Boots – shoes – and leggings – Boots and shoes – Ventilated
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-02-13
Patterson, M. D. (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Boots and shoes
Ventilated
C036S044000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185844
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES
There are no pending applications related to this application, in this or any foreign country.
BACKGROUND
Foot comfort is increased, and shoe life is extended, where perspiration is not allowed to accumulate. Unfortunately, many shoes are made of material that does not breathe, and such shoes are often poorly lined. As a result, perspiration may accumulate, resulting in discomfort, odor and reduced shoe life.
As a result, a number of shoe inserts have been developed. Some have provided a number of layers in attempt to pass, absorb and prevent the flow of moisture. Unfortunately, known shoe inserts have failed to disclose a structure that solves the above problems. A central problem facing the structure of most known inserts is that they are designed to be used over a substantial period of days or months. As a result, the structure is unable to absorb the quantity of moisture that results daily. Similarly, such a structure is actually larger, thicker and less comfortable, since it must be designed to last over time. The expense of such inserts prevents their daily replacement. Much of the expense results from complexity, the need to provide a durable structure and also the need to provide and inventory differently sized inserts for differently sized shoes.
As a result, what is needed is a disposable absorbent shoe insert which is designed for convenient one-day use only, which is highly absorbent, and which is inexpensive to manufacture.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the above needs. A novel disposable absorbent shoe insert is disclosed that is highly absorbent, inexpensive enough for daily replacement, thin enough and with a tapered edge so that accurate sizing is not necessary for user comfort, and which is easily inserted and removed from shoes of all sizes. A preferred version of the disposable absorbent shoe insert includes some or all of the following structures.
(A) First and second shoe inserts are attached together in a retail packaging configuration and are peeled apart for installation in left and right shoes. A preferred shoe insert includes:
(a) An upper porous layer, typically made of a polyester film or similar material, defines a large number of small holes, thereby allowing moisture to pass through the upper porous layer.
(b) An absorbent middle layer is made of a highly absorbent material, typically similar to that used in the construction of feminine napkins.
(c) A moisture impervious lower layer prevents shoes' insoles from continuous contact to moisture carried in the absorbent middle layer.
(d) A release material layer provides strips of adhesive resistant material distributed in a pattern to the lower surface of the moisture impervious lower layer, wherein the release material pattern on the first and second shoe inserts are substantially reverse images.
(B) An adhesive layer is carried between the first and second shoe inserts.
It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel disposable absorbent shoe insert which is highly absorbent and thin, and which is therefore adapted to absorb moisture for one day in even the tightest fitting shoes.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel disposable absorbent shoe insert that provides a porous upper layer which allows the passage of moisture, an absorbent middle layer which absorbs moisture readily, an impervious lower layer which prevents moisture from contacting the insole of the user's shoe and a release material layer consisting of strips of release material covering a portion of the area of the impervious lower layer.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel retail packaging configuration for a pair of disposable absorbent shoe inserts which includes an adhesive layer between the release material layers of adjacently positioned left and right shoe inserts. The operational advantage is that in separating the left and right inserts, the adhesive layer adheres to the portion of the lower surface of each impervious lower layer which is not covered with release material, thereby allowing each shoe insert to act as the release covering of the other shoe insert's adhesive.
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patent: 1926283 (1933-09-01), Herbert
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patent: 2865097 (1958-12-01), Vollrath, Jr. et al.
patent: 3442031 (1969-05-01), Antell
patent: 4257176 (1981-03-01), Hartung et al.
patent: 4864740 (1989-09-01), Oakley
Patterson M. D.
Thompson David S.
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