Inflatable shoe stretcher

Abstract

An inflatable shoe stretcher includes a bag body that is formed by coupling outer peripheries of two bag sheets and that defines an air-filling space therein, an one-way air inflow unit that is mounted between the bag sheets for filling air into the air-filling space, and a heat-sealed unit that is formed by coupling portions of the bag sheets. The heat-sealed unit includes two main heat-sealed subunits for segregating the air-filling space into three air-filling space portions. The bag body is able to be bent alongside the main heat-sealed subunits when the air-filling space portions are filled with air.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inflatable shoe stretcher comprising:
 two bag sheets that correspond in shape, outer peripheries of said bag sheets being coupled to each other by heat-sealing such that said bag sheets cooperatively form a bag body that defines an air-filling space therein, and that has
 a front portion, and 
 an expanded portion extending rearwardly in a front-rear direction (X) from said front portion and expanding rearwardly; 
   an one-way air inflow unit that is mounted between said bag sheets for filling air into said air-filling space; and   a heat-sealed unit that is formed by coupling portions of said bag sheets and that includes
 two main heat-sealed subunits extending substantially in the front-rear direction (X) and spaced apart in a left-right direction (Y) which is perpendicular to the front-rear direction (X) so as to segregate said air-filling space into three air-filling space portions that are arranged in the left-right direction (Y), and 
 two air passages each fluidly communicating two adjacent ones of said air-filling space portions; 
   wherein, when said air-filling space portions are filled with air, said bag body is able to be bent alongside said main heat-sealed subunits.   
     
     
         2 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said front portion of said bag body has a curved front edge at a front end thereof; and   each of said air passages of said heat-sealed unit is disposed between said front edge and a respective one of said main heat-sealed subunits.   
     
     
         3 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein:
 each of said main heat-sealed subunits of said heat-sealed unit has a front heat-sealed segment that is adjacent to a respective one of said air passages, and a rear heat-sealed segment that is connected to a rear end of said front heat-sealed segment;   a distance between said front heat-sealed segments of said main heat-sealed subunits decreases in a direction away from said front edge; and   a distance between said rear heat-sealed segments of said main heat-sealed subunits increases in the direction away from said front edge.   
     
     
         4 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said heat-sealed unit further includes two secondary heat-sealed subunits that are connected to said front edge of said front portion of said bag body and that respectively correspond in position to said main heat-sealed subunits. 
     
     
         5 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said main heat-sealed subunits extend rearwardly from a front edge of said front portion; and   said air passages are respectively defined in said main heat-sealed subunits.   
     
     
         6 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said heat-sealed unit further includes two tertiary heat-sealed subunits that are disposed between said main heat-sealed subunits, that respectively and diagonally extend from said front edge of said front portion of said bag body to be respectively connected to said main heat-sealed subunits. 
     
     
         7 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a middle one of said air-filled space portions of said air-filling space is substantially rectangular and is elongated in the front-rear direction (X), and   other ones of said air-filled space portions are substantially triangular, each of which has two of vertices adjacent to the respective one of said main heat-sealed subunits.   
     
     
         8 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a length of the middle one of said air-filled space portions of said air-filling space in the front-rear direction (X) is more than thirty centimeters. 
     
     
         9 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said one-way air inflow unit includes first and second sealing pieces that are connected respectively to inner sides of said bag sheets, that are proximate to one another, and that cooperatively define an air inflow entrance for filling air into a middle one of said air-filling space portions of said air-filling space. 
     
     
         10 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 said bag body further has a tail portion that is connected to a rear end of said expanded portion and that extends in the front-rear direction (X).   
     
     
         11 . The inflatable shoe stretcher as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said tail portion is downwardly bendable.