US 6,981,339 B2
Article of footwear with temperature regulation means
Stephen Szczesuil, Framingham, Mass. (US); and Michael J. Holthe, Holliston, Mass. (US)
Assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, D.C. (US)
Filed on Mar. 04, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/76,458.
Application 11/076458 is a division of application No. 10/660386, filed on Sep. 11, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2005/0172512 A1, Aug. 11, 2005
Int. Cl. A43B 7/02 (2006.01); H05B 1/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 36—2.6 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An article of footwear with temperature regulation means, the article comprising:
a sole forming a bottom of the footwear;
an insole overlying said sole and in contact with said sole, said insole having in an upper surface thereof opposite from said sole a groove having an inlet and an outlet in an edge of said insole, said groove winding substantially throughout the length and width of the insole upper surface with a plurality of generally 180° turns therein;
a tube disposed in the groove and extending throughout the length of the groove and having an inlet portion extending from the groove inlet at the edge of said insole and an outlet portion extending from the groove outlet at the edge of said insole;
an upper fixed to said sole and having apertures therethrough through which extend the tube inlet and outlet portions; and
a holding member fixed to said upper and covering the tube inlet and outlet portions;
a reservoir having temperature influencing means therewith and connected to remote ends of the tube inlet and outlet portions;
wherein temperature conditioned means is furnished from said reservoir through said tube to provide a selected temperature to said insole, and furnished back to said reservoir for a further cycle.