Shoe sole and molds for makig the sole

Abstract

A shoe sole includes a chamber defined in an underside of the heel portion and an air-permeable member is received in the chamber. An air escaping area including a plurality of passages is defined in the underside of the body and communicates with the chamber. A plurality of holes are defined through a top of the boy and communicate with the air escaping area. A bottom piece is attached to the underside of the body and cover the air escaping area and the chamber. The sole is made by way of molding and by foam material.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe sole including a chamber in which an air-permeable member is received. A plurality of passages and holes communicate with the chamber so as to have a ventilation feature when the user wears shoes with the soles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional shoe sole is disclosed in FIG. 1, and generally includes a PU body 10 with a recess 11 defined in an underside thereof and a flexible bladder 12 is attached to the body 10 and received in the recess 11. When the user wears the shoes, the bladder 12 provides a cushion feature to protect the ankles of the user's feet. A bottom piece 14 is attached to the underside of the body 10 of the sole. A passage 121 is defined in the underside of the body 10 and a chamber 13 is located in a front end of the body 10 of the sole plurality of holes 131. A valve 121A is located in communication between the passage 121 and the chamber 13. Air in the passage 121 is squeezed out via the valve 121A and goes out via holes 131 defined through a top of the body 10 of the sole. It is noted that the connection of the bladder 12 and the body 10 cannot be maintained for a long period of time because the adhesive becomes stiff and hardened and the bladder 12 tends to be peeled off from the body 10 of the sole. The processes for adhering the bladder 12 to the body 10 of the sole is a time consuming job.

The present invention intends to provide a shoe sole that includes a chamber at the heel portion of the sole and an air-permeable member is received in the chamber. A passage is defined in an underside of the sole and includes a plurality of branch passages which are in communication with holes defined through the sole. The sole is made by foam material and the chamber and passages are formed simultaneously by molding the sole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe sole which comprises a body including a thick heel portion and a chamber is defined in an underside of the heel portion. An air escaping area is defined in the underside of the body and in communication with the chamber. A plurality of holes are defined through a top of the boy and communicate with the air escaping area. An air-permeable member is received in the chamber. A bottom piece is attached to the underside of the body and covers the air escaping area and the chamber.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view to show a conventional shoe sole;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view to show the shoe sole of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows the shoe sole of the present invention is installed in a shoe;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view to show the shoe sole of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows the mold assembly for making the shoe sole of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows the sole is formed in the mold assembly;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view to show the shoe sole of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows air is squeezed when the air-permeable member is pressed;

FIG. 9 shows two valves are located beside the air-permeable member is pressed;

FIG. 10 shows air is squeezed when the air-permeable member is pressed and goes out from the valve;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view to show another embodiment of the shoe sole of the present invention, and

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view to show the shoe sole of the present invention in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4 and 7, the shoe sole of the present invention comprises a body 30 made of PU foam material and including a thick heel portion 32. A chamber 320 is defined in an underside of the heel portion 32 and a convex portion protrudes upward from the top of the body 30 of the sole and located corresponding to the chamber 320. An air escaping area 33 is defined in the underside of the body 30 and includes a passage 21 and a plurality of branch passages 330. The passage 321 is in communication between the chamber 320 and branch passages 330. A plurality of holes 331 are defined through a top of the boy 30 and communicate with the branch passages 330 of the air escaping area 33. An air-permeable member 40 is received in the chamber 320 and includes a plurality of upright holes 41 defined therethrough.

A bottom piece 50 is attached to the underside of the body 30 and covers the air escaping area 33 and the chamber 320. A fabric layer 31 is attached to the top of the body 30 of the sole and has a plurality of through holes 310 which are in alignment with the holes 330 in the body 30 of the sole.

Further referring to FIG. 8, the sole is inserted in the shoe 55 and when the user steps on the convex portion, the chamber 320 is squeezed and the air-permeable member 40 is deformed. Air in the chamber 320 is pushed through the passage 321 and the sub-passages 330, and escapes from the holes 331 and through holes 310. This provides a good ventilation to the interior space of the shoe 55.

FIGS. 9 and 10 shows that two valves 36 are located beside the air-permeable member 40. One of which allows air to go out from the chamber 320 and the other one allows the air to enter into the chamber 320.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the sole can be made to have the chamber 320 and the air escaping area 33 defined in a top thereof and the air-permeable member 40 is received in the chamber 320. A top piece 500 is attached to the top of the body 30 of the sole to cover the chamber 320 and the air escaping area 33. A plurality of holes 501 are defined through the top piece 500 and communicate with the air escaping area 33. A fabric layer 31 is attached to the top of the top piece 500 and has a plurality of through holes 310 which are in alignment with the holes 501 in the top piece 500.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, the mold assembly 60 for making the shoe sole comprises a first mold 61 having a first concavity 611 defined in a surface thereof and a second mold 62 having a second concavity 621 defined in a surface thereof. A plurality of rods 611A extend from an inside of the first concavity 611 and a protrusion 621A extends from an inside of the second concavity 621. A first ridge 621C and a plurality of second ridges 621B extend from the inside of the second concavity 621. The first ridge 621C is connected between the protrusion 621A and the second ridges 621B. The fabric layer 31 is put in the first concavity 611 and PU foam material is poured in the first and second concavities 611 and 621 when the two surfaces of the first and second molds 61 and 62 are matched with each other. The mold assembly 60 is heated to let the foam material fill the space of the first and second concavities 611, 621. The chamber 320, the air escaping area 33 and the holes 331 are formed simultaneously.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A shoe sole comprising:

a body including a thick heel portion and a chamber defined in an underside of the heel portion, an air escaping area defined in the underside of the body and communicating with the chamber, a plurality of holes defined through a top of the boy and communicating with the air escaping area;

an air-permeable member received in the chamber, and

a bottom piece attached to the underside of the body and covering the air escaping area and the chamber.

2. The sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air escaping area includes a passage and a plurality of branch passages, the passage being in communication between the chamber and branch passages.

3. The sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein a convex portion protrudes upward from the top of the body of the sole and is located corresponding to the chamber.

4. The sole as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a fabric layer attached to the top of the body of the sole and having a plurality of through hole which are in alignment with the holes in the body of the sole.

5. The sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air-permeable member includes a plurality of upright holes defined therethrough.

6. The sole as claimed in claim 1 further comprising two valves located beside the air-permeable member.

7. A mold assembly for making a shoe sole, comprising:

a first mold having a first concavity defined in a surface thereof and a plurality of rods extending from an inside of the first concavity, and

a second mold having a second concavity defined in a surface thereof and a protrusion extending from an inside of the second concavity, a first ridge and a plurality of second ridges extending from the inside of the second concavity, the first ridge connected between the protrusion and the second ridges.