WO2015101366A1

WO2015101366A1 - Footwear with pneumatic sole

Info

Publication number: WO2015101366A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2014/000074
Authority: WO
Inventors: Oto MUŠÁLEK
Original assignee: Mušálek Oto
Priority date: 2013-12-30
Filing date: 2014-07-02
Publication date: 2015-07-09
Also published as: CZ20131077A3

Abstract

A sole (1) has one or two arched surfaces (3, 4) with at least one contiguous elastic pneumatic chamber (2) having appearance of a flat pillow with circumferential shape of a rounded triangle or even pear or ovoid, and being situated longitudinally on the sole (1). The inner cavity (5) of pneumatic chambers (2) can be higher at the rear, it has a circumferential convergent flattening (10) in its middle height, and the lower wall has a strengthening layer (12) and a relief. Input (6) for medium is at the rear part, output (7) in the front part of pneumatic chambers (2). A common suction inlet (18) and a common outlet (13) of medium can be created and possibly interconnected into a circulation circuit with an equalizing chamber (14), a pressure regulator (15), and, as the case may be, with an electric power generator (17). Filling branches (20) and control valves (19) are comprised as the case may be.

Description

Footwear with pneumatic sole

Technical Field The technical solution relates to footwear with pneumatic sole equipped with system of chambers, the shape and arrangement of which allow to generate flow of medium by walking and to utilize the energy produced by the flow for various purposes. Background Art

At present, the possibility that a system of chambers suitably created in the footwear can serve for collection of energy in the footwear, its storage, transformation to other form, and its utilisation for various purposes is known already. The chambers created in or on a sole are filled with air, which starts flowing during walk and this stream is directed to flow into a circulation circuit. The concrete ideal arrangement of such chambers in the footwear and the constructional solution of mechanisms for flowing of air or other medium so as to be effective are however an unresolved issue up to now.

The hitherto research has been focused primarily on the possibility of arrangement of air systems for connection to the chambers so that to allow utilisation of flowing medium, however the constructional solution of the chambers as such has been neglected.

For example document WO 2008/070534 A2 describes a system for collection of energy in footwear and its utilisation with the help of one or two air chambers in the sole. In the case of two chambers, one is located in the sole under a heel and the second one under the toe cap area. The chambers are filled with air and are compressible, so that their compression or decompression takes place during walking. The chambers have outlets into the circuit with a flow baffle and a rotary micro-turbine coupled with an electric generator. Air flow from the chambers through the pneumatic flow baffle ensures unidirectional flow of gas, which causes rotation of the micro-turbine that produces electric current with the help of the generator or controls a pneumatic device. Possibility to utilise electric current produced in this way for operation of an electronic device or for recharging a battery, for example for mobile phone, is mentioned. In the case of direct utilisation for mobile phone, it is necessary to walk or run in the footwear continuously during the phone operation. Possibility to utilise only the pressure of the pneumatic system for example for massage and similar mechanisms, which would be built-in to the footwear, is also mentioned. Each chamber has input and output for contained air or gas. Document WO 2008/070534 A2 supposes complete or partial compression of rear air chamber located in the heel area at treading and complete or partial compression of the frontal air chamber located under the toe cap area during tread-down. Furthermore, it supposes complete decompression at the foot lift. Possibility to apply similar system of chambers also in animals such as horses is mentioned. The WO 2008/070534 A2 document is not dealing with shape or constructional solution of pneumatic chambers. Chambers in the shape of bitten- off half-slices of bread turned with crowns of their arches outwards are shown on drawings. Each of these chambers has one input and one output that are located in corners. Because of the counter-arrangement of chambers facing each other, the corners with inputs are situated opposite each other and the corners with outputs are situated opposite each other, which gives the possibility to minimize the channels for flow of medium. The disadvantage of this solution is chiefly the fact that this shape and location does not allow sufficiently effective generation of gas flow so that the device is not efficient enough. The shape of the sole is not solved in any way, common planar sole is used, which is to the detriment because suitable shape could increase the device efficiency. Also the connection of battery or telephone shown on figures and described in the text is not effective in any way. Gas flow in the device cannot be regulated and will be extremely variable depending on whether the person wearing the footwear is walking, jumping or running. This can cause dropouts or momentary overload of the contained devices. It is more or less incontrollable system that cannot be turned off or adjusted to the current need, so that it could break easily. Also the risk of destruction of elements contained in the device in the case of detachment of for example fragments of material of the chamber or of the gas line tubes is not solved. Such particle circulating in the system could easily put the entire device out of operation. Disclosure of Invention

The disadvantages of the present state are eliminated by the invention. Footwear with pneumatic sole equipped with at least one pneumatic chamber for fluid medium, for example air, located in the treading part of the footwear in the sole area is designed, while this pneumatic chamber is at least partially compressible, has a cavity inside for filling with medium and has at least one input and at least one output for the medium, where a suction channel is connected to the input and an outlet channel is connected to the output, allowing flow of media from and to the pneumatic chamber as a result of compression and decompression of the pneumatic chamber. The essence of the new solution is that the sole has on it created at least one arched surface, arch of which is convex in the direction towards floor, while the pneumatic chamber is in the shape of bellows of elastic material abutting with at least a section of its upper surface to this arched surface.

The sole has preferably two arched surfaces created, of which one arched surface in the heel part of the footwear and the second arched surface in the toecap part of the footwear, both with the arch convex in the direction towards floor, while each such arched surface is equipped with at least one pneumatic chamber in the shape of bellows of elastic material abutting with at least a section of its upper surface to this arched surface.

All the contained pneumatic chambers according to the invention are of rounded circumferential shape with the longitudinal dimension greater than the width one, elongated and tapered towards the front, thus they have the shape of a rounded triangle or pear, close to an ovoid shape.

The height of the rear part of the cavity of the pneumatic chamber according to the invention is preferably equal to or greater than the height of the front part of the pneumatic chamber cavity.

The cavity of the pneumatic chamber according to the invention has preferably in its middle height part created a circumferential convergent flattening, preferably around the entire circumference. All pneumatic chambers according to the invention contained in the area of the sole have the input or all contained inputs at the rear of the pneumatic chamber, and output or ail outputs contained at the front part of the pneumatic chamber, considered in the functional position of the shoe.

At least a section of the lower wall of the pneumatic chamber according to the invention forms the bottom surface part of the footwear, while the contained pneumatic chambers are fitted with non-skid surface elements, such as relief with the same pattern or pattern blending in well with the relief of the footwear sole. The lower wall of the pneumatic chamber is preferably equipped with a strengthening layer at least on its part.

Preferably all the contained pneumatic chambers have a symmetric shape and their longitudinal axis runs also preferably in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the relevant part of the sole with deviation of no more than 15°.

Pneumatic chambers according to the invention are preferably in the shape of flat pillows whose upper as well as lower surfaces are at least locally arch-like bent, while the arch of the upper surface as well as the arch of the lower surface is convex toward the floor.

In the case when at least two pneumatic chambers are contained in one piece of footwear, preferably at least two outlet channels leading from these pneumatic chambers are joined into a common outlet.

The outlet channels have on their routing connected preferably at least one common equalizing chamber with pressure regulator, which elements are located outside the pneumatic chamber.

The pressure regulator can have preferably connected a drive that is mechanically coupled with electric generator.

In the case when at least two pneumatic chambers are contained in one piece of footwear, at least two suction channels have preferably a common suction inlet. In the case when more than one pneumatic chamber is contained in one piece of footwear, all contained pneumatic chambers are preferably connected in parallel to a common suction inlet as well as to a common outlet.

The suction inlet and the common outlet are preferably interconnected into a circulation circuit. At least one suction channel and/or suction inlet have preferably a connected filling branch with control valve for regulation of the medium flow.

The suction channel as well as the outlet channel should be equipped with barriers against the return flow of medium, for example with check valves.

Footwear with pneumatic sole according to the invention can be used for one shoe or boot as well as for both shoes/boots. The designed system with pneumatic chambers can be utilised for ventilation of footwear, for massage purposes, for recharging of batteries for example for mobile phone during long-term stay out of reach of electric power sources, as a direct power source for making a phone call during walking or running, as a direct power source for example for heating of pieces of clothing or footwear during movement or stay outdoor under very low outside temperature, for signal light mounted on the footwear because of safety reasons for example for training run on a bikeway or other movement in the dark and in twilight at places with accident risk due to road traffic etc. Substantial increase of the output of pneumatic chambers and their better properties compared to the state of art are achieved. Pneumatic chambers or, as the case may be, the whole system can be mounted to the sole in a detachable way. Brief Description of Drawings

The essence of the invention is illustrated using drawings, where Fig. 1 represents example of the sole according to the invention with two arched surfaces carrying pneumatic chambers in a cross-section in a side view, Fig. 2 shows triangular shape of the pneumatic chamber, viewed from the bottom, Fig. 3 shows pear-shaped shape of the pneumatic chamber, viewed from the bottom, Fig. 4 shows ovoid shape of the pneumatic chamber and tread pattern, viewed from the bottom, Fig. 5 shows a top plan view of the pneumatic chamber with two inputs and one output for medium, Fig. 6 shows longitudinal layout of said pneumatic chambers on the sole when example of the sole according to the invention is viewed from the bottom, Fig. 7 A, B shows greater and identical height of the cavity in the longitudinal section view of the chamber, Fig. 8 shows footwear with pneumatic sole according to the invention in a side view, Fig. 9 shows the diagram of example of the device connected to the pneumatic chambers and containing pressure regulator, pneumatic motor, equalizing chamber, and control valves. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Example of optimal embodiment of the invention is footwear with pneumatic sole according to Figures 1 to 9.

The footwear is equipped with a sole 1 carrying on itself, in a treading part, two pneumatic chambers 2 for fluid medium, which can be liquid in a closed system or gas, for example air. The footwear has the sole 1 in the shape of one or more arches, or it has only the lower side shaped so that at least one surface in the shape of an arch is located on at least part of the surface of its lower side. In the ideal case, two arched surfaces 3, 4 are created as shown in the example on figures, of which one smaller arched surface 3 in the heel part of the footwear, and the second, larger arched surface 4 in the toecap part of the footwear, both with the arch convex in the direction towards floor, seen in the functional position of the shoe. Each arched surface 3, 4 is equipped with the pneumatic chamber 2 in the shape of bellows of elastic material abutting with at least a section of its upper surface to this arched surface 3, 4. The pneumatic chambers 2 are at least partially compressible thanks to this placement, elasticity of the material they are made of, and also because each of them has a cavity 5 inside allowing its at least partial filling with the medium and has at least one input 6 and at least one output 7 for this medium. A suction channel 8 is connected to the input 6 and an outlet channel 9 is connected to the output 7 and these channels can be in the form of for instance tubing. This allows compression and decompression of said pneumatic chambers 2 which results in flow of medium from and into these pneumatic chambers 2 during walking and running. Optimal number of two pneumatic chambers 2 is shown on the illustrated example, but in other case it can be one or alternatively a higher number, it can be also for instance a set of five to twenty pneumatic chambers 2 in a mosaic array. Their purposeful placement is in places of the highest pressure at treading and during tread-down of foot Pneumatic chambers 2 are solved so as to achieve generation of maximal pressure force and the best utilisation of this force. Therefore all the contained pneumatic chambers 2 are of rounded circumferential shape with the longitudinal dimension greater than the width dimension, elongated and tapered towards the front, thus they have the shape of a rounded triangle or even pear, even similar to an ovoid shape, as shown on drawings Fig. 2 to Fig. 5. Figure Fig. 7 shows two variants, from which the preferential A variant has the height b of the rear part of the cavity 5 of each pneumatic chamber 2 higher than the height a of the front part of its cavity 5. The variant B shows alternative option where the cavity 5 has identical height a in the front as well as at the rear. Beside that the cavity 5 of each pneumatic chamber 2 has a convergent flattening 10 on the circumference in its middle height part. In the optimum case, this flattening 10 is on the entire circumference.

All the contained pneumatic chambers 2 have input 6 in their rear part and output 7 in their front part. At least a section of the lower wall of pneumatic chambers 2 creates the bottom surface part of the footwear sole. The pneumatic chambers 2 can be mounted towards the sole I in a detachable way and serve for temporary use, for example in the case of footwear for training run on even ways, or they can be fixed to it in a stable way, which brings for a change the advantage of safety of strength in the case of use in footwear for mountainous terrains and other rough terrains. Parts of the lower wall of pneumatic chambers 2 that are directly touching the floor during walking are preferably fitted with non-skid elements 11 on their surface, for example with plastic relief as demonstrated on Fig. 4. The relief is preferably of the same pattern or pattern blending in well with the surrounding relief on the footwear sole. The lower wall of the pneumatic chamber 2 can be on its part creating the treading part of the sole surface preferably equipped with a strengthening layer 12, as shown on Fig. 1.

All the contained pneumatic chambers 2 can preferably have a symmetric shape and their longitudinal axis runs on the shoe in the direction from the back to the fore considered according to the longitudinal axis o¹, o² of the relevant part of the sole with deviation of no more than 15°. The pneumatic chambers 2 are preferably in the shape of a flattened body such as pillows. Upper as well as lower surfaces of the flattened bodies of each pneumatic chamber are preferably at least locally arch-like bent, while the arch of the upper surface as well as the arch of the lower surface is convex toward the floor as shown on drawings Fig. 1 and Fig. 7.

The invention resolves also a system for utilisation of the stream of medium produced by compression and decompression of the pneumatic chambers 2. In the case when at least two pneumatic chambers 2 are contained in one piece of footwear, at least two outlet channels 9 are contained in one shoe and these outlet channels 9 are either led back into the shoe sole, sock or insole, for example for ventilation or massage purposes, or they are preferably joined into a common outlet 13 as shown on figure Fig. 9.

It is also schematically demonstrated on Fig. 9 that in a preferable embodiment the outlet channels 9 can have somewhere at a suitable place in the shoe or on the shoe, anywhere on their routing, connected at least one equalizing chamber 14 with a connected pressure regulator 15, which are located outside the pneumatic chamber 2. The equalizing chamber 14 and the pressure regulator 15 drawn on the figure Fig. 9 can be situated for example in the sole 1 or on the shoe outer side wall. After the pressure regulator 15, there can be a disemboguing connection into the sole or under a planta pedis etc. or a device for production of electric power can be connected there. The last-named option is shown on the Fig. 9 where a drive 16 mechanically coupled with an electric generator 17 is connected after the pressure regulator 15.

In the case when at least two pneumatic chambers 2 are contained in one piece of footwear, at least two suction channels 8 are comprised and these have preferably a common suction inlet 18. In the case when more than one pneumatic chamber 2 is contained in one piece of footwear, all the contained pneumatic chambers 2 are preferably connected in parallel to the common suction inlet 18 as well as to the common outlet 13. The common suction inlet 18 and the common outlet 13 can be preferably interconnected into a circulation circuit, as shown on figure Fig. 9. in the case of other utilisation of the pressure of flowing medium however, individual circulation circuits can be created for individual pneumatic chambers 2 or for groups of pneumatic chambers 2 in case they are in great number. Individual circulation circuits are more suitable especially for the purposes of ventilation, damping of shocks, or for massage purposes. In the case when liquid or gas not readily available in the nature is used as the medium, the circulation circuit will be closed. In the case when water or air, which is readily available practically everywhere, is used as the medium, the circulation circuit can be well regulated regarding the content of medium. In such case a filling branch 20 leading to the external medium source and one or several control valves 19 with suitable auxiliary elements such as backflow valve etc. will be included. Replaceable filters 2Λ etc. can be introduced to prevent fouling of passages with unwanted impurities from the supplied medium of dubious purity. With this arrangement, the system according to the invention can be in an inflatable form, when the pneumatic chambers 2 will be maintained in a half-empty to empty flat state for example for usual walking and run, and when for example recharging of a phone battery is needed, more air can be pumped in using a hand air pump, which would maximize the volume of pneumatic chambers 2 so that they would plastically project out of the sole thus increasing the efficiency. However the system can be filled, replenished, and discharged also merely based on atmospheric or hydrostatic pressure by means of loosening at least one valve 19 and pressing the footwear to the floor or vice versa its releasing. Air intake from outer environment using the filling branches 20 and the control valves 19 will be suitable especially for systems of more simple arrangement utilising the pneumatic chambers 2 for ventilation of space in the footwear and for damping of shocks. The suction channel 8 and the outlet channel 9 should be equipped with suitable barriers 22 against the medium return flow, for example with check valves.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Footwear with a pneumatic sole equipped with at least one pneumatic chamber

(2) for a fluid medium, for example air, arranged in the treading part of the footwear in the area of the sole (1), while this pneumatic chamber (2) is at least partially compressible, has a cavity (5) inside for filling with medium and has at least one input (6) and at least one output (7) for this medium, where a suction channel (8) is connected to the input (6) and an outlet channel (9) is connected to the output (7) allowing a flow of media from and into the pneumatic chamber (2) as a result of compression and decompression of the pneumatic chamber (2) characterized by that the sole (1) has on it created at least one arched surface (3, 4), arch of which is convex in the direction towards floor, while the pneumatic chamber (2) is in the shape of bellows of elastic material abutting with at least a section of its upper surface to this arched surface (3, 4).

2. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claim 1 characterized by that the sole (1) has on it created two arched surfaces (3, 4), of which one arched surface

(3) in the heel part of the footwear and the second arched surface (4) in the toecap part of the footwear, both with the arch convex in the direction towards floor, while each of these arched surfaces (3, 4) is equipped with at least one pneumatic chamber (2) in the shape of bellows of elastic material abutting with at least a section of its upper surface to this arched surface (3, 4).

3. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 and 2 characterized by that all the contained pneumatic chambers (2) are of rounded circumferential shape with the longitudinal dimension greater than the width dimension, elongated and tapered towards the front, thus they have the shape of a rounded triangle or even pear, even similar to an ovoid shape.

4. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 to 3 characterized by that the height (b) of the rear part of the cavity (5) of the pneumatic chamber (2) is at least that as the height (a) of the front part of the cavity (5) of this pneumatic chamber (2).

5. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 to 4 characterized by that the cavity (5) of the pneumatic chamber (2) has a circumferential convergent flattening (10) in its middle part, taken in the dimension of height.

6. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 to 5 characterized by that all the contained pneumatic chambers (2) have all the contained inputs (6) for medium at their rear part, and all the contained outputs (7) for medium in their front part.

7. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 to 6 characterized by that at least a section of the lower wall of the contained pneumatic chambers (2) constitutes the bottom surface part of the footwear, while these pneumatic chambers (2) are fitted with non-skid surface elements (1 1) such as relief with the same pattern or pattern blending in well with the relief of the footwear sole.

8. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 to 7 characterized by that the lower wall of the pneumatic chamber (2) is at least on its part fitted with a strengthening layer (12).

9. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 to 8 characterized by that all the contained pneumatic chambers (2) have a symmetric shape and their longitudinal axis runs in the direction of the longitudinal axis (o¹, o²) of the relevant part of the sole (1 ) with a deviation of no more than 15°.

10. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 to 9 characterized by that the contained pneumatic chambers (2) have the shape of a flat pillow whose upper as well as lower surface is at least locally arch-like bent, while the arch of the upper surface as well as the arch of the lower surface is convex towards the floor.

11. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 to 10 characterized by that in the case when at least two pneumatic chambers (2) are contained in one piece of footwear, at least two outlet channels (9) have a common outlet (13).

12. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claim 11 characterized by that the outlet channels (9) have on their routing connected at least one common equalizing chamber (14) with a connected pressure regulator (15) that are located outside the pneumatic chamber (2).

13. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claim 12 characterized by that the pressure regulator (15) has a connected drive (16) mechanically coupled with an electric generator (17).

14. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 1 to 11 characterized by that in the case when at least two pneumatic chambers (2) are contained in one piece of footwear, at least two suction channels (8) have a common suction inlet (18).

15. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claims 11 and 14 characterized by that in case when more than one pneumatic chamber (2) is contained in one piece of footwear, all the contained pneumatic chambers (2) are connected in parallel to the common suction inlet (18) as well as to the common outlet (13).

16. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to claim 15 characterized by that the suction inlet ( 8) and the common outlet (13) are interconnected into a circulation circuit.

17. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to any of the claims 1 to 16 characterized by that it comprises at least one filling branch (20) situated on at least one suction channel (8) and/or suction inlet (18), and at least one control valve (19) for flow control.

18. Footwear with pneumatic sole according to any of the claims 1 to 17 characterized by that the suction channel (8) as well as the outlet channel (9) are equipped with barriers (22) against the return flow of medium.