US20120005919A1

US20120005919A1 - Shoe with heating unit

Info

Publication number: US20120005919A1
Application number: US12/805,073
Authority: US
Inventors: Shu-Lien Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-12
Filing date: 2010-07-12
Publication date: 2012-01-12

Abstract

A shoe includes an outsole and a vamp connected to the outsole, a heating member is located in the outsole of the shoe and includes a circuit to transfer electric energy to thermal energy. A controller is connected to the shoe and is electrically connected to the heating member so as to activate the heating member to generate thermal energy. The controller includes a power source and a switch which is operated by the wearer to activate the heating member.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe, and more particularly, to a shoe with a heating unit received therein for providing temperature to the wearers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional shoes generally include an outsole, an insole and a vamp, the vamp is connected to the outsole and the insole is located in the shoe and on the outsole. A heel is connected to the underside of the outsole. The material of the insole and vamp are designed to protect the wearer's foot and protects the wearer's foot from losing body temperature. However, if the blood circulation of the wearers is not so efficient, the feet are always cold and which make the wearers uncomfortable all day long. Although the shoes may include interior lining which only helps the wearers to keep the temperature for a while, no heat can be further provided to the wearers' feet. In other words, if the feet of the wearer are cold, then the shoes with the interior lining cannot warm the feet.
The present invention intends to provide a shoe that includes a heating member located on the insole so as to provide warm temperature to the foot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe which comprises a heating member located in the shoe and the heating member includes a circuit to transfer electric energy to thermal energy. The heating member is electrically connected to a controller via a wire. The controller includes a power source and a switch. The controller controls electric current to pass through the heating member so as to generate thermal energy.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with a heating member which provides thermal energy to the wearer so as to warm up the foot in the shoe.
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 perspective view to show the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the second embodiment of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the heel of the third embodiment of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the heel of the fourth embodiment of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view to show the fifth embodiment of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows the bag and the controller of the fifth embodiment of the shoe of the present invention, and

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the sixth embodiment of the shoe of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the shoe 10 of the present invention comprises an outsole 11 and a vamp 12 which is connected to a top of the outsole 11. A heel 15 is connected to an underside of the outsole 11. The outsole 11 generally comprises an outsole member 112 and an insole 114 which is placed on a top of the outsole member 112. A recess 116 is defined in the top of the outsole member 112 and the heel 15 includes a chamber 152 which is in communication with the recess 116 by a passage.
A heating member 13 is located in the recess 116 of the outsole member 112 and includes a circuit to transfer electric energy to thermal energy. The heating member 13 is electrically connected to a controller 14 via a wire 16, wherein the controller 14 is received in the chamber 152 in the heel 15 and the wire 16 is located within the passage. The controller 14 further includes a power source 140 and a switch 142. The controller 14 controls electric current to pass through the heating member 13 to generate thermal energy. The switch 142 can be a push-type switch or flexible film switch. The switch 142 can be accessed from outside of the heel 15 so that the wearer can manually operate the switch 142 to power the heating member 13 to warm the wearer's feet.
It is noted that the heating member 13 provides thermal energy to the feet regardless of the weather condition outside of the shoes so that the wearer is able to have desired warm anytime he or she needs. The thermal energy also keeps low humidity in the shoes and this is important for the wearers in a cold and wet weather. Because of the low humidity, odor can be eliminated and reduces germs grow in the shoes.
The power source 140 can be any known type such as rechargeable battery or replaceable batteries. The heel 15 has an opening or the like to allow the replacement of the batteries. The power source 140 can also be a generating unit which includes flexible plates and the wearer can push the flexible plates frequently to generate electric power.
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment, wherein the controller 24 is received in the chamber 252 in the heel 25 and the switch 242 protrudes from the top of the outsole 21 so that when the wearer wears the shoe, the switch 242 is pushed to activate the heating member 23.
FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment, wherein the controller 34 is received in the chamber 352 in the heel 35 and a path 354 is defined in the heel 35 and communicates with the chamber 352. The switch 242 and the controller 34 are located in the path 354. A cap 356 is used to seal the opening of the path 354 in the heel 35 from outside of the heel 35 to protect the controller 34 from being accessed by dust and rain.
FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment, wherein the controller 44 is received in the chamber 452 in the heel 45 and a path 454 is defined in the heel 45 and communicates with the chamber 452. The controller 44 is rechargeable batteries and the plug of the rechargeable batteries extends through the path 454 and is connected with the controller 45 to charge the batteries. A cap 456 is used to seal the opening of the path 454 in the heel 45 from outside of the heel 45 to protect the controller 44 from being accessed by dust and rain.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show a fifth embodiment, wherein a bag 57 is connected to the outside of the vamp 52 and the controller 54 is received in the bag 57. A Velcro strap 58 is connected to the vamp 52 to secure the bag 57.
FIG. 9 shows a sixth embodiment, wherein the shoe 60 includes an outsole 61 and a vamp 62 which is connected to a front end of the outsole 61. The heating member 63 is located at the inside of the vamp 62 and the heating member 63 is electrically connected to the controller 64 which controls the heating member 63 to generate thermal energy.
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 comprising:

a heating member located in the shoe and transferring electric energy to thermal energy, the heating member electrically connected to a controller via a wire, the controller including a power source and a switch, the controller controlling electric current to pass through the heating member so as to generate thermal energy.

2. The shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shoe comprises an outsole and a vamp which is connected to a top of the outsole.

3. The shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein a heel is connected to an underside of the outsole.

4. The shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein a bag is connected to an outside of the vamp and the controller is received in the bag.