Patent Application
20190313729
The present invention relates generally to apparel systems, and more specifically, to systems for cooling or heating footwear or other clothing items.
Footwear is well known in the art and are effective means to protect or augment the feet of a person. For example, a conventional shoe having space enclosed by and upper and a sole where a foot fits in the space and the sole protects the bottom of the foot from harm or ware. Feet emit heat and moisture and in the confined space of the shoe this is increased resulting in odor, infection and discomfort. Yet, others, suffer from reduced circulation and discomfort from the associated loss of heat to the area.
Common efforts to improve the comfort and sanitation of shoes include ventilation holes, thinner materials and so on. In these cases, the cooling of the space is passive and depends on the outside environment. Additionally, the space and foot are susceptible to other liquids such as water entering through the holes or material.
Accordingly, although great strides have been made in the area of footwear systems, many shortcomings remain.
The novel features believed characteristic of the embodiments of the present application are set forth in the appended claims. However, the embodiments themselves, as well as a preferred mode of use, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
While the system and method of use of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present application as defined by the appended claims.
Illustrative embodiments of the system and method of use of the present application are provided below. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions will be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another.
Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
The system and method of use in accordance with the present application overcomes one or more of the above-discussed problems commonly associated with conventional footwear systems. Specifically, the invention of the present application enables active cooling or warming of the space of a shoe. This and other unique features of the system and method of use are discussed below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The system and method of use will be understood, both as to its structure and operation, from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description. Several embodiments of the system are presented herein. It should be understood that various components, parts, and features of the different embodiments may be combined together and/or interchanged with one another, all of which are within the scope of the present application, even though not all variations and particular embodiments are shown in the drawings. It should also be understood that the mixing and matching of features, elements, and/or functions between various embodiments is expressly contemplated herein so that one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate from this disclosure that the features, elements, and/or functions of one embodiment may be incorporated into another embodiment as appropriate, unless described otherwise.
The preferred embodiment herein described is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is chosen and described to explain the principles of the invention and its application and practical use to enable others skilled in the art to follow its teachings.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters identify corresponding or similar elements throughout the several views,
In the contemplated embodiment, system 101 includes a shoe 103 with an air-conditioning device 105 attached over the arch 107 thereof. The air conditioning device 105 having tubes 109 that channel air to the interior space 111 of the shoe 103.
The air conditioning device 105, as depicted in
It will be understood that the controls could function as a timer to alternate the activity of the air conditioner, a flow director or the like.
It should be appreciated that one of the unique features believed characteristic of the present application is that the air conditioning device 105 is able to be attached to any shoe 103. It will also be appreciated that the heat exchanger 203 enables both warm and cool air to be introduced to the shoe 103.
In an alternative embodiment of the air conditioning device 105, the heat exchanger 203 is replaced with a fan 303 and depicted by
It will be understood that the system 101 could be operated by batteries, including single use, rechargeable, lithium, acid or any type of battery; solar cells, ac adaptor or any other power source. It is further contemplated that the rotation of the fans or any other moving piece could be used to recharge batteries. In addition, it is contemplated that the system can include a sound dampener, vibration dampener, and a USB charging port.
Referring now to
Various embodiments of the air conditioning device 105 are contemplated including features to augment the function thereof such as having clips and loops 503 through which the laces or a strap of a shoe pass to secure the embodiment 501 thereto or having a reflective material 603 attached to the housing 203 of embodiment 601 as depicted by
Referring now to
Embodiment 801 include a face mask 803 with a strap 805 to which air conditioning device 105 is attached. The flow of air from the device 105 having a filter 807 there on to eliminate fumes or other contaminants from being delivered to the interior of the mask 803.
It will now be appreciated that any length of tube 109 could be used and that, as depicted by
It is further contemplated that the air conditioning device could be attached to other types of clothing such as hats, shirts, pants and the like. It will be appreciated that the connection device could be configured to attach to any type of clothing.
The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the embodiments may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified, and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the application. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the description. Although the present embodiments are shown above, they are not limited to just these embodiments, but are amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62655871 | Apr 2018 | US |
