Ventilated shoes

Claim 2

A shoe having an air pumping means for supplying fresh air to the interior of the shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion; a middle sole attached to and forming a bottom of said shoe upper, said middle sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and having orifices therethrough outside of the heel portion; a bottom sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and said middle sole; means for attaching said bottom sole to said middle sole in a spaced relationship therefrom, said attaching means including supporting means for defining air channels between said bottom sole and said middle sole at the toe and mid portions thereof; and a wall member defining an enclosed, sealed cavity between said middle sole and said bottom sole at the heel portions thereof; an inlet, one-way valve in said wall member for admitting outside air into said cavity; means in combination with said inlet valve for limiting the entrance of outside contaminants into said inlet valve, wherein said limiting means comprises an inlet orifice in fluid communication with said inlet valve and a converging-diverging flow nozzle located in said orifice; an outlet, one-way valve in said wall member for delivering air from said cavity into said air channels; and a resilient bulging pad located in the heel portion of said bottom sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom of said cavity, said bulging pad, when in a relaxed state extending beyond said bottom sole and when in a compressed state extending into said cavity and pressurizing the air therein.

Claim 3

A shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve member has at least portions of opposite sides rectilinear and mutually parallel; and wherein said slot has at least a portion of opposite sides rectilinear and parallel.

Claim 4

A shoe having an air pumping means for supplying fresh air to the interior of the shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion; a middle sole attached to and forming a bottom of said shoe upper, said middle sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and having orifices therethrough outside of the heel portion; a bottom sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and said middle sole; means for attaching said bottom sole to said middle sole in a spaced relationship therefrom, said attaching means including supporting means for defining air channels between said bottom sole and said middle sole at the toe and mid portions thereof; and a wall member defining an enclosed, sealed cavity between said middle sole and said bottom sole at the heel portions thereof; an inlet, one-way valve in said wall member for admitting outside air into said cavity wherein said inlet valve comprises an inlet orifice through said wall member, a removable, flexible valve member having at least portions of opposite sides rectilinear and mutually parallel, and means for positioning said valve member over said inlet orifice at the location said orifice meets with said cavity, said valve member being unattached to said wall member, said positioning means being molded into said heel and comprising spaced apart flanges connected to said wall member and extending toward each other over a portion of said wall member, said flanges and wall member portion defining a slot, said slot having at least a portion of opposite sides rectilinear and parallel and having a size such that said valve member can be removably received therein and retained by said flanges; means in combination with said inlet valve for limiting the entrance of outside contaminants into said inlet valve; an outlet, one-way valve in said wall member for delivering air from said cavity into said air channels; and a resilient bulging pad located in the heel portion of said bottom sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom of said cavity, said bulging pad, when in a relaxed state extending beyond said bottom sole and when in a compressed state extending into said cavity and pressurizing the air therein.

Claim 5

A shoe having an air pumping means for supplying fresh air to the interior of the shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion; a middle sole attached to and forming a bottom of said shoe upper, said middle sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and having orifices therethrough outside of the heel portion; a bottom sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and said middle sole; means for attaching said bottom sole to said middle sole in a spaced relationship therefrom, said attaching means including supporting means for defining air channels between said bottom sole and said middle sole at the toe and mid portions thereof; and a wall member defining an enclosed, sealed cavity between said middle sole and said bottom sole at the heel portions thereof; an inlet, one-way valve in said wall member for admitting outside air into said cavity wherein said inlet valve comprises an inlet orifice through said wall member, a removable, flexible valve member having at least portions of opposite sides rectilinear and mutually parallel, and means for positioning said valve member over said inlet orifice at the location said orifice meets with said cavity, said valve member being unattached to said wall member, said positioning means being molded into said heel and comprising spaced apart flanges connected to said wall member and extending toward each other over a portion of said wall member, said flanges and wall member portion defining a slot, said slot having at least a portion of opposite sides rectilinear and parallel and having a size such that said valve member can be removably received therein and retained by said flanges; means in combination with said inlet valve for limiting the entrance of outside contaminants into said inlet valve; an outlet, one-way valve in said wall member for delivering air from said cavity into said air channels; and a resilient bulging pad located in the heel portion of said bottom sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom of said cavity, said bulging pad, when in a relaxed state extending beyond said bottom sole and when in a compressed state extending into said cavity and pressurizing the air therein.

Claim 6

The shoe as claimed in claim 3 wherein said outlet valve comprises an outlet orifice through said wall member, a flexible valve member, and means for positioning said valve member over said outlet orifice at the location said orifice meets with said channel on the outside of said cavity wall, said valve member being unattached to said wall member.

Claim 7

A shoe having an air pumping means for supplying fresh air to the interior of the shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion; a middle sole attached to and forming a bottom of said shoe upper, said middle sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and having orifices therethrough outside of the heel portion; a bottom sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and said middle sole wherein said bottom sole comprises a heel and a sole member, and means for mounting said sole member to said heel, said sole member comprising said lower sole toe portion and said lower sole mid portion and said mounting means including arms extending rearward of said mid portion of said sole, and a correspondingly shaped cavity in said heel, and means for fixedly attaching said arms to said heel at said shaped cavity; means for attaching said bottom sole to said middle sole in spaced relationship therefrom, said attaching means including supporting means for defining air channels between said bottom sole and said middle sole at the toe and mid portions thereof; and a wall member defining an enclosed, sealed cavity between said middle sole and said bottom sole at the heel portions thereof; an inlet, one-way valve in said wall member for admitting outside air into said sealed cavity; said inlet valve comprising a removable flexible valve member, and means for positioning said valve member to block said inlet channel, said valve member being unattached to said wall member, said positioning means being molded into said heel and comprising spaced apart flanges connected to said wall member and extending toward each other over a portion of said wall member, said flanges and wall member portion defining a slot, said slot having a size such that said valve member can be removably received therein and retained by said flanges; means in combination with said inlet valve for limiting the entrance of outside contaminants into said inlet valve; an outlet, one-way valve in said wall member for delivering air from said sealed cavity into said air channels; and a resilient bulging pad located in the heel portion of said bottom sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom of said sealed cavity, said bulging pad, when in a relaxed state extending beyond said bottom sole and when in a compressed state extending into said sealed cavity and pressurizing the air therein.

Claim 8

A shoe having an air pumping means for supplying fresh air to the interior of the shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion; a middle sole attached to and forming a bottom of said shoe upper, said middle sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and having orifices therethrough outside of the heel portion; a bottom sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and said middle sole wherein said bottom sole comprises a heel and a sole member, and means for mounting said sole member to said heel, said sole member comprising said lower sole toe portion and said lower sole mid portion and said mounting means including arms extending rearward of said mid portion of said sole, and a correspondingly shaped cavity in said heel, and means for fixedly attaching said arms to said heel at said shaped cavity; means for attaching said bottom sole to said middle sole in spaced relationship therefrom, said attaching means including supporting means for defining air channels between said bottom sole and said middle sole at the toe and mid portions thereof; and a wall member defining an enclosed, sealed cavity between said middle sole and said bottom sole at the heel portions thereof; an inlet, one-way valve in said wall member for admitting outside air into said sealed cavity; said inlet valve comprising a removable flexible valve member, and means for positioning said valve member to block said inlet channel, said valve member being unattached to said wall member, said positioning means being molded into said heel and comprising spaced apart flanges connected to said wall member and extending toward each other over a portion of said wall member, said flanges and wall member portion defining a slot, said slot having a size such that said valve member can be removably received therein and retained by said flanges; means in combination with said inlet valve for limiting the entrance of outside contaminants into said inlet valve; an outlet, one-way valve in said wall member for delivering air from said sealed cavity into said air channels; and a resilient bulging pad located in the heel portion of said bottom sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom of said sealed cavity, said bulging pad, when in a relaxed state extending beyond said bottom sole and when in a compressed state extending into said sealed cavity and pressurizing the air therein.

Claim 9

The shoe as claimed in claim 5 wherein said heel is a replaceable, molded heel located at said shoe upper heel portion, and at least indirectly fixedly attachable to said shoe upper, and said heel is further comprised of a bottom, said wall member and said defined cavity; an inlet channel molded in said wall member for admitting outside air into said cavity and containing said limiting means; said inlet valve; said outlet valve; and said bulging pad molded in said heel bottom, and wherein the portion of said wall member located adjacent said bottom sole member defines part of said shaped cavity and receives said mounting means arms in an abutting relationship.

Claim 10

A shoe as claimed in claim 6 wherein said limiting means comprises a converging-diverging flow nozzle molded in said channel.

Claim 11

A shoe as claimed in claim 6 wherein said heel includes an outlet plenum molded in said shaped cavity, said outlet plenum providing fluid communications from the outlet of said outlet valve, past said mounting arms and to said air channels.

Claim 12

A shoe as claimed in claim 5 wherein said heel includes an outlet plenum molded in said shaped cavity, said outer plenum providing fluid communications from the outlet of said outlet valve, past said mounting arms and to said air channels.

Claim 13

A shoe as claimed in claim 5 wherein said supporting means includes a plurality of elongate channel members fixedly attached to said lower sole and said middle sole.

Claim 14

A shoe having an air pumping means for supplying fresh air to the interior of the shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion; a sole attached to and forming a bottom of said shoe upper, said sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and having air channels extending from said heel portion to said toe portion and orifices in fluid communication between said channels and the interior of said shoe upper; and a replaceable, molded heel located at said shoe upper heel portion, and at least indirectly fixedly attachable to said shoe upper, said heel comprised of a bottom, a wall member defining an enclosed, sealed cavity between said sole and said heel bottom; an inlet channel in said wall member for admitting outside air into said cavity and including means for limiting the entrance of outside contaminants into said cavity, wherein said limiting means comprises a converging-diverging flow nozzle located in said channel; an inlet, one-way valve in said inlet channel; an outlet, one way valve in said wall member for delivering air from said cavity into said air channels; and a resilient bulging pad located in said heel bottom, said bulging pad, when in a relaxed state extending beyond the general plane of said heel bottom and when in a compressed state extending into said cavity and pressurizing the air therein.

Claim 15

A shoe having an air pumping means for supplying fresh air to the interior of the shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion; a sole attached to and forming a bottom of said shoe upper, said sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and having air channels extending from said heel portion to said toe portion and orifices in fluid communication between said channels and the interior of said shoe upper; and a replaceable, molded heel located at said shoe upper heel portion, and at least indirectly fixedly attachable to said shoe upper, said heel comprised of a bottom, a wall member defining an enclosed, sealed cavity between said sole and said heel bottom; an inlet channel in said wall member for admitting outside air into said cavity and including means for limiting the entrance of outside contaminants into said cavity, wherein said limiting means comprises a converging-diverging flow nozzle located in said channel; an inlet, one-way valve in said inlet channel; an outlet, one way valve in said wall member for delivering air from said cavity into said air channels; and a resilient bulging pad located in said heel bottom, said bulging pad, when in a relaxed state extending beyond the general plane of said heel bottom and when in a compressed state extending into said cavity and pressurizing the air therein.

Claim 16

A shoe as claimed in claim 11 wherein said valve member has at least portions of opposite sides rectilinear and mutually parallel; and wherein said slot has at least a portion of opposite sides rectilinear and parallel.

Claim 17

A shoe having an air pumping means for supplying fresh air to the interior of the shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion; a sole attached to and forming a bottom of said shoe upper, said sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and having air channels extending from said heel portion to said toe portion and orifices in fluid communication between said channels and the interior of said shoe upper; and a replaceable, molded heel located at said shoe upper heel portion, and at least indirectly fixedly attachable to said shoe upper, said heel comprised of a bottom, a wall member defining an enclosed, sealed cavity between sole and said heel bottom; an inlet channel in said wall member for admitting outside air into said cavity and including an inlet orifice at said cavity and means for limiting the entrance of outside contaminants into said cavity; an inlet, one-way valve; an outlet, one-way valve in said wall member for delivering air from said cavity into said air channels; wherein at least one of said inlet and outlet one-way valve comprises; a removable flexible valve member, and means for positioning said valve member, said valve member being unattached to said wall member, said positioning means being molded into said heel and comprising spaced apart flanges connected to said wall member and extending toward each other over a portion of said wall member, said flanges and wall member portion defining a slot having a size such that said valve member can be received therein and retained by said flanges; and a resilient bulging pad located in said heel bottom, said bulging pad, when in a relaxed state extending beyond the general plane of said heel bottom and when in a compressed state extending into said cavity and pressurizing the air therein.

Claim 18

A shoe having an air pumping means for supplying fresh air to the interior of the shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion; a sole attached to and forming a bottom of said shoe upper, said sole having a toe portion, a mid portion and a heel portion that correspond to said portions of said shoe upper and having air channels extending from said heel portion to said toe portion and orifices in fluid communication between said channels and the interior of said shoe upper; and a replaceable, molded heel located at said shoe upper heel portion, and at least indirectly fixedly attachable to said shoe upper, said heel comprised of a bottom, a wall member defining an enclosed, sealed cavity between sole and said heel bottom; an inlet channel in said wall member for admitting outside air into said cavity and including an inlet orifice at said cavity and means for limiting the entrance of outside contaminants into said cavity; an inlet, one-way valve; an outlet, one-way valve in said wall member for delivering air from said cavity into said air channels; wherein at least one of said inlet and outlet one-way valve comprises; a removable flexible valve member, and means for positioning said valve member, said valve member being unattached to said wall member, said positioning means being molded into said heel and comprising spaced apart flanges connected to said wall member and extending toward each other over a portion of said wall member, said flanges and wall member portion defining a slot having a size such that said valve member can be received therein and retained by said flanges; and a resilient bulging pad located in said heel bottom, said bulging pad, when in a relaxed state extending beyond the general plane of said heel bottom and when in a compressed state extending into said cavity and pressurizing the air therein.

Claim 19

A shoe as claimed in claim 13 wherein said inlet valve comprises said valve member and said positioning means and wherein said flanges and slot are molded into said heel; and wherein said valve member is positioned to block said inlet channel at said inlet orifice where said orifice meets with said cavity.

Claim 20

A shoe as claimed in claim 14 wherein said outlet valve comprises an outlet channel through said wall member at a location adjacent said bottom sole; a removable flexible valve member, and means for positioning said valve member of said outlet valve to block said outlet channel, said valve member being unattached to said wall member, said positioning means being molded into said heel and comprising spaced apart flanges connected to said wall member and extending toward each other over a portion of said wall member, said flanges and wall member portion defining a slot having a size such that said valve member can be received therein and retained by said flanges.

Claim 21

A shoe as claimed in claim 15 wherein said outlet valve flanges and slot are molded into said heel; and wherein said valve member of said outlet valve is positioned to block said outlet channel where said channel exits said wall member adjacent said extending air channels.

Claim 22

A shoe as claimed in claim 16 wherein each of said inlet and outlet valve members has at least portions of opposite sides rectilinear and mutually parallel; and wherein each of said inlet and outlet slots has at least a portion of opposite sides rectilinear and parallel.

Claim 23

A shoe as claimed in claim 13 wherein said valve member has at least portions of opposite sides rectilinear and mutually parallel; and wherein said slot has at least a portion of opposite sides rectilinear and parallel.