Replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6311413
  • Patent Number
    6,311,413
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, September 6, 2000
    26 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, November 6, 2001
    24 years ago
Abstract
A replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure includes a sole, and a vamp. The sole has a top provided with a plurality of oblique conical locking grooves and having a periphery provided with a plurality of waterproof ribs. The sole has a periphery defining a plurality of locking recesses each provided with a catch piece. The vamp has a bottom provided with a plurality of oblique conical locking blocks each locked in the locking groove of the sole. The bottom of the vamp defines a plurality of waterproof slots for receiving the waterproof ribs of the sole therein so that the vamp is integrally formed with the sole. A plurality of U-shaped snapping pieces are each secured in the bottom of the vamp and each have two sides each provided with a hook. A plurality of snapping knobs are each detachably secured on the snapping piece and each include a press button secured in the locking recess and locked by the catch piece of the sole, and a snap pivotally mounted on the press button and snapped on the hook of the snapping piece.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure.




2. Description of the Related Art




A conventional shoe structure in accordance with the prior art comprises a vamp and a sole integrally formed with each other so that the sole and the vamp are fixed and cannot be replaced and removed from each other. A conventional air cushion shoe structure has a constant elastic coefficient and cannot be adjusted so as to fit users of different weights, thereby limiting the versatility of the shoe structure.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure comprising:




a sole having a top provided with a plurality of oblique conical locking grooves, the top of the sole having a periphery provided with a plurality of waterproof ribs, the sole having a periphery defining a plurality of locking recesses each provided with a catch piece;




a vamp having a bottom provided with a plurality of oblique conical locking blocks each locked in the locking groove of the sole, the bottom of the vamp defining a plurality of waterproof slots for receiving the waterproof ribs of the sole therein so that the vamp is integrally formed with the sole;




a plurality of substantially U-shaped snapping pieces each integrally secured in the bottom of the vamp and each having two sides each provided with a hook; and




a plurality of snapping knobs each detachably secured on the snapping piece and each including a press button secured in the locking recess and locked by the catch piece of the sole, and a snap pivotally mounted on the press button and snapped on the hook of the snapping piece.




The sole defines a hollow chamber having a side wall defining an opening having a periphery defining a plurality of snap holes. A cover is removably mounted in the opening and is provided with a plurality of snap lugs each detachably secured in the snap hole of the opening. A magic strap is provided on the cover and the periphery of the opening. A substantially U-shaped elastic steel piece is received in the hollow chamber and has two side plates each defining a large retaining hole, a small retaining hole, and a connecting hole connecting between the large retaining hole and the small retaining hole. A plurality of elastic members are each mounted in the elastic steel piece and each include an upper cap and a lower cap, wherein, the top of the upper cap and the bottom of the lower cap are each provided with a joint and a connecting post. The joint is fitted into the large retaining hole and then shifted into the small retaining hole. The upper cap and the lower cap are each provided with a hollow positioning post, and a spring is mounted between the upper cap and the lower cap and has two ends each secured on the positioning post.




A battery base is secured in the hollow chamber of the sole, and a battery is secured in the battery base. A light emitting member is electrically connected to the battery and has a positive pole wire and a negative pole wire respectively extending through the hollow positioning post of the upper cap and the lower cap so that the light emitting member lights when the positive pole wire and the negative pole wire are moved by the positioning post to electrically connect with each other.




Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a partially exploded view of a replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 1A

is a partially cut-away exploded view of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 1B

is a partially cut-away cross-sectional view of a waterproof slot of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 1A

;





FIG. 2

is a rear plan cross-sectional assembly view of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 2A

is a rear plan cross-sectional assembly view of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is an exploded view of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3A

is a partially cut-away cross-sectional view of a snap lug of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 3

;





FIG. 3B

is a partially cut-away cross-sectional view of a waterproof rib of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 3

;





FIG. 4

is a side plan cross-sectional assembly view of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 3

;





FIG. 4A

is a partially cut-away cross-sectional view of a snap hole of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 4B

is a partially cut-away cross-sectional view of a snap lug of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 4C

is a partially cut-away cross-sectional view of the waterproof ribs engaged with the waterproof slots of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 5

is an operational view of the replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure as shown in FIG.


4


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring to the drawings and initially to

FIGS. 1

,


1


A,


1


B,


2


,


2


A,


3


B and


4


C, a replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure in accordance with the present invention comprises a sole


10


, a vamp, and a cushion


30


mounted in the vamp


20


.




The sole


10


has a top provided with a plurality of oblique conical locking grooves


11


and having a periphery provided with a plurality of waterproof ribs


15


(see FIG.


3


B). The sole


10


has a periphery defining a plurality of locking recesses


13


each provided with a catch piece


131


and defining a through hole


14


.




The vamp


20


has a bottom provided with a plurality of oblique conical locking blocks


21


each locked in the locking groove


11


of the sole


10


. The bottom of the vamp


20


defines a plurality of waterproof slots


24


for receiving the waterproof ribs


15


of the sole


10


therein (see

FIG. 4C

) so that the vamp


20


is integrally formed with the sole


10


.




A plurality of substantially U-shaped snapping pieces


22


are each integrally secured in the bottom of the vamp


20


and each have two sides each provided with a hook


221


. Each of the snapping pieces


22


defines a plurality of through holes


222


.




A plurality of snapping knobs


12


are each detachably secured on the snapping piece


22


and each include a press button


122


secured in the locking recess


13


and locked by the catch piece


131


of the sole


10


, a through hole


124


defined in press button


122


, a snap


121


pivotally mounted on the press button


122


and having a hook bar


123


snapped on the hook


221


of the snapping piece


22


, a hexagonal nut


125


secured on the press button


122


, and a bolt


23


in turn extending through the through hole


124


of the press button


122


and through the through hole


14


of the sole


10


so that the vamp


20


and the sole


10


are securely coupled with each other.




Referring to

FIGS. 3

,


3


A,


4


,


4


A,


4


B and


5


, the sole


10


defines therein a hollow chamber


16


having a side wall defining an opening


161


having a periphery defining a plurality of snap holes


165


(see FIG.


4


A). A cover


162


is removably mounted in the opening


161


and is provided with a plurality of snap lugs


164


(see

FIGS. 3A and 4B

) each detachably secured in the snap hole


165


of the opening


161


. A magic strap


163


is provided on the cover


162


and the periphery of the opening


161


.




A substantially U-shaped elastic steel piece


17


is received in the hollow chamber


16


and has two side plates each defining a large retaining hole


172


, a small retaining bole


173


, and a connecting hole


174


connecting between the large retaining hole


172


and the small retaining hole


173


.




A plurality of elastic members


18


are each mounted in the elastic steel piece


17


and each include an upper cap


181


and a lower cap


182


. The top of the upper cap


181


and the bottom of the lower cap


182


are each provided with a joint


184


and a connecting post


185


. The joint


184


of the upper cap


181


and the lower cap


182


is initially fitted into the large retaining hole


172


and the connecting post


185


passes through the connecting hole


174


, and is then shifted into the small retaining hole


173


so that the upper cap


181


and the lower cap


182


are respectively fixed in the small retaining hole


173


of the elastic steel piece


17


. The upper cap


181


and the lower cap


182


are each provided with a hollow positioning post


186


. A spring


183


is mounted between the upper cap


181


and the lower cap


182


and has two ends each secured on the positioning post


186


. The spring


183


can be replaced arbitrarily so that springs of different elastic coefficients can be mounted between the upper cap


181


and the lower cap


182


so as to fit requirements of users of different statures and weights.




The replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure further comprises a battery base


41


secured in the hollow chamber


16


of the sole


10


, a battery


44


secured in the battery base


41


, and a light emitting member


40


mounted in the hollow chamber


16


of the sole


10


and electrically connected to the battery


44


. The light emitting member


40


has a positive pole wire


42


and a negative pole wire


43


respectively extending through the hollow positioning post


186


of the upper cap


181


and the lower cap


182


so that the light emitting member


40


lights intermittently when the positive pole wire


42


and the negative pole wire


43


are moved by the positioning post


186


to electrically connect with each other as shown in FIG.


5


.




The sole


10


has a surface defining a receiving recess


19


containing fragrant powder therein, and a channel


191


(see

FIG. 1A

) is defined in the sole


10


and connected between the receiving recess


19


and the hollow chamber


16


. In such a manner, the air contained in the hollow chamber


16


is squeezed and urged by the elastic force of the elastic member


18


through the channel


191


into the receiving recess


19


so that the fragrant powder in the receiving recess


19


of the sole


10


is introduced into the vamp


20


through the multiple-hole cushion


30


, thereby enhancing the ventilating effect of the shoe structure.




It should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.



Claims
  • 1. A replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure comprising:a sole (10) having a top provided with a plurality of oblique conical locking grooves (11), said top of said sole (10) having a periphery provided with a plurality of waterproof ribs (15), said sole (10) having a periphery defining a plurality of locking recesses (13) each provided with a catch piece (131); a vamp (20) having a bottom provided with a plurality of oblique conical locking blocks (21) each locked in said locking groove (11) of said sole (10), said bottom of said vamp (20) defining a plurality of waterproof slots (24) for receiving said waterproof ribs (15) of said sole (10) therein so that said vamp (20) is integrally formed with said sole (10); a plurality of substantially U-shaped snapping pieces (22) each integrally secured in said bottom of said vamp (20) and each having two sides each provided with a hook (221); and a plurality of snapping knobs (12) each detachably secured on said snapping piece (22) and each including a press button (122) secured in said locking recess (13) and locked by said catch piece (131) of said sole (10), and a snap (121) pivotally mounted on said press button (122) and snapped on said hook (221) of said snapping piece (22).
  • 2. The replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sole (10) defines a hollow chamber (16) therein, said hollow chamber having a side wall defining an opening (161) having a periphery defining a plurality of snap holes (165), a cover (162) removably mounted in said opening (161) and provided with a plurality of snap lugs (164) each detachably secured in said snap hole (165) of said opening (161), a magic strap (163) provided on said cover (162) and said periphery of said opening (161), a substantially U-shaped elastic steel piece (17) received in said hollow chamber (16) and having two side plates each defining a large retaining hole (172), a small retaining hole (173), and a connecting hole (174) connecting between said large retaining hole (172) and said small retaining hole (173), a plurality of elastic members (18) each mounted in said elastic steel piece (17) and each including an upper cap (181) and a lower cap (182), a top of said upper cap (181) and a bottom of said lower cap (182) each provided with a joint (184) and a connecting post (185), said joint (184) being fitted into said large retaining hole (172) and then shifted into said small retaining hole (173), said upper cap (181) and said lower cap (182) each provided with a hollow positioning post (186), and a spring (183) mounted between said upper cap (181) and said lower cap (182) and having two ends each secured on said positioning post (186).
  • 3. The replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure in accordance with claim 2, wherein said sole (10) has a surface defining a receiving recess (19), a channel (191) defined in said sole (10) and connected between said receiving recess (19) and said hollow chamber (16).
  • 4. The replaceable elastic air cushion shoe structure in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a battery base (41) secured in said hollow chamber (16) of said sole (10), a battery (44) secured in said battery base (41), a light emitting member (40) mounted in said hollow chamber (16) of said sole (10) and electrically connected to said battery (44), said light emitting member (40) having a positive pole wire (42) and a negative pole wire (43) respectively extending through said hollow positioning post (186) of said upper cap (181) and said lower cap (182) so that said light emitting member (40) lights when said positive pole wire (42) and said negative pole wire (43) are moved by said positioning post (186) to electrically connect with each other.
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Number Name Date Kind
1142662 Blaney Jun 1915
2528951 Epsztejn Nov 1950
3902259 Cracco Sep 1975
3906646 Milotic Sep 1975
4606139 Silver Aug 1986
4974344 Ching Dec 1990
5317822 Johnson Jun 1994