Temperature Modifying System and Method for Retrofitting Footwear

Abstract

A temperature modifying system for footwear having an air diverter positioned on top of the rear portion of the shoe insole, bores passing from an insole aperture beneath the air diverter to a supply port, and an AC system adapted to deliver conditioned air into the shoe through the supply port, bores, insole aperture and air channels located in the air diverter. The AC system is releasably connected to the shoe. A shoe may be retrofitted with the tubular members, supply port and insole aperture post-manufacture by drilling bores through the heel and insole.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A temperature modifying system adapted for providing conditioned air into a shoe having a heel, a sole, an insole, an interior, a front, a rear and sides, said system comprising:
 a supply port opening to the outside of the shoe;   a horizontal supply bore disposed within the heel or sole of the shoe in fluid communication with said supply port;   an insole aperture opening into the interior of the shoe;   a vertical supply bore in fluid communication with said insole aperture and said horizontal supply bore;   an air diverter member positioned in the interior of the shoe, said air diverter member comprising air channels, said air channels being in fluid communication with said insole aperture;   and an air conditioning unit adapted to deliver conditioned air through AC supply tubes, each said AC supply tube adapted for temporary connection to said supply port;   wherein conditioned air is delivered through said AC supply tubes, said horizontal supply bore, said vertical supply bore, said insole aperture into said air diverter member, and wherein said air diverter member then distributes said conditioned air into the interior of the shoe.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said air diverter member is positioned beneath the shoe insole. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said air diverter member comprises an upper surface and a bottom surface, and a plurality of air channels bounded by support ridge walls, said air channels being open on said bottom surface of said air diverter member. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said channels extend toward the front and the rear of the shoe. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said channels extend toward the front, the rear and the sides of the shoe. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said air diverter further comprises air apertures extending from said air channels through said upper surface of said air diverter member. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a valve member disposed within said supply port. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more tubular members disposed within said horizontal supply bore and said vertical supply bore. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising AC control members adapted to control the delivery of the conditioned air through said AC supply tubes. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising nozzles mounted onto said AC supply tubes, said nozzles adapted to fit within said supply port. 
     
     
         11 . A method of retrofitting a shoe to incorporate a temperature modifying system, the shoe having a heel, a sole, an insole, an interior, a front, a rear and sides, the method comprising the steps of:
 drilling a horizontal bore through the heel of the shoe, thereby creating a supply port open to the outside of the shoe and a horizontal supply bore within the heel;   drilling a vertical bore downwardly within the interior of the shoe at a location and depth so as to interconnect with the horizontal bore in a fluid communicating manner; and   positioning an air diverter member in the interior of the shoe, the air diverter member comprising air channels, such that said air channels are in fluid communication with said insole aperture.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of positioning the insole atop the air diverter member. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of disposing one or more tubular members in the horizontal and vertical supply bores. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of providing an air conditioning unit adapted to deliver conditioned air through AC supply tubes, connecting one of the AC supply tubes to the supply port, and delivering conditioned air through the AC supply tube, the horizontal supply bore, the vertical supply bore, and the insole aperture into the air diverter member, whereby the air diverter member then distributes the conditioned air into the interior of the shoe. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising positioning a valve within the supply port.