Full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding

Abstract

The present invention relates to a full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding, which is combined with a shoe outsole and includes: a forefoot cushion portion with a front air chamber; a heel adjustment portion with a rear air chamber and a received groove; a lateral connection portion with a side air chamber, the forefoot cushion portion, the heel adjustment portion and the lateral connection portion being integrally formed by blow molding and interconnected; and an elastic suction unit, installed in the received groove and including an elastic bladder, an intake pipe assembly and an exhaust pipe assembly. When the elastic bladder is compressed and deformed, the air inside the elastic bladder is pushed through the exhaust pipe assembly into the front air chamber and fills up the front, rear and side air chambers. This provides comprehensive protection for the foot, not limited to just the forefoot.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFields of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding, specifically applied in the field of shoe technology.Descriptions of Related Art

[0002] The function of air cushion structures is primarily to provide cushioning. Some of them can draw the air inside the shoe for air expulsion or can bring in external air to keep the feet dry. Different air cushions have different functions. For example, in Taiwan Patent No. I735762, “Sports Shoes Capable of Enhancing Marathon Pace”, and Taiwan Patent No. I548359, “Air Cushion Structure With Multiple Air Pressure-Level Modes”, the air cushion is embedded directly into a received groove in the shoe outsole to allow air to be drawn into the cushion as the foot presses down, providing optimal elastic cushioning.

[0003] However, since the aforementioned air cushions are only installed in the forefoot areas, only the front part of the foot receives proper cushioning from external forces. This is insufficient for providing full foot protection, which is emphasized in modern designs. Additionally, in Taiwan Patent No. I548359, “Air Cushion Structure With Multiple Air Pressure-Level Modes”, the air cushion is also located at the forefoot area and is designed in a closed configuration. This means the air inside is confined within the support bladder layer without allowing for airflow circulation. The support bladder layer consists of individual air chambers designed as separate sections, and the support provided for the forefoot by the air chambers depends solely on the pressure of the air inside. Once the internal air deflates, the support effect of the air chambers is gradually diminished, thereby reducing their shock-absorbing function. Users cannot predict when the air inside the cushion will deflate, which increases the risk of foot injury.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide more comprehensive protection for the wearer's foot, not limited to the forefoot area, but ensuring that all parts of the foot are effectively cushioned from external forces. This improves upon the shortcomings of conventional technologies, which only provide cushioning for the forefoot area, where the foot typically bears the most pressure.

[0005] To achieve the aforementioned effects and address the deficiencies of conventional designs, the present invention provides a full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding, which includes: a forefoot cushion portion, having a front air chamber formed therein; a heel adjustment portion, having a rear air chamber formed therein and a received groove recessed from a top surface of the heel adjustment portion; a lateral connection portion, having both ends connected to the forefoot cushion portion and the heel adjustment portion, respectively, and formed with a side air chamber therein, wherein the forefoot cushion portion, the heel adjustment portion and the lateral connection portion are integrally formed by blow molding and interconnected; and an elastic suction unit, installed in the received groove and including an elastic bladder, an intake pipe assembly and an exhaust pipe assembly, wherein one end of each of the intake pipe assembly and the exhaust pipe assembly is connected to the elastic bladder, while the other end of the exhaust pipe assembly is connected to the forefoot cushion portion and communicates with the front air chamber; wherein when the elastic bladder is compressed and deformed, air inside the elastic bladder is pushed through the exhaust pipe assembly into the front air chamber and fills up the front air chamber, the rear air chamber and the side air chamber, thereby supporting a forefoot, a rearfoot, and a lateral arch of a foot.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view showing the combination of the present invention with a shoe outsole and an elastic suction unit.

[0007] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective schematic view of FIG. 1.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic view illustrating the actual application of FIG. 1, forming a complete shoe structure.

[0009] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 1.

[0010] FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating airflow after the elastic bladder of FIG. 4 is compressed.

[0011] FIG. 6 is a plan schematic view of FIG. 5 from a different angle.

[0012] FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating the airflow during the rebound of the compressed elastic bladder from FIG. 5.

[0013] FIG. 8 is a plan schematic view of FIG. 7 from a different angle.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, the present invention relates to a full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding, which is combined with a shoe outsole 100 and includes: a forefoot cushion portion 1, having a front air chamber 11 formed therein; a heel adjustment portion 2, having a rear air chamber 21 formed therein and a received groove 22 recessed from a top surface of the heel adjustment portion 2; a lateral connection portion 3 having both ends connected to the forefoot cushion portion 1 and the heel adjustment portion 2, respectively, and formed with a side air chamber 31 therein, wherein the forefoot cushion portion 1, the heel adjustment portion 2 and the lateral connection portion 3 are integrally formed by blow molding and interconnected; and an elastic suction unit 4 installed in the received groove 22 and including an elastic bladder 41, an intake pipe assembly 42 and an exhaust pipe assembly 43. One end of each of the intake pipe assembly 42 and the exhaust pipe assembly 43 is connected to the elastic bladder 41, while the other end of the exhaust pipe assembly 43 is connected to the forefoot cushion portion 1 and communicates with the front air chamber 11. When the elastic bladder 41 is compressed and deformed, the air inside the elastic bladder 41 is pushed through the exhaust pipe assembly 43 into the front air chamber 11 and fills up the front air chamber 11, the rear air chamber 21, and the side air chamber 31, thereby supporting the forefoot, the rearfoot, and the lateral arch of the foot.

[0015] According to the above description of the present invention, the forefoot cushion portion 1, the heel adjustment portion 2 and the lateral connection portion 3 are integrally formed using blow molding. This not only provides more comprehensive protection for the user's foot, including the forefoot, the heel and the lateral arch (also referred as foot arch located between the forefoot and the heel), during stepping motions, but also cushions the external forces applied to the foot, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, in which the arrows indicate the airflow direction during air filling. Compared to the conventional technology in which only provides cushioning for the thicker forefoot and neglects other areas that also bear external forces, leading to potential injuries, the present invention effectively protects the foot from external forces. Additionally, by using blow molding to create a complete insole (including the forefoot cushion portion 1, the heel adjustment portion 2, and the lateral connection portion 3), the manufacturing process is simplified, saving time, and allowing direct integration with the shoe outsole 100. This manufacturing method also ensures higher product consistency and a higher yield rate. In contrast, the conventional technology requires additional processes, such as carving corresponding grooves in the shoe outsole or manufacturing two different types of air cushion components, which are unnecessary with the present invention.

[0016] In addition to the main technical features described above for the present invention, further details regarding the technical characteristics and structural aspects are explained below. First, referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, in addition to providing cushioning effect through an air-filling design, the top and bottom surfaces of the forefoot cushion portion 1 are further recessed towards the front air chamber 11, forming a plurality of corresponding reinforcing grooves 12. Between these reinforcing grooves 12, reinforcing ribs 121 are formed. The inner wall of each reinforcing groove 12 is surrounded by a stepped portion 122, which divides the internal space of the reinforcing groove 12. The space near the reinforcing rib 121 is smaller than that near the opening of the reinforcing groove 12. The primary function of the reinforcing grooves 12 is to provide auxiliary support for the weight of the foot. The stepped portions 122 within the reinforcing grooves 12 provide the first support, while the reinforcing ribs 121 serve as the second support for dispersing the force. This design helps distribute the pressure from the foot's immediate impact on the forefoot cushion portion 1, thereby providing better protection for the forefoot.

[0017] Additionally, to ensure that the preset invention can be effectively applied to a complete shoe structure, an extension flap 5 is further disposed around and extends upward from the top edges of the forefoot cushion portion 1, the heel adjustment portion 2 and the lateral connection portion 3 on one side. The extension flap 5 is connected and assembled with a shoe upper 200, as shown in FIG. 3. The manufacturer simply needs to wrap the shoe upper 200 around the extension flap 5 and secure it by encircling the area along the extension flap 5. The final assembly can be completed using various processing methods, including but not limited to gluing, heat pressing, melting, stitching, etc., thereby forming a complete shoe.

[0018] Continuing with the description of the received groove 22 located in the heel adjustment portion 2, the received groove 22 of the present invention is designed primarily to accommodate the elastic suction unit 4 and to allow for easy replacement in the future. The received groove 22 is further divided into a first slot section 221 and a second slot portion 222, which are in communication with each other. The first slot section 221 is recessed according to the shape of the elastic bladder 41, and the elastic bladder 41 is installed in this first slot section 221. The intake pipe assembly 42 and the exhaust pipe assembly 43 are installed in the second slot portion 222. Additionally, the second slot portion 222 is further divided into a long slot section 2221 and a lateral slot section 2222. The intake pipe assembly 42 is positioned in the lateral slot section 2222, while the exhaust pipe assembly 43 is placed in the long slot section 2221 and connected to a control component 6. The control component 6 is located in the lateral slot section 2222 and is partially exposed through an adjustment opening 23 on one side of the lateral slot section 2222. Corresponding to the long slot section 2221 and the lateral slot section 2222, the control component 6 is designed to further include a cylindrical valve portion 61, an adjustment portion 62 and a vent portion 63. One end of the valve portion 61 is connected to the exhaust pipe assembly 43, and the other end of the valve portion 61 is detachably assembled with the adjustment portion 62, part of which is exposed at the adjustment opening 23 to allow the user to operate the adjustment portion 62. The vent portion 63 is disposed on one side of the valve portion 61. The adjustment portion 62 rotates relative to the valve portion 61 to regulate the air pressure within the front air chamber 11, the rear air chamber 21, and the side air chamber 31. When the air pressure in the front air chamber 11, the rear air chamber 21 and the side air chamber 31 reaches saturation and cannot be further filled, the excess air is discharged through the vent portion 63, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0019] Finally, the intake pipe assembly 42 and the exhaust pipe assembly 43 are explained, as illustrated in FIGS. 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, while the other end is connected to the intake pipe 422, which is filled by air drawn from inside the shoe. The exhaust pipe assembly 43 further includes two one-way exhaust valves 431, a multi-way valve 432 and a plurality of exhaust pipes 433, arranged in a sequence of one of the one-way exhaust valves 431, one of the exhaust pipes 433, the multi-way valve 432, another one of the exhaust pipes 433, and another one of the one-way exhaust valves 431. The final one-way exhaust valve 431 in the sequence is connected to the front air chamber 11. Additionally, the multi-way valve 432, which is primarily a three-way valve, has two ends connected to the exhaust pipes 433, respectively, and a third end connected to the valve portion 61 of the control component 6 through the exhaust pipes 433, ensuring smooth air pressure regulation of the control component 6. Thereby, for the air-filling process, the control component 6 is first adjusted to achieve optimal pressure for the wearer's foot, followed by the alternating stepping motion between the forefoot and heel. When the heel presses down on the elastic bladder 41, the air inside is pushed through the exhaust pipe assembly 43 and into the front air chamber 11. After the heel's downward force is released, the elasticity of the elastic bladder 41 allows it to return to its original shape, drawing air from inside the shoe through the intake pipe assembly 42. With the next heel's stepping motion, the air in the elastic bladder 41 is transferred into the front air chamber 11 again. At the same time, the air in the front air chamber 11 fills the side air chamber 31 and the rear air chamber 21. Once all the front air chamber 11, the rear air chamber 21 and the side air chamber 31 reach saturation, the air-filling process is complete. When the front air chamber 11, the side air chamber 31 and the rear air chamber 21 cannot be further filled with air, the wearer's successive stepping motion will not induce additional air to enter the front air chamber 11. At that point, any excess air is directed through the multi-way valve 432 to the valve portion of the control component 6 and is released via the vent portion 63 of the valve portion 61, ensuring saturated and balanced air pressure throughout the front air chamber 11, the side air chamber 31 and the rear air chamber 21, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8.

[0020] Lastly, it is noteworthy that for secure installation of the control component 6 without compromising the cushioning of the foot's arch, the maximum width (defined as T) of the lateral connection portion 3 is made smaller than the distance (defined as E) between one side wall of the long slot section 2221 and the adjustment opening 23. By the above configuration, the control component 6 can be properly placed while still effectively providing cushioning protection for the arch of the foot.

Claims

1. A full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding combined with a shoe outsole and comprising:a forefoot cushion portion, having a front air chamber formed therein;a heel adjustment portion, having a rear air chamber formed therein and a received groove recessed from a top surface of the heel adjustment portion;a lateral connection portion having two ends thereof formed between the forefoot cushion portion and the heel adjustment portion, respectively, and formed with a side air chamber therein, wherein the forefoot cushion portion, the heel adjustment portion and the lateral connection portion are integrally formed by blow molding and interconnected;a plurality of reinforcing grooves formed in the forefoot cushion portion, reinforcing ribs formed between the corresponding reinforcing grooves, each of the reinforcing grooves having an inner wall surrounded by a stepped portion, which divides an internal space of the reinforcing groove, a space located close to the reinforcing rib being smaller than that located close to an opening of the reinforcing groove;the received groove divided into a first slot portion and a second slot portion. which are in communication with each other, the elastic bladder installed in the first slot portion, the intake pipe assembly and the exhaust pipe assembly installed in the second slot portion;the second slot portion divided into a primary slot section and a lateral slot section, the intake pipe assembly positioned in the lateral slot section, the exhaust pipe assembly placed in the primary slot section and connected to a control component, the control component located in the lateral slot section and partially exposed through an adjustment opening on one side of the lateral slot section, andan elastic suction unit, installed in the received groove and including an elastic bladder, an intake pipe assembly and an exhaust pipe assembly, wherein one end of each of the intake pipe assembly and the exhaust pipe assembly is connected to the elastic bladder, while the other end of the exhaust pipe assembly is connected to the forefoot cushion portion and communicates with the front air chamber;wherein when the elastic bladder is compressed and deformed, air inside the elastic bladder is pushed through the exhaust pipe assembly into the front air chamber and fills up the front air chamber, the rear air chamber and the side air chamber, thereby supporting a forefoot, a rearfoot, and a lateral arch of a foot.

2. (canceled)3. The full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding as claimed in claim 1, wherein an extension flap is further disposed around and extends upward from top edges of the forefoot cushion portion, the heel adjustment portion and the lateral connection portion on one side.

4. (canceled)5. (canceled)6. The full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control component further includes a valve portion, an adjustment portion and a vent portion; one end of the valve portion is connected to the exhaust pipe assembly, and the other end of the valve portion is detachably assembled with the adjustment portion; the vent portion is disposed on one side of the valve portion; the adjustment portion rotates relative to the valve portion to regulate air pressure within the front air chamber, the rear air chamber and the side air chamber; and when air pressure in the front air chamber, the rear air chamber and the side air chamber reaches saturation and cannot be further filled, air is discharged through the vent portion.

7. The full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding as claimed in claim 4, wherein the intake pipe assembly further includes a one-way intake valve and an intake pipe; and one end of the one-way intake valve is connected to the elastic bladder, and the other end of the one-way intake valve is connected to the intake pipe, which is filled with air drawn from inside a shoe.

8. The full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding as claimed in claim 4, wherein the exhaust pipe assembly further includes two one-way exhaust valves, a multi-way valve and a plurality of exhaust pipes, arranged in a sequence of one of the one-way exhaust valves, one of the exhaust pipe, the multi-way valve, another one of the exhaust pipes, and another one of the one-way exhaust valves, said another one of the one-way exhaust valves in the sequence is connected to the front air chamber.

9. The full-piece air cushion formed by blow molding as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lateral connection portion has a maximum width that is smaller than a distance between one side wall of the primary slot section and the adjustment opening.

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