Ventilated shoe sole construction with improved medical support

Abstract

A ventilated shoe sole construction provides improved ventilation in the sole area of a shoe or boot, while preserving comfort and protection of the foot, as well as added support to the arch of the shoe wearer. It employs four principal components: (1) a footbed through which air may pass; (2) a sockliner through which air may pass; (3) a channeled midsole or outsole; and (4) and an air intake / exhaust device mating and communicating with the channels in the midsole or outsole to allow outside air to pass into the sole and then into the area adjacent the wearer's foot, and in turn to allow air to exhaust from the foot area, through the sole, and then to the outside of the shoe.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 783,737 filed on Mar. 17, 2006, now pending, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this specification.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]For health and comfort reasons, it is desirable that footwear both protects the foot and allows air to enter and leave the enclosed internal environment of a shoe or boot. Many attempts are made to make today's footwear both protective and breathable. For example, there are many shoes and boots comprised of uppers that are partially or completely lined with a breathable membrane, such as products sold under the Gore-Tex® and Sympatex® brand names. However, although the membrane is breathable, the layers of material surrounding it, as well as the adhesives and material waterproofing agents commonly used in the manufacture of such types of uppers, can substantially impede breathability. Other shoes...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]The present invention provides improved ventilation in the sole area of a shoe or boot, while preserving comfort and protection of the foot. It employs four principal components: (1) a footbed through which air may pass; (2) a sockliner through which air may pass; (3) a channeled midsole or outsole; and (4) an air intake / exhaust device mating and communicating with the channels in the sole to allow outside air to pass into the sole, and to allow air to exhaust from the sole. The air intake / exhaust device also serves to provide added support to the arch of the wearer's foot.

Problems solved by technology

However, although the membrane is breathable, the layers of material surrounding it, as well as the adhesives and material waterproofing agents commonly used in the manufacture of such types of uppers, can substantially impede breathability.

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