Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-18
2001-10-23
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3728)
C036S00300B, C036S03500R, C036S029000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305099
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to an air refreshing system for a shoe, and in particular relates to the combination of valves that are used as an air inlet valve and/or an air outlet valve and the sole of a shoe having an air refreshing system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, for shoes with an air refreshing system, check valves or unidirectional air inlet and outlet valves are installed at the heel of the shoes. For example, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,775, incorporated herein by reference, a unidirectional air valve located in a wall defining an air chamber in a heel of a shoe. The air chamber is compressed or is resiliently restored to the original state from a compressed state by normal walking. Thus, the air in the air chamber can be pushed to the shoe or the air out of a shoe can be absorbed into the shoe through the air inlet valve.
In the prior art air valves, a removable diaphragm is located in a longitudinal slot located on or in a lateral side of a transverse air hole. By using the diaphragm, the air valve can then be converted into a check valve, sometimes referred to as a unidirectional valve or device.
However, since the transverse air hole and longitudinal slot of the air valve are integrally formed at the periphery of the air chamber at sole, the mold for the air hole and slot is very complex and thus bears a high cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide the combination of an air valve and the sole of a shoe that is part of a shoe air refreshing system. Such air valves are unidirectional valves, often called check valves, and are used as air inlet and outlet check valves. The check valve has an insertable component that can be inserted into a passageway to convert the air flow through the passageway to unidirectional. A mounting portion with a movable diaphragm is inserted in the lateral wall of the air chamber in a sole so as to form with the air inlet valve. A through hole with a tilted angle is installed at an isolating portion between the air chamber in the sole and the air channel. At an upper portion of the through hole, it is formed with an expanding portion, and a diaphragm is placed in the expanding portion. Thus, an air outlet valve is formed. An inlet valve system includes an appropriately located passageway in the sole of the shoe to admit outside air into an air chamber located inside the shoe sole. Removeably mountable in or on the passageway is a complete valve that includes a housing having a bore therethrough, a smaller housing section adapted to be received in a bore, through hole or passageway, and a larger section having a slot therein adjacent the entrance of the valve bore, and a removeably insertable valve diaphragm. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the housing sections are cylindrical and the valve diaphragm is a solid disk that has dimensions such that it can be received in the slot.
By the aforesaid structure, the unidirectional air inlet valve and air outlet valve is formed on the sole easily and thus, the manufacturing cost is reduced.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when reading in conjunction with the appended drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4602441 (1986-07-01), El Sakkaf
patent: 5138775 (1992-08-01), Chu
patent: 5477626 (1995-12-01), Kwon
patent: 5515622 (1996-05-01), Lee
patent: 5564201 (1996-10-01), O'Connell
patent: 5826349 (1998-10-01), Goss
patent: 5950332 (1999-09-01), Lain
patent: 5974694 (1999-11-01), Vecchiola
Mohandesi Jila
Nath&Associates PLLC
Novick Harold L.
Sewell Paul T.
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