WO2009026373A2

WO2009026373A2 - Athletic shoe with clear outsole layer

Info

Publication number: WO2009026373A2
Application number: PCT/US2008/073728
Authority: WO
Inventors: John P. Mcdade; Howard Phillip Moton, Jr.; Christopher Shawn Boggs
Original assignee: Already, Llc
Priority date: 2007-08-20
Filing date: 2008-08-20
Publication date: 2009-02-26
Also published as: WO2009026373A3

Abstract

A shoe comprising an outsole having an optically clear layer having an outer and an inner side and an underlying surface layer adjacent the inner side is disclosed. The optically clear layer comprises recessed areas which remain optically clear during the useful life of the shoe. The underlying surface layer is visible though the outer side of the outsole of said shoe, and particularly through the recessed areas, and can comprise artwork, advertising or the like that is visible through the optically clear layer. Methods for use of the shoe in advertising and promotion are also disclosed.

Description

ATHLETIC SHOE WITH CLEAR OUTSOLE LAYER

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application 60/956,824 filed August 20, 2007.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION [0003] This invention relates to shoes and shoe outsoies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Various types of athletic footwear have been sold for everyday wear as well as for use by athletes in their chosen sport, in general, such footwear incorporates an outsole designed to contact the ground or sports surface during the wearing of the shoe. The outsole is in general composed of a material that minimizes slipping by the wearer. If the outsole has any ornamentality, it is usually in the incorporation of grooves and/or patterns in the outsole material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0005] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the outsole assembly.

[0006] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the outsole assembly

[0007] FIG. 3 shows an environmental view of a completed shoe with an exemplary graphic design incorporated therein and visible in ordinary use.

[0008] FIG.4 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of a clear outsole.

[0009] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of another alternative embodiment of a clear outsole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] Athletic footwear which incorporates a clear outsole layer having recessed areas and surface-contacting areas is disclosed. The recessed areas are preferably highly polished and provide an optically clear area that will remain so over the useful life of footwear. The surface-contacting areas are also optically clear upon manufacture, but even if the surface-contacting areas are abraded to some degree upon wearing of the footwear by a user, the recessed areas continue to provide a view of an underlying substrate. The underlying substrate is secured to the inner surface of the clear layer, and visible through the outer surface thereof. Artwork, graphic design or printed matter may be applied to the underlying substrate thus providing a decorative area visible on the bottom of the shoe. The underlying substrate is not in contact with the ground during the wearing of the shoe, thus allowing the underlying substrate to remain vibrant and sharp throughout the life of the shoe.

[0011] In one embodiment, the athletic footwear comprise an outsole subunit comprising a clear layer having an outer and inner surface, a surrounding border portion, and an upper rim portion.

[0012] The clear layer of the outsole subunit has a clarity which is achieved through a process disclosed herein. In a preferred embodiment, the clear layer of the outsole subunit overlies an image or artwork which is screen printed on the underlying substrate prior to assembly. Other methods other than screen printing, such as traditional printing methods or hand artistry can be used to create the artwork in alternative embodiments.

[0013] The surrounding border portion of the outsole subunit has an upwardly extending wal! which is continuous with, or secured to, the upper rim portion. The surrounding border portion also has a ledge generally perpendicular to the upper extending wall which ledge is generally planar with the ground when a wearer is contacting the ground. The clear layer fits inside the surrounding border portion by slightly overlapping or resting on the ledge and being secured thereto. The surrounding border, the upper rim portion, and the clear layer together form an outsole unit. Other shoe designs may incorporate the clear layer of the invention on a shoe bottom in a different way, such as by insetting the clear layer as a section of the shoe bottom.

[0014] The underlying substrate which preferably has a design, image, logo or artwork applied thereto is received in the outsole subunit (cupsole unit) adjacent the clear layer. After the outsole subunit and the underlying substrate are secured to each other, they are secured to the bottom of a conventional shoe midsole, which midsole is generally foot-shaped and has a top, bottom and continuous side wall. The shoe midsole may or may not be visible from the outside of the assembled shoe. If the upper rim portion of the cupsole unit is adapted to receive the midsole within the cup, it thereby forms a covering of the continuous sidewall of the shoe midsole.

[0015] In the final assembly of the shoe, the midsole is attached to a shoe upper, preferably by sewing or other methods known in the shoe art. This creates the foot-receiving compartment. An insole is placed in the foot- receiving compartment above the midsole, either resting thereon, lightly tacked, or glued. During wearing, the user's foot rests upon the insole.

[0016] The clear layer of the outsole subunit is preferably comprised of a thermoplastic rubber or "TPR" polymer blend. TPR is an environmentally safe product and is comprised of four major raw materials as follows: SBS (Styrene Butadiene Styrene) thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), PS (Polystyrene), Tackifier resin (K-resin) with super fine filler (Silica), and Rubber extender oil.

[0017] It is advantageous to use a TPR compound for the clear layer since TPR provides desirable properties for a shoe, such as durability, flexibility, slip resistance and light weight. Since TPR is often used for shoe soles, existing manufacturing equipment can be used for or adapted for manufacturing the clear layer of the invention disclosed herein as well as the cupsole unit. Other materials could be used as long as they provide the same or similar properties. It is most preferred to use virgin material rather than reground material often used in the shoe industry. The virgin material provides the desired degree of ciarity to the outsole so that the underlying art can be best viewed.

[0018] In the invention, it is necessary for the clear layer to be sufficiently clear or transparent so as to allow a desired design on the underlying substrate to be visible through the clear layer once the shoe is fully assembled. There are several process steps which provide the clear layer with the desired transparent properties: polishing the mold used in the injection molding process, providing the outsole with minimal textural detail, and engineering the surface contours of the outsole to maximize the window effect and to provide restriction of the bending of light. When the light bending is minimized, this minimizes the reduction of clarity and, therefore, increases the visibility of the underlying graphic image.

[0019] In the injection molding process suitable for making the cupsole units utilized in the preferred embodiment, steel or metal molds are employed. The preferred mold has 3 injection holes, one each for the upper rim, the surrounding border, and the clear layer. A separate barrel for each color to be used is employed and used to inject the color into the separate holes. Each color is mixed and melted prior to being injected into its moid portion, it has been found that utilizing a polished mold is most preferred in order to obtain an optically clear layer and to minimize optical cloudiness. The mold is preferably polished by hand using a water clear polish.

[0020] To provide a texture which will not interfere with the clarity of the optically clear layer, a light sand blasting technique can be used.

[0021] in order to maximize the window effect and the clarity of the outsole, the number of lines cut into the clear layer should not cause the layer to appear cloudy or opaque. A preferred design is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, but additions or subtractions can be made with the guidance of this disclosure that the more extensive the pattern, the more light will be bent and the cloudier the layer will appear. Lines (111) are recessed areas as compared with outer side (16) in Fig. 1. Such recessed areas do not contact the ground when a user dons the shoes and engages in walking, running, jumping or similar activities. Therefore, the recessed areas are protected from possible abrasion that may occur when outer side (16) contacts the ground over a period of time. Abrasions may diminish the optical clarity of the outer side over time. However, the inclusion of recessed areas in the clear layer provide a long-lasting continuous clear area through which an observer can detect the underlying design. Most preferably, the recessed area is highly polished for maximal clarity, and this is accomplished by the mold being polished in these areas. Suitable alternative designs may be selected by evaluating the ability of a person or person with normal vision to visually discern a clear view of the graphic design or artwork from a distance of five to ten feet.

[0022] In an alternative embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, a modified zig-zag oe herringbone pattern is employed. The recessed areas wiil remain optically clear for an extended period of time, thus allowing an observer to maintain a view of the underlying artwork.

[0023] In still another alternative embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 5, the ground contacting surface of the outsole has been minimized so as to maximize the recessed areas of the clear outsole in order to provide areas which will be unabraded during normal wearing of the shoes. The ground contacting surface is preferably decreased from 20 to 85% as compared with a shoe with no recessed areas in the outsole. The ground contacting surfaces should be sufficiently wide so as to be structurally strong and not prone to tearing during normal use. It is preferred that such surfaces be at least about 1.5 mm in width, and most preferably between about 2.0 to 2.5 mm in width.

[0024] After selecting a TPR product that wili provide a clear layer with the desired durability for an outsole from information known to those of skill in the injection molding art, the resulting clear gel is then injection-molded. It can either be attached to a surrounding border or integrally molded thereto in a subsequent step of an injection molding process.

[0025] In an embodiment such as illustrated in Fig. 1 , the surrounding border is injection molded and is composed of TPR. It has an upwardly extending wall and a ledge perpendicular thereto. The ledge has an underside which will contact the ground when the shoe rests thereon and an inner side adapted to receive or secure to the clear layer. The surrounding border can be clear or opaque. In a preferred embodiment the surrounding border is opaque and this is helpful in enhancing the aesthetics of the shoe. An upper rim is composed of TPR and is continuous upwardly from the upwardly extending wall of the surrounding border. The upper rim is also made by injection molding and is preferably integrally formed so to secure to the surrounding border continuously. The upper rim may be the same or a different color from the surrounding border. In a less preferred method, the upper rim may be molded separately and attached separately to the surrounding border. A continuous injection molding process is preferred to ensure precision and exactness while the outsole unit is formed. This allows the transition between the surrounding border and the upper rim joint surfaces to have a continuous look and feel.

[0026] The surrounding border, the upper rim and the clear layer secured to the iedge of the surrounding border together form an outsole unit of the cupsole unit type.

[0027] The underlying substrate or artwork layer can be made of many types of sheet material such as plastic and the like. Preferably, it is made of a polyurethane film which is suitable for screen printing. Since it is fully protected from the elements after assembly of the shoe by the clear layer, the selection of material should be made after determining what type of glue may be used to secure the artwork layer to other components. It is desirable that the underlying artwork layer be made of a material that can accept the types of glue normally used in the shoe industry to secure the inner side of the outsole to the midsole. The material selected preferably should not permit leach-through of the glue or other chemicals that might be used in the shoe assembly process as such leach-through and preferably can accept a high quality printing process such as screen printing. Alternatively a protective spray may be used to provide a protective coating which will prevent ieach- through of shoe assembly glues to the artwork or logos applied to the underlying substrate.

[0028] Screen printing is more versatile than are traditional printing techniques because the surface does not have to be printed under pressure and the surface does not necessarily have to be planar. Screen-printing inks can be used to work with a variety of materials and as a result, screen printing is used in many different industries.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, artwork is printed on an underlying substrate to form an artwork layer by screen-printing. This type of material has a clear removable film attached to one or more sides of the material. In such a process, each color is printed one by one, forming a vibrant and sharp finished look. The artwork printed is a matter of choice by the shoe designer or manufacturer. For example, artwork may be a predetermined design for a line or style of footwear, a trademark or logo, an advertisement or a personal concept of wearer, it is desirable to protect the artwork by coating with a clear protectant. Preferably, clear pofyurethane (PU) is printed or sprayed over the artwork as a coating to protect the artwork from damage during any subsequent gluing or other processes.

[0030] Now referring to FIG. 1 , outsole subunit (1) is formed comprising a clear layer (11) securely attached to a surrounding border layer (12) itself attached to or continuous with an upper rim (13). The surrounding border layer (12) is secured to upper rim (13) by attaching or molding continuously therewith bottom side of upper rim (17B) to the top side of the surrounding border layer (17A) to make a continuous joint (17) of said surrounding border layer (12) and upper rim (13). The clear layer (11) has an outer shoe bottom side (16) having an outline (161) and an opposite inner side (15). The outer shoe bottom side (16) appears as shown in FIG. 2 with the surrounding border layer (12) secured to the outline (161) of outer shoe bottom side (16).

[0031] Ridges (121) are placed in the surrounding border layer (12) to provide increased traction and/or for decorative purposes. Lines (111) in the outer side (16) of clear layer (11) provide an aesthetic appearance but also minimize the bending of light so as to maintain the clarity of clear layer (11 ) and to provide recessed areas that remain clear during long term use so that the underlying artwork layer may be viewed from the outside of the shoe.

[0032] The process of securing the artwork layer (14) to the outsole subunit (1) can be done in the following manner. First, a cleaning chemical can be used and preferably is used to clean off any dust or dirty spots that may reside on the artwork and/or outsole subunit. Clear glue is sprayed on the inner surface of clear layer (15) of outsole subunit (1) and dried to prepare for attaching artwork layer (14). Due to the outsole subunit (1) being a cupsole unit, having sidewalis from the upper rim (13), careful handling and placement are key when cementing the artwork layer (14) to the outsole subunit (1). The artwork layer (14) is secured to the inside of the outsole subunit (1) by placing on the inner side (15) of the clear layer (11) so the image or graphic (18) is visible through the clear layer (11) from the bottom of the shoe when finished. Once the artwork layer (14) is placed inside, one should try to ensure that the artwork is completely flat. Preferably, the assembly is then placed in a pressing machine to remove any air bubbles between the artwork layer (14) and clear layer (11) of outsole subunit (1).

[0033] If there is a clear plastic backing film on the opposite side of the artwork layer it is then removed. Protective tape may be placed on the inner side of the upper rim (13) to protect the upper rim from spray coating. Clear PU glue is preferably sprayed into the cupsole unit to cover the opposite side of the artwork layer (14) area entirely, creating a coating. This coating is beneficial to prevent the cementing glue which is used to secure the outsole to the midsole, from damaging the artwork on artwork layer (14). The tape may then be removed and the outsole subunit glued to the midsole. Alternatively the protective tape and spray steps may be omitted if the artwork layer material is not susceptible to leach-through or damage from the assembly adhesives.

[0034] After a midsole (not visible from the outside of the shoe in all embodiments) has been sewn to the shoe upper (2) to form a foot-receiving cavity, and any desired insole inserted into said cavity, the shoe is now ready to be worn by a user.

[0035] The image or artwork incorporated in the shoe can serve in a method for advertising or promotion of an unrelated product or service, an aesthetic display, or in a method of communication. The unique display characteristics of the invention allow a sponsor or advertiser to provide a slogan or message which will be seen by the public as a wearer of the shoes walks or otherwise displays the bottom of the shoes. For example, the bottoms of the shoes will be visible when the wearer sits and crosses his or her legs, kneels on one or both knees, or kicks up a foot. In athletic endeavors, the bottom of the shoe will be visible while engaging in athletic contests, cheerieading activities and the like. The artwork display may also be purely decorative in nature and the invention provides a new means and method of display of such artwork. Due to the ability to screen print the desired display, custom displays may be created at the factory and incorporated permanently into the shoe.

[0036] Now referring to Fig. 4, an alternative outsole with having a modified zig zag (or herringbone) pattern is illustrated (20). Recessed areas (23) provide long-term clarity to the outsole. In this embodiment, the area denoted outward of groove(24) may be an opaque color or clear, with the portion inward of groove (24) being clear. This entire outsole (20) can be made according to injection molding techniques known in the art regardless of the color or material choices inwardly or outwardly of groove (24) as long as the material chosen is compatible with that method. In a preferred embodiment, the material inward of groove (24) is virgin clear TPR material. The slightly shaded areas running from toe to heel in the drawing denote slight dimensionality to the ground contacting surfaces (22) which differentially reflect or refract light depending on the viewing angle. An image or artwork layer such as represented in Fig. 1 (14) is placed adjacent outsole 20 in the shoe, and artwork would be visible through the clear portion of the outsole. Recessed areas (23) provide a long-term window to allow viewing of the underlying artwork layer, not shown in Fig. 4. Preferably, at least about 70 percent of the outsole is recessed, leaving about 30 percent as ground

10 The depth of the recessed area is from about 1 to 2.5 mm and the width from one ground contacting surface (22) to another ground contacting surface (22) is preferably about .5 cm.

[0037] Now referring to Fig. 5, another alternative clear outsole is iliustrated (30). Ground contacting surfaces (32) define recessed areas (33) which maximize the long-term clarity of the outsole since only the ground contacting surfaces are subject to possible abrasion due to frictional contact with the ground. Optionally, a desired design can be incorporated into the clear outsole area such as illustrated at (34). This design is preferably recessed from the ground contacting surface as well. While some ground contact may occur in area (34) over time, the recess of up to about .5 mm does provide some protection and preservation of clarity. The preferred depth at recessed area 33 is from 1.5 to 2.0 mm. The amount of the outsole recessed is preferably from about 20 to 85%.

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Claims

We Claim:

1. A shoe comprising an outsole subunit, said outsole subunit comprising (1) an optically clear layer having an outer and an inner side and a continuous edge, said optically clear layer further comprising recessed areas which will not contact the ground during use of the shoe by a wearer and (2) an underlying surface iayer adjacent said inner side of said optically clear layer, said underlying surface layer being visible from the outer side of said optically clear layer..

2. The shoe of Claim 1 , wherein said recessed areas comprise between 20 and 85% of said outer side of said optically clear layer.

3. The shoe of Claim 1 , wherein said recessed areas are highly polished and transparent.

4. The shoe of Claim _1 wherein said outsole has surface contours and recessed areas which maximize the window effect and to provide restriction of the bending of light.

5. The shoe of Claim 1 , wherein said optically clear layer comprises a virgin thermoplastic polymer material

6. The shoe of Claim 5, wherein said optically clear iayer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic rubber and thermoplastic rubber polymer blend.

7. The shoe of Claim 1 , wherein said outsole subunit further comprises a surrounding border portion to which said continuous edge of said optically clear layer is secured.

8. The shoe of Claim 7, wherein said outsole subunit further comprises an upper rim portion attached to or continuous with said surrounding border portion, said upper rim portion secured to a midsole layer of said shoe.

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9. The shoe of Claim 1 wherein the underlying substrate or artwork layer comprises a sheet material.

10. The shoe of Claim 9 wherein said sheet material comprises a polyurethane film which is suitable for screen printing.

11. A method for display of an image, comprising incorporating said image onto an underlying substrate adjacent a shoe outsole wherein at least a portion of said shoe outsole comprises a clear layer through which said underlying substrate and said image incorporated onto it is visible to an observer of said outsoie, wherein said outsole further comprises recessed areas which are not susceptible to abrasion via contact with the ground during wearing

12. The method of Claim 11 , further comprising a wearer donning said shoe, whereby said image is displayed to an observer when said user exposes said outsole.

13. The method of Claim 11 , wherein said user exposes said outsole by undertaking an ambulatory activity.

14. The method of Claim 11 , wherein said user exposes said outsole by lifting a foot to a position off the ground, whereby the outsole of said shoe is visible to said observer.

15. The method of Claim 11 , whereby said image is a decorative design,

16. The method of Claim 11 , wherein said image is an advertisement incorporated into a portion of a shoe, said portion being visible through a clear outsole on said shoe and wherein said advertisement is selected from a logo or brand name associated with said shoe or an unrelated product or service

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17. A shoe outsole having an outer side and an inner side, said outer side comprising recessed areas, said outsole comprising a cured clear polymeric ge! which has properties which permits one to view an image placed adjacent the inner side of said shoe outsole through said outer side made by a process comprising injection molding said outsole in a mold which has been prepolished.

18. The shoe outsole of Claim 17, wherein said recessed areas comprise about 20 to about 85% of said outsole.

19. The shoe outsole of Claim 17, wherein said recessed areas are defined by ground contacting areas that are between 1.5 and 2,5 mm in width.

20. The shoe outsole of Claim 17, wherein said recessed areas are from about .5 to about 2.0 mm in depth.

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