FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to ventilated shoes and more particularly to a pair of ventilated shoes each having independent fresh air inflow path and foul air outflow path such that circulating fresh air in the shoe and driving foul air out of the shoe can be done in a cycle of lifting the foot and setting the foot down.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A well known ventilated shoe is shown in FIG. 1. The shoe 10 comprises an outsole 11, an insole 12, a vamp 13, and a hollow heel 14. The heel 14 is made of plastic material. An enclosed bladder 15 is provided in the heel 14. A curved flow line of air 16 is formed on the outsole 11. The flow line of air 16 comprises a plurality of apertures 161. The flow line of air 16 is in fluid communication with the bladder 15. An air inflow line 17 is extended from the bladder 15. The air inflow line 17 has a check valve 171 and an outlet 172 at an open end. Fresh air is sucked into the air inflow line 17 through the outlet 172 and the check valve 171. The outlet 172 of the air inflow line 17 is connected to a hole 141 at one side of the heel 14. Moreover, a plurality of close apertures 121 arranged in rows and columns are formed on the insole 12.
Thus, fresh air is sucked into the bladder 15 through the air inflow line 17 when the foot lifts. Next, fresh air in the bladder 15 is compressed and driven out to flow to various parts in the shoe 10 through the apertures 161 of the flow line of air 16 and the apertures 121 of the insole 12 when the foot sets down. As a result, the person can feel a degree of comfort on his/her foot.
However, the prior art suffered from the following disadvantage. The outlet 172 of the air inflow line 17 of the shoe 10 is connected to the hole 141 at one side of the heel 14. As such, water may flow into the bladder 15 via the hole 141 at one side of the heel 14 and the air inflow line 17 when a person wearing the shoes 10 walks in a rainy or snowy day. As an end, all parts in the shoes 10 are wet. This can cause great discomfort to the person. Thus, the need for improvement exists.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
After considerable research and experimentation, a novel ventilated shoe with independent fresh air inflow path and foul air outflow path according to the present invention has been devised so as to overcome the above drawback (e.g., water may flow into the shoe to moisten its internal parts) of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a ventilated shoe comprising a hollow heel formed of plastic material, the heel comprising an enclosed bladder including a longitudinal, central divider for dividing the bladder into a left bladder section and a right bladder section wherein the left bladder section includes a first check valve and the right bladder section comprises a second check valve; an outsole; a vamp comprising a blood vessel-like line of fresh air and a blood vessel-like line of foul air formed in left and right portions of the vamp above the outsole respectively wherein the line of fresh air is connected to the left bladder section, the line of foul air is connected to the right bladder section, a first check valve is formed between the line of fresh air and the left bladder section, and a second check valve is formed between the line of foul air and the right bladder section; an insole; an inflow hose provided proximate a left side of the shoe, the inflow hose connected to the left bladder section; and an outflow hose provided proximate a right side of the shoe, the outflow hose connected to the right bladder section, wherein in a cycle of lifting a foot wearing the shoe and setting the foot down external fresh air is adapted to suck into the left bladder section through the inflow hose prior to flowing to the parts in the shoe through the line of fresh air; in the same cycle of lifting the foot and setting the foot down foul air in the shoe is adapted to suck into the right bladder section through the line of foul air prior to driving out of the shoe through the outflow hose, and by repeating the cycle, fresh air is adapted to continuously suck into the shoe via the left bladder section and foul air is adapted to continuously drive out of the shoe via the right bladder section so as to bring a degree of comfort to the foot.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a deodorant chamber at the same side as the inflow hose in the shoe, and in the cycle of lifting the foot and setting the foot down fresh air along with pleasant odor emitted from deodorant filled in the deodorant chamber is adapted to suck into the left bladder section through the inflow hose prior to flowing to the parts in the shoe through the line of fresh air for masking unpleasant odor in the shoe.
It is a further object of the present invention to form a plurality of close apertures arranged in rows and columns on the insole, and the apertures of the insole are adapted to direct fresh air leaving the left bladder section onto a sole of the foot for bringing a degree of comfort thereto.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a prior ventilated shoe;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a ventilated shoe according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the shoe of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of ventilated shoe according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a ventilated shoe 20 with independent fresh air inflow path and foul air outflow path according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The shoe 20 comprises an outsole 21, an insole 22, a vamp 23, and a hollow heel 24. The heel 24 is made of plastic material. An enclosed bladder 25 is provided in the heel 24. A longitudinal, central divider is provided in the bladder 25 to divide the bladder 25 into a left bladder section 251 and a right bladder section 253. The left bladder section 251 comprises a first check valve 255. The right bladder section 253 comprises a second check valve 257. A line of fresh air 26 and a line of foul air 27 are formed in left and right portions of the vamp 23 above the outsole 21 respectively. A plurality of apertures 261 are formed in the line of fresh air 26. The line of fresh air 26 is detachably connected to the first check valve 255. Once connected, air can be communicated from the left bladder section 251 of the bladder 25 to the line of fresh air 26. Likewise, a plurality of apertures 271 are formed in the line of foul air 27. The line of foul air 27 is detachably connected to the second check valve 257. Once connected, air can be communicated from the right bladder section 253 of the bladder 25 to the line of foul air 27.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, an inflow hose 28 is provided in the shoe 20 proximate its left side and an outflow hose 29 is provided in the shoe 20 proximate its right side. The inflow hose 28 is connected to the left bladder section 251 and the inflow hose 28 has an upper opening. External fresh air can be sucked into the left bladder section 251 through the inflow hose 28 when the foot lifts. Next, fresh air in the left bladder section 251 is compressed and driven out to flow to various parts in the shoe 20 through the line of fresh air 26 and the apertures 261 of the line of fresh air 26 when the foot sets down. Similarly, the outflow hose 29 is connected to the right bladder section 253 and the outflow hose 29 has an upper opening. Foul air in the shoe can be sucked into the right bladder section 253 through the line of foul air 27 and the apertures 271 of the line of foul air 27 when the foot lifts. Next, foul air in the right bladder section 253 is compressed and driven out of the shoe through the outflow hose 29 when the foot sets down.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, by configuring as above, in a cycle of lifting the foot and setting the foot down external fresh air can be sucked into the left bladder section 251 through the inflow hose 28 prior to flowing to various parts in the shoe through the line of fresh air 26. Likewise, in the same cycle of lifting the foot and setting the foot down foul air in the shoe can be sucked into the right bladder section 253 through the line of foul air 27 prior to driving out of the shoe through the outflow hose 29. By repeating the above cycle, external fresh air can be continuously sucked into the shoe via the left bladder section 251 and internal foul air can be continuously driven out of the shoe via the right bladder section 253. As a result, the person can feel a degree of comfort on his/her foot.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, in the invention a deodorant chamber 31 is provided at the same side as the inflow hose 28 in the shoe 20. As such, in a cycle of lifting the foot and setting the foot down external fresh air along with the pleasant odor emitted from the deodorant in the deodorant chamber 31 can be sucked into the left bladder section 251 through the inflow hose 28 prior to flowing to various parts in the shoe through the line of fresh air 26. As a result, unpleasant odor in the shoe can also be masked.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, a plurality of close apertures 221 arranged in rows and columns are formed on the insole 22 of the shoe 20. The apertures 221 of the insole 22 can direct fresh air leaving the left bladder section 251 onto the sole. As a result, the person can feel a degree of comfort on his/her foot.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, the insole 22 of the shoe 20 is formed of a ventilated material. This enables fresh air leaving the left bladder section 251 to pass the insole 22 prior to directing onto the sole. As a result, the person can feel a degree of comfort on his/her foot.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, each of the line of fresh air 26 and the line of foul air 27 is implemented as a blood vessel-like member formed in left and right portions of the vamp 23 above the outsole 21 respectively.
Referring to FIG. 4, in a second preferred embodiment of the invention a transverse, central divider is provided in the bladder 25 to divide the bladder 25 into an upper bladder section 41 and a lower bladder section 43.
In view of the above, it is clear that the inflow hose 28 is provided in the shoe proximate its left side and the outflow hose 29 is provided in the shoe proximate its right side. Each of the inflow hose 28 and the outflow hose 29 has an upper opening. As such, water is prevented from flowing into the shoe 20 via the inflow hose 28 or the outflow hose 29 when a person wearing the shoes 20 walks in a rainy or snowy day. This characteristic is unique and is an advantageous elimination of the prior art drawback. By implementing the independent fresh air inflow path and foul air outflow path of the invention, external fresh air can be quickly continuously sucked into the shoe and internal foul air can also be quickly continuously driven out of the shoe while walking. As a result, the person can feel a degree of comfort on his/her foot.
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.
Patent Application
20050198858
