US2677906A - Cushioned inner sole for shoes and meth od of making the same - Google Patents

Description

May 11, 1954 REED 2,677,906

CUSHIONED INNER SOLE FOR SHOES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 14. 1952 awn/Tax fl/i/ l/OLD REED flTTOR/VEY Patented May 11, 1954 METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Arnold Reed, Bronx, N. Y. ApplicationAugust 14, 1952, Serial No. 304,339 9 Claims. (01. 367l) This invention relates toa cushioned inner sole for shoes and to the method of making the same.

It is an object of the present invention to-provide a cushioned inner sole which can be made by heat sealing flexible plastic pieces so as to provide pockets containing air or gas either of the same or different pressures such that the support of the arch and heel may be had from pockets filled with higher pressure than the pockets that support the remainder of the foot.

It is another object of the inventionto provide a cushioning inner sole wherein the pockets can be refilled with air or gas should they become dehated or in such a manner as to adapt the cushioned inner sole to the foot of the individual, the pockets being filled by an air discharge nozzle pointed to penetrate the bottom sole and the cushioning member and adapted to admit as well as the air or gas a sealing compound which will seal the opening made by the penetration of the nozzle.

It is still another object of the invention toprovide cushioned inner sole which has a fiat marginal or peripheral portion that lends itself for the easy attachment of the same to the bottom sole and to the top of the shoe.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a cushioned inner sole formed ofsmall pockets containing air or gas, which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, readily made in different shapes, easily provided with diiferent pressures at different locations on the area thereof, easy to repair, requires a minimum number of parts, compact, light in weight, has electronically sealed seams, durable and withstands hard usage, convenient and efficient in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a cushioned inner sole for shoes constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and illustrating one form of assembly of the flexible plastic sheet members;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a-plastic sheet assembly being sealed by electric heating irons while under pressure;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the inner sole showing pockets inflated to different pressures so that the top layer of the sole will be adapted to the foot of the wearer of the shoe;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shoe employing an inner sole constructed according to the first form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner in which the pockets arefilled with air or gas and sealing material to repair a puncture of the inner sole;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustratcomprises a bottom sheet ing the manner in which the pockets are filled at different pressure so as to provide a top surface that will lit the bottom of the foot;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of construction wherein only two flexible plastic layers of sheets are used to form the sheet assembly; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8 and as viewed on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 to 7, l5 represent an inner sole constructed according to the present invention. This inner sole [6, a top sheet I! and [8 heat sealed alternately to the bottom and top sheets, as indicated at H? and 20 whereby to provide pockets 2| adapted to be filled with air or gas so as to provide a cushioning effect as pressure is applied to the inner sole, by ones foot. The outer periphery is provided with a flange 22 which is also formed by heat sealing the sheets together in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 by electric heating members 23 and 24 having mating heating edges 25 whereby a sheet of material constructed'by these sheets or layers can be'pressed and heat sealed according to the desired shape of the member to be made. This action is performed while air or gas is under compression of equal or varying pressures in the individual pockets by nozzles as indicated ata, b, c, d, e, etc. It can'similarly be done Without any air or gas present and later inflated through small opening in the periphery of the flange; When the air or gas is compressed into the compartments, the small openings are then sealed with sealing material that may be injected by means shown in Fig. 6 to be later described.

While illustration is being made of amember having the shape of an inner sole, it will be understood that the air cushioned member can have a shape adapted for use in baseball gloves, boxing gloves, head and body protectors, sleeping bags, or these sheets can be rolled or balled up to provide a pillow. In fact, this member can be used'in any place where the ordinary sponge rubber sheets are used when once constructed. The air filled pockets distribute .the pressure more evenly than can .be done with the ordinarysponge or foam rubber.

The layers are made up in assemblies of large areas as illustrated at 26 and the heat is applied by the heating elements 23 and 24 so vasto form the flangeZZ. This is preferably done while air or gas is retained under compression in the pockets. Thereafter the inner sole is cut from the large area assembly 261along the flange line as indicated at 21. It willbe seen that all of the pockets are individually sealed with air retained under compression therein.

As illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 7, the pockets 2| can be filled: at different pressures and expanded to different sizes in order that the top an intermediate sheet I! can conform to the bottom of the foot The bottom sheet l6 sheet of the wearer of the shoe. will lie flat and conform to the top face of the outer shoe sole 34. The flange 22 is used for the attachment of the inner sole to the outer sole and to the shoe top 35 by means of a stitching 36 that also secures the shoe top 35 to the bottom shoe sole 34. In the areas of the inner sole under the arch and heel a higher pressure is desirable and accordingly the air pockets 2| at this location of the inner sole will be inflated to a greater extent than the pockets at other locations of the sole.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 8 and 9, there is shown an air pocket assembly formed of only two sheets of flexible plastic. Large area assembly is formed of a top flexible plastic sheet 4! and a bottom sheet 42. The top sheet is first heat sealed as indicated at 43 to the bottom sheet 42 and is then folded on itself and heat sealed at 44 to provide thereby rib portions 45 and parallel pockets 46. Once the large area member has been formed the electric heating members 23 and 24 can be applied to the same so as to close the pockets and to provide a peripheral flange 41. The inner sole can be attached to theshoe in the same manner as the inner sole I is attached to the shoe. The pockets will be similarly filled with air or gas either before the sole is shaped or afterwards.

The sheets can be of either rubber or plastic and sealed to one another in the usual manner either by vulcanizing or heat sealing. A vinyl plastic is preferably used. The sheet assemblies can be heat sealed transversely of the pockets or at an angle thereof so that square pockets or triangular-shape pockets can be formed. These partitions can be formed in the same manner as the flange is formed with the heated sealing member.

In the event of a puncture sealing fluid can be injected into the pockets b a gun 28, Fig. 6, which is supplied with liquid under pressure from a hose 29 that is fixed by a clamp 3| to an inlet pipe 32 of the gun. This gun has a pointed and sharp nozzle 33 that will pierce the plastic sheets and as it is pulled outward the hole made thereby will be filled with the sealing liquid and will seal the same. With the pockets adequately supplied with the sealing liquid, air or gas can be injected into the pockets in order to restore the original pressure before damage. Gun 28 has a plunger 28a having a threaded operating rod 28b connected to the plunger to force the sealing material toward the nozzle 33.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An inner sole formed of flexible sheets, one of said sheets being folded upon itself to provide a succession of transverse parallel folds, means for securing said folds to another of said sheets and means for connecting the folds together at their roots to prevent their elongation along the sole, whereby providing transverse pockets adapted to receive and retain a fluid and the sheets secured together at their periphery to close the ends of the pockets.

2. An inner sole for shoes comprising a bottom sheet, a top sheet and an intermediate sheet alternately sealed to the bottom and top sheets and providing air pockets therebetween, said sheets being connected together to provide an attaching flange for the inner sole.

3. An inner sole formed of flexible sheets, one of said sheets being folded upon itself to provide a succession of transverse parallel folds, means for securing said folds to another of said sheets and means for connecting the folds together at their roots to prevent their elongation along the sole, whereby providing transverse pockets adapted to receive and retain a fluid and the sheets secured together at their periphery to close the ends of the pockets and said pockets being inflated at equal or different ressures throughout the area of the inner sole.

4. An inner sole comprising top and bottom flexible sheets, one of said sheets being fixed to the other sheet and folded upon itself at the point of fixation to the other sheet and fixed to itself thereover whereby to provide parallel pockets and said sheets joined together at their periphery to provide an attaching flange.

5. An inner sole for shoes comprising a bottom sheet, a top sheet and an intermediate sheet alternately sealed to the bottom and top sheets and providing air pockets therebetween, said sheets being connected together to provide an attaching flange for the inner sole, and said pockets being inflated at equal or different pressures, the pressures of the pockets adapted to underlie the arch of the foot being high and the pockets being thereby elevated relative to the pockets over the other areas.

6. The method of forming a cushioned member which consists of joining together by heat sealing sheets of flexible material to provide pockets therein, placing the pockets under compression of air, pressing the assembly thus formed with heat applying members and providing a flange thereby on said members whereby to close the pockets.

'7. The method of forming a cushioned member which consists of joining together by heat sealing sheets of flexible material to provide air pockets therein, placing the pockets under compression of air, pressing the assembly thus formed with heat applying members and providing a flange thereby on said members whereby to close the pockets and thereafter cutting said flange to separate the cushioned member from the assembly.

8. The method of forming a cushioned member which consists of joining together by heat sealing sheets of flexible material to provide air pockets therein, pressing the assembly thus formed with heat applying members and providing a flange thereby on said members whereby to close the pockets or separately inflating said pockets with air or gas at equal or different pressures after providing the flange.

9. The method of forming a cushioned member which consists of joining together by heat sealing sheets of flexible material to provide air pockets therein, pressing the assembly thus formed with heat applying members and providing a flange therein to close the pockets, charging the pockets with a sealing fluid and finally individually inflating said pockets with air or gas to desired pressures.

References Cited in the flle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,488,382 Davis l Nov. 15, 1949 2,600,239 Gilbert June 10, 1952

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