GB2310355A - Footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

A footwear item, for example a shoe, having an upper (4) and a sole element (2) comprises a water resistant layer (5,5') extending at least partially around its perimeter to seal a seam joining the sole element (2) to the upper (4). The sole element (4) comprises an upper peripheral edge portion having an upwardly extending surface (3) which extends along the perimeter thereof. The sole element (4) is joined to the upper (2) along its upper peripheral edge and the water resistant layer (5,5') extends along the upwardly extending surface (3). The water resistant layer provides a seal in the region of the seam either between the sole element (4) and the upper (2) (Figure 2), or alternatively along the adjoining interior surfaces thereof (Figure 3).

Description

A FOOTWEAR ITEM The present invention relates to a footwear item made using a sole element connected to an upper.

Conventional footwear items are made from a sole element and an upper joined together at peripheral portions thereof by stitching, gluing, heat sealing or by some similar means resulting in a seam being formed along the exterior or outside peripheral edge portion of the footwear item. With certain forms of seams, for example gluing or heat sealing, a satisfactory water resistance at the seam may be provided.

However, with a seam formed by sewing, particularly in hand sewn footwear items, a satisfactory water resistance at the seam may not be provided, particularly during wear in heavy weather conditions. This is detrimental to the comfort of the wearer. Moreover, during use of such a footwear item, the stitching of the seam is exposed to a variety of atmospheric and environmental conditions, such as rain and mud. This may lead to stretching of the stitching with any resultant gaps reducing the water resistance at the seam.

Consequently, the footwear item could no longer be functional and would be prematurely discarded or would require potentially expensive repairs.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved footwear item, particularly a hand sewn footwear item having an improved water resistance at a seam located around a peripheral edge region of the upper and sole element.

According to the present invention there is provide a footwear item comprising: an upper; a sole element having a surface extending upwardly from a major portion of an upper peripheral edge portion thereof; and a water resistant layer located to seal said surface to the upper.

By providing a water resistant layer in this manner, the water resistance of the footwear item is significantly improved in comparison with such items without the layer.

In one embodiment, said surface faces towards the interior of said item.

By having the layer located to seal against such an interior facing surface, an improvement of fifteen times compared with items without the layer has been found in standard tests.

Preferably, said interior surface is substantially vertical in use.

By having the interior surface vertical, the transition of the layer where it passes over said surface and the upper is smoother so that improved water resistance is obtained.

In another embodiment, said surface faces towards the exterior of said item.

By having the layer located to seal against such an exterior facing surface, an improvement of eight times compared with items without the layer has been found in standard tests.

Preferably, said water resistant layer extends into a seam joining the sole element to the upper.

This assists in the water resistance and protection of the seam.

Preferably, said layer extends at least 0.5 cm beyond an upper edge of said surface.

This enables adequate improvement in water resistance without large usage of the material making up the layer.

In one case, said water resistant layer extends to partially cover the interior surface of said upper.

This improves the water resistance of the footwear item.

In another case, said water resistant layer extends to substantially cover the interior surface of said upper.

This improves the water resistance of the footwear item even further.

Conveniently, said water resistant layer extends around the entire peripheral edge portion of the footwear item.

In this way, the location of the layer during manufacture of the footwear item is simplified.

Preferably, the layer is heat activatable.

Such a layer is particularly suitable since the conventional finishing techniques use heat.

In a preferred embodiment, the footwear item comprises a hand sewn shoe.

The present invention is particularly suitable for hand sewn shoes since the sewn seam is more open to water penetration than a bonded or glued seam.

Examples of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates an oblique perspective view of a hand sewn shoe embodying the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a cross section along the line A-A of figure 1 for a first embodiment of a hand sewn shoe embodying the present invention; Figure 3 illustrates a cross section along the line A-A of figure 1 for a second embodiment of a hand sewn shoe embodying the present invention.

Common components in the drawings bear common reference numerals.

Referring to figure 1, a footwear item is shown, in this case a hand sewn shoe 1. The shoe is made from an upper 4 which has a peripheral edge portion through which holes (not shown) are precision positioned. A sole element, in this case a single piece sole 2, has a flange 7 formed at the upper peripheral edge through which holes (not shown) are precision positioned. The holes exit the sole at its side edge by opening onto a groove 8 provided around the peripheral side edge of the sole. These holes in the upper 4 and sole 2 are accurately aligned and then the upper is sewn to the sole by means of stitching 6 to form a seam along the peripheral edge portion of the shoe 1 with the groove 8 enabling easy access to each of the holes during hand sewing. An insock and lining (not shown) may be provided.

Referring to a first embodiment of the invention as illustrated in figure 2, there is shown a sole 2, in this case a single element solid sole formed from a mouldable plastics material, for example polyurethane. The sole 2 includes an upwardly extending exterior facing surface 3 formed at the top peripheral edge portion of the sole to extend along the entire perimeter of the shoe. The surface 3 has a top edge 9. Prior to sewing the upper to the sole, a seal 5 is located between the upper 4 and the sole 2 at the precision positioned holes.

The seal 5 comprises, in this case, a closed loop of elongate meltable plastics material having a water resistance, which extends along the entire perimeter of the shoe. The seal 5 has a width such that it extends upwards from the seam to lie between the upper and the exterior surface 3 and eventually extends to reach beyond the top edge 9. A typical width is between 1 cm and 2.5 cm. The thickness of the seal 5 is preferably in the region of 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. An insock 10 is inserted into the shoe and a lining 11 is arranged to cover the interior surface of the upper and to extend over the seal 5 to meet or extend beyond the top edge 9 during sewing of the sole and upper.

Then, by means of a known shoe hand stitching technique, the sole 2 and upper 4 are securely stitched together by stitching 6 as shown in figure 1. It will be appreciated that as a result of the groove 8, the stitching 6 can be readily passed through the holes provided in the sole. The presence of the seal 5 does not render the hand sewing more difficult.

As is normal in hand sewn footwear items, the just sewn shoe will be somewhat crumpled. Accordingly, a last is inserted into the shoe 1. In this manner, the last pushes the surface 3 to contact the seal 5 and pushes the seal 5 to contact the upper at this point. The last also pushes the lining 11 to contact the seal 5 and pushes the seal 5 to contact the upper at the position beyond the top edge 9.

The shoe is then heated in accordance with conventional finishing techniques so that the upper takes the form of the last. The heat serves to melt the seal 5 such that it bonds or adheres to the upper 2 and sole 4 at the position of the precision positioned holes, bonds or adheres to the upper 2 and the exterior facing surface 3 and bonds or adheres to the upper and lining at the position beyond the top edge 9. During the melting or heat activation of the seal, material of the seal can be arranged to readily fill any voids at the contact surfaces of the peripheries of the sole and upper. In particular, any over-sizing of the precision positioned holes for the stitching 6 tend to be filled by the melted seal. A lip can be provided on the surface 3 for preventing escape of the melting seal.

By incorporating a seal 5 as described above, a water resistant seal is formed between the sole and the upper which improves the water resistance of the shoe. A known standard experimental test was conducted on the shoe of figure 2 at a shoe research station (SATRA). The test involved walking in a trough of predetermined length containing water of a predetermined depth. The result of the test indicated an enhanced water resistance of the order of eight compared with similar tests on equivalent hand sewn shoes which did not include the seal 5.

Referring to a second embodiment of the invention as illustrated figure 3, there is shown a sole 2, in this case a single element solid sole formed from a mouldable plastics material, for example polyurethane. The sole 2 includes an upwardly extending interior facing surface 12 formed at the top peripheral edge portion of the sole to extend along the entire perimeter of the shoe. The surface 12 has a top edge 9. Prior to sewing the upper to the sole, a seal 5', in this case a closed loop of meltable plastics material having water resistance, is located to extend along the entire perimeter of the interior facing surface 12 and also extends upwards from the interior facing surface 12 to extend beyond the top edge 9 and cover substantially the entire interior surface of the upper 4. A seal 5 similar to that of figure 2 can be employed as an alternative. The thickness of the seal is preferably 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. The lining 11 is inserted into the shoe so that it covers the seal 5' where the seal 5' covers the interior facing surface 12 and the interior of the surface of the upper. An insock 10 is also inserted into the shoe.

Then, as with figure 2, the sole 2 and upper 4 are securely stitched together by stitching 6 as shown in figure 1 and thereafter a last is inserted into the shoe 1. The last pushes the lining 11 to contact the seal 5' and pushes the seal 5' to contact the interior facing surface 12 and the interior surface of the upper above the top edge 9. The shoe is then heated in accordance with conventional finishing techniques so that the upper takes the form of the last. The heat serves to melt the seal 5' such that it bonds or adheres to the interior facing surface 12 and bonds or adheres to the upper beyond the top edge 9. During the melting or heat activation of the seal 5', material of the seal can be arranged to readily fill any voids at the contact surfaces of the peripheries of the sole and upper.

By incorporating a seal 5' as described above, a water resistant seal is formed between the sole and the upper which improves the water resistance of the shoe. A known standard experimental test was conducted on the shoe of figure 3 in a similar manner to that of figure 2. The result of the test indicated an enhanced water resistance of the order of fifteen compared with similar tests on equivalent hand sewn shoes which did not include the seal 5'.

Thus, a footwear item is provided which has an improved water resistance. Preferably, the sole has a generally Ushaped upper surface thereby providing either an exterior facing or interior facing surface for the seal. Although the inwardly facing or exterior facing surface to which the seal contacts is described to extend around the entire periphery of the sole, it will be apparent that the surface can extend around only a portion of the periphery and preferably around a major portion encompassing the toe and ball area of the foot. If preferred, two seals 5 and 5' can be provided to seal against both an interior and exterior facing surface of the sole 2.

Although the sole may be formed from any suitable material, a mouldable plastics materials is generally favoured, for example polyurethane. The upper may be formed from any suitable material, but a mouldable plastics materials or leather is generally favoured.

It will be apparent that although a single piece sole has been described, a sole comprising a single piece sole or a multi layered sole can be used according to the type of footwear item with the interior or exterior facing surface extending upwardly from the uppermost sole element of the sole which is to be joined to the upper.

The seal 5 and 5' are preferably flexible heat activatable layers although a seal or layer responsive to ultraviolet or microwaves could be employed or a highly viscous adhesive could be employed. For example GORTEX (Registered Trade Mark) could be used. This is advantageous in the embodiment of figure 3 since such a seal is gas permeable allowing the upper to breath in the event that it is leather. In addition, the seal can be multi-layered including a water impervious layer coated with layers of heat activatable adhesive.

The present invention is not limited to the described embodiment of a hand sewn shoe, although the effects of the seal are particularly beneficial to sewn shoes, particularly hand sewn shoes. However the present encompasses other types of footwear items including moulded, cemented, welted, hand sewn or machine sewn connections between the sole and upper, and includes boots, or any alternative footwear item having the component parts of a sole and an upper.

It will be understood that the embodiments illustrated shows an application of the invention in one form only for the purposes of illustration. In practice the invention may be applied to many different configurations, the detailed embodiments being straightforward for those skilled in the art to implement.

Claims (12)

1. A footwear item comprising: an upper; a sole element having a surface extending upwardly from a major portion of an upper peripheral edge portion thereof; and a water resistant layer located to seal said surface to the upper.

2. A footwear item according to claim 1 wherein said surface faces towards the interior of said item.

3. A footwear item according to claim 2 wherein said interior surface is substantially vertical in use.

4. A footwear item according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said surface faces towards the exterior of said item.

5. A footwear item according to claim 4 wherein said water resistant layer extends into a seam joining the sole element to the upper.

6. A footwear item according to any preceding claim wherein said layer extends at least 0.5 cm beyond an upper edge of said surface.

7. A footwear item according to any preceding claim wherein said water resistant layer extends to partially cover the interior surface of said upper.

8. A footwear item according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said water resistant layer extends to substantially cover the interior surface of said upper.

9. A footwear item according to any preceding claim wherein said water resistant layer extends around the entire peripheral edge portion of the footwear item.

10. A footwear item according to any preceding claim wherein the layer is heat activatable.

11. A footwear item substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A footwear item according to any preceding claim comprising a hand sewn shoe.