SYSTEM FOR ANTIFUNGAL/BACTERIAL PROTECTION FOR SHOES

CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/928,084 filed on Jan. 16, 2014.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an outer sole for a shoe along with laces that are treated with an antifungal and antimicrobial substance.

2. Description of Related Art

Shoes provide common footwear used by individuals throughout the world. Shoes come in various styles, designs, formats and functional designs. The basic components of a shoe normally include an upper portion, a heel, an insole and an outer sole. Other components may include a tongue and laces, where laces are used to secure the shoe on a user's foot. Shoes normally cover at least the bottom of a user's foot depending on the style and design. As a consequence, the outer sole of a shoe comes into direct contact with the ground, floor or other surface that the user may be traverse while wearing the shoes. As a result the outer sole absorbs the greatest amount of wear and tear and the most likely to absorb germs and bacteria. Since most individuals eventually wear their shoes inside their residence the transfer of the bacteria and fungi may occur with the traversing over the floor and surface of the residence. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method or device that could help to reduce the amount of fungi and bacteria that is absorbed onto the outer sole of the shoe. Such a device would help reduce the influx of such fungi and bacteria into a user's residence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system for fungi and bacteria protection for a shoe comprising: an outer sole; at least one valve on one side of the outer sole; and an antifungal and antibacterial fluid substance insertable into each valve, where the fluid substance permeates through the outer sole after insertion into each valve. The outer sole may include a toe portion, a mid-sole portion and a heel portion. Preferably if the shoe includes shoe laces, the shoe laces are treated with the antifungal and antibacterial fluid substance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a shoe outer sole and laces that are treated with an antifungal and antimicrobial substance in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention relates to outer sole that is treated with an antifungal and antibacterial medicinal substance to prevent and alleviate the spread of fungi and bacteria that may be encountered on the outer sole of the shoe. The present invention provides an outer sole that is treated and refilled with the antifungal and antibacterial substance. In another particular embodiment, the present invention may also include shoelaces that are treated and refilled with the antifungal and antibacterial substance. The process of refilling may be accomplished with a syringe that inserts into a valve on an external surface of the outer sole to deliver the substance. Further a coating is applied over the surface of the soles to control the amount of anti-microbial substances that are secreted during use thereof.

Turning now descriptively to the drawing, referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of treated outer sole 100 in accordance with the present invention. The outer sole 100 comprises a treated toe section 120, a mid-sole section 121, a heel portion 123, a pair of treated shoelaces 130 and a valve 125. A syringe (not shown) may be used to deliver the antifungal and antibacterial fluid into the outer sole 100. The outer sole 100 is preferably made of a porous material that allows the antifungal and antibacterial fluid to permeate through the outer sole 100. Although the single valve 125 is depicted, in other embodiments additional valves may be implemented around the border of the outer sole 100. Use of more than one valve 125 enables a quicker permeation of the antifungal and antibacterial fluid over the surface of the outer sole 100.

The antifungal and antibacterial fluid permeates to the toe section 120, mid-sole section 121 and heel portion 123. The treated surfaces reduce and may eliminate risks associated with fungi or bacteria encountered on the outer sole 100. The shoelaces 130 may also be treated with the antifungal and antibacterial fluid. The shoelaces 130 may be pretreated prior to use and retreated as need. Moreover, the outer sole 100 may be refilled with the medicinal substance so that when the surface of the outer sole 100 maintains adequate protection from fungi and bacteria. The technique of antifungal and anti bacterial protection according to the present invention may be implemented to prevent the spread of infectious organisms. Treatment of a sole with a syringe filled with the antifungal or antibacterial substance may prevent the spread of any infectious organisms. Common infectious threats addressed by the present invention include bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasitic as well as region known infectious organisms such as a parasite common or reasonable possibility of aiding in spread of sickness. Custom application of the present invention may address threats to the public that may most likely occur out of the United States. Within the USA, parasites and pinworms are quite common bacterial threats especially in children. Sources of the common bacteria include yards where domestic animals such as dogs reside and of course wild life.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.