Vacuum-suspended shoe

Abstract

Footwear having a vacuum pump for removing fluid from its interior. The footwear can have a rigid outer shell, a flexible material bonded to the rigid outer shell, a thin sheath within the flexible material, a heelstrike-actuated vacuum pump in the heel, and a vacuum hose connecting the vacuum pump to the interior. The pump can be configured to reduce or increase pressure within the footwear to provide different results.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for use on a foot, comprising: 
 (a) a support portion;    (b) a first material within the support portion and enclosing a space in which a foot may be placed;    (c) a pump embedded in the heel; and    (d) a conduit connecting the pump to the space.    
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein support portion comprises a shoe shell for surrounding the foot, wherein the first material is flexible and bonded to the shoe shell, and wherein the space is substantially airtight when a foot is inserted therein.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has an exterior appearance of one of a shoe and boot, and wherein the pump comprises a vacuum pump such that actuation of the pump removes fluid adjacent the foot.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 (e) a layer of second material in the space adjacent the first material, wherein the second material is significantly more breathable than the first material.    
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a one-way valve in fluid communication with the pump and the conduit such that fluid will flow substantially only in one direction through the conduit.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the pump and valve are configured such that fluid flows from adjacent the foot and is released outside the apparatus.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the pump and valve are configured such that fluid flows into the apparatus.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is actuated by heelstrike during a user's stride.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support portion comprises an outer shell, and wherein the apparatus further comprises an opening in the outer shell and a fastener for closing the opening.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support portion is substantially rigid.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein fluid removed from adjacent the foot by the pump creates a force that holds the apparatus to the foot.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has an external appearance of one of a shoe and a boot.  
     
     
         13 . A method for removing fluid from within footwear, the footwear having a heel and an interior, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a first material within the interior of the footwear that forms a space into which a foot can be placed;    (b) drawing a vacuum against the space after a user's foot is inserted into the footwear.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 (c) providing a second material adjacent the first material, wherein the second material is significantly more breathable than the first material, and wherein the first and second materials are flexible.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein step (a) comprises bonding the first material to the interior of the footwear and wherein the first material forms a seal with the user's foot, and wherein step (b) is performed by a heelstrike-actuated vacuum pump within the heel.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 (c) providing a one-way valve in fluid communication with the pump and the conduit such that fluid will substantially flow only in one direction through the conduit.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the vacuum is sufficient to assist in holding the footwear to the user's foot.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of: 
 (c) discontinuing the drawing of the vacuum and increasing pressure within the space.    
     
     
         19 . A method for changing the fluid pressure from within footwear, the footwear having a heel and an interior, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a first material within the interior of the footwear;    (b) providing a fluid conduit that enables fluid to flow at least one of in and out of the interior;    (c) controlling fluid flow in or out of the interior through the fluid conduit after a user's foot is inserted into the footwear to change the fluid pressure within the interior.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first material provides a seal between the interior and a user's foot, wherein step (c) comprises forcing fluid out of the interior and substantially preventing fluid flow into the interior.