Footwear apparatus and methods of manufacture and use

• US 20070088341A1
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Franklin Mountain Investments Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Vomaris Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Skiba, Jeffry, Schneider, Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 7,662,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/2
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0045 made at least partially of deodorant means
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/003 characterised by the material made of wood A43B17/12, made of sponge, rubber or plastic materials A43B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/04 with metal insertions or coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/10 specially adapted for sweaty feet; waterproof
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1455 with special properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0404 for external use A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/205 for promoting a biological process
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/303 Constructional details electrodes for external use A61N1/0428

Abstract

A footwear apparatus includes multiple first reservoirs and multiple second reservoirs joined with a substrate. Selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs include a reducing agent, and first reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs are proximate to a first substrate surface. Selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs include an oxidizing agent, and second reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs are proximate to the first substrate surface.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A footwear apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

multiple first reservoirs joined with the substrate, wherein selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs include a reducing agent, and wherein first reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs are proximate a first substrate surface; and

multiple second reservoirs joined with the substrate, wherein selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs include an oxidizing agent, and wherein second reservoir surfaces of selected one of the multiple second reservoirs are proximate the first substrate surface.

12. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the multiple first reservoirs and the multiple second reservoirs are joined to the first substrate surface.

13. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the multiple first reservoirs and the multiple second reservoirs are embedded in the substrate.

14. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate includes multiple layers.

15. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate includes multiple layers.

16. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate is flexible.

17. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate is rigid.

21. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the reducing agent and the oxidizing agent are selected to produce redox reactions between the first reservoir surfaces and the second reservoir surfaces, in the presence of an electrical conductive material contacting the second reservoir surfaces and the first reservoir surfaces.

22. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein selected ones of the second reservoir surfaces are positioned in spaced relation to selected ones of the first reservoir surfaces.

23. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the footwear apparatus is selected from a group of apparatuses that includes a shoe, a show component, a shoe insert, a sock, a therapeutic foot apparatus, an athletic shoe, a sneaker, a dress shoe, a salon shoe, a loafer, a boot, a sandal, a water shoe, water fins, a specialty shoe, a military shoe, a military boot, medical personnel footwear, a construction shoe, a construction boot, an operating room shoe, a golf shoe, a bowling shoe, a biking shoe, a track shoe, a waterproof shoe, a medical shoe for treatment of a malady, a slipper, a shoe upper, a shoe midsole, a shoe outsole, a shoe insole, a liner, a shoe tongue, a shoe pad, an arch support, an arch cushion, a heel cushion, a heel cup, a heel pad, a heel protector, a forefoot pad, a plantar pad, a dorsal foot pad, an orthotic device, a shoe liner, a metatarsal pad, an insert portion of a shoe tree, a shoe storage insert, a sock, a stocking, an ankle brace, an ankle sleeve, a foot brace, a foot sleeve, a bunion brace, a bunion sleeve, an arch brace, an arch sleeve, a toe cot, a toes cot, a toe sleeve, a toes sleeve, a venous anti-embolic stocking, a pressure gradient stocking, a callus cushion, a callus remover, a corn cushion, a corn remover, a wart remover, a blister pad, moleskin, an anti-microbial treatment barrier, a thin film, a self-adhesive thin film, and a cushioning pad.

68. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the multiple first reservoirs include a first material composition, the first material composition having a first electrical potential, and the multiple second reservoirs include a second material composition, the second material composition having a second electrical potential that is different from the first electrical potential.

69. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the multiple first reservoirs include a first pattern of reservoirs and the multiple second reservoirs include a second pattern of reservoirs interleaved with the first pattern of reservoirs.

70. The footwear apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

the footwear apparatus further comprises a first insulator formed from at least one first parallel insulator thread arranged in a first direction across a plane;

the multiple first reservoirs include a first reservoir formed from at least one first reservoir thread, the first reservoir being arranged next to and substantially parallel to the first insulator;

the footwear apparatus further comprises a second insulator formed from at least one second parallel insulator thread arranged next to and substantially parallel to the first reservoir; and

the multiple second reservoirs include a second reservoir formed from at least one second reservoir thread, the second reservoir being arranged next to and substantially parallel to the second insulator.

71. The footwear apparatus of claim 70, further comprising:

at least one transverse insulator, formed from at least one transverse insulator thread, woven through the first insulator, the first reservoir, the second insulator, and the second reservoir in a second direction across the plane.

18-20. -20. (canceled)

24-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A footwear apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a first surface; and

multiple spaced dissimilar reservoirs joined with the substrate, wherein the apparatus is electrically self-contained, and upon activation generates a current between the multiple spaced dissimilar reservoirs absent an external power source.

30. The footwear apparatus of claim 29, wherein the multiple spaced dissimilar reservoirs comprise:

a first pattern of at least one first reservoir; and

a second pattern of at least one second reservoir, wherein the second pattern is positioned in spaced relation with the first pattern.

31. The footwear apparatus of claim 30, wherein the second pattern is interleaved with the first pattern.

32. The footwear apparatus of claim 29, wherein the multiple spaced dissimilar reservoirs comprise:

at least one first reservoir; and

at least one second reservoir, wherein the at least one first reservoir and at least one second reservoir are configured to sustain the current for approximately a pre-determined period of time.

72. The bedding article of claim 29, wherein the multiple spaced dissimilar reservoirs comprise:

at least one first reservoir having silver included therein; and

at least one second reservoir having zinc included therein.

33-53. -53. (canceled)

54. A method of manufacturing a footwear apparatus, the method comprising:

joining, with a substrate, multiple first reservoirs wherein selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs include a reducing agent, and wherein first reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs are proximate to a first substrate surface; and

joining, with the substrate, multiple second reservoirs wherein selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs include an oxidizing agent, and wherein second reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs are proximate to the first substrate surface.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein joining the multiple first reservoirs and joining the multiple second reservoirs comprises joining using at least one technique selected from a group of techniques consisting of painting, printing, tattooing, screen printing, ink jet printing, chemical deposition, electrochemical deposition, vapor deposition, plating, spray coating, gravure coating, plasma coating, dip coating, vacuum deposition, nanometer scale deposition, sputtering, bonding, and fusing reservoir material onto the first substrate surface.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein joining the multiple first reservoirs and joining the multiple second reservoirs comprises embroidering the multiple first reservoirs and the multiple second reservoirs onto the substrate.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein joining the multiple first reservoirs and joining the multiple second reservoirs comprises embedding reservoir material into the substrate.

58. The method of claim 54, wherein joining the multiple first reservoirs and joining the multiple second reservoirs comprises adhering the multiple first reservoirs and the multiple second reservoirs to the first substrate surface using an adhesive material.

73. The method of claim 54, wherein joining the multiple first reservoirs and joining the multiple second reservoirs comprises:

combining the multiple first reservoirs, the multiple second reservoirs, and multiple parallel insulators to produce a pattern repeat arranged in a first direction across a plane, the pattern repeat including a sequence of a first one of the parallel insulators, one of the multiple first reservoirs, a second one of the parallel insulators, and one of the multiple second reservoirs; and

weaving multiple transverse insulators through the first parallel insulator, the one first reservoir, the second parallel insulator, and the one second reservoir in a second direction across the plane to produce a woven apparatus.

59-61. -61. (canceled)

62. A method for treating a foot condition, the method comprising:

applying a foot contacting apparatus in proximity to the foot condition, wherein the foot contacting apparatus includes

multiple first reservoirs joined with a substrate, wherein selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs include a reducing agent, and wherein first reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs are proximate to a first substrate surface; and

multiple second reservoirs joined with the substrate, wherein selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs include an oxidizing agent, and wherein second reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs are proximate to the first substrate surface; and

producing, in response to the applying operation, redox reactions between the first reservoir surfaces and the second reservoir surfaces in the presence of an electrically conductive material contacting the second reservoir surfaces and the first reservoir surfaces.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

allowing the apparatus to remain proximate to the foot condition for a period of time.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein the apparatus further comprises a securing mechanism, and the method further comprises:

securing the apparatus in proximity to the foot condition using the securing mechanism.

65-67. -67. (canceled)