US20120060391A1

US20120060391A1 - Functional footwear

Info

Publication number: US20120060391A1
Application number: US13/320,266
Authority: US
Inventors: Sun Goo Hong
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-05-13
Filing date: 2010-04-27
Publication date: 2012-03-15
Also published as: WO2010131851A2; WO2010131851A3; KR100923736B1

Abstract

Provided is functional footwear that restrains bad smell and the propagation of germs due to long-time usage of the footwear while maintaining a correct posture of a wearer by cushioning impact applied to feet and distributing pressure. The functional footwear includes a first groove formed in a length direction at a predetermined portion of a midsole, a second groove formed in a width direction of the midsole to be connected with the first groove, a recess formed inside the second groove and perfume emitting materials or antibacterial materials inserted into the recess.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to functional footwear, and more particularly, to functional footwear that restrains bad smell and the propagation of germs due to long-time usage of the footwear while maintaining a correct posture of a wearer by cushioning impact applied to feet and distributing pressure.

BACKGROUND ART

People spend a very long time while depending on their two feet. According to statistics, an average distance that a man having a normal life span walks in all his life is 160,000 Km and the number of times that his feet step on the ground is about 100 million. Since a large number of capillaries are concentrated in feet, the pressure that the feet receive while walking helps that blood goes up to the heart. The force that the feet receive during walking is 3 to 4 times of his weight. When he walks a distance of about 1 Km, the feet receive the pressure of about 2 to 3 large trucks, i.e., 10 t to 15 t. A pulse rate is 70 times/sec in a stable state but goes up to 90 times/sec after starting walking thereby activating a cardiopulmonary function and promoting the circulation of the blood. Accordingly, when the feet are not used, the heart should cope with the above-mentioned functions of the feet, which is a heavy burden on the heart. It is the reason that the feet are called the second heart. However, incorrect walking may cause a disease in feet and knees or modify a body shape by affecting backbone to lead to diverse disorders in body functions.
In connection with walking, the way of walking called Masai Walking attracts public attention locally and internationally. Masai Walking is the way of walking based on the idea that the walking motion of the Masai people of Kenya in the African continent is the most ideal. Masai people frequently stepping on soft ground in a natural state start a step with an outer part of their heel and deliver their weight in the order of outside center on the soles, little toes and big toes of the feet. Taking this way of walking as a general walking method is called Masai Walking. The Masai Walking method stimulates the soles of the feet as a small human body by evenly distributing the pressure to promote physical fitness and minimizes the influence on the backbone by maintaining the correct posture.
Diverse footwear for helping the Masai Walking are produced and available on the market. These footwear have the sole of a round shape to have the heel of the people step on the ground first and then the middle part of the feel and toes step on the ground sequentially while walking.
However, the footwear for Masai Walking generates diverse problems in use like conventional footwear. One of the problems is generation of bad smell caused by long-term use and diseases in feet such as athlete's foot caused by the bad smell. An insole portion called a slipsole usually becomes the source of the bad smell and the place where Trichophyton mentagrophytes are actively cultivated. Therefore, the entire footwear is often washed and the insole portion is frequently washed.
In order to solve the above problems, perfume emitting materials or antibacterial materials are coated or sprayed on the insole used in footwear. Otherwise, they are included in the middle of its manufacturing process. When the insoles processed with the perfume emitting materials or the antibacterial materials are used, propagation of athlete's foot is restrained by removing the bad smell of the footwear or controlling growth of Trichophyton mentagrophytes at an early stage. However, since the insole of the foot is frequently washed, the perfume emitting materials or the antibacterial materials coated or contained in the insole gradually disappear and the insole ultimately loses the perfume emitting or antibacterial function. Accordingly, it is preferred to provide footwear having the perfume emitting or antibacterial function for a long period.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide functional footwear that maintains a perfume emitting or antibacterial function for a long period.

Solution to Problem

To achieve the embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides functional footwear, including: an outsole, i.e., a sole, a midsole located on the outsole, and an insole located on the midsole wherein the midsole includes a first groove formed in a length direction at a predetermined portion of the midsole, a second groove formed in a width direction of the midsole to be connected with the first groove, a recess formed inside the second groove and perfume emitting materials or the antibacterial materials inserted into the recess.
Preferably, a portion including the first and second grooves is covered with an air-permeable waterproof material that air passes through but water does not.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, when an insole is located on a midsole after forming a plurality of air passages in the midsole included in footwear and locating a functional material having a perfume emitting or antibacterial effect in the air passages, a bad smell generated in the footwear while using the footwear is prevented and germs growing in the footwear are restrained or sterilized. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent bacillary foot diseases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing functional footwear in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and is taken along the line A-A′ in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows grooves formed on a midsole of the footwear.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B′ in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a location of an insole in a configuration of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a location of the insole in the configuration of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows footwear in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing functional footwear in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and is taken along the line A-A′ in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows grooves formed on a midsole of the footwear. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B′ in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a location of an insole in a configuration of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a location of the insole in the configuration of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 shows footwear in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing functional footwear in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and shows the footwear except an outer cover forming an outer shape of the footwear and an insole forming on a midsole. The present invention will be described based on popular Masai Walking footwear, which is currently well selling, instead of general footwear.
As shown in FIG. 1, a functional footwear 100 includes an outsole 10 called a bottom or a sole, a first midsole 20 formed on the outsole to be attached to the outsole, and a second midsole 30 located between the outsole and the first midsole. The outsole in contact with a ground is made of a material that is strong to friction and abrasion and prevents slipperiness. The first midsole is made of a material having elasticity to a pre-determined degree in order to absorb impact. The second midsole is made of a material having higher elasticity than that of the first midsole in order to relieve impact transferred to heels. The second midsole may apply an air cushion known through footwear with a famous brand name since a long ago, i.e., a cushion of an airbag format. Meanwhile, the heel of the functional footwear is inclined in a round shape to help Masai Walking.
FIG. 2 shows a top surface of the first midsole 20 in the functional footwear according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the first midsole 20 includes a plurality of first air passages 21 largely formed on right and left sides of the first midsole, a second air passage 22 connecting the first air passage, and a third air passage 23 connecting the first air passages having bilateral symmetry. A functional material 24 including a perfume emitting or antibacterial material is installed in the third air passage. The functional material is not limited but is made of a circular granulation. In addition, the functional material may be coated not to be dissolved in water. The functional material may be fixed on the third air passage by using an adhesive means such as an adhesive.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B′ in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of functional materials 24 are fixed on the third air passage 23 connecting the first air passage 21. When an insole 40 is located on the midsole formed of the air passages and the functional material located in the air passage as shown in FIG. 4, air passages are acquired between the insole and the midsole. When a man walks, air flows through the air passage by interaction between the insole and the midsole according to his motions. The air passes through the insole and is released outside the insole. Since the air released outside the insole contains a perfume emitting or antibacterial component included in the functional material, the perfume emitted in the footwear deodorizes foot stink or the antibacterial component restrains or sterilizes germs growing in the footwear. The insole includes a plurality of fine thorough holes in order to pass the air flowing through the air passage.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
According to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the functional materials 24 are disposed on the third air passage 23. However, since there is no individual place for disposing the functional material, it is difficult to efficiently dispose the functional material.
Accordingly, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the functional material is efficiently disposed by forming a predetermined insertion groove 23′1 at a regular interval on the third air passage 23 and disposing a functional material in the insertion groove. As shown in the drawing, when the functional material is inserted into the insertion groove after applying a predetermined adhesive means on a lower portion of the insertion groove 23′1 or applying the adhesive means to the functional material, the functional material is located to be fixed on the insertion groove.
Accordingly, when the footwear is washed, the functional material is not removed from the insertion groove. As shown in FIG. 6, since a space obtained between the third air passage of the insole and the midsole is sufficiently larger than that of the embodiment in FIG. 4, air flow is smooth to improve the perfume emitting or antibacterial function.
FIG. 7 shows footwear in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
In the invention in accordance with the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 5, although the functional material is fixed on the third air passage by using the adhesive means, the functional material is removed from the third air passage or dissolved in water by frequent washing of the footwear. Accordingly, there may be a problem that footwear completely loses effect of the functional material.
In the embodiment of FIG. 7, an air-permeable waterproof material 50, which prevents permeation of water but allows permeation of air, is attached to the portion where the first, second and third air passages are formed. Examples of the air-permeable waterproof material include CoreTex frequently used as a material for mountain clothes or a raincoat.
As described above, when the air-permeable waterproof material is attached to the portion where the first, second and third air passages are formed, flowing of water into the air passages by washing the footwear is prevented. Accordingly, the functional material located in the third air passage is not dissolved in water and the functional material is emitted to the outside with air through the air passage to maintain the perfume emitting or antibacterial function for a long period.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conceptions and specific embodiments disclosed in the foregoing description may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other embodiments for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that such equivalent embodiments do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A functional footwear including an outsole, a first midsole located on the outsole to be attached to the outsole, and a second midsole located between the outsole and the first midsole, comprising:

a plurality of first air passages formed on left and right sides in a length direction of the first midsole

a second air passage connecting the first air passage in the length direction of the first midsole and

a third air passage connecting the first air passages having bilateral symmetry,

wherein a functional material including perfume emitting or antibacterial materials is fixed to the third air passage by an adhesive means, and an insole forming a fine thorough hole is located on the first midsole, thereby releasing air containing the components of the functional material outside the insole through the air passages and the thorough hole of the insole by motions of a man during walking.

2. The functional footwear of claim 1, wherein an insertion groove is formed in the third air passage at a regular interval and the functional material is fixed to the insertion groove by the adhesive means.

3. The functional footwear of claim 1, wherein water does not pass through the air passage but air is released from the air passage by sealing a portion, in which the first, second and third air passages are formed, with an air-permeable waterproof material.

4. The functional footwear of claim 2, wherein water does not pass through the air passage but air is released from the air passage by sealing a portion, in which the first, second and third air passages are formed, with an air-permeable waterproof material.

5. The functional footwear of claim 1 wherein a bottom of the functional footwear has a round shape.

6. The functional footwear of claim 2, wherein a bottom of the functional footwear has a round shape.

7. The functional footwear of claim 3, wherein a bottom of the functional footwear has a round shape.

8. The functional footwear of claim 4, wherein a bottom of the functional footwear has around shape.