Polyurethane injected boot assembly and associated manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11666114-B2
Application number	US-202117168090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2021
Priority date	Nov 30, 2011
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

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; and
a foot portion integrally connected to the leg portion and having a vamp 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 encases the foot portion of the sock layer and is affixed to at least a first part of the leg portion, and wherein a second part of the leg portion of the sock layer remain exposed and substantially uncovered by the outer injection molded layer, and wherein the outer injection molded layer includes a plurality of integral convertible channels of reduced thickness around an ankle portion, wherein the convertible channels are configured to define cut lines along which the upper may be cut during manufacture to define a selected height of the leg portion.

2. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the injection molded layer fully covers the heel portion, vamp portion and an under-foot portion of the sock layer, and wherein the injection molded layer covering the under-foot portion is between the sock layer and the outsole and defines an integrated midsole portion attached to the outsole.

3. The footwear assembly of claim 2 wherein the integral midsole portion between the outsole and the foot portion of the neoprene sock has an increased thickness under the heel portion to absorb impact loads at heel strike of a wearer's gait cycle.

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

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

6. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the sock layer is a neoprene sock.

7. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein injection molded layer has a thickness of approximately 6.0 mm covering the vamp portion.

8. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein a shin portion of the outer injection molded layer is attached to the front shin portion and defines a shin guard.

9. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the sock layer has an ankle portion below the front shin portion, and the plurality of integral convertible channels comprise a first convertible channel formed around leg portion below the ankle portion, a second convertible channel formed around leg portion above the ankle portion and at least across the front shin portion.

10. The footwear assembly of claim 9 wherein the plurality of integral convertible channels further comprises an intermediate convertible channel around the leg portion and between the first and second convertible channels.

11. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of convertible channels is configured to be finished with a binding stitch after being cut.

12. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the sock layer is a neoprene sock having a thickness of approximately 3.5 mm and the injection molded layer has a thickness of approximately 4.0 mm-8.0 in the vamp portion defining an integral metatarsal guard with shock absorption and impact attenuation that meets or exceeds metatarsal guard standards for footwear.

13. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper further comprises a toe guard, a metatarsal guard, or a puncture resistant sole layer encapsulated in the outer injection molded layer.

14. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer injection molded layer is a layer of at least one of polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane, or Styrene Ethylbutylene Styrene material.

15. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer injection molded layer comprises:
a first injection molded region over the foot portion of the sock layer, wherein the first injection molded region defines an integrated midsole portion between the sock layer and the outsole; and
a second injection molded region over at least a portion of the shin portion of the leg portion of the sock layer, wherein the sidewall portions and calf-side portion of the sock layer remain substantially uncovered by the second injection molded layer, and wherein the second injection molded layer includes a shin guard integrally connected to the vamp portion.

Assignees

• Lacrosse Footwear Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A43B5/145

  Boots for motorcyclists · CPC title

• B29D35/04

  having multilayered parts · CPC title

• A43B23/042

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

• A43B7/12 Primary

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

• A43B23/045

  Uppers with inserted gussets · CPC title