EP1169928A1 - Washable inner shoe for footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an internal liner intended to equip an article of footwear. The liner includes wedging elements (20) positioned between the upper (O) and the lining (1). These wedging elements (20) are assembled to the rod (O) by mechanical means (3x, 3y, 3z) such as seams. The liner thus obtained can be washed in a hot fluid whose temperature is between 40 and 100 degrees Celsius. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an inner boot for equipping an article of footwear intended in particular, but not limited to, for the practice of sport. The present invention can be used for the practice of skiing, snowboarding, inline skating, ice skating, ski touring.

In the state of the prior art, the internal slippers generally comprise a rod external intended to bring hold to the liner, and an internal lining intended to be in foot contact. In order to adjust the internal liner to the internal volume of the shoe such that a rigid shell used in particular in alpine skiing, wedging elements are interposed, the manufacture, between the upper and the inner lining of the liner, in particular at the level of the ankle. These elements are fixed on the rod by simple bonding or the elements, having a self-adhesive side, are simply applied to the inside of the rod. Like the wedging elements are covered by the lining, and therefore not visible, until now the optimization of the fixing means was not part of the concerns of the man of art.

In shoes and in particular rigid shells, the internal slippers, which are in direct contact of the foot, undergo the attacks of perspiration and fumes from the user's foot. However, currently it is not possible to wash the slippers effectively, because the bonding of the wedging elements does not resist not hot water. This means that once the bootie has been washed, the bootie becomes unusable because its internal geometry is no longer fixed and varies randomly depending on the displacement of the timing elements.

Given the state of the prior art, it would be possible to envisage using adhesives resistant to hot water, like neoprene adhesives, to fix the wedging elements on the stem. However, the use of such adhesives requires a very long assembly process and therefore expensive, since the glue must be allowed to dry in place on the elements before making assembly.

One of the aims of the present invention is to propose a method of manufacturing a bootie internal for footwear which allows washing with hot water, especially in a washing machine, the slipper while retaining the geometry of positioning of the elements setting.

Another object of the invention is to propose a process which does not generate an additional cost important compared to conventional manufacturing processes for non-washable slippers.

To achieve these objectives, the manufacturing process consists in fixing the elements of wedging, on the internal face of the upper of the bootie, by mechanical means which allow wash the slipper in a hot fluid at a temperature between 30 and 90 degrees Celsius. Said mechanical means are inter alia of the stitching type.

In a first embodiment, the wedging element is sewn directly on the rod slipper.

In a second embodiment, the wedging element is positioned in a pocket which is integrated into the upper of the bootie.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will appear with the aid of the description which refers to the attached drawings. The description illustrates, by way of nonlimiting examples, certain preferred embodiments.

Figure 1 schematically shows a section of the liner, according to its thickness, in the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 represents a front view of the interior of the tig, produced according to the first embodiment, before it is assembled on the sole of the bootie. Figure 2 shows a snatch at the lining.

FIG. 3 represents a side view of the liner produced according to the first mode of production.

FIG. 4 represents a front view of the interior of the rod according to the second mode of realization and before its assembly on the sole of the liner.

Figure 5 shows schematically a section along the thickness of the material used to the realization of the slipper.

Figures 6a, 6b, 6c schematically show a section of the liner, according to its thickness, according to different variants of the first embodiment.

Figure 1 illustrates a section along the thickness of the inner liner CH, at the level of the rod O, produced according to the present manufacturing process. The internal CH liner includes a lining 1, intended to be in contact with the foot P, at its internal face 1a. AT the opposite, the external face 1b of the lining 1 is opposite with the internal face Oa of the rod O. This lining 1 being intended to ensure comfort by contact of the user's foot P, is generally made of soft foam-like material, while the rod O, which is intended to bring a certain rigidity to the inner liner, is made of harder material which may also be of the foam type.

In order to best adjust the internal liner CH to the geometry of the foot P, at least one wedging element 20 is interposed, during manufacture, between the rod O and the lining 1. This wedging element 20 is fixed by mechanical means 3 to the rod O. Here is meant by mechanical means 3, any mechanical assembly means possibly associated with a chemical assembly without additional chemical adhesive.

The mechanical assembly means include in particular the seams, the rivets, self-gripping type assemblies more commonly known under the name commercial "velcro". The mechanical means associated with a chemical assembly without adhesive include bi-injection, flaming, friction welding and overmolding. These latter means achieve mechanical assembly by nesting intimately the two materials to be assembled by a very localized heating at the level of the contact of the parts to be assembled. This mechanical assembly is then reinforced by connections molecular molecules that spontaneously and naturally settle between two materials at the level of the mechanical nesting zone.

This fairly large set of assembly means makes it possible to reach the objectives of the present invention, namely washing the liner in a hot fluid without deterioration of the assembly means and limiting the additional production costs of the liner.

In addition, nowadays the user seeking to wash his slipper will spontaneously put it in a washing machine, the washing machine which uses a hot fluid, in particular water, whose temperature is mainly between 30 and 90 degrees Celsius.

On the one hand, the purely mechanical assembly means remains inexpensive and resists no problem at temperatures of 90 degrees Celsius, and see 100 degrees Celsius. Else on the other hand, the mechanical means, supplemented with chemical bonds as described above, remain inexpensive because they do not require the addition of an additional adhesive such as glue. These means also resist a hot fluid, the temperature of which is lower than the heating temperature used for assembly, temperature at which connections chemicals fall into place. In fact, the wedging elements 20 are generally produced polyethylene foam with a melting temperature of approximately 110 degrees Celsius, or well made of polypropylene foam which melts at around 130 ° Celsius.

In the preferred embodiment and illustrated in FIG. 1, the mechanical means 3 is a stitching together.

In Figure 2, the rod O which is not yet assembled on the sole is shown on its internal face Oa. The rod O is covered by the lining 1 on its right part, while on its left side the lining 1 is exploded revealing the wedging element 20. The element wedging 20 is advantageously positioned on the rod O at the ankle in order to maintain grip the back of the foot in the inner boot, and is assembled on the inner side Oa of rod O by mechanical means 3x, 3y, 3z, resistant to hot fluid.

Mechanical means 3x, 3y, 3z, such as seams, used only to maintain positioned of the wedging element 20 on the rod O, it is not necessary that said means extend over the entire periphery of the wedging element 20. The means can advantageously be arranged punctually on a position of the periphery as the 3x seam, or in the middle of the wedging element 20, like 3z seam, or superimposed on an assembly seam 100 of the rod O, like the seam 3y.

In addition, the wedging element 20 can be fixed to the lining 1 by mechanical means 3w such as seams that resist hot fluid. Advantageously, said seam can fix the wedging element 20 to the lining 1 as well as to the rod O by crossing the three thicknesses right through. Compliance with this constructive provision allows for better keep the lining of the boot in shape in addition to traditional assembly methods of the lining on the rod which are generally located on the periphery of the rod, in particular at the assembly zones of the upper O on the sole of the bootie.

If the fastening means 3x, 3y, 3z, 3w are purely mechanical means such as seams, it is necessary to pre-position the wedging element 20 on the internal face Oa of the rod O and maintain it in position on the rod during assembly. A way of proceed to glue the wedging element with glue which does not resist especially with hot water. This glue is just used to hold in place the wedging element 20 on rod O during sewing. Then, during the first washing of the slipper made up according to this manufacturing process, the wedging element 20 will no longer be held on the rod O by the glue, which will be rendered ineffective by hot water, but just by the seams 3x, 3y, 3z, 3w.

FIG. 3 represents the shoe CH obtained by assembling the upper O on the sole 60. The seams 3x, 3y, 3z, fixing, internally to the liner, the wedging element 20 on the stem O, are then apparent. It is therefore interesting, in particular for aesthetic reasons, to limit fastening seams. In addition, these seams are a potential point abrasion on the outer surface Ob of the rod O.

FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment where the wedging element 21 is housed, during the manufacturing process, in an internal pocket 10 which is located on the internal face Oa of the rod O. Thus, the wedging element 21 is positioned interposed between the rod O and the lining 1. The pocket 10 includes an opening 62 located on its upper edge. So, during the practice of sport and despite the effect of gravity, the wedging element 21 has not spontaneous tendency to come out of the pocket 10.

Advantageously, the pocket 10 will be provided with a flap 61 covering the opening 62 in closed position. In addition, this flap 61 may include closing means in particular auto seizing type.

Figure 5 illustrates constructive details, in terms of the materials used, either for the rod, either for the lining or for the wedging element, so that the materials themselves are not damaged, during the washing of the bootie, by their immersion in a hot fluid.

The materials 14 mainly used are more or less dense foams which comprise cavities 15 filled with a fluid, in particular air. If the cavities 15 are not not closed, the fluid can then escape and be replaced by the washing fluid. In this In this case, the material 14, impregnated with the washing fluid, becomes very heavy and difficult to dry. Of more, this fluid can deform, due to its weight, irremediably the foam. It is therefore necessary that the majority of the cavities 15 of the material 14 are closed cavities 15.

In addition, the material 14 must intrinsically resist the washing temperature of the fluid. hot, especially between 30 and 90 degrees Celsius.

Some materials used, either for the rod or for the lining, are made of multilayer materials 16. This makes it possible to associate with a material 14, of foam type such as described above, at least one outer layer 70, 71, which differs in part from its property of material 14. The material 14 of the rod may advantageously be associated with a layer external 70, positioned outside the boot, which has good resistance to abrasion such as polyamide or polyurethane textiles. Similarly, the material 14 of the lining may advantageously be associated with an external layer 71, positioned at the inside of the bootie, which provides pleasant skin contact, and which is Hypo-allergenic.

The multilayer material 16 previously described can be obtained during manufacture, at level of stratification, by mechanical means 72 which resist delamination in the hot wash fluid. These mechanical means 72 conform to those previously described, and in particular by flame subject to compatibility between the materials to to assemble. Indeed, this compatibility between matter allows spontaneous establishment and natural chemical bonds at the molecular level as previously described.

Another embodiment, not illustrated, consists in using a bi-injection process for fix the wedging element to the internal face of the rod. That is to say that the material constituting the wedging element is injected, into a mold, almost simultaneously with the material constituting the stem. The two chemically compatible materials are intimately mixed at the contact level, because they are in fusion. The mechanical grip obtained at the time of cooling is enhanced by the establishment of natural chemical bonds due to the chemical compatibility of the two materials.

One can also use an over-injection process. The material of the element wedging is injected on the material of the rod which has more or less cooled. In contact with injected material, which is hot, the rod material melts locally, at the level of the contact, which ensures mechanical grip by locally mixing the two materials. This bond is then reinforced by natural molecular chemical bonds due to the fact of the chemical compatibility of the two materials.

Figures 6a, 6b, 6c illustrate construction variants, relating to the first mode of realization, which specify different means allowing to fix by sewing the wedging element 20 to the rod 0 without damaging said wedging element 20. Indeed, if the wedging element 20 is made of a mechanically weak material, the seam 3 is more or less long term of shearing the wedging element 20 which then in the wash will come off from the rod 0. The seams 3 illustrated in Figures 6a, 6b correspond to the seams 3x, 3y, 3z previously referenced.

In FIG. 6a, the wedging element 20 is fixed to the rod 0 and inserted between the rod 0 and the lining 1. However, the wedging element 20 used is specific in order to present at least a layer of greater resistance 80, in particular to tearing and shearing, which allows seam 3 not to pass through. The wedging element 20, currently illustrated, comprises a resistant layer 80 fixed by means suitable for a layer volume 81. The resistive layer 80 is here arranged on the internal face Oa of the rod 0.

Of course, a reverse arrangement in which the volume layer 81 is positioned on the internal face Oa and the resistant layer 80 is positioned opposite the lining 1 remains according to the invention.

The multilayer type wedging element 20 can be obtained in several ways from which: on the one hand, the multilayer element can be obtained by combining materials chemically compatible according to fixing means described above in FIG. 5, such as bi-injection, over-injection or flaming. The resistant layer 80 can have a certain thickness, especially if it is made of foam-type material. But the resistant layer 80, which may also be of negligible thickness, can be produced by woven or non-woven textile material.

On the other hand, the wedging element 20 of the multilayer type can be produced by assembly at least two layers, such as the resistant layer 80 and the volume layer 20, by sewing. This seam, which is not illustrated in the figures, is independent of the seam 3 used for mounting the footwear.

In this first construction variant, the lining 1 remains independent, at the level of the seam 3, of the whole of the rod 0 - wedging element 20.

In FIG. 6b, the wedging element 20 is fixed to the rod 0 and inserted between the rod 0 and the lining 1. However, the wedging element 20 is, at the seam 3, held between the rod 0 and a seam reinforcement 82 which is placed opposite the lining 1. This reinforcement seam 82 will advantageously be punctual around seam 3 and made of material resistant textile. In this second construction variant, the seam 3 keeps it fixed the wedging element 20 on the rod 0 and the lining 1 remains independent, at the seam 3, of the rod 0 / wedging element 20 assembly.

In FIG. 6c, the wedging element 20 is fixed, by a seam 3, simultaneously to the rod 0 and to the lining 1. This seam 3, which passes through both the rod 0, the wedging element 20 and the lining 1, corresponding to the 3W seam previously referenced.

In this third construction variant, the lining 1 must have sufficient technical characteristics so that the seam 3 does not tear said lining 1. However, the lining 1 must also have comfort characteristics since it is in direct contact with the foot. The association of these two characteristics, a priori contradictory, can be obtained by the use, for lining 1, of a material multilayer of the type described in FIG. 5. Thus, the lining 1 will advantageously comprise a resistant layer, preferably located on the external face 1b, which will be associated with a comfort layer preferably situated on the internal face 1a of the lining 1.

Thus, the wedging element 20, used for the construction variants illustrated in Figures 6b and 6c, does not need specific properties relating to the resistance of the seam.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, which are given for information only, but encompasses all embodiments similar or equivalent.

Claims (10)

Method of manufacturing an internal liner (CH), for footwear, comprising: a rod (O) comprising an internal face (Oa) situated on the side of the foot (P), a lining (1), intended to be in contact with the foot (P), comprising an external face (1b) which is opposite the internal face (Oa) of the rod (O), wedging elements (20, 21) interposed between the rod (O) and the lining (1), characterized in that the wedging elements (20, 21) are fixed, on the rod (O), by mechanical means (3, 3x, 3y, 3z, 3w) resistant to a hot fluid. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one wedging element (20, 21) is fixed, on the external face (1b) of the lining (1), by mechanical means (3w) resistant to the hot fluid . Method according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the mechanical means (3, 3x, 3y, 3z) are of the stitching type. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rod (O) comprises at least one pocket (10), located on its internal face (Oa), in which the wedging element (21) is housed . Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the wedging elements (20, 21) use a material (14) comprising predominantly closed cavities (15) so that the washing fluid does not permeate the material (14). Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the hot fluid is at a temperature whose value is between 30 and 90 degrees Celsius. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rod (O) and / or the lining (1) are made of multilayer material (16), the stratification of which is carried out by mechanical means resistant to delamination in the hot fluid. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the wedging element is fixed to the internal face of the rod by an overmolding process on the internal face. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the wedging element is fixed to the internal face of the rod by a bi-injection process. Internal liner produced using the method according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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