Footwear

Claim 2

A structure to form part of a shoe, comprising a sealed sole member of elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflatable with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, and an elastomeric yieldable outer member encapsulating said sole member, said sole member having peaks and valleys in its upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of said outer member being spaced above said peaks, said outer member extending downwardly from its upper surface to fill the space between said upper surface and said peaks and also to fill at least said valleys in said upper surface of said sole member, whereby the downward load of the wearer's foot is transmitted from said upper surface of said outer member through said outer member to the inflated chambers of said sole member.

Claim 3

A structure as defined in claim 1, said outer member being an elastomeric foam.

Claim 4

A structure to foam part of a shoe, comprising a sealed sole member of elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflatable with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, and a permeable elastomeric yieldable outer member encapsulating said sole member, said sole member being permeable, said gaseous medium under pressure in said chambers including 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 sole member to permit diffusion of said ambient air through said elastomeric material into 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 in each chamber being substantially lower than the diffusion rate of nitrogen through said elastomeric material.

Claim 5

A structure to foam part of a shoe, comprising a sealed sole member of elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflatable with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, and a permeable elastomeric yieldable outer member encapsulating said sole member, said sole member being permeable, said gaseous medium under pressure in said chambers including 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 sole member to permit diffusion of said ambient air through said elastomeric material into 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 in each chamber being substantially lower than the diffusion rate of nitrogen through said elastomeric material.

Claim 6

A structure as defined in claim 3, said outer member being a yieldable permeable foam through which said ambient air can pass for diffusion through said elastomeric material into said chambers.

Claim 7

A structure as defined in claim 1, said outer member filling said valleys in said upper and lower surfaces.

Claim 8

A structure as defined in claim 5, said outer member being a yieldable foam.

Claim 9

A structure as defined in claim 1, said plurality of chambers intercommunicating with one another.

Claim 10

A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein said gas is 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; chlorotrifluorethylene; bromotrifluoromethane; or monochlorotrifluoromethane.

Claim 11

A structure as defined in claim 8, wherein said elastomeric material is either of: 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.

Claim 12

A structure as defined in claim 8, said plurality of chambers intercommunicating with one another.

Claim 13

A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said elastomeric foam either: polyether urethane; polyester urethane; ethylenevinylacetate/polyethylene copolymer; polyester elastomer (Hytrel); ethylenevinylacetate/polypropylene copolymer; polyethylene; polypropylene; neoprene; natural rubber; dacron/polyester; polyvinylchloride; theromplastic rubbers; nitrile rubber, butyl rubber; sulfide rubber; polyvinyl acetate; methyl rubber; buna N.; buna S.; polystyrene; ethylene propylene; polybutadiene; polypropylene; or silocone rubber.

Claim 14

A structure as defined in claim 8, said outer member being an elastomeric foam, wherein said elastomeric foam is either: polyether urethane; polyester urethane; ethylenevinylacetate/polyethylene copolymer; polyester elastomer (Hytrel); ethylenevinylacetate/polypropylene copolymer; polyethylene; polypropylene; neoprene; natural rubber, dacron/polyester; polyvinylchloride; theromplastic rubber; nitrile rubber; butyl rubber; sulfide rubber; polyvinyl acetate; methyl rubber; buna N.; buna S.; polystyrene; ethylene propylene; polybutadiene; polypropylene; or silicone rubber.

Claim 15

A structure as defined in claim 12, wherein said elastomeric material 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.

Claim 16

A structure as defined in claim 1, said outer member comprising at least two parts separate from one another and movable toward each other to embrace said sole member, and means securing said parts in embracing relation to said sole member.

Claim 17

Footwear comprising a shoe upper, a sole below and secured to said upper, said sole including a sealed inner member of elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflatable with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, and said sole further including an elastomeric yieldable outer member encapsulating said inner member, said inner member having peaks and valleys in its upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of said outer member being spaced above said peaks, said outer member extending downwardly from its upper surface to fill the space between said upper surface and said peaks and also to fill at least said valleys in said upper surface of said sole member, whereby the downward load of the wearer's foot is transmitted from said upper surface of said outer member through said outer member to the inflated chambers of said sole member.

Claim 18

Footwear comprising a shoe upper, a sole below and secured to said upper, said sole including a sealed inner member of elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflatable with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, and said sole further including an elastomeric yieldable outer member encapsulating said inner member, said inner member having peaks and valleys in its upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of said outer member being spaced above said peaks, said outer member extending downwardly from its upper surface to fill the space between said upper surface and said peaks and also to fill at least said valleys in said upper surface of said sole member, whereby the downward load of the wearer's foot is transmitted from said upper surface of said outer member through said outer member to the inflated chambers of said sole member.

Claim 19

Footwear as defined in claim 15, said outer member being an elastomeric foam.

Claim 20

Footwear as defined in claim 15, said inner member and outer member constituting a midsole, and an outsole secured to the underside of said outer member.

Claim 21

Footwear as defined in claim 17, said outer member being an elastomeric foam.

Claim 22

Footwear comprising a shoe upper, a sole below and secured to said upper, said sole including a sealed inner member of elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflatable with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, and said sole further including an elastomeric yieldable outer member encapsulating said inner member, said inner member and outer member constituting a midsole, an outsole secured to the inner side of said outer member, said outer member being a permeable elastomeric foam, said inner member being permeable, a gaseous medium under pressure in said chambers including 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 sole member to permit diffusion of said ambient air through said elastomeric material into 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 in each chamber being substantially lower than the diffusion rate of nitrogen through said elastomeric material.

Claim 23

Footwear comprising a shoe upper, a sole below and secured to said upper, said sole including a sealed inner member of elastomeric material providing a plurality of chambers, said chambers being inflatable with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, and said sole further including an elastomeric yieldable outer member encapsulating said inner member, said inner member and outer member constituting a midsole, an outsole secured to the inner side of said outer member, said outer member being a permeable elastomeric foam, said inner member being permeable, a gaseous medium under pressure in said chambers including 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 sole member to permit diffusion of said ambient air through said elastomeric material into 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 in each chamber being substantially lower than the diffusion rate of nitrogen through said elastomeric material.

Claim 24

A structure as defined in claim 8, said chambers being initially inflated with a mixture of said gas and air.

Claim 25

A structure as defined in claim 7, a valve in said sole member through which said chambers are inflated and deflated.

Claim 26

A structure as defined in claim 21, wherein said valve is disposed in said member for location beneath the longitudinal arch of the foot.

Claim 27

A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said sole member is inflated with air.

Claim 28

A structure as defined in claim 6, wherein said outer member has a plurality of recesses positioned at uninflated regions of said sole member.

Claim 29

A structure as defined in claim 1, said outer member being an impermeable foam.