Air-permeable tongue for shoes, comprising a rigid yet flexible tongue part

Abstract

The invention relates to an air-permeable tongue for shoes ( 1 ) which adapts to an individual instep and can be connected to shoes, the tongue comprising the following: a flexible yet rigid tongue part ( 1 ), which substantially represents the outwardly facing upper face of the tongue and which has an elongate tongue shape having a proximal end ( 2 ) and a distal end ( 3 ) and substantially consists of a rigid, solid material; and padding ( 14 ), which is arranged beneath the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) toward a foot in order to protect the foot from pressure points by the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) after the shoe has been fastened; the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) being characterized in that an inner elongate slot ( 6; 6 a; 6 b ), and extending therefrom inner transverse slots ( 7 ), are introduced into the tongue part substantially in the center along the longitudinal axis of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ), whereby rigid segments, which in their interior are not interrupted by the elongate slot ( 6; 6 a, 6 b ) or by transverse slots ( 7 ), are produced between said elongate slots and transverse slots, and whereby narrowed and thus flexible material webs ( 5 ) are also produced at connecting points between the rigid segments, wherein, by means of said material webs, the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) can be deformed and adapt to the instep, and being further characterized in that the padding ( 14 ) has an inner elongate slot ( 14 b ), which is substantially congruent with the elongate slot ( 6; 6 a, 6 b ) in the rigid tongue part ( 1 ).

1 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes ( 1 ) which adapts to an individual instep and can be connected to shoes, the tongue comprising
 a flexible but rigid tongue part ( 1 ), representing substantially the upper side of the tongue facing outwards and having a longitudinal tongue shape with a proximal end ( 2 ) and a distal end ( 3 ) and consisting substantially of a rigid, firm material, and   a padding ( 14 ) arranged below the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) and directed towards a foot in order to protect the foot from pressure sores caused by the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) after tying of the shoe,   
       wherein the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) is characterized in that
 therein, substantially at the center along the longitudinal axis of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ), an interior longitudinal slit ( 6 ;  6   a ,  6   b ) and interior transverse slits ( 7 ) extending therefrom are applied, producing rigid segments which in their interior are not interrupted by the longitudinal slit ( 6 ;  6   a ,  6   b ) or by transverse slits ( 7 ) and producing, also at the connecting sites between the rigid segments, narrowed and therefore flexible material bridges ( 5 ) by means of which the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) is deformable and can therefore adapt to the instep, and in that the padding ( 14 ) has an interior longitudinal slit ( 14   b ) which is substantially congruent with the longitudinal slit ( 6 ;  6   a ,  6   b ) of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ). 
 
     
     
         2 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to  claim 1 , the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) having lateral slits ( 4 ) with reference to the longitudinal axis of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) on both outer sides so as to make the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) and therefore the tongue flexible at these sites, preferably a lateral slit ( 4 ) being applied in the upper, proximal third of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) on the right and on the left and a lateral slit ( 4 ) being applied in the lower, distal third of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) on the right and on the left. 
     
     
         3 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to  claim 1  or  2 , the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) having one or more interior lateral longitudinal slits ( 61 ,  62 ), parallel to the interior longitudinal slit ( 6 ;  6   a ,  6   b ), the interior longitudinal slit ( 6 ;  6   a ,  6   b ), the interior lateral longitudinal slits ( 61 ,  62 ) and the transverse slits ( 7 ) having different widths so that the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) is flexible in two directions at the same time and can be both tapered and expanded at the sites of the slits. 
     
     
         4 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the areas of the material bridges ( 5 ) have a lower material strength than the overall material strength of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ), so as to avoid breaking of the material bridges ( 5 ). 
     
     
         5 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the interior longitudinal slit ( 6 ) of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) is formed along the central longitudinal axis of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) and starts substantially below the proximal end ( 2 ) of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) and terminates above the distal end ( 3 ) of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) and wherein starting from the interior longitudinal slit ( 6 ), interior transverse slits ( 7 ) extend to respective edges of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ). 
     
     
         6 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) has one or more openings ( 9 ,  11 ) and/or perforations ( 17 ) which provide a ventilation function for the shoe and/or which can partly also be used, for sewing, riveting, adhesive bonding or the like to other parts of the tongue and/or the shoe. 
     
     
         7 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) consists of a stiff, but flexible material, such as a plastic or a metal or a composite material of both, wherein for a plastic, preferably a PU material with a Shore hardness of about 45 to about 55, ABS or a carbon fiber composite material is used. 
     
     
         8 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the interior longitudinal slit ( 6 ) and the interior transverse slits ( 7 ) of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) are filled with a different, elastic and softer material than that of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ), such as preferably with an elastic, stretchable, soft PU material with a Shore hardness of about 25 to about 35. 
     
     
         9 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) has a recess and/or a fastening possibility for a Tanka at its proximal end ( 2 ). 
     
     
         10 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the padding ( 14 ) is also embodied tongue-like and substantially adapted to the rigid tongue part ( 1 ), the padding ( 14 ) thickening from the lateral edges of the tongue toward the interior longitudinal slit ( 14   b ) of the padding ( 14 ). 
     
     
         11 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the interior longitudinal slit ( 14   b ) of the padding ( 14 ) extends from a distal quarter to a proximal quarter of tongue and/or wherein the padding ( 14 ) consists of an air-permeable material. 
     
     
         12 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the padding ( 14 ) is fastened by injection-molding to the bottom of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) and/or extends around the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) from its bottom face to its upper face and preferably therefore substantially encloses the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) in its entirety. 
     
     
         13 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) comprising a first rigid tongue part ( 1   a ) and a second rigid tongue part ( 1   b ), the first rigid tongue part ( 1   a ) and the second rigid tongue part ( 1   b ) substantially having a same shape and being kept spaced in a flat on top of each other manner by spacing elements ( 15 ) therebetween in the center and along the longitudinal axis of the tongue, so as to produce in this manner one or more channels for ventilation towards the proximal end ( 2 ) of the tongue between the first rigid tongue part ( 1   a ) and the second rigid tongue part ( 1   b ). 
     
     
         14 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to  claim 13 , wherein the first rigid tongue part ( 1   a ) and the second rigid tongue part ( 1   b ) below it are shaped such that placed on top of each other, they form at least one channel therebetween for ventilation purposes which is guided preferably from the distal end ( 3 ) to the proximal end ( 2 ) of the tongue, the second rigid tongue part ( 1   b ) directed towards the foot having openings ( 9 ,  11 ) through which air and water vapor can circulate between the foot and an ambient air. 
     
     
         15 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to  claim 13  or  14 , wherein the one or more channel(s) communicate with the ambient air for ventilation through perforations ( 17 ) applied at the distal end in the first rigid tongue part ( 1   a ) and/or wherein the one or more channel(s) of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) is/are open towards the ambient air at the proximal end ( 2 ) for ventilation. 
     
     
         16 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, with a right tongue for a right shoe and a left tongue for a left shoe accordingly being shaped differently. 
     
     
         17 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to  claim 8 , if dependent on  claim 3 , wherein the interior lateral longitudinal slits ( 61 ,  62 ) of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ) are filled with the elastic and softer material than that of the rigid tongue part ( 1 ), such as preferably with the elastic, stretchable, soft PU material having a Shore hardness of about 25 to about 35. 
     
     
         18 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the rigid tongue part ( 1 ,  1   a ,  1   b ) and the padding ( 14 ) are partially or entirely covered by a covering consisting preferably of leather, imitation leather, fabric or a different material having a preferably aesthetic surface. 
     
     
         19 . Air-permeable tongue for shoes according to at least one of  claims 8  through  18 , the elastic and softer material being provided with openings ( 9 ).