Shoe for reducing air pollution

Abstract

A shoe for reducing pollution in air outside the shoe while a wearer is walking includes a sole having an internal cavity with one or more ports for allowing ambient air to move in and out of the cavity. The cavity contains a catalyst that converts a pollutant such as, for example, ozone (O 3 ) into a non-pollutant such as diatomic oxygen molecules (O 2 ).

1 . A shoe for reducing pollution in air outside the shoe while a wearer walks, the shoe comprising:
 a flexible sole having a cavity therein including at least one port for allowing the air from outside the shoe to enter the cavity when the cavity expands and for allowing the air to exit the cavity when the cavity compresses, and   means within the cavity for converting at least one pollutant in the air passing through the cavity into a non-pollutant.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the sole compresses, expelling air through the at least one port, when the wearer steps on the sole and expands, drawing air in through the at least one port, when the wearer stops pressing on the sole. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the means for converting the at least one pollutant comprises a catalyst for chemically modifying the at least one pollutant. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the catalyst converts ozone into diatomic oxygen. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the catalyst resides on a surface of the cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 5  wherein fingers of the sole material extend into the cavity, thereby increasing a surface area of the cavity upon which the catalyst resides. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a one-way valve residing in one of the ports for permitting air to flow through the port in only one direction. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first one-way valve residing in one of the ports for permitting air to flow through said one of the ports only into the cavity, and   a second one-way valve resided in another of the ports for permitting air to flow through said another of the ports only out of the cavity.   
     
     
         9 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a filter residing in at least one of the ports for filtering air entering the cavity through the port. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the means for reducing pollution in the air comprises:
 material residing within the cavity, and   a catalyst residing on the porous material for chemically modifying the pollutant.   
     
     
         11 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the material forms a mesh. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein a surface of the material has been roughened and then coated with the catalyst. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the material comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 10  further comprising a one-way valve residing in one of the ports for permitting air to flow through the port in only one direction. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 10  further comprising:
 a first one-way valve residing in one of the ports for permitting air to flow through said one of the ports only into the cavity, and   a second one-way valve resided in another of the ports for permitting air to flow through said another of the ports only out of the cavity.   
     
     
         16 . The shoe in accordance with  claim 11  further comprising a filter residing in at least one of the ports for filtering air entering the cavity through the port.