Footwear with air permeable layer and air permeable portion in a lower peripheral area of the upper arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687040-B2
Application number	US-201314770711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A footwear ( 10 ) comprises an upper arrangement ( 20 ) and a sole ( 30 ), in which the upper arrangement ( 20 ) comprises an upper material ( 12 ) comprising in a lower peripheral area at least one air permeable portion ( 14 ), an air-permeable layer ( 16 ) arranged in a lower area of the upper arrangement ( 20 ) on the sole side above the sole ( 30 ), wherein the air-permeable layer ( 16 ) is water vapor permeable and has a three-dimensional structure that permits passage of air at least in the horizontal direction; and at least one water vapor permeable functional layer ( 18 ) arranged on an inner side of the upper material ( 12 ) and above the air-permeable layer ( 16 ). The at least one air permeable portion ( 14 ) enables the air permeable layer ( 16 ) to communicate with the outer surroundings such that air is exchanged between the outer surroundings and the air permeable layer ( 16 ), said air permeable portion ( 14 ) further enables the water vapor permeable functional layer ( 18 ) to communicate with the outer surroundings such that water vapor is transported from an inner side of the functional layer ( 18 ) to the outer surroundings. A water vapor permeable first protective layer ( 22 ) is arranged between the air permeable portion ( 14 ) and the functional layer ( 18 ) in at least an area of the air permeable portion ( 14 ) above the air-permeable layer ( 16 ), wherein the first protective layer ( 22 ) is adapted for protecting the functional layer ( 18 ) against particles penetrating through the air permeable portion ( 14 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Footwear, comprising
a) an upper arrangement and a sole, in which:
b) the upper arrangement comprises
b.1) an upper material comprising in a lower peripheral area at least one air permeable portion,
b.2) an air-permeable layer arranged in a lower area of the upper arrangement on a sole side above the sole, wherein the air-permeable layer is water vapor permeable and has a three-dimensional structure that permits passage of air at least in the horizontal direction; and
b.3) at least one water vapor permeable functional layer arranged on an inner side of the upper material and above the air-permeable layer;
c) wherein the at least one air permeable portion enables the air permeable layer to communicate with outer surroundings such that air is exchanged between the outer surroundings and the air permeable layer, said air permeable portion further enables the water vapor permeable functional layer to communicate with the outer surroundings such that water vapor is transported from an inner side of the functional layer to the outer surroundings;
d) wherein a water vapor permeable first protective layer is arranged between said at least one air permeable portion and said functional layer in at least an area of the at least one air permeable portion above the air-permeable layer, wherein the first protective layer is adapted for protecting the functional layer against particles penetrating through the air permeable portion; and
e) wherein the at least one air permeable portion comprises at least one air passage opening in the upper material, said air passage opening comprising an air permeable second protective layer.

2. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one air passage opening has a total area of at least 500 mm 2 .

3. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the second protective layer has an air permeability of at least 100 l/m 2 /sec at 100 Pa pressure difference.

4. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the second protective layer has a net structure and is adapted to have protective function against particles, particularly stones.

5. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective layer is chosen from a group of materials consisting of: woven, nonwoven, felt, knit, porous, non porous, foam and mesh material and combinations thereof.

6. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the upper arrangement comprises an insole element arranged below the air permeable layer and assembled to at least one of a lower peripheral area of the upper material and a lower area of the air permeable portion.

7. Footwear, comprising
a) an upper arrangement and a sole, in which:
b) the upper arrangement comprises
b.1) an upper material comprising in a lower peripheral area at least one air permeable portion,
b.2) an air-permeable layer arranged in a lower area of the upper arrangement on a sole side above the sole, wherein the air-permeable layer is water vapor permeable and has a three-dimensional structure that permits passage of air at least in the horizontal direction; and
b.3) at least one water vapor permeable functional layer arranged on an inner side of the upper material and above the air-permeable layer;
c) wherein the at least one air permeable portion enables the air permeable layer to communicate with outer surroundings such that air is exchanged between the outer surroundings and the air permeable layer, said air permeable portion further enables the water vapor permeable functional layer to communicate with the outer surroundings such that water vapor is transported from an inner side of the functional layer to the outer surroundings;
d) wherein a water vapor permeable first protective layer is arranged between said at least one air permeable portion and said functional layer in at least an area of the at least one air permeable portion above the air-permeable layer, wherein the first protective layer is adapted for protecting the functional layer against particles penetrating through the air permeable portion; and
e) wherein the first protective layer extends into a bottom area of the upper arrangement facing the sole and is situated between the water vapor permeable functional layer and the air-permeable layer.

8. The footwear according to claim 7 , wherein the first protective layer is provided with attaching means, particularly adhesive in discontinuous distribution, on an inner and outer surface of the first protective layer.

9. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective layer is different from the second protective layer.

10. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective layer has a water vapor permeability, moisture vapor transmission rate, of at least 4 mg/cm 2 /h.

11. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective layer is adapted to protect the functional layer against dust and abrasion.

12. The footwear according to one of claim 1 , wherein the upper arrangement comprises at least one particle barrier layer arranged between the at least one air permeable portion and the functional layer at a level above the air-permeable layer.

13. The footwear according to claim 12 , wherein the particle barrier layer is arranged so as to contact an inside surface of the air permeable portion.

14. The footwear according to claim 12 , wherein the particle barrier layer is impermeable to air.

15. The footwear according to claim 12 , in which the particle barrier layer is attached to the first protective layer.

16. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one functional layer is comprised of a sock bootie.

17. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one functional layer is waterproof.

Assignees

• Gore W L & Ass Gmbh
• W L Gore & Ass S R L
• Gore W L & Ass Gmbh
• W L Gore & Ass S R L

Inventors

• Peikert Marc
• Brill Russell
• Giupponi Andrea

Classifications

• A43B7/08 Primary

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

• A43B23/0235

  Different layers of different material · CPC title

• A43B7/085 Primary

  in the upper · CPC title

• A43B7/12

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

• A43B7/125

  provided with a vapour permeable member, e.g. a membrane (A43B23/022 takes precedence) · CPC title