Shoe equipped with aeration device Field of the invention

The present invention is related to the field of shoes.

State of the art As it is known, one of the problems showed by laced and closed upper shoes is the feet heating, with related sweating, which is generally solved using specific smell absorbing insoles, or trying to aerate the inside of the shoe making, usually in the sole bottom, some holes properly shielded, in order to let air and steam flow out of the shoe, at the same time preventing water from entering the shoe. However, the solutions suggested to solve the above-mentioned problem are not completely satisfactory, since the change of air (and therefore the steam and smell elimination) inside the shoes is quite limited.

So there is a clear interest in developing a device allowing the elimination of the unpleasant smell due to action of bacteria on feet sweat, permitting an efficient aeration of the shoe without requiring strong modification of the shoe itself.

Summary

The present invention refers to a shoe wherein the unpleasant smell deriving from the action of bacteria on feet sweat is eliminated thanks to the presence in the shoe of a scented and/or disinfecting substance contained in a suitable reservoir and, possibly, of an air pump which helps in diffusing the scented/disinfecting substance.

Brief description of the drawings

FIGURE 1 : It schematically shows the sole of a shoe, according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 : It shows a particular embodiment of the invention. FIGURE 3 : It shows the respective horizontal and vertical sections of an insole, according to the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention allows to get round and to solve the above-mentioned problems, through a shoe equipped with an air pump, able to aspirate clean air and to blow it inside the shoe and, if necessary, vice versa.

As you can see from Figure 1 the sole according to the invention includes a cavity

11 where an air pump 12 is placed: said cavity 11 is preferably achieved in the sole rear, or in the heel.

The pump 12 is, for example, of the bellows type, namely made up of a chamber, having shape and dimensions suitable for the wanted scope, in elastic material, equipped with an entrance and a exit, where at least one part of the walls of said chamber show folds, like an accordion.

Alternatively the pump 12 can be made up of chamber in elastic material containing one or more elastic means (for example springs); if preferred, also the bellows chamber as above mentioned can contain one or more elastic means, in order to compensate for the natural decrease in elasticity of the bellows, because of the use.

The pump 12 shows then, in its inside near the entrance and the exit, two valves

12' and 12" arranged in order to drive along one direction the air flow created by the pump work.

The entrance and the exit of the pump are connected to one or more small tubes

13 placed longitudinally along the sole of the shoe.

If preferred, the pump 12 can include two chambers with their valves working in the opposite ways, therefore, for example, during the compression phase, both an air flow directed towards the shoe and another one directed outwards will be created, vice versa during the pump relaxation phase.

If preferred, for more manufacture simplicity, the two chambers pump can naturally be replaced by two single chamber pumps, driving the created air flow into opposite directions. The small tubes 13 can end in a suitable cavity 14, obtained in the sole front, or they can be connected to the outside, for example, as schematically showed by the small tube 15, ending near the heel, in the shoe cavity containing the foot.

Naturally, the small tubes directed towards the shoe inside are connected to one end of pump 12 (for example its entrance), and the ones connected to the outside, are joined to the other end of the pump (in this case the exit).

If preferred, also the insole covering the sole can show a hole or a cavity corresponding to the cavity 11 , in order to contribute to minimise the bellows pump thickness.

In addition, if preferred, over the insole above the cavity 11 , a portion of plantar made of rigid but elastic material is placed, in order to compress bellows pump 12 when walking, without any foot trouble, due to the underlying pump.

If preferred, the small tubes 13 can be placed in suitable channels 16 obtained in the sole or, according to a particular embodiment of the invention, they can be replaced by channels directly obtained inside the sole. Preferably the insole, at least in its front over the cavity 14 can be punched or made up of a transpiring material, in order to help the passage of the air breath created by the pump.

Naturally, if preferred, the cavity containing the pump and the related small tubes, or channels, can be placed in the portion of plantar made of rigid but elastic material above described instead of in the sole, in this case the small tubes, disposed in the portion of plantar will directly end up in the shoe front, allowing the same aeration effect.

The working of the aeration device is evident by itself.

When walking, the heel compression, if desired through the portion of plantar made of rigid but elastic material, compresses pump 12, directly or indirectly, therefore an air flow towards the shoe inside is created, thanks to the natural foot movement, and when the compression ends, the pump chamber expands again sucking air from the outside, and so on. So the shoe is perfectly aerated, with simultaneous steam and smell elimination. It is evident that the pumping effect as above mentioned, can be obtained compressing the pump against the ground. In this case the pump will protrude from the shoe bottom, i.e. under the sole or the heel.

It should be noted that, according to the present invention, the air flow created by pumping, drives the air and the steam existing inside the shoe up, so helping the natural movement up of the warmer fluid.

One further particular embodiment of the invention is showed in Figure 2, being made up of an insole containing two surfaces, upper and lower, connected along

their rims and containing elastic pins 17 placed between the two said surfaces and connected to them or one of them, in order to leave a closed air space between them wherein the air can flow either freely or thanks to a pump as above mentioned, placed in the air space itself. In this case, as a preferred solution, the upper insole surface can show in its front part suitable openings, capable of letting steam enter the close internal space, and, in its rear, corresponding openings capable of letting the air flow out of the closed space. Naturally, the flow effect is increased using an insole with its rear higher than its front. If preferred, the above-mentioned insole can be opened, i.e. without a lower closing surface as above mentioned ; in this case the pump and the elastic pins 17 are connected to the insole bottom, leaning directly against the shoe sole upper surface.

According to a further particular embodiment of the present invention, the sole, the insole or the portion of plantar made of rigid but elastic material, as above described can contain a reservoir with a scented and/or disinfecting substance( liquid or solid), equipped with a means (for example a capillarity diffuser or an air pump), for diffusing this substance thanks to the air flow. Said reservoir can be placed in a suitable cavity obtained near the cavity containing the pump, and, if preferred, it can be a disposable reservoir which can be extracted and replaced when empty, or if the user wants to change the scented and/or disinfecting substance.

It should be noted that this solution is particularly convenient and favourable, when using the insole which leans, with its pins 17, directly against the shoe sole upper surface, as here above described. According to a further particular embodiment of the invention the scented and/or disinfecting substance can be contained in a suitable container, shaped as desired but very thin, the surface of which, at least partially, is permeable to the odour of the scented substance (for example presenting micro-pores) allowing its diffusion in the shoe. If desired said permeable surface can be protected by a covering sheet, for example a removable aluminium sheet, to be eliminated at the moment of activating the scenting action.

This scented and/or disinfecting substance eliminates bacteria which, using sweat, cause unpleasant smell.

The use of the reservoir as above described it is possible to eliminate the inconvenient of bed smell of transpiration even avoiding the presence of the pump and its air-diffusing action.

The container can be placed in the sole, in the insole or in the a portion of plantar made of rigid but elastic material placed over the sole; in these cases the surface over the container can present holes in order to help the diffusion of the scented and/or disinfecting substance. Obviously in this cases too the container can be extracted and substituted once empty or when the user desires to change the substance.

As a particular embodiment of the invention the above said container can be constituted by a thin envelope in suitable material the surface of which, at least partially is permeable at the scented and/or disinfecting substance. Also in this case, if desired said permeable surface can be protected by a covering sheet , for example a removable aluminium sheet, to be eliminated at the moment of activating the scenting action.

The envelope can be variously shaped, for example like a foot and can be placed in the shoe, even without requiring any cavity, so to contact the foot or to be separated from it by a suitable divisor as for example a layer of leather, skin, tissue etc. preferably presenting holes in order to help the diffusion. If the envelope is placed on the sole, or in a cavity obtained in the sole, said divisor can be the insole itself. This solution is preferred in particular when substances having a pharmacological effect are used since in this case such substances must preferably contact the feet.

As a further embodiment of the invention the envelope can be directly incorporated in the insole and be equipped with removable tools protecting the content of the envelop and protruding from the insole in order to allow to activate the emission of the substance when desired, such tool can for example be represented by a removable film of synthetic material, paper, aluminium etc. to be removed at the moment of the use.

In the above described case, if the envelope is totally incorporated in the insole this will present suitable holes for permitting the diffusion of the substance; the envelope can be incorporated in the insole in such a way that one side of the envelope forms part of the insole surface, said will then be protected as above said.

According to an analogous embodiment, especially useful when the insole is made of impermeable material (like lattice, rubber etc.), the scented and/or disinfecting substance can be directly spread on the surface of the insole, or on a part of it, and then protected with the suitable removable tools as described. In both the above described embodiments the insole can be a disposable one to be eliminated once the substance effect is terminated.

Obviously the here above described embodiment of the invention can be applied also to whatever part of the shoe which is made of impermeable material.