1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to shock-absorbers for sports equipment and, more particularly, to absorbers inflatable by a pump to an adjustable pressure.
2. Description of Related Art
Sports shoes are generally provided with tongues which are provided with a thin layer of sponge. The shock-absorbing function of the thin sponge layer is not ideal during use, because the user not only feels pressure against his foot, but also discomfort owing to the lace binding, the foot being full of blood vessels and sinews. When a foot stops during exercise, the shock forces against the shoe mainly fall on the tongue and the lace section in addition to the toe box. The thin sponge layer of the tongue cannot endure such shock forces against the foot.
It would be desirable to make a shoe tongue that could endure such shock forces, could be provided with different shock-absorbing capabilities to cope with both walking and exercising, and could be comfortable without pressing the foot.
There is a kind of hard skiing shoe provided with air-inflated shoe tongues, each made of two pieces stuck together and forming an empty pocket if the air should leak out owing to breakage or wear and tear. Once the tongues become flat, they can hardly be repaired. The entire skiing shoes have to be discarded. This is wasteful and uneconomical.
The inventor, after practical study and experiments, has worked out a shock-absorbing cushion device for shoe tongues which can be removed, changed to a new one, and is adjustable in its internal pressure by use of an inflation pump. The device is able to be used in sports shoes, boots, knee protectors, and other sports goods.
The objects of this invention are set forth below:
1. To furnish a kind of shock-absorbing cushion device whose inflation pressure is adjustable as desired, thereby selecting the degree of elastic absorption.
2. To furnish a kind of shock-absorbing cushion device that can maintain the original shock-absorbing space and function, without becoming flat even if the device was damaged or was not inflated.
3. To furnish a kind of shock-absorbing cushion device that can be adjusted in its internal pressure such that the sports goods may have tight contact with a part of the body to be protected and the capability of absorbing shock.
4. To furnish a kind of shock-absorbing cushion device that can be inflated or deflated according to different necessity while in use.
5. To furnish a kind of shock-absorbing cushion device that is waterproof and does not separate.
6. To furnish a kind of shock-absorbing cushion device that can absorb unbalanced shock forces, change them into a balanced shock force, and remove foot pressure and discomfort.
7. To furnish a kind of shock-absorbing cushion device that can easily be fixed on or taken off a sports goods.
8. To furnish a kind of shock-absorbing cushion device that can be used in a shoe tongue to prevent the shoe lace from becoming loose, tight, unbalanced or unstable.
9. To furnish a kind of shock-absorbing cushion device that can be used in a shoe tongue to make feet comfortable by inflating said tongue to a proper pressure when a user puts on the shoes, and can enable the shoes to be taken off easily by deflating the air inside.
This shock-absorbing cushion device is removable and pressure-adjustable and is used in sports goods. The device comprises a cover and an air cushion enveloped in the cover. By means of blow shaping, the air cushion is shaped as a hollow bag made up of two sheets of polyethylene or an analogous material. The two sheets, an upper and a lower, are provided with vertical round recesses or vertical linear recesses extending crosswise or lengthwise of the cushion. The sheets are adhered together at the recesses. The recesses enable the air cushion to have shock-absorbing elasticity and flexibility. The recesses maintain the flatness of the outer surface of the cushion whether the air cushion is inflated or not, in order to cope with the bending movement of a part of a human body. The air cushion can be provided with an inflation pump or an air nipple for inflating or deflating the cushion.
The air cushion combined together with the cover can be fixed on a sports goods such as sports shoes, knee protectors, shoulder protectors, etc., by means of shoe laces, snap fasteners, sticker fasteners, etc.