, and the side air chamber 31 is saturated and can no longer be filled, the gas will be discharged from the venting part 63, as shown in the first and second figures.

[0015] Finally, the intake pipe assembly 42 and the exhaust pipe assembly 43 will be described, as shown in Figures 2, 3, 6, and 8. The intake pipe assembly 42 further includes a one-way intake valve 421 and an intake pipe 422. One end of the one-way intake valve 421 is connected to the elastic bladder 41, and the other end of the one-way intake valve 421 is connected to the intake pipe 422. The intake pipe 422 draws in air from the shoe to fill it. The exhaust pipe assembly 43 further includes two exhaust one-way valves 431, a multi-way valve 432, and a plurality of exhaust pipes 433. The above arrangement is as follows. The system comprises one one-way intake valve 421, one exhaust pipe 433, a multi-way valve 432, another exhaust pipe 433, and another exhaust one-way valve 431. The last exhaust one-way valve 431 is connected to the front air chamber 11. The multi-way valve 432 is mainly a three-way valve, with its two ends connected to the exhaust pipe 433, and the third end connected to the valve part 61 of the control panel 6 via the exhaust pipe 433, so that the air pressure control of the control panel 6 can be smoothly controlled. Therefore, in the gas filling of the present invention, the main function is to first use the control panel 6 to make adjustments to obtain the most suitable pressure. The optimal pressure for the wearer's feet is achieved through alternating foot pressure on the forefoot and heel. When the heel presses down on the elastic bladder 41, air within the bladder 41 is drawn into the front air chamber 11 via the exhaust pipe assembly 43. After the pressure is released, the bladder 41 returns to its elastic restoring state, and the intake pipe assembly 42 draws in air to replenish it. With the next heel press, air from the bladder 41 is again delivered to the front air chamber 11, simultaneously filling the side air chambers. 31. Rear air chamber 21: Once the air in the front air chamber 11, rear air chamber 21, and side air chamber 31 is saturated, the inflation of this invention can be completed. However, if the air in the front air chamber 11, side air chamber 31, and rear air chamber 21 cannot be filled, the wearer's continuous stepping will prevent the air from entering the front air chamber 11. Therefore, the air will be guided by the multi-way valve 432 to the valve section of the regulating control 6, and the venting part 63 of the valve section 61 will be used to vent the air, so that the air pressure in the front air chamber 11, side air chamber 31, and rear air chamber 21 is saturated and balanced, as shown in Figures 5 to 8.

[0016] Finally, it is worth mentioning that in order to ensure that the adjustment control 6 can be installed firmly without affecting the force cushioning of the lateral arch of the foot, the longest width of the lateral guide portion 3 (defined as T) is less than the distance from one side wall of the long groove section 2221 to the adjustment port 23 (defined as E). In this way, with the above-mentioned settings, not only can the adjustment control 6 be placed as scheduled, but the lateral arch of the foot can also be effectively cushioned and protected. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention combined with the shoe outsole and elastic suction assembly. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of Figure 1 in actual application, forming a complete shoe body. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 1 along line IV-IV. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of gas flow after the elastic bladder in Figure 4 is compressed. Figure 6 is a planar view of Figure 5 from another perspective. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of gas flow after the elastic bladder in Figure 5 is compressed. Figure 8 is a planar view of Figure 7 from another perspective.

Claims

1. A blow-molded, full-piece inflatable air cushion, integrated with a shoe outsole, comprising: a forefoot air cushion portion having a forefoot air chamber formed therein; a rearfoot adjustment portion having a rearfoot air chamber formed therein, and a receiving groove recessed inward on the top surface of the rearfoot adjustment portion; and a side guide portion having its two ends connected to the forefoot air cushion portion and the rearfoot adjustment portion respectively, and a side air chamber formed inside the side guide portion, wherein the forefoot air cushion portion, the rearfoot adjustment portion, and the side guide portion are formed into an integral structure by blow molding, and the forefoot air chamber, the rearfoot air chamber, and the side air chamber are interconnected; A flexible suction assembly is installed in the receiving slot. The flexible suction assembly includes a flexible bladder, an air intake pipe assembly, and an air exhaust pipe assembly. One end of the air intake pipe assembly and the air exhaust pipe assembly are connected to the flexible bladder, and the other end of the air exhaust pipe assembly is connected to the forefoot air cushion and communicates with the forefoot air chamber. An extension piece extends around the top edge of the forefoot air cushion, the top edge of the rearfoot adjustment part, and the top edge of one side of the lateral guide part. The extension piece is assembled with an upper. When the flexible bladder is compressed and deformed, the gas inside the flexible bladder can be filled into the forefoot air chamber through the air exhaust pipe assembly and fill the forefoot air chamber, the rearfoot air chamber, and the lateral air chamber, thereby supporting the forefoot, heel, and lateral arch of the foot.

2. The blow-molded full-piece inflatable air cushion as described in claim 1, wherein the top and bottom surfaces of the forefoot air cushion are recessed into the forefoot air chamber to form a plurality of corresponding reinforcing grooves, and a reinforcing rib is formed between each corresponding reinforcing groove. Furthermore, a step is formed around the inner wall of each reinforcing groove to distinguish the space within each reinforcing groove, and the space near each reinforcing rib is smaller than the space near the opening of each reinforcing groove.

3. The blow-molded full-sheet inflatable air cushion as described in claim 1, wherein the receiving groove is further divided into a first groove and a second groove, the first groove and the second groove are connected, the elastic bladder is installed in the first groove, and the air intake pipe assembly and the air exhaust pipe assembly are installed in the second groove.

4. The blow-molded full-sheet inflatable air cushion as described in claim 3, wherein the second groove is further divided into a long groove section and a side groove section, the air intake pipe assembly is located in the side groove section, the exhaust pipe assembly is located in the long groove section and connected to an adjustment control, the adjustment control is located in the side groove section and partially exposed on one side of the side groove section through an adjustment port.

5. The blow-molded full-sheet inflatable air cushion as described in claim 4, wherein the adjustment control further includes a valve, an adjustment part and a venting part, one end of the valve is connected to the exhaust pipe assembly, and the other end of the valve is movably assembled with the adjustment part, the venting part is provided on one side of the valve, and the adjustment part rotates relative to the valve to limit the air pressure in the front air chamber, the rear air chamber and the side air chamber, and when the air pressure in the front air chamber, the rear air chamber and the side air chamber is saturated and can no longer be filled, the gas will be discharged from the venting part.

6. The blow-molded full-piece inflatable air cushion as described in claim 3, wherein the air intake assembly further includes a one-way air intake valve and an air inlet pipe, the one-way air intake valve being connected at one end to the elastic bladder and the other end of the one-way air intake valve being connected to the air inlet pipe, the air inlet pipe being used to draw in air from inside the shoe for filling.

7. The blow-molded full-sheet inflatable air cushion as described in claim 3, wherein the exhaust pipe assembly further includes two exhaust check valves, a multi-way valve and a plurality of exhaust pipes, the arrangement of which is one one-way intake valve, one exhaust pipe, the multi-way valve, another exhaust pipe and another exhaust check valve, and the last exhaust check valve is connected to the front air chamber.

8. The blow-molded full-sheet inflatable air cushion as described in claim 4, wherein the longest width of the lateral guide portion is less than the distance from one side wall of the long groove to the adjustment port.

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