Variable support shoe

• US 4,999,932 A
• Filed: 02/14/1989
• Issued: 03/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ossur hf
• Original Assignee: Royce Medical Company (Ossur hf)
• Inventors: Grim, Tracy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meyers, Steven N.
• Application Number:
  US07/310,836
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 36/3 R, 36/3 A, 36/3 B, 36/29, 36/71, 36/88, 36/89, 36/93, 36/119, 36/114, 36/86, 128/594
• US Class Current: 36/88
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/203 provided with a pump or valve
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/206 provided with tubes or pipes or tubular shaped cushioning members
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/081 the air being forced from outside

Abstract

An athletic shoe includes a substantially flat pump chamber in the sole of the shoe under the heel of the user, with a one-way valve permitting the drawing in of air when pressure is taken off the heel, and second one-way valve at the outlet from the flat pump which comes into play as air is being exhausted from the chamber. One or more pressure bladders for receiving air from the pump mentioned above, are mounted in the sidewalls of the shoe, toward the rear thereof adjacent the ankle. When the user is active, and is walking or running, the pump is actuated to inflate the air bladders and to provide additional support for the foot and the ankle. The air bladders may be provided with a relief valve to prevent overpressure, and with arrangements for slowly leading air out of the bladder so that when the user is resting, pressure on the foot and ankle is minimized. This last function may be accomplished, either by a bleed valve, or by a series of fine perforations in the walls of the bladder.

Claims

1. In a variable air support shoe having a sole, sidewalls secured to said sole, and laces for securing the sidewalls of said shoe together;

the improvement comprising;

inflatable bladders mounted on said sidewalls for applying supporting pressure to the foot and ankle area toward the sides and the rear thereof;

pump means mounted in the sole of the shoe and actuated by walking or running activity for supplying air to said bladders;

relief means for releasing air from said bladders over a predetermined period of time which is relatively long compared to the periodicity of normal walking or running steps; and

said bladders having a non-inflatable central zone at the area in the shoe where the user'"'"'s ankle bone normally extends laterally;

whereby walking or running activity increases the air pressure in said shoe and provides additional support against possible injury to the foot or ankle, and the increased pressure is released within a few minutes after the activity stops to minimize pressure on the foot while resting.

2. A shoe as defined in claim 1 wherein said pump means includes a one-way valve means interconnecting said pump and said bladders.

3. A shoe as defined in claim 1 wherein said shoe includes one-way inlet valve means for air supplied to said pump means.

4. A shoe as defined in claim 3 wherein means are provided for supplying air to said inlet valve means from within the shoe.

5. A shoe as defined in claim 1 wherein said pump means includes a variable volume air chamber and resilient means for biasing said chamber to its expanded configuration.

6. A shoe as defined in claim 1 wherein said pump means is relatively flat and is mounted in the heel area of the shoe.

7. A shoe as defined in claim 1 wherein said shoe extends up over the ankle of the user, and wherein said bladders extend around the ankle area of the shoe.

8. A shoe as defined in claim 1 wherein said relief means includes a plurality of tiny holes in said bladders.

9. A variable air support shoe as defined in claim 1 wherein said relief means limits the maximum pressure in said inflatable bladders.