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

Abstract

A pneumatically cushioned shoe or shoe insert device including a plastic layer forming air bladders; a cloth layer covering a top surface of the plastic layer; a rubber layer covering a toe portion of a bottom surface of the plastic layer; a C shaped indentation on the plastic layer forming an arch region air bladder; and circle or oval shaped indentations forming interconnected air bladder regions having respective air bladders and including an inner heel, outer heel, and metatarsal air bladder regions. The rubber layer including cutting lines for sizing for regular or wide foot sizes and a lower thicker line defining a do not cut below region. The cloth layer including cutting lines for sizing for the other of regular or wide foot sizes. The air bladders pre-filled with air during manufacturing or filled with air by a user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pneumatically cushioned shoe or shoe insert device, comprising:
 a plastic layer configured to form air bladders;   a cloth layer covering a top surface of the plastic layer;   a rubber layer covering a toe portion of a bottom surface of the plastic layer;   a C shaped indentation provided on the plastic layer to form an arch region air bladder;   a plurality of circle or oval shaped indentation distributed throughout the plastic layer to form a plurality of interconnected air bladder regions, each air bladder region including one or more respective air bladders, the interconnected regions including an inner heel air bladder region, an outer heel air bladder region, and a metatarsal air bladder region;   the rubber layer including cutting lines for sizing for one of regular and wide foot sizes and a lower thicker line defining a do not cut below region;   the cloth layer including cutting lines for sizing for the other of regular and wide foot sizes; and   the air bladders pre-filled with air during manufacturing or filled with air by a user.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a self-sealing valve disposed on respective of the air bladder regions and configured to allow air to enter the respective air bladder regions through the valve while maintaining air pressure with in the air bladder regions; and   the 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.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the respective air bladders regions are configured in a predetermined shape so as to correct for a corresponding type of foot pronation when inflated. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is integrated into a sole of a shoe. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the valve is 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. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured as a shoe insert with the valve 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. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the self-sealing valve is configured to allow air to escape through the valve via an integrated pump and release valve device, including:
 a housing;   a pump having an integral air release valve and included in the housing; and   a pump actuator included in the pump with the integral air release valve, wherein the pump actuator movable from a first position in a linear direction to pump air, and the pump actuator movable from a second position further in the same linear direction to allow air to escape.