Article of footwear and method for forming the article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10939722-B2
Application number	US-201414893916-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	May 24, 2013
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

An article of footwear comprising an upper (2) provided with an inner sole (3) and the upper (2) and inner sole (3) delimiting a cavity (4) for receiving a foot. A first sole (5) covering at least parts of the inner sole (3), said first sole (5) being made in one continuous piece and comprising through-going sole holes (8). The inner sole (3) comprises a mesh directly attached to the upper (2) and comprises a first inner sole surface turning towards the cavity (4) defining the bottom of the cavity. The through-going sole holes (8) are covered at least partly by the mesh and provide a fluid communication between the cavity (4) and the outside of the second sole surface, thereby allowing liquid such as water to run through the sole holes (8) between the cavity (4) and the outside of the footwear.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper;
an inner sole, the upper and the inner sole defining a cavity configured to receive the foot of a wearer, wherein the inner sole is proximate the cavity and comprises:
a first inner sole surface facing the cavity and defining the bottom of the cavity, and
an oppositely placed second inner sole surface defining the outer surface of the bottom of the cavity; and

a first sole comprising:
a first sole surface and an oppositely placed second sole surface, the first sole surface being disposed proximate at least a portion of the second inner sole surface,
wherein the first sole is made in one continuous piece and comprises through-going sole holes,

wherein the inner sole comprises a mesh configured to provide fluid communication from inside the cavity to the outside of the second sole surface, a peripheral boundary of the mesh being directly attached to a lower edge of the upper at a location where the lower edge of the upper contacts a portion of the first sole, wherein the mesh at least partially covers the sole holes of the first sole and is configured to allow liquids to flow via the sole holes between the cavity and the outside of the footwear, and
wherein an insert sole part is provided between the inner sole and the first sole, the insert sole part having through-going insert holes providing insert channels in fluid communication with the cavity, wherein the insert sole part comprises a protruding part extending in a direction away from the second inner sole surface, at least one of the insert holes of the insert sole part extending through the protruding part, wherein the protruding part comprises a protruding rim extending into a material volume of the first sole.

2. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein
the insert sole part comprises a first insert surface and a second insert surface opposite from the first insert surface, the first insert surface abutting the second inner sole surface and the second insert surface abutting the first sole surface, and
the insert holes of the insert sole part are in fluid communication with the sole holes of the first sole and with the cavity.

3. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein each sole hole of the first sole is placed in a recess placed at the second sole surface, the recess opening up at the periphery of the first sole, whereby liquid is able to flow out and away from the first sole.

4. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the entire inner sole comprises a mesh.

5. An article of footwear according to claim 2 , wherein the insert sole part is formed in a flexible material, the insert holes of the insert sole part being encircled by the flexible material.

6. An article of footwear according to claim 2 , wherein each of the insert holes of the insert sole part is delimited by the protruding rim of the protruding part, the protruding rim being placed at the second insert surface.

7. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein parts of the first sole are covered with inserts at the second sole surface in areas outside of where the sole holes of the first sole are placed.

8. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the sole holes of the first sole form sole channels running from the first sole surface to the second sole surface.

9. An article of footwear according to claim 2 , wherein
the sole holes of the first sole form sole channels running from the first sole surface to the second sole surface, and
the insert holes of the insert sole part form the insert channels running from the first insert surface to the second insert surface and in extension thereof continuing into the sole channels, whereby liquid is allowed to run through the sole channels between the cavity and the outside of the footwear.

10. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding part provides a side wall for at least one insert channel.

11. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding part extends fully around at least one insert channel.

12. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding part abuts the first sole surface.

13. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the insert sole part provides a seal between the first sole material and the second inner sole surface, the seal being configured to prevent the first sole material from flowing into the sole holes of the first sole or the insert holes of the insert sole part.

14. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear comprises a second insert disposed on the second sole surface.

15. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein at least one insert channel is in fluid communication with at least one of the sole holes of the first sole.

16. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein at least one insert channel is coaxial or overlaps with at least one of the sole holes of the first sole.

17. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the lower edge of the upper is formed in an outer-most portion of the upper.

18. An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the first inner sole surface is configured to contact the foot of the wearer when the foot of the wearer is received within the cavity.

19. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper;
an inner sole, the upper and the inner sole defining a cavity configured to receive the foot of a wearer, wherein the inner sole is proximate the cavity and comprises:
a first inner sole surface facing the cavity and defining the bottom of the cavity, and
an oppositely placed second inner sole surface defining the outer surface of the bottom of the cavity; and

a first sole comprising:
a first sole surface and an oppositely placed second sole surface, the first sole surface being disposed proximate at least a portion of the second inner sole surface,
wherein the first sole is made in one continuous piece and comprises through-going sole holes,

wherein the inner sole comprises a mesh configured to provide fluid communication from inside the cavity to the outside of the second sole surface, wherein the mesh at least partially covers the sole holes of the first sole and is configured to allow liquids to flow via the sole holes between the cavity and the outside of the footwear, and
wherein an insert sole part is provided between the inner sole and the first sole, the insert sole part being configured in a V-shape and having:
a first leg and a second leg diverging from each other to form the V-shape of the insert sole part, and
a plurality of through-going insert holes formed in at least one of the first leg or second leg, the insert holes providing insert channels in fluid communication with the cavity, wherein the insert sole part comprises a protruding part extending in a direction away from the second inner sole surface, at least one of the insert holes of the insert sole part extending through the protruding part, wherein the protruding part comprises a protruding rim extending into a material volume of the first sole.

Assignees

• Ecco Sko As

Inventors

• Hansen Hans Chr
• Jensen Frank

Classifications

• A43B5/08 Primary

  Bathing shoes {; Aquatic sports shoes} · CPC title

• A43B9/02

  Footwear stitched or nailed through · CPC title

• A43B7/087

  in the bottom of the sole · CPC title

• A43B7/08 Primary

  with air-holes, with or without closures · CPC title

• B29D35/061

  by injection moulding · CPC title