Apparatus For Regulating Footwear Temperature

Abstract

An arrangement for regulating the interior temperature of footwear takes the form of an insole (or midsole) and includes a heat generator and a heat storage and release element, The heat generator may be configured to capture mechanical energy in the form of human locomotion and convert the captured energy into heat. Other types of heat generators may also be used. The heat storage and release element comprises one or more phase change materials that function to absorb generated heat (to keep footwear from overheating), as well as release the stored heat when the ambient temperature of the footwear drops below the transition temperature of the material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature, the apparatus formed within an insert for disposition in footwear and comprising
 a heat generator for converting human locomotion into thermal energy; and   a heat storage and release module disposed adjacent to the heat generator and adapted to directly receive heat therefrom, the heat storage and release module including at least one phase change material exhibiting a predetermined phase transition temperature, the heat storage and release module for storing generated heat produced by the heat generator and releasing stored heat upon a decrease in an ambient temperature of the footwear below the predetermined phase transition temperature so as to regulate the temperature of footwear.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature as defined in  claim 1  wherein the heat storage and release module comprises at least one layer of phase change material disposed adjacent to the heat generator. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature as defined in  claim 1  wherein the heat generator is embedded within at least one phase change material forming the heat storage and release module. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature as defined in  claim 1  wherein the phase change material is selected from the group consisting of: octadecane, hexadecane, saturated hydrocarbons, paraffin waxes and hydrated salts. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature as defined in  claim 1  wherein the heat storage and release module comprises a main component including a first phase change material and an auxiliary component including a second phase change material, where the phase transition temperature of the first phase change material is greater than the phase transition temperature of the second phase change material. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature as defined in  claim 1  wherein body heat is used as the heat generator. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature as defined in  claim 1  wherein the heat generator comprises an arrangement for harvesting mechanical energy from human locomotion and converting mechanical energy into thermal energy. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature as defined in  claim 7  wherein the arrangement for harvesting mechanical energy and converting into thermal energy comprises:
 a first flexible chamber containing a quantity of liquid; 
 a second flexible chamber containing a quantity of liquid; 
 an energy-generating tube having a predetermined diameter and a wall of a predetermined thickness disposed between and coupled to the first and second flexible chambers in a manner such that the liquid flows back and forth within the tube as a function of mechanical pressure applied in alternating fashion to the first and second flexible chambers; and 
 an energy-producing element disposed within the energy-generating tube, wherein the liquid flow induced by mechanical pressure creates movement of the energy-producing element within the energy-generating tube, generating thermal energy as a function of the movement. 
 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature as defined in  claim 8  wherein the mechanical energy harvesting arrangement comprises an electromagnetic arrangement wherein
 the energy-generating tube includes a plurality of sections of conductive material disposed within spaced-apart regions of the wall of the tube; and 
 the energy-producing element comprises an energy-generating chain formed of spaced-apart regions of magnetic material disposed along a flexible string, the energy-generating chain disposed within the energy-generating tube in a manner where the chain slides back and forth within the tube as the liquid flows between the first and second flexible chambers, such that the application of mechanical energy to the apparatus creates movement of the chain with respect to the tube, defining multiple areas of overlap between the regions of magnetic material and the conductive segments to create eddy currents within the conductive segment, the eddy currents providing thermal energy in the form of resistive heat. 
 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for regulating footwear temperature as defined in  claim 8  wherein the mechanical energy harvesting arrangement comprises a viscous energy dissipation arrangement wherein
 the energy-producing element comprises a viscous liquid of a viscosity sufficient to impart thermal energy to the energy-generating tube as the viscous liquid moves back and forth within the energy-generating tube.