Shoe having an inner sole incorporating microspheres
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A shoe comprising an inner sole, the inner sole comprising:
- a. polymeric microspheres, each polymeric microsphere having a diameter less than 1000 microns, the polymeric microspheres including a polymeric outer shell and an encapsulated curing agent within the polymeric outer shell; and
b. a polymeric matrix including a polymer having substituents on the polymer chain selected from the group consisting of alcohols including diols mid polyols, isocyanates, amines, and any and all mixtures thereof;
c. wherein the inner sole is configured such that wearing of the shoe causes the polymeric outer shells of at least some of the polymeric microspheres to rupture, thereby releasing the encapsulated curing agent and causing the curing agent to react with the polymer of the polymer matrix.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to the field of shoes in general, and more specifically to the application of microspheres in shoe material formulations to yield desired shoe properties. Even more specifically, the invention relates to a shoe component prepared from a closed cell foam incorporating microspheres to yield controlled cell size, cell size distribution and expansion characteristics. In another embodiment, the invention also relates to an inner sole for a shoe prepared from the reaction product of a polymer matrix component and a curing agent where the curing agent is incorporated in microspheres to yield a material conformable to the user'"'"'s foot shape.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A shoe comprising an inner sole, the inner sole comprising:
-
a. polymeric microspheres, each polymeric microsphere having a diameter less than 1000 microns, the polymeric microspheres including a polymeric outer shell and an encapsulated curing agent within the polymeric outer shell; and b. a polymeric matrix including a polymer having substituents on the polymer chain selected from the group consisting of alcohols including diols mid polyols, isocyanates, amines, and any and all mixtures thereof; c. wherein the inner sole is configured such that wearing of the shoe causes the polymeric outer shells of at least some of the polymeric microspheres to rupture, thereby releasing the encapsulated curing agent and causing the curing agent to react with the polymer of the polymer matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12)
-
-
10. A shoe comprising an inner sole, the inner sole comprising:
-
a. polymeric microspheres, each of the polymeric microspheres having a diameter less than 1000 microns, the polymeric microspheres including a polymeric outer shell end an encapsulated catalyst within the polymeric outer shell; and b. a polymeric matrix including a silicone material; c. wherein the inner sole is configured such that wearing of the shoe causes the polymeric outer shells of at least some of the polymeric microspheres to rupture, thereby releasing the encapsulated catalyst and causing the polymer of the polymer matrix to react.
-
-
13. A shoe comprising an inner sole, the inner sole comprising:
-
a. polymeric microspheres, each of the polymeric microspheres having a diameter less than 1000 microns, the polymeric microspheres including a polymeric outer shell end an encapsulated catalyst within the polymeric outer shell; and b. a polymeric matrix including a silicone material; c. wherein the inner sole is configured such that wearing of the shoe causes the polymeric outer shells of at least some of the polymeric microspheres to rupture, thereby releasing the encapsulated catalyst and causing the polymer of the polymer matrix to react. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
Specification