Air conditioning boots

Abstract

To provide air-conditioning shoes that do not absorb rainwater and damage an electric fan. [Solution] In air-conditioned shoes (1) that create a flow of air A in the internal space, the internal space is formed by being sandwiched between an upper (11) that is placed over an outsole (12) and the outsole (12) except for the opening, the outsole (12) has a storage space (121) into which an air-blowing module (2) containing an electric fan (22), a battery (23) and a control unit (24) is fitted, and a delivery groove (122) that extends from an air outlet (211) of the air-blowing module (2) fitted into the storage space (121) and is open upward, the storage space (121) and delivery groove (122) are blocked by an insole with numerous air vents, the upper (11) has an operating unit connected to the control unit (24) located on its outer surface, and the air-blowing module (2) has an air outlet (211) that opens horizontally and an intake port (212) that opens upward and horizontally near the inner wall surface of the outsole (12).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to air-conditioning shoes that create an air flow in an interior space for the purpose of ventilation. [Background technology]

[0002] Air-conditioned shoes (air-blowing shoes) that create an air flow in an internal space for ventilation purposes are configured, for example, with an air flow passage formed in the internal space and equipped with an air blowing means (Patent Document 1, Claim 1). The air-conditioned shoes disclosed in Patent Document 1 exemplify an opening (outside air opening) provided on the back side of the outsole as the part where the air flow passage takes in air (outside air). An electric fan placed near the opening in the outsole is exemplify the air blowing means. The air-conditioned shoes disclosed in Patent Document 1 also have a battery (power supply) and control unit (control unit) of the blowing means built into the outsole. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-296260 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In air-conditioning shoes that create an air flow in the interior space for ventilation purposes, the location of the air intake is important. The air-conditioning shoes disclosed in Patent Document 1 have an opening in the outsole that houses the air blowing means, which serves as the air intake site, and an electric fan of the air blowing means is located near the opening, making it easier to take in air. However, if the air-conditioning shoes are stepped into a puddle, for example, the opening in the outsole can suck in rainwater, damaging the electric fan. Therefore, the location of the air intake in air-conditioning shoes was studied to prevent rainwater from being sucked in and damaging the electric fan. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As a result of their research, they have developed air-conditioned shoes that create an air flow in the internal space, the internal space being sandwiched between an upper that is placed over the outsole and the outsole, excluding the opening; the outsole has a storage space into which an air-blowing module containing an electric fan, battery, and control unit is fitted, and a delivery groove that extends from the air outlet of the air-blowing module fitted into the storage space and opens upward; the storage space and delivery groove are blocked by an insole with numerous air vents; the upper has an operating unit connected to the control unit located on its outer surface; and the air-blowing module has an air outlet that opens horizontally and an intake port that opens upward and horizontally near the inner wall surface of the outsole.

[0006] The air-conditioning shoe of the present invention utilizes the interior space as the location where the air blowing module takes in air. Air enters the interior space through the gap between the upper opening and the foot, and is taken into the air blowing module's intake port through the gap between the inner surface of the upper and the outer edge of the insole. The air blowing module uses an electric fan to send air from the air blowing port into the delivery groove and then blows the air into the interior space through the air vents in the insole. A portion of the air blown into the interior space is taken back into the air blowing module and circulated.

[0007] The operating unit located on the outer surface of the upper starts or stops the electric fan of the air blowing module, and increases or decreases the rotation speed of the activated electric fan, thereby increasing or decreasing the amount of air blown out from the air outlet. The insole may be laminated with a cover sheet that contacts the underside to prevent it from falling into the storage space or delivery groove. The cover sheet has ventilation holes of the same size or different sizes in the same or different positions as the ventilation holes in the insole, and is integrated with the insole to ensure breathability.

[0008] If the upper is partially or entirely breathable, it allows air to easily enter the interior space from the outside and allows air to be released from the interior space. Furthermore, if the outsole has a recess that opens upward in the area facing the intake of the ventilation module, the recess can form an air circulation path that connects the gap between the inner surface of the upper and the outer periphery of the insole to the intake of the ventilation module. The ventilation module is surrounded by the area other than the recess in the outsole and is fitted into the storage space.

[0009] The battery of the air blower module can be replaced by removing the air blower module from the outsole. However, the battery is a rechargeable secondary battery, and the upper should have a charging connector connected to the battery located on the outer surface. The battery can be charged if the charging connector can be connected to an external power source (for example, a commercial power source or a mobile battery). The charging connector can be any of the various publicly known standards, such as the USB-C standard. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] In the air-conditioned shoes of the present invention, the air intakes are not open to the upper or outsole, so there is no risk of rainwater being drawn in and damaging the electric fan. The breathability of the upper does not draw rainwater into the interior space, but rather makes it easier for the air blowing module to draw air from the interior space into the intakes and also allows the air sent out from the air outlets to be released from the interior space to the outside, improving ventilation of the interior space.

[0011] The recessed portion of the outsole forms an air flow path from the internal space to the intake port of the ventilation module, making it easier for air to be drawn into the ventilation module. Furthermore, the remaining portion surrounding the storage space protects the ventilation module from external impacts. By using a secondary battery and locating a charging connector in the upper, there is no need to remove the air conditioning module to replace the battery; the battery can be charged while wearing the air-conditioning shoes. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of air-conditioning shoes to which the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a right side view showing the air-conditioning shoes of the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the air-conditioning shoes of the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the air-conditioning shoes of this example with the upper, insole, and lid sheet removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an air-blowing module used in the air-conditioning shoes of this embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the air-conditioning shoes of this example with the upper and insole removed. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the air-conditioning shoe of this example with only the upper removed. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the air-conditioning shoe of this example, with only the upper and outsole separated and viewed from the right side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the present invention is applied to air-conditioned shoes 1 that have an appearance no different from conventional shoes (sneakers are shown as an example). The air-conditioned shoes 1 of this example are configured by covering a thick outsole 12 with an upper 11 that has breathable surfaces 112 on the left and right sides of the instep and arch of the foot. The upper covers the outsole 12 except for the opening 111, and forms an internal space 13 into which the foot (not shown) is inserted. The air-conditioned shoes 1 of this example are configured as a pair of left and right shoes, and the left and right shoes for the right foot, not shown, are configured symmetrically.

[0014] The upper 11 is made of various types of conventionally known leather. In this example, a mesh fabric is used for the breathable surface 112. As long as the inflow and outflow of air A to and from the internal space 13 is ensured, the breathable surface 112 may be made of leather with, for example, many small ventilation holes or with openings of a certain size arranged at appropriate intervals, or may be made by laminating mesh fabric on leather with ventilation holes or openings. In this example, the upper 11 has the operating unit 16 located on the outer surface of the portion that does not constitute the breathable surface 112. In the breathable surface 112 formed with ventilation holes or openings, the operating unit 16 is located so as to avoid the ventilation holes or openings.

[0015] The operation unit 16 in this example has a USB-C charging connector 16 on its front end surface, and has a power button 161 and a display 162 on a flat surface parallel to the outer surface. The power button 161 in this example sends a control signal to the connected control unit 24, and when pressed once, it starts the electric fan 22 of the air blower module 2, increases the output of the fan 22 depending on the number of times it is pressed, and stops the electric fan 22 when pressed a specified number of times (e.g., three times). The display 162 receives an information signal from the connected control unit 24 and displays the amount of air blown by the electric fan 22 (the rotation speed of the electric fan 22) and the remaining charge of the battery 23.

[0016] As shown in Figure 4, the outsole 12 has a storage space 121 in the rear about one-third of the range, into which the air-blowing module 2 is fitted, and five rows of delivery grooves 122 extending forward from the storage space 121 in the middle and about two-thirds of the range at the front. The storage space 121 is a rectangular recess with an open top that is rectangular in plan view, equivalent to the case 21 of the air-blowing module 2, with its long sides aligned approximately parallel to the front and rear of the air-conditioning shoe 1. The shape, size, and orientation of the storage space 12 can be freely set so that the air-blowing module 2 can be fitted tightly.

[0017] The outsole 12 of this example has a pair of recesses 123 on the left and right sides along the inner surface of the upper 11, which recesses 123 communicate with the intake ports 212 of the air blower module 2 fitted into the storage space 121. The recesses 123 of this example have vertical ribs 124 that correspond to the lattices provided in the intake ports 212 of the air blower module 2, and the same number of ribs are provided on the lattices of the intake ports 212 of the air blower module 2, making it easier for the taken-in air A to flow into each opening of the intake ports 212. The vertical ribs 124 also function as support structures that prevent the insole 14 and the lid sheet 15 from falling into the recesses 123.

[0018] As shown in Figure 5, the air blower module 2 of this example houses an electric fan 22 in the front half of a flat rectangular parallelepiped case 21, and a battery 23 and a control unit 24 in the rear half. The electric fan 22 takes in air A through inlets 212 on the left and right sides of the case 21 and blows the air A out through an air outlet 211 on the front of the case 21. An example of the electric fan 22 is a cross-flow fan. The electric fan 22 can be freely selected as long as it is small enough to fit into the case 21 and can take in air A through the inlet 212 and blow out air A through the air outlet 211.

[0019] The battery 23 in this example is a rechargeable lithium battery (secondary battery) that supplies power to the electric fan 22 and the control unit 24, and is connected to a charging connector 163 on the exterior of the upper 11, and can be charged by a charging adapter or mobile battery connected to the charging connector 163. The control unit 24 in this example is connected to a power button 161 and a display 162 of the operation unit 16 arranged on the exterior of the upper 11, and starts the electric fan 22 in response to operation of the power button 161, controls the electric fan 22 to gradually increase its rotation speed, and displays the rotation speed of the electric fan 22 and the remaining charge of the battery 23 on the display 162.

[0020] The storage space 121 provided in the outsole 12 of this example is a rectangular parallelepiped recess with a planar shape and depth equal to those of the case 21 of the air blowing module 2. This allows the air blowing module 2 to fit tightly into the storage space 121, preventing rattles and damage due to vibrations, etc. Because the storage space 121 is rectangular in plan view while the outsole 12 has an oval outer shape in plan view, the air blowing module 2 is surrounded by parts of the outsole 121 on the left, right, and rear of the storage space 121, except for the front where the delivery groove 122 extends, and the fitted air blowing module 2 is protected from external impacts.

[0021] The delivery grooves 122 provided in the outsole 12 of this example are provided in five rows within the range of the air outlet 211 of the air blowing module 2, and each is gently curved and has a width that changes in accordance with the change in the width of the outsole 12. As a result, the air A blown out from the air outlet 211 of the air blowing module 2 is sent out smoothly along each delivery groove 122 and spreads over a wide area of ​​the outsole 2.

[0022] As shown in Figure 6, the storage space 121 and delivery groove 122 of the outsole 12 are blocked by a lid sheet 15 having a foot shape that is approximately the same as the planar shape of the outsole 12, and as shown in Figure 7, an insole 14 having a foot shape that is approximately the same as the planar shape of the outsole 12 is placed on the lid sheet 15.

[0023] The lid sheet 15 has a large number of ventilation holes 151 in the area where the delivery grooves 122 of the outsole 12 are provided. The insole 14 also has a large number of ventilation holes 141 in the area where the delivery grooves 122 of the outsole 12 are provided. The ventilation holes 151 of the lid sheet 15 and the ventilation holes 141 of the insole 14 are not necessarily provided in the same positions. However, the presence of the large number of ventilation holes 151, 141 allows the lid sheet 15 and the insole 14 to be breathable throughout the entire area where the delivery grooves 122 are provided.

[0024] The internal space 13 of the air-conditioned shoes 1 takes in outside air A through the opening 111 and the breathable surface 112. When the power button 161 of the operation unit 16 is pressed while the air blower module 2 is stopped, the air blower module 2 is activated and the electric fan 22 begins to rotate. As a result, the air A in the internal space 13 of the air-conditioned shoes 1 is taken into the intake port 212 of the air blower module 2 through the gaps between the inner surface of the upper 11 and the outer periphery of the insole 14 and lid sheet 15, and through the recess 123, as shown in Figures 4 and 8.

[0025] The air blower module 2 takes in air A through the intake port 212, sends the air A through the air outlet 211 into the delivery groove 122 using the electric fan 22, and then blows the air A into the internal space 13 through the air vents 141, 151 in the insole 14 and the lid sheet 15. The air A blown into the internal space 13 is released to the outside through the shoe opening 111 and the breathable surface 112, and some of it is taken back into the air blower module 2 and circulated. In this way, the air-conditioned shoes 1 of the present invention circulate the air within the internal space 13, and do not take in air A directly from the outside, so there is no risk of rainwater entering the air blower module 2.

[0026] When the power button 161 of the operation unit 16 is pressed while the air blowing module 2 is operating, the rotation speed of the electric fan 22 increases, increasing the volume of air A that is taken in and sent out by the air blowing module 2. Then, when the power button 161 is pressed a specified number of times (for example, three times), the electric fan 22 stops and the air blowing module 2 is again put into a stopped state. The volume of air A blown is displayed on the display 162 and can be confirmed. In the air-conditioned shoes 1 of this example, the left and right air blowing modules 2 can be operated independently, so the volume of air A blown can be made different on the left and right.

[0027] The remaining charge of the battery 23 built into the air blower module 2 is displayed on the display 162 of the operation unit 16. When the remaining charge of the battery 23 becomes low, the charging cable (for example, a USB-C cable) inserted into the charging connector 163 of the operation unit 16 is connected to a charging adapter or mobile battery (neither of which are shown) and the battery is charged as needed. Charging can be done even while wearing the air-conditioned shoes 1. In this example, the air-conditioned shoes 1 can charge the left and right batteries 23 separately, so it is possible to charge only one of the left or right batteries 23, or to charge both batteries 23 simultaneously. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 1 air conditioned shoes 11 Upper 111 Opening 112 Breathable surface 12 Outsole 121 Containment Space 122 Delivery groove 123 Recess 124 vertical rib 13 Interior Space 14 insoles 141 Ventilation hole 15 Lid sheet 151 Ventilation hole 16 Control section 161 Power button 162 displays 163 Charging connector 2. Blower module 21 cases 211 Ventilation outlet 212 Intake 22 Electric fan 23 Batteries 24 Control Unit A. Air

Claims

1. In air-conditioning shoes that create an air flow in the internal space, The internal space is sandwiched between the upper and the outsole, excluding the opening. The outsole has an accommodation space into which a blower module containing an electric fan, a battery, and a control unit is fitted, and a delivery groove extending from the air outlet of the blower module fitted into the accommodation space and opening upward, and the accommodation space and the delivery groove are closed by an insole provided with a number of ventilation holes; The upper has an operating unit connected to the control unit located on the outer surface. The air blowing module has an air outlet opening in the horizontal direction and an intake opening opening in the upward and horizontal directions near the inner wall surface of the outsole. Air-conditioned shoes characterized by:

2. 2. The air-conditioning shoes according to claim 1, wherein the upper is partially or entirely breathable.

3. 2. The air-conditioning shoe according to claim 1, wherein the outsole has a recessed portion that opens upward in a region facing the intake port of the air blowing module.

4. The battery is a rechargeable secondary battery, 2. The air-conditioning shoes according to claim 1, wherein the upper has a charging connector connected to the battery disposed on an outer surface thereof.

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