Actively ventilated shoe

• US 8,209,882 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adidas International Marketing BV (Adidas AG)
• Original Assignee: Adidas International Marketing BV (Adidas AG)
• Inventors: Leimer, Robert, Manz, Gerd Rainer, Gordon, Josh Robert, Blinn, Joerg, Robinson, Timothy Kelvin, Michel, Frank Ingo, Allen, Tom, Harnisch, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Jayne, Darnell
• Assistant Examiner(s): TEFERA, HIWOT E
• Application Number:
  US12/285,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 36/3.R, 36/3.A, 36/3.B, 36/29
• US Class Current: 36/3.R
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/08 ventilated
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/42 where power is generated by conversion of mechanical movement to electricity, e.g. by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/44 with sensors, e.g. for detecting contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/081 the air being forced from outside

Abstract

The invention relates to an article of footwear, in particular a sports shoe, wherein the article of footwear includes a ventilation system with at least one active ventilation element arranged in a midfoot area of the article of footwear. Furthermore, the article of footwear includes at least one air channel with an inlet and an outlet which are arranged in the sole area in the interior of the article of footwear. The active ventilation element is arranged such that air is sucked from the interior of the article of footwear through the inlet and is blown into the interior of article of footwear shoe through the outlet.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a ventilation system with at least one active ventilation element arranged in a midfoot area of the article of footwear; and

at least one air channel arranged in a sole area in an interior of the article of footwear comprising;

an inlet arranged in the interior of the article of footwear, configured to suck air out of the interior of the article of footwear; and

an outlet arranged in the interior of the article of footwear, configured to subsequently blow air sucked out of the interior of the article of footwear by the inlet back into the interior of the article of footwear,

wherein the active ventilation element is arranged such that air is sucked out of the interior of the article of footwear through the inlet and blown into the interior of the article of footwear through the outlet.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the inlet of the air channel is arranged in the midfoot area and the outlet of the air channel is arranged in a forefoot area.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the article of footwear further comprises an intermediate sole, and said air channel comprises one or more recesses in the intermediate sole.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein said one or more recesses are arranged in a midfoot area of the intermediate sole.

5. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein said one or more recesses are arranged in a forefoot area of the intermediate sole.

6. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein said recesses are arranged in both a midfoot area and a forefoot area of the intermediate sole.

7. The article of footwear of claim 3, further comprising a covering element adapted to cover the one or more recesses and which comprises an opening in a midfoot area of the article of footwear.

8. The article of footwear of claim 3, further comprising a covering element adapted to cover the one or more recesses and which comprises an opening in a forefoot area of the article of footwear.

9. The article of footwear of claim 3, further comprising a covering element adapted to cover the one or more recesses and which comprises an opening in both a midfoot area of the article of footwear and a forefoot area of the article of footwear.

10. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein the ventilation system is accessible from a side of the intermediate sole.

11. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein the ventilation system comprises a control unit.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises a CPU.

13. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises one or more sensors.

14. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises a CPU and one or more sensors.

15. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the intermediate sole comprises a plurality of layers, and at least a part of the control unit is arranged between two layers of the intermediate sole.

16. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the control unit is arranged in a heel area of the article of footwear.

17. The article of footwear of claim 11 further comprising an upper, wherein the control unit is arranged at least in part in the area of the upper of the article of footwear.

18. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the sensors include at least one temperature sensor.

19. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the sensors include at least one moisture sensor.

20. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the sensors include at least one moisture sensor and at least one temperature sensor.

21. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the sensors determine a usage state of the shoe.

22. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the shoe comprises an input device for the control unit.

23. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises an automatic mode.

24. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises a manual mode.

25. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises an automatic mode and a manual mode.

26. The article of footwear of claim 25, wherein the control unit can be adjusted manually when it is in the automatic mode.

27. The article of footwear of claim 22, wherein the input device is arranged in a heel area of the article of footwear.

28. The article of footwear of claim 22, wherein the input device controls a control unit of another article of footwear.

29. The article of footwear of claim 22 further comprising a portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device can display data received from the control unit.

30. The article of footwear of claim 29, wherein the control unit is controlled by the portable electronic device.

31. The article of footwear of claim 29, wherein the control unit, the input device or the portable electronic device can store, display, or output user-specific adjustments.

32. The article of footwear of claim 1 further comprising a power source for the ventilation system and a power-jack, wherein the power source can be charged by the power-jack.

33. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the ventilation system is supplied with power by transforming mechanical power into electric power.

38. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit operatively connected to said active ventilation element,

wherein said control unit operates said active ventilation element at a first selected level during a first period and at a second selected level during a second period.

39. The ventilation system of claim 38, wherein the first period comprises a period wherein the article of footwear is off the ground.

40. The ventilation system of claim 39, wherein the second period comprises a period wherein the article of footwear is in contact with the ground.

34. A ventilation system, comprising:

an article of footwear including at least one active ventilation element arranged in a midfoot area of the footwear, and at least one air channel arranged in a sole area in an interior of the footwear comprising;

an inlet arranged in the interior of the article of footwear, configured to suck air out of the interior of the article of footwear, and an outlet arranged in the interior of the article of footwear, configured to subsequently blow air sucked out of the interior of the article of footwear by the inlet back into the interior of the article of footwear; and

a sock having a first area and a second area,

wherein the active ventilation element is arranged such that air is sucked out of the interior of the footwear through the inlet and blown into the interior of the footwear through the outlet, and wherein the second area of said sock is formed to at least partially overlap the air channel when worn on the foot of a user of the footwear.

35. The ventilation system of claim 34, wherein the fabric structure of the second area of the sock is different from the fabric structure of the first area of the sock.

36. The ventilation system of claim 34, wherein the second area of the sock comprises a different material than the first area of the sock.

37. The ventilation system of claim 34, wherein the second area of the sock is more permeable than the first area of the sock.