Regeneratively dehumidifying and deodorizing shoe insert

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6675421
  • Patent Number
    6,675,421
  • Date Filed
    Friday, October 25, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 13, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A shoe insert includes: a housing insertable in a shoe interior and having perforations formed through the housing for directing moisture-laden air from the shoe interior into the housing, a gas-permeable filter cloth lined on an inside surface of the housing and containing activated carbon in the filter cloth for deodorizing the dirty air, a heating device secured in the housing, a moisture-absorbable dehydrating agent including silica gel filled in the housing for absorbing moisture as laden in the air entering the housing from the shoe interior for dehumidification or dehydration, and a deodorant also filled in the housing for further deodorizing the dirty air entering the housing from the shoe interior, thereby dehumidifying and deodorizing the shoe interior for a comfortable wearing of the shoe; and upon saturation of moisture by the dehydrating agent and odor gas (or vapor) by the deodorant, the heating device is actuated to heat the saturated dehydrating agent and deodorant for regeneration and re-use of the dehydrating agent and deodorant.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




It is uncomfortable to wear a wet shoe. Even a dryer may be provided to blow hot air into the interior of the shoe for drying the shoe. However, the hot air may overheat the leather to possibly deteriorate the leather quality. Meanwhile, after wearing a shoe for a long time, it will produce stinking odor to bother the shoe wearer and may also cause “air pollution” to the environment.




The present inventor has found the drawbacks of the conventional footwears and invented the present dehumidifier and deodorizer inserted in a shoe.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The object of the present invention is to provide a shoe insert including: a housing insertable in a shoe interior and having perforations formed through the housing for directing moisture-laden air from the shoe interior into the housing, a gas-permeable filter cloth lined on an inside surface of the housing and containing activated carbon in the filter cloth for deodorizing the dirty air, a heating device secured in the housing, a moisture-absorbable dehydrating agent including silica gel filled in the housing for absorbing moisture as laden in the air entering the housing from the shoe interior for dehumidification or dehydration, and a deodorant also filled in the housing for further deodorizing the dirty air entering the housing from the shoe interior, thereby dehumidifying and deodorizing the shoe interior for a comfortable wearing of the shoe; and upon saturation of moisture by the dehydrating agent and oder gas (or vapor) by the deodorant, the heating device is actuated to heat the saturated dehydrating agent and deodorant for regeneration and re-use of the dehydrating agent and deodorant.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a front-view perspective illustration of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a rear-view perspective illustration of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a sectional drawing of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is an exploded view showing the elements of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




As shown in the drawing figures, the present invention comprises: a housing


1


, a gas-permeable filter lining


2


lined on an inside surface of the housing


1


, a heating means


3


mounted in the housing


1


, a dehydrating agent


4


filled in the housing


1


for absorbing moisture in the air from a shoe interior in a shoe (not shown), and a deodorant


5


filled in the housing I for adsorbing odor gas or vapor in the air from the shoe interior.




The housing


1


includes: an upper cover


11


, a lower cover


12


combined with the upper cover


11


by any joining methods for forming the housing


1


for filling the dehydrating agent


4


and the deodorant


5


therein. The housing


1


may also be integrally formed as a container for filling the agent


4


and deodorant


5


therein.




Each cover


11


or


12


is formed with a plurality of perforations


111


or


121


through the cover


11


or


12


.




The gas-permeable filter lining


2


includes: an upper filter cloth


21


attached or lined to an inside surface of the upper cover


11


and a lower filter cloth


22


attached or lined to an inside surface of the lower cover


12


. Each filter cloth


21


or


22


has deodorant such as activated carbon contained in the filter cloth for adsorbing the odor gas or vapor in the shoe interior. The filter cloth


21


or


22


also precludes an outward releasing or discharge of the granular or powder dehydrating agent


4


and deodorant


5


from the interior of the housing


1


through the perforations


111


,


121


formed through the covers


11


,


12


.




The dehydrating agent


4


may be selected from silica gel granules or any other water-absorbable materials. After being saturated with moisture in the dehydrating agent, heat may be applied to vaporize the moisture from the agent


4


so that upon removal of water from the agent


4


, the dehydrating agent


4


is regenerated ready for next dehydration or dehumidification.




The deodorant


5


such as activated carbon granules as filled in the housing


1


may also be regenerated by heating to remove the odor vapor as adsorbed on the deodorant for re-use of the deodorant.




So, the deodorant may be incorporated into the filter cloth


21


or


22


of the gas-permeable filter lining


2


as lined on the inside surface of the housing


1


; and the deodorant


5


may also be directly filled into the interior in the housing


1


to “co-exist” in the housing with the dehydrating agent


4


.




If the moisture removal is most important than the deodorizing in accordance with the present invention, the housing interior may then be filled with the dehydrating agent


4


alone.




Or, the gas permeable filter lining


2


including the upper filter cloth


21


and lower filter cloth


22


may also be simplified as a filter cloth such as made by non-woven cloth without incorporating the activated carbon therein if the deodorizing duty of the shoe insert becomes less important.




In order to be easily inserted into a shoe interior, the covers


11


,


12


of the housing may be made of flexible materials including rubber or plastic materials.




The heating means


3


includes: a heater


31


(preferably a positive-temperature-coefficient semiconductor heater) electrically connected to a power supply


30


by two wires


301


, and a resilient heat-transfer plate


32


mounted in the housing for securing the heater


31


on the plate


32


as fastened by a backing plate


33


which is also secured to the heat-transfer plate


32


.




The heat-transfer plate


32


may be mounted in the housing interior as supported by a plurality of coupling pins


10


each coupled between the upper cover


11


and the lower cover


12


of the housing


1


. The plate


32


is positioned in between an upper layer and a lower layer of said dehydrating agent and said deodorant filled in the housing.




The heater


31


is held in a heater cavity


320


as recessed in the plate


32


. The plate


32


is made of resilient materials to be flexibly ergonomically inserted in a shoe interior.




The heat-transfer plate


32


is formed with a plurality of holes


321


through the plate


32


for a better ventilation of the moisture-laden air or air above or below the plate


32


in the housing


1


.




The power supply


30


includes a plug pivotally secured on a holding lid


124


which is engaged with (and also provided for closing) a bottom opening


123


formed in the lower cover


12


.




The plug of power supply


30


is also normally stored or received in a bottom recess


122


recessed in the lower cover


12


, and upon a pivotal movement of the plug to be plugged in an electric socket, an utility power supply may then be connected for heating the agent


4


or deodorant


5


in the housing


1


for their regeneration.




The plug of the power supply


30


, if not pivotally mounted in the housing, may also be electrically or telescopically connected to the heater


31


by electric cord as normally wound, folded or stored in a chamber formed in the housing


1


.




The housing


1


further includes: a saturation indicator


112


which may be formed on the upper cover


11


for reminding the user to regenerate the dehydrating agent


4


or deodorant


5


, and an instruction plate


113


formed on the cover


11


to describe the operation procedures, e.g., “how to use this device” on the plate


113


for the consumers.




An end cover


115


is provided to cover a filling port


114


formed in the upper cover


11


, with the filling port


114


provided for filling the dehydrating agent


4


or deodorant


5


into the interior of the housing


1


.




The saturation indicator


112


includes: a transparent capsule


112




c


fixed in the upper cover


11


to be visually displayed from the upper cover


11


, a plurality of ventilation slits


112




v


formed in a bottom wall of the capsule to be fluidically communicated with the interior in the housing


1


, and a dehydrating agent


4


made of the moisture-absorbable materials as same as that of the dehydrating agent


4


(e.g., silica gel) filled in the interior in the housing


1


having a color-change indicator (e.g., a cobalt chloride) impregnated in the dehydrating agent


4


in the capsule


112




c


, with the color-change indicator subjected to color change (such as from blue color to red color) when the dehydrating agent


4


is saturated with moisture.




By visually checking the color change through the transparent capsule of the saturation indicator


112


, it will remind the user to regenerate the dehydrating agent


4


in the housing


1


by actuating the heater


31


of the heating means


3


in order to regenerate the dehydrating agent ready for next use.




The above-mentioned saturation indicator


112


is merely referred to the indication of saturated dehydrating agent


4


and it will be doubted why there is no showing for the indication of changing or regenerating the deodorant? This is simple because of a pleasant odor or a stinking odor may easily be sensed or felt by the user. If a dislike odor has been smelled, the present invention may then be instantly regenerated, regardless of the situation whether the co-existing dehydrating agent


4


is saturated or not.




The shoe insert of the present invention may be inserted into a shoe interior to absorb or adsorb the moisture and dislike odor in the shoe. When saturated, the device may be removed from the shoe and be connected to a power supply to heat and regenerate the dehydrating agent and deodorant ready for next use. The shoe insert of the present invention is portable and easily powered such as by plugging in any utility power supply for a very convenient use thereof.




The present invention may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.



Claims
  • 1. A shoe insert comprising:a housing having a plurality of perforations formed through the housing and adapted for insertion of said housing in a shoe interior; a gas-permeable filter lining lined on an inside surface of said housing; a heating means mounted in said housing and electrically connected to a power supply source; a dehydrating agent for absorbing moisture in the air within the shoe interior; and a deodorant filled in said housing for adsorbing odor gas or vapor in the air within the shoe interior; whereby upon actuation of said heating means, the dehydrating agent having absorbed moisture therein and the deodorant having adsorbed odor gas or vapor therein will be heated and regenerated to remove the moisture or odor for re-use of the dehydrating agent and deodorant in said housing.
  • 2. A shoe insert according to claim 1, wherein said gas-permeable filter lining includes an upper filter cloth lined to an upper cover of said housing, and a lower filter cloth lined to a lower cover of said housing, said upper and lower covers combined for forming said housing and respectively formed with a plurality of said perforations through each said cover; each said filter cloth having deodorant incorporated therein.
  • 3. A shoe insert according to claim 1, wherein said deodorant is activated carbon.
  • 4. A shoe insert according to claim 1, wherein said housing is made of flexible material for an easy insertion into the shoe interior.
  • 5. A shoe insert according to claim 1, wherein said heating means includes: a heater, a resilient heat-transfer plate for fastening said heater on said plate mounted in said housing, and a power supply electrically connected to said heater.
  • 6. A shoe insert according to claim 1, wherein said heat-transfer plate is mounted in said housing and positioned in between an upper layer and a lower layer of said dehydrating agent and deodorant as filled in said housing.
  • 7. A shoe insert according to claim 6, wherein said heat-transfer plate is formed with a plurality of holes therethrough.
  • 8. A shoe insert according to claim 5, wherein said heat-transfer plate is mounted in said housing as supported by a plurality of coupling pins respectively coupled between an upper cover and a lower cover of said housing.
  • 9. A shoe insert according to claim 5, wherein said heater is a positive-temperature-coefficient semiconductor heater.
  • 10. A shoe insert according to claim 5, wherein said power supply includes a plug pivotally mounted in said housing and electrically connected to said heater by two wires.
  • 11. A shoe insert according to claim 1, wherein said housing further includes a saturation indicator including: a transparent capsule fixed in an upper cover of said housing to be visually displayed from the upper cover, a plurality of ventilation slits formed in a bottom wall of the capsule to be fludiically communicated with an interior in the housing, and a dehydrating agent 4 made of moisture-absorbable materials as same as that of the dehydrating agent filled in the interior in the housing having a color-change indicator impregnated in the dehydrating agent in the capsule, with the color-change indicator subjected to color change when the dehydrating agent is saturated with moisture.
  • 12. A shoe insert comprising: a housing having a plurality of perforations formed through the housing and adapted for insertion of said housing in a shoe interior;a gas-permeable filter lining lined on an inside surface of said housing; a heating means mounted in said housing and electrically connected to a power supply source; and a dehydrating agent for absorbing moisture in the air within the shoe interior; whereby upon actuation of said heating means, the dehydrating agent having absorbed moisture therein will be heated and regenerated to remove the moisture for re-use of the dehydrating agent in said housing.
  • 13. A shoe insert according to claim 12, wherein said filter lining includes activated carbon incorporated in at least a filter cloth lined on an inside surface of said housing.
  • 14. A shoe insert according to claim 12, wherein said housing further includes a saturation indicator having the dehydrating agent filled in a transparent capsule, fixed in an upper cover of said housing and communicated with an interior in said housing, and a color-change indicator added in the dehydrating agent and operatively changing its color when the dehydrating agent is saturated with moisture.
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Number Name Date Kind
3906185 Gross et al. Sep 1975 A
4198765 Miyamae Apr 1980 A
4418434 Joh Dec 1983 A
5291669 Khoury et al. Mar 1994 A
5950323 Wroth et al. Sep 1999 A
5978996 Ullman Nov 1999 A
6202240 Tsung-Ping Mar 2001 B1
20020083535 Fraden Jul 2002 A1