JP2015512689A - Elastic insole - Google Patents

Abstract

Waterproof footwear having a liner material, a stretchable insole, and a strawbell board is described herein. The elastic insole provides cushioning stiffness in the forefoot area when the waterproof footwear is subjected to the Mechanical Cushioning Test compared to the standard footwear construction. It shows a reduction of at least about 6%. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

Related Applications This application is a non-provisional application claiming the benefit of US Provisional Application No. 61 / 607,927, filed March 7, 2012.

  There have been many attempts in the art to make waterproof breathable footwear. Early attempts to make such footwear included making footwear consisting of an upper material such as leather and a rubber sole that had been treated to be water resistant. Therefore, a certain level of air permeability was achieved. However, several problems emerged with this type of footwear structure. If the upper material is to be sufficiently waterproof, its ventilation performance will be lost. Furthermore, the connection region between the waterproof sole and the upper has become a main source of water penetration because there is no effective means for making the connection region waterproof.

  Another approach to the goal of obtaining comfortable and waterproof footwear has included the use of waterproof inserts or booties in the shoes. This method is particularly useful for footwear to be machined, as is known in the art. This waterproof insert has the added advantage of being permeable to water vapor when constructed from a suitable material so that water does not accumulate in the shoe over time when the shoe is worn. Was. In the footwear art, materials that are both waterproof and water vapor permeable are commonly referred to as “functional” materials. A representative example of such a functional material is the trade name of GORE-TEX® under the trade name of Elkton, Maryland. L. A microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane material available from W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc. Other functional materials have also been developed and are known in the art.

  Further approaches include securing the waterproof breathable liner material inside the upper of the footwear and sealing the liner material to a waterproof gasket or insole by a shoemaking process. Many different attempts have been made to provide a durable waterproof seal or connection in the area where the liner material is joined with the waterproof gasket or insole. These attempts have resulted in varying degrees of success.

  One problem often encountered in forming such waterproof breathable footwear is that the insertion of a liner or bootie results in a shoe that does not fit the foot (ie, an already sized shoe). The liner is inserted into the upper to fit a smaller foot), and / or the liner or booties and the shoe upper material are poorly bonded, resulting in, among other things, the inner appearance of the footwear Failure to reach the desired level (i.e., the liner wrinkles or the liner is pulled away from the upper).

  A further problem is that in order to produce a waterproof footwear product, flexibility may be greatly compromised since usually multiple additional layers are required. In other words, typical prior art waterproof footwear is much less flexible than prior art non-waterproof footwear.

  Accordingly, research on waterproof breathable footwear that is highly durable and sealed and has low manufacturing costs is ongoing.

Definition Stretch insole-stretches up to about 285% in the transverse direction (crossweb) at a maximum load of about 8 pounds and up to about 55% in the longitudinal direction (downweb) at a maximum load of about 21 pounds without breaking. Get insoles.

  Standard footwear construction-footwear made substantially according to the method described in Comparative Example 1.

  Forefoot Area 5-The area of the footwear located between the front of the footwear and the start of the arch.

  Shoeside area 15-the area of footwear located between the end of the arch and the rear of the footwear.

  Various structures and methods of manufacturing waterproof footwear and booties are described herein. The waterproof footwear includes a liner material having at least a waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer and optionally having at least one textile layer. In the process of construction, the liner material is fixed to the upper material. In addition, the waterproof footwear structure includes a stretchable insole bonded to a liner. The stretchable insole may include a plurality of layers including at least one polymer layer. It may also include at least one textile layer. The strawbell board is glued under the elastic insole and closes the upper. In addition, the toe side region of waterproof footwear exhibits reduced stiffness when subjected to a mechanical cushioning test compared to a standard footwear construction. As a final step, the outer sole is fixed to the footwear.

  In an embodiment, the stretchable insole includes at least two polymer layers, and at least one of the at least two polymer layers is adapted to adhere the liner material together, for example by using a seam tape. Contains adhesive. The textile may include a non-woven material. In addition, the waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer may include a polymer membrane material. The polymeric membrane material may be polyurethane, polyester, polyether, polyamide, polyacrylate, copolyetherester, and copolyetheramide, or microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

  In embodiments, the stretchable insole comprises polyurethane as one or more polymer layers. In addition, the liner material includes at least one waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer and at least one textile layer.

  In an embodiment, the toe side region of the waterproof footwear exhibits a stiffness reduction of at least about 6% compared to a standard footwear structure.

  In additional embodiments, the crossweb break elongation is at least twice the length of the downweb break elongation, desirably at least 3 times longer, and even more desirably at least 5 times longer. is there.

  In yet another embodiment, the cross web break elongation is at least 100% of the down web break elongation, desirably at least 150%, and even more desirably at least 200%.

  A method for making waterproof footwear is also described herein. The method includes providing an upper material, a waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer, and a liner material having at least an open bottom portion 210. The method also includes securing the stretchable insole material to the open bottom portion 210 of the liner material 20 at the peripheral edge portion 90 to form a bootie, and subsequently placing a strawbell board under the stretchable insole. And adhering it to the upper material.

  In this regard, the liner material is joined together in a manner that waterproofs the liner, for example, with a seam tape that, in embodiments, may have adhesive on both the outer and inner surfaces of the seam tape. This allows the seam tape to waterproof the liner and bond the stretchable insole to the strawbell board. It is also contemplated that other mechanisms for joining liners other than seam tape may be used.

  Next, the shoe mold is placed in the booties to form the bottom portion of the booties and the upper shape of the footwear. Finally, the outsole 100 is bonded to the bottom surface of the straw bell board to form a waterproof footwear.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a waterproof footwear containing a stretchable insole. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a waterproof footwear containing a stretchable insole. FIG. 3 shows the adhesion of the individual components of the waterproof footwear to each other. FIG. 4 shows a layer of stretchable insole. FIG. 5 shows the cushioning properties of waterproof footwear including a stretchable insole.

  The present disclosure relates to waterproof footwear and methods for making the same. This footwear uses a stretchable insole 80 instead of a conventional insole material. The stretchable insole contributes to increased comfort and flexibility for the wearer of waterproof footwear.

  1 and 2, as a preliminary matter, the waterproof footwear described herein includes a liner material 20. It also includes a stretchable insole 80 adhered to the liner material 20.

Referring to FIG. 3, a liner material 20 having an open top portion 200 and an open bottom portion 210 is described herein. If desired, the seams may be joined together to form a liner material in the approximate corresponding shape of the shoe upper. The liner material pieces may be joined together by sewing, welding, gluing, or the like. When the liner pieces are stitched together, the seam may be made waterproof by sealing the seam with a known sealing material such as seam tape 25. Seam tapes such as GORE-SEAM® tapes (available from WL Gore & Associates) may be used. If the seam is not originally waterproof due to welding or gluing, other sealants may be applied to the seam to make it waterproof. The liner material 20 includes at least one layer of a waterproof and water vapor permeable material (ie, a functional material) such as a breathable polymer membrane. As used herein, “water vapor permeability” and “breathability” are used interchangeably and the functional layer has a water vapor coefficient Ret of less than 200 m ² PaW ^−1. Means that.

  The breathable polymer membrane may be breathable by pores in the membrane or through a solution diffusion mechanism. The breathable polymer membrane may be selected from polyurethane, polyester, polyether, polyamide, polyacrylate, copolyetherester, and copolyetheramide. In an embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof water vapor permeable membrane is a microporous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. In a further aspect of the invention, the microporous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane is a stretched polytetrafluoroethylene membrane taught in US Pat. Nos. 3,953,566 and 4,187,390 to Gore. is there. Such expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membranes are available from W. W. Elkton, Maryland. L. It is commercially available from Gore & Associates under the trade name GORE-TEX® fabric.

  The liner material contains at least the functional material described above. If desired, it may contain at least one other material adhered to it. In this regard, the liner may include a functional material 30 and a textile material 40 that is laminated or otherwise bonded at least on one side thereof, and often bonded on both sides thereof. Lamination is generally performed using a discontinuous pattern of suitable adhesive. Therefore, water vapor permeability is not greatly affected. The at least one other material may be a textile fabric. The textile fabric may be a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a mesh, a nonwoven fabric, a felt structure or the like. Textiles may be made from natural fibers such as cotton or from synthetic fibers such as polyester, polyamide, polypropylene, polyolefin, or blends thereof. In an aspect of the invention, the textile fabric is laminated to the side of the functional material that contacts the upper material. In a further aspect of the invention, the textile fabric is laminated to the inside facing side of the functional material footwear. In yet a further aspect of the invention, the textile fabric is laminated on both sides of the functional material, thus providing a three layer liner material.

  A stretchable insole material 80 is also described herein. The stretchable insole material may be approximately in the shape of the sole of the foot. However, it may take the form of various shapes and may include multiple pieces.

  The insole material may be any suitable stretchable material that can be secured to the bottom portion of the laminated liner material to form a bootie. The insole material may be woven or non-woven; or may be EVA or other polymer foam. For example, the first insole material may be polyester, nylon, polyacryl, polyolefin, polyurethane, polyvinyl, cotton, acetate, rayon, olefin, acrylic, wool, spandex, metal, and the like.

  A film is included as part of the stretchable insole. This film is desirably an extruded film, PVC, rubber, neoprene, polyurethane, or any other film that is stretchable in the longitudinal (downweb) and transverse (crossweb) directions to impart flexibility to the insole. There may be. In an embodiment, as can be seen from FIG. 4, the stretchable insole comprises at least one polymer layer 510 and at least one textile 505 whose relative positions may be interchangeable, or alternatively, at least two Polymer layers 510, 515 and at least one textile 505 are included. It is also contemplated that the stretchable insole 80 may include multiple textile and polymer layers.

  The stretchable insole 80 may be secured to the liner material by any suitable means. For example, the stretchable insole may be secured to the liner material by stitching, stapling, ultrasonic welding, etc., with stitching being preferred. When the stretchable insole is fixed to the laminated liner material, a bootie formed so that the wearer's foot can be put in is obtained. In addition, the strawbell board is bonded to it by seam tape 25 or other mechanism for bonding.

  Thereafter, the booties may be secured to the shoe upper 10 shown in FIG. Any suitable durable material may be used to form the shoe upper, such as leather or fabric. Any suitable means may be used to secure the booties to the shoe upper. In an aspect of the invention, the booty upper opening portion 200 is secured to the shoe upper collar portion or any other suitable portion by stitching.

  After gluing the booties to the shoe upper, the strawbell board 50 is then placed under the bottom of the booties. Strobel boards may be constructed from a variety of materials including, but not limited to: plastics, rubbers, elastomers, polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastics, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The bonding may be performed by any suitable bonding means known in the art, such as application of an adhesive or stitching. Regardless of the type of strawbell board used, the strawbell board is bonded to the footwear upper 10 by seam tape 25 or other mechanism (see FIG. 1).

  After completion of this step, the outer sole is bonded using conventional methods known in the art.

  In contrast to the prior art structure, this structure has a stretchable insole within the shoe structure. This advantageously helps to provide the flexibility and cushioning previously considered only in standard footwear construction. Such flexibility and cushioning are further illustrated in the examples.

  The above discussion is provided for purposes of illustration and description. Accordingly, changes, modifications, and combinations that are equivalent to the above teachings that are within the skill and knowledge of the relevant art are within the scope of the present invention, for example, beyond those described in the definition of stretchable insoles. Examples include elongation and load.

  The appended claims are intended to be construed to include alternative embodiments.

Test Method Centrifugal Waterproof Test The water resistance of each sample is described in W. W., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. L. It was identified using the centrifugal test described in US Pat. No. 5,329,807 granted to Gore & Associates. The centrifugation test was performed for 30 minutes.

Flexibility test The flexibility test for each sample was conducted by the International Sports Engineering Association's flexibility test described in the paper titled “Development and reliability quantification of a novel set-up for measuring footwear bending stiffness”. test).

Mechanical cushioning test The cushioning test of each sample was performed approximately according to the test method described in the paper entitled "Polyurethane-foam Midsoles in Running Shoes-Impact Energy and Damping". Specific variables in the test protocol are as follows. The shoe tip side portion of the test sample was loaded in the vertical direction from 20N to 1722N using a hydraulic pressure tester and a shoe tip side intender. The shoelace side portion of the test sample was loaded in the vertical direction from 20N to 1255N using a hydraulic pressure testing device and a shoelace side intender. The load-time-shape used was obtained from a biomechanical study and a simulated run at a speed of 3.5 m / sec. The duration of one cycle is 0.7 seconds.

Example 1
Waterproof footwear was made using part number GS14-721, Mesh non-wicking upper material available from God Speed, DONGGUAN CITY, China. The upper material was stitched together by stitching to form a waterproof footwear upper. Next, a liner material was produced. The liner material is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and textiles, W.E., Elkton, Maryland. L. Made from part number KBHX 600A available from Gore and Associates. W. of Elkton, Maryland L. A 0.8 mm stretchable insole material, part number GSBM001, manufactured by Gore & Associates, was bonded to the bottom of a partial bootie to form a bootie structure.

  The booties were then joined to the upper by stitching the booties into the upper collar.

  Next, 180 GSM Wildona Strobel, a single-layer textile strobing board available from Jinjiang Chenxu Shoes Material Trade Co., Ltd, Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, China The board was stitched to the bottom of the upper to form a closed upper to form a partial footwear structure.

  A shoe mold known in the art was then placed inside the partial footwear structure.

  Finally, rubber outsole 100, part number MRS-865-1 rubber outsole, available from Zhanhui, Dongguan City, China, will be transferred to Nanpao, Huang Jiang Town, China. Glue to the bottom of the upper using an adhesive, part number WA17 Adhesive Cement Blue, available from

  The footwear structure was subjected to a waterproof test in accordance with the above-described test for waterproofness. This footwear structure met the waterproof standard.

  The footwear was then subjected to a softness test according to the softness test described above. The test results showed an average stiffness of 0.073 Nm / °.

  Next, the cushioning property test was performed on the footwear according to the mechanical cushioning property test described above. The test results showed an average stiffness of 117.0 N / mm in the shoe tip side region of the footwear while increasing the load from 200N to 400N. This indicates that the footwear containing the stretchable insole is substantially higher in cushioning than the comparative example described in detail below. Specifically, the footwear is about 3 in comparison with the comparative example 2. %, 6% higher than Comparative Example 1. This is possible because the load distribution is more uniform due to the flexibility of the stretchable insole bonded to the upper. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the size of the heel region is different (the amount of the standard cushioning material such as EVA or PU is larger), so that the influence on the cushioning property on the shoe heel side is so large. It is not considered.

Comparative Example 1
Non-waterproof footwear was made using part number GS14-721, a non-wicking mesh upper material available from God Speed, Dongguan City, China. The upper material was stitched together by stitching to form a non-waterproof footwear upper. Next, a liner material was produced. The liner material was made from a textile, part number GS11-C + 2 mm foam + 20 gram tricot, available from the Godspeed Industrial Group, Dongguan, China. Align the liners together by stitching.

  The liner was then joined to the upper by stitching the liner to the upper at the upper collar.

Next, Strobebell board, 180 g / m ² Vidona Strobel, available from Jinjiang Chenks Shoes Material Trade Co., Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, China, was stitched to the bottom of the upper to form a closed upper. . A shoe mold known in the art was then placed inside the partial footwear structure.

  Finally, rubber outsole, part number MRS-865-1 rubber outsole, available from Zhanghui, Dongguan City, China, adhesive, part number WA17 Adhesive, available from Nanpao, Juan Jiang Town, China A cement green was used to adhere to the bottom of the upper.

  The footwear was subjected to a softness test according to the softness test described above. The test results showed an average stiffness of 0.067 Nm / °.

  Next, the cushioning property test was performed on the footwear according to the mechanical cushioning property test described above. The test results showed an average stiffness of 124 Nm / ° in the shoe tip side region of the footwear.

Comparative Example 2
The entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. L. Waterproof footwear having a non-stretchable insole was made substantially in accordance with the teachings of US Pat. No. 6,935,053 to Gore & Associates. The footwear was subjected to a softness test according to the softness test described above. The test results showed an average stiffness of 0.083 Nm / °.

  Next, the cushioning property test was performed on the footwear according to the mechanical cushioning property test described above. The test results showed an average stiffness of 121.2 Nm / ° in the shoe tip side region of the footwear.

Tensile Test Method A sample 4 inches (10.16 cm) long and 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) wide is placed between two pre-set air clamps with a gap length of 2 inches (5.08 cm). Hold firmly. A 200 pound (90.8 kg) load cell on an Instron® 5500R material tester available from Instron® (825 University Avenue, Norwood, Mass., 02062-2642, USA) The sample was tensile tested at a rate of 10 inches / minute (25.4 cm / minute) using 73F (22.7 ° C.) room temperature and applied load and strain until the textile broke. % Was recorded. Note the maximum load and elongation at break for both the downweb (also known as machine direction) and crossweb (also known as cross direction) samples.

Example A
A stretchable insole as a barrier layer was made substantially according to the stretchable insole of Example 1 above, except that it exhibited a thickness of 6 mils. This was tested according to the tensile test method described above.

Example B
A stretchable insole was made substantially according to the stretchable insole of Example 1 above, except that it contained two layers, a 3 mil barrier layer and a 3 mil adhesive layer. This was tested according to the tensile test method described above.

Comparative Example A
The insole was manufactured substantially according to the non-stretchable insole of Comparative Example 2 above. This was tested according to the tensile test method described above.

Test result Example A
Down web maximum load = 22.064 pounds (10.17 kg)
Elongation at break = 70.8%
Cross web Maximum load = 8.766 pounds (3.979 kg)
Elongation at break = 197.5%
Example B
Downweb Maximum load = 20.673 pounds (9.385 kg)
Elongation at break = 54.2%
Cross web Maximum load = 7.958 pounds (3.612 kg)
Elongation at break = 281.7%
Comparative Example A
Down web Maximum load = 13.253 lbs (6.016 kg)
Elongation at break = 50%
Cross web Maximum load = 9.967 lb (4.525 kg)
Elongation at break = 91.7%

The stretchable insole 80 may be secured to the liner material by any suitable means. For example, the stretchable insole may be secured to the liner material by stitching, stapling, ultrasonic welding, etc., with stitching being preferred. When the stretchable insole is fixed to the laminated liner material, a bootie formed so that the wearer's foot can be put in is obtained. In addition, the strawbell board is bonded to the stretchable insole and liner material by seam tape 25 or other mechanism for bonding.

Claims (30)

A waterproof footwear including a forefoot area and a rearfoot area, the waterproof footwear further comprising:
A liner material having at least a waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer, wherein the liner material is further fixed to an upper material;
A stretchable insole bonded to the liner material; and
Straw bell board,
Including
Wherein the stretchable insole has a plurality of layers including at least one textile layer and at least one polymer layer, wherein the shoe-side region of the waterproof footwear is a mechanical cushion test ( Mechanical Cushioning Test), showing reduced stiffness compared to the footwear side area of standard footwear structure,
Waterproof footwear.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable insole comprises at least two polymer layers.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the at least two polymer layers comprises an adhesive adapted to adhere the strawbell board to the stretchable insole.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 2, wherein the at least one textile comprises a non-woven material.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein the waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer includes a polymer film material.   6. Waterproof footwear according to claim 5, wherein the polymer membrane material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyester, polyether, polyamide, polyacrylate, copolyetherester, and copolyetheramide.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 5, wherein the polymer membrane material comprises microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 2, wherein the at least two polymer layers comprise polyurethane.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 3, wherein the polymer layer is polyurethane.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein the liner material comprises at least one waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer and at least one textile layer.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein an outer sole is fixed to the waterproof footwear.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein the strawbell board comprises plastic, rubber, elastomer, polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, or thermoplastic polyurethane.   The waterproof footwear of claim 1, wherein the toe side region of the waterproof footwear exhibits a reduction in cushioning stiffness of at least about 6% as compared to a standard footwear structure.   The waterproof footwear of claim 1, wherein when the waterproof footwear is subjected to a flexibility test, the waterproof footwear exhibits reduced flexural rigidity compared to a waterproof footwear having a non-stretchable insole.   The stretch insole, when subjected to a tensile test method, exhibits a cross-web break elongation that is at least twice as long as a down-web break elongation. 1. Waterproof footwear according to 1.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a breaking elongation in the crossweb direction that is at least three times the breaking elongation length in the downweb direction when subjected to a tensile test method.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a break in the crossweb direction at least five times the break elongation in the downweb direction when subjected to a tensile test method.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a cross-web direction break elongation that is at least 100% of a down-web direction break elongation when subjected to a tensile test method.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a crossweb break elongation of at least 150% of a downweb break elongation when subjected to a tensile test method.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a cross-web direction break elongation of at least 200% of a down-web direction break elongation when subjected to a tensile test method. A liner material having at least a waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer, wherein the liner material is further fixed to an upper material;
A stretchable insole bonded to the liner material; and
Straw bell board,
Including waterproof footwear.   23. The waterproof footwear of claim 21, wherein the shoe tip side region of the waterproof footwear exhibits a cushion stiffness reduction of at least about 6% compared to a standard footwear structure.   23. The waterproof footwear of claim 21, wherein the waterproof footwear exhibits a reduced bending stiffness when subjected to a flexibility test as compared to a waterproof footwear having a non-stretchable insole.   23. The waterproof footwear according to claim 21, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a breaking elongation in the crossweb direction that is at least twice the breaking elongation length in the downweb direction when subjected to a tensile test method.   23. The waterproof footwear according to claim 21, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a breaking elongation in the crossweb direction that is at least three times the breaking elongation length in the downweb direction when subjected to a tensile test method.   The waterproof footwear according to claim 21, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a break in the crossweb direction that is at least five times the break elongation in the downweb direction when subjected to a tensile test method.   23. The waterproof footwear of claim 21, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a cross-web direction break elongation that is at least 100% of a down-web direction break elongation when subjected to a tensile test method.   23. The waterproof footwear of claim 21, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a crossweb break elongation of at least 150% of a downweb break elongation when subjected to a tensile test method.   23. The waterproof footwear of claim 21, wherein the stretchable insole exhibits a crossweb break elongation that is at least 200% of a downweb break elongation when subjected to a tensile test method. Providing upper material;
Providing a liner material comprising at least a waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer and an open bottom portion;
Securing a stretchable insole to the open bottom portion of the laminated liner material to form a bootie;
Placing a strawbell board under the stretchable insole and bonding the strawbell board to the upper material;
Placing a shoe mold within the bootie; and bonding an outsole to a bottom surface of the strawbell board to form a waterproof footwear;
A method for making waterproof footwear comprising:

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