insole

Abstract

To materialize an insole that has a simple structure and an excellent ventilation function in the present invention, while there is no insole in which a simple structure and a highly efficient ventilation function are combined although at present various insoles intended for ventilation inside shoes are existing commercially and in patent literatures.SOLUTION: The present invention is a simple one in which merely a rear sheet is provided for the purpose of forming a suction passage in a heel part of an insole that has an air chamber with an elastic function. Opening / closing of the suction passage is timely performed linked with compression and expansion of the air chamber, with fresh air efficiently sent into a steamy and smelly place in a toe part without causing backflow, in the structure. On the basis of human engineering, a walking cycle is analyzed, with an action of a heel and a toe root utilized. The insole is thereby materialized which can be highly efficiently ventilated in spite of a simple structure without having a special pump or valve.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an insole for shoes, and more particularly to an insole having a function of efficiently ventilating the inside of shoes to remove stuffiness and odors from the inside of shoes.

[0002] In the present invention, the insole includes an inner sole. In other words, it includes an "insole" also called a "midsole" that is incorporated into the sole of a shoe, and an "inner sole" also called a "midsole" that can be inserted into a shoe later or removed. The terms in the following quotation marks used in the present invention are defined below. "Insole" includes those that are inserted into the shoe, those that are removable, and those that are incorporated into the sole of the shoe, and also includes names such as inner sole, midsole, and inner liner. "Front and rear" refers to the front end, rear end, forward, backward, front, rear, etc., in normal use. and is identical to the front and back of a human. "Upper and lower" refers to the upper and lower sides of things such as upper side, lower side, upper part, and lower part, which are the same as the upper and lower sides of a human being in normal use. "Free edge" means an edge of a sheet-like member that is not joined anywhere. The "base of the toes" refers to the part opposite the base of the toes. The "heel part" refers to the part opposite the heel. The "toe area" refers to the part opposite the toes. "Exhaust passage" is synonymous with exhaust passage. "Intake passage" is synonymous with intake passage. "Exhaust outlet" is synonymous with exhaust outlet. "Intake port" is synonymous with intake port. [Background technology]

[0003] Currently, various types of insoles are commercially available, called insoles with ventilation functions or breathable insoles, for the purpose of removing stuffiness and odors from inside shoes. In addition, there are many ideas for insoles with similar purposes and shoes incorporating such insoles in patent documents. There is a tendency that the currently popular commercial products do not have particularly remarkable ventilation effects, but many of them have simple structures, while in patent documents, there are some that seem to have ventilation effects, but many of them have complex structures.

[0004] There are no insoles on the market that have a complex structure and excellent ventilation function, and the reason for this seems to be cost. On the other hand, in patent documents, the structure seems to be complicated because of the pursuit of ventilation function without regard for cost. In any case, the current situation is that there are no insoles that have both a simple structure and high-efficiency ventilation.

[0005] The following prior art documents are patent documents relating to an insole alone and a shoe incorporating the insole, which are relevant to the present invention. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 53-056534 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 55-138402 [Patent Document 3] Jitszen No. 56-158906 [Patent Document 4] Publication No. 58-084710 [Patent Document 5] Publication No. 58-187307 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 03-126401 [Patent Document 7] JP 2004-141606 A [Patent Document 8] Publication No. 3183852 [Patent Document 9] Publication No. 3200163 [Patent Document 10] Patent No. 5043247 [Patent Document 11] JP 2004-290653 A [Patent Document 12] Publication No. 3045819 [Patent Document 13] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 04-023402 [Patent Document 14] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-243804 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] For modern people who have begun to wear shoes, stuffiness and odor inside the shoes have been a long-standing problem, but there is still no insole that has both a simple structure and a highly efficient ventilation function. In view of this situation, the present invention aims to realize an insole that has a simple structure and a highly efficient ventilation function. The problem to be solved will be described in detail below.

[0008] Among the patent documents, there are some with simple configurations such as Patent Document 2, Patent Document 4, Patent Document 5, Patent Document 6, and Patent Document 7, but they have the following problems with ventilation function. All the other patent documents have the problem of complex configuration.

[0009] Patent Documents 2 and 5 have no problem when sucking air into the insole, but they have a problem when expelling it. That is, these documents assume that air is sent to the front toe area and then expelled, but in these configurations, the intake port is simply opened in the insole and no means for preventing backflow is taken, so when the heel presses against the insole, a large amount of air flows back to the intake port at the rear and is expelled, and only a small amount is sent to the desired exhaust port at the toe, making the ventilation effect questionable.

[0010] In Patent Document 4, Patent Document 6, and Patent Document 7, a backflow prevention means is provided in which the heel is pressed against the intake port opened in the insole to close it when exhausting air, but since the internal pressure becomes very high when exhausting air, i.e., when compressing air, it is necessary to close the intake port in an airtight state to prevent backflow due to air leakage. In particular, since the internal pressure becomes extremely high during sudden compression, high airtightness is required to close the intake port without leakage. In these documents, in order to close the intake port in an airtight state with the heel, it is required to use thin socks or to be barefoot, and thick socks such as wool socks may have poor airtightness and may cause a decrease in ventilation efficiency. In addition, in general, insoles are often covered on the top surface with thick sheets or meshes that are hygroscopic and breathable to prevent a sticky feeling on the soles of the feet, so there are fine gaps around the intake port, which may also cause poor airtightness and a decrease in ventilation efficiency. In addition, since the inside of a shoe is generally prone to becoming dirty with dust and sand, if the air intake is open toward the top, there is a concern that dust and sand may easily get into the insole. The present invention is intended to solve all of the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] Normally, even in shoes that fit perfectly, a space will form between the heel and the sole while walking or running. The size of the space will vary depending on the type of shoe, for example, running shoes, business shoes, rain shoes, but a space will always be created. The space is at its largest when the toes leave the ground, and for adults, the thickness is usually about 10 mm. The space is at its smallest when the entire sole of the foot touches the ground, at which point the space disappears. The size of this space is constantly changing while walking or running, and the present invention is an insole that ventilates by utilizing the change in the size of this space.

[0012] The present invention is an insole made of an elastic body that exhausts air when compressed by the pressure of the heel, and sucks in air when restored and expanded by releasing the pressure. When exhausting air, the exhaust port is open and the intake port is closed, and air is exhausted only from the exhaust port, and when inhaling air, the intake port is open and the exhaust port is closed, and air is inhaled only from the intake port, so that air flows without backflow. The exhaust port is provided near the front end, and the intake port is provided near the rear end, so that fresh air close to the outside air at the rear is efficiently sent to the sweaty and smelly areas of the toes. The basic concept of the present invention has been described above, and the specific configuration will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] As shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the insole 1 according to the present invention has a flat, bag-like space 3 surrounded by a member 2, and as shown in Fig. 5, an exhaust passage 7, an air chamber 6, and an intake passage 8 are provided in this space 3. The space 3 from the front end 15 to the front end of the heel 12 serves as the exhaust passage 7, and the space 3 from the front end of the heel 12 to the rear end 16 serves as the air chamber 6. The rear sheet 4 is provided so that the intake passage 8 is formed along the flat surface of the air chamber 6. By providing the rear sheet 4, a flat, bag-like gap is formed between the rear sheet 4 and the member 2, and this gap serves as the intake passage 8. The front of the intake passage 8 opens to the air chamber 6, and the rear opens to the outside of the space 3. The front of the exhaust passage 7 opens to the outside of the space 3, and the rear opens to the air chamber 6. The intake passage 8 is provided to allow air to flow through the air chamber 6 when the air chamber 6 is compressed. Sometimes, the heel The exhaust passage 7 is closed by the pressure of the air chamber 6. Sometimes, toes It is configured to close when pressed by the base portion 11. The air chamber 6 contains air when inflated, is compressed by the pressure of the heel, expels the air inside during the compression process, and expands to its original state when the pressure is released, and is configured of an elastic body that draws air inside during the expansion process. The rear sheet 4 and the air intake passage 8 can be provided above or below the air chamber 6, or on both the top and bottom sides, and can also be provided inside or outside the space 3. The present invention is an insole 1 characterized by the above configuration.

[0014] The surrounding member 2 that forms the flat, bag-like space 3 of the insole 1 can be made of a member having an elastic function. This allows the space 3 inside the insole 1 to be hollow.

[0015] Also, the insole 1 may have a structure in which an elastic body 5 containing air and having breathability is built into the space 3. The elastic body 5 may be an open-cell sponge or urethane foam, and the exhaust passage 7 and the air chamber 6 may be integrated. Instead of a sponge material, the elastic body 5 may be a cotton-like or felt-like material, a linear or plate-like elastic material bent three-dimensionally, or a single or multiple tubular elastic materials.

[0016] One method for forming the space 3 in the insole 1 of the present invention is to form the space 3 by surrounding it with the sheet-like member 2, but this is not the only method. It is also possible to incorporate the insole into a shoe and use the space sandwiched between other existing parts of the shoe, such as other existing insoles, midsoles, or outersoles. In other words, the flat, bag-like space 3, which is one of the components of the present invention, may be formed by any means.

[0017] In the specification and drawings of the present invention, the space 3 is described as being formed by being wrapped with a sheet-like member 2, the elastic body 5 integrating the air chamber 6 and the exhaust passage 7 is built into the space 3, the rear seat 4 and the intake passage 8 are provided above the air chamber 6, and the rear seat 4 and the intake passage 8 are provided inside the space 3, but this does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The same applies to the dimensional values ​​described below.

[0018] The main parts of the present invention, namely the rear seat 4, the air chamber 6, and the intake passage 8, will now be described in more detail. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of the heel portion 12, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the heel portion 12. As these figures show, an edge that is not joined anywhere is generated at the opening leading from the intake passage 8 to the air chamber 6. In this invention, this edge is called a free edge 14. As will be described in more detail later, when the air chamber 6 is compressed and exhausted, this free edge 14 acts as a check valve, thereby providing an even greater backflow prevention effect. Effect of the Invention

[0019] The present invention, as configured above, has a very simple structure of merely providing a rear sheet 4 at the heel of a conventional, general insole, but is configured so that each part of the insole functions as a valve or air pump by utilizing the movements of the base of the toes and heel based on ergonomics through analysis of the walking cycle. This realizes an insole that can efficiently send fresh outside air from the rear to the sweaty and smelly toe area inside the shoe without backflowing air. The action of each part during the walking cycle and the associated effects are described in detail below.

[0020] A walking cycle is defined as one period from heel contact to immediately before the next heel contact of the same foot. Although the terminology of the walking cycle differs between the conventional method and the Rancho Los Amigo method, the terminology of the conventional method is used in this specification. As shown in FIG. 12, which shows the walking cycle, the walking cycle is divided into a stance phase and a swing phase. The stance phase is further divided into five stages, namely heel contact, sole contact, mid-stance phase, heel-off, and toe-off, and the swing phase is divided into three stages, namely acceleration phase, mid-swing phase, and deceleration phase. FIG. 12 shows which stages of the walking cycle are related to the exhaust stroke and intake stroke of the insole of the present invention.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 12, the insole of the present invention takes in and out of the stance phase, with the exhaust stroke taking place in the first half of the stance phase, i.e., heel-on-sole-on-sole-mid-stance phase, and the intake stroke taking place in the second half of the stance phase, i.e., mid-stance phase, heel-off, toe-off phase. Next, the state of exhaust and intake will be described with reference to Figs. 6 to 9.

[0022] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the air chamber and its vicinity during the swing phase, when the pressure is released, the air chamber is fully expanded, the intake stroke is completed, and the next exhaust stroke is about to begin.

[0023] In Fig. 7, the heel touches the ground and pressure is applied to the air chamber during the first half of the stance phase, during which air is exhausted, and the air chamber is compressed. Since the intake passage is provided along the air chamber, when the air chamber is pressed and compressed, the intake passage is always pressed and closed at the same time. At this time, the base of the toes is raised, so air is only exhausted from the front exhaust port. At this time, the method of closing the intake port is not the method in which the heel directly contacts and closes the intake port opened at the top of the insole as in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 4, 6, and 7, but the method in the present invention is a method in which the heel indirectly presses and closes the intake passage via a member or sheet, so airtightness can be ensured under all conditions regardless of the type of sock or insole cover used.

[0024] Figure 8 shows the stage in mid-stance when the entire body weight is placed over the entire insole, all the air has escaped, the exhaust stroke is completed, and the air chamber has a flattened shape, prior to transitioning to the next intake stroke.

[0025] Figure 9 shows the state of inspiration during the latter half of the stance phase, when the heel rises, the pressure is released, and the air chamber is in the process of restoring and expanding. The intake passage is opened when the pressure on the air chamber is released, and air is taken in through the intake port. At this time, the intake passage is in a gap state, but air can flow through it unless it is blocked by pressure, so air is taken in. At this time, the base of the toes is always on the ground, so the exhaust passage is blocked and air is only taken in through the rear intake port. The intake port opens inside the shoe, but since it is at the rear of the shoe, it is close to the outside air, and there is far less moisture and odor there than at the front of the toes.

[0026] Next, the movement of the base of the toes and heel at each stage of the walking cycle and the accompanying action of each part and air flow conditions will be described based on Figures 10 and 11, divided into the exhaust stroke and the intake stroke.

[0027] First, we will discuss the exhaust stroke in Figure 10. Figures 10(a) to (d) show the stages of the exhaust stroke in chronological order when the air chamber is compressed in the first half of the stance phase, from the swing phase to the mid-stance phase.

[0028] Figure 10(a) shows the swing phase when the entire sole of the foot is lifted off the ground, and the air chamber has been released from the pressure, expanded completely, and is now full of air, just before the exhaust stroke.

[0029] Figure 10(b) shows the moment when the heel touches the ground, when the pressure begins to compress the air chamber. The intake passage is located in a position where it is pressed along the air chamber, so at this time, the intake passage is also pressed and blocked in conjunction with the pressure on the air chamber. At this time, the base of the toes of the exhaust passage is raised and open, so exhaust begins only from the exhaust port.

[0030] Figure 10(c) shows the period when the compression of the air chamber continues. At this time, the intake passage is blocked by the pressure of the heel, and at the same time, the free edge 14 of the opening of the intake passage leading to the air chamber functions like a check valve, so that the intake passage is closed in a highly airtight state, and even if the air chamber is suddenly compressed, backflow to the intake port is completely prevented, and air is sent to the exhaust port at the toe without leakage.

[0031] If we look more closely at the periods shown in Figures 10(b) and (c), we can see that the compression of the air chamber is caused by the pressure of the heel, which is different from the expansion. In other words, while the expansion is caused by the natural restoration of an elastic body, the compression is caused by the forced pressure of the heel, and the big difference is the speed. In other words, compression is performed more suddenly than expansion. The sudden compression causes the internal pressure to rise significantly, so a high level of airtightness is required to prevent leakage. In Figure 7, even if the intake passage is blocked only by the pressure of the heel, there is a risk of leakage, but the higher the internal pressure, the more the free edge 14 is pressed against the opposite side, increasing the airtightness. During this sudden compression, it is the free edge 14 that functions like a check valve and exerts a backflow prevention effect.

[0032] Let us consider what would have happened if the rear seat 4 had not been present at the time shown in Fig. 10(b) and (c). In Fig. 6, if the rear seat 4 was not present, there would have been no intake passage 8, and the air chamber would simply open directly to the outside. Therefore, when the air chamber is compressed, there would be no means to close the intake port, and a large amount of air would flow back and be discharged from the intake port. In other words, the intake port would be merely an opening through which air enters and exits as the air chamber is compressed and expanded. The rear seat 4 forms the intake passage 8, and as shown in Fig. 7, the intake passage 8 is closed during compression, and the free edge 14 functions as a check valve, playing an extremely important role in preventing backflow. In other words, by providing the rear seat 4 at a position along the air chamber, the intake passage 8 is formed so that it is closed and opened at the appropriate time in conjunction with the compression and expansion of the air chamber, and the free edge 14 is arranged to function as a check valve when closed. This configuration is one of the most important components of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 10(d) shows the state in the middle of the stance phase where the entire sole of the foot is in contact with the ground, the entire weight of the foot is applied, the entire insole has become flattened, and the exhaust stroke is completed.

[0034] Next, we will discuss the inspiration stroke in Fig. 11. Fig. 11(a) to (d) show the time series of each stage of the inspiration stroke when the air chamber is inflated in the latter half of the stance phase from mid-stance phase to swing phase.

[0035] FIG. 11(a) shows the mid-stance phase when the entire sole of the foot is in contact with the ground, the insole is compressed by body weight, the air chamber is flattened, and it does not contain any air at all, just before the intake stroke.

[0036] Figure 11(b) shows the time immediately after the heel leaves the ground, when the air chamber begins to recover and expand due to the release of pressure, and the intake passage is also opened in conjunction with the release of pressure. At this time, the base of the toes of the foot is in contact with the ground and blocking the exhaust passage, so the exhaust port is closed, and air intake begins only through the intake port.

[0037] Figure 11(c) shows the period when the heel rises further and inflation continues. Even at this time, the base of the toes of the exhaust passage is still in contact with the ground and closed, and the intake passage is still open, so air continues to be drawn in only from the intake port.

[0038] Figure 11(d) shows the swing phase when the entire sole of the foot is lifted off the ground, the air chamber is full of air, and the intake stroke is complete. If we observe this period in detail, we can see that just before this, the base of the toes leaves the ground and the compressed part of the exhaust passage expands slightly, sucking in a small amount of air containing moisture and odor from the toes through the exhaust port. However, since the expansion of the air chamber has finished at this point, the amount of air sucked in is only the amount in the exhaust passage part of the base of the toes, and since the thickness of this part is thin, it is an extremely small amount, so there is no problem at all.

[0039] As described above, by closely observing the function of each part of the insole of the present invention at each point in time during the exhaust and intake strokes, it was possible to verify how effectively air is taken in and exhausted from within the shoe.

[0040] In this way, the present invention has an extremely simple structure of merely providing a rear sheet 4 at the heel of a conventional, ordinary insole, but by utilizing the timing of the movements of the base of the toes and the heel, the intake and exhaust passages can be opened and closed at the appropriate time without the need for special valves or pumps, and an insole that can ventilate efficiently without backflowing air has been realized. It is an ideal insole that provides excellent ventilation under all conditions regardless of the type of socks or insole cover used, and also takes measures to prevent the intrusion of dust and sand, and in particular solves the difficult problem of preventing backflow during exhaust, which was an issue in many of the prior patent documents, with a simple structure.

[0041] Furthermore, the cushioning provided by the elastic material in this insole absorbs shock, reduces the burden on the soles of the feet, and provides a comfortable feel, which is another major benefit. In addition to the importance of ventilation and shock absorption, comfort and usability are also important factors in insoles.

[0042] Also, one of the causes of blisters while running is high temperature and humidity inside shoes. In other words, if the ventilation inside the shoes is poor, the feet get steamy and the skin becomes soft, the friction coefficient increases due to the humidity, and the high temperature accelerates inflammation, making blisters more likely to form. By using this insole in running shoes, the high temperature and humidity inside the shoes are eliminated, heat dissipation and drying are promoted, making it difficult for blisters to form.

[0043] The present invention was born as a result of a thorough pursuit of simplicity, and can be realized without major design changes by using the original parts and configurations of conventional insoles and shoes, and has a high degree of freedom in adapting to all types, sizes, and shapes of shoes. Because it is simple, it can be easily incorporated into a wide variety of shoes without concerns about increased weight, an increase in the number of parts, or an increase in manufacturing labor, and because it is simple, it is inexpensive, so it has the advantage that the cost does not increase significantly compared to conventional products, whether it is used alone as an insole or incorporated into a shoe. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0044] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] Schematic enlarged side view of a heel portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] Cross section of line AA in Figure 2 [Figure 6] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the air chamber in Figure 5 [Figure 7] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the area around the air chamber when compressed by the heel in Figure 6 [Figure 8] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the air chamber when compression by the heel is completed in Figure 6 [Figure 9] An enlarged cross-sectional view of the air chamber and its surroundings when the heel pressure is released and the shoe inflates in Figure 6. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the exhaust stroke in chronological order when the embodiment of the present invention is used. [Figure 11]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the intake stroke in chronological order when the embodiment of the present invention is used. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the exhaust stroke and the intake stroke of the present invention during a walking cycle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0045] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the embodiment of the insole 1 of the present invention has a configuration in which a member 2 surrounds a flat, bag-like space 3 that is shaped like a sole of a foot. As shown in Fig. 5, an open-cell urethane foam in which an exhaust passage 7 and an air chamber 6 are integrated is built into this space 3 as an elastic body 5. From the front end 15 to the front of the heel 12, that is, approximately the front half, forms the exhaust passage 7, and has a thickness of approximately 3 mm. From the heel 12 to the rear end 16, that is, approximately the rear half, forms the air chamber 6, and has a thickness of approximately 12 mm. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, a rear sheet 4 is provided at the top along the air chamber 6 so that an intake passage 8 is formed. By providing the rear sheet 4, a gap is formed between the member 2 surrounding the insole 1 and the rear sheet 4, and this gap becomes the intake passage 8 in the shape of a flat bag.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 5, the front of the exhaust passage 7 opens to the outside of the insole 1 to form an exhaust port 9, and the rear of the exhaust passage 7 is connected to the air chamber 6. The front of the intake passage 8 opens to the lower air chamber 6, and the rear of the intake passage 8 opens to the outside of the insole 1 to form an intake port 10. The intake port 10 is provided in a location near the rear end 16 close to the outside air, so fresh air is taken in from here, and the exhaust port 9 is provided in a location near the front end 15 where moisture and odors are trapped, so fresh air is discharged here. Both the exhaust port 9 and the intake port 10 open toward the side of the insole 1 to prevent dust and sand from entering. As shown in FIG. 1, several slit-like cuts 13 are provided at positions corresponding to the spaces between the toes on the top surface of the insole 1, and air is also discharged from these cuts to promote drying between the toes. The slits are provided to prevent dust and sand from entering.

[0047] The air chamber 6 is composed of an elastic body 5 that exhausts air when compressed by the pressure of the heel, and sucks in air when restored and expanded by releasing the pressure. When sucking in air, the intake passage 8 is in a gap state, but air flows through and is sucked in unless it is pressed and closed. To make it easier for air to pass through, a thin urethane foam may be built into the intake passage 8 to widen the gap, or the member forming the intake passage 8 may be given an elastic function to widen the gap. In addition, the thickness of the exhaust passage 7 is about 3 mm in the above, but the thickness of the exhaust passage 7 is not necessarily required, and even if it is just a gap, air will flow through it unless it is pressed and closed, so a gap like the intake passage 8 may be used. In this case, the entire elastic body 5 can be the air chamber 6.

[0048] The above-described form of the insole 1 can be a so-called "insole" that can be inserted into or removed from a shoe, or a so-called "midsole" that is built into a shoe. When the insole is built into a shoe, it is not necessary to surround the insole 1 with a sheet-like member 2 to form the space 3, and each part of the shoe can form the space 3 of the insole 1. For example, the space 3 can be formed by using an existing sole as the bottom surface, surrounding the sides with the upper of the shoe, and covering only the upper surface with a sheet material. Also, the space 3 can be formed by being sandwiched between an existing insole, midsole, or outer sole, and surrounding the sides with the upper. In other words, the flat, bag-like space 3 can be formed by any means. When the insole is built into a shoe, the air intake 10 can be opened to the outside of the shoe, allowing even fresher outside air to be inhaled.

[0049] Furthermore, by incorporating an elastic body 5 in the space 3 of the insole 1, the exhaust passage 7 and the air chamber 6 can be integrated, and by variously setting the hardness, resilience coefficient, and thickness dimensions of the material of the elastic body 5 used, a wide variety of comforts and feels can be obtained, making it possible to realize an insole 1 that combines a wide variety of shock absorption functions and ventilation functions for the sole of the foot.

[0050] The thickness of the exhaust passage 7 is 3 mm and the thickness of the air chamber 6 is 12 mm, which are assumed to be used in general business shoes and jogging shoes, but by changing these thicknesses, it is possible to realize an optimal insole 1 that is compatible with a wide variety of shoes. For example, in boots and rain shoes, there is a lot of space inside the shoes, and these shoes tend to get sweaty, so it is desirable to make the air chamber 6 as thick as possible, about 20 mm. On the other hand, in tight-fitting running shoes and other sports shoes, the air chamber 6 cannot be made too thick, but it is thought that the ventilation capacity can be maintained by the amount of exercise, that is, the number of compressions.

[0051] In addition, the flat, bag-like space 3, which is one of the components of the insole 1 of the present invention, only needs to have an elastic function of contracting when the heel is pressed and restoring and expanding when the pressure is released, so it is not necessary to incorporate an elastic body 5 into this space 3, and the space 3 can be made hollow by endowing the surrounding member 2 that forms the space 3 with an elastic function. Making the inside hollow increases the air capacity and improves ventilation efficiency. In the limited space inside the shoe, the increase in air capacity, which leads to improved ventilation efficiency, is a great advantage. For example, if the air chamber is hollow and the thickness of the air chamber is 12 mm, the air capacity is approximately 40 cc. EXAMPLES

[0052] An embodiment in which the insole 1 of the present invention is used as an "insole," or so-called "inner sole," is shown in the perspective view of Fig. 1, the plan view of Fig. 2, the side view of Fig. 3, and the cross-sectional view of Fig. 5. The arrangement and configuration of each part are omitted here, as they are described in detail in the above paragraphs

[0045] ,

[0046] , and

[0047] . When used as an insole, the member 2 forming the flat, bag-like space 3 in the shape of the sole of the foot is suitably a flexible, sheet-like material with low air permeability and moisture absorption, such as synthetic resin, natural or synthetic rubber, silicone rubber, plastic, leather, or cloth. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1. Insole of the present invention 2. Materials surrounding the space 3. Flat, bag-shaped space 4 Rear seats 5 Elastic body 6 Air chamber 7 Exhaust passage (exhaust passage) 8 Intake passage (suction passage) 9 Exhaust port (exhaust port) 10. Air intake (intake port) 11 Base of the toes 12 Heel 13 Slit-shaped cut 14 Free margin 15 Front end 16 Rear end

Claims

[Claim 1] In the insole, a flat, bag-like space (3) is surrounded by a member (2), The space (3) from the front end (15) to the front end of the heel portion (12) forms an exhaust passage (7); The space (3) from the front end of the heel portion (12) to the rear end portion (16) forms an air chamber (6); A rear sheet (4) is provided along the flat surface of the air chamber (6), A flat, bag-shaped gap between the rear seat (4) and the member (2) forms an intake passage (8), The front of the intake passage (8) opens into the air chamber (6) and the rear opens into the outside of the space (3). The exhaust passage (7) opens at the front to the outside of the space (3) and at the rear to the air chamber (6); The intake passage (8) is configured to be closed by the pressure of the heel portion (12) when the air chamber (6) is compressed. The exhaust passage (7) is configured to be closed by pressure from the base of the toes (11) when the air chamber (6) is inflated, The insole is characterized in that the air chamber (6) contains air inside when inflated, is compressed by the pressure of the heel, expels the air inside during the compression process, and restores and expands when the pressure is released, and takes in air inside during the expansion process.

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