Polyurethane injected boot assembly and associated manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10912347-B2
Application number	US-201916438392-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2019
Priority date	Nov 30, 2011
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A footwear assembly having an upper that comprises a neoprene sock with a foot portion integrally connected to a leg portion. The foot portion has heel, vamp and under-foot portions. The leg portion has front shin, side wall, and rear calf-side portions. The upper has a unitary, outer, injection molded layer molded directly onto the foot and shin portions of the neoprene sock, while the sidewall and rear calf-side portions remain substantially uncovered by the injection molded layer. The injection molded layer encases the foot portion of the neoprene sock. The injection molded layer on the shin portion defines a shin guard portion having a necked down area integrally connected to the injection molded layer at the vamp portion, wherein the shin guard extends upwardly from the necked-down portion in an outwardly diverging shape away from the vamp.

First claim

We claim:

1. A footwear assembly, comprising:
an outsole; and
an upper connected to the outsole, the upper comprising—
a sock layer having—
a leg portion having a front shin portion, side wall portions and a rear calf-side portion;
a foot portion integrally connected to the leg portion and having a vamp portion, a heel portion, and an underfoot portion; and
an ankle portion integrally connected between the leg portion and the foot portion; and

a unitary outer injection molded layer molded directly onto at least a portion of the sock layer, wherein the unitary outer injection molded layer comprises—
a first injection molded region that encases the foot portion of the sock layer and fully covers the heel portion, vamp portion and the under-foot portion, and wherein the first injection molded region covering the under-foot portion is between the sock layer and the outsole; and
a second injection molded region that encases a first portion of the ankle portion between the front shin portion of the sock layer and the vamp portion of the sock layer, and wherein the side wall portions and calf-side portion of the sock layer remain exposed and substantially uncovered by the second injection molded layer.

2. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the first injection molded region defines an integrated midsole portion between the sock layer and the outsole.

3. The footwear assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a shank disposed between the sock layer and the outsole, wherein the first injection molded region is molded around the shank.

4. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper further comprises at least one of a toe guard encapsulated by the first injection molded region, a metatarsal guard encapsulated in the first injection molded region, a puncture resistant insole disposed between a portion of the first injection molded region and the outsole, or a snake-guard layer coupled to the sock layer.

5. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the injection molded layer has a thickness of approximately 6.0 mm in the vamp portion and the shin guard.

6. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein a second portion of the ankle portion of the sock layer remains exposed and substantially uncovered by the second injection molded region.

7. A lightweight, waterproof footwear assembly, comprising:
an outsole;
an upper connected to the outsole, the upper comprising—
a sock including a foot portion and a leg portion integrally connected to the foot portion, the leg portion having a front shin portion, an ankle portion, side wall portions and a rear calf-side portion; and
a unitary outer injection molded layer molded directly onto the foot portion of the sock and a first portion of the ankle portion of the sock below the front shin portion, while second portions of the leg portion remain exposed and substantially uncovered by the outer injection molded layer, and wherein the unitary outer injection molded layer is connected to the outsole; and
wherein the injection molded layer encases the foot portion of the sock, and a portion of the injection molded layer extends under the foot portion and forms an integrated midsole portion attached to the outsole, and second portions of the ankle portion remain exposed and substantially uncovered by the outer injection molded layer.

8. The footwear assembly of claim 7 wherein portions of the injection molded layer of the foot portion extends to a bottom of the ankle portion.

9. The footwear assembly of claim 7 wherein the upper further comprises at least one of a toe guard encapsulated by the first injection molded region, a metatarsal guard encapsulated in the first injection molded region, a puncture resistant insole disposed between a portion of the first injection molded region and the outsole, or a snake-guard layer coupled to the sock layer.

10. The footwear assembly of claim 7 wherein the injection molded layer at the first portion of the ankle portion of the sock below the front shin portion extends above the bottom of the ankle portion.

11. A lightweight, waterproof footwear assembly, comprising:
an outsole;
an upper connectable to the outsole, the upper comprising—
a sock including—
a foot portion having an ankle portion, a heel portion, a vamp portion, and an under-foot portion,
a leg portion integrally connected to the foot portion, the leg portion having a front shin portion, side wall portions and a rear calf-side portion; and

a unitary outer injection molded layer molded directly onto a portion of the foot portion of the sock while the side wall portions and a rear calf-side portion of the leg portion remains exposed and substantially uncovered by the injection molded layer; and
wherein the injection molded layer encases the heel portion, vamp portion and under-foot portion of the sock and the injection molded layer fully covers the heel portion, the vamp portion, and the under-foot portion, with the injection molded layer extending under the foot portion and between the sock and the outsole.

12. The footwear assembly of claim 11 wherein the injection molded layer covering the vamp portion extends upwardly from a lower convertible channel that extends below the ankle portion.

13. The footwear assembly of claim 11 wherein the upper further comprises at least one of a toe guard encapsulated by the first injection molded region, a metatarsal guard encapsulated in the first injection molded region, a puncture resistant insole disposed between a portion of the first injection molded region and the outsole, or a snake-guard layer coupled to the sock layer.

14. The footwear assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a qualified toe guard certifiable in accordance with a toe guard certification standard, wherein the toe guard covers at least a portion of the toe portion of the sock layer and is encapsulated by the injection molded layer.

15. The footwear assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a puncture resistant layer certifiable in accordance with a footwear puncture resistance certification standard, wherein the puncture resistant layer is between the under-foot portion of the sock layer and the injection molded layer.

Assignees

• Lacrosse Footwear Inc

Inventors

• Ludemann John William
• Behnke Justin
• Brabson Paul W
• Barker Aaron
• Tong Xiaojian

Classifications

• A43B23/0235 Primary

  Different layers of different material · CPC title

• A43B23/07

  Linings therefor {(lining laminated with upper A43B23/026)} · CPC title

• A43B7/12 Primary

  Special watertight footwear (overshoes A43B3/16) · CPC title

• B29D35/0009

  by injection moulding; Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• A43B23/042

  Uppers made of one piece (one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124) · CPC title