Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
  • A43B7/12—Special watertight footwear
  • A43B7/125—Special watertight footwear provided with a vapour permeable member, e.g. a membrane

Definitions

• the present application is a non-provisional
• footwear included making footwear consisting of upper materials such as leather treated to make it water
• the waterproof footwear include a liner material having at least a waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer and perimeter edge portion, and optionally at least one textile layer.
• the liner material is secured to an upper material.
• the waterproof footwear construction includes an insole attached to the perimeter edge portion.
• the waterproof footwear construction includes a sealing carrier adapted for closing the upper material and waterproofing the footwear article.
• the sealing carrier has a top surface wherein the top surface is attached to at least a portion of the bottom perimeter edge portion of the liner material. Further wherein at least a portion of the top surface is adapted to flow upon application energy to form a waterproof seal with the upper material. Further, upon completion of
• the sealing carrier includes at least two layers, an upper layer 60 having the top surface 110 previously described and a lower layer 70. At least one of the at least two layers includes a polymeric layer having a melting point greater than the other layer or layers (i.e. the lower layer). Conversely, at least one of the other at least two layers includes a polymeric layer having a melting point lower than the other layer or layers (i.e. the upper layer) .
• the polymeria layer may be polyurethane, for example.
• the top surface 110 or the upper layer 60 is may be adapted to flow as described above as well as other portions of the upper layer.
• permeable functional layer is a polymeric membrane
• Suitable polymeric membrane material include polyurethane, polyester, polyether, polyamide,
• polymeric membrane material could be any polymeric membrane material. Further, the polymeric membrane material could be any polymeric membrane material.
• microporous, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene are microporous, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene .
• sealing carrier and/or the insole may be stretchable in the machine direction and in the cross machine direction.
• the booties include a liner material having at least a waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer and perimeter edge portion, and optionally at least one textile layer. Additionally, the bootie includes an insole attached to the perimeter edge portion. Further, a sealing carrier adapted for use in waterproofing a footwear article is provided. The sealing carrier has a top surface wherein the top surface is attached to at least a portion of the bottom perimeter edge portion of the liner material. At least a portion of the top surface is adapted to flow upon application energy to form a waterproof seal with the upper material.
• the method includes providing upper material, providing a liner material having at least a waterproof, water vapor permeable functional layer and an open bottom portion 210.
• the method also includes securing an insole material to the open bottom portion 210 of the liner material 20 to form a bootie and subsequently- locating a shoe last within the bootie to form a bottom portion of the bootie which includes the insole material 80 and a perimeter edge portion 90 of the liner material 20,
• the method further includes providing a sealing carrier 50 having an upper layer €0 and a lower layer 70, attaching the upper layer 60 of the sealing carrier 50 to the bottom portion of the bootie to cover the insole material and perimeter edge portion, and applying energy to a bottom surface of the sealing carrier to form a waterproof seal with the upper material.
• an outsole 100 is attached to the bottom surface of the sealing carrier to form waterproof footwear.
• Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of waterproof footwear containing a sealing carrier.
• Fig. 2 is an exploded view of waterproof footwear
• Fig. 3 is a perspective view of waterproof footwear containing a sealing carrier.
• Fig. 4 illustrates viscosity differences within a sealing carrier.
• Fig. 5 illustrates the attachment of a sealing carrier to bootie and a bootie to an upper.
• Fig. 6 illustrates viscosity differences within a sealing carrier.
• the disclosure relates to waterproof footwear and methods for making the same.
• the footwear utilizes a special sealing carrier 50.rather than a traditional waterproof gasket.
• the sealing carrier 50 incorporates flowable polymer within one or more layers to make applying adhesive on the bottom of a bootie for securing a
• the waterproof footwear described herein includes a liner material 20 having a perimeter edge portion 90. It also includes an insole 80 attached to the perimeter edge portion 90. Further, it includes a sealing carrier 50 adapted for closing upper material 10 and waterproofing a footwear article.
• a liner material 20 having an open top portion 200 and an open bottom portion 210.
• seams may be joined together to form the lin i l i h al corresponding shape of a shoe upper.
• Pieces of liner material can be joined together by sewing, welding, gluing, etc.
• the seams can be made waterproof by sealing the seams with known sealing materials, such as GORE-SEAM* tape (available from W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc.).
• GORE-SEAM* tape available from W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc.
• Other sealants may be applied to the seams to render them waterproof if they are not inherently waterproof due to welding or gluing.
• the liner material 20 includes at least one layer of material which is waterproof and water vapor permeable (i.e., a functional material), such as a breathable polymeric membrane.
• a functional material such as a breathable polymeric membrane.
• water vapor permeable and breathable are used interchangeably and mean that the functional layer has a water vapor coefficient Ret of less than 200 m 2 Pa W -1 .
• Breathable polymeric membranes may be breathable by virtue of pores in the membrane or through a solution diffusion mechanism.
• Breathable polymeric membranes may be selected from polyurethane, polyester, polyether,
• the waterproof, water vapor permeable membrane is a membrane of microporous polytetrafluoroethylene .
• the microporous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane is a membrane of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,953,566 and 4,187,390, to Gore. Such membranes of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene are
• the liner material will contain at least the above described functional material.
• it may contain at least one other material attached thereto.
• the liner can include the functional material 30 and a textile material 40 laminated or otherwise joined to at least one side, and often times joined to both sides thereof. Lamination is generally carried out with the use of a discontinuous pattern of suitable adhesive.
• the at least one other material can be a textile fabric.
• Textile fabrics can be woven, knit, mesh, nonwoven, felt constructions, etc. Textiles can be produced from natural fibers such as cotton, or from synthetic fibers such as polyesters, polyamides, polypropylenes, polyolefins, or blends thereof.
• a textile fabric is laminated to the side of the functional material which will be in contact with the upper material.
• a textile fabric is laminated to the side of the functional material which will face the inside of thefootwear.
• textile fabric is laminated to both sides of the functional material, thus providing a three layer liner material.
• the insole material 80 is also described herein.
• the insole material is in the shape, generally, of the bottom of a foot.
• the insole material can be any suitable material which is capable of being secured to the bottom portion of the laminate liner material to form a bootie.
• the insole material can be a woven or nonwoven material/ or EVA or other polymer foam materials.
• the first insole material can be polyester, nylon, polyacrylic, polyolefin, polyurethane, polyvinyl, cotton, acetate, rayon, olefin, aarylic, wool, spandex, metallic, etc.
• the insole material 80 could also be made from a stretchable material made from at least one substrate and at least one film and is in the shape, generally, of the bottom of a foot.
• the substrate may be composed of a variety of materials. Non-limiting examples include polyester, nylon, polyacrylic, polyolefin, polyurethane, polyvinyl, cotton, acetate, rayon, olefin, acrylic, wool, spandex, metallic .
• a film may optionally be included as part of the insole.
• the film is desirably an extruded film, PVC, rubbers, neoprene, or any other film aapable of being stretched in the machine direction to impart flexibility in the insole.
• the insole material 80 can be secured to the perimeter edge 90 of the liner material by any suitable means.
• the insole material can be secured to the
• a bootie is obtained which is formed to be capable of accepting a wearer's foot. Thereafter, the bootie can be secured to the shoe upper shown in Figure 5. Any suitable durable material can be used to form shoe upper such as leather or fabric. Any suitable means can be used for securing the bootie to the shoe upper.
• the open top portion 200 of the bootie is secured to a collar portion or any other suitable portion of the shoe upper by stitching.
• the sealing carrier may include a single film layer, two film layers, multiple film layers, and/or multiple film layers with textile. Regardless of the configuration, the sealing carrier includes at least one layer containing a flowable polymer therein. Exemplary, non-limiting polymers inalude polyurethane, copolyether polyester, polyester, or polyamide but any polymer that is adapted to flow upon application of energy, for example, heat, pressure, or ultrasonic energy may be used.
• the top surface 110 of the upper layer 60 will be placed underneath the insole and the upper layer 60 and lower layer 70 will work together to create a waterproof seal because of differences in viscosity of the layers.
• the upper layer 60 will flow and will bond with the perimeter edge of the liner material 20 and the upper 10 to form a waterproof seal.
• this works because the lower layer will have a higher melting point than the upper layer and will be more viscous than the upper layer.
• the lower layer will be more resistant to flow and will provide stability to the sealing carrier 50.
• the lower layer will have a melting point greater than about 120 C and the upper layer will have a melting point lower than about 120 C.
• outer sole is attached using conventional methods known in the art.
• this construction does not require a traditional waterproof gasket to impart a waterproof seal to the footwear
• construction advantageously provides flexibility believed to previously be found in only non-waterproof footwear.
• the liner material can be constructed such that the liner material is the entire upper without a separate upper material to attach to.
• the sealing carrier is secured to the liner material as described above and energy is applied to
• the boot breathability test shall be designed to indicate the
• Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate (MVTR) through the boot by means of a difference in
• the external test environment control system shall be capable of maintaining 23 ( ⁇ 1) C
• the weight scale shall be capable of determining weight of boots filled with water to an
• the water holding bag shall be flexible so that it can be inserted into the boot and
• the internal heater for the boot shall be capable of controlling the temperature of the
• the boot plug shall be impervious to both liquid water and water vapor.
• Viscosity of various samples suitable for use in a sealing carrier was tested. These samples included a polyurethane barrier film suitable for Use in the lower layer of a sealing carrier, and it includes polyurethane sealing films suitable for use in the upper layer of a sealing carrier.
• the barrier film is commercially
• sealing films available from Worthen Industries, Richmond, VA, part number WPS24. Additionally two of the sealing films are commercially available from Worthen Industries, Richmond, VA. These sealing films are Upaco 156 and Upaco 450, known as part numbers Film 450 and Film 156. Additionally polyurethane sealing films referenced as LB25L, . LB25M, TB037, and HM339 are available from W.L. Gore and
• thermocouple was attached to each parallel plate; the readout from these thermocouples was used to measure and control sample temperature.
• the rheometer plates were zeroed at 160°C. Prior to loading each sample, the rheometer oven and test fixture were pre-heated to 160°C. For each rheometer test performed in this study, a sample plaque was removed from the dry nitrogen atmosphere, a 26 mm disc was punched from the sample plaque, and the remaining sample plague was returned to the dry nitrogen atmosphere. The rheometer oven was then opened, the 26 mm disc loaded into the test fixture as quickly as possible at approximately 160°C, and the rheometer oven closed.
• the sample was then held for one minute to allow the sample temperature to equilibrate at 160°C.
• the top parallel plate was then lowered at 0.02 mm/sec until a sample thickness of 1.25 mm was achieved.
• the rheometer oven was then opened, exaess sample trimmed from the test fixture, and the rheometer oven closed.
• the sample was then held for approximately one minute prior to experimental run initiation to allow the sample temperature to re-equilibrate at 160°C.
• the rheometer ramped the sample temperature to the initial test temperature of 180°C. in approximately one minute.
• An initial test temperature of 180°C was used to (i) sufficiently melt the sample to ensure the sample was adequately adhered to the rheometer test plates, and (ii) eliminate any sample crystalllnity (and thus erase any sample thermal history) .
• the sample was held at 180°C for thirty seconds prior to initiation of sinusoidally oscillating sample deformation and temperature ramping..
• sinusoidally oscillating sample deformation was initiated once the sample temperature reached the initial test temperature of 180°C.
• the rheometer recorded a data point approximately every six seconds.
• a rheometer gap (i.e., sample thickness) coefficient of thermal expansion correction factor of 2.34 ⁇ m/°C was used for all runs. Testing parameters were as follows:
• Oscillation frequency 2 radians/second typically, 0.1 - 628 rad/sec during frequency sweeps
• Axial force control range 5 g ⁇ 10 g
• Strain control parameters strain range 0.01% - 5.0%, torque range 2.0 - 1,000 g*cm (temperature sweeps), 2.0 - 200 g-cm (all other tests)
• Example 1 Waterproof footwear was made with upper material available from God Speed, DONGGUAN CITY, China, part number GS14-721 Mesh non-wicking. The upper materials were stitched together to form the upper of the waterproof footwear. Liner materials were then made. The liner materials were made of expanded polytetrafluroroethylene and a textile, part number KBHX 600A available from W.L. Gore and Associates, Inc in Elkton, MD. The liner parts were stitched together to form a partial bootie. A 0.8 mm polyester insole material made from available from Jiu Run, DONGGUAN CITY, China part number J018 was attached to the bottom of the partial bootie to form a bootie construction. The bootie was then joined to the upper by stitching the bootie to the upper at the collar portion of the upper.
• a two layer sealing carrier was then stitched to the bottom of the upper to form a closed upper to form a partial footwear construction.
• the first layer of the sealing carrier was made from polyurethane Upaco part number WPS24 and had a melting point in the range of about 160 to 170 C.
• the second layer of the sealing carrier was made from polyurethane, Upaco Film 450, and had a melting point in the range of about 85 - 125 C.
• a shoe last as known in the art, was then placed inside the partial footwear construction.
• the sealing carrier was then heated and placed into a hydraulic sole press to drive flowable polyurethane into the bottom of the bootie including the perimeter edge region to form a waterproof seal.
• the hydraulic system of the sole press was set at 40 kg/cm 2 and had a silicon pad to conform to the shape of the bottom of the upper. The sole press was actuated.
• part number MRS-865-1 rubber outsole was attached to the bottom of the upper by use of adhesive available from Nanpao in Huang Jiang Town, China, part number WA17 Adhesive Cement Glue.
• Non-waterproof footwear was made with upper material available from God Speed, DONGGUAN CITY, China, part number GS14-721 Mesh non-wicking.
• the upper materials were stitched together to form the upper of the non-waterproof footwear.
• Liner materials were then made.
• the liner materials were made of textile, part number GS11-C + 2mm Foam + 20 gram Tricot available from Godspeed Industrial Group, Dongguan, China. The liner is stitched together.
• the liner was then joined to the upper by stitching the liner to the upper at the collar portion of the upper.
• part number MRS-865-1 rubber outsole was attached to the bottom of the upper by use of adhesive available from Nanpao in Huang Jiang Town, China, part number WA17 Adhesive Cement Glue.

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• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

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• 2013
  • 2013-03-06 US US13/787,098 patent/US20130232818A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-03-07 EP EP13712963.1A patent/EP2822412A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-03-07 JP JP2014561095A patent/JP2015512688A/ja active Pending
  • 2013-03-07 CA CA2865421A patent/CA2865421C/en active Active
  • 2013-03-07 KR KR1020147027904A patent/KR20140135806A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2013-03-07 WO PCT/US2013/029472 patent/WO2013134446A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2013-03-07 CN CN201380023940.6A patent/CN104270981B/zh active Active
  • 2013-03-07 RU RU2014140301/12A patent/RU2598577C2/ru active
• 2015
  • 2015-04-20 HK HK15103815.0A patent/HK1203326A1/xx unknown

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