Flow Insole

Abstract

An insole which generates an air flow during use, which assists in cooling or warming the foot of a user is disclosed. In a first embodiment, air flow facilitated by said insole provides for convective heat transfer away from the plantar surface of the foot. The insole is intended for insertion into a shoe which is ventilated, preferably an athletic shoe with a ventilated upper. The bottom layer defines a plurality of ridges and channel lining portions which together define a plurality of air channels. The bottom layer defines a heel recess in which a heel pad is situated. In a second embodiment, an insole which collects, retains, and heats a user's foot is disclosed. Said insole further comprises a middle layer of thermal reflective material secured to and coextensive with a top layer and a bottom layer secured to said middle layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insole comprising:
 a bottom layer having a top side and a bottom side, a heel portion, a toe portion and an arch portion;   a heel pad positioned in a heel recess area in said heel portion on said bottom side of said bottom layer;   a plurality of curvilinear ridges located on bottom side of by the bottom layer and protrude outwardly from the bottom side of said bottom layer and extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal insole axis that extends longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion, said plurality of longitudinal curvilinear ridges occupy substantially the lateral width of the bottom side of said insole bottom layer;   one or more channels positioned between said curvilinear ridges and extending essentially lengthwise along said longitudinal insole axis extending essentially longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion in parallel with one or more of said curvilinear ridge;   a portion of one or more of said plurality of curvilinear ridges being adapted to make contact with the bottom internal surface of a user's shoe, said channels forming a plurality of air channels to force air flow along an air pathway positioned in one or more of said channels;   an elongated recess on said bottom layer, positioned within one or more of said channels and occupying a portion of the longitudinal length of said one or more channels; and   said heel pad having inside heel ridges that each protrude outwardly from the surface of the heel pad occupying substantially the lateral width of the heel pad and having heel channels defined by the space between said heel ridges, wherein said heel ridges and heel channels extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal heel axis and extend essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bottom layer, said heel ridges being adjacent to said curvilinear ridges of said bottom layer such that heel channels are in communication with adjacent channels in said bottom layer of said insole and assist air flow along the bottom layer.   
     
     
         2 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein said air channels formed by said ridges form individual air pathways for air flow between said heel portion and said toe portion. 
     
     
         3 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein said air channels are collapsible when pressure is applied. 
     
     
         4 . The insole of  claim 1 , further comprising a top layer secured to said bottom layer and having a substrate for foot contact. 
     
     
         5 . The insole of  claim 4 , wherein said substrate of said top layer comprises a moisture wicking textile that assists in thermal regulation of the foot. 
     
     
         6 . The insole of  claim 5 , wherein said substrate is a cooling textile comprising jadeite. 
     
     
         7 . The insole of  claim 5 , wherein said substrate is a textile comprising 100% polyester and incorporates a phase change material. 
     
     
         8 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom layer comprises ethylene vinyl acetate (“EVA”), and a thermally conductive material selected from magnesium oxide, boron nitride and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The insole of  claim 4 , further comprising a middle layer secured between said top layer and said bottom layer. 
     
     
         10 . The insole of  claim 9 , wherein said middle layer is a thermal reflective barrier. 
     
     
         11 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein said heel pad has a concave shape. 
     
     
         12 . The insole of  claim 11 , wherein said heel pad comprises inside heel ridges that have greater thickness at the front and back portions of the heel pad and lesser thickness at a middle portion of the heel pad to form said concave shape. 
     
     
         13 . The insole of  claim 4 , further comprising a secondary middle layer situated between said top layer and said middle layer. 
     
     
         14 . The insole of  claim 13 , wherein said secondary middle layer comprises EVA. 
     
     
         15 . The insole of  claim 13 , wherein said secondary middle layer is about 1.5 mm thick. 
     
     
         16 . An insole comprising:
 a bottom layer having a top side and a bottom side, a heel portion, a toe portion and an arch portion,   a plurality of curvilinear ridges located on bottom side of the bottom layer and protrude outwardly from the bottom side of said bottom layer and extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal insole axis that extends longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion, said plurality of longitudinal curvilinear ridges occupy substantially the lateral width of the bottom side of said insole bottom layer,   one or more channels positioned between curvilinear ridges and extending essentially lengthwise along said longitudinal insole axis and extending essentially longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion in parallel with one or more of said curvilinear ridges,   a portion of one or more of said plurality of curvilinear ridges adapted to make contact with the bottom internal surface of a user's shoe, said channels forming a plurality of air channels to force air flow along said plurality of air channels forming an air pathway positioned in one or more of said channels; and   said heel portion having inside heel ridges that each protrude outwardly from the bottom surface of the bottom layer of the heel portion and extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal heel axis that extends essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bottom layer.   
     
     
         17 . The insole of  claim 16 , wherein said heel portion further comprises a heel pad positioned in a recessed area in said heel portion on said bottom side of said bottom layer, said heel pad having inside heel ridges that each protrude outwardly from the surface of the heel portion occupying substantially the lateral width of the heel pad and having heel channels defined by the space between said heel ridges, wherein said heel ridges and heel channels extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal heel axis and extend essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bottom layer, said heel ridges being adjacent to said curvilinear ridges of said bottom layer such that heel channels are in communication with adjacent channels in said bottom layer of said insole and assist in air flow along the bottom layer. 
     
     
         18 . The insole of  claim 17 , wherein said heel channels formed by said heel ridges and said one or more channels form individual air pathways for air flow between said heel portion and said toe portion. 
     
     
         19 . An insole comprising:
 a bottom layer having a top side and a bottom side, a heel portion, a toe portion and an arch portion,   a plurality of curvilinear ridges located on bottom side of the bottom layer that protrude outwardly from the bottom side of said bottom layer and extend essentially lengthwise along a longitudinal insole axis that extends longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion, said plurality of longitudinal curvilinear ridges occupy substantially the lateral width of the bottom side of said insole bottom layer,   one or more channels positioned between said curvilinear ridges and extending essentially lengthwise along said longitudinal insole axis longitudinally from the heel portion into the toe portion in parallel with one or more curvilinear ridges,   a portion of one or more of said plurality of curvilinear ridges adapted to make contact with a bottom internal surface of a user's shoe, said channels forming a plurality of air channels to force air flow along said plurality of air channels forming an air pathway positioned in one or more of said channels;   a recessed area in said heel portion configured to receive a heel pad; and, a top layer secured to top side of said bottom layer.   
     
     
         20 . The insole of  claim 19 , further comprising a heel pad positioned in said recessed area in said heel portion on said bottom side of said bottom layer.