Waterproof shoes and method for preparing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11484091-B2
Application number	US-202016752810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2020
Priority date	Jan 28, 2019
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

Abstract

The present invention is related to a water-resistant shoe and a method of making the water-resistant shoe. In most embodiments the shoe comprises an outsole, an insole, an upper, and a bootie product comprised of a bootie, a bootie liner, a strobel and a gasket. In many embodiments water-resistant materials such as tape or glue are used to cover all seams and joints. In some embodiments the different pieces are tested for water-resistance before combining and in others the final shoe is tested for water-resistance. The present shoe and method provide a comfortable yet water-resistant shoe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making a shoe comprising the steps of:
attaching a bootie liner to a bootie to form a first bootie product;
attaching a strobel to a bottom of said first bootie product to form a second bootie product;
molding a gasket over a bottom of said second bootie product to form a third bootie product;
attaching said third bootie product and an upper to form a first upper product;
attaching an outsole to a bottom of said first upper product;
wherein said shoe is tested for water-resistance by the steps comprising:
securing said shoe to a flex test machine;
placing at least one sensor inside of said shoe;
submerging at least a part of said shoe under a liquid;
detecting liquid intrusion into said shoe with said sensor while lifting and releasing at least a portion of said submerged shoe;
removing said shoe from said flex test machine;
drying said shoe.

2. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein said attaching is completed by using the materials selected from the group consisting of water-resistant tape, non-water-resistant tape, water-resistant glue, non-water-resistant glue, water-resistant thread, non-water-resistant thread, water-resistant primer, non-water-resistant primer, and combinations thereof.

3. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein said step of molding a gasket over a bottom of said second bootie product to form a third bootie product comprises the steps of:
inserting a last into said second bootie product;
applying glue to a bottom of said second bootie product;
heat activating said gasket;
pressing said gasket onto said bottom of said second bootie product to form said third bootie product;
freezing said third bootie product;
removing said last from said third bootie product.

4. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein said third bootie product is tested for water-resistance before being attached to said upper by the steps comprising:
securing said third bootie product to a bootie testing machine;
pressurizing an inside of said third bootie product with a gas;
submerging at least a part of said third bootie product under a liquid;
inspecting gas leakage into said liquid from said inside of said third bootie product;
removing said third bootie product from said bootie testing machine;
drying said third bootie product.

5. The method for making a shoe according to claim 4 , wherein said bootie is pressurized to a pressure of at least 1 atmosphere.

6. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein said shoe is lifted and released at least 1000 times.

7. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of attaching an insole to a bottom of said first upper product.

8. The method for making a shoe according to claim 7 , wherein said insole is removable.

9. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of attaching a first and second insole to a bottom of said first upper product.

10. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein said step of attaching a bootie liner to a bootie to form a first bootie product further comprises the steps of:
cutting a first and second bootie section from a sheet of a bootie material;
cutting a first and second bootie liner section from a sheet of a bootie liner material, which is different from said bootie material;
sewing together said first and second bootie and bootie liner sections to form said first bootie product;
wherein said bootie liner comprises an inside of said first bootie product and said bootie comprises an outside of said first bootie product.

11. A method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
sealing said outsole;
attaching a first insole to a top of said outsole to form a first outsole product;
attaching at least a portion of said first outsole product to a bottom of said first upper product;
attaching a second insole to a bottom of said first upper product to form a second upper product;
attaching the remainder of said first outsole product to a bottom of said second upper product.

12. The method for making a shoe according to claim 11 , wherein sewing creates at least one seam, and wherein said at least one seam is further sealed using the materials selected from the group consisting of water-resistant tape, non-water-resistant tape, water-resistant glue, non-water-resistant glue, water-resistant primer, non-water-resistant primer, and combinations thereof.

13. The method for making a shoe according to claim 11 , wherein at least a part of said sewing is completed using zig-zag stitching.

14. The method for making a shoe according to claim 11 , wherein said step of sealing an outsole comprises placing sealing tape around a perimeter of said outsole.

15. The method for making a shoe according to claim 11 , wherein said step of attaching the remainder of said first outsole product to a bottom of said second upper product comprises the steps of:
applying glue to the areas selected from the group consisting of a bottom of said second insole, a top of said outsole, and combinations thereof;
pressing said second upper product and said first outsole product together;
sewing together said second upper product and said first outsole product.

16. The method for making a shoe according to claim 15 , wherein said step of sewing together said second upper product and said first outsole product is completed using opanka style stitching and water-resistant thread.

17. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein said molding of said gasket is completed by using the materials selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and combinations thereof.

18. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 wherein said bootie is made of multiple layers.

19. The method for making a shoe according to claim 18 wherein said multiple layers are made of different materials.

20. The method for making a shoe according to claim 1 , wherein said strobel is made of two layers.

Assignees

• Columbia Insurance Co

Inventors

• Issler James E
• Mcclaskie Thomas

Classifications

• G01N3/20

  by applying steady bending forces (G01N3/26, G01N3/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• A43B7/12 Primary

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

• A43D25/06

  Devices for gluing soles on shoe bottoms (A43D25/18, A43D25/20 take precedence) · CPC title

• A43B1/10

  made of rubber · CPC title

• G01M3/103

  for flexible or elastic containers · CPC title