Article of footwear and method for forming the article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016120260-A1
Application number	US-201414893916-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	May 24, 2013
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

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

1 . An article of footwear comprising an upper, said article of footwear provided with an inner sole, said upper and inner sole delimiting a cavity/space for receiving the foot of a wearer, a first sole comprising a first sole surface and an oppositely placed second sole surface, said first sole surface covering at least parts of the inner sole, said first sole unit being made in one continuous piece and comprising through-going sole holes, wherein the inner sole 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, wherein the inner sole comprises a mesh to provide fluid communication from inside the cavity to the outside of the cavity second sole surface where the mesh is directly attached to the upper and in that the mesh covers at least partly the through-going holes in the sole, thereby allowing liquids, such as water, to flow via the holes in the sole from inside the cavity and to the outside of the footwear, and vice versa.

2 . An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein an insert sole part is provided between the inner sole and the first sole, said insert sole part comprising a first insert surface and a second insert surface turning the opposite direction of the first insert surface, said first insert surface abutting the second inner surface, and said second insert surface abutting the first sole surface, said insert sole part comprising through-going insert holes being in fluid communication with the through-going sole holes and the cavity.

3 . An article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein each through-going sole hole is placed in a recess placed at the second sole surface, said recess opening up at the periphery of the first sole, whereby liquid is able to flow out and away from the 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 such as TPU, and in that the insert holes in the flexible part are all encircled by said flexible material.

6 . An article of footwear according to claim 2 , wherein each of the through-going insert holes is delimited by a protruding rim placed at the second insert surface.

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

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

9 . An article of footwear according to claim 8 , wherein the through-going insert holes form insert channels running from the first insert surface to the second insert surface and in extension thereof continuing into the first sole channel, whereby liquid such as water is allowed to run through the channels between the cavity and the outside of the footwear.

10 . Method for forming at least one article of footwear comprising an upper provided with an inner sole, said upper and inner sole delimiting a cavity for receiving the foot of a wearer, said upper being placed on a last and said inner sole comprising a mesh, the said inner sole further comprising a first inner sole surface facing the cavity/the last and an oppositely placed second inner sole surface, said method further comprising a mould comprising an upper mould part and a lower mould part, said upper mould part comprising at least two parts; a first side frame and a second side frame, said first and second side frames being laterally movable in relation to the lower mould part, said movement taking place between a first and a second position in relation to the lower mould part, said mould further comprising at least one mould cavity, and the method comprising the steps:
placing the upper in the mould cavity by moving the last into said mould cavity, moving the side frames towards each other from the first to the second position, whereby the side frames about the upper, said lower mould part comprising a number of protruding parts for providing through-going sole holes in a first sole formed by the mould, said protruding parts comprising a cross-sectional area being substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of the sole holes, moving the lower mould part towards the upper from a third to a fourth position, said lower mould part being vertically movable in relation to the upper mould part between the third and the fourth position, injecting a composition into a space between the upper and the lower mould part, whereby the first sole is formed, and whereby the first sole adheres to a part of the second sole surface of the inner sole, and whereby through-going sole holes are provided in the area, where the protruding parts are present.

11 . Method according to claim 10 , wherein placing an insert sole part in the mould, said insert sole part comprising a first insert surface and a second insert surface turning the opposite direction of the first insert surface, said second insert surface abutting the lower mould part, said protruding parts covering through-going insert holes placed in the insert sole part, in moving the lower mould part towards the upper from the third to the fourth position, where the first insert surface abuts the second inner sole surface, in injecting a composition into a space between the upper and the lower mould part, whereby a first sole is formed and whereby the first sole connects to the upper and covers the insert sole part outside the insert holes of the insert sole part.

12 . Method according to claim 10 , wherein one or several second insert(s) is/are placed in the mould in the lower mould part outside the area, where the protruding parts of the lower mould part are placed, said second inserts adhering to the second sole surface of the first sole, when the moulding of said first sole takes place.

Assignees

• Ecco Sko As

Inventors

• Hansen Hans Chr
• Jensen Frank

Classifications

• B29D35/061

  by injection moulding · CPC title

• A43B7/08 Primary

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

• A43B7/087

  in the bottom of the sole · CPC title

• A43B9/02

  Footwear stitched or nailed through · CPC title

• A43B5/08 Primary

  Bathing shoes {; Aquatic sports shoes} · CPC title