Pneumatically inflatable air bladder devices contained entirely within shoe sole or configured as shoe inserts

Abstract

A pneumatically cushioned shoe or shoe insert including a plurality of regions, each region including a respective plurality of air bladders; each respective air bladder having a self-sealing valve disposed thereon and configured to allow air to enter the bladder through the valve while maintaining air pressure within the air bladder; and each self-sealing valve configured to allow air to escape through the valve via an air pump needle or via an integrated pump and release valve device.

1 . A pneumatically cushioned shoe or shoe insert device, comprising:
 a plurality of regions, each region including a respective plurality of air bladders;   each respective air bladder having a self-sealing valve disposed thereon and configured to allow air to enter the bladder through the valve while maintaining air pressure within the air bladder; and   each self-sealing valve configured to allow air to escape through the valve via an air pump needle or via an integrated pump and release valve device.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the respective air bladders are configured in a predetermined shape so as to correct for a corresponding type of foot pronation when inflated. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is integrated into a sole of a shoe. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the valves are disposed on the shoe so as to be accessible external to the shoe for inflation and deflation via the air pump needle or via the integrated pump and release valve device. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured as a shoe insert with the valves disposed on the shoe insert so as to be accessible for inflation and deflation via the air pump needle or via the integrated pump and release valve device. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of air bladders are selectively connected to the air pump needle or the integrated pump and release valve device via an air flow switching device accessible external to the shoe to selectively inflate or deflate each of the respective air bladders.