Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
A02755855201109-16
4r .
PCT/EP2010/054359
Sole unit for footwear and footwear provided therewith
Footwear having a waterproof and water vapor permeable
shaft and thereby able to give off perspiration
5moisture despite waterproofness in the shaft region is
well known. In order that perspiration moisture can
also escape in the sole region, there has been a move
to a sole construction which includes an outsole having
through hole openings extending through the thickness
10thereof and thereabove a waterproof and water vapor
permeable sole functional layer, for example in the
form of a membrane. One example is shown by EP 0 382
904 A2, the outsole of which includes through hole
openings in the form of microperforations, with
15corresponding restriction of water vapor permeability.
To better meet the pronounced tendency of the human
foot to sweat, EP 0 275 644 A2 proposes providing the
outsole with, compared with microperforations, large
20through hole openings in order that a particularly high
water vapor permeability may be achieved.
The larger the through hole openings in the outsole,
the greater the risk that a waterproof membrane above
25the through hole openings in the outsole is damaged by
foreign bodies, such as small stones for example, which
penetrate the through hole openings, and hence is
deprived of its waterproofness. EP 0 275 644 A2
therefore proposes that a protective ply composed of a
30mesh or felt material for example be disposed between
the outsole and its through hole openings and the
membrane thereabove, in order that foreign bodies which
penetrate the through hole openings in the outsole may
be prevented from advancing as far as the membrane.
Further examples involving large through hole openings
in the outsole which are sealed by a membrane against
the penetration of water to the shoe interior and where
there is a protective ply underneath the membrane, to
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prevent the penetration of foreign bodies as far as the
membrane, are known from WO 2004/028284 Al, WO
2006/010578 Al, WO 2007/147421 Al and WO 2008/003375
Al. In all these cases, one side of the membrane,
5typically a foil or self-supporting sheet, is laminated
with a textile backing in the form of a fine interloped
material. A netlike protective ply disposed between the
membrane and the through hole openings in the outsole
does offer a certain amount of protection against the
lOpenetration of foreign bodies as far as the membrane.
To improve the protection for the membrane, a further
protective ply is disposed between the membrane and the
netlike protective ply, this further protective ply
comprising a felt ply for example. A system of double
15protection of the membrane is thereby created,
involving two superposed plies which each have a
separate technical protective function.
The material chosen for these plies and also their
20thickness and penetration resistance values must be
adapted to the requirements of the particular practical
embodiment. This holds for the known solutions as well
as for the solutions presented by the present
invention.
A further example of very large sole openings is shown
by WO 2007/101624 Al, according to which the large
through hole openings in the outsole are stabilized by
means of stabilization bars and/or stabilization grids.
30These support water vapor permeable textile material,
for example feltlike material, fitted into the through
hole openings. The shoe sole assembly thus constructed
is bonded to a shaft, the shaft bottom of which is
sealed with a waterproof and water vapor permeable
35shaft bottom functional layer, making the entire shoe
waterproof and water vapor permeable.
The textile material is particularly aptly a fibrous
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ply comprising at least two fibrous components which
differ with regard to their melting temperatures,
wherein at least a portion of a first fibrous component
has a first melting temperature and a lower first
5softening temperature range and at least a portion of a
second fibrous component has a second melting
temperature and a lower second softening temperature
range and the first melting temperature and the first
softening temperature range are higher than the second
lOmelting temperature and the second softening
temperature range, and wherein the fibrous ply is
thermally consolidated, as a consequence of thermal
activation of the second fibrous component with a
tackifying temperature in the second softening
15temperature range, while maintaining water vapor
permeability in the thermally consolidated region.
Either the through hole opening or, where appropriate,
two or more through hole openings in the outsole can be
sealed with individual pieces of the textile material,
20or all through hole openings in the outsole are sealed
with a single piece of the textile material.
The textile material has two functions in this known
footwear. One function is to stabilize the sole
25construction, particularly because an outsole having
large openings cannot itself contribute sufficiently to
stabilizing the sole construction. This is because the
textile material is formed with a relatively high self-
stability which benefits the overall stability of the
30sole construction. The second function of the textile
material is to protect, from damage due to foreign
bodies such as for example small stones, a waterproof
water vapor permeable membrane above the sole
construction in the final footwear, for example as
35described in WO 2007/101624 Al.
The textile material aptly comprises in particular
polymers selected for example from PES (polyester),
A02755855201109-16
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polypropylene, PA (polyamide) and mixtures of polymers.
In one embodiment as per the previously mentioned
WO 2007/101624 Al reference, the textile material
5consists of a fibrous assembly in the form of a fleece
having two fibrous components, each constructed using
polyester fibers, which is mechanically consolidated
thermally and additionally surface consolidated by
thermal surface treatment. The first fibrous component
10having the higher melting temperature forms a carrier
component of the fibrous assembly and the second
fibrous component having the lower melting temperature
forms a consolidating component. To ensure thermal
stability for the entire fibrous assembly to at least
15180 C, because footwear can in the course of its
manufacture be exposed to relatively high temperatures,
for example when an outsole is injection molded, the
considered embodiment utilizes polyester fibers having
a melting temperature above 180 C for both the fibrous
20components. There are various variations of polyester
polymers, which have various melting temperatures and
correspondingly lower softening temperatures. In the
considered embodiment of the feltlike material, a
polyester polymer having a melting temperature of about
25230 C is chosen for the first component, while a
polyester polymer having a melting temperature of about
200 C is chosen for the second fibrous component. The
second fibrous component can be a sheath core fiber, in
which case the core of this fiber consists of a
30polyester having a softening temperature of about 230 C
and the sheath of this fiber consists of polyester
having a tackifying temperature of about 200 C. Such a
fibrous component, having two fibrous fractions
differing in melting temperature, is also referred to
35as a bicomponent (bico) fiber. Further particulars
concerning such textile material, which may comprise
feltlike material for example, are to be found in the
previously cited WO 2007/101624 Al reference.
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The accompanying figure 11 shows a to-be-improved sole
unit 115, including an outsole 117, provided with
outsole through hole openings 119 to obtain high water
vapor permeability, and a barrier ply 121 which forms
5the upper side of the outsole 117 in the region of the
outsole through hole openings 119 and which serves as
mechanical protection for a waterproof water vapor
permeable shaft bottom membrane situated above this
barrier ply 121 in the final shoe and forming part of a
lOshaft arrangement to be bonded to the sole unit 115.
Soles of this type are typically adhered or injection
molded onto the shaft arrangement. To obtain high
abrasion resistance and sole stability, materials used
include those such as rubber or plastic, for example
15polyurethane (PU), which are each a relatively hard and
heavy material. This impairs the wearing and walking
comfort. In addition, the outsole through hole openings
119 extend over a relatively large height, so that dirt
which becomes lodged in the outsole through hole
20openings 119 is but difficult to remove.
JP 9-140404 A discloses a shoe which is waterproof and
water vapor permeable in the sole region and is
constructed using a shaft arrangement having a shaft
25bottom, which includes a waterproof water vapor
permeable element, and a water and water vapor
permeable sole assembly having a perforated outsole
ply. The waterproof water vapor permeable element has a
three ply construction and contains, as middle ply, a
30waterproof water vapor permeable membrane, the upper
side of which has disposed on it a finely meshed
textile ply and the underside of which has disposed on
it a coarsely meshed textile ply which - although not
mentioned in this reference - may offer a certain
35degree of mechanical protection of the usually
sensitive membrane against destructive action, for
example due to foreign bodies such as small stones
which have penetrated through the perforation in the
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outsole ply. Between the outsole ply and a sole side
lower shaft end region there is a midsole which is
formed but circumferentially and, to reduce weight, is
replaced in a central region by a material such as cork
5or sponge. Apart from the fact that cork tends to
crumble, and thus in turn can contribute to mechanical
stressing of the sensitive membranes, and sponge as
well as cork can become fully saturated with water
through the perforations in the outsole ply, not only
10impairing walking comfort but also leading to an
appreciable weight increase for the sole assembly, cork
and sponge are materials whose water vapor permeability
is comparatively low compared with a perforated outsole
ply, particularly in the case of perforation by means
15of large through hole openings, and hence runs counter
to any water vapor permeability obtainable with an
outsole ply perforated with large through hole
openings. If the cork or sponge ply were provided with
through hole openings corresponding to the through hole
20openings in the outsole ply, dirt could become lodged
along the relatively large total length of the
respective outsole ply through hole opening and the
respectively corresponding through hole opening in the
cork or sponge, and be but very difficult to remove,
25and, on the other hand, foreign bodies such as small
stones could advance without hindrance as far as the
coarsely meshed textile ply, which offers only
relatively little mechanical protection. However, even
such foreign bodies as do not pass through the coarsely
30meshed textile ply could lead to the coarsely meshed
textile ply vaulting up in a way which places a local
stress on the membrane to be protected.
The present invention provides a footwear sole unit
35which, as well as improved comfort due to lighter
weight and/or higher underfoot cushioning, offers
better mechanical protection for a waterproof and water
vapor permeable functional layer, in the form of a
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membrane for example, situated above the sole unit, combined
with easier removability of dirt lodged in sole through hole
openings.
This is achieved by a water vapor permeable sole unit
including: an outsole ply constructed using an outsole
material, the outsole ply formed from a single piece or
formed from a plurality of pieces, the outsole ply forming
an outsole with a tread surface or being provided thereunder
with an additional outsole forming a tread surface, the
additional outsole formed from a single additional outsole
portion or formed from a plurality of additional outsole
portions, which outsole ply is thickness reduced within a
circumferential region by means of a recess extending from
an upper side of the outsole ply, and provided with outsole
ply through hole openings extending through the thickness
thereof, a water vapor permeable barrier ply at least partly
disposed in the recess of the outsole ply, extending only
over a partial height of the recess and constructed using a
barrier material configured to prevent foreign bodies being
forced through; and a water vapor permeable comfort ply
disposed above the barrier ply in the recess and constructed
using a comfort ply material having at least one of: a lower
hardness than the outsole material, and a lower specific
density than the outsole material.
A water vapor permeable sole unit according to the present
invention possesses an outsole ply constructed using an
outsole material, possibly formed from a plurality of pieces
and/or provided with outsole portions arranged thereunder,
which outsole ply is thickness reduced within a
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circumferential region by means of a recess extending from
an upper side, which is opposite a tread surface of the sole
unit, of the outsole ply, and provided with outsole ply
through hole openings extending through the thickness
thereof. This sole unit additionally possesses a water
vapor permeable barrier ply at least partly disposed in the
recess of the outsole ply, extending only over a partial
height of the recess and constructed using a barrier
material configured against foreign bodies being forced
through. This sole unit also possesses a water vapor
permeable comfort ply disposed above the barrier ply in the
recess and constructed using a comfort ply material having a
lower hardness and/or a lower specific density than the
outside material.
Preferably, the sole unit according to the present invention
is configured for bonding to a sole side lower end region of
a shaft arrangement which has a shaft bottom provided with a
waterproof water vapor permeable functional layer.
As a result of a portion of the volume of the recess in
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the outsole ply being replaced by the material of the
comfort ply, which is not subject to the abrasion
resistance conditions of outsole material and does not
have to contribute to sole stabilization to the same
5extent as outsole material, the material chosen for the
comfort ply can be lighter and/or softer elastic than
for the outsole ply, depending on whether the sole unit
to be produced is to have lower weight and/or better
underfoot cushioning. The footwear designer is thus
10free to choose a material with regard to weight and/or
underfoot comfort for a portion of the sole unit in a
way which he or she is not for the material of the
outsole ply.
15The solution provided by the present invention has a
distance between the shaft bottom membrane and the
barrier ply. In other words, the shaft bottom membrane
and the barrier ply are separated from each other in
principle, by the comfort ply.
Since the barrier ply is disposed between the outsole
ply and the comfort ply, i.e., at a distance from the
shaft bottom membrane, which in the final shoe is
situated above the sole unit, and with interposition of
25the comfort ply between the barrier ply and the shaft
bottom membrane, the barrier ply can advantageously be
constructed from a much coarser and/or robuster and
possibly rougher material than if the barrier ply were
directly adjacent to the shaft bottom membrane. This is
30because the comfort ply which is between the barrier
ply and the shaft bottom membrane and which can be made
of a relatively soft material, particularly when good
underfoot cushioning is to be achieved, gives the shaft
bottom membrane padded protection against a coarse
35and/or rough barrier ply. Therefore, the barrier ply
can even be made of a material which has such a
stiffness that it is capable of contributing to the
stabilization of the sole unit, more particularly when
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good underfoot cushioning is sought by using a
correspondingly soft comfort ply material.
Particularly when the barrier material is also
5configured for stabilization of the sole unit, one
embodiment of the present invention utilizes as barrier
material a thermally consolidated fibrous material
having a degree of consolidation which permits high
water vapor permeability. Such barrier material
10therefore need not be provided with through hole
openings. And even if this fibrous material is provided
with through hole openings, to increase water vapor
permeability, these through hole openings can be fairly
small compared with the through hole openings in the
15outsole ply and, as the case may be, comfort ply when
the comfort ply consists of an actually water vapor
impermeable material. At any rate, the barrier ply
forms a dirt barrier against penetration into the
comfort ply through hole openings of dirt which has
20penetrated into the outsole ply through hole openings.
In other words, such dirt can only become lodged in the
outsole ply through hole openings of comparatively low
height, so that it is significantly easier to remove
again than in the case of sole designs where the
25through hole openings extend through the overall
thickness of the sole unit. This applies particularly
to the heel region, where soles generally have a larger
overall thickness.
30In one embodiment, a shankpiece can be disposed
underneath the comfort ply or even integrated in the
comfort ply. A shankpiece is needed particularly in the
case of heeled shoes to endow the shoe with the
necessary torsional and flexural stability. A
35shankpiece may inter alia be fabricated in metal and
have sharp edges, and this can in turn potentially
damage the membrane in the shaft bottom region. There
is no danger of this with this embodiment owing to the
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comfort ply. Of course, a shankpiece should be
configured such that water vapor transmission through
the sole unit is impaired as little as possible.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the comfort
5ply is constructed using a water vapor permeable
material. The material's water vapor permeability can
be set sufficiently high as to make any perforation of
the comfort ply unnecessary.
10In one embodiment of the present invention, the comfort
ply is constructed using a material selected from the
materials group consisting of leather, open cell foam
material, water vapor permeable textile interloped
material, water vapor permeable textile fleece
15material, water vapor permeable felt material and
combinations thereof.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the comfort
ply is constructed using a multi ply drawn loop knit
20having loops displaced relative to each other plywise.
This multi ply construction with simultaneous
offsetting of the loops of the individual plies
relative to each other, good mechanical penetration
blockage for foreign bodies such as for example small
25stones, and also to a certain degree, nails, shards or
the like, and hence a high mechanical protection of a
shaft bottom membrane above the sole unit against
damage by such foreign bodies can be achieved as well
as high water vapor permeability.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the comfort
ply is constructed using water vapor permeable textile
material selected at least partly from the materials
group consisting of polyamide, polyester and
35polypropylene plastics material.
Particularly when the comfort ply is constructed using
a material which is not inherently water vapor
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permeable, there is one embodiment of the present
invention wherein the comfort ply is provided with
comfort ply through hole openings extending through the
thickness thereof and at least partly overlapping with
5the outsole ply through hole openings. The highest
overall water vapor permeability is achieved for the
sole unit when as many as possible of the outsole ply
through hole openings and of the comfort ply through
hole openings are equal in size and aligned with each
lOother.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the comfort
ply is constructed using a material, which can also be
a foamed material, selected from the materials group
15consisting of polyurethane (PU) and ethylene vinyl
acetate (EVA). When the sole unit is to offer
particularly good underfoot cushioning, i.e., the
comfort ply material is to be soft elastic, a soft
elastic grade of PU can be selected from the PU
20spectrum, or it is possible to use EVA, known for its
soft elastic properties. Particularly when it is the
sole or an additional requirement that the sole unit
have a low weight, a foamed plastics material can be
chosen for the comfort ply. The comfort ply can
25ultimately also be configured as a classic intersole
which is visible in the sole from the outside looking
sideways.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the through
30hole openings of the comfort ply extend through the
comfort ply at such an oblique angle relative to a
tread surface of the sole unit that there result for
the comfort ply through hole openings oblique wall
portions which counter the penetration of foreign
35bodies. With this design of the comfort ply through
hole openings, the comfort ply for its part acts as a
barrier to the penetration of foreign bodies to a shaft
bottom membrane above the sole unit.
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In one embodiment of the present invention, at least
one of the outsole ply through hole openings and/or
comfort ply through hole openings has an area of at
51east 0.5 cm'. However, the outsole ply through hole
openings and/or comfort ply through hole openings can
also have a larger area, namely at least an area of at
least 1 cm' or else of at least 5 cm', or an area of at
least 20 cm', or an area of at least 40 cm'.
In one embodiment, the comfort ply is water vapor
permeable both horizontally and vertically. In this
embodiment, the comfort ply can also be formed with
lateral openings to the outside, in which case at least
15one other sole ply of the sole unit is configured
correspondingly, for example with lateral outlet
openings.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the comfort
20ply is constructed using an at least vertically air
permeable ply in the form of an air permeable spacer
structure. This spacer structure can additionally also
be air permeable in the horizontal direction.
25In one embodiment of the present invention, the air
permeable spacer structure is constructed using a
sheetlike structure and a plurality of spacer elements
extending away from the sheetlike structure
perpendicularly and/or at an angle between 00 and 90 .
In one embodiment of the present invention, the spacer
elements of the spacer structure are formed as tufts.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the air
35permeable spacer structure is constructed using two
mutually parallel sheetlike structures connected to
each other and held spaced apart in an air permeable
manner by means of the spacer elements.
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In one embodiment of the present invention, the spacer
structures are constructed using a consolidated formed
loop knit.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the spacer
structures are constructed to be wave or sawtooth
shaped.
10In one embodiment of the present invention, the barrier
ply is configured for mechanical stabilization of the
sole unit.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the barrier
15ply is constructed using a fibrous assembly comprising
at least two fibrous components which differ with
regard to their melting temperature. At least a portion
of a first fibrous component has a first melting
temperature and a lower first softening temperature
20range and at least a portion of a second fibrous
component has a second melting temperature and a lower
second softening temperature range and the first
melting temperature and the first softening temperature
range are higher than the second melting temperature
25and the second softening temperature range. The fibrous
assembly is thermally consolidated, as a consequence of
thermal activation of the second fibrous component with
a tackifying temperature in the second softening
temperature range, while maintaining water vapor
30permeability in the thermally consolidated region.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the outsole
ply is constructed using a material selected from the
materials group consisting of rubber, PU
35(polyurethane), TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), EVA
(ethylene-vinyl acetate), TR (technical rubber) and
leather or combinations thereof. This is because the
outsole ply shall have good abrasion resistance.
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Thermoplastic polyurethane is the generic term for a
multiplicity of different polyurethanes, which can have
different properties. An outsole may comprise a
thermoplastic polyurethane which has high stability and
5slip resistance as well as high abrasion resistance.
When the comfort ply is to provide impact cushioning
for the user of the shoe in relation to walking
movements, an appropriately elastically resilient
material can be selected therefor, for example EVA
10(ethylene vinyl acetate) or PU (polyurethane).
In one embodiment, the outsole ply does not form the
actual outsole, which has a tread surface, but only
forms a midsole and underneath the outsole ply there is
15disposed an additional actual outsole, composed of
rubber or some other sole material for example, which
can be made as one piece or be formed from two or more
outsole portions. This actual outsole or outsole
portions should have high abrasion resistance.
The present invention also provides footwear including
a shaft arrangement which includes a shaft bottom which
is provided with a shaft bottom functional layer and
hence is waterproof and water vapor permeable, and
25comprising a sole unit which is bonded to a sole side
end region of the shaft arrangement according to at
least one of the recited embodiments.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the shaft
30of the footwear is provided with a shaft functional
layer which is bonded to the shaft bottom functional
layer in a waterproof manner, making the footwear as a
whole waterproof and water vapor permeable.
350ne embodiment of the present invention provides
footwear having a sole unit which according to the
present invention is provided with a comfort ply, and
having a shaft which is provided in a sole side shaft
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end region with a waterproof and water vapor permeable
shaft bottom functional layer, wherein the sole unit is
secured to the shaft end region of the shaft
arrangement provided with the shaft bottom functional
5layer, such that the shaft bottom functional layer is
at least in the region of the comfort ply through hole
openings unconnected to the comfort ply. The latter in
fact yields a particularly high water vapor
permeability since in the region of the comfort ply
10through hole openings there is no adhesive between the
comfort ply and the shaft bottom functional layer to
reduce water vapor permeability.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the
15footwear as well as the shaft bottom functional layer
includes within a water vapor permeable shaft upper
material a shaft functional layer which extends over a
significant region of the shaft upper material and
which is bonded in a waterproof manner to the shaft
20bottom functional layer, or is bonded thereto to form a
bootie.
Such footwear is (with the exception of the foot
slip-in opening) totally waterproof and yet water vapor
25permeable.
Definitions and test methods
Footwear:
30Foot covering having a closed upper portion (shaft
arrangement) which includes a foot slip-in opening and
includes at least one sole or sole unit.
Shaft upper material:
35a material which forms the outside surface of the shaft
of the shaft arrangement and consists for example of
leather, a textile, plastic or other known materials or
combinations thereof, or is constructed therewith, and
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generally consists of water vapor permeable material.
The sole side lower end of the shaft upper material
forms a region adjoining the upper edge of the sole or
sole unit or above a boundary plane between the shaft
Sand the sole or sole unit.
Installation sole (insole):
an installation sole is part of the shaft bottom. At
least one sole side lower shaft end region is secured
10to the installation sole.
Sole:
A shoe has at least one outsole, but can also have
multiple kinds of sole plies which are arranged on top
15of each other and form a sole unit.
Outsole:
An outsole is that part of the sole region which
touches the floor/ground or makes the main contact with
20the floor/ground. An outsole has at least one tread
surface touching the floor.
Bootie:
A bootie is a sock type inner liner of a shaft
25arrangement. A bootie forms a bag type liner of the
shaft arrangement, which covers the interior of the
footwear essentially completely.
Functional laver:
3Mdaterproof and/or water vapor permeable layer, for
example in the form of a membrane or of an
appropriately treated or finished material, for example
a textile with plasma treatment. A functional layer in
the form of a shaft bottom functional layer can form at
351east one ply of a shaft bottom of the shaft
arrangement, but can also be additionally provided as a
shaft functional layer at least partly lining the
shaft. Not only the shaft functional layer but also the
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shaft bottom functional layer can be part of a multi
ply, usually two, three or four ply, membrane laminate.
The shaft functional layer and the shaft bottom
functional layer can each be part of a functional layer
5bootie. When instead of a functional layer bootie a
shaft functional layer and a separate shaft bottom
functional layer are used, these are sealed off
waterproof relative to each other in the sole side
lower region of the shaft arrangement for example. The
10shaft bottom functional layer and the shaft functional
layer can be formed from the same or different
material.
Suitable materials for the waterproof water vapor
15permeable functional layer are in particular
polyurethane, polypropylene and polyester, including
polyetherester and laminates thereof, as described in
the printed publications US-A-4,725,418 and US-
A-4,493,870. In one embodiment, the functional layer is
20constructed using microporous expanded poly-
tetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), as described for example
in the printed publications US-A-3,953,566 and US-
A-4,187,390. In one embodiment, the functional layer is
constructed using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene
25provided with hydrophilic impregnants and/or
hydrophilic layers; see for example the printed
publication US-A-4,194,041. A microporous functional
layer is a functional layer whose average pore size is
between about 0.2 pm and about 0.3 pm.
Laminate:
A laminate is an assembly consisting of multiple plies
durably bonded or connected to each other, generally by
mutual adhering together. In the case of a functional
35layer laminate, a waterproof water vapor permeable
functional layer is provided with at least one textile
ply. The at least one textile ply, or backing, mainly
serves to protect the functional layer during the
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processing thereof. This is referred to as a two ply
laminate. A three ply laminate consists of a waterproof
water vapor permeable functional layer embedded between
two textile plies. The bonding between the functional
Slayer and the at least one textile ply is effected for
example by means of a continuous water vapor permeable
layer of adhesive or by means of a discontinuous layer
of non water vapor permeable adhesive. In one
embodiment, adhesive in the form of a dot shaped
10pattern may be applied between the functional layer and
the textile ply or both of the textile plies. The dot
shaped or discontinuous application of the adhesive is
chosen because a uniform layer of an adhesive which
itself is non water vapor permeable would block the
15water vapor permeability of the functional layer.
Barrier ply:
A barrier ply serves as barrier against the penetration
of substances, particularly in the form of particles or
20foreign bodies, for example small stones, through to a
ply of material to be protected, more particularly
through to a mechanically sensitive functional layer or
functional layer membrane.
25Waterproof:
A functional layer/functional layer laminate/membrane
including if appropriate seams provided on the
functional layer/functional layer laminate/membrane is
considered waterproof when it warrants a water inlet
30pressure of at least 1 x 104 Pa. Preferably, the
functional layer material warrants a water inlet
pressure of above 1 x 105 Pa. The water inlet pressure
is measured by following a test method wherein
distilled water at 20 2 C is applied to a sample of
35100 cm2 of the functional layer with increasing
pressure. The pressure increase of the water is 60
3 cm hydrohead per minute. The water inlet pressure is
then equal to the pressure at which water first appears
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on the other side of the sample. Details of the
procedure are mandated in the ISO standard 0811 from
1981.
5Whether a shoe is waterproof can be tested for example
using a centrifuge arrangement of the kind described in
US-A-5 329 807.
Water vapor permeable:
10A material, in particular a functional layer/functional
layer laminate is considered water vapor permeable when
it has a water vapor permeability number Ret of below
150 m2 x Pa x W-1. The water vapor permeability is
tested in accordance with the Hohenstein skin model.
15This test method is described in DIN EN 31092 (02/94)
and ISO 11092 (1993).
The water vapor permeability values of the plies of a
sole unit according to the present invention, namely of
20the outsole ply, the barrier ply and the comfort ply,
are tested with the aid of the cup method of DIN EN ISO
15496 (09/2004).
In one embodiment of the present invention, the barrier
25ply has a water vapor transmission rate of at least
4000 g/m2 = 24 h. In practical embodiments, a water
vapor transmission rate of at least 7000 g/m2 = 24 h or
of 10 000 g/m2 = 24 h is chosen.
30In one embodiment of footwear having a shoe bottom
construction comprising a sole unit constructed in
accordance with the present invention and a superior
shaft bottom functional layer or a shaft bottom
functional layer laminate, the sole construction
35together with the shaft bottom functional layer or the
shaft bottom functional layer laminate has a moisture
vapor transmission rate (MVTR) in the range from
0.4 g/h to 3 g/h, which can be in the range from
,.....
,
- 20 -
0.8 g/h to 1.5 g/h, and is 1 g/h in a practical
embodiment.
The water vapor permeability of the sole unit can be
5determined using the method specified in the document
EP 0 396 716 B1, which was designed for measuring the
water vapor permeability of an entire shoe. To measure
the water vapor permeability of a shoe's sole unit
only, the method of measurement described in EP 0 396
10716 B1 can likewise be utilized by using the measuring
setup shown in figure 1 of EP 0 396 716 B1 in two
successive measuring scenarios, namely once when the
shoe has a water vapor permeable sole unit and another
time when the otherwise identical shoe has a water
15vapor impermeable sole unit. The difference between the
two measurements can then be used to determine that
fraction of water vapor permeability that is
attributable to the water vapor permeability of the
water vapor permeable sole unit.
Each measuring scenario proceeds using the method of
measurement described in EP 0 396 716 B1, namely the
consecutive steps of:
1 conditioning the shoe by leaving it in a
conditioned space (23 C, 50% relative humidity)
for at least 12 hours
2 removing the inlay sole (footbed)
3 inserting into the shoe a waterproof water vapor
permeable lining material which is adapted to fit
the shoe interior and which, in the region of the
foot slip-in opening of the shoe, is sealable with
a waterproof water vapor impermeable sealing plug
(for example of Plexiglas and an inflatable cuff)
to form a water and water vapor seal
354 filling water into the lining material and
plugging and sealing the foot slip-in opening of
the shoe with the sealing plug
5 preconditioning the water-filled shoe by leaving
,.....
,
- 21 -
it to stand for a certain period (3 hours) while
maintaining the temperature of water at a constant
35 C. The condition of the surrounding space is
likewise kept constant at 23 C and 50% relative
5 humidity. The shoe during the test is subjected to
a frontal blast from a fan at an average rate of
at least 2 m/s to 3 m/s wind speed (to destroy any
quiescent air layer forming around the standing
shoe, which would create an appreciable resistance
10 to water vapor passage)
6 reweighing the sealed and plugged water-filled
shoe after preconditioning (weight m2 [g])
7 again letting stand and actual testing phase of
3 hours under the same conditions as in step 5
158 reweighing the sealed water-filled shoe (weight
m3 [g]) after the test phase of 3 hours
9 determining the water vapor transmission rate of
the shoe from the amount of water vapor which has
escaped through the shoe during the test period of
20 3 h (m2-m3) [g] in accordance with the relation
M = (m2-m3) [g]/3[h]
After the two measuring scenarios had been carried out
to measure, first, the water vapor permeability values
25for the entire shoe with water vapor permeable sole
unit (value A) and, secondly, for the entire shoe with
water vapor impermeable shaft bottom construction
(value B), the water vapor permeability value for the
water vapor permeable sole unit can be determined
30solely from the difference A-B.
It is important to avoid direct contact of the shoe or
its sole with an uninterrupted surface underneath the
shoe or sole during the measurement of the water vapor
35permeability of the shoe featuring the water vapor
permeable sole unit. This can be achieved by raising
the shoe or by placing the shoe on a grid structure,
ensuring that the fanned air stream along the outsole
,.....
,
- 22 -
is better or in fact there at all.
It is sensible that for each test setup repeat
measurements be carried out on any one shoe and mean
5values calculated therefrom in order that a better
estimate may be obtained of the scatter involved in the
measurement. At least two measurements should be
carried out with the measuring setup for each shoe. All
measurements should be assumed to have a natural
10fluctuation of the measured results of 0.2 g/h about
the actual value of 1 g/h for example. Thus,
measurements between 0.8 g/h and 1.2 g/h could be
obtained for the same shoe in this example. Factors
influencing these fluctuations may be due to the person
15conducting the test or due to the quality of close out
at the upper edge of the shaft. Reporting a plurality
of individual measurements for one and the same shoe
allows a more accurate picture to be gained of the
actual value.
All values for the water vapor permeability of the sole
unit are based on a normally laced men's shoe of size
43 (French sizing), although this sizing is not
standardized and shoes from different manufacturers can
25have different actual sizes.
Hardness
Hardness test to Shore A and Shore D (DIN 53505, ISO
307619-1, DIN EN ISO 868)
Principle:
The Shore hardness is the resistance to the penetration
of a body of a certain shape under a defined spring
35force. The Shore hardness is the difference between the
numerical value 100 and the penetration depth of the
penetrating body in mm, divided by the scale value of
0.025 mm, under the action of the testing force.
A 02755855 2011-09-16
- 23 -
The Shore A test is performed using a truncated cone
having an opening angle of 350, while the Shore D test
utilizes a cone having an opening angle of 300 and a
tip radius of 0.1 mm as penetrating body. The
5penetrating bodies consist of polished hardened steel.
Measuring equation:
HS =I00
0.025
F=550+75HS4
F=445H.SD
10h in mm, F in mN
In which:
HS is the shore hardness
HSA is the shore A hardness
HSD is the shore D hardness
Application range:
Owing to the differing resolution of the two Shore
hardness tests in various hardness ranges, materials
20having a Shore A hardness > 80 are advantageously to be
tested according to Shore D and materials having a
Shore D hardness < 30 according to Shore A.
Hardness scale Use
Shore A Soft rubber, very soft plastics
Shore D Hard rubber, soft thermoplastics
25The invention will now be additionally elucidated with
reference to embodiments which merely constitute non-
limiting examples of the implementation of the
invention. In the accompanying drawings:
30Figure 1 shows a perspective depiction of an
embodiment of a shoe having a shaft and an
inventive water vapor permeable sole unit,
,.....
,
- 24 -
wherein the sole unit is not yet bonded to
the shaft;
Figure 2 shows a schematic cross sectional part
depiction of a shoe as per figure 1 with a
first embodiment of an inventive sole unit,
wherein the sole unit is likewise not yet
bonded to the shaft;
10Figure 3 shows a schematic cross sectional part
depiction of a shoe as per figure 1 with a
second embodiment of an inventive sole
unit, wherein the sole unit is likewise not
yet bonded to the shaft;
Figure 4 shows a schematic cross sectional depiction
of a third embodiment of an inventive sole
unit which can be bonded to the shaft
arrangement shown in figure 1;
Figure 5 shows a schematic cross sectional depiction
of a fourth embodiment of an inventive sole
unit which can be bonded to the shaft
arrangement shown in figure 1;
Figure 6 shows a schematic depiction of a first
embodiment of an air permeable ply, in the
form of an air permeable spacer structure,
useful as comfort ply;
Figure 7 shows a schematic depiction of a second
embodiment of an air permeable ply, in the
form of an air permeable spacer structure,
useful as comfort ply;
Figure 8 shows a schematic depiction of a third
embodiment of an air permeable ply, in the
form of an air permeable spacer structure,
,......
,
- 25 -
useful as comfort ply;
Figure 9 shows a schematic depiction of a fourth
embodiment of an air permeable ply, in the
form of an air permeable spacer structure,
useful as comfort ply;
Figure 10 shows a schematic depiction of a fifth
embodiment of an air permeable ply, in the
form of an air permeable spacer structure,
useful as comfort ply; and
Figure 11 shows a schematic cross sectional depiction
of a sole unit to be improved by the
present invention, which can likewise be
bonded to the shaft arrangement shown in
figure 1.
Terms such as, for example, up, down, right, left and
20so on only ever apply to the specific depiction in the
respective figure and have no absolute meaning.
Figure 1 shows a perspective obliquely upward view of
an illustrative embodiment of an inventive shoe 11
25having a shaft 13 and an inventive sole unit 15.
Figure 1 shows the shoe 11 at an assembly stage before
the sole unit 15 is secured to the shaft 13. The shoe
11 has a foot slip-in opening 17. Figure 1 shows with
regard to the tread surface of the sole unit 15 a
30specific topography with regard to outsole ply through
hole openings 16 which is purely illustrative and
immaterial for the present invention. To obtain good
water vapor permeability for the sole unit 15 and hence
good perspiration moisture removal from the shoe
35interior via the sole unit 15, however, very large
outsole ply through hole openings 16 are desirable.
As shown in figure 1, the lower end of the shaft 13 is
,.....
,
,
- 26 -
sealed with a shaft bottom 19 before the sole unit 15
is bonded to the shaft 13. The shaft bottom 19 is
provided with a waterproof and water vapor permeable
shaft bottom functional layer, for example in the form
5of a shaft bottom membrane 21 (visible in figures 2 and
3). Shaft 13 and shaft bottom 19 formed a shaft
arrangement 22. In general, the shaft bottom membrane
is processed as a component of an at least two ply
laminate.
The cross sectional depictions which are shown in
figures 2 and 3 and which are for example sections
through a forefoot region of footwear show different
embodiments which differ from each other not only with
15regard to the construction of the sole unit 15 but also
with regard to the construction of the shaft
arrangement.
Figures 2 and 3 each depict a shoe wherein, firstly,
20the sole unit 15 is not yet bonded to the shaft
arrangement 22 and wherein, secondly, the shoe 11 is
shown without footbed. The embodiment shown in figure 2
is designed for a sole injection molded onto the shaft
arrangement 22, whereas the embodiment shown in figure
253 is designed for a sole adhered to the shaft
arrangement 22. However, this is immaterial to the
present invention and could also be the other way round
for the embodiments corresponding to figures 2 and 3,
with appropriate conforming of the close out measures.
The shaft arrangements 22 of the two embodiments shown
in figures 2 and 3 each include in unison a shaft 13
with a water vapor permeable shaft upper material 23, a
shaft functional layer, for example in the form of a
35shaft membrane 25, disposed on the inside surface
thereof, and a shaft liner 27 on the inside surface
thereof. In both cases, the shaft bottom 19 includes a
three ply shaft bottom membrane laminate 33 which
,.....
- 27 -
includes as middle ply the shaft bottom membrane 21,
which includes on one of its surfaces a supporting
textile ply 35 and on its other surface a supporting
net 37. It is also possible to use a shaft bottom
5membrane laminate having some other number of plies,
for example a two ply laminate. In both cases, the
entire shaft bottom 19 (figure 2) or to be more precise
an insole 29 of the shaft bottom 19 is bonded by means
of a seam 31 (for example Strobel seam or zig zag seam)
10to a sole side lower end region of shaft membrane 25
and shaft liner 27.
These two embodiments shown in figures 2 and 3,
however, differ with regard to the construction of the
15respective shaft bottom 19 and with regard to the
construction of the respective sole unit 15. These two
embodiments also differ with regard to the bonding
between shaft arrangement 22 and sole unit 15.
20In the embodiment shown in figure 2, the function of an
insole 29, frequently also referred as installation
sole on account of its function of installing the lower
shaft end in the desired form, is formed by the three
ply shaft bottom membrane laminate 33. In this
25embodiment, the sole side lower end of the shaft upper
material 23 terminates at a certain distance before the
seam 31 to form a projection of the sole side lower end
of the shaft membrane 25 relative to the sole side
lower end of the shaft upper material 23. This distance
30between shaft upper material 23 and seam 31 is
overbridged by means of a netband 39 which is permeable
to liquid plastic.
The embodiment shown in figure 2 includes a sole unit
3515 which is constructed using an outsole ply 41, the
surface of which is lower in the figure is configured
as tread surface 42 and which has, on its upper side
removed from the tread surface 42, a recess 43 which
,.....
- 28 -
leads to a thickness reduction of the outsole ply 41 in
the region of this recess 43. The outsole ply 41 is
provided in the region of this recess 43 with outsole
ply through hole openings 45 extending through the
5thickness of the outsole ply 41 at that point, to
render the outsole ply 41 water vapor permeable. These
outsole ply through hole openings 45 are made as large
as possible in order that a correspondingly high water
vapor permeability may be achieved for the outsole ply
1041 and hence for the sole unit 15. Located in the
recess 43 is at least a portion of a barrier ply 47 as
mechanical protection for the shaft bottom membrane 21
against damage due to foreign bodies, for example small
stones which pass into the outsole ply through hole
15openings 45. This barrier ply 47 is constructed in one
embodiment using the aforementioned thermally
consolidated fibrous material, so that in addition to
being configured as mechanical protection for the shaft
bottom membrane 21 it can also be configured as
20stabilization material for the sole unit 15. Within the
recess 43 and on the upper side of the barrier ply 47
is a comfort ply 49 which, in the embodiment depicted
in figure 2, is provided with comfort ply through hole
openings 51 which extend through the thickness of the
25comfort ply 49, for example because the comfort ply 49
is constructed using a water vapor impermeable
material. Depending on whether the comfort ply 49 is to
assist in achieving a weight reduction for the sole
unit 15, walking comfort which is improved with regard
30to underfoot cushioning, or both, the material used for
the comfort ply 49 is lighter than the material of the
outsole ply, softer than the material of the outsole
ply, or both. When good underfoot cushioning is to be
achieved, EVA is an example of a useful material for
35the comfort ply. When a weight reduction compared with
the outsole ply material is to be achieved, a foamed
plastic having a correspondingly low specific density
is suitable. When both improved underfoot cushioning
,.....
- 29 -
and weight reduction are to be achieved with respect to
the outsole ply material, foamed EVA is suitable for
example. However, there are many further versions of
material which can be used.
The embodiment shown in figure 2 is designed
particularly for footwear where the outsole is attached
by injection molding. In the shoe's manufacture, the
material of the outsole ply 41 is formed by means of
10liquid sole material of an outsole ply or some other
sole ply, for example of a midsole, being injection
molded to the shaft bottom 21 by means of an injection
mold (not shown) which is placeable in position at the
underside of the shaft arrangement 22 and in which the
15barrier ply 47 and the comfort ply 49 have been laid
before the operation of injection molding, such that,
first, the shape shown in figure 2 for the outsole ply
41, with the laterally high-drawn circumferential edge
results, and, secondly, the injection molded outsole
20ply material extends laterally to such an extent that
it can penetrate to the sole side lower end of the
shaft upper material 23 and through the netband 39 to
the lower end region of the shaft membrane 25, which is
behind the netband 39 and not covered by the shaft
25upper material 23, in order to produce at this location
a waterproof bond on the one hand between outsole ply
41 and shaft membrane 25 and on the other, reaching
over the seam 31, a waterproof bond between the shaft
membrane 25 and the shaft bottom membrane 21. Since
30only the supporting net 37, but not the supporting
textile ply 35 can be penetrated by liquid sole
material to such an extent that the liquid sole
material can penetrate as far as the shaft bottom
membrane 21 and proof the latter, the shaft bottom
35membrane laminate 33 in this embodiment is disposed
such that its supporting net 37 lies on the downwardly
facing side of the shaft bottom membrane 21.
,.....
,
,
- 30 -
In the embodiment depicted in figure 2, the outsole ply
41 and the comfort ply 49 each have through hole
openings 45 and 51, respectively, which have not just
the same size but also align with each other, i.e.,
5overlap maximally. This provides particularly high
water vapor permeability to the sole unit 15. In many
cases, however, it will also be sufficient for the
outsole ply through hole openings 45 and the comfort
ply through hole openings 51 to only overlap partially,
10for example in order that different topographies of
outsole ply 41 and comfort ply 49 may be actualized.
What matters is only that, with regard to the outsole
ply through hole openings 45 and the comfort ply
through hole openings 51, a minimum overlap is ensured
15in order that water vapor permeability may be ensured
for the sole unit 15. In this embodiment, the shaft
bottom membrane laminate 33 is disposed such that the
supporting net 37 faces downward, i.e., toward the sole
unit 15, and is penetratable by sole material which is
20liquid in the course of the injection molding
operation. Therefore, this liquid sole material, which
as depicted in figure 2, flows in the direction of a
region encompassing the netband 39, the seam 31 and a
circumferential region of the shaft bottom membrane
251aminate 33, will penetrate not only through the
netband 39 to the corresponding region of the shaft
membrane but also through the supporting net 37 to the
corresponding region of the shaft bottom membrane
laminate 33 to seal off these two regions by including
30the seam 31 in the close out operation.
The embodiment depicted in figure 3 is designed for
adhered outsoles. Therefore, a waterproof bond is
created between the shaft bottom membrane 21 and the
35shaft membrane 25 in this embodiment in another way
than that shown for the embodiment shown in figure 2.
In addition, the shaft bottom 19 of the embodiment
shown in figure 3 differs from the shaft bottom 19 of
,.....
,
- 31 -
the embodiment shown in figure 2 in that the insole
function is performed not by a shaft bottom membrane
laminate but by an insole 29 installation sole,
provided additionally to the shaft membrane laminate 33
5and bonded to the shaft bottom membrane 25 and the
liner 27 by a seam 31, which can again be a Strobel
seam or a zig zag seam. In this embodiment, a sole side
lower end region of the shaft membrane 25 and a
circumferential region of the shaft bottom membrane 21
lOare bonded together in a waterproof manner by means of
a proofing adhesive 53. Since this proofing adhesive 53
can also only penetrate through the supporting net 37
but not through the supporting textile ply 35 to the
shaft bottom membrane 21 to proof the latter, the shaft
15bottom membrane laminate 33 in this embodiment is
oriented the other way round compared with the
embodiment as shown in figure 2, such that, in the
embodiment shown in figure 3, the supporting net 37 is
situated on the upper side and the supporting textile
20ply 35 on the underside of the shaft bottom membrane
21. The shaft bottom membrane laminate 33 is situated
on the underside of the insole 29, i.e., on that side
of the insole 29 which faces the sole unit 15. The
proofing adhesive 53 also serves to secure the shaft
25bottom membrane laminate 33 to the shaft arrangement
22, so that no additional adhesive is required.
In this embodiment according to figure 3, the sole side
lower upper material end region is lasted by means of a
301asting adhesive 55 to the underside of the
circumferential edge of the shaft bottom membrane
laminate 33. In this embodiment, the outsole ply 41 of
the sole unit 15 is adhered, by means of a sole
adhesive 57 applied to a circumferential region of the
35upper side of the outsole ply 41, to the sole side
lower end region of the shaft upper material 23 and at
least partly to a circumferential region of the shaft
bottom 19.
,.....
- 32 -
The sole unit 15 shown in figure 3 differs from the
sole unit 15 shown in figure 2 in the form of the
outsole ply portions between the outsole ply through
5hole openings 45, which in the case of figure 2 have
the form of studs and in figure 3 have the form of
narrower bars. Overall, this is of minor importance for
the function of the sole unit 15 and the function of
the shoe 11. If in both cases all outsole ply through
10hole openings 45 together result in total areas of
equal size, this will lead essentially to the same
water vapor permeability.
While the embodiment shown in figure 2 includes a
15comfort ply 49 having comfort ply through hole openings
51, for example because this comfort ply 49 consists of
an inherently non water vapor permeable material, the
embodiment shown in figure 3 includes a schematically
depicted comfort ply 49 which consists of an inherently
20water vapor permeable material, for example a textile
ply, for example composed of a multi ply textile having
loops displaced relative to each other plywise.
In both the embodiments depicted in figures 2 and 3,
25the shaft bottom membrane laminate 33 (figure 2), which
performs the insole function, or, respectively, the
insole sole 29 is bonded to the lower shaft end by
means of the Strobel seam 31, which is why this is
often referred to as a Strobel insole.
The schematic cross sectional depictions in figures 2
and 3 are only partial in the sense that, to simplify
the shaft arrangement, only a left hand side shaft
portion and a shaft bottom are shown in each case, but
35not also a right hand side shaft portion, which has to
be imagined to be there as well.
Figures 4 and 5 each merely show a sole unit 15 which
,....
,
,
- 33 -
can be bonded to a shaft arrangement, which may as
required be a shaft arrangement in accordance with
figure 2 or a shaft arrangement in accordance with
figure 3, or a similar shaft arrangement. It is a
5characteristic of the sole units 15 in figures 4 and 5
that, unlike the embodiment shown in figure 2, the
comfort ply through hole openings 51 extend not
vertically to the tread surface 42 of outsole ply 41
but at an oblique angle relative to the tread surface
1042. While all comfort ply through hole openings 51 in
figure 4 extend in the same oblique direction, the
comfort ply through hole openings 51 at left in
figure 5 and the comfort ply through hole openings 51
at right in figure 5 have differently directed oblique
15angles. This makes it possible to position the comfort
ply through hole openings 51 on both sides closer to
the edge of the recess 43 in the outsole ply 41 than
would be possible at the edge of a side if the oblique
angles of all comfort ply through hole openings 51
20point in the same direction, as in the case of
figure 4.
In the embodiments with obliquely directed comfort ply
through hole openings 51, the oblique angles, the
25thickness of the comfort ply 51 and the diameters of
the comfort ply through hole openings 51 must be
harmonized with each other so as to give rise to
oblique wall portions for the comfort ply through hole
openings 51, which resist the penetration of foreign
30bodies; that is, that the comfort ply through hole
openings 51 have perpendicularly to the tread surface
42 or, respectively, to the barrier ply 45 no free
space into which a foreign body which has succeeded in
penetrating the barrier ply 45 can pass through the
35comfort ply 51 without further hindrance.
As already mentioned, the comfort ply 41 can be
configured as an air permeable ply in the form of an
A 02755855 2011-09-16
- 34 -
air permeable spacer structure. Iterative examples
thereof are shown by figures 6 to 10.
In the figure 6 embodiment of a comfort ply 49
5constructed using a spacer structure 60 useful as air
permeable ply 40, a lower sheetlike structure 64 has
approximately hemispherical projections or bulges 65
curving upwardly, the upper vertices of which define an
upper supporting surface. This spacer structure 60 in
lOone embodiment consists of an initially sheetlike
formed-loop knit or of a solid material which, after it
has been brought, for example by a deep draw operation,
into the shape shown is or becomes stiff such that it
will retain this shape even under the load to which it
15is exposed in the course of walking with a shoe which
includes a sole unit 15 equipped with this spacer
structure. In addition to a deep draw operation,
further measures can also be used, namely forming and
stiffening via a thermoforming operation or
20impregnation with a synthetic resin which cures into
the desired shape and stiffness.
Figure 7 shows an illustrative example of a comfort ply
51 constructed using a spacer structure 60 which is
25useful as an air permeable ply 40 and the lower and
upper supporting surfaces of which are formed by two
mutually parallel air permeable sheetlike structures 62
and 64, which are selected from the group consisting of
polyolefins, polyamides and polyesters for example, and
30which sheetlike structures 62 and 64 are connected
together, and at the same time spaced apart, in an air
permeable manner by supporting fibers 66. At least some
of the fibers 66 are disposed as at least approximately
perpendicular spacers between the sheetlike structures
3562 and 64. The fibers 66 consist of a flexible,
formable material such as polyester or polypropylene
for example. Air can flow through the sheetlike
structures 62 and 64 and between the fibers 66. The
,......
,
,
- 35 -
sheetlike structures 62 and 64 comprise open cell woven
or knitted textile materials. Such a spacer structure
60 can be a spacer knit available from Tylex or from
Muller Textil.
The spacer structure 60 shown in figure 8 has a similar
construction to the spacer structure shown in figure 6,
but consists of a formed-loop knit of loop-formingly
knitted fibers or loop-formingly knitted filaments,
10which are brought into this form and, for example via a
thermal operation or an impregnation with synthetic
resin, have been consolidated in this form.
Figure 9 shows an embodiment of a spacer structure 60
15having a zig zag or sawtooth profile, for which an
initially flat material has been formed such that the
upper and lower vertices 60a and 60b respectively
define the respectively upper and lower supporting
surfaces of this spacer structure 60. The spacer
20structure 60 of this form can also be formed, and
consolidated to the desired stiffness, by the methods
already mentioned.
Figure 10 shows a further illustrative example of a
25spacer structure 60 useful as an air permeable ply 40
useful for the inventive comfort ply 51. In this
embodiment, spacer elements are formed by the single
lower sheetlike structure 68 not as projections or
upward bulges, but as fiber tufts 70 which are
30upstanding on the sheetlike structure 68 and the upper
free ends of which together define the upper supporting
surface. The fiber tufts 70 can be applied by
subjecting the lower sheetlike structure 68 to a
flocking process.
