Insole construction for articles of footwear

• US 4,183,156 A
• Filed: 09/06/1977
• Issued: 01/15/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert C. Bogert
• Original Assignee: Robert C. Bogert
• Inventors: Rudy, Marion F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lawson, Patrick D.
• Application Number:
  US05/830,589
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 36/28, 36/29, 36/35 R, 36/35 B, 36/71, 36/88, 36/93, 36/96, 36/44, 264/299, 264/230, 264/234, 264/319, 128/90, 128/382, 128/383, 2/2.5, 2/413, 2/414, 2/DIG. 3, 2/DIG. 10
• US Class Current: 36/44
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/40 with cushions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/035 provided with a pump or valve

Abstract

An improved construction for articles of footwear, such as boots and shoes of all types, includes an inflated insert, preferably in the shape of an insole, having a multiplicity of intercommunicating, gas containing chambers, and a ventilated moderator member which overlies the inflated insole for evenly distributing the forces exerted by the gas containing chambers across the plantar surface of the foot of the wearer. The material from which the insole is constructed and the gas contained in the intercommunicating chambers of the insole member are selected so that the rate of diffusion of the gas through the barrier material of the insole will be extremely slow, the insole remaining inflated to a substantial pressure for several years. The pressure to which the intercommunicating gas containing chambers are inflated is selected so that the insole will support the foot in a comfortable manner, distribute the load on the foot across the plantar portion of the foot, with no unusually high pressure points on the foot, and absorb shock forces experienced during walking, jumping or running to protect the bones of the foot and body and the various body organs. In addition, energy is absorbed, stored, and returned as motivating energy to the foot, leg and body in such manner as to make walking, running and jumping more efficient and less tiring.

Claims

1. An inflated insert construction for articles of footwear, comprising a sealed insert barrier member of permeable elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflated with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, said gaseous medium in said chambers comprising a gas other than air, oxygen or nitrogen, said elastomeric material having characteristics of relatively low permeability with respect to said gas to resist diffusion of said gas therethrough from said chambers and of relatively high permeability with respect to the ambient air surrounding said insert to permit diffusion of said ambient air through said elastomeric material into each of said chambers to provide a total pressure in each chamber which is the sum of the partial pressure of the gas in each chamber and the partial pressure of the air in each chamber, the diffusion rate of said gas through said elastomeric material being substantially lower than the diffusion rate of nitrogen through said elastomeric material.

2. An inflated insert construction according to claim 1, said ambient air diffusing through said insert member and increasing the pressure in said chambers above said initial value.

3. An inflated insert construction according to claim 1, wherein said elastomeric material of said insert member is an ether based polyurethane.

4. An inflated insert construction according to claim 1, wherein said elastomeric material of said insert is polyurethane, polyester elastomer, butyl rubber, fluoroelastomer, chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, neoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, butadiene styrene rubber, ethylene propylene polymer, natural rubber, high strength silicone rubber, low density polyethylene, adduct rubber, sulfide rubber, methyl rubber, or thermoplastic rubber.

5. An inflated insert construction according to claim 1, said chambers being initially inflated with a mixture of said gas and air.

6. An inflated insert construction according to claim 1, said chambers being initially inflated with a mixture of said gas and nitrogen.

7. An inflated insert construction according to claim 1, said chambers being initially inflated with a mixture of said gas and oxygen.

8. An inflated insert construction according to claim 1, the elastomeric material forming said chambers expanding, due to tensile relaxation of said material, at a rate commensurate with the diffusion of air into said chambers to provide a greater chamber volume which prevents the total pressure in said chambers from increasing excessively.

9. An inflated insert construction as defined in claim 1, said permeable material having a wall thickness of about 0.001 inch to about 0.050 inch.

10. An inflated insert construction according to claim 1, said insert barrier member being a sole member shaped to substantially conform to the outline of a person'"'"'s foot.

11. An inflated insert construction according to claim 1, said chambers being in gaseous medium communication with each other.

12. A inflated insert construction according to claim 11, one or more of said inflated chambers being of such size and shape as to expand upon substantial increase in the gaseous medium pressure above said initial value, one or more other inflated chambers being of such size and shape as to resist further expansion upon such substantial increase in the gaseous medium gas pressure above said initial pressure.

13. An inflated insert construction according to claim 11, wherein said gas being either hexafluoroethane, sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane, perfluorobutane, perfluoropentane, perfluorohexane, perfluoroheptane, octafluorocyclobutane, perfluorocylcobutane, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoromethane, monochloropentafluoroethane, 1,2-dichlorotetrafluoroethane, 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2, trifluoroethane, chlorotrifluoroethylene, bromotrifluoromethane, or monochlorotrifluoromethane.

14. An inflated insert construction according to claim 11, wherein said gaseous medium under pressure is hexafluoroethane.

15. An inflated insert construction according to claim 11, wherein said gaseous medium under pressure is sulfur hexafluoride.

16. An inflated insert construction according to claim 11, wherein the gaseous medium pressure in said chambers is between about 2 psi and about 50 psi.

17. An inflated insert construction according to claim 11, wherein said insert member comprises two layers of elastomeric material sealed to one another at spaced intervals to define a plurality of intercommunicating chambers.

18. An inflated insert construction according to claim 11, wherein said insert member comprises two layers of elastomeric material sealed to one another along seam lines to define a plurality of generally longitudinally extending tubular chambers.

19. An inflated insert construction according to claim 3, wherein said insole member comprises two layers of elastomeric material sealed to one another at a plurality of spaced weld areas to define a plurality of generally annular chambers.

20. An inflated insert construction according to claim 19, wherein said weld areas are arranged in a pattern of triangles, with each weld area forming an apex of a triangle.

21. An inflated insert construction according to claim 19, wherein said weld areas are arranged in a pattern of squares, with each weld area forming a corner of a square.

22. An inflated insert construction according to claim 11, wherein said insert member comprises two layers of elastomeric material sealed to one another at selected points to define said plurality of chambers, said two layers of elastomeric material being sealed to one another along seam lines in one region of said insert member to define a plurality of generally longitudinally extending tubular chambers in said one region of said insert member, and said layers of elastomeric material being sealed to one another at a plurality of spaced weld areas in another region of said insole member to define a plurality of generally annular chambers in said other region of said insert member.

23. An inflated insert construction according to claim 18, the seam lines in the forward portion of said insert being arranged in a herringbone pattern to form corresponding tubular chambers arranged in a herringbone pattern.

24. An inflated insert construction according to claim 18, the seam lines being arranged in a sinusoidal pattern to form corresponding sinusoidal tubular chambers.

25. An inflated insert construction according to claim 11, wherein said insert comprises two layers of elastomeric material sealed to one another along polygonal seam lines to form a plurality of polygonal chambers spaced from each other.

26. An inflated insole construction according to claim 11, wherein said insert comprises two layers of elastomeric material sealed to one another along hexagonal seam lines to form a plurality of hexagonal chambers spaced from one another.

27. An inflated insert construction as defined in claim 11, said permeable material having a wall thinkness of about 0.001 inch to about 0.050 inch.

37. An insert construction according to claim 1, in combination with an elastic outsole having an enclosed cavity in which said insert is positioned.

38. An inflated insert construction according to claim 37, said chambers being in gaseous medium communication with each other.

45. An inflated insert construction as defined in claim 13, said permeable material having a wall thickness of about 0.001 inch to about 0.050 inch.

28. An inflated insert construction for articles of footwear, comprising a sealed insert barrier member of permeable elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflated with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, said gaseous medium in said chambers comprising a gas other than air oxygen or nitrogen, said elastomeric material having characteristics of relatively low permeability with respect to said gas to resist diffusion of said gas therethrough from said chambers and of relatively high permeability with respect to the ambient air surrounding said insert to permit diffusion of said ambient air through said elastomeric material into each of said chambers to provide a total pressure in each chamber which is the sum of the partial pressure of the gas in each chamber and the partial pressure of the air in each chamber, said gas being either hexafluoroethane, sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane, perfluorobutane, perfluoropentane, perfluorohexane, perfluoroheptane, octafluorocyclobutane, perfluorocyclobutane, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoromethane, monochloropentafluoroethane, 1,2-dichlorotetrafluoroethane, 1,1,2-trichloro-1, 2,2 trifluoroethane, chlorotrifluoroethylene, bromotrifluoromethane, or monochlorotrifluoromethane.

29. An inflated insert construction according to claim 28, said elastomeric material of said insert being either polyurethane, polyester elastomer, fluoroelastomer, chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, neoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, butadiene styrene rubber, ethylene propylene polymer, natural rubber, high strength silicone rubber, low density polyethylene, adduct rubber, sulfide rubber, methyl rubber, or thermoplastic rubber.

30. An inflated insert construction according to claim 28, said chambers being initially inflated with a mixture of said gas and air.

31. An inflated insert construction according to claim 28, said chambers being initially inflated with a mixture of said gas and nitrogen.

32. An inflated insert construction according to claim 28, said chambers being initially inflated with a mixture of said gas and oxygen.

41. An inflated insert construction according to claim 29, wherein said fluid under pressure is hexafluoroethane.

42. An inflated insert construction according to claim 29, wherein said fluid under pressure is sulfur hexafluoride.

43. An inflated insert construction as defined in claim 28, said permeable material having a wall thickness of about 0.001 inch to about 0.050 inch.

44. An inflated insert construction as defined in claim 29, said permeable material having a wall thickness of about 0.001 inch to about 0.050 inch.

33. An inflated insert construction for articles of footwear, comprising a sealed insole member of elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflated with a fluid under pressure, and a moderator member comprising a sheet of semi-flexible material overlying said insole member and bridging said inflated chambers, said moderator member further including a layer of deformable material engaging one surface of said sheet of semi-flexible material.

34. An inflated insert construction according to claim 33, said layer being of foam material.

35. An inflated insert construction according to claim 33, said layer underlying said sheet of semi-flexible material.

36. An inflated insert construction according to claim 33, said layer overlying said sheet of semi-flexible material.

39. An inflated insert construction for articles of footwear, comprising a sealed insole member of elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers in fluid communication with each other, said chambers being inflated with a fluid under pressure which causes said chambers to expand and form peaks and intervening valleys in the upper surface of said member, a moderator member comprising a sheet of semi-flexible material overlying said insole member and bearing against said peaks and bridging said valleys between said inflated chambers, said fluid under pressure being either hexafluoroethane, sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane, octafluorocyclobutane, perfluorocyclobutane, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoromethane, monochloropentafluoroethane, 1,2,-dichlorotetrafluoroethane, 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2 trifluoroethane, chlorotrifluoroethylene, bromotrifluoromethane, or monochlorotrifluoromethane.

40. An inflated insert construction according to claim 39, wherein said elastomeric material of said insert is either polyurethane, polyester elastomer, fluoroelastomer, chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, neoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, butadiene styrene rubber, ethylene propylene polymer, natural rubber, high strength silicone rubber, low density polyethylene, adduct rubber, sulfide rubber, methyl rubber, or thermoplastic rubber.