Self-lacing system for a shoe and vacuum pump thereof

Abstract

A self-lacing system includes an air bag assembly and a vacuum pump respectively attached on an upper portion and a sole portion of the shoe. The vacuum pump includes a first cover and a second cover. A chamber is formed between the first cover and the second cover when the second cover is located at the first position relative to the first cover. Volume of the chamber changes during movement of the second cover relative to the first cover. The chamber is compressed to force fluid inside the chamber outwardly via a discharge communication channel when the second cover moves relative to the first cover from the first position to the second position, and fluid inside the air bag assembly is introduced to flow into the chamber via a suction communication channel when the second cover moves relative to the first cover from the second position to the first position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-lacing system for a shoe, the self-lacing system comprising:
 an air bag assembly attached on an upper portion of the shoe; and   a vacuum pump attached on a sole portion of the shoe, the vacuum pump comprising:
 a first cover, a discharge port being formed on the first cover and having a discharge communication channel; and 
 a second cover disposed on the first cover and movable relative to the first cover between a first position and a second position, a chamber being formed between the first cover and the second cover when the second cover is located at the first position relative to the first cover, volume of the chamber changing during movement of the second cover relative to the first cover, and a suction port being formed on the second cover and having a suction communication channel; 
 wherein the chamber is compressed to force fluid inside the chamber outwardly via the discharge communication channel when the second cover moves relative to the first cover from the first position to the second position, and fluid inside the air bag assembly is introduced to flow into the chamber via the suction communication channel when the second cover moves relative to the first cover from the second position to the first position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The self-lacing system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump further comprises:
 a discharge check valve configured to only allow the fluid inside the chamber to flow out of the chamber via the discharge communication channel in a single direction.   
     
     
         3 . The self-lacing system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump further comprises:
 a suction check valve configured to only allow the fluid inside the air bag assembly to flow into the chamber in a single direction.   
     
     
         4 . The self-lacing system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump further comprises:
 at least one resilient component disposed between the first cover and the second cover to bias the second cover to move relative to the first cover to the first position.   
     
     
         5 . The self-lacing system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump further comprises:
 at least one sealing component disposed between the first cover and the second cover.   
     
     
         6 . The self-lacing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cover comprises at least one first engaging portion, the second cover comprises at least one second engaging portion, and the at least one first engaging portion engages with the at least one second engaging portion when the second cover moves relative to the first cover to the first position. 
     
     
         7 . The self-lacing system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump further comprises:
 a connecting head connected to the suction port and the air bag assembly and the connecting head having a connection communication channel configured to communicating the air bag assembly to the suction communication channel.   
     
     
         8 . The self-lacing system of  claim 7 , wherein the connecting head is detachably connected to the suction port, and the vacuum pump further comprises at least one sealing component disposed between the connecting head and the suction port. 
     
     
         9 . The self-lacing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cover comprises an inner wall and an outer wall located outside the inner wall, the second cover comprises an inner protruding platform and an outer abutting platform wall located outside the inner protruding platform, the chamber is enclosed by the inner wall and the inner protruding platform, at least one accommodating space is formed between the inner wall and the outer wall, and the vacuum pump further comprises at least one resilient component disposed inside the at least one accommodating space and abutting against the outer abutting platform. 
     
     
         10 . The self-lacing system of  claim 9 , wherein the first cover further comprises at least one first engaging portion protruding from the inner wall, the second cover further comprises at least one second engaging portion protruding from the outer abutting platform, and the at least one first engaging portion engages with the at least one second engaging portion when the second cover moves relative to the first cover to the first position. 
     
     
         11 . A vacuum pump for evacuating an air bag assembly, the vacuum pump comprising:
 a first cover, a discharge port being formed on the first cover and having a discharge communication channel; and   a second cover disposed on the first cover and movable relative to the first cover between a first position and a second position, a chamber being formed between the first cover and the second cover when the second cover is located at the first position relative to the first cover, volume of the chamber changing during movement of the second cover relative to the first cover, and a suction port being formed on the second cover and having provide a suction communication channel;   wherein the chamber is compressed to force fluid inside the chamber outwardly via the discharge communication channel when the second cover moves relative to the first cover from the first position to the second position, and fluid inside the air bag assembly is introduced to flow into the chamber via the suction communication channel when the second cover moves relative to the first cover from the second position to the first position.   
     
     
         12 . The vacuum pump of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a discharge check valve configured to only allow the fluid inside the chamber to flow out of the chamber via the discharge communication channel in a single direction.   
     
     
         13 . The vacuum pump of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a suction check valve configured to only allow the fluid inside the air bag assembly to flow into the chamber in a single direction.   
     
     
         14 . The vacuum pump of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one resilient component disposed between the first cover and the second cover to bias the second cover to move relative to the first cover to the first position.   
     
     
         15 . The vacuum pump of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one sealing component disposed between the first cover and the second cover.   
     
     
         16 . The vacuum pump of  claim 11 , wherein the first cover comprises at least one first engaging portion, the second cover comprises at least one second engaging portion, and the at least one first engaging portion engages with the at least one second engaging portion when the second cover moves relative to the first cover to the first position. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum pump of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a connecting head connected to the suction port and the air bag assembly, and the connecting head having a connection communication channel configured to communicating the airbag assembly to the suction communication channel.   
     
     
         18 . The vacuum pump of  claim 17 , wherein the connecting head is detachably connected to the suction port, and the vacuum pump further comprises at least one sealing component disposed between the connecting head and the suction port. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum pump of  claim 11 , wherein the first cover comprises an inner wall and an outer wall located outside the inner wall, the second cover comprises an inner protruding platform and an outer abutting platform wall located outside the inner protruding platform, the chamber is enclosed by the inner wall and the inner protruding platform, at least one accommodating space is formed between the inner wall and the outer wall, and the vacuum pump further comprises at least one resilient component disposed inside the at least one accommodating space and abutting against the outer abutting platform. 
     
     
         20 . The vacuum pump of  claim 19 , wherein the first cover further comprises at least one first engaging portion protruding from the inner wall, the second cover further comprises at least one second engaging portion protruding from the outer abutting platform, and the at least one first engaging portion engages with the at least one second engaging portion when the second cover moves relative to the first cover to the first position.